Chapter 241

Chapter 241
## Chapter 241

Vampire Rise (1)

Frizzle—! Pop—!

A discharge of energy, far more fierce than any that preceded it.

Heinz, who had been unceasingly driving his adversary into a corner, grimaced and pulled back a stride.

‘I believed this was unfolding too effortlessly.’

Up until just a moment ago, the engagement with Obaifo had been progressing with remarkable fluidity.

They both belonged to the elite class of Sacred Bloods.

If one were to establish a hierarchy, Obaifo, possessing a vastly superior lifespan, should have held the upper hand, yet the monumental attributes of Heinz completely nullified that chronological advantage.

Leaving the passive traits of his alternative capabilities aside, the sheer disparity in their developmental tiers, magnified by the trait “Hybrid Evolution”, was grand enough that comparing them as part of the identical category felt nearly farcical.

The statistical interval was greater than twofold, even when measured against fellow Sacred Bloods, who stood at the absolute zenith of the vampire race.

‘It would be truly anomalous for me to face defeat.’

Relying on his dominant parameters, Heinz had been maintaining an aggressive onslaught against Obaifo without hesitation.

Their spiritual fortitude and sanguinary sorcery collided without intermission, their physical frames impacting repeatedly.

Had the engagement persisted in that manner, securing dominance over him would have been a trivial matter…

Frizzle—! Thoom—!

An explosive discharge materialized at a much shorter distance than before, forcing the two Sacred Bloods into another violent collision, which sent a devastating shockwave rippling through the immediate territory.

The spiritual presence of Obaifo dilated, actively repelling the conceptual territory of Heinz, who gradually found himself transitioning into a reactive, defensive posture.

‘The secondary phase?’

It appeared his opponent possessed no intention of yielding.

“Kuh… I, Obaifo, am the singular entity ordained to claim sovereignty as the King of all vampires…! I remain ignorant as to why the ‘Blood Authority’ rooted in the primordial source fails to command you, yet…”

The magnitude of his internal energy escalated persistently with every clash.

The ancient vampire let out a ragged groan, his countenance twisting in agony even as his physical form began to disintegrate under the pressure.

“Hold… It cannot be…”

He drew a sharp breath, as though struck by an abrupt revelation, and fixed a narrowed, intense gaze upon Heinz.

“…Then you are indeed the rogue element. Word of your existence reached my ears… They claimed a newcomer materialized out of obscurity and asserted dominance over the Brokoslack Clan…”

Yet another exchange of catastrophic impacts.

The elder vampire’s internal pressure expanded once more, elevating to a magnitude over five times greater than its initial state.

His physical vessel was beginning to fracture beneath the immense pressure, but the upward trajectory of his power displayed no indications of reaching a plateau.

“I comprehend now… You discovered a methodology to insulate yourself from the lineage commands… And with that capability, you intend to usurp the supreme throne…?”

Obaifo rambled incoherently, presenting the demeanor of an individual gripped by an obsession.

Conversely, Heinz, who had been diligently preserving the integrity of his psychological perimeter, achieved a realization of his own.

‘Ah, that clarifies the bizarre, vibrating sensation I felt earlier.’

His concentration had been entirely monopolized by the combat, and the internal feedback had been so minute that he originally categorized it as mere battle-induced adrenaline…

However, reviewing the circumstances, that internal resonance he detected appeared to be the systemic consequence of resisting the very ‘Blood Authority’ that Obaifo was referencing.

“I see the truth now. This resonance… originates from all ten? It means you have secured every remaining ancestral lineage. I never anticipated you could wield the distinct properties of alternative bloodlines in such a fashion.”

“Khehehe… Has the realization finally dawned on you? Precisely, I am the legitimate heir to the primordial ancestry… I, Obaifo, hold dominion over ten out of the twelve ancestral bloodlines…!”

Heinz was propelled backward as the internal pressure of Obaifo erupted violently, the integrated potency of the stolen lineages artificially elevating his combat tier.

“…By what means is that achievable? Integrating the lifeblood of external lineages, particularly the core essence of a fellow Sacred Blood… The consequences should far exceed mere psychological degradation.”

Stablizing his posture once more, Heinz knit his brows and spoke aloud.

Possessing total resistance against psychological degradation, he had previously instructed his followers to locate the unaccounted-for Sacred Bloods.

Yet, their investigations had yielded entirely vacant results.

‘Could he have consolidated all of them already?’

The lack of public awareness regarding the current state of the external factions made perfect sense now, given that Obaifo had covertly assimilated them in their entirety.

He must have meticulously erased every scrap of evidence.

Frizzle—! Swish!

Amidst their verbal exchange,

Heinz sustained a severe laceration, despite deploying “Existence Denial” in an attempt to evade the trajectory.

The trauma inflicted upon his upper leg, which was nearly severed entirely, mended itself within a fraction of a second, but this development remained highly concerning in light of Obaifo’s unceasingly multiplying power.

“Ah… The objective is finally materializing as intended…! How can this be? It is a natural law… for I am the entity destined to rule as the King of all vampires…!”

The grandiose self-adulation of Obaifo caused Heinz to grimace slightly.

The ancient vampire manifested zero intent to clarify the mechanics, but Heinz could deduce the fundamental principles.

‘The trait I acquired upon consuming a member of the Obaifo Clan was “Fusion”. It must function as a subordinate derivation of “Hybrid Evolution”, given the method of its acquisition. Consequently, he formulated a clandestine methodology utilizing that exact principle.’

This was not an inherent ancestral trait originating from external dimensions, but rather a reflection of the reality that every unique bloodline possessed a distinct specialization.

The utilization of the “Blood Gate” by the Ufersh Clan and the psychological domination wielded by the Brokoslack Clan served as definitive illustrations of this rule.

Snap—! Kadoom!

On this occasion, the destructive feedback was profound.

His shoulder along with his clavicle were entirely obliterated, only to reconstruct themselves instantaneously.

An immediate counter-strategy was required.

“You… insurgent… You rejected the mandate of the original source… You lack the qualifications required to serve as my underling… I shall terminate your existence at this very spot…”

Obaifo bared his teeth in a self-assured smirk, sampling the crimson fluid coating his fingers.

Heinz had never harbored the slightest inclination toward submission.

More critically, that specific fluid…

“Ugh! Ack—!”

Obaifo’s complexion instantly turned asymmetric and pale as he expelled a dense volume of crimson fluid from his throat.

His internal pressure, which had been climbing without restraint, shuddered violently before rapidly deflating.

‘Just as I surmised. Is that an ingrained vampiric reflex? It represents the most accelerated method for evaluating an adversary’s composition.’

He had witnessed this phenomenon on multiple prior occasions; the raw blood of Heinz, when unrefined by the process of “Refined Blood Essence”, operated effectively as a toxin… or more accurately, as destructive radiation to any standard vampire.

And the ancient ruler had inadvertently ingested it while pushing his physical capacity to its absolute threshold.

“Ugh—! Wh-what constitutes this substance…! What is your true identity?! Brokoslack? Ufersh? No, this contradicts reality… How can such contaminated blood exist…?”

Crimson droplets began to escape his nostrils simultaneously.

“Ah— Therein lies the explanation… why my Blood Authority proved utterly ineffective…! Such corrupted lifeblood… This transcends mere insurrection… this is absolute sacrilege…!”

“Your description is overly dramatic. It is merely… unconventional. My foundational origin remains tied to this realm.”

Just as he articulated,

The structural baseline of Heinz as a member of the vampire race was rooted in the Brokoslack bloodline, and his elevation to the rank of Sacred Blood had been achieved by consuming the core of the Ufersh.

Inevitably, these components represented the primary pillars of his physiological identity.

Approximately 40%?

Naturally, the vast majority of his internal composition had undergone radical mutation, leaving very little of the authentic, original parameters intact.

‘Roughly… 5%?’

Evaluating his adversary’s somatic breakdown, the true percentage was likely even lower.

‘Yet you speak of the primordial origin… ’

The singular, supreme entity that originally encompassed all twelve primary lineages.

That was the concept Obaifo denoted as the ‘origin’.

A theoretical progenitor bloodline that served as the foundational blueprint for the entire vampire race before it fractured into twelve distinct genealogies.

Should an individual manage to recreate and consolidate it, they would not merely ascend as the King of all vampires, but would unlock an existence overshadowing even the Immortal King… a grand, mythic narrative.

‘Ha!’

However…

To an entity like Heinz, such a concept was nothing short of a triviality.

After all is said and done…

‘It may represent the font of all lineages within Auterica, but when viewed from a trans-dimensional perspective, it amounts to nothing more than one isolated vampiric faction among thousands.’

A species defined by its predation on the life force of other organisms, expanding its capabilities through the assimilation of external genetic markers, maintaining a rigid caste structure, and multiplying its numbers via pathogenic transmission.

Vampires were frequently classified alongside blights or contagions across various realities, yet they concurrently constituted a relatively widespread demographic, akin to humanity, the Elves, or draconic entities.

‘I am uncertain if an inter-dimensional framework exists allowing deities to distribute intelligence, but… ’

Furthermore, for unexplained reasons, vampires exhibited radical divergence depending on their dimension of origin, likely a consequence of their volatile biological architecture.

Much like a pathogen modifying its structure to survive diverse environmental vectors.

“You proclaim yourself a sovereign ruler? Yet you collapse under the weight of this minor exposure?”

“Ugh, you arrogant worm…!”

Heinz, wearing a derisive grin, peered down at Obaifo, who was desperately attempting to realign his internal energies, and delivered a sharp provocation.

If the ‘origin’ the elder spoke of was merely the composite form of vampires, achieved by merging the twelve local variants…

And if the individual who mastered that integrated state was designated as the ‘King’…

Then by what title should he himself, Heinz the Second—who had systematically integrated the supreme traits of uncounted vampiric genealogies spanning multiple separate dimensions—be identified?

He stood as the pinnacle of evolutionary progression, the closest realization of the ultimate paradigm, eclipsing the local origin entirely.

The sole appropriate designation for his existence was…

“Hmph— Under these terms, I believe the title of Emperor is far more fitting.”

…that specific term.

The statement was uttered in a mocking tone,

Yet it simultaneously aligned perfectly with objective reality.

“Preposterous…!”

Predictably, within Obaifo’s worldview, the claim was perceived as nothing more than an egregious insult.

He convulsed with concentrated malice for a brief period, before abruptly freezing and…

“Khehehe… Ah, naturally… An Emperor…?”

…emitting a dark, unsettling chuckle.

“A Hybrid, was it not…? You appear to have deployed a substantial contingent of your followers within this metropolis…”

Heinz had escorted a mere hundred elite operatives to this theater, but with the arrival of successive waves entering through the operational Blood Gates, their ranks had multiplied significantly.

At this very moment, they were successfully engaging the Obaifo Clan alongside the military units of the Republic, effectively securing valuable time for him.

“Let us evaluate the extent of this Emperor’s sovereignty…!”

The instant the words left his maw,

Obaifo snapped his gaze toward the heavens and released a booming ululation, his vocal cords carrying a supernatural frequency.

[“Servants of the Hybrid, assemble before me—! Eliminate your illegitimate master and pledge allegiance to your authentic sovereign—!”]

An overwhelming wave of sanguinary compulsion, calibrated exclusively to affect the vampire genome, radiated outward across the entirety of Ulethor.

It manifested as an unyielding decree, a mechanism of absolute dominion over anyone sharing his ancestral fluid.

‘That blasphemous anomaly represents an isolated deviation… but his subordinates possess no such immunity…! I shall witness you exterminating your own devoted legions with your own bare hands…!’

He experienced another internal surge of sickness, yet it counted as an inconsequential price for the outcome he was projecting.

Obaifo directed a knowing, predatory smile toward Heinz, completely assured of his imminent triumph, and—.

Heinz countered his gaze with an expression of total apathy.

“………?”

A profound stillness ensued.

As several moments ticked away into the void,

Not a single vampire belonging to the Hybrid faction materialized at their location.

Void of a single exception.

‘For what reason…?’

The features of Obaifo twisted into a mask of pure incomprehension.

He could rationalize why his systemic domination failed against Heinz, having directly experienced the toxic nature of his blood.

However, the rank-and-file troops should have succumbed instantly.

‘My absolute mandates possess insufficient authority to command even those low-tier thralls?’

He was forced to interrogate the validity of his foundational calculations, his deeply held conviction that he could hold sway over every variant lineage.

The very cornerstone of his grand design was splintering.

“Why the long face? Is the reality failing to mirror your meticulous blueprint?”

The derisive voice of Heinz penetrated his consciousness, yet he lacked the mental bandwidth to process the mockery.

‘This is impossible… This cannot be the reality of my situation…!’

What staggering quantities of time and resources had he dedicated to this singular pursuit?

The arduous odysseys to recover ancestral artifacts, the exhaustive analysis required to decipher their hidden mechanisms, the countless hazardous modifications performed upon his own anatomy…

Millennia of unswerving focus…

And this represented the grand culmination?

A microscopic node of hopelessness germinated within his consciousness, expanding and circulating like a lethal pathogen as the total irrelevance of his lifelong endeavors became undeniable.

“Heh… hehehe…”

Obaifo dropped his chin and let out a hollow, broken laugh, his physical frame shaking.

The volatile energies swirling within him, fueled by his psychological unraveling, were temporarily binding his disintegrating anatomy together…

‘But the action is entirely futile.’

His physical vessel, already hovering on the precipice of structural failure due to the radical concentration of divergent energies, was now undergoing accelerated decay triggered by the toxic blood of Heinz and his own unmetered exertions.

Survival dictated that he immediately suppress his output and recalibrate his physical systems… yet doing so would strip away any residual prospect of achieving victory.

The vacant, desperate eyes of Obaifo snapped back to lock onto Heinz.

‘Heinz Hybrid the Second, the sovereign of the Talia Kingdom and the supreme commander of the Vampire Clan Alliance Hybrid.’

A composite entity possessing a completely unidentifiable genealogical background.

An anomalous physical structure that disregarded the primordial source and actively pursued evolutionary divergence.

Concurrently, a physical vessel displaying near-flawless constitutional tolerance and the absolute highest developmental tier.

The ultimate, unblemished crucible for the primordial origin, completely unlike his own failing, fractured anatomy.

‘…Very well, I concede the point.’

Your physical architecture possesses a latent capacity that completely overshadows my own.

You might possess the structural integrity required to contain the immense power that is currently tearing my inferior vessel apart.

If that represents the reality… would you not be capable of truly manifesting the absolute dominion of the primordial source?

Indeed…

Therefore—.

Surrender your physical form to me!

Frizzle—!

A blinding burst of energy erupted, eclipsing all previous displays in its sheer intensity.

Obaifo, completely disregarding the rapid disintegration of his own tissues, launched himself straight at Heinz.

With his remaining life force acting as fuel, his momentum had become entirely unstoppable.

‘I owe a debt of gratitude to the Revolutionary.’

That enigmatic influence had enhanced his inherent “fusion ability” to its absolute apex, granting him the capacity to consolidate and unleash the disparate traits of multiple bloodlines simultaneously.

Without that external catalyst, such a methodology would have remained permanently beyond his conceptualization.

He possessed nothing left to forfeit; his grand ambition, which had served as his sole anchor against the terrifying erosion of his own memories, was now completely compromised.

Crack—!

The palm of Obaifo finally made solid contact, clamping onto the forehead of Heinz.

His own anatomy was shattered and bleeding from the defensive counters he had sustained during his frantic approach, yet his face split into a radiant, manic grin, as if the physical trauma was of no consequence.

“Khehehe! Emperor, let us initiate a gamble…”

The venture carried immense personal hazard, yet…

He maintained absolute certainty regarding his triumph in this specific arena.

“The wagers consist of everything we currently embody…”

He had persisted through ten millennia, perpetually refining his mental fortitude.

Even though he had systematically purged the vast majority of his historical recollections to preserve his sanity, he still retained over a thousand years of pure, concentrated operational experience.

It was fundamentally impossible for him to suffer defeat at the hands of an upstart who had existed for a mere handful of centuries, irrespective of how unique that individual’s physical vessel might be.

“The victor claims the entirety… both the physical shell and the spiritual essence!”

With that final declaration,

Obaifo confidently projected his consciousness directly into the psychological domain of Heinz, utilizing the enigmatic power at his disposal…

[What… constitutes this place?]

…only to release a stunned, horrified gasp as he materialized before a landscape that fundamentally contradicted every single one of his expectations.