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Chapter 99: Follower Rock

The team noticed the newcomer early on, and each of them looked slightly surprised.

Ashura was even more puzzled, yet he knew the big bald man was kneeling to him.

Ashura turned his chair halfway, looked at the bald giant whose height matched his even while kneeling, and asked slowly, “What did you just call me?”

“Master!” Stone, still on his knees, shouted without hesitation, keeping his head lowered to the floor.

Ashura’s mouth twitched; the last time someone had called him master had been Daifei on a big bed in Puro City, and that had been at his own kinky request… a taste some men would understand.

Yet hearing that word from this bald giant sent a chill down his spine, so he shook his head to dispel the unwanted image and said flatly, “Stand up and speak first.”

“As you command, Master!” Stone replied and sprang to his feet, his towering frame forcing everyone at the round table to look up while the nearby mercenaries pointed and whispered.

With a constipated expression, Ashura gritted his teeth and asked, “Why are you calling me master?”

Stone answered respectfully, “Thank you, Master, for giving me 20 gold coins to save my aunt’s life; now that she is healthy, my life belongs to you, and I am willing to serve you unto death!” After speaking, he tried to kneel to Ashura again.

Ashura lashed out like lightning and snapped Stone’s bent knee straight, stopping him from kneeling.

Frowning slightly, he said, “First, stop calling me master; second, I never asked you to serve me… those 20 gold coins were something I gave of my own accord.”

“Master, I…” The inarticulate Stone began to explain, but when he saw Ashura’s unfriendly stare he shut up at once, looking like a scolded child.

At last he seemed to figure something out, lowered his head, and planted himself in front of Ashura without another word, standing as still as a statue.

Fire-element magician Gais joked with a laugh, “Ashura, just take the servant; feed a body that large some meat and it will grow even stronger… no slave market offers stock this good.”

Ashura ignored Gais’s banter, raised his wine cup, and stared impassively at the bald giant behind him, while Stone remained motionless like a warrior statue.

Seeing this, the rest of the team left Ashura alone and changed the topic, chatting among themselves.

After watching the giant in silence for a long time, Ashura finally spoke slowly, “Come with me.”

He nodded apologetically to the table and walked out of the adventurers’ tavern first, with Stone following closely behind.

By then night had fallen, and Ashura led Stone to a secluded spot lit by a lone lamp.

Facing the visibly tense Stone, Ashura asked, “Answer a few questions: first, how old are you; second, what is your exact relation to the aunt you saved; third, what level of strength do you possess?”

The bald giant answered nervously, “I should be 15 or 16, I’m not sure of my exact age; I’m an orphan and have wandered outside Saint Gobban City since I can remember, until Aunt Celine took pity on me and gave me shelter.”

“So I have to repay her kindness; last month she caught a cold and never saw a doctor, the illness worsened, and only a priest’s hymn could cure her, but I didn’t have the required 5 gold coins, so…”

“As for my own power, I have never received martial instruction; it seems my strength grows from my bloodline, and I am currently at 1st-stage Martial Master.”

Ashura frowned and said, “I recall you telling me you can reach 3rd-stage Martial Master strength?”

Stone’s body trembled slightly, yet he answered firmly, “Yes, I did not lie; my secret is a bloodline skill I awakened… I don’t know what bloodline it is, but the skill tells me that as long as I stay angry I can raise my power.”

“It has two tiers, Frenzy and Rage; in Frenzy I can reach 2nd-stage Martial Master for at most one hour, after which I suffer three days of weakness.”

“Rage raises me to 3rd-stage Martial Master for only half an hour, and afterward I may be unable to stand for a month, possibly causing permanent damage.”

“So when I said I could muster 3rd-stage Martial Master strength I was not lying… please believe me, or I can enter Rage right now so you can see it, sir.”

Ashura said nothing but waved his hand, indicating no proof was needed.

After thinking for a moment, Ashura pulled a small knife from his storage space, handed it to Stone, and said under the giant’s puzzled gaze, “Cut your finger.”

Although Stone had no idea why, he still sliced his finger immediately.

Ashura stared at the bleeding finger and saw that the blood carried a faint violet hue; understanding dawned… no wonder this big fool had such a colossal body, he now knew Stone’s bloodline.

He had read in the Beast Forest chronicle about an ancient tribal race that lived in the forest and called themselves the Barbarians.

They were extraordinarily muscular, fought beasts for food, and purple blood ran in their veins… the more gifted a Barbarian, the deeper the purple.

The chronicle also warned, “Never provoke a Barbarian in fury!” Later, beast tides had driven the tribe out of sight, and now, incredibly, he had met one in this adventurers’ tavern.

It seemed the chronicle matched Stone’s bloodline gift, and since the giant had revealed his greatest secret, Ashura dropped most of his guard.

Tilting his head at the still-nervous giant, Ashura thought for a while and said, “Are you sure you want to swear loyalty to me and follow me from now on?”

With another thud, Stone knelt before Ashura and declared firmly, “I swear upon my bloodline to serve you, sir, and never betray you; if I break the oath, may my soul sink forever into the Endless Sea!” He then smeared the blood from his cut finger across his forehead.

Ashura nodded and said solemnly, “Since you wish to follow me, there are a few points you must understand.

First, always remember the oath you just made.

Second, stop calling me master or sir; just call me young master.

Third, from now on you must carry out my orders unconditionally.

Fourth, without my permission you are not to enter the Rage state lightly.

Finally, stop using the name Stone… it sounds rustic; I’ll give you a new one, from now on you’re called Rock…”

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