While Romonus, Itsuki, and Silvana moved toward their goal, Kharn, and Grimaldus moved together. Kharn was using his enhanced senses to search for opponents while Grimaldus did something similar. As a Living Automaton, he had the normal senses and technological ones.
Thermal, x-ray, spatial disturbance sensing, and thanks to Ajuka his reaction speed was all based on different mathematical algorithms. He was a unique creature that blanded the living and the inanimate machine.
The issue was that his mind and soul only were a few hours old. As such, he followed Kharn around as he had been alive longer and was currently than him. He followed right behind despite being double the size of the Badger as if he was a young cub.
Kharn did not mind and allowed Grimaldus to follow him as he could teach him a thing or two. They both now were the familiars of Romonus and that came with a certain amount of weight.
While they were running through the Castle Halls they ran into a force of 100 Vampires in full armor. Kharn instantly rushed forward and stood in between the army. He started chittering and snarling as he released his conditioned controls over his berserk rage.
Grimaldus not doubting him for a second stood next to him and did as his senior showed. The Vampires though seemed unimpressed and one of them swung his sword launching a blade of blood at Kharn.
The attack hit the small Badger directly on the head and sent him flying into a wall. Grimaldus turned around to look at Kharn, but his calculative mind seemed to think he was fine. Before Grimaldus even moved to retaliate, Kharn got back up with a massive wound exposing bone from his nose to his neck.
Blood leaked from the wound, but the Badger was not focused on his wound. He was looking at the ground at his Victorian Hat because it had been cut in half. When he looked at the two halves he went berserk. A violent red and purple aura burst from his body as his claws and fangs began to glow a magenta hugh.
His wound closed and his fur stood up as he started to grow larger already double the size he had been before. His muscles bulged as his Demonic Energy and wrath flowed through him.
The hat he had grown to like had been damaged. It belonged to him and these vampires took it from him. Mouth frothing mad he launched himself back at the Vampires with a roar that echoed through the Castle.
The leading Vampire raised his shield and roared his orders almost freaking out. He had no idea what creature Kharn was, but to him, it must have been an undiscovered species of the Underworld.
"KILL THE RAT!"
His Vampires ran at Kharn who swipped out with his crimson claws. They were specifically made to channel his wrath and hate through them. When he swiped with bulging arms, massive magenta blades struck the shields of the shield bearers.
These were tower shields that held strikes from other Vampires, but they felt the bones in their arms fracture from the power. The Vampires never expected a small animal like Kharn to pack such a heavy blow.
Their shields which had been forged from blood metal dented and cracked from the first wave. Each Shield Bearing Vampire surged blood into their shields to heal the damage, but Kharn was already past the point of no return.
In his mind, the only thing that existed was blood and rage. With a snarl, he leaped straight over the shield bearers and into the thick of the Vampires. Once he was here he released his emotions causing his eyes to look like orbs of blood.
He pounced forward and bit down on the helmet of a Vampire who screamed and stabbed him with his claws. It did not save him as his claws which could cleave through metal were stopped by the fur and thick armor-like skin. The insane Badger ripped his head off while the other Vampires began to slash, stab, and kick Kharn cutting open his flesh.
Grimaldus who was watching snapped out of it and went to Kharn's aid. He opened his mouth and in moments a magic circle appeared in the back of his throat. He blasted a twin stream of dark crimson flames which spiraled into a tornado of fire.
The Vampires did not see it coming and those hit were rendered down to slag. Not leaving his senior behind he surged Demonic Energy into his back which shifted into a twin-linked lazer cannon of sorts.
Essentially, Latia had explained the concept of Adrathic Weapons to her Uncle and the Satan had done his best to imitate them. These imitations did effectively the same thing and undid the molecular bonds of the atoms of what they fired.
These were just one set of the terrible weapons Grimaldus could warp his body into. He started to run around and fired twin linked beams of unstable energy destroying vampires into atoms.
Kharn bellowed and slashed over and over launching more and more blades of rage to fly. The Vampires did not stop attacking and one charged at full speed and stabbed Kharn with a spear through the left eye.
He put all his strength behind it and even stabbed his brain which would be a lethal blow to any creature other than Kharn. Almost grinning, Kharn pulled his head back and swung the spear still stuck in his eye to smash the vampire's head off. The Berserk Badger ripped the spear out of his eye and under the fearful gaze of the Vampires all the wounds they inflicted burst open.
A bloody mist which for a vampire would be an advantage, but Kharn's blood was not normal. Under his frenzy, it had boiled into liquid fire. He was losing blood by the second, but deep in his chest his heart continued to beat away.
If Dragons had a Dragon Heart and Romonus had a Demon Heart, he had a Rage Heart which his rage into energy, which was used to keep him alive. As a Honey Badger rage was never lacking. Discharges of boiling rage blood spilled from his wounds and mouth melting Vampires.
Grimaldus unsatisfied with being at a distance undid his cannons. His front arms seemed to turn into metal and a Matter Disruption Field shimmered over them. He lept into the fray and helped Kharn wipe out the rest of the vampires. Once all were dead Grimaldus did not collect the souls for Romonus.
That would make the master happy.
---
Outside in the town, Miria, Shirone, and Akeno were currently faced with an entire army of Undead Zombies, Thralls, and charmed human slaves. Some came from the town, but the rest came from the castle itself.
It was a massive army of slave soldiers led by a few Nobles in fancier armor than their guards. The pale-faced Vampires seemed to be content to watch as the three were going to be supposedly overwhelmed.
Only they were not as Akeno flew into the sky with her 4 sets of Naphelem wings. Thanks to her natural talent, Romonus' use of Elixers, and his unique Evil Pieces she was continuously growing stronger.
When she saw the crawling army she felt bad. She did not smile and merely wished for these poor souls to pass on at last. She raised her hands into the air and formed two multilayered giant magic circles. One of Holy Lightning and the other Demonic Lightning which she had imitated from Miria.
It was not the Bloodline ability of Demonic Lightning so it was nowhere near as strong, but it was part of the recipe.
"Rest in Peace."
When she pressed her hands together from the sky a twin streamed rail gun of Holy and Demonic Energy cleaved a path through the thralls and Zombies. The Rail Gun moved through the army slaughtering a path through them several times as she made it move like a living creature.
The Vampire Nobles leading them froze in absolute horror at the sight. Miria could not stop smiling at the display as she loved a good violent siege spell.
"Good work. Now let me show you how we did things in my day."
She gripped her trusty Odachi her Father had gifted her when she was 8 years old. She had always been strong, strong enough to rip the arm off a High-Class Devil at 10 years old. Strong enough to fight through scores of enemies with just her strength alone.
Now with one of Romonus' Rook Pieces, she was even tougher than before. She charged forward on foot as the sky began to rumble and rage with Demonic Purple Clouds. Akeno watched with awe as the opposite of her Holy Lightning showed its might.
When Miria lept into the air a massive strike of purple lightning struck and empowered her strength. She essentially turned into a massive orb of Demonic Lightning and she used that power to cut through the remaining army of Thralls.
One of the Nobles freaked and turned to his guards.
"STOP HER!"
Without hesitation, the Vampires ran forward to intercept Miria, but she treated them as if they were not even there. She took a deep breath before she swung her sword with both hands. A massive blade of Demonic Lightning cleaved through them with ease.
Each Vampire exploded in purple lightning bursts as she looked at the leading Noble. He began to back up before she punched his head clean off with a uppercut. For the remaining Nobles she sliced off their heads before they even realized they were dead.
At his death, the army of Undead and Thralls crumbled as their turner died. She placed her sword on her shoulder before turning around to gaze at the younger girls who joined her. She grinned as they seemed impressed.
"How was that?"
Shirone gave her a double thumbs up.
"Strong."
Akeno had to say something similar.
"You are beyond mighty Miria. Your Demonic Lightning makes mine look weak."
Miria unlike most women loved to be called strong. Her father always praised that aspect of her before his death.
"Don't worry about it Akeno, your Holy Lightning can match it. You are the Naphalem, not me. Let's get moving to House Vladi to get the Dhampir."
The three of them began to move to the mansion of House Vladi for Gasper.
---
Romonus, Silvana, and Itsuki continued to move through the castle facing resistance from time to time. Already he had collected over 867 Vampire Souls, all screaming and simmering in Ruin Maker.
By now, they had reached the servant quarters where Valerie lived. Her Sacred Gear had yet to be fully understood by the Vampires. Rizeveim was still not in the know about her and the prideful Vampires were yet to use her to enhance their soldiers.
Romonus pushed the door open to her room and saw Valerie not hiding as he expected. She was sitting peacefully on her bed with a calm look on her face. She was around 16 years old so a few years older than him.
Though he honestly thought she looked younger because of how thin she was.
"Valerie Tepes. This may seem weird, but I am here to save your life."
She nodded as she looked directly at him. No, through him.
"I know. Nice to meet you in the flesh Romonus Gremory. Ah, Archaon too. What a unique creature."
Archaon did not expect to be noticed.
"You know I live?"
Archaon retracted his helmet to expose Romonus' face which was also.
"Did the Graal tell you that?"
She nodded.
"Your souls did. It is one of the most beautiful souls I have seen. Purple, the perfect fusion of a Human Soul and a Devil. Though can you still be called a Devil? As for Archaon, your soul looks like elemental chaos, but it is stabilizing."
Romonus shook his head.
"No. I am a Demon after all. While I would like to ask more questions we don't have the time. I will ask that you get ready to leave immediately."
She understood the time crunch.
"Right."
Valerie stood up from the bed and walked over to him. He held his hand out which she took.
"Let's go. You do not want what will happen to you if you stay here. Though, while I am here how much can you see from my soul?"
Valerie looked at his soul a little but shook her head.
"Not much, just the surface thoughts. Your soul is hard to miss with its power. The same with you girls, but more in your case Ddraig."
[I am a Heavenly Dragon after all.]
Romonus dispelled Ruin Maker and picked up Valerie in his arms.
"I see."
She smiled as she held on to him.
"My heroes."
Archaon accepted the praise even though he did not like the title of hero.
"A heroic act is ok in moderation."
Silvana turned to gaze at Valerie who seemed to be observing her.
"Are you looking at my soul?"
"I am. Your soul is unique as well. The Soul of a Devil and a Dullahan went to make it and you were blessed by a god. It looks like a reddish-black orb ever burning. You should be happy."
Itsuki pointed at herself.
"And mine?"
Valerie opened her mouth but paused.
"It is normal with more power because of you turning into a Devil and the Boosted Gear."
She sighed as it meant her soul was just borring. Archaon covered' Romonus' head again as it was time to go.
"We will regroup with Akeno, Shirone, and Miria. If they have Gasper, we will move to the final goal."
Before he left Romonus called back Kharn and Grimaldus who were having a rampage against the Vampires. Both were wounded, but because of their unique abilities, they regenerated faster than their wounds piled on.
When both appeared in his familiar pact they were annoyed that their prey was gone. However, they knew that it was time to go so they took the chance to heal. With them back, Romonus teleported them out of the castle appearing next to Miria, Akeno, and Shirone who were running out of the Vladi Mansion.
Shirone was running with a small cardboard box that Romonus could tell contained Gasper. Valerie smiled at the sight of the soul inside.
"Gasper. I am glad you're alright."
Hearing her voice he called out to her.
"VALERIE!"
She smiled as she looked in the hole cut into the box.
"That is me. We are saved."
Romounus did not want to delay any longer and opened a teleport circle to get out. They did not leave Romania though before they appeared in the territory of the Carmilla Faction.
When they arrived Romonus placed a hand on his bat medallion.
'Vespera, who is your grandmother?'
'Elena Carmila. She is a descendent of the Female Vampire Ancestor.'
Romonus set Valerie down as this did not need to be as rough as with the Tepes.
"I will do this alone."
Miria frowned at what he said.
"Seriously, after all this? Don't keep it all to yourself."
Romonus knew she liked to fight so he tried to explain it.
"Trust me, I am going in and out. I only need 1 Vampire, no need to attack at full power."
Silvana rested her scythe on her shoulder.
"I was having fun with this, but if you feel you can get it done faster on your own, then go on. We will wait here."
Akeno felt that was for the best.
"True, if you want to sneak in you going alone might be the best choice."
Archaon corrected her.
"Not alone, he has me."
With that out of the way, Romonus and Archaon turned invisible before they both began to move toward the Carmilla Faction Castle. He had Vespera who was the granddaughter of this Vampire to act as a beacon. He also already had her location and he moved quickly and efficiently.
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