Chapter 40

Chapter 40
## Chapter 40

Attack (1)

The relentless onslaught persisted through the dark and daylight hours, now pushing into its third consecutive day.

Once the defensive bastion of the radical faction was shattered for the seventh time, their resolve fractured, and they began laying down their arms.

They exerted every possible strategy to mount a resistance, yet all efforts proved useless against an overwhelming disparity in destructive capability.

Even when attempting to slip away into the shadows to flee, avoiding the telepathic probing of Hans proved to be a completely impossible feat.

[My word, how remarkably inventive. Blending distinct capabilities directly into spellwork? With the right inversion, it appears highly adaptable for entirely different functions…]

The vampire currently gripped by the skull by Hans shuddered violently.

He had concealed himself inside an isolated single-room flat to escape the incoming strike, but unfortunately, a fellow member who knew his coordinates had compromised him.

If Heinz made it a priority to hunt down targets likely harboring a newly turned vampire…

Hans directed his focus primarily toward individuals suspected of holding vast stores of data or those possessing novel blood-drinking techniques.

[In any case, it seems they have finally begun to coordinate a real countermeasure.]

Hans spoke in a low undertone after extracting the recollections from the adversary’s mind.

A minor delay had occurred, but it was entirely logical.

They needed interval time to evaluate the preceding disasters, manage the chaotic present, consolidate viewpoints across the broader blood alliance, and chart out their upcoming maneuvers.

‘Furthermore, I ensured that proof of the violent blood rituals uncovered within the radical faction’s stronghold reached the moderate faction. Forging an alliance will be an uphill battle for them now.’

Because analytical documents had been secured during the previous operation, Hans forwarded these fresh findings—including photographic records—straight to Jinsol to sow internal discord.

He left the materials directly within the villa’s entryway, and by all indications, the delivery achieved its intended impact.

‘Even so, no immediate directives to descend have been issued. The current mandate is simply to remain out of sight while devising a strategy.’

That was the state of affairs.

While the exact nature of the precautions they intended to implement remained obscure…

‘Prior to that, we shall indulge in as much of a feast as we can manage.’

—

Jinsol was far from naive.

The abrupt strike against the blood alliance’s radical faction, coupled with the incriminating data regarding their transgressions being delivered directly to her, made it inevitable.

It was entirely natural for suspicions to arise that Heinz was connected to the situation in some capacity.

‘The assault took place almost instantly after I disclosed the location of their base.’

Furthermore, a mere day after she had vented her irritation concerning the vanishing proof against the Gamma group, the missing items arrived at the squad’s headquarters as if to convey, ‘I no longer have any secrets to keep.’

At this juncture, one could safely deduce that there was zero effort being made to hide the truth.

In truth, she had no intention of putting him through an interrogation either.

‘When it comes down to it, my own feelings align with his.’

Ultimately, they had survived the identical crisis and forged a bond because of it.

The sole distinction lay in the fact that he possessed the raw power to navigate deadly dilemmas by his own hand, alongside the relentless drive to execute immediate solutions.

‘The fracture with the radicals has passed the point of reconciliation. Had we maintained the status quo, we would have been forcefully consumed by them.’

In that scenario, the less powerful individuals within the moderate faction would have served as the primary casualties.

At their core, despite operating under a single collective title, they were nothing short of adversaries hiding beneath separate banners.

‘I brought forward the proof, and yet, the outcome remained unchanged.’

The unfolding crisis forced her to realize that grim reality with painful clarity.

The grievances elevated through the higher channels were completely brushed aside by the radical command structure.

It was an absolute snub, offering neither confirmation nor a denial of the claims.

By a stroke of luck, the sudden offensive had left them utterly disoriented; had it been otherwise, the radicals might have already deployed martial power to crush them entirely.

Consequently, Jinsol found herself with no alternative but to deeply reflect on her next course of action.

As the commander of an independent squad, she simultaneously held a high-ranking position within the moderate faction.

‘I must mobilize our frontline assets and brace for any unexpected developments.’

More than two decades had slipped by since the initial interdimensional transfer event took place.

The blood alliance had managed to endure the passage of time for over fifteen years, persisting even within the deep shadows.

‘Internal warfare… I can only hope the body count remains minimal.’

Even so, they could not afford to simply sit back and take the blows passively.

Viewed through that lens, the current chaos destabilizing the radicals was a stroke of luck for their side.

At the very least, it granted them the opportunity to consolidate their military assets and buy the time necessary to prepare.

‘It would be ideal if the radical faction simply collapsed on its own, but such an outcome is highly improbable.’

They commanded the vast majority of the blood alliance’s martial strength when measured against the moderates.

The gap was massive, kept in check only by the presence of the neutral faction attempting to preserve an equilibrium.

Even with that balance, if the radicals sustained heavy damage and began to move aggressively, both sides would likely face mutual destruction.

For this exact reason, Jinsol chose to watch in silence, waiting for Heinz to bring more facts to light.

His actions had proven advantageous up to this point, and even if a betrayal occurred down the line, her potential losses were minimal.

‘I remain in the dark about the nature of his tie to that infamous practitioner of dark magic.’

The dreaded user of dark magic who tracked down lawbreakers utilizing brutal capability.

Whether an alliance existed between that figure and the blood alliance remained a mystery, but when the moment arrived, an explanation would be required.

‘For now, I must concentrate on my immediate responsibilities.’

Her current obligations demanded full attention.

“Oh~ Hello everyone~ A warm welcome to you all! I appreciate you joining my stream once again!”

Jinsol—or rather, the digital personality Orchid—greeted her audience with a radiant beam, facing the lens that captured her image.

Possessing a profession that catered to her personal passions while generating revenue made Orchid’s career a perfect arrangement.

Given that the moderate faction chose to integrate themselves directly into the existing societal framework, cash reserves never seemed quite adequate, even when it came to purchasing blood packs.

Pushing the intricate dilemmas to the side for the moment, she pushed forward with her stream with high energy.

Redirecting her focus away from the underlying perils, she lost herself in the pastime that had become her livelihood.

Though conventional wisdom suggests that converting a pastime into a profession drains the pleasure from it, that rule simply did not apply to her, particularly with such high levels of public engagement.

—

Dropping subtle clues for Jinsol had been a calculated decision.

There was zero benefit to be found in playing a hidden hand, and since she had been personally targeted, her animosity toward the radical faction was already established.

‘Most importantly, if the goal is to overtake the blood alliance entirely, the reality of the situation must be exposed regardless.’

After organizing the groundwork so meticulously, keeping it entirely concealed felt like an exercise in waste.

To command the loyalty of followers, one had to demonstrate their own competence first.

“Furthermore, dismantling the schemes of the radical faction and wiping them out will serve as an extraordinary triumph.”

Naturally, the intention was to bring everything out into the open once the dust settled, but for the time being, a small hint sufficed.

It was vital to observe how Jinsol would navigate her next moves.

Absorbing an entire syndicate was a monumental undertaking, and to achieve it, establishing a personal faction was an absolute prerequisite.

As the individual showing the greatest potential to become a reliable second-in-command, preserving a balanced rapport with her was essential.

‘That being said, this location appears exceptionally well-defended.’

Heinz, currently shrouded within the dark using “Concealment,” was analyzing a luxurious estate situated deep within the elevated terrain.

The defensive measures and security protocols surrounding the estate were formidable.

‘The protective warding and monitoring intensity are quite significant… the targets occupying the interior are bound to be formidable.’

Granted, it was far from an impregnable fortress.

Crucially, he was not executing this operation in isolation.

‘Heh, we slip inside undetected and liquidate the command structure in a flash. That ought to wrap it up.’

The factor that brought Hans and Heinz to this specific estate together was a piece of intelligence acquired purely by chance a short while ago.

It offered precise specifics regarding an assembly of the radical faction’s leadership, who were coming together to formulate a strategy against his interventions.

The origin of this data possessed immense leverage, and the file itself had been locked behind incredibly sophisticated encryption, rendering its validity exceptionally high.

Should the reports hold true, it represented a flawless opening.

‘If I can completely eliminate the leadership cadre, the remaining phases will become far more manageable.’

Based on the data aggregated up to this point, neutralizing the high-ranking radicals appeared to be a task well within the capabilities of the two companions.

Hans had consistently maintained an elite level of power, and Heinz was now fully capable of matching that standard.

Even so, the potential for unexpected variables always existed.

Thus, the plan was to evaluate the layout with his own eyes before initiating an all-out assault.

‘Given this tier of preparation, the execution should be well within our grasp, shouldn’t it?’

It was possible he had been overthinking the danger.

Naturally, to conduct a thorough infiltration, certain preliminary measures were mandatory.

Hans began by casting a wide-reaching boundary spell around the perimeter of the estate, while Heinz utilized his “Concealment” to blend into the shadows.

By interlacing Hans’s spellcraft—which had been meticulously tailored for stealth operations—with Heinz’s “Concealment,” they succeeded in generating a nearly imperceptible boundary.

‘This ought to remain completely unnoticeable until the moment it is triggered.’

With the preliminary steps concluded, Hans wrapped himself in the ink-black dark and transitioned flawlessly into Heinz’s shadow.

Heinz, taking his cue, pulled the “Concealment” tightly around his form, masking his entire identity.

Employing a specialized blood art acquired via “Blood Fusion” rather than a standard system attribute, he was able to function purely on the mechanics of blood sorcery.

When augmented by “Concealment,” the resulting phenomenon was virtually identical to total invisibility.

This combined advantage permitted them to advance on the estate without raising a single alarm.

‘A substantial array of defensive mechanisms has been deployed here. Neutralizing them with such fluid ease would have been a massive challenge prior to transitioning into a true vampire.’

Aided by Heinz’s sensory perceptions, which far outmatched infrared tracking or any comparable technological systems, every obstacle became visible to him.

From the sweeping arcs of the monitoring lenses to the minute electromagnetic signatures vibrating from camouflaged hardware, contemporary technical innovations were powerless against Heinz’s current state.

Steering clear of the alert vampires and the defensive arrays stationed across the grounds, Heinz finally shifted his gaze upward toward the grand residence.

It was an imposing and exquisitely crafted monument, showing no accessible entry points even after an exhaustive perimeter check.

‘Well… under conventional circumstances, an entrance should present itself right about now, requiring you to slip inside the moment an occupant transitions across the threshold.’

Such was the typical progression of events.

However, as was frequently the case, actual circumstances deviated from expectations.

After circling the perimeter of the structure for a significant duration, there was no indication of an unlocked portal, nor any sign of movement entering or exiting the premises.

‘No alternative.’

Heinz focused his attention on an isolated window pane and pushed his “Concealment” to its absolute threshold.

‘Perfect. Maintaining this state…’

The shadow housing Hans rippled slightly.

Subsequently, from a single point, it stretched outward, gliding effortlessly across the contours of the window frame.

Even though an active monitoring matrix guarded the glass, it proved entirely useless against a fluid, formless shadow.

In this manner, the exterior and interior spaces became linked via the darkness.

Swoosh—

Heinz, positioned on the outer grounds, was systematically pulled downward into the surface through one edge of the window frame, reemerging without a sound from the lengthened shadow on the opposing side.

‘Zero reaction from the intrusion grid. No monitoring lenses focused on this sector. Flawless.’

Utilizing Hans’s mastery of covert incantations coupled with the reinforcement of Heinz’s “Concealment,” the infiltration proceeded effortlessly without discharging a single trace of dark magic.

‘The chamber where they have convened… it must be the hall branching off from the primary ground-floor reception area.’

Once the coordinates were locked in, he glided soundlessly toward the zone where the concentration of vampire signatures was gathered.

The operational plan dictated that upon reaching the command staff, the boundary spell would be triggered to block any routes of escape, followed by a total elimination of the targets.

The moment he stepped into the reception area…

“Huh?”

Heinz’s tracking capabilities caught an unfamiliar presence.

His heightened, finely calibrated instincts immediately triggered an internal warning.

Positioned within the darkness, Hans identified the irregularity just a beat later.

An instantaneous reaction followed.

Heinz summoned his blood sorcery and dropped into a fighting posture, scanning the environment with intense focus.

Ziing—

Right as Heinz crossed into the reception hall, an unidentified boundary spell snapped shut around him.

‘No, this isn’t restricted to the reception area… the entire estate has been secured under this pre-arranged trap.’

Hans rapidly analyzed the active boundary spell that had been set into motion.

‘…So, even Hans was caught. I possessed complete faith in his arcane proficiency. It seems overconfidence truly leads to ruin…’

Though vexed internally, the luxury of frustration was unavailable.

With the activation of the enemy’s ward, the “Concealment” masking Heinz fractured, bringing his form into plain view.

“Oh~ The trap was laid to snare the elusive Hahoe mask, and yet a vampire walks into the net instead?”

From the landing of the grand staircase overlooking the reception hall, a masculine tone reverberated through the open area.

Creak!

Swoosh—

At that exact instant, as Heinz spun toward the exit, the doors grated open, and a horde of vampires poured into the room, rapidly forming a perimeter around him.

These were the exact entities Heinz had previously identified utilizing “Penetrate.”

‘This… bears all the markings of a genuine ambush, doesn’t it?’

Figures clad in black masks materialized out of nowhere, lining the upper level’s balustrade and staring straight down at his position.

They were the very targets he had failed to spot beforehand.

“So… what is your identity? And what exactly connects you to the Hahoe mask?”