Rhett stretched out his hands. "A king's word is never false. The Kingdom of Green welcomes your joining..."
Black Star's expression showed a hint of struggle. "S-sorry, I can't agree to your request right now. I need to return to my organization first…"
Upon hearing this, Rhett's expression didn't change at all; instead, a flash of appreciation appeared in his eyes.
Judging from what he knew about Black Star's character, refusal was the expected response. How could someone like him betray his loyalty for mere benefits?
Had Black Star agreed so quickly, Rhett would have questioned his own judgment, perhaps even wondering if the Soul Demon had possessed Black Star through some mysterious means.
Shaking his head regretfully, Rhett said, "The door here will always be open to you…"
Gratitude flickered in Black Star's eyes as he nodded firmly. "I'll remember this kindness forever."
...
After safely sending Black Star out of Rocky Volcano, Rhett began his journey back alone.
"Did you see that, Manu? What do you think happened to Black Star?"
Even before Rhett had arrived at Rocky Volcano, he had allowed Manu to observe through his vision and hearing. Everything that had just transpired had been seen by Manu.
Not only Manu but also Mingge had witnessed the entire event.
In the simulated space, the two were in deep contemplation. Manu was the first to speak:
"Rhett, I believe such a major mutation couldn't have happened out of nowhere. A change in the power system always requires the support of the world's origin... and the only thing recently affecting the world's origin is the rebound of the Love God's origin..."
Flying through the air, Rhett narrowed his eyes as his robe billowed in the wind.
He muttered softly, "You mean… Black Star's transformation is influenced by the Love God's origin? Hmm, it seems likely. It was Sands' death that drove Black Star to emotional extremes, triggering the mutation..."
Suddenly, his expression turned odd. "This feels strangely like a 'Sharingan'... only by losing loved ones and experiencing grief can one gain immense power… It's a bit twisted…"
Manu ignored the jest, focusing on the analysis.
"It may not be death itself that leads to greater power. The key likely lies in 'emotion.'"
"Originally, I thought only romantic love could awaken the Love God's origin, but based on the relationship between Black Star and Sands, that doesn't seem to be the case. Any intense emotion could potentially trigger the Love God's power."
"And death is just the easiest condition to provoke such emotions…"
Manu's explanation sounded convincing. Rhett couldn't think of any better theory at the moment.
"Extreme emotions…" Rhett muttered, "But it's not as if every extreme emotion can activate the Love God's power. Every day, countless people face death under various circumstances, many of whom likely experience intense emotions in their final moments. Yet none of my subordinates have reported anything unusual."
"Perhaps purely negative emotions don't align with the Love God's origin. Maybe the emotion needs to be more positive in nature… or perhaps it's about the transition from positive to negative," Manu suggested, speculating further. "Could it be that extreme emotion alone isn't enough? Perhaps there needs to be a dramatic shift, a transformation from one extreme to another."
Rhett rubbed his forehead. The deeper he delved into the subject of emotions, the more elusive and unpredictable it became.
Love and emotion—perhaps the most difficult things to grasp in the world...
Two days later.
In Green City, at Falcon City.
Inside a private room of the Rattlesnake Tavern, Rhett sat across from the cautious tavern owner, Lilith.
"Unusual occurrences? How could there be anything unusual at my tavern? Unless you're counting drunk people spouting nonsense—because if that's the case, it happens every day…"
Lilith, dressed provocatively in fishnet stockings, a tight leather top, and shorts, sat with a sulking expression on a metal chair.
Thanks to her relationship with Rhett and being one of the first businesses to move into Green City, the Rattlesnake Tavern had landed prime real estate, equivalent to the most prestigious shops along Rainbow Street, near the palace in Golden Kingdom.
Now, the tavern was frequented by the wealthy and powerful, raking in over a thousand gold coins daily.
This fortune made Lilith deeply grateful to Rhett, so when he asked her to investigate any "unusual occurrences," she had done so without hesitation.
However, the term was so vague that she had no idea what really qualified as "unusual."
"What I mean is any unique occurrences from the past three months. Drunken rants don't count, but has there been anyone who, after a bout of heartbreak or rage, suddenly exhibited increased combat strength?"
Rhett looked seriously at Lilith. After learning about what had happened to Black Star and discussing it with Manu, he had begun investigating places where extreme emotions might arise.
Taverns, of course, were ideal locations.
Drunk people tend to show their true emotions, and alcohol serves as an amplifier of feelings.
Even someone suffering from unrequited love might, after a cold rejection, get drunk, wail to the heavens, and threaten to end it all—such emotional outbursts could easily lead to significant changes.
There were countless other scenarios like this, too many to list.
Lilith crossed her arms, accentuating her ample figure, then sighed in exasperation and spread her hands. "I'll send someone to look into it again, but I still don't quite understand what you're looking for…"
Rhett nodded and waved her off. She quickly took her leave from the quiet room.
Sitting silently beside Rhett, Raile lowered his voice, "Father, if Black Star underwent such a transformation after the death of his companion, who was both his friend and possibly more, perhaps we should focus our investigation on similar cases—friends and lovers. If Black Star's power comes from the Love God's origin, then we'll eventually find similar occurrences."
"Hmm… that's the best approach. I'll assign others to this task. You already have a lot on your plate, so no need to divide your focus further," Rhett replied, patting Raile on the back after a moment of thought.
Raile smiled and shook his head. "It won't take much effort. We already have people spread across the kingdom at the extraordinary pastures, making it easy to gather information. Once the hunter guilds are fully operational, we can assign this investigation as a mission. I don't need to oversee it personally."
Rhett thought about it and agreed. "Alright, proceed as you suggest. But remember, your primary focus must remain on overseeing the kingdom's development. Don't waste too much effort on something so elusive and difficult to track."
"Currently, I believe the evolutionary origin differs greatly from the Love God's origin. The former spreads its benefits widely, affecting all living beings—though the effect may be subtle, it's continuous and integrates well with alchemy, holding vast potential."
"The latter, however, seems to require harsh conditions to trigger. But once triggered, it brings about a qualitative transformation, granting immense potential and great power..."
Raile nodded. "Understood, Father!"
Meanwhile, deep underground in the Rem Kingdom...
Hidden a hundred meters beneath the surface lay a man-made black-gold palace.
The palace's surface shimmered with alchemical runes, providing not only immense strength but also perfect concealment of its presence.
Rumble.
The sound of shifting rocks echoed.
A passage opened from above, and a small figure descended slowly, heading toward the black-gold palace.
However, this time, unlike before, the figure didn't pass through smoothly.
As the figure placed a hand on the palace doors, red runes lit up instead of opening. In the next moment, three agile figures emerged from the palace.
Their sharp voices followed.
"Intruder, prepare to die!"
"Who dares invade… huh? Black Star?!"
What they had expected to be a foolproof security alarm turned out to be a familiar face.
The three black-clad, masked figures hesitated momentarily, but quickly their suspicion returned. "Who are you really? Why does your aura feel so strange…"
Black Star chuckled bitterly, raising his hands in surrender. "It's me, Black Star. If I knew what was happening, I wouldn't have come back to seek help. Where's the boss? I need to see him…"
The trio didn't lower their guard. One of them spoke sharply, "The boss isn't back yet. Answer me first—what happened to Sands? You two were supposed to go to the eastern coast. Why didn't she come back with you?"
Black Star's face suddenly turned deathly still.
"Don't bother trying to trick me. We went to Rocky Volcano, not the eastern coast. Sands… is dead."
The three black-clad figures were stunned, exchanging looks of shock.
"Alright then… come inside. I'll contact the boss."
In a dimly lit chamber, a figure cloaked in mist stood at the entrance.
"Tell me—how did Sands die, and how did you manage to escape?"
The old, raspy voice echoed, reaching Black Star's ears.
It was as if the weight in his heart was lifted all at once, allowing his grief to flow freely.
Tears welled up in Black Star's eyes as his voice choked. "Boss… I'm sorry… I failed you, and I failed Sands…"
The elder quietly listened to the sobs.
He gently patted Black Star's head, his tone softening. "Child, take your time. Don't rush… Now tell me, who killed Sands?"
At that final question, a faint killing intent filled the room.
Black Star shivered instinctively, quickly wiping his tears. "It was… creatures from the Netherworld… no, it was a monster from the Netherworld that killed Sands. It nearly killed me too, but thankfully King Rhett was nearby. He not only saved me but also killed the Netherworld creature."
The elder's brows furrowed deeply, not expecting such a twist.
"The Netherworld? I thought that was just a rumor… Seems like there's truth to it after all. But how does Rhett know so much… interesting…"
Black Star hesitated and asked carefully, "Boss, do you know King Rhett?"
The elder glanced at Black Star, his expression unreadable. "I know of him, but we're not close. Leave that matter to me."
"Now, let's talk about what's happening with your body—what exactly is going on? Your spiritual sea is shrouded in darkness, and you can't even meditate anymore…"
Black Star sighed. "Exactly… I've tried everything. Not only can I no longer meditate, but I even tried different breathing techniques on the way here, and none worked. It seems the path of mage and knight is completely closed to me now…"
The elder pondered for a moment, then a peculiar, blood-red crystal appeared in his hand. He handed it to Black Star. "Swallow this."
"What is it? Is this… a bloodstone?" Black Star blinked in surprise. "Rhett also mentioned that only bloodstones could help me now."
"Hmm… he wasn't wrong. As far as I know, this is the only method that can increase your power. Swallow it and see."
Without hesitation, Black Star took the bloodstone and swallowed it.
He had thought he would need to chew hard, maybe even risk chipping a tooth.
But as soon as the stone entered his body, it dissolved immediately, transforming into pure bloodforce that spread through his limbs.
Unlike others who used bloodstones, Black Star's bloodforce didn't rush to his spiritual sea. Instead, it flowed through his cells and meridians, nourishing and strengthening his mutated body.
The elder kept his hand on Black Star's shoulder, monitoring the internal changes with his spiritual sense. His eyes gleamed with understanding.
But as time passed, curiosity and confusion also surfaced.
After a few minutes, the bloodstone—crafted by a Saint-rank alchemist—was fully absorbed by Black Star.
He burped contentedly, stretching his body. "Wow, what kind of miracle is this? The effect is incredible! I can feel my strength growing! It's like this thing was made for me. If I could eat these like meals, my cultivation speed would surpass anything from before!"
The elder withdrew his hand and took a step back, looking Black Star up and down.
"Hmm… the bloodstone worked much better on you than I expected, far better than on anyone else."
"From now on, bloodstones will be your source of cultivation. But remember, there's a limit to how much you can take each day. Right now, ten stones daily is your maximum. I'll assign someone to supervise you. We can't afford any mistakes."
"What? Only ten stones? If I could eat a hundred a day, that would be amazing…" Black Star complained, confused.
The elder's mouth twitched, and he chided Black Star like a stern parent. "Hmph, so naive. You don't realize that bloodstones contain impurities too. For most transcendents at your level, their bodies can only process three or four stones a day. It's only because of your unique condition that you can take so many more. You should be grateful..."