Chapter 5: The Secrets of Blood Arts
The fall of the Mai Kingdom shook Kyoto to its core. Rumors spread like wildfire—some claimed that Tokugawa, the new king, had vanished, while others believed he had joined a pirate crew. Some even whispered that he had died, though no body had been found. Despite the uncertainty, one thing was clear: the kingdom was drenched in blood, and only one survivor remained—the very man responsible for its fall.
Ardyn and his crew of four had no time to dwell on the rumors. Their journey had just begun. Their first destination was Seichi Mountain, a remote and treacherous region in Osaka. The mountain was known for its secrecy—many claimed it hid ancient warriors and forgotten blood techniques. If they wanted to learn the truth about their powers and stop the assassinations plaguing the land, this was the place to start.
As the boat rocked gently on the river, Zion leaned back, arms crossed. "Alright, let's get something straight—what's everyone's Blood Art?"
Ardyn furrowed his brows. "The hell is a Blood Art?"
Zion nearly choked. "Wait—you don't know?! A heir of the Izzo Clan doesn't know about Blood Arts?!"
Steel chuckled. "Well, this is embarrassing. Even I know about them, and I don't take anything seriously."
Kai sighed. "I know about them… but I never figured out which one I had. All I know is that I have this weird Essence that strengthens my sword, but I've never been able to explain it."
Zion smirked. "Hmph. Guess I'll just test it the old-fashioned way."
Before Ardyn or Kai could react, Zion unsheathed his blade and made a shallow cut on both their arms.
"Ow! What the hell, Zion?!" Ardyn snapped.
"Relax, relax." Zion held up a few drops of their blood. "See, Blood Arts are based on blood types. If your blood has power, it'll taste like pomegranate."
Kai grimaced. "That's disgusting."
Zion ignored him and licked the blood. His eyes widened. "Well, well… both of you definitely have Blood Arts."
Kai blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah. And based on your blood type…" Zion pointed at Kai. "You're B Negative. That makes you a Bloodquake user—your power comes from seismic force. Pretty damn strong."
Kai processed the information. "So that explains the vibrations I feel when I fight… I just never knew what it was."
Zion then turned to Ardyn. "And you… huh. Your blood doesn't match anything I know."
Steel raised an eyebrow. "Wait… could he be…?"
Zion's face grew serious. "Ardyn, what's your blood type?"
Ardyn shrugged. "No clue."
Zion's smirk returned. "Heh. Then there's only one possibility. You must have Golden Blood."
Silence fell over the boat. Even Steel, who rarely took things seriously, straightened up.
Kai frowned. "Golden Blood? Never heard of it."
Zion exhaled. "That's because it's one in a billion. Only a handful of people in history have ever had it. Golden Blood users don't just inherit a single Blood Art—they can wield all of them."
Steel whistled. "Damn. That's overpowered."
Ardyn raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying I can use any Blood Art?"
"In theory, yeah," Zion said. "But no one's ever mastered it before. Most of them either died too young… or became monsters that had to be put down."
Ardyn's expression darkened. "Tch. We'll see about that."
By the time they reached Seichi Mountain, night had begun to fall. They rowed their boat to shore and climbed the steep cliffs carefully. At the top, an estate stood—ancient and eerie.
"This place…" Kai muttered. "It's the Ezra Clan's estate. I've heard rumors about them. A small but powerful clan. We should be careful."
The moment they stepped inside, shadows moved in the darkness.
Swords flashed.
In an instant, a dozen warriors descended upon them with ninjutsu techniques, their blades gleaming under the moonlight.
Zion reacted first, unsheathing his sword in a single motion. "Ambush!"
Steel cracked his knuckles, his bones hardening into steel. "Hell yeah! Let's go!"
Kai drew his sword, his Essence flowing through it. "Guess we're doing this."
Ardyn, gripping his dagger, exhaled slowly.
The battle had begun.