Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods!

The man held a knife in his hand, glaring at Daniel with an unfriendly expression.@@novelbin@@

Daniel frowned.

He could sense a strong smell of blood emanating from the man—a thick, pungent odor.

Clearly, this man was no ordinary individual.

Usually, anyone who gave Daniel this kind of feeling wasn't a good person—or a decent mage.

Before Daniel could respond, the man pressed on with his questioning:

"How do you know such advanced forging techniques?"

The man stood there, scrutinizing the firewood knife in his hand. Its design, sharpness, and even the patterns on the blade all spoke of a craftsmanship far beyond the ordinary.

"Such forging methods… aren't something just anyone can learn," the man said, his tone accusatory.

"So, what exactly are you trying to say?" Daniel asked impatiently.

Originally, he had no intention of seeking out this man, but he hadn't expected the man to come looking for him instead.

After sensing the sinister aura radiating from him, Daniel's expression turned cold.

"Nothing much. I heard you came from the city?"

"Yes, Riverside City. Have you heard of it?" Daniel asked.

The man shook his head.

"What kind of place is that? I've never heard of such a city within a thousand miles. Is it significant in some way?"

Hearing this, Daniel lost interest and replied simply, "Just a small riverside city."

He turned his attention back to the book in his hand, nearly finished now.

"You're a mage, aren't you? Or… perhaps you've practiced Genesis," the man said. "But it seems you didn't continue cultivating it."

"Isn't it normal to dabble in cultivation?" Daniel countered, dismissing the question.

"Indeed. The advent of Genesis gave countless people the opportunity to become mages. It has no barriers; anyone can learn it. Even if they don't become mages, they can still strengthen their bodies."

"All living beings in this world should be grateful to the person who created this technique," the man said, before abruptly changing the subject.

"Well, that's all for today. I won't disturb you any further. Since we're living in the same village, feel free to come to me if you ever need help."

With that, the man turned and left, as if the questions he had just asked were of no consequence.

Daniel watched the man's figure disappear into the distance.

"Interesting…"

Daniel murmured, pulling out a tiny red dot from within his clothes.

Pinched between his fingers was a tiny insect, about the size of a grain of rice—a type of gu bug.

Upon closer inspection, Daniel recognized its purpose: mind control.

This gu bug would burrow through the skin, travel into the brain, and eventually control the person's consciousness.

Clearly, this man was far less magnanimous than he pretended to be.

Then again, considering the sinister aura around him, it was unsurprising that he would resort to such underhanded methods.

From this, Daniel deduced that the man was not a righteous mage.

Anyone who used such techniques likely dabbled in dark magic.

However, since the man hadn't harmed anyone in Tuck Village and had even helped the children learn magic, Daniel had seen no reason to confront him before.

The young man Daniel had observed earlier showed no signs of being manipulated or harmed.

But why would this man target an outsider like Daniel with such methods?

Was it just because of a knife? Or perhaps his forging technique?

As Daniel pondered these questions, he recalled something old Flinn had mentioned:

Tuck Village had always been wary of mages because of this strange man's warnings.

He had told the villagers that mages could be both good and bad, and most mages in the outside world were bad. Therefore, the villagers should always remain vigilant and prevent mages from entering the village.

This pervasive distrust of mages stemmed from the man's influence.

Combined with the sinister aura Daniel had sensed from him earlier, Daniel couldn't help but suspect the man had ulterior motives for staying in Tuck Village.

Perhaps his warnings were a way to deter other mages from discovering whatever he was doing here.

"In that case… I might as well investigate before I leave," Daniel thought.

Originally, Daniel had planned to avoid getting involved and leave the village quietly.

But now…

Since the man had provoked him first, Daniel wasn't about to let it slide.

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Daniel pricked his fingertip, letting a drop of blood drip onto the gu bug.

The insect quickly absorbed the blood.

"Let's see what you're up to," Daniel muttered.

If necessary, he wouldn't hesitate to dismantle the man's plans.

After all, the man had made the first move.

That night, Tuck Village was silent, the moon hanging high in the sky.

Occasionally, the chirping of insects broke the stillness.

Lying in bed, Daniel opened his eyes.

He could feel a faint foreign consciousness entering his mind, guiding his actions.

Following its lead, Daniel got up and walked outside.

The night air was cold, and Daniel regretted not putting on an extra layer.

His footsteps echoed in the quiet village as he walked through the empty streets.

Before long, he arrived at a courtyard in the center of Tuck Village.

This was where the man lived and trained the young villagers in magic.

The gates were open, as if inviting visitors in.

Guided by the faint consciousness in his mind, Daniel entered the courtyard.

Passing through the yard and down a corridor, he eventually reached a dark opening in one of the rooms.

"A hidden chamber… just as I thought," Daniel mused, stepping inside.

The air in the underground room was thick with the smell of blood, so strong it was almost suffocating.

A large candle burned steadily, its flame casting eerie shadows.

Around the room were various containers of different sizes, all emanating the metallic scent of blood.

The man from earlier sat at a table, his gaze fixed on Daniel.

"Sit down," he commanded.

Daniel complied, taking a seat directly across from him.

"What's your name? Your real name," the man asked.

"Daniel," he replied calmly.

"Where are you from?"

"Riverside City."

"You've cultivated Genesis, haven't you?"

These simple questions didn't bother Daniel, so he answered truthfully.

The man frowned, surprised that Daniel's answers matched what he'd said earlier.

Could it be that this guy was just an honest fool?

After some thought, the man continued, "Are you part of a faction?"

"Yes."

"Will anyone from your faction come here? What's the strongest power they hold?"

Daniel paused briefly before replying, "They won't come. They don't know I'm here. As for their strength… the strongest among them is a Realm Overseer."