The Bloodline System (Web Novel)

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

"Will you tell me where he is, or shall we do this the hard way?" Gustav's voice rang out as he closed in on the person.

"What could you possibly do to me that I wouldn't expect? You are me," The clone who was now conscious, responded with a tone of mischief. "No, you are a failed attempt at being me. A counterfeit... an anomaly... a pitiful test tube fetus," Gustav said while approaching.

The clone's face tightened with disdain, "Just get it over with."

"I know you won't let it out so I might as well just take it from you," Gustav said while wrapping his fingers around the clone's face.

[ Memories Siphoning Has Been Activated ]

Gustav pressed his hand against the face of the struggling clone as he waited for memories to appear in his mind but even after a couple of seconds had gone by, there was still nothing.

[ Target Mental Fortitude Is Too High ]

[ Memories Siphoning Has Failed ]

"Hmm?" Gustav was taken aback.

'You said I could use this one so why this?' Gustav inquired internally with a look of bafflement.

("Yes, not all your abilities are gone... this one is available. You are just unlucky because your clone has a very high mental fortitude,") The system answered. 'Does this mean I really can't siphon his memories?' Gustav intoned with a confirmatory look.

("Duh Sherlock,") Gustav retracted his hand with a disturbed look, causing the clone to stare at him with an expression of suspicion. There were several abilities the clone didn't possess so it didn't have an idea of what Gustav wanted to do. Scientist Zil had extracted Gustav's cells at a time when Gustav was still Kilo ranked strength. Although the clone was more powerful than kilo-ranked mixed blood, it was still very far from reaching the strength of a beta-ranked Mixedblood and Gustav was as powerful as an Alph when they faced off so the disparity was massive.

'This would have been much easier if I could still spread my perception across the earth... how long did you say it would take for me to return to full strength?' Gustav inquired.

("Four to five days,") The system answered. Gustav couldn't help but display a concerned expression. Only a day had passed since he regained consciousness and now he had to wait for another five days before he could regain full power.

The system had informed him earlier that using the Ancient hourglass had caused him too much strain and it had finally taken effect.

Although it was sudden, the system explained that he had to make sure he didn't use the hourglass for the next three months and when he finally did, he had to make sure a reasonable amount of time would have passed before he made use of it again.

The system had explained that even though he had the strength of an Alpha, he wasn't an actual Alpha yet. So, even if he was capable of activating the sacred items, he had to limit their usage till he became a full-fledged Alpha rank. That way he would no longer get any negative effects from constant usage aside from normal energy deduction. The problem now was finding Scientist Zil. Gustav had put Endric and E.E. on helping with the situation, but they didn't have much luck with it.

"Why are you keeping his location from me?" Gustav questioned. "He is my maker," Gustav's clone replied.

"No, that is not it. There is something, isn't there?" Gustav noticed the clone's eyes flash faintly before returning to their usual dim look.

"I knew it," Gustav stated firmly.

"You don't know nothing," The clone blurted.

"Tell me, what exactly is he up to?" Gustav inquired while grabbing his chin and forcibly pulling the clone closer to his face.

"You will know when he is finished," A faint smirk appeared on the face of the clone.

Gustav felt like he was looking in a mirror. Except for the eyepatch, this was his look of mischief.

"So that is it... the reason you appeared in Aribia city was to divert my attention because of whatever Scientist Zil is planning. You were never looking to win... you acted recklessly to prevent me from getting him which means he must have been in Burning Sands city at that time," Gustav analyzed the whole situation in a couple of seconds.

"Bravo... you're slowly starting to get it," The clone chuckled a little.

"He isn't in Burning Sands City anymore because he must have finished whatever he was working on..." Gustav further pointed out.

"Keep going... you're getting there," The clone chimed in.

"Which means he must be finalizing things at the moment if he hasn't already done that..." The clone was about to speak again when Gustav drove a fist into his gut.

"Blurrrghhh!" He spat out a mouthful of blood while Gustav stared at him intensely.

"Tell me where he is right now!" Gustav voiced with a bloodthirsty tone.

"...You... know... Huff! Huff! Huff!... that won't work on me..." The clone muttered amidst hurried breaths.

Gustav knew he was right. The high mental fortitude was proof that he would just be wasting his time by trying to torture the answer out of his clone... It was his clone after all.

Gustav squinted his eyes before letting the clone go. He turned around in the next moment and walked out of the space.

The moment he arrived back in the living room of E.E.'s apartment, he spotted a figure seated in front waiting.

"Hello, Gustav... I heard you were looking for me,"

....

....

....

[Burning Sands City]

Within a very luxurious-looking abode, E.E. and Endric were seated before a middle-aged-looking man. On his right was a young and handsome-looking boy with dark hair. He looked no older than eighteen years of age.

"I am afraid I cannot help you two officers. Zil has not been a part of the family gathering for over a year now. He has stayed out of contact for so long so we do not have any information to give," The middle-aged man spoke cautiously.

"Anything at all will help... be it phone records, some words he may have mentioned, really anything. We just need to find him to ask a couple of questions. Nothing too crazy," E.E. voiced with an easygoing tone.

"He never called once. He only left a message one time that he was pursuing scientific research and might be away for years. We know how he tends to be," The middle-aged man kept explaining while the boy beside him kept mute with a respectful look.

Minutes later, E.E. and Endric were leaving the luxurious-looking household together.

~sigh~

"Another waste of time," E.E. lamented as they walked out of the exquisite-looking environs.

"This is starting to get bothersome... we really can't find him anywhere around the city and clues are becoming impossible to gather as well," Endric said while observing the surroundings.

"Wait..."

A voice suddenly called out to them from behind.

"Hmm?" Endric and E.E. turned around simultaneously upon hearing the soft masculine voice.

The voice had been coming from the 5'11" tall eighteen-year-old with the scruffy black hair who was present in the living room with them a couple of minutes ago.

"Oh, it's that kid," E.E. voiced upon recognizing him, causing Endric's face to twitch a little. He was younger than the supposed kid.

"What is it?" Endric asked as he drew closer.

"I want to help," The eighteen-year-old with scruffy black hair voiced upon arriving before them.

"Erm... Sir Gil already told us everything so..." Endric felt the boy who looked like a butler there couldn't possibly help them.

He was dressed in a full black suit outfit and a tie. It looked super expensive but still made the kid look like a worker there.

"Everything he knows... there are a few things I know that nobody else does," He answered with a cryptic tone.

E.E. and Endric were immediately interested in what he had to say even though they still seemed a bit suspicious. E.E. gestured for him to follow them into the hover car waiting outside so they could talk in a secluded environment.

"I am Damien... the grandson of the person you're trying to find," He introduced himself to ease their suspicion the moment they arrived at the back of the spacious hovercar.

'He's not a butler?' Both E.E.... and Endric couldn't believe their ears the moment he spoke.

Not only wasn't this kid a mere worker in Zil's household, but he was also actually the grandson of the person they had been looking for.

E.E. and Endric couldn't hide the surprised looks on their faces.

'Do rich kids usually look this meek?'

E.E. who was seated on the opposite side, reached out to receive Damien's handshake after a while.

"Nice to meet you, Damien,"