After spending another few hours, examining and delving into the reasons vampires were so vulnerable to holy magic, with Rex scanning their bodies with both his mana and aura, they had come to a prototype solution. And as it turned out, the solution was quite simple as well- all they had to do was grow more knowledgeable about the concept of blood, resulting in the cleansing of their blood, erasing the corruption their mutation had brought while maintaining the advantages of it. And with their rings stuffed to the brim with blood, the group was in no immediate worry about supplies, giving Eve plenty of time to iron out the details with her father. And as such, Barnabus was given the task to return to their homend and bring Adrian's wife and st child here.

  "Will there be any problems with your entire family disappearing?" Rex asked as he prepared to head towards the colosseum, the second day of the tournament having arrived.

  "There shouldn't. Plenty of families have decided to travel the world, disappearing for decades, only to return down the line, and since none of my family hold an important position. it would not raise any eyebrows."

  "Perfect. Now, since you all will be confined to this room for the time being, my apologies for that." Rex bowed his head "I believe that you would need something to busy yourselves with. As such, here you go." He spoke, pulling out a small tablet, no rger than a smartphone. It was blood red in colour, clearly crystalized blood, yet even Adrian, who was more than half a millennia old, could not hope to achieve such a feat. And, the trio of vampires in the room could clearly feel the calming effect the tablet radiated, lulling them into a state of comprehension.

  "As you can already tell, this is why you don't have to travel with me all around. Once my own mansion will be acquired, I will create a special room there with a formation that will not only strengthen the effects of the shard, bit also prevent any snooping noses from accessing it, providing you with a sanctuary of learning of sorts."

  "Thank you sir. This is more than we could ever hope to gain." Adrian bowed, thanking Rex and receiving the shard. A lesser vampire might have contempted the idea of running away with the shard at the first opportunity, bringing it back to their homend, but Adrian was smarter than that. Rex could, no doubt, detonate the shard at any given time, leaving them with nothing. And when considering the details of their employment, how could he even consider running away? He and his family received everything they could ever hope for, while only having to look after an estate and the servants living within, and occasionally delving into the dungeon to farm for some materials for the ruler of the nds. It was, without a doubt, a win-win scenario for his side.

  With the tablet handed over, Rex smiled and spoke "Well then, I am off as well. Have fun." and with those words, he left the room, found Danica and headed out. Light's Oak would not join them today, at least not in their entirety, only Alurial and Ria coming along, the rest of the group more in the mood to train and perfect the techniques Rex had taught them. Or as Veena had put it "Don't make us watch a monster we could never hope to match up to ever. It's better for our nerves." As for Alurial and Ria? Well, the tter was 'dating' Rex and the formed wished she was, so it was to be expected.

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  "Say Bansha. I can't seem to understand something. Why would Rex decide to participate in the tournament himself, instead of putting up one of his tamed beasts? As far as the rules go, it seems permitted." Juan,the direct disciple of Frozen Moon sect's elder asked, a small parchment in his hand containing the list of participants on it.

  "If I had to bet? He is much, more than meets the eye. He was already aware of the plot by that foolish due even before I warned him."

  "That part is obvious. Then again,. it makes sense, does it not? A tamer of such skill to have scouting abilities to either find the beasts and monsters he wants to tame or whatever else. Still, you reasoning is solid. Regardless, we will see soon enough."

  Even as the due spoke, the sounds of swords cshing resounded in the background, two men, cd in sweat and cuts fought with their all in the arena. It was not the first fight, but much like the ones beforehand, they could not truly draw the attention of the duo, much like the other two from their rival faction.

  "When do our fighters are expected to match?" Juan asked in a bored tone as he sipped on the vine in his hand.

  "In the finals, as agreed. Hmm, and who's fighter would meet Rex?"

  "Theirs, in semi finals." Bansha replied, already aware of the whole bracket.

  "Tsk." Juan clicked his tongue annoyedly. "How are we to evaluate his combat strength then? No matter, it's the abyss falcon pair and his ability as a tamer that matters. Right, and the champion of of that scheming duo?"

  "Right before his fight with Dawning sun's champion, assuming he reaches that far." Bansha once again replied.

  "Oh, speak of the devil." a slight smile crept on Juan's face, as the st fight had ended just moments ago and the next pair of fighters came on the stage, one of them Rex.

  ----------------------

  It had been quite boring so far, Rex could not deny it, any more than Danica could. Both had watched the fights before his turn had come up, and as Danica had put it "I have seen B ranker's put up more of a fight. Are you sure they are A ranked?" And while he definitely shared the sentiment, as he had told her, he could understand the reasoning of the contestants. This was no do or die situation, not with their life on the line, not necessarily. If the opponent was an honorable man, they would fight until one is exhausted and in such a manner the superior fighter would be decided. Only if the opponent was hell bent on crippling or outright murdering you would one respond in kind.

  And while Rex only had one unfortunate bastard to savagely kill in the tournament, something he was ensured would have the chance of happening ter on in the bracket stage, he also had to set up a stage to expin his need for servants and their blood. There was no way they could outright say that he was housing vampires and it was for their consumption that the blood was to be gathered. And as such, he had to execute his pn, the first step that would happen here.

  As he walked inside the arena, he could literally sense the power radiating from it, the sands that had been soaked with blood of countless fighters and monsters, all spilled for the amusement of the masses. He was sure that if he desired so, he could call the sands themselves to his aid, elevating his already unfair advantages to yet another level entirely. Actually, now that he thought about it, he just might for a special someone. A wicked grin spread across his face as the thought ran across his mind. Yup. Can surrender if no one can either see or hear you.

  His first opponent of the day was a mountain of a man, dwarfing his almost two meter frame by another twenty or so centimeters. Combined with the sheer amount of muscle, one could be almost allowed to compare the matchup to that of David and Goliath, had they not met Rex in person and were unaware of his two meter frame. This was, in all honesty, a matchup of giants, with one of them notably bigger than the other. The silver white beard and hair of the man were quite peculiar as well, seemingly indicating his advanced age, but judging by the man's skin complexion, he was in his best years still. The two walked towards the center of the field, the soft upper yer of the sand, a centimeter at most in thickness, gave way to their weight, a light sound of it parting accompanying the otherwise quiet combatants.

  Soon, the two were a couple of meters away from one another, their eyes locked. "Any words for your opponent?" asked the judge before initiating combat.

  "I will try to end it as fast as possible. My apologies brother." spoke the white haired man.

  "Likewise. I will do my utmost to not leave any permanent damage." Rex replied in just as serious of a tone.

  With that said and no other words coming from their mouths, the referee called for the start of the fight. It was then that the silver haired warrior drew his giant axe and charged at Rex, who noticed the dulled edges of the weapons bde. Appreciating the sportsmanship of his opponent, he too went along in the same manner, not drawing his blood sword, not that he would have, and depending on his blood chains to do the heavy lifting. In mere moments, his surroundings were crowded with chains the colour of blood, intercepting the charging man, quickly snaking their way around his limbs and restricting his movement more and more. In less than a minute, despite the silver haired man's best efforts to extricate himself from the almost lifelike chains, he was well bound and immobilized, rendering him effectively defenseless and at Rex's mercy. What others would not see the significance of was the ease with which Rex lifted the man's axe that weighed well over couple hundred kilograms and put at the man's neck, earning a light chuckle from the bound fighter.

  "I admit defeat." he spoke up after and once freed from the chains, back on his feet and with the axe in his hands, he looked to Rex. "Thank you for showing mercy. It was my honor of facing you in such a friendly spar. May our nations ever remain on friendly terms."

  "Well said indeed." Rex nodded his head, a slight smile on his face. It was always a pleasure to interact with such men.

  With his fight done and the result announced by the referee, he turned around and left the arena, shortly after returning to his balcony where four dies awaited him. Eve had returned from her talk with her father, a fair few questions on her mind.

  --------------------------

  "So, have I guessed correctly that you will use the tournament to funt your skill in blood magic that you will then use as an excuse for why you need to collect blood from your servants?" Eve asked as soon as Rex was in his seat.

  "As sharp as ever. That one of the qualities I appreciate about you Eve." Rex nodded his head. "That is indeed the pn."

  "It kinda heavily depends on others realizing what you are using and then assuming you are a vampire which in turn results in them trying to use holy attributed artifacts against you. It would obviously fail, resulting in the rumors about a non vampire blood mage becoming a hard fact. Well pyed indeed." Eve could do nothing but imitate appuse for Rex.

  "I know, right? Praise me more." Rex replied with a grin, earning a deadpan stare from the princess. And while Eve was not the least willing to do as Rex had implied, Danica and Ria were all for it, hugging him from both sides and praising him, giggling all the while.

  "Don't stroke his ego too much." Eve looked towards Ria most of all, as her next words expined why "It's not you who will have to deal with the consequences of that."

  "And you will enjoy every moment of it." Ria replied, a slight smirk of her own adorning her face.

  ------------------------

  "How peculiar." Juan mused, the fight between Rex and the silver haired warrior having had just concluded. "How does he control those chains of his I wonder? Every time we see him, he reveals more and more reasons to win him over."

  As he was mulling over things, Bansha was staring at the arena, a bnk look on her face. It was only a minute ter that Juan too noticed it and with a gentle tug of Banshas' sleeve, he brought the woman back to reality.

  "What got you so distracted?" he asked, quite interested in the reply, only to freeze moments ter as Bansha did exactly that.

  "Those chains were blood magic."

  After a few minutes of silence, only the continuous csh of warriors and cheers of the audience as a background, did Juan asked "So he is a vampire. That would expin quite a lot, honestly. Still, as far as monster species go, they can be reasoned with, so not all is lost. The fact that he parties up with a princess is a clear indication of that."

  Unsaid was the fact of how Bansha could recognize them, with such a powerful reaction from her. If asked and close enough of a friend to her one was, they would be regaled with tales of couple missions where she had to deal with precisely vampires. And while not quite the same manner of blood magic she had experienced in her own missions, the feeling her mind magic picked up was the same, if not many times stronger, indicating just how dense the blood was.

  "That's not it Juan." Bansha replied, still slightly shaken by the revetion "Were you not informed that the Coachmen guild had been circuting information that a non vampire blood mage was spotted in the outer regions? As well as a rumor that there are plenty obscure magic disciplines that had been neglected due to the ck of knowledge or ways to test for their affinity?"

  "I have heard of the tter, yes." Juan replied, his brow scrunched as he dug through his memory "Though I have not heard about the blood mage human." he then hummed for a moment, his gaze wandering over the interior of the colosseum, eventually returning to Bansha. "Have I told you just how amazed I am at your undying interest in the outer regions? I am sure that if not for it, you would not even be here today."

  "Erhm." awkwardly coughed Bansha, all but confirming the youngsters words. "No comment." she added a moment ter, well aware of the game already being exposed.

  ------------------------------------

  Pyra was growing more and more annoyed as the events unfolded. Sure, she had quickly learned who the owner of the abyss falcons was, sure, she had learned a great deal about the man in question, as far as it was expected about someone of the outer regions, but her annoyance only grew. She had not had the chance to interact with him because that damn Juan from Frozen Moon sect had deyed her, while deviously sending his damn Bansha to make contact. Why did the elders saddled her with this old and stupid crow Anmared she would never understand. Not only was the man close to hundred years old, he was a menace to the eyes. What's worse still, he was weaker than her. Its precisely because of this that she herself had deemed it necessary to approach this Rex fellow. unfortunately, by the time she knew who he was, cking in visual description and all that, some backwater fools had gone and annoyed him, resulting in her interest leaving the party altogether.

  "Did you learn who is their champion?" she asked, irritation clear in her voice.

  "Yes, my dy. Unfortunately, we would not have the pleasure to crush them until semi finals. Precisely after they would fight this Rex, should he advance thus far. Though judging from his performance so far, I don't think he will have much of a problem reaching there." Anmared replied.

  "Think anyone else picked up on him using blood magic?" she then asked."It stinks of the old crow's style all over, though I doubt that damn crow could do the same things as this kid does. Then again, he could be decades, perhaps centuries old at this point."

  "Yes my dy. I do believe those worms that foiled your pns have an inkling. And since the st eight participants will fight tomorrow, they will have an extra evening to try and procure some additional tools to exploit said weakness."

  "Do find an opportunity to catch him. I do remember having some holy attribute protection items with me that could come in handy right now. A vampire would no doubt appreciate the gesture." she smiled as she spoke, pying with one of her locks, revealing a longer, pointed ear that was otherwise obscured by the luscious red hair- a necessary illusion. Elves and their unnaturally blonde hair were recognized quite quickly, and while it would not pose any problem for her where she discovered, humans were quite the xenophobic species. Then again, seeing how close her person of interest was with the wolfkin next to him, as well the fact that he himself was a vampire, she was far less worried of Rex learning her true identity. Who knows, he might become even more interested were he to learn said truth.

  "Do drop that an elven dy would love to have a short talk with him, should anything else fail."

  "Understood miss." replied Anmared as he turned around and left. Rex was just coming up for his st fight of the day, no doubt about to secure yet another clean victory. initially, she, much like Juan had wondered why would Rex participate himself instead of registering one of his minions. Now though, she was starting to wonder, as much as she hated to admit it, would her sect have anything to offer that would entice him. And as rare as it was, even she was familiar with the unspoken truth of the world- all true monsters to shake the world came from the outer regions, the much harsher conditions strengthening their foundations like nothing else.