Chapter 244

Chapter 244
## Chapter 244

Vampire Rise (4)

Order was rapidly restored within the borders of the Zepia Republic.

Such an outcome was only natural, given that the leadership of both warring factions had been brought under the heel of a single master.

To be sure, isolated pockets of resistance persisted, as the entire populace could not be subjugated instantaneously, but with the mastermind eliminated, these minor disturbances were bound to fade shortly.

He no longer needed to expend his attention on this matter.

“As… as per your instructions… the cleanup operations are proceeding without delay. We shall conclude the remaining tasks swiftly and convoke the full assembly of our lineage… High Lord.”

“Very well.”

Within the confines of a grand, lavishly appointed study,

Heinz reclined against the back of a sculpted seat, gazing down coldly at the dark-haired woman bowing low at his feet, and offered a terse sign of approval.

‘She has grown remarkably cooperative.’

The woman before him was Shamila Obaifo, the deputy leader who had effectively commanded the daily affairs of the Obaifo Clan.

Identical to Mulo of Brokoslack and Theodore of Ufersh, she belonged to the tier of True Blood vampires tasked with directing the syndicate’s movements.

‘Securing the allegiance of an insider, particularly one occupying such a senior rank, is vital if I am to seamlessly integrate an organization of this magnitude.’

The Obaifo Clan ranked among the three preeminent vampire syndicates on the continent.

Though he had successfully usurped total command, governing the rank-and-file remained an entirely separate challenge.

For this reason, Heinz had personally hunted her down and confined her immediately following the conclusion of the battlefield hostilities.

Naturally, her compliance had not been granted willingly at the outset…

Yet, what alternative remained for her now that their revered Sacred Blood had suffered total defeat and the ultimate rights of ownership had shifted?

Following a brief period of persuasion, punctuated by an underlying current of intimidation, she had finally capitulated to reality and surrendered her loyalty to his name.

“With this, the primary complications here are resolved.”

Once she departed to oversee the remaining logistics,

Heinz, fully making himself at home within the grand estate of the Obaifo family, took a slow draft from his wine glass, adopting the posture of a true master surveying his domain.

‘Had I not intervened, the vast majority of the criminal underbelly across this continent would have fallen under their dominion, starting entirely with the eastern territories.’

The ultimate ambition of Obaifo had been to crown himself the singular monarch of all vampire kind.

Instigating absolute chaos throughout the eastern lands was merely the opening gambit in that grand design.

Furthermore, the potential fallout of allowing vampires—creatures fundamentally bound to the dark—to be weaponized by an external, malicious will was staggering…

If these vampires, whose numbers vastly eclipsed the Lycanthropes that had previously pushed an entire continent to the brink of submersion, had been unleashed in full fury… the resulting devastation would have been completely beyond measure.

‘…It genuinely feels as though my very existence serves as a deliberate counterweight to their machinations. I find myself entangled in every single crisis.’

Granted, there were catastrophes where he played no part, such as the spread of the abyssal corruption, the sudden eruption of the monster horde, and the dissolution of the Rohan Duchy… yet the number of perils he had personally averted was far greater.

Given the vast scope of his influence, it was only natural that he would be drawn into events of historical significance… yet a persistent, ominous sensation lingered in the back of his mind.

‘Surely, another disaster is looming on the horizon now that this affair has concluded, isn’t it?’

An incident perhaps brewing in Tarak, the location housing both Hubert’s Trading Company and the manufacturing facility of Howard.

‘…A distinct sense of foreboding grips me. I ought to reinforce the defensive measures there, just to be prudent. Misfortune invariably strikes the moment I allow myself to relax.’

Those specific manifestations possessed zero martial capability, meaning their protection required a double layer of vigilance.

His intuition, honed to a razor’s edge by recent conflicts, warned him that this was no time to enjoy a peaceful respite.

‘On the bright side, the unique trait I recently unlocked will enable me to rapidly assess any unpredicted developments. ‘Monarch’s Authority’…’

“Monarch’s Authority”, the specialized attribute bestowed upon Heinz the Second upon his ascension to the throne of the Vampire King.

It functioned as a comprehensive syndicate management system, granting him the power to pinpoint the locations and basic metrics of his vassals as if observing a grand tactical simulation, while additionally permitting the transmission of basic directives across vast distances.

Gently closing his eyes,

A detailed register of the various organizations bound to his soul manifested clearly in his consciousness.

-Immortal Army

-Hybrid

-Hubert’s Trading Company

-Calcos Tribal Federation

-…

‘…The list is remarkably extensive.’

He was capable of reviewing a multitude of specifics regarding each group, right down to the fundamental attributes of their individual assets.

Remarkably, this link extended—albeit with certain structural restrictions—to organizations where he did not hold absolute sovereign control, such as the Main God Church and the remote Elven Kingdom. Consequently, it proved to be an immensely practical tool given the sheer volume of his split personas and the respective groups they managed.

‘Wait a moment.’

As his gaze drifted over the interface of “Monarch’s Authority”, he registered a minor, discordant anomaly.

Tracing the source of this disruption, his focus eventually locked onto a specific entry…

-Blood Alliance – Heterosis

The very first syndicate he had established upon the soil of Earth.

And within its roster, a troubling transformation had occurred regarding the condition of a primary operative.

‘…What is the meaning of this?’

└Name: Jin So-ran (Acting Head of Heterosis)

└Race: Vampire

└Location: Daeran-dong, Southern Seoul, South Korea [View Detailed Coordinates]

└Status: Peril (Critically Wounded)

‘…I anticipated that trouble would manifest somewhere, but… to think it would strike on Earth?’

For a high-tier vampire, possessing power nearly equivalent to a True Blood and reigning over the entire supernatural underbelly of South Korea, to be brought to the brink of death… this was unmistakably indicative of a catastrophic event.

“Hmm.”

Heinz, who had been unhurriedly savoring his vintage, set the glass down upon the surface of the table and gave voice to a low, quiet sigh.

It appeared his period of rest would have to be indefinitely postponed.

—

The brief exchange that had transpired with Na-hee just moments before his monstrous, authentic anatomy was laid bare.

-“I refuse to cross a threshold without a direct invitation from the resident!”

-“Excellent. That constitutes unlawful entry.”

His assertions were entirely literal.

The instant his immense, terrifying crimson aura erupted, violently rattling the immediate environment,

The youthful Na-hee had frozen entirely in place, utterly paralyzed by the sheer pressure of his presence, prompting Jin So-ran to swiftly seize her form and leap backward in retreat.

They threw themselves backward until their frames collided with the entry doors of the main office, and the moment they tumbled over the threshold into the interior…

“Ah! You have crossed inside… That is highly regrettable. Would you care to extend an invitation to me as well?”

…he had posed that bizarrely pleasant inquiry.

‘I dared to hope a window of escape might exist…’

Yet that fragile pocket of optimism was instantly annihilated.

Shattered completely by the maneuver that followed.

“Ah well, it truly cannot be helped!”

Directly following that bright, jovial exclamation—which stood in jarring, horrific contrast to his distorted, monstrous vocals—

Alpha, without pausing for even a fraction of a second,

Leveled the entire structural foundation of the complex.

Wee-ooh—! Wee-ooh—!

The piercing wails of emergency sirens and the terrified shrieks of civilians began to drift from the surrounding blocks.

Jin So-ran’s scattered awareness gradually coalesced.

Whoosh— Thud!

“Ugh— *cough*, *pant*.”

Weaving her way through the shattered concrete and twisted metal, she fought to push herself upright, her lungs burning as she dragged in air.

‘Darn it, for how long did I lose consciousness?’

Observing that the immediate chaos had scarcely shifted, it was evident that only a mere heartbeat, perhaps a single second, had elapsed.

Yet that realization offered no comfort whatsoever as her eyes scanned the unfolding ruin around her.

Multiple commercial high-rises, including the central hub that housed the main headquarters of Heterosis, had been utterly flattened, reducing the metropolitan streets to a wasteland of pulverized stone, jagged glass, and burning, mangled automobiles.

The surrounding area was littered with casualties suffering from severe burns, electrical shock, and the impact of plunging debris.

This absolute catastrophe had manifested within a mere five-minute window following the moment Alpha unmasked his authentic form.

‘I failed to delay his advance for even a single moment… Alpha was never documented to possess this degree of might, what could have triggered this?’

She had received numerous intelligence briefings stating he barely bordered on Rank 8… yet the pressure he currently radiated far eclipsed that threshold.

He was indisputably operating at Rank 9.

She was well aware that even Lord Heinz, the supreme master of Heterosis, merely occupied the apex of Rank 8… yet here stood a Rank 9 entity whose existence had gone entirely unrecorded.

Her thoughts spun wildly, struggling to comprehend the sheer gravity of the crisis.

‘No, this disorientation is a direct result of the trauma my physical form just sustained.’

Even the hyper-accelerated healing factors inherent to her vampiric physiology were failing to counteract the corrosive, degrading energy currently eating through her internal systems.

Had he harbored a genuine intent to execute her, she would already be a corpse.

The immense pride she had felt upon ascending to Rank 7 under the patronage of her Lord withered away like a dying leaf when confronted by an adversary she possessed absolutely no hope of defeating.

“Heh! Tell me, where has Heinz hidden himself? If you refuse to speak, your life is forfeit. Ah, but wait, I am restricted from ending your life. That female is the highest-ranking asset present, correct? Huh, what is the correct course of action here?”

A bizarre, echoing vocalization vibrated through the mounds of pulverized stone.

Alpha was holding a fractured conversation with himself, presenting the demeanor of an individual who had completely severed his ties to sanity.

His vocabulary and conduct were entirely unhinged, perfectly mirroring the grotesque deformity of his physical appearance.

‘The intelligence reports suggested he possessed a composed and calculating demeanor, much like our own Master.’

Having never crossed paths with him personally prior to this day, she could not verify whether the intelligence networks had blundered entirely, or if the creature before her was a mere pretender.

Regardless, such academic questions held no relevance in her current predicament.

“Hehehe! The answer eludes me. Nonetheless, there is no rule barring me from slaughtering every other living soul besides her, is there? Where is Heinz? Ah, regardless, a profound hunger gnaws at me!”

Jin So-ran clamped her jaw shut in sheer revulsion at his bloodcurdling proclamations.

The vital fluids of every unfortunate bystander caught in the blast radius had already been violently extracted by his terrifying mastery over blood manipulation.

And despite that slaughter, he continued to utter such unhinged gibberish…

‘Would we possess even a fraction of a chance at victory if the Master were to arrive personally…? No, where in the world is Hahoe Mask during a catastrophe of this scale? His recent operations in Japan have ceased entirely! Is this not the textbook moment for a vigilante of the night to make an entrance?’

Jin So-ran’s intellect operated at maximum capacity, desperately seeking a tactical escape vector.

Even the municipal law enforcement and defensive Guardians who had thrown themselves into the fray had been instantaneously converted into his grim nourishment…

‘Please! This is precisely the narrative cue for a savior to arrive! Do your duty, hero!’

And above all else, make it instantaneous!

Rumble— Rumble!

As if the cosmos itself had taken pity on her internal, desperate cries,

Deep rolls of thunder reverberated across the rapidly darkening sky.

And in the next breath,

Flash— Kaboom! Boom!

A cascade of blinding lightning strikes, saturated with an immense density of destructive magical energy, violently cratered the earth.

“Gah—!”

Striking squarely upon the precise coordinates where Alpha was positioned.

Crackle— Crackle—

As brilliant arcs of residual electricity danced across the impact zone, a human silhouette gradually materialized from the swirling cloud of pulverized earth.

“…*Sigh*, why must these crises invariably erupt on my scheduled day of rest… And the devastation has already reached this catastrophic threshold, despite the fact that I pushed my speed to the absolute limit to get here…”

Yet the individual who stood there was neither Hahoe Mask, whose arrival she had been fervently praying for, nor Lord Heinz, whose presence she had hoped would be spared from this trap.

‘Ah! It slipped my mind entirely… she is stationed within this sector as well.’

Because her mind had been entirely preoccupied by the meteoric rise of Hahoe Mask in recent months, she had momentarily overlooked her existence… yet this individual was by no means a figure to be disregarded.

Crackle! Crackle—!

A woman appearing to be in her late twenties stood before them, her expression incredibly severe, her entire physical form wrapped in a roaring aura of golden electrical currents.

Her fashionable attire was shredded and scorched, bearing testimony to the breakneck velocity at which she had traveled, and her hair, which appeared to have been arranged with meticulous care prior to the event, now flared wildly in every direction due to the intense static field radiating from her person.

“Do you truly believe I have grown weak simply because I chose to maintain a low profile in recent times? Invading my jurisdiction and instigating a slaughter of this magnitude is a violation I cannot ignore, do you understand?”

She ranked definitively among the three most powerful superhuman Guardians active within the borders of South Korea.

A celebrated champion whose heroic exploits had been thoroughly documented across countless television broadcasts and public profiles.

Yoon Ji-yoon, the regional director supervising the Southern Seoul headquarters of the Korean Returnee Association, famously designated as the ‘Lightning Empress’, and…

“…Your life ends here.”

…the absolute sovereign tasked with the security of this territory.

—

Upon intercepting the automated distress notification linked to Jin So-ran via the network of “Monarch’s Authority”, isolating the precise nature of the catastrophe unfolding on Earth required minimal investigative effort.

To be completely accurate, the event was of such catastrophic proportions that remaining ignorant of it would have been an impossibility.

-[Emergency Public Safety Broadcast] A catastrophic act of mass violence has broken out within the Daeran-dong sector of Southern Seoul. All citizens currently located within the immediate area are urged to initiate emergency evacuation protocols without delay…

Commencing with the high-priority wireless alert that flashed across the device in his possession, despite his residence being situated on the remote fringes of the capital, a torrent of breaking news segments detailing the unfolding nightmare began to completely dominate every media channel.

Though it appeared the journalistic coverage was only in its infancy, the metrics regarding civilian casualties and structural devastation were already staggering.

‘To manifest this degree of absolute ruin within a span of mere minutes… The perpetrator must indubitably possess power matching the transcendent tier. Furthermore, the probability points heavily toward a vampire asset. In that case…’

I rapidly synthesized the incoming streams of intelligence and formulated a cold, logical deduction, my cognitive faculties operating at an accelerated pace given the extreme urgency of the hour.

Swoosh—

Heinz the Second, the sovereign ruler of the vampire race, stepped forth from the shifting shadows.

The Hybrid Clan, having successfully consolidated the entirety of the Obaifo Clan’s infrastructure, was on the verge of entering a prolonged phase of internal restructuring, ensuring that his temporary physical absence would cause no operational disruptions.

As an absolute rule of engagement, he invariably deployed an expendable manifestation that could be instantly dissolved at a moment’s notice, mitigating any potential peril to his core self.

‘An extraterrestrial vampire operating at the transcendent tier. Your essence belongs to me!’

He harbored no complex or hidden motivations behind his intervention.

Nevertheless, the moment Heinz arrived at the epicenter of the destruction…

“Gah! Heinz!”

Rumble—! Boom!

“Hey, I am positioned directly in front of your face! And yet you dare to completely disregard my presence while looking around for someone else? Your lack of basic consideration is truly offensive!”

…an entirely unforeseen spectacle unfolded before his eyes.