Chapter 301

Chapter 301
## Chapter 301

Of Vampires, Elves, and Experiments (2)

Across a war zone saturated with violent currents and blistering heat,

“Khahaha!”

Kaboom—!

Yet another detonation shook the air, riding on the back of Harley’s brutal laughter.

The adversaries bellowed and fought back, trying with everything they had to alter the course of the battle, but their plight only grew more dire, unraveling completely beyond their capacity to manage.

Their solitary prospect of survival relied on reinforcements showing up while they managed to hold their ground…

Rumble—

…Yet the unrelenting concussions echoing from the periphery of the woodland shattered those expectations.

In contrast to the duel occurring at the epicenter, the widespread artillery fire made it abundantly evident that the invaders held total dominance.

And this precise outcome was exactly what a certain individual had orchestrated from the very inception.

‘Proceeding seamlessly.’

It could not have unfolded any other way.

He had summoned both Harley and Harris specifically for this outcome.

The foes they faced were powerful, but his own battalion possessed an overwhelming superiority.

‘Even among transcendents, clear tiers exist.’

This truth extended even to the final avatar present on the battlefield, Heinz the Second, the Vampire King, who hungered for the absolute perfection of his heritage.

Slash—! Clang!

Separated by some distance from where Harley waged his war,

A resonant metallic screech rang through the atmosphere as the shockwave born from their collision sent fractured trees and shrubbery soaring through the air.

“Ugh! You dare…!”

The Duke, having only just managed to parry the strike using his crimson spear, ground his teeth together in sheer irritation.

It was as though he found the current state of affairs completely intolerable.

Yet Heinz, entirely undisturbed by his foe’s outburst, pressed on with his unrelenting offense, coolly evaluating the limits of the Duke’s capabilities.

‘His perceptions are incredibly keen. Causality manipulation yields minimal results against adversaries of this caliber.’

His initial strike, which had successfully gouged the Duke’s flank, had only found its mark because he possessed the advantage of a surprise assault.

Now that the Duke had raised his guard, every subsequent strike was met with a solid defense.

‘Then again, I never anticipated this to be effortless.’

Their isolated duel had only just commenced.

With Harris and Harley properly fulfilling their roles, there shouldn’t be any further disruptions to worry about.

Naturally, there remained a possibility that backup might arrive after detecting the massive disturbance…

‘But this provides more than enough time.’

Heinz tightened his grip on the twin crimson greatswords that materialized within his palms, dropped his center of gravity, and lunged forward.

Swish—

His physical form vanished from perception for a fleeting second as he surged forward, his figure transforming into a blur that closed the gap in a heartbeat.

He brought both blades down in a sweeping arc, targeting the Duke’s blind spot…

“Not so fast!”

…However, a fresh polearm, far thicker than the previous one, manifested at the Duke’s back to obstruct the path of his blades, and the Duke instantly launched a counter-offensive, his weapon radiating a crushing pressure.

Kaboom—!

‘Just as I thought.’

Heinz’s gaze sharpened as he sensed one of his crimson blades fracture under the sheer force of the impact.

Even taking into account that fluid-based armaments possessed lower durability, this weapon had still been forged utilizing 「Refined Blood Essence」.

It was staggering that a solitary collision could shatter it completely, while the Duke’s own armament sustained no damage whatsoever.

‘He possesses the ability to control blood itself.’

It appeared to be a highly advanced unique skill.

He couldn’t be certain whether it was an inherent trait or a specialized manifestation derived from basic blood control… but it functioned as a near-cheating asset for a vampire, whose fundamental strength depended entirely on blood.

It was highly probable that this asset served as the cornerstone for the Duke’s present tier of power.

Swish—

A pinpoint of deep red rocketed straight toward Heinz’s facial features.

It was the tip of the Duke’s crimson spear.

It bridged the distance between them instantaneously, bypassing the intervening air, and behaving like a living entity, it contorted and spun along an erratic path, tracking Heinz as he slipped and darted away.

Two, three… an increasing number of crimson pinpoints materialized, enclosing him from every conceivable angle.

‘Evasion won’t suffice here.’

Recognizing that simply dodging was no longer a sustainable tactic, he contorted his frame whilst suspended in mid-air, pulling his surviving crimson blade back toward his hip.

His cognitive processes quickened, and his 「Insight」 ability mapped out the trajectories of the closing projectiles.

The moment they all aligned along a single vector,

Swoosh—

…He triggered “Rapid Acceleration”, unleashing a massive, sweeping swing of his blade.

Crackle! Kaboom—!

The edge, elongating like a whip with its tip breaking the hypersonic threshold, smashed into the incoming spears, reducing both sets of armaments into a scattered spray of crimson fog.

Heinz’s expression failed to register any distress, given that these were merely expendable tools… but the Duke’s features visibly tightened.

“You…!”

An uncomfortable sensation.

A bizarre intuition that had been intensifying since the moment their clash began.

A dark foreboding that victory was beyond his reach, paired with a rapid bleeding of his internal reserves and a marked drop in the potency of his strikes.

Even with the benefit of his unique skill, which provided him with a virtually inexhaustible well of energy, this development was deeply troubling.

‘What sort of power is he wielding? Is it a unique skill? Or perhaps… ’

This was no ordinary negative status effect. It represented something far more intrinsic—a direct interference with concepts.

Even for someone like himself, a veteran who had mastered his craft over multiple decades, the underlying mechanism remained incomprehensible.

‘This situation is perilous.’

It left him with no choice but to adopt an extreme course of action.

Possessing exceptional sensory capabilities himself, he was keenly aware of how the wider battlefield was shaping up.

He was no idiot incapable of recognizing that his subordinates were being systematically wiped out.

And once every last one of them was gone, what fate would await him?

‘This represents my final window of opportunity.’

Whether his objective was to flee the area or to consolidate what was left of his battalion,

Everything hinged on how rapidly he could destroy the opponent standing before him.

He ought to have been weighing his actual prospects of achieving victory, but he deliberately suppressed those doubts.

Harboring such pessimism would do nothing to aid his survival.

Even if this move amounted to nothing more than a desperate roll of the dice.

‘I won’t be escaping this without a scratch. I must be prepared to endure some damage.’

Drastic remedies invariably demanded a steep price.

The Duke, maintaining a relentless storm of crimson spears, at last spotted a vulnerability and moved without a moment’s hesitation.

Goooo—

His vital fluids churned as a titanic wave of energy violently discharged from his physical form.

Kaboom—!

“Ugh?”

Heinz was propelled backward despite managing a rushed parry, his brow furrowing as he stabilized his stance.

“…What is the meaning of this?”

“Kuh— This sensation is magnificent—!”

Crack—! Crackle!

A monstrous transmutation occurred.

The Duke’s previously striking visage turned gaunt and deathly pale, his muscular structure expanding to a freakish degree, ripping his formal attire into tattered ribbons.

Wooong—

Wooong— Wooong—

Yet the most dramatic alteration lay in the volume of crimson spears hovering around his form.

Scores of ruby spikes materialized, their sharp points oriented toward the heavens.

The volatile energy unchained by the unlocked capabilities within his veins warped the local space, vibrating the defensive boundary that sealed off the woodland.

“…This frequency feels familiar.”

Heinz narrowed his eyelids, scrutinizing the abnormal manifestation.

He experienced an odd sensation of familiarity, an encounter he had lived through once before…

“…Ah! Now I comprehend. You played a part in Alpha’s disruption as well, didn’t you?”

The moment he identified the origin of that familiarity, he nodded in quiet realization.

The Duke’s current pressure bore an uncanny resemblance to that of Alpha, the commander of the Blood Alliance’s radical faction who had wreaked havoc throughout Seoul.

He had been unable to fathom the root cause behind Alpha’s mutation during that crisis, but if the Duke held a connection to it…

‘Hold on.’

Heinz’s brow knit together, cutting his line of thought short.

The sequence of occurrences that had unfolded following Alpha’s assault, along with every scrap of intelligence he had accumulated, drifted through his awareness.

‘I understand now.’

And after a brief pause, he arrived at a definitive deduction.

‘…Doctor. Doctor is present here.’

In some nearby vicinity, Doctor, one of the premier authorities of the Heaven’s Turn Society, was currently stationed.

Every survival instinct he possessed shouted that this was reality.

‘Was the objective to ensnare me? This presents my ideal window.’

He had been completely unable to track down Doctor’s coordinate point, even after absorbing the recollections of Yulryeongja.

He was aware that Doctor operated primarily out of Europe, but given his capacity to establish a laboratory anywhere, his exact whereabouts were never permanent.

‘…If I manage to apprehend him… ’

He would gain access to information far exceeding what Yulryeongja or the Duke could ever provide.

Concerning the inner workings of the Heaven’s Turn Society… and regarding the Master.

“I shall conclude this without delay!”

While he remained immersed in his reflections, a volley of crimson spears, traveling at velocities vastly superior to their prior speed, tore through the air toward him, backed by an enraged shriek.

A violent torrent of force, warping the fabric of space along its path.

“It appears our intentions are perfectly aligned.”

It was a devastating assault, yet to Heinz, it amounted to little more than a passing irritation.

‘The moment I am finished with him… ’

A fresh objective had surfaced, representing an opportunity to harvest invaluable data.

First, however, he needed to neutralize the immediate hazard.

Heinz’s cognitive speed surged, his 「Insight」 capability dissecting the variables of the encounter.

‘The volume of his energy reserve is staggering. Did he force another amplification of his blood traits? Even taking that into account, this magnitude is… It is highly probable he accumulated this strength through the harvesting of blood within his native domain.’

An immense reservoir of power existed here, one that defied any alternative rationale.

And the hypothesis was entirely plausible, given that his unique skill clearly pertained to blood manipulation.

While the hazards of harvesting vampires belonging to foreign bloodlines were severe, it was a common practice for individuals sharing an identical lineage to gather strength through blood harvesting.

‘However… ’

If there existed a true authority in that particular domain, it was Heinz himself.

He had successfully consolidated every single lineage across Auterica and had persisted in absorbing diverse blood traits since arriving on Earth.

‘Hmm, managing this degree of force is no simple task. Still, I might as well acclimate myself to it.’

He had already thoroughly measured the extent of his foe’s talents.

Now, nothing remained except to put an end to him.

Heinz, navigating the pathways of causality with his perceptions heightened to their absolute peak, took a single step forward.

Thump—

Vampiric magical energy, pumped from his core and fueled by the remnants of Sacred Blood he had integrated, flooded through his extremities.

His intense gaze locked onto the Duke’s.

Two steps.

He produced his crimson blades, striking aside the nearing projectile.

He replicated the motion continuously, his armaments shattering only to reconstruct instantly.

Traversing the downpour of crimson fog, he could distinctly perceive that his velocity still comfortably outmatched his opponent’s.

Three steps.

He could not simply permit the scattered blood fog to vanish into nothingness. It constituted an asset of immense value.

Invoking 「Blood Mystery」, he generated a multitude of independent crimson blades that suspended themselves in the air, operating on their own accord.

Resembling fighter aircraft contesting a battle for aerial dominance, they smashed against the Duke’s projectiles, fracturing and remaking themselves in an endless cycle.

The efficiency of the trade was unfavorable, but their purpose was merely to serve as a diversion, purchasing him critical moments.

Four steps.

He had penetrated completely into the Duke’s personal territory.

His 「Existence Denial」 had ceased to exert an effect.

The surrounding environment itself appeared entirely antagonistic, striving to repel his advance… yet he was well-accustomed to such friction.

He maintained his forward march, weapons at the ready.

Five steps.

The further he penetrated, the more his velocity waned, as the Duke’s relative ‘time’ began to bridge the gap.

His physical trauma multiplied, though it mended itself almost instantly.

Thump—

And at long last.

“Y-you…! By what means…!”

“I have been anticipating this moment.”

Heinz, having completed his concluding stride, offered a soft smile as he stood face-to-face with the Duke, whose features were gaunt, bloodless, and severely contorted.

As though he were reconnecting with a long-separated… counterpart.

‘Well, that description isn’t entirely inaccurate.’

They were destined to merge into a single entity shortly.

He extended his arm and clamped his fingers around the Duke’s throat.

Heinz the Second, the Vampire King who hungered for the absolute perfection of his heritage, had finally secured the ultimate component of his puzzle.