Chapter 1944: Blood Remembers: Part-3

Aether’s POV

Who would have thought someone was really watching me?

"Nah, I just thought it sounded cool."

To be perfectly honest, I had absolutely no idea whether anyone was even there. I had merely thrown out the words in the hope that something would respond, and apparently, my ridiculous gamble had worked.

Talk about luck~

For a brief moment, dead silence filled the surroundings.

"..."

Then—

"Kekekeke..."

A strange, unsettling laugh reverberated through the space, sending faint ripples across the suspended sea of blood.

I instinctively leaned backwards as the motionless crimson expanse finally began to move.

The blood slowly swirled, forming a gigantic whirlpool that stretched across the entire surface. Countless streams of crimson liquid spiralled toward a single point, gathering at an astonishing speed as the vast sea gradually condensed into an enormous mass.

The pressure in the surroundings changed.

Then, in a sudden burst of brilliance, the enormous mass erupted outward.

A shower of beautiful crimson sparks scattered through the air like fireworks, illuminating the surroundings with an otherworldly glow. The droplets of blood danced in the air before gathering together, their movements strangely graceful as they began to take on a distinct shape.

I stared, momentarily captivated by the spectacle unfolding before me.

And then, right before my eyes, the true form of the entity finally emerged.

A humongous... bloody bat.

Its enormous wings stretched outward, their vast membranes appearing to have been sculpted from pure crimson blood. Every inch of its body was covered in a deep, glossy red, and its surface shimmered beneath the surrounding light as though the entire creature were a living statue carved from blood itself.

Its elongated ears rose like jagged blades, while its enormous wings slowly unfurled, casting a vast shadow across the ground beneath me. Streams of crimson liquid flowed along its body, occasionally separating into droplets before seamlessly rejoining its form.

It hovered before me in absolute silence, its colossal figure suspended effortlessly in the air.

I tilted my head upward, my eyes widening as I tried to comprehend the sheer size of the creature.

"...What the hell?"

A gigantic bat made entirely of blood?

That was certainly not on my list.

It stared at me with what appeared to be an expression of genuine interest, its enormous crimson eyes examining me from head to toe as though I were some peculiar creature it had never encountered before.

Honestly, I had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do now.

This entire situation reminded me of what Thalia had told me before. When she encountered her Primordial, her entire bloodline had been unlocked, but it was the Primordial itself that had chosen her as its successor.

And now, here I was, standing before a gigantic bat made entirely of blood.

Frankly, I was pretty sure this thing wasn’t going to choose me so easily. According to Grace, I needed to force it to acknowledge me if I wanted to claim its power.

A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead.

There was absolutely no way I could fight this thing!

Just look at its size! One flap of those enormous wings could probably send me flying straight into the next century!

’How the hell am I supposed to do this?’ I wondered, frowning deeply as I studied the colossal creature hovering before me.

Should I provoke it? Challenge it? Or perhaps deliver some grand speech about my determination and unwavering will?

No... That sounded even more embarrassing.

I was still trying to figure out a reasonable approach when the humongous bloody bat suddenly lowered its head.

Its enormous wings folded inward, and its colossal body bent forward in a solemn bow.

"I never thought I would live to witness this day..." it declared, its majestic voice reverberating throughout the space.

"To stand before thee once more is an honour beyond measure, My Master."

"..."

I stared at it.

Huh?

Did that thing just bow to me?

Just like that?

I hadn’t even done anything yet!

My brows furrowed as I struggled to comprehend the situation. A moment ago, I had been worrying about how to survive a fight against this enormous creature, and now it was bowing before me as though I were some almighty existence returning to reclaim my throne.

What the hell was going on?

After a few seconds of staring at it, I finally managed to speak.

"You sound as though you know me. Do you?"

The enormous bat slowly lifted its head and shook it.

"No, My Master. I am far too insignificant to claim the privilege of knowing thee."

Its crimson eyes flickered with a strange radiance before its expression grew solemn.

"It is not I who recognises thee..."

For a brief moment, the enormous body of blood trembled. Countless crimson waves surged beneath its surface, crashing against one another with a deafening roar.

The bat lowered its gaze toward me.

"The Blood remembers its Origin."

"..."

I frowned.

"What do you mean by that?"

The creature’s expression softened into an almost nostalgic smile.

"Everything that comes into existence shall, in the end, return to the place from which it originated.

No matter how far it wanders, no matter how many forms it assumes, its Origin shall never be forgotten."

It slowly unfurled its enormous wings, and the crimson light surrounding its body grew brighter.

"And if thou hast come to reclaim what was once thine, then I possess neither the right nor the desire to deny thee, My Master."

I stared at it, my confusion only deepening.

Reclaim what was once mine?

What the hell was this thing talking about?

I had barely begun to understand the situation when the bat lowered its head once more.

"However, My Master, I have one final request to make before I return everything unto thee."

"..."

I narrowed my eyes.

"What do you want?"

The enormous creature smiled gently, its crimson eyes reflecting a strange mixture of affection and sorrow.

"I wish for thee to look after my successor."

I blinked.

"Your successor? You mean... Mary?"

"Yes." The bat nodded.

"She is somewhat different from the others, but deep down, she is a good person."

I rubbed my forehead, trying to recall a single remotely good thing about that woman.

’Hmm... If she’s a good person, then I must be a saint, right?’

Honestly, I couldn’t even begin to understand what this creature saw in her.

Was it because of her broken heart?

Was it because of her daughter’s death?

Still, considering how strange this entire situation had become, I decided not to question its judgment too much.

The bat continued speaking, seemingly oblivious to my internal commentary.

"She is different from the others, My Master. Her path is one filled with contradictions, and her heart hath endured trials that few could comprehend.

Yet, beneath all her imperfections, she remains a good person. The one who is capable of understanding this bloodline."

It paused briefly before adding,

"I pray that thou wilt not judge her"

"..."

I sighed.

"Fine, fine. I understand."

Then I looked up at the colossal creature, my expression gradually turning sour.

"But seriously, man, I thought I’d have to fight you or something!"

I clenched my fist, trying to suppress the disappointment bubbling inside me.

"Come on! Where’s my deadly battle? Where’s the overwhelming pressure, the near-death experience, and the epic struggle to prove my worth?

I was prepared to fight you with nothing but my pure, Virgin Will!"

I raised my fist toward the enormous bat, my eyes burning with determination.

"Do you have any idea how much I’ve been looking forward to Aura Farming?!"

The creature stared at me for a moment.

Then it slowly shook its head.

"I am unworthy of testing thee, My Master."

"...Huh?"

The bat lowered its enormous body, its wings folding in a gesture of absolute reverence.

"I have merely guarded what was entrusted to me until the day its true master returned."

I stood there, staring at it.

What?

Before I could ask another question, the bat smiled cryptically and bowed its enormous body toward me.

"Thank thee, My Master... for everything."

I barely had time to react before the colossal creature suddenly dissolved.

Every drop of blood that constituted its enormous body surged forward at once, transforming into a gigantic crimson torrent that rushed toward me with terrifying speed.

SSSSLLLURRRRPPPPP!!

The sound was disturbingly similar to someone slurping up an enormous quantity of water through a straw.

My eyes widened.

"...WAIT! MY AURA FARM—!!!"

The entire sea of blood began collapsing inward, its seemingly infinite expanse converging toward my body. Waves upon waves of crimson liquid rushed toward me, swallowing the surrounding space as though reality itself had become a funnel.

I stumbled backwards as the first torrent struck me.

"AT LEAST LET ME THROW A PUNCH OR SOMETHING FIRST!!!"

The sheer force nearly threw me off my feet, and I instinctively raised my arms in an attempt to protect myself. But the blood didn’t stop. It surged toward me relentlessly, passing through my consciousness as though I were nothing more than an empty vessel waiting to be filled.

Another enormous wave crashed into me.

My knees nearly buckled beneath me, and I struggled desperately to remain standing as the immense pressure continued to build.

Then, all at once, the entirety of the sea of blood poured into my consciousness.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

My scream erupted from my throat, shattering the silence that had enveloped the space.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

In the outside world, an enormous pillar of crimson light erupted from the ground, shooting straight into the heavens.

The radiant beam illuminated the entire sky with a blood-red glow, its brilliance spreading across the horizon.

The clouds overhead were dyed a brilliant shade of scarlet.

Everyone who witnessed the phenomenon froze in utter shock.