As Himizuki gazed at the countless bats scattering and flying away, she couldn't help but sigh at the spinelessness of their adversary. She was about to pursue them with her A-rank strength when Alister stopped her with a calm and controlled expression.
"No need. We have already won this game."
Alister retracted his previous thought of it being too troublesome and revealed an air of confidence, deterring Himizuki.
"What do you mean?" Himizuki furrowed her brows, her tone carrying a stern tone of reprimand. "The enemy has escaped, and with every second we delay, there is a possibility that more residents will suffer."
"I know." Alister, under her scrutinizing gaze, calmly walked forward. "That's why I want you to remember what I'm about to say."
The evening breeze gently brushed Himizuki's hair, causing it to sway elegantly. Her bright crimson eyes reflected the figure of Alister, the "Shadow."
Pausing for a moment, she stared deeply into Alister's eyes with her captivating gaze, her tone icy:
"Go on."
Himizuki couldn't fully trust Alister based on their previous team experience. Therefore, his next actions would determine her future attitude towards him.
Seemingly understanding Himizuki's thoughts, a shallow smile formed on Alister's face.
It was a chilling smile that sent shivers down one's spine, colder than the night breeze, as if it could see through all illusions.
"As long as it's a game, I will never lose. Remember that." Alister spoke.
Ignoring Himizuki's skeptical gaze, Alister activated the shadows in his palms, the high consumption of psychic energy creating an oppressive atmosphere that weighed heavily in the air.
"First, anyone who becomes a player, regardless of their personality, must have the basic condition of 'not being a fool' and think about winning."
As he spoke, the shadows in Alister's hands almost solidified into a black hole, possessing immense mass from which nothing could escape.
He turned his head slightly, glancing at Himizuki, the heiress of the Himezaki Group, who didn't want to hear any nonsense, and continued:
"Secondly, whether the opponent can survive tonight depends on whether we are willing to pursue them with our A-rank strength and risk losing the game."
"So what?" Himizuki's figure contrasted with the neon lights in the sky, radiating exceptional beauty.
"So?" Alister chuckled bitterly, realizing that Himizuki hadn't fully grasped the situation yet. "So, the factors of time, location, and other variables in their escape are irrelevant. They don't matter."
After all, once an A-rank player intends to pursue, no matter how they try to escape, they will be found. It would be meaningless resistance.
Himizuki nodded in agreement. She understood that point.
"Then, combining the first point, based on the premise of 'not being a fool'..."
Alister continued to consume psychic energy, compressing the shadows in his hands. The oppressive presence reached its limit, and the air became suffocating.
"The opponent will undoubtedly choose the optimal solution for survival. They will concentrate all their means on the most important aspect, reaching the pinnacle." Alister glanced meaningfully at Himizuki's classical firearm, adding.
Since the opponent cannot survive in the hands of an A-rank player, they will do their utmost to bet on the possibility of us remaining at E-rank strength, betting that we don't want to lose the game.
One of the common senses is that reputation is a crucial thing, especially for high-ranking individuals.
As an A-rank player, being defeated by a D-rank player would be an undeniable shame.
Alister glanced at the system's rules, where the rule of "using no more than E-rank strength" shimmered brightly.
So, we won't be willing to lose the game, and we will chase after them with E-rank strength—the perspective of the bloodline elder.
"And then, we can deduce the final result. The scattered swarm of bats is just a distraction, a method to deceive us." Alister observed the bats fleeing in all directions.
"Is that all?" Himizuki's eyes flashed with a hint of disdain. "Anyone with common sense can see that the swarm of bats is a distraction. The key is how to find the real body among them."
There were thousands of bats in sight, flying in different directions. The probability of finding the real body among them was almost negligible.
"That's not what I meant." Alister sighed.
With his words, even the slowest person would understand. Himizuki paused for a moment, seeming to grasp the situation.
Just as Alister reached the area where the bloodline elder released the swarm of bats, the shadows in his palms, having consumed nearly all of his psychic energy, surged with an overwhelming force. The intangible pressure created by the black hole was akin to a falling star!
"He didn't escape at all. He concentrated all his means on 'hiding his aura' and bet on the possibility that 'E-rank us won't sense it.'"
Simultaneously, the world roared as the bats, akin to a descent into hell, let out mournful screams that pierced the eardrums!
The night wind vanished, the ground crumbled layer by layer, and even the underground hiding place of the vampire bats was annihilated by the remnants of the shadows, ravaging everything like tentacles!
The ground broke open repeatedly, leaving no room for the use of injections. The bloodline elder died under the predictive abilities of the "Shadow," which ignored visibility.
"General."
Alister, having concluded the game, stood with his hands hanging by his sides, unaffected by a speck of dust.
The ethereal sound of the system's notifications continuously rang out, and pale blue interfaces popped up one after another.
"The current game event has ended."
"You..." Himizuki suppressed her shock deep within, adopting a playful smile. "Not bad... You've made me take notice of you."
Himizuki knew that she didn't possess this level of confidence when she was at E-rank.
"Assessing player performance..."
"If it's in the late night, with the reign of shadows, unseen by all, unbeatable..." Alister casually turned his gaze towards Himizuki. "Do you think that phrase is cool?"
"Player performance assessment complete."
"It's hard to say." Himizuki's eyes shimmered with the pale blue radiance of the system, smiling subtly. "It's a bit chuunibyou."
"Player rank has increased."
"Is that so?" Alister sighed in relief.
"Current player rank: E-rank, 520th place."
"Alright..." Alister let out a breath.
"Rewards have been distributed."
He turned around, facing the night sky gently caressed by darkness, and cast a significant gaze towards the heiress of the Himezaki Group.
"Item: Gift Pack - Three-in-One Hidden Attributes"
"A gift pack containing three hidden attributes. Young player, what three hidden attributes do you desire?"
Setting aside the rewards distributed by the system...
"Detection of D-level capacity compatibility—Elementary Vampire."
Setting aside the activation of "Blank"...
In the slumbering world of the night, at the border of the bustling city, Alister's gaze enveloped Himizuki. With an unchallengeable tone, he commanded:
"Miss Himizuki, it's time to play the role of a pet dog for a minute."