Chapter 118: Chapter 71: Preparations (4)
It was genuinely terrifying to think about where that blood came from. How did they even manage to get the blood of an Assimilator with the Law Authority in the Lower District? I didn’t even want to try imagining it right now. But wait... did that mean I had just used the blood of an actual human being?
I immediately threw the vial in my hand onto the floor, then stood up and began pacing in circles around the room. What the hell did I just do? I’d better assume the person that blood belonged to gave it up willingly. Although, to be honest, I highly doubted that. Still, it was what I wanted to believe at least.
I hope you, whoever you are, donated that blood of your own free will.
As I kept pacing, I realized something simple. I had used the blood of an Assimilator who held the Law Authority, and I’d succeeded in creating cards that interacted with the glove that carried the same Authority while I’d failed to make them work with the mask that held the Madness Authority.
And I’d also failed to create a low quality System piece infused with the Miracles Authority.
So that must mean I need to use the blood of an Assimilator with the same Authority I want to craft the cards with each time?
Where the hell would I find that? It’s not like I can just go around stealing blood from Authority users, right?
But wait could I use my own blood?
Yes. I think that’s a brilliant idea.
I grabbed one of the daggers from the table and made a small cut on my pinky finger. Then I pressed it quickly before it could heal at its usual absurd speed. A drop of red blood rolled down. After that, I picked up one of the cards on the table and began drawing the same symbols that were engraved on the necklace, then charged it with a small amount of Authority power by simply holding it in my hand.
And as soon as I finished, the card glowed golden. I smiled wide and proud. Yes, exactly as the original Jevan had described it in the notebook. What a genius I am. I’m tired of praising myself, but honestly, I deserve it.
I wasn’t entirely sure what kind of abilities the card would gain after all, just as Assimilators’ powers differ, so do the abilities of System pieces. Or at least, that’s what the original Jevan wrote.
When I tossed the card into the air, it transformed into the shape of a small Crow before returning to its original form. I controlled its shape again, turning it into a dagger. Before it could hit the wall, I turned it back into a Crow.
The little creature fluttered around the room it was mesmerizing to watch. Unfortunately, the spectacle didn’t last long; the card reverted back to normal once the Authority energy within it was depleted. The whole thing lasted only a few seconds, yet watching it sent shivers down my spine.
"Low quality System pieces are useless? Who was the idiot that said that?"
Whoever made that claim was a complete fool. This was the most incredible thing I’d seen so far.
Looks like not everything the original Jevan wrote in that notebook was true. I should’ve known the bastard was clearly trying to make my journey harder than it already is.
I cut myself again and drew more symbols on the playing cards. After half an hour of nonstop work, I had a decent pile of cards infused with the Miracles Authority. When I finally finished, I collapsed onto the floor, completely exhausted. Crafting System pieces wasn’t easy, apparently.
But in the end, at least now I had a beautiful collection of cards. I hadn’t really thought about how to use them in an actual fight, to be honest. Those Crow shaped forms didn’t seem capable of doing much damage to anyone. Maybe when they turned into daggers, they’d be more useful.
Even if they weren’t, they were still amazing worth every bit of the effort.
While I lay there on the floor, I noticed Ragu looking at me strangely his head tilted, his face a mix of mild suspicion and pure astonishment.
I lifted my head toward him and asked flatly:
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
He pointed at me and said:
"What the hell did you just do? Man, are you some kind of sorcerer or what?"
I gave him a sideways grin and winked.
"You could say that... the Sorcerer of Miracles."
I noticed how his expression changed the moment he heard me say Sorcerer of Miracles.The surprise vanished from his face, replaced by something else an odd, uneasy look full of confusion.
I stood up from the floor, brushed the dust off my clothes, and said:
"Why do you look so stunned? I mean, you’ve been watching me all this time. I’ve gone through far crazier things I literally talk to the dead. Cheap tricks like this shouldn’t surprise you this much."
He lowered his head slightly.
"No... it’s just, that name you said reminded me of an old story my grandmother used to tell me."
"The name Sorcerer of Miracles reminded you of a story?"
I said as I fiddled with one of the cards still lying on the table.
"And what story would that be, exactly?"
"Nothing important, just an old legend."
I tightened my grip around the card.
"What’s that legend about, exactly?"
Ragu sighed.
"I don’t remember much, but it was about a sorcerer who granted people’s wishes... or something like that."
"What do you mean ’something like that’? You don’t remember the story your grandmother told you? You ungrateful bastard."
"Who’s the ungrateful bastard here? They’re just old children’s tales from the village! How the hell am I supposed to remember them?"
I pointed the card at him.
"It’s a story your grandmother told you with love how dare you forget it like that?"
"And how would you know that? Were you there?"
"No, but it’s obvious that’s what happened."
"And how do you know? I doubt a heartless killer like you ever had a grandmother telling him bedtime stories. If you had, you wouldn’t have turned out like this."
"At least I’m alive."
"I’d rather be dead than live a life like yours."