Chapter 243

Chapter 243
## Chapter 243

Vampire Rise (3)

The moment he finished drinking in all the vitality he had plundered from Obaifo,

“Ha…”

Heinz gradually balled and released his fists, breathing out a misty puff of air.

A wave of pure ecstasy washed over him, sharpening his perceptions and filling his physical form with a boundless, indescribable strength.

《The individual has fulfilled the required parameters and undergoes growth. The unique capability “Blood Clan (Sacred Blood)” has shifted into “Blood Ancestor”.》

《The unique capability “Blood Ancestor” has integrated the auxiliary trait “Super Regeneration”, enhancing itself further.》

This sensation was far from an illusion.

The twelve lineages, which had once been scattered, were now woven back together inside Heinz’s flesh, his entire existence leaping toward a state of ultimate perfection.

‘Yet, I have not completely broken past the boundaries of the Sacred Blood classification.’

This confirmed that consolidating the lineages of a solitary realm was insufficient to ascend beyond the threshold of Sacred Blood, the apex of the vampire race… the theoretical Divine Blood.

He possessed no certainty that such a tier genuinely existed, but his intuition whispered that his ceiling remained far out of reach.

‘Furthermore, my martial capacities have surged far past their previous state.’

“Blood Ancestor”, the ultimate realization of the “Blood Clan” progression—the foundational framework of the vampire race—operated with a level of force and precision that utterly dwarfed all prior iterations.

His cellular restoration, already miraculous, had reached newfound heights. He had become essentially deathless, capable of reforming even from scattered cinders provided his reservoir of vitality remained intact.

‘At this tempo… I am nearly a match for Hans.’

When weighing sheer lethal output directed at a solitary living target, their capabilities appeared comparable.

Naturally, Hans would maintain an insurmountable edge in a direct duel due to inherent racial dynamics, and challenging the true might of the Immortal King—his sweeping legions of the undead—remained out of the question… nonetheless, this was a massive leap.

‘Increased strength is always a welcome asset. It aligns perfectly with my ambitions. Regardless, for the moment… ’

Though a multitude of elements required scrutiny and resolution, his immediate objective stood resolute.

He needed to rapidly assert authority over the Obaifo Clan, which now answered to his whim, and rectify the turmoil currently destabilizing the Republic.

‘This domain belongs to me now. I cannot permit its continued ruin.’

Heinz closed his eyelids and projected his consciousness across the expanse of the metropolitan area.

And the second that the decree of Heinz the Second, the uncontested ruler of all vampires—the Blood Monarch—rippled outward… the madness tearing through the city began to swiftly wither away.

An abrupt, stark stillness settled over the region before the crisis could spiral into absolute catastrophe.

Concurrently…

…this marked the exact instance when the final foothold of the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance upon the eastern Ion Continent completely disintegrated.

—

Within a corporate office located in Seoul,

A striking woman with her dark tresses gathered back into a sleek ponytail sat before a desktop monitor, scanning a digital file while engaging in a hands-free phone conversation.

“…Understood. So, there are no anomalies to report aside from the data present in this file?”

-Uh… That is accurate. I conducted a secondary sweep of the area per your directives, Vice President. However…

“You are welcome to communicate in English, Andrew.”

-Ah! Much appreciated. I am putting forth my best effort, but mastering Korean is proving immensely challenging. Comprehension and reading are manageable now, but verbalization and composition remain…

“Your advancement is remarkably rapid given the brief duration of your study. This is undoubtedly a testament to your intellect and the substantial point investment you made into your mental attributes. Naturally, you must persist in your education. This is a direct mandate from our Lord… that is to say, the President.”

Jin So-ran, the second-highest authority within Heterosis, swiftly analyzed the documentation displayed on her screen while maintaining the dialogue.

Predictably, no irregularities manifested within the text.

-Sigh, is that the reality of it… Ah, come to think of it, an encounter with the President still eludes me. His schedule must be incredibly demanding.

“Indeed. You secured this position via the personal endorsement of one of his associates, correct? We are highly appreciative of possessing a worker as capable and industrious as yourself.”

-Ah, i-is that so? Ha, hahaha…

Andrew Weber, who had been transferred to Korea against his will by the Immortal King and integrated into the staff of Heterosis, offered a strained chuckle.

His diligent output was hardly born of genuine enthusiasm.

Granted, he found a reasonable degree of contentment in his current day-to-day existence.

Leisure time was a scarcity, considering the intense labor required within his shifts alongside the burden of acquiring fluency in languages like Japanese and Chinese atop his Korean studies…

‘Yet, when weighed against the brutal exploitation under Olivia within the Immortal Fortress, this environment is absolute bliss!’

He had access to carbonated beverages, pizza, television broadcasts, and even digital entertainment during his rare periods of rest.

It represented a total departure from the chaotic ecosystem populated by lunatics and animated corpses.

‘This arrangement is quite tolerable. No irritating necromancy to contend with, and the compensation is excellent.’

He had already pushed from his mind the reality that he lacked the time required to actually utilize his earnings.

He was rapidly transforming into an ideal, compliant laborer, entirely pleased with his circumstances despite the demanding corporate environment.

“In any case, I appreciate your dedication, Andrew. Inform me without delay should you detect any oddities.”

-Understood, Vice President.

Click.

The line disconnected, restoring a quiet atmosphere to the workspace.

Jin So-ran rubbed at the bridge of her nose, letting out a prolonged, weary exhalation.

“Whew— An oppressive feeling lingers. There are no overt crises manifesting, yet…”

Anxiety had not gripped her until earlier that morning.

To be precise, it began a handful of hours prior, following an unexpected communication from Aria—the spearhead of the moderate faction and her previous commander—who had extended a stark premonition.

‘Aria is not an individual to deliver such proclamations without substantial backing.’

Jin So-ran, having previously operated as a high-ranking member of that very moderate faction, could not bring herself to dismiss the warning lightly.

Aria possessed an incredible nature, having single-handedly kept the aggressive hardliners at bay for an extended era purely through the weight of her personal capabilities.

‘She likely commands some form of clairvoyant trait.’

Initially, she assumed Aria relied on a covert intelligence web hidden from her view, but now that she held a position capable of steering the entire Blood Alliance, she recognized the truth.

This specific premonition did not originate from standard espionage channels.

‘For her to initiate contact with me directly… a major event must be looming on the horizon. Something targeting myself, Heterosis… or perhaps the greater Blood Alliance?’

This looming dread was the catalyst for her urgent outreach to Andrew.

He represented the most efficient asset for a rapid reconnaissance mission, given her thorough understanding of his informational tracking skills.

‘I must exercise extreme caution for the foreseeable future. It may even become necessary to relocate this operational base. Where should I establish a new foothold… ’

Reaching a conclusion, Jin So-ran pushed back from her desk, unlatched the entryway, and transitioned out of her private room.

“Hey, you lack authorization to advance past this point…!”

“Ah, this will only require a brief moment of your time…”

The moment she stepped beyond her soundproofed chambers, which had been engineered specifically to protect corporate confidentiality, the echoes of an altercation met her ears.

Furthermore, she recognized one of the vocal tones involved.

‘What is transpiring out there?’

Navigating toward the main reception area with a look of mild bewilderment, she pushed through the secondary barrier…

There, she observed a familiar young girl, possessing the appearance of an early adolescent, locked in a verbal dispute with an unfamiliar young male.

“Na-hee? What is the meaning of this commotion?”

“Ah! V-Vice President!”

The adolescent, Lee Na-hee, pivoted around to offer her greetings.

She had previously operated within the same operational unit under the moderate faction.

At present, she was a energetic youth discovering the nuances of administrative tasks within the offices of Heterosis.

“Ah! Greetings! Do you function as the overseer of this establishment?”

The boy, who appeared roughly equivalent to Na-hee in biological age, flashed a vibrant expression and addressed her.

“Strictly speaking, I hold the highest executive authority in this branch.”

“Aha!”

The youth’s grin split wider upon receiving her instinctive confirmation.

Na-hee knit her brows and pushed her way into the space between them, elevating her tone.

“Refrain from engaging with him! He is an intruder, and his behavior is deeply eccentric. He has been persistently attempting to breach our security, and…”

“Every individual present belongs to the vampire race, correct?”

The girl’s tirade faltered entirely as the boy interjected, slicing through her words.

His cheerful expression remained perfectly intact.

Jin So-ran, preserving her professional mask, let out a soft sigh and shifted her stance to block Na-hee, whose expression had instantly frozen.

“I am uncertain what narratives you have been exposed to, but this corporate office is not an environment intended for juvenile recreation. Why don’t you return to your peers outside?”

She maintained a measured tone in her attempt to dismiss the youth, deliberately choosing not to validate his query.

“Ah! I recognize that you harbor apprehensions, but there is no need. My intentions are not to…”

“I harbor no apprehension. I am simply requesting your departure prior to involving law enforcement. Your presence is impeding our daily operations.”

“No, you misunderstand, I am a fellow vampire! I journeyed to this location upon learning that other vampires converged here. I request that you accept me into your collective!”

Jin So-ran narrowed her eyelids, analyzing the boy intently.

Though his jovial demeanor persisted, her senses failed to register even a trace of crimson sorcery or the distinctive aroma of blood emanating from his form.

‘His statement is entirely fabricated.’

Originally, she had existed as a powerful Rank 6 combatant, but following her integration into Heterosis and her consumption of Heinz’s “Refined Blood Essence”, her power had ascended to Rank 7.

She stood as a True Blood by the metrics of Auterica, possessing a status equal to Beta, who had reigned as one of the twin pillars of strength during the zenith of the hardliner faction.

It was fundamentally impossible for an individual of her caliber to misjudge his underlying biology.

Furthermore, an undeniable reality remained…

He manifested the physical traits of a twelve-year-old child, mirroring Na-hee’s development exactly.

“Sigh, young man? I am displaying an immense amount of restraint at this moment. Would you kindly exit the premises? I am not a character you wish to provoke when my temper flares.”

Despite everything, she strove to maintain an aura of patience and gentleness.

Even though their operations were masked beneath the veneer of a conventional enterprise, she wished to avoid any incidents that would draw the scrutiny of local police forces.

Additionally, she sought to prevent the child from uttering volatile statements within earshot of external authorities.

“Ah, skepticism remains. I speak with absolute sincerity! Observe! My canine teeth possess a sharp edge!”

“Those are merely misaligned teeth. A standard orthodontic procedure can easily correct that layout.”

Jin So-ran offered a flat, dismissive counter to the youth, who was actively baring his teeth for inspection.

“I harbor an intense loathing for garlic!”

“Such dietary preferences are quite common among children your age. Regardless, maintaining a balanced diet is imperative.”

“I refuse to cross the threshold of a residence lacking an explicit invitation from the proprietor!”

“Excellent behavioral standards. Doing otherwise constitutes unlawful entry.”

The boy persistently put forward various arguments to validate his supernatural heritage, yet she merely shrugged her shoulders and dismantled each claim with utter indifference.

“I am incapable of crossing paths with flowing bodies of water!”

“Indeed, such currents pose a safety hazard, so exercising caution is advisable.”

“My internal core temperature rests significantly lower than that of an average human!”

“You likely suffer from a poor circulatory constitution. I recommend dressing in heavier layers.”

“The rays of the sun cause me immense discomfort!”

“Shielding oneself from ultraviolet radiation is standard wellness practice. However, moderate exposure remains necessary to synthesize vitamin D.”

The youth, now seemingly locked in a battle of wills, stubbornly reeled off a succession of his supposed ‘vampiric attributes’, while Jin So-ran systematically neutralized every single point.

Na-hee, who had retreated several paces, could only observe the exchange with her jaw dropped in sheer disbelief.

“I suffer from an acute sensitivity to silver compounds!”

“A simple contact allergy to metals, then?”

“A wooden spike driven through my cardiac muscle will result in my immediate demise!”

“The same outcome applies to myself. It applies universally to all living creatures.”

“………”

“………”

The boy ultimately fell silent, his repertoire of arguments apparently drained, and fixed his gaze entirely upon Jin So-ran.

Following a brief interlude, he let out a subtle sigh and shook his head from side to side.

“Ah, this line of approach is ineffective.”

“Have you concluded your business? If so, please vacate the area.”

Jin So-ran countered dryly, her patience visibly depleted.

Yet, the child merely smiled anew and spoke.

“To be perfectly frank, that entire performance was a fabrication.”

“I was already aware.”

Jin So-ran delivered a curt acknowledgment—.

“I will not perish, even should a wooden spike pierce directly through my cardiac muscle.”

The underlying implication of the youth’s words, however, had transformed entirely.

Simultaneously, his harmless expression contorted into a deeply unsettling, grotesque shape.

“…What is your identity?”

The ambient pressure within the room shifted instantly and drastically.

As though standing before a completely foreign entity, her survival instincts flared, prompting her to step backward while physically positioning herself as a barrier to shield Na-hee.

“Ah! I have neglected to provide a proper introduction, have I not? How incredibly ill-mannered of me!”

His tone retained an artificial cheerfulness, but his physical manifestation departed radically from anything resembling humanity.

His grand, theatrical movements carried an ominous weight, and his outer form began a horrific distortion.

“Well, I severed ties with my birth name an immense period of time ago, to the point where I harbor no desire to voice it.”

A trio of pupils manifested within his right ocular orb, while a quartet materialized within his left, each independent sphere shifting in separate trajectories.

His vocalizations, now layered with multiple overlapping tones and heavily warped, produced a grating, unnatural resonance.

“You may simply identify me as… Alpha.”

“…Alpha?”

The surface of his flesh began to fracture, lines splitting apart like a complex spiderwebbing of cracks.

A dense, suffocating aroma of blood flooded outward from his physical frame.

The sheer potency of the scent was so overwhelming that she found it incomprehensible how she had failed to register its presence until this exact moment.

“Oh, indeed! Therefore…”

His jawline split apart, tearing backward toward his auditory passages to expose rows of razor-sharp, predatory teeth.

From the dark recess within, a bifurcated tongue slithered into view.

“Where might one locate Heinz?”

This intrusion unfolded at the precise moment Heinz was occupied managing the fallout within the borders of the Zepia Republic.