The area struck by the residual energy in its previous encounter with Ballock was found to be crystalized.
However, before full crystallization, Salza had visited the place and recognized his son's blood among the pool of blood. The crystallized area was found to be incredibly hard, and they couldn't discern its use, so Salza sent a message along with a piece of crystalline material for them to examine.
That was how he avoided the clutches of the chief. He took him to the place, and the chief eventually took over the operation. There was nothing he could do but was secretly delighted that his son's blood traces couldn't be found anymore.
The other thing was that the crystallized area started spreading in all directions across the surroundings, albeit in a slow pace. There was still a driving force in it…
Maria tore the seal off and took out a light-blue parchment in which words were inscribed.
Maria's eyes twisted back and forth when she read what was written. She just couldn't take it down her throat, there was always this variable in her mind amidst the growing tension especially when a contender was selected.
Salza was confused when he didn't hear his wife's voice anymore before raising his head only to see her dejected expression. His eyes fixated on the bluish parchment, and he knew at once what it contained.
Besides, parchments are mostly used as a sign of imminent war and only one person could sign it in the entire city…
He quickly took hold of the parchment and read its content. He wasn't surprised because it was as he had thought.
"Two days from now, your division and the seventh division are dispatched to the Bland town. The operation should be clean and concluded by hanging the head of the town head outside the town as deterrence to other forces."
This was what was written with a stamp in the middle dictating the mastermind.
"We are to attack the Bland town in two days. Oh, come on! My division alone is enough for those pricks and will make a clean park. I need not join hands with some burgers." Salza complained with clear distaste. He wasn't on good terms with the other division commander.
A division was further divided into five smaller units led by a unit commander and those units are also divided into ten smaller ones. Furthermore, the highest-ranking authority was the mayor followed by the chiefs, and then the deputy chief, before the division commander and then unit commander and so on.
Salza supposed only his division from the nine total divisions was enough to solve the crisis with the Bland town.
Just because it was a town doesn't mean it should be looked down on, since there are many towns that were stronger than cities and kingdoms. It was just so…
"Don't worry dear, this is also a chance to look for our son in the other region. Who knows if someone has him and were only stalling, because I have this feeling that he isn't dead." he said.
"At least not yet!" he added in a strange voice wanting to calm his beloved wife.
Maria only glared at him and struggled in his embrace before she expressed her thought worriedly, "It's not that." she said calmly,
"I'm just afraid that maybe he was captured by the Bland town people, you know. They'll surely use him as leverage in the war because I don't see how they can best our grade 4 city being only a grade 3 town. Don't you think?"
Maria words made perfect sense, but Salza didn't want to admit it. He prayed it better not be so or the operation wouldn't just end by hanging the head of a single person. That boy was such a vulnerable and cute kid, if anything happens to him... the entire town will pay for their sins.
"Don't worry dear, nothing will happen to him. He is a strong child with intelligence, isn't he?" Salza whispered into her ears.
He hugged his wife tightly as a crimson light flashed past his eyes.
If Blood were here, he would have notice that the aura emitted by the crimson light had a close resemblance with the energy of the domain he had stepped into, and that was the secret of the Marble family…
___
This was the thirteenth day since Blood entered a strange state. Ballock at first was worried since this state was similar to the last one. He wasn't ready for it. He knew he was a dead meat if Blood didn't appear in a month.
He was delighted when he saw Blood's aura was increasing rapidly in his static state and fantasied about the uniqueness of this domain. He had also benefited greatly after he recognized the magic of the domain.
Ballock didn't just stay idle during this period but also entered cultivation after setting up defensive formation in the vicinity. He took resources from Blood's spatial ring which was with him beforehand.
In just six days he had gained plenty, not only in cultivation but also acquired natural herbs which he found when he explored the region. He didn't go far though since he had to keep his eyes on his friend and make sure of his safety.
Just this area alone had made him incredibly fearful of the domain. Beast don't usually come to this area except some stray ones, but one thing to be noted was that they were all in the Bronze realm.
Yes!
Since he began his exploration, he hadn't come across any beast which was in the Iron realm but only Bronze realm beasts and higher. This in itself implies that the entire domain was dangerous, this area might as well be a desolated part of the domain. Yet in this desolate place, he had found many valuables.
He had combated many beasts but didn't try to kill any. He only shifted their fight away from Blood so they wouldn't disrupt his advancement, because he could feel he was close. If he had killed them, he would have risked attracting more beasts his way since he had learned they had sharp senses.
He couldn't fight multiple beasts all by himself.
Thankfully, he had made a breakthrough, successfully setting foot into the Bronze realm. That was how he could combat those beasts he came across. He was now a full-fledged Bronze realm cultivator.
Ballock's silent thought was disrupted by the clamoring of the red ambiguous energy. He looked above his head only for him to see a teenager falling down with the trident in his grasp. He looked to be unconscious by the way he dropped down without caution.
Ballock left what he was doing and leaped, he took his bud in his arms and brought him down coolly.
He then placed him on the plain terrain he had made and waited patiently.
The dangers in the region were appalling!