– [Just say it—tell me what it is!]
Alvin felt the planet was genuinely getting angry, as if it might burst out of the screen and snap his neck at any moment, so he quickly said:
"Angel's blood."
– [...]
"Did you hear me, Mr. Pie?" Alvin asked, furrowing his brows as question marks floated around his head.
– [...]
No reply came. That only deepened his confusion, and doubt began to creep into his heart. Could it be that the planet didn't have enough money?
Alvin looked at the price written below the bottle: 15 million coins.
An enormous price, yes, but it seemed reasonable for the blood of an "angel"—one of God's soldiers!
– [You can't buy it...]
The planet sent only that short sentence, with no explanation or justification.
Alvin asked curiously, "Why not?"
– [...]
– "Come on, talk! I promise I'll chat with you for three straight days without ending the conversation in your face!"
It was an undeniably tempting offer, but the planet still seemed hesitant. Alvin decided to give it some time to think.
A minute passed… then two… and he couldn't wait any longer, so he asked again:
"Curiosity will eat my brain if you don't tell me!"
– [What you're seeing isn't real angel's blood… It's an elixir I made and sell there… as angel's blood.]
Alvin stared at the message with a blank face for several seconds. Could it be that Mr. Pie was scamming buyers with a fake product?!
"You're a con artist planet!"
– [Life is hard, and it takes a lot of deceit and betrayal to survive.]
– "That doesn't change the fact that you're a fraud. That's why the bottle only costs 15 million coins—because it's not real blood!"
– [...]
– "Is that how you got all those coins? By deceiving others?" Alvin said with a sarcastic smile beneath his mask.
– [I do actually possess real angel's blood, but I can't sell it. Trading in angel's blood means banishment from divine mercy and eternal damnation in the deepest pits of hell… Even the most wicked creatures don't dare spill or sell angel blood.]
Alvin fell silent, rereading the message over and over, his heart pounding with unease.
Banishment from divine mercy?!
That meant anyone who committed such an act would live in constant terror, finding no peace—neither by day nor by night.
And even when death came and they thought their torment had ended, they would be met by harsh angels dragging them into hell, where they would remain forever.
But… how did Mr. Pie get the blood?
"Where did you get the angel's blood from?" Alvin asked curiously, eager to learn more.
– [Someone killed an angel during a forgotten era. I was there at the time, and I managed to steal a little of the blood when it was spilled.]
– "So someone actually managed to kill an angel!"
– [Since the beginning of creation until now, no one has ever been able to kill an angel—except for one person. No one, not even we planets, have the power to touch them… They exist on another level of strength, for they are God's soldiers.]
– "If that's the case, how did that person manage to kill one?"
– [...]
Alvin stared at the conversation, his patience thinning as though flames were eating away at him from the inside.
Unfortunately, the planet had suddenly stopped replying.
Thoughts swarmed in his mind, chaos rising within him—so he decided to write a message instead of waiting.
But just before he pressed the send button, a new message appeared:
– [There are many restrictions placed upon us—creatures who know about him—including us, the great planets. The only thing I can tell you is this: even if all of creation united to kill him, they couldn't scratch him… The only ones who were able to stop him were the angels, because they fought him as an army of over a thousand angels.]
A thousand angels against one person?!
That fact was so astonishing that Alvin's heart pounded violently behind his ribs, adrenaline rushing through his veins at a furious speed.
What kind of power did that person possess, that it required a thousand angels to stop him?!
"What do you mean by the 'erased era'?"
– [It's the era in which that person lived. The angels erased it completely so no one could reach him through the time gates.]
[In other words: they hid that era, and imposed strict restrictions to prevent access to it. They even distorted its features—just in case someone succeeded in breaking through the barriers in search of him.]
The era he lived in…
"So that means it was in the past?"
– [No one knows for sure, not even me, though I remained on the battlefield.
The angels tampered with time to such an extent that no one can tell if that era was in the past, the present, or the future. They cut off every path that could lead to him.]
All that… for just one person?!
With every word he read, Alvin grew more astonished and fascinated by that mysterious individual. The angels had altered time itself and erased an entire era because of him! They even placed restrictions on everyone—including the planets—so no one could speak of him!
"Where is he now?" Alvin asked quietly, but the planet could hear him and replied:
[In the prison of Vermyss. And now, shut your mouth because I won't answer any more questions!]
"Wait—just one last question!" Alvin blurted out, afraid the planet might end the conversation before he got his answer.
"As for the angel blood you have—what happens if someone drinks it?"
– […]
[Damn you, I hate you and I'll betray you the first chance I get.]
[There's a rumor that angel blood is healing—it can cure any disease, no matter how severe. But it's just a lie spread by demons to tempt other beings into killing angels.
The truth is, angel blood holds no special power. However… if it's spilled, it becomes forbidden by the god…]
– "So?"
[Damn you, you're forcing me to say things I hate!]
[If you drink the blood of an angel who was unjustly slain, your insides will begin to rot while you're still alive. Black worms will form inside you and start devouring you from within—and nothing will be able to stop them.]
[They will multiply endlessly within your guts, migrating through your body, devouring everything in their path—except your head. Your head will remain intact, but all the pain of your dismemberment will reach your mind, even in the absence of nerves.]
[You'll remain fully conscious, yet powerless to stop them. Then, they'll gather around you, clinging to each other and to your head. You'll feel them reshaping themselves into your body once again—and it will hurt. A lot. And when they finish, and your body is restored to its original form, your insides will begin to rot again… and the cycle will repeat.]
[This will go on forever… This is the divine punishment for anyone who dares to covet the blood of angels.]
{Cherry Pie closed the conversation.}
Alvin had been so focused on the conversation that he hadn't noticed the planet had ended it. If what it said was true… then the person would live through endless torment. They'd feel their body being devoured, then rebuilt, only to be devoured again!
A cold shiver ran down Alvin's spine, and his heart trembled at the thought… but no matter how hard he tried to imagine it, he couldn't fully grasp what it would be like! The sheer amount of physical and psychological torment the blood drinker would endure was beyond comprehension.
Alvin ended the conversation as well and decided to rest for a bit before returning to the buttons in front of him. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all thoughts, but his heart wouldn't stop trembling…
just reading those words had already let terror seep into him—so what if he actually drank the blood? He shook his head from side to side several times, his eyelids pressed tightly shut in an attempt to block any creeping images from invading his mind.
But when his attempts failed and the thoughts continued to haunt him mercilessly, he returned to the system to distract himself, hoping the obsessions would fade. He pressed the "Main Strength Points" button, and a tab immediately appeared:
{78 experience points acquired.
You can allocate the points to enhance your core abilities.
Or convert them into currency (5 points = 0.003 coin).
◄ [Allocate Points]
◄ [Convert to Currency]
◄ [Postpone Decision]
Warning: Currency conversion is non-refundable!
Instant reward for allocating within three minutes:
1. +5% speed (for 9 hours).
2. A golden cherry (shiny, mysterious, and useless... maybe!).
Time to decide: 03:00 minutes
◄ [Confirm]
◄ [Refuse Adventure]
78 experience points—half earned from killing the hunters who tried to kill him, and the other half from defeating monsters and completing small tasks from the "Daily Quests" tab.
Alvin realized this after he killed his first monster, following the elimination of three humans. Killing a human was worth three coins, while a monster's value didn't exceed one.
The message was indirectly clear: "Kill each other, and you will be rewarded with coins." And considering the state the empire had fallen into, and the hunters who never missed a chance to kill others, it seemed the planets had already gotten what they wanted.
These sudden events and supernatural powers were like gifts from the heavens, while the evil humans saw them as a chance to display their wickedness openly, no longer restrained by laws or punishment.
Alvin had witnessed it himself—a prisoner smashing through a steel prison door, embedding iron bars into the guards' bodies. Their eyes burned with deep-seated hatred and fury.
As for allocating the points, he found enhancing his core abilities to be more beneficial than converting them into coins.
Though he didn't need any coins thanks to his wealthy master, and even though Mr. Pie often complained about his extravagance, in the end, he always bought whatever he wanted. After all, 0.003 was far too cheap—even for low-priced goods.
The cheapest item in the store—after much browsing through all the categories—was a hair color-changing elixir that lasted only a few hours, and its price was: 21 coins.
There was also a bonus if he chose to allocate his experience points to his abilities. A +5% speed boost added to his stats, even for a limited time, would have a positive effect on him.
As for the golden cherries, Alvin had already collected five of them, and this would be the sixth. Just like he did with the others, he planned to treat this one the same way: toss it into storage and forget about it.
He clicked on [Confirm], and suddenly, a countdown timer appeared on the left side of the screen, while on the right, his main abilities were displayed in order:
Strength: 2
Speed: 5
Intelligence: 3
Endurance: 3
Five Senses: 2
Healing Ability: 2
He was still in the beginner stage, and he wouldn't move beyond it until reaching 25%. The maximum limit allowed in the first stage was 8%. Since ability points matched the level and increased together until reaching 100%, the maximum number of ability points at this stage would be 8.
Alvin focused more on speed than the other attributes because he was a swordsman and relied on the sword in all his battles. He lacked supernatural powers, and unlike most hunters, Mr. Pie hadn't granted him any special abilities—instead, he compensated for it with plenty of coins.
Every 25 experience points equaled one ability point, which meant he had to be cautious in his choices. The number and variety of monsters were increasing by the hour, warning that the days ahead would be more dangerous and complex.
He clicked on the speed attribute, and a (+) button appeared beside it. He added a point, raising it to 6. He knew he needed high speed to outmatch his opponents—whether monsters or superhuman enemies—especially since he had no special powers. After that, he chose "Intelligence" and added a point, reducing the remaining experience points to 28.
He hesitated a bit between selecting "Healing Ability" or "Endurance." Both were essential for continuing to fight and surviving against strong opponents. Endurance would allow him to fight longer, while healing ability would help him recover quickly from injuries.
While he was hesitating, the countdown timer grew louder, and the time dropped below thirty seconds. Under pressure, his fingers quickly moved to "Healing Ability," and he added a point, raising it to 3. Endurance was important, yes—but it was useless when the body was weighed down with wounds and heavy injuries.
{75 points successfully allocated!
Granted Rewards:
+5% Speed (Effect duration: 08:59:59)
1 Golden Cherry added to inventory
Special Note:
Exchanging 100 Golden Cherries with "Mr. Cherry Pie" will earn you a joke... ◄ [View Details]
Important Notice Regarding Golden Cherries:
1. Strictly Prohibited:
Trading or selling to other hunters
Listing in the system store (even if you invent a "Golden Cherry Pie" recipe)
2. The Only Exception:
You may try to bribe Master Cherry Pie by:
Dancing for 10 minutes (nonstop, or the timer resets!)
Singing in a tormented voice (though dancing is preferred!)
}
This notification meant one thing: he was stuck with the golden cherries in his inventory forever. Alvin opened the inventory, selected one, and within moments, it appeared in his palm. He then opened the health tab, driven by a desire to see how much it had decreased since yesterday. The last time he checked, it was at 100%, thanks to drinking some healing potions.
Now... it was at 67%. Alvin didn't see this as too bad, considering he hadn't slept since the morning before and had fought several hunters and monsters during that time. He popped the cherry into his mouth and began chewing it, wondering if he should buy another potion.
Suddenly, the numbers in front of his eyes began to rise rapidly. He froze in place, swallowing what was in his mouth in shock as he felt the fatigue and exhaustion evaporate from his body, his mind clearing, and even his heartbeat returning to its calm, natural rhythm.
"Is it possible...?" he whispered in astonishment, quickly opening the chat with Mr. Pie to ask if what was going through his mind was true... but the chat was still closed. It seemed Mr. Pie was still upset about the conversation regarding that person and the killing of the angel.
Alvin focused on the taste in his mouth, surprised that he hadn't noticed it before... it was sweet, with a strange flavor he couldn't quite place. Perhaps floral... or fruity? For a moment, he considered eating another one, but then hesitated. It would be reckless to waste such cherries, especially after discovering their incredible ability to restore his health in moments. Even healing potions took longer to bring him back to full health.
Although he was healed, Alvin felt an overwhelming urge to sleep. The thought that he hadn't slept since yesterday was enough to make his head heavy. But he was afraid that someone might come in and harm elena or the other girl. He tried to stay awake... but he drifted off without realizing it.
As time passed, the monsters began to spread further through the streets of Noxara. Some emerged from underground, while others flew in the sky, covering the clouds. After sunset, the city became completely dark. Amid this darkness, some hunters silently infiltrated, trying to kill the monsters for experience points.
Some succeeded, while others were devoured by the monsters.
Alvin suddenly woke up when he felt a strange presence outside. He knew by the sensation that they weren't hunters, but new monsters. He quickly turned toward elena, confirming that she and the other girl
were still asleep.
He grabbed his sword and walked toward the door. If he didn't go out, the monsters would come inside.
But these monsters were different from any he had fought before... and worse yet, Mr. Pie was still absent!