Another week had passed by as the preparation for launching their smithing enterprise, BLOODBORNE came close.
The reasoning Kahn gave Albestros when suggesting this name was that the name implied creating something precious with your hard work and sweat & blood.
It signifies Rebirth and Perseverance.
But in reality.. It was just because he loved the Bloodborne video game as he was once Dark Souls player during his gaming days of the youth.
But since he couldn't just name the shop as Dark Souls or Sekiro : Shadows Die Twice.. Which would give a grim feeling to the business itself, he had to choose Bloodborne. And once he spread fake stories about what the name signifies, people would be more curious about the shop.
And those who needed weapons & armor because of their professions will naturally love the ring to the name of the company. Just the word 'Blood' would subconsciously make them feel attached to the brand. Because those who handled weapons had a kinship to blood and battle in a way. And that was Kahn's targeted audience.
And once the news spread, Kahn would also tangle Albestros who is a Peak Grandmaster Rank Blacksmith and his story about how this was his Redemption. The number of customers they'd get in the future will be in the thousands.
In the early stages, he was relentlessly working and creating connections with people and even looking for the best ways to make advertisements in the district. He had to plan it all and hence, Kahn was currently extremely busy.
Every new place or someone related to their deals had to be personally visited by him on behalf of the Grandmaster Blacksmith who was supposedly busy with making high-end weapons and armors. His attire was no different than that of a young heir of some noble clan. That way, he made a good impression on the people he met.
Kahn was careful not to reveal his identity as the true owner to anyone.
On the opposite end of Rukon district, Albestros had returned to their mansion after the exhausting work of training noobs on how to do their job properly.
In the past two weeks, they had the mansion completely renovated and it had become their home in every way. New plants and elegant-looking trees were planted. A tombstone was added on Prithvi's supposed grave and over a dozen servants were hired to cook, clean, manage gardens and security.
Since Kahn's subordinates didn't actually look like normal people, he had to go for real folks to look after the mansion.
Albestros had freshened up and was now enjoying his aromatic black tea brought by one of their new maids.
"Heidi, this tea is very refreshing. Good job." spoke the old man.
"Thank you, sir. Let me know if you need anything else." said the Elven maid with brown hair & green eyes as she nodded and left the old man alone.
The quiet & peaceful surroundings of the area they lived in, made the old man remember about the time when he was at the peak of his popularity back in the day.
He sipped the fragrant tea and reveled in the taste. But just then, he heard of a commotion outside of the mansion. The shouting and quarreling was so loud that it could be heard even inside his room.
Boom!!
A loud boom resounded at the entrance of the mansion. The two master rank guards that Kahn hired were flung 20 meters in the air as the iron gate itself was broken in two.
Albestros who heard the commotion quickly ran out of the mansion and saw the two guards lying on the ground.
"Simon, Howie.. What happened?" asked Albestros to the guards.
Simon, one of the guards who was a blue wolfkin pointed at the gate that was still covered under a cloud of dust as if an explosion had happened.
"Well well.. Aren't you having a merry life after duping a dying person." a sharp and mocking voice came as the dust settled and revealed three tall figures.
As the voice fell on his ears, Albestros instantly recognized the voice and his face turned enraged.
Two of these figures were 4 meter tall leshens with green humanoid bodies and clothes that revealed some of the tree leaves coming out of them. One of them was fat and bulky in appearance while the other was slim and nimble based on looks.
"Rimuru and Velodora, what the hell do you think you're doing here?" asked Albestros after recognizing the Visitors.
They were none other than Rimuru & Velodora, the two sons of Prithvi, the Grandmaster Alchemist.
The selfish and heartless sons who left the ill leshen at the hands of fate and even backstabbed their own father because of greed. They didn't even bother coming to his funeral to carry the rite of passage.
"We're here to take what is rightfully ours, uncle Albestros." spoke Velodora, the fat son.
"Rightfully yours you say.. I'm sure even the clothes you're wearing came because of the money you got by backstabbing your father. To think that you two have the gall to come here and claim his last remaining memory. Don't you know what this place meant to him?" spoke Albestros in an angered tone. He then pointed towards the tombstone placed on the far end of the garden.
"That's where your father is buried. Rather than going there to first see his tomb, you're here to cause a scene and ask for the mansion. Can the two of you be any more shameless?!" shouted the old man.
"You think you can fool us, old man?! We're sure you scammed him into giving the house and the company building. We also heard how you're opening your shop there. You think we're idiots to not see through your lies?" argued back Rimuru, the slim one from the two sons.
Albestros quickly took out the deed to the mansion and the building from his space ring and showed them from a distance.
"Look at it, you scoundrels. It's a Blood-Bind deed. It doesn't work if someone is forced into passing their belongings to someone. Besides, I didn't even want this place. It was your father who willingly gave it to me.
And he had me promise him that I will look after this mansion.. His last remnant. So no way in seven hells I'm going to give it to you and break the promise I made to my old friend." declared Albestros.
His eyes were full of anger and his fist was clenched tight. He wanted nothing but to beat the shit out of these two unfilial sons who left their father for dead.
"Hah.. We knew you would say something like that. And that's why we have brought sir Ranga with us!" spoke Rimuru in a condescending tone.
Then, the 3rd figure who was standing behind them walked in front. It was a 5 meter tall and muscular humanoid figure whose entire body was covered in white bone-like exoskeleton armor. Only the portion from his waist was covered in clothes and the rest of the body was filled with spiky bones.
This warrior who had a long boney scythe in his hand was a Botir. One of the new species Kahn had seen in Rathna when they were touring through the capital..
[[Author : Reference Art for Botir Warrior in chapter comments. Check it out.]]
"Listen, old human. I don't care what problem is there between you and them. But I have been paid already so I'll give you one final chance." spoke the Botir in a ghastly tone that was enough to give children nightmares.
"Pass on the ownership to my employers and I'll let you go. Refuse and I'll cut you down limb from limb. And while doing so.. I'm gonna enjoy it!" threatened the Botir with a skull-like face.
"Dream on!" spoke Albestros with a resolute face.
BOOM!!
The very next second, a loud burst of aura was released from the Botir and filled the entire area of this entrance and the garden. And a yellow aura full of bloodlust was released on the old man. Even the master rank guards caved in under this horrifying pressure.
This was the aura of a Peak Grandmaster Rank warrior!
Albestros was forced to drop on his knees and he barely managed to lift his head under this aura of the botir. His countenance was full of pain but the old man was trying to resist this pressure with all of his strength.
Even though he himself was a Grandmaster Rank Blacksmith.. His strength was only enough for his profession and his physical build wasn't enough to fight someone. And neither was he wasn't trained to fight.
"So you've chosen death." declared the Botir and his heavy footsteps filled the surrounding.
There was a 20 meter distance between them, but the aura this Botir warrior displayed was more than enough to suppress all three individuals that stood in front of him.
He brandished his scythe as a shrill noise came out of it. Ready to reap the life of the old man.
But before he could even reach halfway..
Stab!
An epic rank dagger was thrown in front of him at the ground.
Boom!!
The very next second, a loud and enormous burst of black and green aura came from behind Albestros and completely threw off the aura pressure of the botir warrior.
A slim figure clad in completely black hunting gear suddenly appeared from behind Albestros. This slim human picked up the kneeling grandmaster blacksmith.
Next, he looked at the botir warrior and the two leshens that came here to cause trouble. They even went as far as drawing their weapon on the old man who was trying to keep a promise he made to a deceased friend.
This young and handsome man who had the left side of his face covered in a black mask stood in between the Botir & Albestros.
The next second, he stared at the 3 individuals that came here with an expression as if he was looking at three dead bodies.
His grim and ghastly voice along with his dark green eyes were full of bloodlust as he spoke.
"Let me see if you have the ability to do so."
This person was none other than Kahn's left hand man..
RONIN!
