Inside the metal drum, even Gilgamesh's head was submerged in the red liquid. His muscles and pores in his body were very relaxed. This kind of weak blood ritual wouldn't bring him many benefits, but it could put his body in better condition, and to the naked eye, there would be no other body that could match his.
At this moment, thunderous sounds echoed within Gilgamesh's body. The blood ritual permeated throughout his entire body, and the essence of strength caused him to relax completely.
All his thoughts were momentarily muted, and he felt as if electric currents were running through every part of his body. This was a pleasant sensation; for him, it wouldn't generate pain, more like a massage. If he was doing it now, it was so that those who had this opportunity to enhance their strength would strive to the fullest.
But for others, the entire process of this blood ritual would be very painful. They not only had to endure the reconstruction of their bodies but also the crushing of their muscles.
Despite the arduous and painful process, everyone cried out due to the intense pain they couldn't bear.
No one knew when the ritual had ended, but when the pain subsided, they had all completely absorbed the power and were now entirely new men. They had all increased their overall characteristics; they were much more powerful, and their talents would possibly improve after this.
When everyone had recovered, several maids had approached with black blankets for them to clean themselves, and everyone looked at each other in confusion.
"Congratulations, all of you have absorbed the power that this ritual has given you into your bodies. At this moment, Prince Gilgamesh left because he had an urgent meeting, but I'm sure that no matter what you think, you are a source of pride for him," Elaine stepped forward and looked at everyone with a satisfied expression. Perhaps they didn't know it, but that liquid, though it had no price, was estimated to be worth more than ten million Asura Gold Coins.
Throughout the morning, Gilgamesh, who had already changed, headed towards the meeting room where the heads of the main families he had summoned awaited his presence.
But before that, Gilgamesh addressed Finian and said, "You wield a very heavy sword for your body, so you must increase your muscle mass through special training."
Finian nodded without saying a word. He had sworn loyalty to Gilgamesh after he had saved him and his younger sister, Aria, who was now learning magic. His talent for the sword was excellent, so much so that even the instructors who taught him were surprised by his rapid progress.
"You should know that I have very high expectations of you, but you must not force your body into something it's not yet accustomed to," Gilgamesh said as he sipped a cup of tea.
Finian looked at Gilgamesh as if he were looking at his God. He couldn't erase from his memories the scene of him fighting against those assassins as if he were playing, something he would have never imagined from someone three years older than him.
Finian didn't understand how Gilgamesh was so strong.
...
"What does the Black Crow family plan by showing up in such an extravagant place? Don't tell me you've forgotten what it feels like to be in a city after all those years living with the crows?" An extravagant voice broke the silence of a room with two elderly men inside, this man wore a beautiful red suit and a red rose on his lips.
"But look who's here, old Alarion. I thought your Harrington family had ended its story after going to a farm to protect a village that not even flies touch," one of the elderly men sitting in the room responded indifferently.
In response to this, Alarion Harrington, the leader of the Harrington family, said firmly, "Your Ivanov family, living to protect a border that will never be violated, is extremely exhausting. I imagine you've fantasized every night about the start of another war just so your family name can resonate again throughout the central continent."
"Well, what the hell are you two doing here if you both hate damn politics?" Caspian Black Crow, you finally speak. I thought the crows had eaten your tongue."
"It's always a pleasure to see you again, old Ivanov. The crows are always watching," Caspian Black Crow said as he bowed, thinking, "Damn bag of bones, if you keep talking, I'll cut your throat and feed it to the crows, I'll turn your body into ground meat to feed the hunting dogs eagerly waiting outside, and I'll use your sword to dig your own grave."
With these twisted thoughts, Caspian Black Crow smiled amiably in front of these two recognized old men. To people on the outside, they were just three heads of their respective knight families, but inside, there was a great story to tell.
Long before the three of them became the successors of their respective families, they worked together as friends in an adventurer group and were known as the three sword maniacs. One-eyed Crow, Caspian Black Crow, appeared the kindest on the outside but the darkest on the inside; his life revolved around thin, penetrating swords, which he said were for piercing the hearts of his enemies.
The calmest was Alarion Harrington, who had dreamt of living in a peaceful place away from wars and battles with monsters from a young age. It was after he had expelled a group of rebels that the king granted him that privilege while he cared for one of the largest crop villages.
Lastly, there was Jax Ivanov, a lover of large-scale wars who ended up retired at the border where not even dogs fought against cats, which was quite regrettable if you asked him.
They had all received a letter sent by the fourth prince inviting them to be part of a bright future, something that was about to shake the entire kingdom. But they didn't come for political interests; they came because they wanted to know how a child could become a Sword King and find out where the power that protected him came from.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I must thank you for your honorable visit. I see you've already greeted each other, so let's get to the first..." Gilgamesh had arrived at the perfect moment; otherwise, these three old maniacs would have started fighting with their own fists.