Chapter 7 – First Taste of Blood (1/2)

Chapter 7 – First Taste of Blood

With that one word, Calron immediately understood why no one would help the old man.

In this world, the only one other person that was said to be weaker than a lightning elementalist was a person who did not even have an element, an Element-Less!

“Rumors are that he was injured and lost his essence in a war long ago. Only the school’s Head knows the real truth about Elias, as it was the Head who saved his life after the war and brought him back to the Red Boar School. However, the Head is rarely ever at the school, so everyone just mistreats Elias. Without an element, or his sight, how could the poor man even fight back?”

Beth sorrowfully explained to Calron.

Although the technique was now forbidden, during the age of war, elementalists would sometimes sacrifice their entire cultivation for a single moment of tremendous power.

The technique was now forgotten, and only the past survivors of the war still remembered it. However, none of them would teach that technique to their disciples, as it would completely destroy their future.

The forbidden technique had the potential to raise one’s cultivation by an entire realm. If a Vajra stage expert used this technique, then he would be able to directly enter the Saint stage for a brief moment. However, it came at the price of never being able to cultivate again.

“You should take the tray to Elias now, and tell him that I’ll come visit him after I’m done with my shift.”

Beth softly stated as she handed out the tray to Calron.

A few disciples in the waiting line were impatiently glaring at her for the delay in their food, so Calron quickly grabbed the tray and started walking back to his table.

The old man had hardly moved from his seat and simply sat there with his eyes closed. He was humming a tune when Calron returned to give him the tray of food. Gently placing the tray in front of Elias, Calron whispered to the old man.

“Sir, I placed your tray of food in front of you.”

The old man suddenly stopped humming, as his eyes slowly opened.

Dull grey eyes stared back at Calron, and he felt as if this blind man’s eyes could pierce straight through his very soul.

“Such a polite young man. What is your name, child?”

The old man asked Calron in a calm voice.

“Calron.”

“So Calron, judging from your polite tone, and that you were even willing to chat with me, I’m guessing that you are a new servant here?”

Elias inquired as he slowly started to chew his food.

Although the old man was blind and appeared shabby, there was a certain grace in the way that he cut his food and elegantly chewed. It reminded Calron of the elegant Noble families of the city.

“Actually, I’m a new disciple at the Red Boar School.”

Calron tentatively answered Elias.

He guessed as to why the old man would think that he was a servant, as only people with a weak cultivation would be polite to an Element-Less like Elias.

“What? You’re a disciple of the school? They actually let a lightning elementalist enroll here? Boy, you’re not messing with this old man, are you?”

Elias asked in a disbelieving voice.

Calron was stunned when Elias mentioned his lightning element, but after thinking for a while, the only explanation he could come up with was that the old man had probably the rumors around the school. Otherwise, how else could the blind man know about his element?

“I was sponsored by Lord Regis as a disciple here for two years. I will be under his command after that time is over.”

Calron stoically replied to Elias’s barrage of questions.

Hearing the emotionless tone in the young boy’s voice, Elias felt a tinge of pity in his heart. He knew exactly the type of lives lightning elementalists lived, and there was nothing that could change their fates.

After that, the two stayed till midnight as they chatting about their lives. Calron talked about his family and life in the village while Elias talked about his time serving in the Royal Army. Calron did not speak much besides mentioning the death of his family, to which Elias gave a sympathetic pat on his back.

What Calron enjoyed the most were the tales of combat from Elias’s war stories. Calron was still an eight-year-old boy, and stories of battles and war excited him to a great extent.

Elias’s stories were vague on what his actual position in the army was, but Calron figured out that Elias once used to be a fire elementalist and at least at the peak of the Vajra stage, or even at the Saint stage!

Calron stared in awe at this blind man without even a hint of doubt in his eyes.

When the other disciples in the room overheard Elias’s tales, they scoffed in ridicule at Elias’s claims of once being a mighty figure in the Royal Army. Calron paid no attention to the other disciples’ sneers or mockery, and instead continued to listen to Elias’s tales.

Elias never mentioned on how he got blinded, or the point when he became an Element-Less, but Calron did not truly care. It was the first time he felt such a close connection to someone else besides his family, and he simply wanted to talk to someone.

With the moon brightly glowing in the starry sky, a young boy and a blind old man exchanged their stories, as they just enjoyed each other’s company.

There were only a few disciples still remaining in the gathering hall, and they soon started to disperse as well, as some went off to cultivate in the night, or just go to sleep in their huts.

Seeing that it was getting late, Elias finally decided that it was time to go back home and brought the chatting between him and the boy to an end.

“Calron, it has been many years since this old man had someone to talk to, and I thank you for listening to these tales of mine.”

Elias sincerely conveyed to the young boy, as he gently grasped his shoulder.

After losing his ability to cultivate an element, Elias had been constantly ridiculed by others, and besides a few servants like Gretha who pitied him or the school Head, there was no one else who bothered to talk to him.

Giving a slight bow to the old man, Calron happily responded.

“It was my pleasure, and thank you as well for listening to my story. I wish you a good night.”