Chapter 4

On Jael's way home, he came across the job offer Will proposed to him on a casino's billboard.

He stopped to go over it carefully. The billboard only left a number for the people that were interested in the job and the job the employees were required to do. Nothing else was on the poster that was on the billboard.

Jael perked up after reading the poster. He wanted to smack himself. Why would he forget that there was still a way for him to gain strength? His situation wasn't without hope!

Although he suspected there was something wrong with this job, there was nothing he could do. The pay the rich man promised was a very generous offer among its peers and his intestines would be green with regret if he didn't attempt the job.

It was a risky thing to do but living in this world was already a battle of life and death. He had to go for the job.

Besides, he had too many grudges and it would be better for him to gain enough strength to protect both himself and those he loves.

In this brutal world, the only person he can trust is himself.

He brought his phone out and gave Will a call. The phone didn't even ring for long before Will accepted the call.

"Have you decided?" Will's calming voice came through the phone speakers.

Jael took a deep breath, "I have. I would like to go for the job. What do I need to do?"

Will's boisterous laugh lightened Jael's mood considerably.

"You won't regret applying for this job. The employer said we should gather at the old rundown temple near Shella Minimart. Be there by 7AM tomorrow. I will bring along the other boys that joined through me." Will said before hanging up.

Jael's steps didn't deem as heavy as before as he hurried home to prepare himself.

Tomorrow was a Saturday. School didn't hold on weekends so he used those days as the days he could do his part-time work whenever he doesn't take leaves from Empire Star Academy.

He wouldn't go for his part-time work tomorrow. The boss he was working for might fire him if he didn't give a good reason for his absence but Jael didn't mind.

If all his plans went accordingly, he would be an awakened and better job offers would come even if he lost his current job.

*****

The next morning, Jael woke up as early as possible to clean up before he headed for the old rundown temple.

He had to take a cab there. Jael ignored the pinch he felt when he paid for transport fare.

The space in front of the old temple was full of youths. The boys and girls had something in common. They weren't from a rich family.

A family with wealth wouldn't let their offspring work for a mere high level awakening array. It was something they could get if they want.

Jael joined them in waiting patiently for their employer.

"Jael!" Somebody called and Jael turned towards that direction.

Will was the one that called his name. Will and two other boys came to where Jael was standing.

"Let me introduce you guys." Will said, "Jael, this is Frank and Trevor. Frank and Trevor, this is Jael."

Frank was exactly like his name. The contours of his face hinted at a justifiable righteousness. He seemed like the person that would try and fix every injustice he comes across.

Trevor on the other hand exuded a timid vibe. He was the type that bullies love. His appearance would satisfy the disgusting urge to showcase their power and dominance.

Jael shook hands with both of them before returning to his previous position. He should have spoken with them in a bid to form connections but he didn't want to. He could do that later.

Now, all he wants is to get power first. Everything else would come to him naturally.

Soon enough, a black car with faint runes engraved on its surface pulled up next to the the youths.

Will led Jael and the other two to the car. A stern middle aged man alighted from the car.

"Please get into the car." The man instructed and everybody went inside the car.

The car looked small but it could contain a large amount of people because it was made from the bones of creatures that lived in various subdimension zones.

Any technology that was integrated with any bestial body parts take a huge leap forward in their functions and uses.

The powerful energy hidden within those beasts improved technology drastically.

Some newer phone versions used the body parts of a Sound Eater beast. This upgrade improves the areas the phones' signal covers while making sure the sounds delivered to the listeners are screened into their best state.

The only people allowed to go into subdimension zones to hunt beasts and explore are those that had awakened their powers.

Any ordinary person that ventures into subdimension zones without having any sort of protection or power is seeking death.

Even Jael's parents that had awakened died in a subdimension zone because the powers they had was among the weakest there is.

The car began moving but it didn't seem like it was in motion because of its stability and sturdiness.

Finally, the car stopped and they all alighted.

Before the youths, a luxurious mansion stood.

Jael looked behind him and aside from the open space in front of the house, the other areas was covered by a forest. The stern middle aged man that brought them here led them inside the house.

They were all directed to a lounging hall to sit. Butlers and maids filed in. The servants treated all the boys and girls present like they were royalty.

Everything any youth requested was given to the person as quickly as the butlers and maids could.

Some of the boys and girls that came for the job let the great treatment get into their head. They kept ordering the servants around.

Jael refused to join their spectacle. He did not even ask for water to drink. He did not forget the premonition he had before he accepted this job.

He knew he had to be extremely careful.

Besides, Jael looked down on those youths that used the power their employer had given them over the servants uselessly.

It was a bid to cover up the inferiority they had always felt as a part of the population that hadn't awakened.

Jael wasn't interested in emulating them. The only power and authority you can trust are the ones that came from your hands not the ones others passed onto you.

He continued waiting patiently for the job to start.

After an hour or two, a man entered the lounging hall and Jael knew instinctively that this was their employer. The man was clothed in expensive apparels and his body exuded the aura of someone who had power. His strides were confident and self assured.

The butlers and maid had their heads bowed down. If their obedience to the youths present was superficial, then the obedience they are showing currently to this man was the real deal.

Everybody respected powerful people.

The man cleared his throat.

"Hello everyone, I am called Yom and you are here because I need your help in completing an array." He started and some of the youths nodded to show they understood. The information he was passing was something they already knew.

"Please come with me." Yom instructed before leaving the lounging hall. Everybody followed his steps till the Yom opened the doors to another large hall that was similar to the one used for lounging and relaxation.

The large hall they all moved to was bare unlike the lounging hall they came from. The lounging hall had been filled with exquisite decorations and furniture that hinted at the owner's wealth and elegance.

In the middle of the hall, a dark red array had been drawn on the floor. The array glowed with an ominous crimson light.

Yom instructed the youths to spread out in the directions he specified. Jael was situated next to the center of the red array.

Jael noticed that Will had not joined the youths scattered across the room.

Will had the reputation of being an unawakened so he should have joined the youths assisting with the array.

"Will, why aren't you helping to mend the array for Mr. Yom? Don't you need the high Level awakening ritual circle?" Jael asked and Will's warm smile disappeared. He seemed very different from the usual Will he knew.

The Will before him felt like a completely different person. His aura was dark and eerie.

Will raised his hands and yellow flames with hints of red burst out from his palms. The flames Will conjured by his ability burned ferociously.

Jael's heart dropped.

The things that had caused his sixth sense to go haywire had finally appeared.

"Jael, can't you understand you situation? You guys are not going to be leaving here alive." Will said as he smiled darkly.

Jael had thought of how the risk he had been anticipating would show up. He thought the employer might decided to work them to the bone before giving them the reward. He even took into consideration that the employer might cause them to do things that will surely leave them half dead.

The fact that all the youths were brought here by deceiving means in order to be sacrifices didn't come into his mind. He didn't know that Will and Yom had already chosen this place to be their graveyard.

"What?! Will, why will you do this kind of thing to us?" Frank asked angrily.

"We are humans like you too." Trevor said in his timid voice.

Will didn't bother to give them a reply, he only cackled in an annoying manner.

Realization of their fate dawned on all the youths.

Jael wanted to leave the circle along with the rest of the youths but a bigger array that encompassed all of them phased into existence.

The smaller red array that Jael and the other youths were supposed to tend dimmed considerably. All the crimson glow from the smaller array was sucked into the bigger array that gave off an eerie black glint.

Jael tried to move but it felt like his feet was stuck to the ground. He looked around to see the rest of the youths were in the same predicament.

Yom's elegance and confident aura disappeared. All that remained was just a deranged look.

"You guys should be thankful that you can use your worthless lives and blood to assist me in advancing my power." Yom said in a fervent voice. His voice made Jael grit his teeth in haste.

His sixth sense warned him of the repercussions of going on this trip but he insisted on going anyways. Jael knew he would have regretted it all through his lifetime if he didn't attempt to come.

At least, it wasn't as if he didn't try to get stronger.

Jael shook that depressing thought away. He didn't want to be a pessimist. He would rather look for avenues of escape instead of wallowing in what ifs.

Nobody can change the past and it was best to improve the future.

Yom turned to Will, "The improvement to my ability would be huge this time around because of you. The youths that turned out through your means make up a huge part of those present."

Will smiled warmly. The desire to please was intent in his eyes.

"It is not a tiring work to secure them for you. You don't need to specially thank me." Will replied Yom.

Yom gave Will an appreciative look before turning back to the youths trapped in the large array.

"Will, you don't need to be too humble. You did a great job and I am going to reward you when I am done." Yom said and Will's eyes brightened at the mention of rewards.

Will bowed slightly towards Yom before he took his leave. Jael watched them emotionlessly as he tried to seek a way out for himself.

Jael could feel his blood and flesh strrugling. A crippling pain spread all over his body like poison.

He could not help the moan of agony that slipped out of his lips.

His brain kept transmitting waves of nerve numbing pain his body was feeling.

Jael's knees weakened and he dropped to his knees.

Jael wished he could die straight away instead of suffering under this blinding agony the array was causing.

Jael's skin started to peel away like soaked wallpaper to reveal his innards within.

[Ding! Initializing.]

[Starting up the ultimate bloodline system.]

[Enough power found.]

[Startup successful.]

[Discovered the host is in a critical condition, absorbing bloodlines stored in the array.]

[There is a special bloodline the system cannot absorb. Skipping the procedure.]

Jael's consciousness woke up as the pain he was feeling disappeared and his body regenerated at a fast pace.

After his body healed fully, Jael observed his surroundings.

Only he and another boy with skin the color of healthy wheat remained.

The large black array that had hints of crimson coating its runes was still active but the recipient of the power it generated wasn't Yom. The power the array generated was sent to Jael.

Yom's fearful expression came into Jael's sights and he enjoyed it.

Yom's skin, blood and flesh began to disintegrate before feeding itself into the array. The only people left alive was Jael and the other unconscious boy.

The large array finally faded into nothingness.

Jael clenched his fists tightly. Power filled his veins. He did not know what his ability is but the sensation of power flowing through his body amazed him.

It wasn't like the brief sensation of power he felt when he was activating the broken awakening ritual array his parents left for him after their passing.

This kind of sensation he was feeling was the type that felt like the one his body created. It was intoxicating.

[Congratulations host for surviving a deadly crisis. I am the ultimate bloodline system.]

Jael was taken aback at the message that appeared behind his retina. The glowing message refused to leave at Jael's unresponsive state.

Jael could clearly see the words. It wasn't like the previous time the words appeared when he was unconscious.

"Ultimate bloodline system? What's that?" Jael questioned. He was a little scared but a major part of his feelings were excitement.

He knew the so called ultimate bloodline system can kill him at anytime but the system clearly had use for him. It was the only reason Jael could come up with after the system saved him.

He knew he would have never survived Yom's deadly trap by his own devices. Only an entity that was something more powerful than Yom had a chance of turning the situation against Yom.

[You don't have to speak out the words you want to say to me. Just talk mentally and I'll reply.]

The system's cold voice was like a refreshing drink in the middle of a hot day. The system's voice energized Jael.

'What are you?' Jael asked mentally this time around.

[I am the ultimate bloodline system. I am here to make you the richest and most powerful person of all time using the power of blood and bloodlines.]

'Blood? Am I a vampire?' Jael asked.

[No, you are not. Vampires are lowly species that adore the dark. Do you want to see the quests you completed?]

Jael ignored the thick disdain that was oozing from the system's reply. He mentally agreed to see the quests.

He did not understand how he could complete quests when he just received the system.

[Hidden Quest: Absorb more than 20 different bloodlines.

Status: Completed.

Reward: An experience orb and 25 blood gems.]

[Quest: Awaken the ultimate bloodline system.

Status: Completed.

Reward: An experience orb and 15 blood gems.]

'How did I absorb more than 20 different bloodlines?' Jael understood the quest about him awakening the system but he was a little confused about the hidden quest.

[The array Yom set up had absorbed all the bloodlines and flesh of all the youths present. I was able to startup due to the huge power the array holds. The bloodlines remaining was your spoils.] The system explained before going quiet.

'What are the uses of the blood gems?' Jael asked.

A quiet ding accompanied the system's reply.

[A blood gem can be exchanged for the currency a world uses. This world's major currency is the dollar and one blood gem is equal to 1,000,000,000 dollars. The blood gem's major uses are for buying things you need from the system shop.]

Jael curbed the urge to open the system shop right now.

He had to get out of this place first.

Jael left the unconscious boy in the large hall Yom had designated as their graveyard. He was not a good samaritan.

He did not even know how he was going to get back home so he can not have an extra burden by his side. He fumbled his way through the mansion till he found the way out of the house.

Jael faced the creepy and dark woods that stood before the mansion.

Yom might have raised animals in the forest as sentries and guards. Jael would have to go through them if he wants to leave.

Jael didn't mind this minor obstacle. He would use the beasts in this forest as dummies. He would use them to practice his newfound powers.

Their only function would be the combat experience they will give him and the bloodlines hidden within their bodies.

His journey to power had begun.