The tavern buzzed with quiet whispers, the murmur of drunken conversations filling the air.
"Have you ever heard of her?" one man asked, his voice hushed.
"Of who?" another replied, leaning closer.
"Her... the infamous Queen of Carnage."
"Shhh! Don't you dare speak her name aloud."
"But why?"
"If you want your body ruthlessly slaughtered and dismantled, then go ahead."
"Slaughtered? Dismantled?"
"Yes," the man whispered, his tone trembling. "They say anyone who dares cross her never lives to tell the tale. She's the most feared bounty hunter in the entire country."
"But how? Why?"
"There's a story about the massacre of a village during one of her pursuits. The villagers got in her way, and just like her bounty, they all died."
"But isn't that just a rumor? I mean, can anyone really be that powerful?"
"She is. It's said her level is in the upper fifties or even the lower sixties."
"Humans can surpass level fifty? That's supposed to be the pinnacle of power, but you're telling me she's beyond that?"
"Yes."
In the corner of the room, Cilia sipped her drink, her sharp ears catching every word. Drunken fools, she thought with mild irritation. They haven't even glimpsed the true power of my queen. Compared to her...
Her thoughts faltered. Who is my queen again? The memory danced just beyond her grasp, teasing her like a fleeting shadow. All she knew was that her queen had given her power. And that power was overwhelming.
Her gaze drifted to the stats she could visualize in her mind:
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Cilia
Gender: Female
Race: Human (Demon-kin / Vampire-kin)
Level Information:
Overall Level: 62 Racial Level: 50 Job Level: Max Class Level: 74
Class Details:
Primary Job: Witch (Max Level) Class: Arch-Witch (Blood) Subclass: Chainwhip Master
Vital Statistics:
HP: 50,000 / 50,000 MP: 30,000 / 30,000
Attributes:
Strength (STR): 8,000 Intelligence (INT): 1,505 Vitality (VIT): 5,000 Dexterity (DEX): 9,000 Luck (LCK): 209 Agility (AGL): 12,080
Combat Stats:
Attack (ATK): 18,019 Physical Attack (PHY ATK): 8,009 Magic Attack (MAG ATK): 10,010 Defense (DEF): 9,000 Physical Defense (PHY DEF): 3,000 Magic Defense (MAG DEF): 6,000
Resistances: Dark Magic
Magic Attributes:
Dark Magic: Blood Magic
Traits:
Demon-kin, Vampire-Kin, Psychically Bonded, Holder of Multiple Unique Skills
Skills:
Haematology (Max Level), Anatomy (Lv. 6), Chain Whip Mastery (Lv. 8), Hunting (Lv. 4), Evasion (Lv. 5), Histology (Lv. 5)
Magic Skills:
Blood Manipulation (Lv. 6), Blood and Cell Regeneration (Lv. 4), Blood Marionette (Lv. 7), Blood Search (Lv. 4), Blood Enhancement (Lv. 7), Blood-Induced Abnormalities (Lv. 8)
Special Abilities:
Blood Necromancy (Lv. 3), Bloody Field (Lv. 4)
Titles:
The Bloody Witch, The Queen of Carnage, The Master of Blood
Cilia rose from her seat in the dimly lit tavern, tossing a few coins on the table before stepping outside into the cool night air. Her sapphire eyes scanned the empty streets of the quiet town, and she sighed. A night of drinking had dulled her restless thoughts, but not enough to block the persistent ache in her head whenever she tried to recall her life before the cleansing.
"Why does it hurt so much to remember her?" she muttered, rubbing her temple. The fragmented memories of her queen teased the edges of her mind, always just out of reach. "It's a nuisance… I need to remember her."
Her musings were interrupted by a group of men staggering toward her, the stench of alcohol and cheap cologne announcing their arrival before their slurred voices reached her ears.
"Hey there, gorgeous," one of them called out, his eyes raking over her form. "Why don't you come with us?"
Cilia's lip curled in disgust. "And why should I?" she asked, her tone icy.
"We just want to show you a good time," another chimed in, his grin revealing yellowed teeth.
"Don't you dare touch me with those filthy hands," she warned, her voice venom.
The first man stepped closer, emboldened by liquid courage. "And what if I do?"
"Yeah," another chimed in, laughing. "We just want to feel good. You might like it too if you let us."
Cilia sighed, her patience wearing thin. "Same old scumbags," she muttered under her breath. Their lustful stares made her skin crawl. Why couldn't men like these visit the countless brothels scattered throughout the town? Why did they always find her instead?
"I am not here to offer you that service," she said firmly.
The leader's grin twisted into a sneer. "We're done asking nicely."
He reached out, his hand inches away from her shoulder when—
Boom!
His head exploded in a shower of blood and gore, leaving his companions frozen in shock. Cilia lowered her outstretched finger, her expression calm, almost bored.
"You dare touch me? The only one allowed to lust over my body is my queen," she said her chilling voice breaking the stunned silence.
"Sh-she's the Queen of Carnage!" one of the men stammered, stumbling back.
"Run!" another screamed, turning to flee.
Cilia smirked as her blood magic surged to life, her snow-white hair slowly turning red and her sapphire eyes taking on a ruby glow. Before any of them knew it, a crimson field had already begun to form, slowly enveloping them. The men clawed at the invisible walls, their panic growing with every passing second.
"Leaving so soon?" she taunted. "I thought you wanted to have fun."
"Please… please forgive us!" one of them begged, falling to his knees.
"Forgive you?" Cilia tilted her head, a wicked grin spreading across her face.
"I was only trying to make you feel good, but look at you—you're sweating. I didn't mean to make you hot and bothered. I'm pretty sure you make every girl you meet feel the same. Can't handle the heat, can you?"
"Pl...ple-ase for-give..."
"Oops, looks like he couldn't handle the heat. Guess he's as weak as the girls he preys on."
One by one, their bodies crumpled, lifeless. Cilia stood over them, her chain whip coiled in her hand. "Pathetic worms," she muttered, stepping out of the blood field as it dissipated.
Then, a ripple of energy brushed against her senses, and she froze. A familiar presence, one she hadn't felt in fifteen years, surged through her.
"My queen…" she whispered, her voice trembling with awe. "She's back. After all this time, she's—"
A sharp pain tore through her thigh, cutting her words short.
"This is for my brother!" a voice shouted behind her.
Cilia turned her gaze downward to see a dagger embedded in her leg, blood pooling around the wound. She glanced back at the trembling man who had thrown it.
"You dare interrupt my celebration?" she hissed, yanking the blade free. The wound began closing almost instantly, her cell regeneration kicking in.
The man's eyes widened in terror. "What… what are you?"
"Angry," she replied, her whip snapping out and wrapping around his neck. With a flick of her wrist, he crumpled to the ground.
"You used your friend as a distraction so you could escape," she said, her gaze narrowing at another man attempting to flee. "Where is your sense of loyalty?"
"You monster!" he shouted, desperation in his voice.
"Yes, I know," Cilia replied coolly. Her whip lashed out, coiling around his legs and dragging him back toward her. "Now, tell me—how do you prefer to die? With my whip or my magic?"
Before she could strike, a familiar voice called out.
"I finally found you, Cilia."
Cilia turned slowly, her lips curling into a smirk. "Jocelyn. Or did you go back to Elise? Still the church's loyal attack dog, I see."
The moment her attention shifted, the man saw his opportunity. With all the speed his legs could muster, he bolted, desperate to escape.
" No no, he is getting away... Are you happy now?"
Clad in gleaming armor, Jocelyn stepped forward, her sword drawn and her eyes scanning the aftermath of the battle. Three men lay dead in pools of blood, the violence of the scene unmistakable. "You're as ruthless as ever," Jocelyn said, her voice carrying disgust. "Three men, lying dead in their own blood. This is why you're the church's greatest enemy."
Cilia's laugh echoed in the stillness. "Enemy?" she said. "I only purge evil. I never harm the innocent. In that way, we're alike, don't you think?"
Jocelyn's jaw tightened, her eyes hardening with fury. "You're delusional," she spat, gripping her sword tightly. "You're nothing like me." She raised her free hand, chanting a spell. "Sacred Dome—materialize!"
The air shimmered, and a radiant, golden barrier formed around them, sealing off the street with a crackling sound. It pulsed with divine energy.
Cilia's gaze flicked over the shimmering dome, amusement in her eyes. "Oh, this is new," she said, her voice curious. "So, what's it supposed to do?"
Jocelyn's expression hardening. "It prevents your escape," she declared. "Today, you won't run from this fight."
Cilia's lips twisted into a grin, her chain whip flicking to life with a snap, its crimson tendrils swirling through the air. "We'll see about that," she replied.
The tension between them thickened as Jocelyn's voice rang out once more, her tone sharper now. "Blood Witch Cilia, as the highest-ranking Paladin of the Church, I have deemed you a criminal, and I will be taking you back with me—alive or dead."
Cilia's smile grew even more. "Sorry, Jocelyn—or do you prefer Elise? Either way, my queen is back, and I've got preparations to make for her arrival." She gave a playful shrug. "We'll just have to do this another time."
Jocelyn's fury flared. "Is this a joke to you?" she snapped, her voice tight. "Do you honestly think you'll escape me that easily?"
"Well, yes," Cilia replied with a casual tilt of her head, her whip twirling idly. "Considering I've done it multiple times before, I believe I will."
"Well, this time things will be different," Jocelyn warned, her voice purposeful.
Cilia raised an eyebrow, her smirk still there. "And why do you believe that? You may be slightly resistant to my magic, but that doesn't mean I can't still use it against you. And besides, we used to be good friends—you literally raised me. Can't you... just let this slide?"
Jocelyn's expression twisted in disgust . "Let it slide?" she repeated, her voice rising. "Let it slide?! You're slaughtering anyone who dares to oppose you!"
Cilia's grin remained unbothered. "I've never killed you," she said, her voice cold. "I only purge evil. I may be ruthless, but I never harm the innocent. To some extent, I'm you, Jocelyn."
"You're evil!" Jocelyn snapped, her voice breaking with frustration. "And you are not like me!" Without another word, she clenched her fist and raised her sword high, channeling her divine power into the barrier. "Sacred Dome—maximum power!"
The golden barrier pulsed more vibrantly, sealing them in tighter than ever. Cilia's blood whip snapped again vibrating the air.
"Oh, this is going to be very interesting," she murmured, her grin growing wider.