Returning to the Mysterious Era

Cassius lowered his arm and instinctively glanced at the back of his hand. The skin was clear, devoid of any mark from the Black Rain Manor. However, a long black worm-like line shifted underneath his skin every time he moved his arm.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Cassius immediately pressed his left hand against his right forearm. After a thorough examination, he discovered that the black line was actually one of his veins.

It wasn't some kind of blemish on his arm, nor was it the result of any parasitic infection. It was most definitely his blood vessel, but why had it turned black?

Cassius couldn't make sense of it. He had never experienced such a change prior to entering the time-travel era; the blackening of his veins had occurred only after his return to the real world, suggesting that this transformation originated during his time in the time-travel era. As he sat on the sofa pondering the possible causes, only one possibility came to mind: radiation.

During the final battle at Black Rain Manor, the black meteorite beneath the Baptism Chapel seemed to be emitting a terrifying amount of invisible, intangible energy—impossible to defend against. Even those with a strong physique, such as practitioners of Covert Martial Arts, would be susceptible to this radiation and potentially undergo mysterious and frightening changes.

Could he have been affected by the radiation energy?

A terrifying thought occurred to Cassius: could the effects from the previous radiation carry over into reality?

Unable to shake off the chilling thought, Cassius shuddered. Despite his high pain tolerance from years of practicing the Wind Elephant Covert Martial Arts, he had no desire to experience the feeling of radiation infiltrating his body again. It was far too dreadful.

No, the time-travel ability wouldn't allow harmful outcomes from the time-travel era to carry over into the real world! Cassius suddenly realized. That means this isn't a negative outcome. But rather…

He looked down at his wrist, where the black artery lay parallel to the other arteries, still circulating blood as usual.

A favorable result.

Cassius's eyes narrowed. This was the only plausible explanation. He believed in the powerful capabilities of his time-travel ability.

Now aware of the change in his arm, Cassius got started on testing it. He clenched his right hand, performing various movements, feeling the strength, speed, and flexibility of his arm.

Five minutes later, Cassius reached his conclusion.

His right arm had gotten stronger, though not by a significant amount. What was more noticeable was the blood flow in his veins had increased slightly. As a pugilist practicing Covert Martial Arts, he could sense the changes in blood flow within his body during moments when he was calm and focused.

Cassius could feel the difference between his left and right hands, particularly with the black artery, which seemed to be twice as effective as the other arteries in terms of expansion of diameter, durability, and elasticity. It was markedly different from a normal artery.

To put it simply, the strength and control of his right hand had improved by leaps and bounds, allowing him to execute more precise movements.

It was a positive development, and Cassius had a hypothesis as to how it had come about.

Just as with all radiation, the energy from the meteorite at Black Rain Manor likely caused side effects in the human body, which could potentially lead to mutations. Some mutations could be beneficial, although more often than not, they were harmful.

Even on the rare occasion that a beneficial mutation might occur amidst a series of harmful ones, the drawbacks usually outweighed the benefits. But Cassius had a unique ability—the time-travel ability.

The core function of this golden finger was to retain the benefits Cassius gained from training in the time-travel era while eliminating the drawbacks.

This meant all the harmful mutations caused by the radiation energy had been filtered out, leaving only a beneficial, if tiny, mutation. If that was the case, Cassius could consider himself fortunate. He couldn't help but let his mind wander.

What if he went into different time-travel eras and repeatedly destroyed Black Rain Manor, subjecting himself to the meteorite's radiation energy multiple times? Would his entire body eventually be replaced by beneficial mutations? Would he turn into a mutant? A radiation-enhanced human?

As intriguing as the thought was, Cassius had no intention of trying it again. Firstly, because he doubted he could endure the unbearable pain a second time. The second reason was because of the Covert Martial Arts, which was a discipline that involved strengthening the body and enhancing oneself through martial arts. The training process was universal, meaning that anyone could practice it provided they were healthy and had a natural aptitude for it.

However, if a person's body structure underwent mutations, would there be a difference in practicing Covert Martial Arts? Covert Martial Arts training was highly risky where even a slight deviation could spell danger.

Cassius was not overly optimistic about the changes in his arm's artery. But after spending the next half hour performing all his Covert Martial Arts techniques, he found no negative impact which brought him some relief.

If the only benefit was a slight increase in his right-hand strength, but would compromise his Covert Martial Arts, Cassius would never have accepted it; the choice between the two was obvious.

Five minutes later, setting aside the physical changes, he continued writing in his journal. He outlined his future training plans on the page:

1) Enhance the hardening Qigong: focus on training the Stone Armour Technique at dawn and dusk, using blunt objects to strike the entire body.

2) Familiarize yourself with the first stage of the Heart Eye Secret Technique (Premonition): use tools to alternate between blocking the five senses so each sense can be trained individually.

3) Master the basics of the Lion's Roar Breathing Technique: this required rigorous practice of rhythmic breathing and blood flow frequency. The fastest way to progress was to experience severe injuries and death multiple times. Practice made perfect.

4) Incorporate the Midak Balance Disruption technique into fist, elbow, and foot techniques. (Cassius had consulted the veterans of the Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance and had already formed some ideas.)

5) Continue using medicinal ointments to train the Elephant Soul, practicing the Wind Elephant Fist daily, solidifying his foundation.

The key points were all there. Now, it was just a matter of proceeding with the training.

Before that, though, Cassius felt that a trip to East Sea County, Anta City, to assess the situation there was required. He needed to confirm whether Black Rain Manor had resurfaced in the real world and prepare himself if it had.

He sat up on the shell-patterned and cloud-embroidered sofa, glancing at the time. It was now three in the afternoon. There was still time and even if there were no train tickets left, Cassius could easily secure one through his connections with the Connan Company or the Ace of Spades. It was of no challenge.

Moreover, trains in this era were not as outdated as they had been fifty years ago. Given that both locations were within the six counties of the East, traveling back and forth between Beiliu County and East Sea County would be quick. Cassius estimated that he could return within a few days.

Cassius was someone who acted decisively and had a strong sense of curiosity. If he ever sensed danger or doubt, he would immediately do something to resolve the issue. His vigilance bordered on paranoia.

When there wasn't enough information, there was little Cassius could do. But in this case, he knew plenty about the manor. He could easily investigate the situation through indirect means.

By the time it was 3:30 p.m., Cassius had already arranged for someone from Ace of Spades to handle the train tickets. Sometimes, having a group backing you had its perks, at least for handling minor tasks without needing to do too much. At the moment, Cassius felt that he hadn't made too bad a decision when he chose to join Ace of Spades.

At 4:00 p.m., in the basement of his new residence.

Terrified, a strong, red-eyed man scuttled backward as another tall, expressionless man approached. Soon, the room was filled with blood-curdling screams.

During his time in the time-travel era, Cassius had attempted to gather information about the Shadow Demons, but all his efforts had ended in failure.

Whether by capturing and interrogating them or by inquiring about specific information from other Hellsings in Black Rain Manor, it was clear that there were differences among dark creatures. Some of those differences were visible to the naked eye, while others were quite mysterious. Some were weak, while others were immensely powerful.

In fact, the forces active on the surface were likely just the tip of the iceberg. There were probably deeper secrets hidden beneath. A prime example of this was the Blood Race.

Who would have thought that there were ancient beings lying dormant within the Ao Yin ruins in the Alphama mountains, who, upon awakening, could crush their opponents with overwhelming strength? They were, at the very least, at the level of a martial artist.

The Shadow Demons, particularly the mysterious Dead Blood, with which Cassius had deep connections, were equally enigmatic. The forces hidden beneath their fog of secrecy were undoubtedly complex and far from simple, completely unlike those dark creatures that seemed to exist merely as mascots. Understanding them was crucial.

A few minutes later, Cassius emerged from the basement, somewhat disappointed. The Red Eye-level Shadow Demon still hadn't divulged anything useful.

Inside the basement, the Shadow Demon was still in shock, its blood-red eyes dim. Its body, covered in wounds, was slowly healing, but the psychological trauma could not so easily be erased. The methods employed by the man were ruthless, and the aura he exuded today seemed even more terrifying than usual.

At 4:30 p.m., Cassius quickly packed his luggage in the bedroom, placing everything into a suitcase. His trip to Anta City wasn't far, and he expected to be back within a few days. He didn't need to pack too much since he was going to be on the move.

Before leaving the second floor, he glanced at the basement. The Red Eye-level Shadow Demon was securely restrained with five or six specially designed iron chains. Escape was an impossibility.

Furthermore, Cassius didn't know if Shadow Demons needed to eat. He had placed some food within easy reach of the demon to ensure that if it needed sustenance, it wouldn't starve to death.

Food and drink were taken care of. As for the other matters… Those could be dealt with when he returned. Hopefully, it wouldn't smell too bad by then.

Cassius felt that he was being fairly compassionate toward the Shadow Demon. He was quite humane, even showing a degree of humanitarian concern.

At 5 p.m., Cassius stepped out of his door, where a black car was parked by the roadside. A familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar pretty face appeared behind the car window, her long, narrow eyes adorned with a seductive beauty mark.

It was Cassius's only subordinate, Violet, who served as the liaison between Cassius and White Bird.

"Boss, is there something dirty on my face?" Violet asked, touching her smooth, fair face. Dubiousness colored her voice.

Cassius snapped out of his thoughts. He had been unconsciously trying to recall who this person in front of him was, and perhaps he had stared for a bit too long, which wasn't very polite. Cassius explained, "Yes, there seems to be some gunk in your eyes that you haven't wiped away."

"Ah?!"

Violet quickly scrubbed at her eyes. Vanity was universal, and this was especially true for naturally beautiful girls. To be outside with eye gunk was incredibly embarrassing, particularly in front of her new, stern-faced boss. She carefully checked herself in the rearview mirror.

Violet blinked her big, bright eyes, finding no unsightly marks. After checking a bit longer, she realized…

Was Master Wind Elephant referring to the beauty mark at the corner of her eye? That wasn't eye gunk!

Wait! Violet suddenly thought of a serious issue.

Could it be that when Master Wind Elephant saw her the first time, he had assumed she hadn't wiped the gunk from her eyes? How horrible! How unfair. The thought of her boss seeing her this way made Violet want to cry out in frustration. The beauty mark was meant to be a beautiful feature. How could this be…?

"Let's go, I don't have much time," Cassius reminded her from the back seat, arms crossed.

"Oh, right."

Violet started the car. Just as she was about to press down on the accelerator, she couldn't help but turn back to Cassius. "Boss, that's not eye gunk, it's a beauty mark."

A second, then two, then three seconds… there was no response.

"It really is a beauty mark," she insisted. "Boss?"

Violet turned around fully, only to find that Cassius, who had just been speaking, was breathing steadily, with his chest gently rising and falling. His eyes were closed.

He's asleep?! She widened her beautiful eyes. This feeling was torturous, worse than being forced to drink frog urine.

Violet, frustrated but not daring to wake Cassius, could only vent her emotions by overtaking cars on the road. A journey that should have taken forty minutes took less than twenty.

To be fair, Cassius hadn't been pretending to sleep. He was genuinely worn-out. While returning to the real world could cleanse the body, the mind was a different story. The battle between the Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance and Black Rain Manor had drained him significantly.

In fact, that final radiation torment had left Cassius mentally and physically exhausted. He had truly fallen asleep the moment he got in the car, and before he knew it, he found himself at the train station.

With a resentful look from Violet, Cassius walked onto the platform. As the train arrived, he grabbed his suitcase and boarded the carriage.

***

Two days later, in Anta City, a border city of East Sea County.

The Anta Mountains were nearby, and in recent years, they had attracted many tourists. Some tour groups even came here specifically to hunt wild boars, turning it into a sort of rural leisure activity.

In an open area between Baihua Town and the Anta Forest, a guide led a tour group down a wide mountain path, toward a forest lodge, where they would have lunch. After a short afternoon break, they would visit the spectacular Mokarensa Waterfall.

Most of the tourists were families with many rambunctious children among them. A little girl holding a pinwheel suddenly pointed to the roadside in the distance. "Mommy, there's a really tall man standing over there…"

Her mother turned to look, but there was nothing at the town's entrance. The sunlight shone on the tender green grass, the area completely empty.

"Don't talk nonsense, child, or I'll spank you for lying."

"But Annie wasn't lying," the little girl replied, feeling wronged.

"Are you trying to scare your mother? No more candy for you today!"

"Ah! No, no, Annie didn't see anything!"

About a hundred meters away, at a rural crossroads, a tall, black figure stood by the roadside. He stretched out his hand slightly, pushing aside the weeds, revealing a broken bronze pillar beneath.

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