[You have slain an elite vampire]
With the notification, Himputra confirmed the death of Dragos.
He could now have a breath of relaxation.
Maybe, not.
On descending to the land, Himputra found himself surrounded by a number of vampires.
And he was completely exhausted now.
He no more had the stamina left to fight.
He checked his tiredness.
[Fatigue: 97]
Himputra's fatigue had climbed completely different heights.
Right now, it is a great wonder that he is standing on his two feet.
Not to mention fighting.
He inwardly declared this raid a 'Faliure.'
Through the corner of his eyes, he could see the Fire Bot struggling to not get destroyed.
Both of them were alone, up against many vampires and Iboros.
In no time, Himputra and the Fire Bot would crumble under the attacks of this many vampires.
A vampire came about, ready to seperate Himputra's head from his body.
But, just as the former was about to slash the latter's head, a red glow sparked.
A blaze swept over the vampire and he was reduced to ashes.
Himputra looked around to see who did this.
And he found the Fire Bot standing beside him.
The Fire Bot's red colour had grown darker.
Blood red coloured mana randomly fluctuated around it.
Its arms were now sturdier.
Himputra didn't know about this, but Arman's strength and the Fire Bot's strength were in a proportion.
So, Fire Bot's strength won't increase, unless Arman's strength increases.
This meant that the absorption process was complete.
Himputra turned around, towards the Duncan temple.
And found a red glow coming from within the Duncan temple.
The glow was redder and hotter than the glow of the Fire Bot.
One could see that it was a man.
And in no time, Himputra realised that this was Arman.
Arman intentionally landed on a vampire's head.
Hence, killing him.
[Current progress:- 98.65%]
It was a shame that the assimilation hadn't completed.
But, this was something that didn't matter.
As, such a small gap could filled easily.
The vampires were now less in number and the Iboros were all cleared out.
The rest were not enough to deal with Arman and the Fire Bot.
It was only a matter of time.
Everything was over for the Duncan Temple.
They could now never ever see the dawn again.
And, in less than an hour, the Duncan temple was dyed red in blood.
Not a single vampire was alive.
Arman wiped the blood smeared on his face.
This raid left him with huge benefits. The victory was his now.
While Arman was helping Himputra stand up, Iron Fists of Justice woke up. And when she opened her eyes, everything was over.
She admired Himputra and Arman for having finished this battle alone.
As for the Fire Bot, its contribution was completely forgotten.
Despite having killed the most number of vampires, none even looked at him.
In disappointment, it sat embracing itself in a corner. While talking, Iron Fists of Justice seemed to have realised something.
"Wait, I didn't tell you the conditions yet!" Arman combed through his memories, and yes! She did tell something about terms and conditions.
"No worries. You can tell them to me now, I will fulfill them all.
Iron Fists of Justice said boldly.
"Not many, there is only one. I want seventy percent of the soul energy core stored in the Duncan temple.
The very next instant, the Flame king burst out laughing.
"Pffffffft!"
Himputra also started laughing.
Arman was dumbstruck.
Because all of the energy from the core was absorbed by Arman.
He was now thinking a way of dealing with Iron Fists of Justice.
"Uhm.. the matter of fact is..."
He tried to explain himself, but his tongue abandoned him.
And the reason? Arman was too scared to say anything.
"Say it clearly!"
Iron Fists of Justice enquired about what Arman was saying.
Arman took a deep breath and uttered all the things that came to his mind.
"Actually I absorbed entirety of the core!"
"What???????"
The Iron Fists of Justice was crazed by Arman's answer.
Her breathing became heavy.
She wouldn't let go of Arman so easily now.
"How dare you!"
"Don't worry, I will give you all the money you want!"
"Bastard! I don't want the money! Give me the coooore! Noooooow!"
And in no time, Arman was caught and beaten badly.
And they returned to the tribe.
The Iron Fists of Justice angrily took her leave, because she hadn't gained anything from this battle.
Arman also prepared for his return journey.
But, before going back, he wanted to ask a question.
"Grandpa."
"Yes."
Replied the injured old man.
"There were many who could help you out that day, but why did you choose to come to me,
an outsider?"
Arman inwardly already knew that the answer was that
'Arman was a responsible and strong youth.
He was extremely strong and reliable.
That is why the old man came to him.'
But still, he wanted to hear that from the old man's mouth.
"Actually, I wanted to go to someone else's house.
But, they were all far from where I was.
That is why I came to you."
Arman was struck by a lightning.
The Flame king's laughter knew no bounds.
The old man then said.
"It's a pity that my son couldn't meet you - his saviour."
Arman consoled himself and said.
"Don't worry, the next time I come to this place, I will for sure meet your son."
With this, Arman left.
Afterall, he had to reach home before it was late in the night.
He had missed his first day at the college
and didn't want to miss the second.
****************
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sound of hammers colliding with hot Iron could be heard aloud.
And sound of the magnesium ribbon burning was also ringing out.
Someone opened his eyes.
He looked around in his surroundings.
He seemed to be in a metallic cabin.
He then opened his mouth to say something in his weak voice.
"H.E.X.A..."
And a reply came quickly.
"Are you already awake, Boss?"
"Help me stand up."
Soso continued his words.
"Yes boss."
With H.E.X.A.'s help, Soso stood up.
H.E.X.A. then placed him on a wheelchair.
The wheelchair then started rolling backwards.
It then, from a hole in a wall, fell downwards with Soso.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Bam!
The feeling was like one's spine being ripped apart.
The spaceship was resting inclined on a tree.
Meaning that a slope was formed and Soso rolled down.
Soso felt like hell.
"Ahhhhh! Fuuuu fuuuuu!"
Soso started crying.
H.E.X.A. went down and picked him up and brought him back in the spaceship.
"How long was I unconscious."
Soso asked H.E.X.A.
H.E.X.A. showed four of his metallic fingers as his answer.
"Four centuries???? I was unconscious for four centuries?"
Soso was flabbergasted.
And he was sad too.
Most of his lifespan was wasted now.
"No Boss, you were unconscious only for four days."
Soso showed a sign of relief.
"How is the spaceship still intact?"
Asked Soso.
Genius came and explained.
"Boss, as the fuel tank wasn't full, the explosion wasn't big.
So, our spaceship survived.
And luckily, the auto-repair system of our spaceship was also left unscathed.
But still, the damage was too great.
It will take another day for the repair to completed."
"Okay, so tomorrow, we will seal Arman's doom."
Soso smirked.
And hence, Soso set in the preparation for his final face-off with Arman.
*******************
"Yawn"
Arman finally reached his home.
It has been three days since he was out.
It was midnight now.
So he went straight for his bedroom and sleeped comfortably.
The next day.
Arman sprang up from his bed much early than before.
And he straight went to do the exercise.
Hundreds of push-ups.
Hundreds of squats.
Hundreds of curl-ups.
And many more.
And after doing them all, Arman was left in a dilemma.
He had exercised so much!
And still, the assimilation progressed only by one percent.
[Current progress: 99.65%]
It can't be helped.
He might have to complete the assimilation the next day.
He tried to give himself a sponge bath.
Then the Flame king appeared.
"Why are you doing to do it this way"
"Can't you see that I have become so dirty.
I haven't bathed since one week and a day!
Maybe sponge bath will do."
Arman replied.
"Why don't you turn off your powers?"
Asked the Flame king.
"What?????"
Arman seemed to not have heard the Flame king correctly.
The latter then explained.
"By long pressing the Flaming Insignia, you can temporarily turn off your powers.
Then, even with your assimilation incomplete, you would be able to bath."
Arman quickly searched for the Flaming Nelerthoclase in the drawer.
He then long pressed the mark of fire.
And Arman's body started changing.
From a stout and sturdy youngster, Arman returned to his old weak self.
He freshened up and came out of the bathroom.
He wore the uniform of the Tokyo University of Science.
He came to know by the watchman that Eveline had already left.
He went in the parking lot to find his car.
Among the many cars his father owned, he noticed that one car appeared to be a cut above others.
And it was a cut above.
"Wooow! A Ferrari GT 488 Modificata!"
Arman quickly sat in the sleek car.
He started driving the car in high speeds.
**************
Near a tea stall.
The milkman who used to give Arman's family milk was standing by a tree.
He seemed to be trying to remember something.
But it was no use at all.
He hit his head hard on the tree simultaneously.
"Why can't I remember it?"
He had seen a girl who was 'Wanted'.
But he can't recall where he had seen her.
If he somehow recalled it, he could get five million U.S.D.
Afterall, the ones the police were searching for were international criminals.
As he was striking the tree with his head, a sleek car stopped by.
"Uncle, what are you doing?"
The milkman turned around to find Arman.
And the moment he saw Arman, he realised that he had seen that girl in Arman's house.
"Hassan! After seeing your face, I got reminded of it!"
The milkman started dancing.
Arman was confused.
"What happened uncle? What did you get reminded of?"
The milkman stopped dancing.
He thought for a while.
'Arman shifting his house all of a sudden.
That wanted criminal was residing in Arman's house.
And now that I think about it, I didn't see Arman since past three days.
I should just lie to him.'
And he said.
"Nothing special, I had forgotten about where I had kept the box in which tea leaves were kept.
And I got reminded of it now."
"Tea leaves? Why did you get reminded of that on seeing me?"
Asked Arman.
The milkman found himself in a deep crisis.
He had to think of something quickly.
"Umm.. The lid of the box in which tea leaves are kept resembles your face."
Arman was surprised.
"A box, of which lid resembles the shape of a human face? And on top of that, my face?"
Arman seemed to not have believed the milkman's words.
"Uh.. The.."
The milkman's words stumbled many a times.
He finally opened his mouth.
"You know you are so handsome! That is why the manufacturer might have copied that handsome face of yours of which beauty beats that if the stars."
The milkman had deployed a great strategy this time.
Make the enemy get overflowed in his own appreciation to waver his resolve.
This strategy would always work.
And it worked on Arman too.
Arman's face turned slight red as he was blushing.
"Haah! Stop teasing me, I am not that much handsome!"
The posture in which Arman was gave off the feeling that he was moved by the appreciation.
But, this strategy didn't work on the Flame king.
He came out to warn Arman.
"Arman, a man should not fall for such words.
I sense something fishy about both that lass Eveline and this man."
Arman then said to the Flame king.
"Stop it. I know that you are jealous of my beauty. It is not good to envy others."
"Go to hell!" The Flame king grunted.
"Uncle I am getting late for the college, so I got to get going."
Saying so, Arman left.
The milkman saw Arman's fast and sleek car disappear in the traffic.
He danced again in joy.
"FIVE MILLION U.S.D.!"
He quickly took out the cutting of the article from the newspaper.
He quickly dialled the number given below.
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep.
And he clicked the 'call' button.
Tttring tttring tttring.
And the call was picked up.
"Hello, police sergeant Yua speaking."