Rin was in the middle of his morning training, white energy flickering around his skin like rising mist. Each breath deepened his control, his blood slowly being purified, drop by drop. The process was excruciatingly slow,even with his lineage giving him a massive edge over others.
But time was a luxury he didn't have.
Just as he shifted into the next stance, his butler knocked.
"Your Highness, you have visitors."
"Let them in," Rin said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
The door opened, revealing the two young men from the guild,the big brother Orien and the shy boy Aiven, both looking more composed than before but still hesitant in the lavish interior of Rin's estate.
Rin gestured warmly. "Come. Sit. There's something important we need to discuss."
They followed him into a private room where a low table awaited. Tea was poured, untouched. The air was heavy with tension, curiosity, and a trace of fear.
"I told you I needed people I could trust," Rin began, his voice calm. "Now I'll tell you what I've been planning."
The boy leaned forward, curious. The older one remained stiff and watchful.
"We're hosting an event," Rin said. "A grand underground tournament, arranged by me and the third prince, Ryvaris. But it's unlike any tournament you've seen."
Rin stood, walking over to a wall where a painted scroll of the capital hung. "Every month, we take 1,500 of the most dangerous, deranged criminals in the East. They fight in a death tournament. No rules. No mercy. The last survivor gets... a moment of glory. Then death."
The boy blinked, confused. "Wait... no winners?"
Rin nodded. "No. No one leaves alive. That's the point. They think they will be released but...no."
The big brother tensed. "That sounds like… a bloodbath.very brutal."
"It is," Rin said bluntly. "But the world benefits. These aren't innocent people. These are the ones who would kill a child for coin, burn a village for amusement. We're simply accelerating what would happen anyway."
He leaned forward. "But here's the part that should matter to you,especially to those who want power."
He raised his hand. A soft glow pulsed in his palm.
"With the resources I've obtained, I can turn that slaughter into strength. I can push your blood purity to 80% within twenty years. Ten, if you work hard."
The boy's eyes widened. "Ten years…?"
"You'll never reach that with normal effort," Rin said. "This is your only chance."
The big brother scowled. "How can we trust this method?"
"You'll see for yourself," Rin said simply. "But I won't lie to you,it's a brutal path. That's why I need people I trust. And that's why I'm telling you everything."
A long silence followed.
Finally, the boy asked, "Why let the last man standing taste victory if he's going to die anyway?"
Rin's smile was cold. "To satisfy the audience. To feed the illusion. Hope is more entertaining when it's crushed."
The two left not long after, their expressions divided. The younger one was clearly excited, inspired by Rin's vision of power. The older was still wary, and perhaps rightly so.
---
One Week Later
The arena was nearly complete.
Rin arrived at the site alongside Ryvaris, who was practically glowing with excitement. Towering walls enclosed the killing grounds, and the battlefield was surrounded by massive, spinning blades so fast they seemed still. The hum in the air felt like a whisper of death.
"What do you think?" Ryvaris asked proudly. "Beautiful, right?"
Rin nodded. "very good. I like it."
Ryvaris grinned. "What about your side?"
"I've hired a small guild for cleanup," Rin replied. "And a few mid-tier guilds for security. Everything's in place."
"Perfect," Ryvaris said, clapping. "I can't wait to see the first round. It'll be legendary."
Beneath the arena, in the bowels of the underground chambers, hidden rooms were being prepared,rooms where blood would be gathered and turned into power. There, Rin's secret weapon would be activated.
A blood lake awaited.and Orien and aiven would be the ones to collect it. The prisoners will turn into a smoothie and the guild will use the blood lake to extract their powers.
Fifteen hundred criminals this month. Eighteen thousand in a year.
If all went according to plan, he'd kill and kill until 100% blood purity by then,and maybe even more. But he didn't fully believe the prisoners will push him that far but they will definitely help.
And then… the real war would begin.