2025-01-25 13:13:29Amores watched Alkan with a curious gaze as he stood in front of her. "You’re quick," she remarked, then reached under the desk to grab something. "Write your name here and answer the questions."
She handed him a folder, and as he opened it, he saw the personal details he needed to fill out. His eyebrows subtly raised in surprise. He hadn't expected such a system in this town. After filling it out, he returned the folder to her. She then gestured for him to follow her to his first station at work. He was taken aback as he took in the full view of the place. There were beings lying on beds with tubes attached to their arms. At first glance, he knew they were having their blood drawn. What confused him was why these beings needed to be drained of blood. Back where he came from, it made sense if the blood was for patients in need, but this was different. The Tribal wasn’t like that. It was home to creatures from legends. These beings didn’t need blood unless there was an emergency, and according to Gio, the Tribal’s residents could heal their own wounds and ailments. "Your job now is to wait for new recruits," Amores said. "You’ll need to lay the newcomers on the beds and connect the tubes to their arms. You must collect several bags of blood before nightfall. And once it's afternoon, come find me at my station so you can leave the factory. Got it?" Although confused, Alkan nodded. That was his job, after all. He had thought he’d be the one lying in a bed. He went to the spot Amores had indicated and waited for the new recruit. It wasn’t long before a man entered the large room. Alkan’s eyes widened in recognition—it was the man he had encountered earlier on the street. He still wore the same clothes, and his eyebrows were furrowed in a frown. The man scanned the room and their eyes met. He walked over to Alkan and looked him over from head to toe. "Not bad," he said before lying down on the bed. For a moment, Alkan stood frozen. The man smirked. "What? You just gonna stand there? Hurry up!" he barked. Alkan’s worry grew as he feared the creatures in the beds would wake up from the man’s loud shout. But after a few moments, none of them stirred. The man’s frown deepened. "What’s taking so long?" That snapped Alkan out of his daze. He quickly moved to the man’s side and attached the tubes to his arms. He winced as the smell of blood, sour and metallic, filled the air. "If you can’t handle the job, get out of this town and move to the next one," the man said coldly. Alkan said nothing as he returned to his spot. The man didn't speak again, and after a few moments, Alkan heard his steady breathing. It seemed he had fallen asleep on the bed. Alkan frowned in confusion. Was there a sleeping aid in the tubes? More new recruits arrived, and Alkan connected tubes to their arms just like the man before. Fortunately, there were plenty of empty beds in the spacious room. Soon, the large clock above the door chimed. It was afternoon. He turned to look at the creatures who were now waking up. He hadn’t even gotten close to one before they ripped the tubes from their arms and left without a word. Alkan blinked in surprise. Only the man he had seen earlier remained in the room. He looked at Alkan and said, "Get out. Go find Amores so you can leave the factory." Without hesitation, Alkan left his station and headed to Amores’ spot. As he was about to leave the factory, he paused and glanced back at the room he had come from. He hadn’t seen the man leave. But he pushed the thought aside. Amores had been giving him a stern look earlier, and he didn’t want to risk angering her. Before he could step out, a voice came from behind. "What’s with that face?" It was Ambong, grinning at him. Alkan stopped in his tracks and turned around. "What’s going on in the factory?" he asked, his tone guarded. Ambong’s grin widened. "You know the price you pay for asking that question." Alkan’s lips pressed into a line as he glanced around, seeing only darkened houses with no lights on. Where were they supposed to spend the night? "It’s not safe to spend the night outside," Ambong suddenly said, his eyes gleaming. "Follow me." Alkan didn’t hesitate. He followed Ambong through the darkened streets, glancing nervously at their surroundings. The darkness had swallowed the area, but they kept walking, heading somewhere Alkan couldn’t yet understand. When the moon rose in the sky, a chilling noise came from behind them. Alkan’s thoughts immediately turned to the factory. "Don’t look back if you don’t want to be eaten by a night creature," Ambong warned. Alkan’s muscles stiffened at the warning, but he fought his curiosity. He realized he was in a land full of legendary beings. Every corner of the Tribal was dangerous for someone like him. "Do you know what kind of creature lives in this town?" Ambong asked. Alkan didn’t answer, the words trapped in his throat. Sweat beaded on his skin as the cold wind blew. This wasn’t like the evening breeze back in San Roque; this one carried the metallic scent of blood. "They’re creatures that feed on flesh and indulge in blood," Ambong said, his voice light with amusement. "They’re called Vampires, the second strongest tribe in the Black Wing Tribe’s alliances." "Vampires?" Alkan furrowed his brow. "Is that why they’re draining blood from the creatures inside the factory?" Ambong laughed. "You’ve seen the vampire’s lair. The beings in those houses are escapees from the White Wing Tribe or creatures who lost their homes after the Black Wing Tribe took over the western parts of the Tribal." "So the ones lying in the beds aren’t vampires?" Ambong paused, thinking, before replying. "No. They’re the ones who moved to this town. In exchange for living in the vampires’ territory, they must give enough blood. The creatures in the factory are vampires, which is why the others have to leave before nightfall—if they stay, they’ll be eaten by the vampires if any of them are left behind." Ambong let out a long breath. "For someone with sawikin blood like you, don’t even think about giving blood to any vampire. Sawikin blood is special, part of the original inhabitants of the Tribal. It’s rich in magic and faith. If a vampire gets a taste of your blood, hide, because they won’t stop hunting you. Once they taste it, nothing else will satisfy their thirst." Alkan swallowed hard. "What do vampires look like?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "They look like normal people. But you’ll know they’re vampires by the color of their eyes. Vampire eyes are silver." Alkan’s mind raced, thinking about the silver eyes he had seen earlier—on Tayon. If he wasn’t mistaken, Tayon was a vampire. "There’s one…" His voice faltered as his heart raced. "One of them might’ve tasted my blood." Ambong stopped dead in his tracks, turning to face Alkan. His brows knitted together, but then he shook his head and laughed. "So that’s why the ruckus," Ambong said with a sigh. "If you weren’t so important, I wouldn’t have to babysit someone as ignorant as you." "W-What?" Alkan’s eyes widened. "What’s so important?" "Really ignorant," Ambong muttered under his breath. Before Alkan could process what was happening, Ambong picked him up effortlessly. Two shadowy wings sprouted from Ambong’s back, and in an instant, they soared into the dark sky, Ambong holding Alkan securely in his arms. "Don’t ever step foot in this town again," Ambong warned. "If you're lucky, the vampires won’t chase you. But if you were born unlucky, you’ll be hunted for the rest of your life. Your only choice is to kill the vampire who tasted your blood or join them." Ambong clicked his tongue. "Why do you always go looking for trouble?" Alkan had no chance to respond when he heard rustling behind them. When he looked back, his heart stopped. Tayon stood there, smiling at him. Their eyes met, and Alkan watched as Tayon’s eyes turned blood-red. "Alkan Buena," Tayon called. Cold dread gripped Alkan as he saw two wings sprout from Tayon’s back, with five other vampires following. Just like Tayon, their eyes glowed red, their thirst for blood unmistakable. The vampires sped toward them, surrounding Alkan and Ambong, and under the full moon, Alkan saw Tayon’s claws extend, black as night. "And who is this with you, Alkan? A shadow?" Tayon laughed. "Come with us, and you won’t have to worry about running anymore. We won’t hurt you. I just want to taste the blood of the sawikin that runs through your veins." Ambong narrowed his eyes, his grin widening. "Looks like the vampires are getting bold. Don’t you know that the Witch Tribe is keeping an eye on you?" Tayon’s smile grew. "But your precious Witch Tribe isn’t doing anything against us vampires. No matter what the witches try, they won’t change the laws of the alliance." His eyes narrowed. "Now, kid, give me the creature you’re carrying. We won’t hurt you if you do as we wish."
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Ambong tightened his grip on Alkan, and in an instant, the shadow dropped from its position in the sky. Alkan gasped and clung tightly to Ambong's sleeve, cursing repeatedly in his mind. Tayon's eyes widened, and he quickly flew toward them. A mischievous grin formed on Ambong’s lips before he suddenly darted off in a different direction. Alkan heard Tayon curse before swiftly pursuing them. As Ambong laughed in the air, Alkan’s face turned as pale as paper. His heart had been pounding relentlessly, painfully even. He kept taking deep breaths, but before he could steady himself, they were once again surrounded by vampires. Unlike earlier, Tayon’s brows were now creased. His gaze toward Ambong was sharp, but it became even more piercing whenever it landed on Alkan. "Don't even think about escaping. No matter what you do, you won't get away. You're in vampire territory," Tayon smirked. "Haven't you noticed? No matter where you go in this place, there's always a vampire watching. Sto
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 8: Princess
Her gaze shifted between Alkan and Ambong. After a few seconds, she smiled at him."New faces in the palace. Who are you, and how did you get in?"Alkan was about to answer, but Ambong pulled him past her. Celya only let out a soft laugh as she watched them leave.Her amusement faded when she saw the way Ambong looked at her—cold and guarded. How annoying. She didn’t like it when men ignored her, especially those who should have been on their knees, enchanted by her beauty.“Celya,” she heard a voice call from behind her. A fellow vampire approached, worry on his face. “Why are you out here? Your father is looking for you.”She clicked her tongue in irritation but turned gracefully. “I was just welcoming our guests. Did he say what he wanted?”“He just told me to fetch you. You should hurry back.”Celya sighed but obeyed. However, as she walked away, her thoughts lingered on the man who had stared at her so intently—Alkan. Unlike the others, he had looked at her with fascination, yet
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 9: Tension Rising
Alkan opened the door, and two male vampires stood before him. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing them."Do you need something?" he asked.The vampire on the left spoke. "The king is summoning you. The king of the witches is here."Alkan froze at the statement. After a few seconds, he glanced behind him, where he saw Ambong with a dark expression.There was nothing Alkan could do but follow the two men. Ambong walked beside him, silent all the while. He kept his head down, staring only at the path ahead.It wasn’t long before they reached the vampire king’s throne room. And the two men were right—there, seated on a step just below the throne of the vampire king, was Surikong.Surikong looked in Alkan’s direction, and their gazes met. A smile formed on his lips."Alkan Buena," he greeted.It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on Alkan. A chill ran from his head to his toes, and cold sweat formed on his skin. He knew Surikong was involved in the strange events that had plagu
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Surikong grinned widely. “That’s a good decision. Get ready, we’ll be leaving soon.” Celya happily turned around and stepped back toward the door. But she stopped in her tracks when she passed by Alkan. She looked at his face and smirked, as if challenging him. Then she rolled her eyes and continued walking. He ignored the princess’s actions and turned to Surikong, who was still smiling at him. His lips pressed into a thin line before he turned away and left the room. He could still hear Surikong’s voice behind him, saying, “You should get ready too, Alkan. We’re leaving soon.” Alkan clenched his fists. He really didn’t like being told what to do. However, he wanted to get out of that palace, so he decided to follow Surikong’s orders without arguing. As the sun neared the western horizon, Alkan found himself standing outside a factory. The king did not accompany them, but he had sent two large men to escort them to the entrance. “We can only go this far, king of witches,”
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Before he could process what was happening, several women ran in his direction. He was rooted to the spot, startled when one of them grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the scene. "Move! The Black Wing Tribe is coming!" she gasped. Her face was pale, her breathing ragged. He could feel the cold tremble in her hands. "They’re all dead! There's nothing left for you there!" He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her words. He hadn’t come to that settlement looking for family. Still, he let her pull him along. So that she wouldn’t fall behind, he took hold of her arm instead and ran at the front of the group. He heard her sharp intake of breath but noticed she didn’t complain—she simply ran, trying to keep up with him. Alkan's ears had perked up at what the woman had said. The Black Wing Tribe is coming? Did that mean they were the ones responsible for the burning village? He glanced at the woman beside him. He couldn't tell which tribe she belonged to, but she didn’t seem
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Alkan flinched and quickly looked ahead. The three men were already frowning at him. But because of the light he had seen, his earlier plan to leave now seemed unlikely. He needed to find out which tribe the child belonged to and why it was surrounded by light. He cleared his throat. "What tribe are you from?" The three men narrowed their eyes at him and slightly lowered their heads into a stance ready to attack. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly raised his hands. "I mean no harm. I just want to know if you're allied with the White Wing Tribe and if that’s the reason the Black Wing Tribe attacked you." At the mention of the White Wing Tribe, the tension in the air slightly eased. He couldn’t quite read the three men’s expressions, but he noticed the women averting their gazes. Soon, the man in the middle straightened his stance. He looked Alkan over from head to toe. "We are not allies of the White Wing Tribe, but neither are we enemies of the white sawikin. We have li
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Yes, there were times when he could control the shadow without knowing that it had a mind of its own because of Ambong. But now, Ambong was no longer inside his body, so he didn’t know how to summon the shadow. "I am not part of the witch's lineage. There was someone who taught me how to manipulate it..." His lips pressed into a thin line. "Besides, if the black sawikin had sent me here, the women would have already been lying lifeless on the ground." "Then show me your ability!" the man demanded. With no other choice, Alkan closed his eyes. He focused on himself until he felt the creeping cold from his soles, rising up his legs, arms, neck, and finally to his face. His muscles shivered with dread. This was the familiar sensation whenever the shadow touched his body. And it seemed his suspicion was right when he heard a woman scream. Footsteps followed, scurrying away from him. He knew the women had taken refuge in a corner. When he opened his eyes, even he was taken aback.
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The woman glanced at the child and shook her head. "When the baby was born, a light surrounded it. After that, we didn’t see anything strange—except for the fact that Ester’s child is incredibly beautiful." Alkan’s gaze deepened. His suspicions were correct. The tribe couldn’t see the white light wrapped around the infant. This would make capturing the child much easier. However, he was growing concerned about Ester. If he couldn’t take the baby, he might have to abduct Ester instead.Alkan spent several days in the cave with the tribe of priests. In the past few days, he had been trying to push away his thoughts of abducting the baby, constantly reminding himself that it was not yet the right time. His patience seemed to pay off when Ester called him over and had him sit in front of her. The woman smiled at him. “This is my daughter, Wakin,” she said, revealing the face of a young girl. Alkan’s gaze deepened as he looked at the child. At last, Ester herself had introduced her da
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Chapter 119: The mortal
The sun shone brightly, and its rays hit Alkan’s closed eyes. He frowned, slowly opening them as he sat up from the grass. He let out a deep breath. It had been seven years since his family died in an accident. All of his parents’ assets had been passed down to him, but he was too lazy to manage everything. So, he decided to buy several hectares of land in Alegria to turn into a farm. He entrusted his most reliable staff to handle the companies left behind in the city. Just the other day, while negotiating with a landowner, a man suddenly called out to him. The man claimed to be a priest whom Alkan had saved from the Black Palace. But Alkan denied it, thinking the stranger was mentally unstable. Because of that weird encounter, he decided to postpone his land purchase. His assistant came running toward him. "Good day, Sir!" "Did something happen?" he asked, standing up. "The office in the city called. They said your travel documents for your flight to Europe have been proces
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Her name was Matilda, one of the loyal followers of the ancient king. Since the first century, when the king fell into slumber, and up until Alkan’s time, the woman had remained faithfully by his side. She was also the one who set Alkan’s destiny in motion, leading him to this dimension. "Your ancestor was the descendant of the ancient king. He sent his own heir to another dimension to keep them safe from those who lusted after power." Matilda sighed. "At that time, not a day passed without blood spilling upon this land. When the ancient king learned that others sought to kill his only heir, he did not hesitate to use half of his power to open a portal to a world he believed would accept them." Alkan stared at the sleeping man. Time had not affected his appearance—in a single glance, one might mistake the ancient king for his older brother. "He tasked me with setting the fate of his descendant’s heir so they would one day return to this world—to save a land filled with conflic
Chapter 117: Destroyed barrier
The rain fell gently that day. The entire land was silent after the third region was consumed by fire. The rain had not stopped since that day, filling the witnesses of the gods’ and goddesses’ wrath with unease. But what everyone anticipated was the next move of the one who had dared to challenge the strongest beings in that world. "Master, there is still no movement from the first region," Asha reported. Alkan swung his sword slowly. At that moment, he was studying a new form of combat. He had discovered this mysterious technique from books salvaged from Ashura’s palace. After the palace burned, Asha’s serpents had found a secret door that remained untouched by the flames. She informed him, so he went to investigate and found an ancient library. It contained many old tools and battle techniques. According to Drako, they were from the first century—the era of the ancient king. Without hesitation, Alkan took everything and began studying them. "But a strange creature has been
Chapter 116: A land engulfed in fire
Alkan nodded. "They never witnessed any movement in or out of the wasteland." He turned toward the third region. "And it seems there's an imposter among the ministers of Ashura’s palace." "What do you mean?" "No one should have known about the pit inside the wasteland unless they had planted a spy. But I rule the wasteland, and no one from the third region has infiltrated it. This can only mean… that minister is from the first region! We need to return—it’s a trap!" he declared, flying back to the third region. Just as Alkan suspected, the minister who first spoke at the meeting was an agent of the palace from the first region. Once he confirmed that Alkan was in the wasteland, he quickly signaled his allies stationed around the third region. A battalion stormed and took over Bendito, another army occupied Ashura, and the prince of the first region went to Celes to seize the queen. Whe
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Alkan’s appearance never returned to the way it once was. His hair and eyes remained split in two colors. But that didn’t stop the monsters from recognizing him as their new master. With the council—once the pillar of the third region—gone, the highest-ranking officials of Bendito and the remaining leaders of Ashura’s palace decided to appoint Alkan as the ruler of the third region. He had no choice but to accept the position laid before him. Now, three regions of the world followed him: the wasteland, the third region, and the second region. Yet, despite having the power to command these territories, his concerns in the past few days had not disappeared. There had been no movement from the first region, which puzzled him. Based on the information he had gathered, the first region would never retreat unless they were planning something ominous. "Master, my serpents cannot enter the first region. There is a barrier repelling all monsters at the entrance. They tried to circle around,
Chapter 114: Goddess of Death
"It has been millennia since I last saw you. You were just a small child then, but now, here you are, planning to slaughter the very beings who once nurtured you." Alkan clenched his fists at the words. "Nurtured?" He let out a dry laugh. "You stole my power and stripped me of my freedom in the name of the fairy kingdom. You murdered my parents. All you've ever done is ruin my life and the lives of the beings in Tribal!" A smile played on the anito’s lips. "Why wouldn’t we? The inhabitants of Tribal are nothing but weak creatures. A mere flick of our fingers, and your lives would vanish into the wind. Shouldn’t you be afraid of the council? And yet, what happened? You established three kingdoms and enslaved all the beings in Tribal. You made yourselves gods, but… before us, you are nothing more than an ant." "An ant?" Alkan laughed at the insult. "So that’s how you see Tribal?" His grin widened. "Why don’t you ask the gods and goddesses of the first region who the real ants are? Did
Chapter 113: Welcome to the Council of Anito
The blood had already poured from the top of his head, but the general still tried to stand and face him. "Do you even know what you're doing, fool?" "You wanted to fight, so I gave you a good one. What? Can you still go on?" The general gritted his teeth in frustration and immediately charged at him. Alkan just shook his head. Even though he was wounded, the general refused to back down. One of his subordinates finally spoke up with concern. "General, we still have a battle later tonight." "Silence!" the general shouted, continuing his attack. Alkan dodged repeatedly, occasionally slashing the general’s face. By now, the general’s entire body was covered in bruises and wounds, and his blood wouldn’t stop dripping. Alkan’s brows furrowed. He had no time for this fight, so he decided to end it. With one decisive strike, the general collapsed. He didn't kill him, but who knew if the man would still be able to f
Chapter 112: War in the first region
By the time they reached the entrance to Ashura, the sun was already high in the sky. The closer they got, the worse Alkan felt. He had a strong feeling that something terrible would happen the moment he stepped into the council’s territory. But they were already here—there was no turning back now. With firm resolve, he stepped into Ashura. What greeted him was a row of warriors. Alkan blinked in surprise. "I, the general of the First Region’s army, have been tasked with stopping the Third Region from invading the Second Region—the land of the monsters! Prepare yourselves! We will strike at nightfall!" a man on a shining white horse declared. It was no ordinary horse. Its radiant body glowed under the sunlight. "Master, it looks like a war is about to break out in Ashura," Asha murmured, glancing around. "I can't sense any snakes nearby, so I can't gather any information." Alkan’
Chapter 111: Fall of Arelano
Alkan conjured a whirlwind mixed with water. Arelano narrowed his eyes and released shadows that engulfed the entire palace. But shadow manipulation was also one of Alkan’s abilities, so the darkness had no effect on him. He spread the four-colored flames from his feet, sending them across the furniture, up to the ceiling, until the entire palace was engulfed in fire. With the darkness dispelled, he saw sweat forming on Arelano’s face due to the heat. The corner of his lips curled. "Is that all you’ve got?" "Don't get ahead of yourself, mortal!" Arelano shouted, summoning two massive black wings on his back. They spread wide, creating a powerful gust of wind that extinguished the flames and once again covered the surroundings in darkness. Drako transformed into a dragon, while Asha turned into a serpent. The two worked together to defeat Arelano, while Alkan focused on casting a curse.
