No! I don't want to be a Super Necromancer!

Chapter 35: Athena



A low thrill ran down his spine.

If he could shape mana into runes, if he could deliberately form beast runes, then maybe…

He wouldn't just be controlling mana.

He could summon aspects of those creatures.

What if he shaped a bear rune and imbued it on himself? Would he gain bear-like strength?

What if he shaped a snake rune? Could he create poisonous mana?

The implications hit him all at once.

This was huge.

He had discovered something that the elders didn't even know.

They weren't creating mana symbols.

They were bringing something into being.

He had no doubt—if he could figure out how to harness the attributes of different creatures, he would revolutionize how mana could be used.

But then—

Splash!

The moment of realization broke his focus.

One of Maru's cat runes had sneakily slipped through his defenses, and destroyed two of his, instantly breaking the balance and sending the coffee sphere flying straight at him.

Damien Bloodbane barely had time to react before it struck his chest his hat and exploded into pieces.

The room erupted with laughter.

Maru threw his arms up in victory. "Hah! You got cocky, brat!"

Damien Bloodbane stared down at the coffee dripping from his clothes, then let out a soft chuckle.

"Well," he muttered, wiping some of it off, "that was unexpected."

An old man named Yuno was howling with laughter. "Oh, hoho! You were right there, boy! Thought you had him, huh?"

Another elder pounded the table. "Damn, that was close! I almost thought he'd pull it off."

Maru, still grinning, leaned in. "You are pretty good for a little boy. What's your name?"

"Damien." Damien Bloodbane sighed helplessly.

He would need to run errands for the old men… AND look for a job so he could pay his school fees.

Life in Beijing was really tough for Super Soldier Damien Bloodbane.

But what he had gained… might be worth more.

If he could unlock the secrets of beast runes, if he could figure out how to actually use them, he wouldn't need the Pearl Institute.

Because no one else in the world knew this.

And if he mastered it—

He would be unstoppable.

For now, though…

One elder nudged Maru. "Welp, he lost. Guess we have ourselves an errand boy for a month."

The elders laughed, clapping Damien Bloodbane on the back as he groaned.

Damien had just dried off his shirt from the coffee match when a grinning Riki who had apparently forgotten his massive losing streak that day, slapped a hand on his back.

"Alright, kid! Since you're our new errand boy, here's your first task."

Damien Bloodbane sighed. "What now?"

"Go get us more coffee."

Damien Bloodbane blinked. "What?"

Riki waved toward the empty coffee jar on the counter. "Maru drank too much. We're out."

Maru snorted. "Don't blame me! Blame my winning streak."

The elders laughed, but Damien Bloodbane wasn't amused.

"You're telling me you played a coffee-throwing game without making sure you had enough coffee?"

Riki grinned. "You catch on quick."

Damien ran a hand down his face. "Fine. Where do I get it?"

"There's another coffee shop two blocks down, next to the Police Station." one of the elders said. "Tell them it's for the Powerful Mage Coffee Club. They'll know."

Damien Bloodbane winced slightly at the name.

With no choice, he turned on his heels and left the shop, heading toward the coffee shop to buy some coffee for the Powerful Mage Coffee Club.

As he turned a corner, Damien Bloodbane suddenly felt something slam into him.

Thud!

He staggered, barely keeping his balance, while a small figure fell backward onto the pavement.

A little girl who was around his age sat on the ground, sniffling. Her blue eyes were wet with tears and her long golden hair was a mess.

She looked foreign.

Before Damien could say anything, a furious voice rang out.

"You little thief!"

A large man in a chef's uniform stomped toward them, his face red with anger.

Damien Bloodbane frowned. "What's going on?"

"She ordered a ridiculous amount of food, ate it all, and then said she couldn't pay!" the chef snapped. "Then she tried to run!"

Damien Bloodbane's eyes flicked back to the girl. She clung to his sleeve, sniffling.

"B-Brother…" she whimpered pitifully.

His eye twitched.

Brother?

The chef uncrossed his arms and extended one toward Damien Bloodbane. "Since she's your sister, you're paying. Seven hundred dollars."

Damien Bloodbane's head snapped back to the chef. "Excuse me? She's not my sister. And just what did she eat that's worth seven hundred bloody dollars?!"

"She called you 'Brother.' That's proof enough," the chef huffed. "And she ordered our most expensive Wagyu Beef! Two prime cuts!"

Wagyu? Prime cut? Damn it. He used to eat it like drinking water back when he was still part of the Bloodbane Clan! Did it really cost seven hundred dollars per meal? What the hell?

Maybe this was karma for not appreciating what he had when he still had it.

Fine.

Damien Bloodbane gritted his teeth.

He checked his wallet—five hundred dollars.

Not enough.

He exhaled sharply.

"Take it or leave it." Damien held out the five hundred.

The chef's jaw clenched.

But after a moment, he snatched the money.

Better 500 dollars than nothing.

"Fine. But don't let me see her in my shop again, or else I will call the police!"

With that, he turned and stomped away.

Damien Bloodbane sighed and looked down at the girl.

She stared at him, her big blue eyes still glossy with tears.

"You really aren't my brother?" she asked, tilting her head.

"No. Of course not." Damien Bloodbane said flatly.

"Oh…" She looked down, fidgeting.

Damien Bloodbane raised an eyebrow. "What's your name? Where's your family?"

She frowned. "I… don't know."

Damien Bloodbane's expression shifted. "You don't know?"

She hesitated, then shook her head. "I… can't remember."

Damien Bloodbane's other eyebrow twitched. "You lost your memories?"

She nodded.

Of course. Because this day couldn't get any weirder.

He rubbed his temples.

"Alright, alright… So, what? You have nowhere to go?"

She nodded again.

Damien Bloodbane exhaled sharply. "Great."

The girl fidgeted, then suddenly brightened.

"Then I'll stay with you, Brother!"

"That's not—"

She clung to his arm. "It's decided! Brother will take care of me!"

Damien Bloodbane sighed. This is not my problem.

But he couldn't exactly leave her here, either.

"…Fine," he muttered. "Come on."

Her face lit up, and she skipped alongside him as they walked.

"Brother! What's your name?"

"Damien Bloodbane." He sighed.

She tilted her head. "Bloodbane? Sounds cool!"

Damien Bloodbane shrugged. "What about you?"

Her smile faded slightly. "I… don't know."

He glanced at her, then looked away.

"…Then we'll figure it out later."

The girl beamed.

Back at the Coffee Shop without coffee.

When they returned, Damien Bloodbane was empty-handed.

Riki raised an eyebrow. "Where's the coffee?"

Damien Bloodbane pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Long story."

Maru glanced at the sweet looking caucasian girl hiding behind him. "…Who's the kid?"

Damien Bloodbane glanced at her, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Athena." Damien Bloodbane picked a name he particularly liked.

"What is she doing here?"

"Another long story."

Silence.

Then…

An elder grinned. "Boy, you're really really bad at errands."

The room burst into raucous laughter.

Damien Bloodbane sighed. He really needed a break.

And coffee.

Lots of coffee.


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