Blade POV
I drew my katana and increased my speed to an extreme level, dark energy reinforcing my body and allowing me to compete with the vampire before me. I fired silver bullets and knives, which he deflected using magic or dark energy. When he couldn't block them, he relied on his incredible speed to dodge.
Running up a wall, I used it as a springboard to leap directly toward him, my sword poised in a frontal strike. The momentum allowed me to accelerate at a shocking speed, appearing beside him with my blade aimed at his neck. His response was swift—a claw cloaked in dark energy intercepted my strike.
Our eyes met, and while still mid-air, we exchanged a flurry of blows. My sharp blade clashed repeatedly with his claws, brimming with potent piercing power. The force of our combat, coupled with my own manipulation of dark energy, kept me aloft.
"You're not a pureblood vampire, yet you wield the gifts of your vampiric lineage well. Still, a half-blood like you is no match for me," he taunted.
Ignoring his words, I launched a wave of dark energy at him. Unfortunately, he deflected it, redirecting the energy elsewhere. I didn't mind—it was merely a diversion. My real attack was already in motion.
A wooden stake tipped with silver and infused with holy water pierced his chest. This was no ordinary stake; the liquid silver it contained seeped into his veins.
"Argh!!!" he screamed in agony, releasing a burst of powerful energy that sent me crashing to the ground.
His gaze now burned with hatred, and his energy surged to an even greater intensity. Despite kneeling, I met his glare with unwavering resolve. We resumed our battle, but I began to notice a disturbing trend. With every exchange, I seemed to be losing ground. Dracula's power was growing steadily, and he exerted more force with each strike.
Unbeknownst to me, the runes, magic, and vitality sustaining this area were secretly being siphoned into his body. Even the dark energy and vampiric powers sealed beneath this place were being drawn to him, steadily increasing his strength.
When the flow of power reached a critical level, a ghostly black lotus bloomed on the ground, absorbing the energy and halting his ascent to further strength.
Our fight dragged on, and my body began to falter. Though he was heavily wounded and his body in a precarious state, I was far worse off. I endured purely through willpower and my burning need for duty and vengeance.
At that moment, my enemy decided to end me. Shadows ensnared my body, and I struggled with all my might to break free. Yet I was helpless. Just as the shadows began to crack, he poured more energy into them, tightening his grip.
Hovering above me, his cape billowed ominously. One hand was imbued with dark magic and energy that bound me, while the other began compressing a dense layer of energy. My stylish sunglasses vibrated on my face, nearly falling off.
Drawing on every ounce of strength, I pulled my sword in front of me and aimed my silver pistol at him. I fired, the bullet piercing his leg and causing a momentary lapse in his attack. That brief respite allowed me to shatter the shadowy restraints binding me.
However, his assault still descended upon me. Sensing the danger, I raised my sword to deflect or at least mitigate the blow.
In the aftermath, my right arm and left leg seemed to fly through the air, severed from my body...
Or so it seemed.
Suddenly, my immortal ally appeared before me. His right side radiated with brilliant orange and red flames, exuding draconic might and immense divine energy. His left side emanated a mix of gray, black, and violet hues, surrounded by ghostly lotus petals. The flames burned away the dark energy, while the lotus absorbed it.
Turning to me, he said, "Apologies for the delay."
In his piercing blue eyes, I now noticed traces of the same colors from the lotus power. His gaze seemed to see through everything, and I felt a strange pull on my soul. When he looked away, I snapped back to my senses.
Raising his hand, he launched four spears of light, tipped with orange-red flames, at Dracula. The spears moved with incredible speed, obliterating the energy constructs that had hindered my attacks. While Dracula dodged three of them, one struck his stomach, eliciting an agonized scream.
"ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!"
The light and flames consumed his energy, inflicting excruciating pain. Gripping the spear embedded in his body, he began gathering energy to break free. I noticed the "red rivers" of blood magic and ambient energy being drawn into him, fueling his recovery.
The Immortal quickly recognized this and acted to stop him.
....
MC POV
I felt a powerful surge of energy envelop my body. I knew it was temporary, drawn from the absorption of power in the moment, but it was exhilarating. Taking advantage of the boost to my soul, I decided to test my abilities thoroughly.
Using my divine flame, I focused on exploring the new discoveries tied to my black lotus lineage. One ability allowed me to summon lotus petals for protection, which proved highly effective against energy and soul-based attacks. Another was a unique absorption capability. While I didn't fully understand its workings or limitations, it was particularly ravenous for the dark energy and magic emanating from the vampire before me. The last was an enhanced sensitivity to immaterial entities, including souls. Even when not actively triggering this lineage, I could faintly perceive such presences, but when combined with my divine eyes, I could see even more—energy signatures, unique attributes, and even souls.
Thus, I could see the peculiar, unique soul of Dracula himself.
At that moment, my eyes fixated on him as he channeled various energies, drawing from the environment while struggling to remove my light spear—bolstered by my flames—from his body. I intensified the magic and added traces of flame to the spear, observing his efforts to counter it.
Simultaneously, my left hand moved. I formed a small black lotus flower and cast it to the ground. Through its connection, I began siphoning ambient energy, disrupting his energy manipulation. He glared at me, visibly irritated, as I waved at him.
"Hey there, Mr. Dracula! How's it going?" I said mockingly, imitating a meme I'd seen online.
He shattered the lotus attack but seemed hesitant about whether to attack me outright. I didn't care and used the wind to appear at his side. My right hand transformed into a massive dragon claw, and I lunged at him. His physical strength, augmented by dark energy and magic, clashed with my flames. Seizing the moment, I used newly learned gestures with my left hand to summon petals that absorbed his energy. I attempted to envelop him with these petals, aiming to drain more of his power and destroy him.
Our battle raged for a while, and the surrounding environment began to collapse under the strain.
To Blade, observing from the sidelines, the fight might have looked more like a one-sided massacre than a battle. The vigilante's dominance was clear against the weakened Vampire Lord.
In the end, Dracula realized he couldn't win and tried to escape. But I wouldn't let him.
With both hands, I made different gestures. Flames erupted in one part of the room, forming Western-style dragons composed entirely of fire and energy. On the other side, an eerie garden blossomed as ghostly black lotuses and petals materialized. I also noticed a resonance between the black lotus and my lunar cultivation technique. Manipulating such vast energy and powers strained my soul, but I steadied myself with deep breaths and sheer willpower.
Realizing his escape routes were blocked, Dracula unleashed his full power in a final attack. A dense sphere of magical dark energy and blood hurtled toward me, resembling a small moon of blood and shadow.
Facing this, I brought both hands close to my chest and unleashed a massive orange-red fire dragon. The black lotuses absorbed the sphere's energy and retaliated, attempting to pierce and destroy him.
The resulting explosion was so immense that even those outside, who had come to rescue the wounded, were startled and backed away in fear, their faces pale. They called for reinforcements as they witnessed a red dragon and a black lotus seemingly devouring a blood-red light. Ultimately, the moon-like sphere was overwhelmed and shattered by the combined forces of the dragon and the lotus.
I exhaled deeply and descended to the ground. A wave of exhaustion struck my soul, but I calmed myself as best as I could. Closing my eyes, I recalled a soul technique derived from my phantom lineage. It interacted intriguingly with my internal energy technique and resonated with the divine dragon flame technique. By channeling it with part of my focus, I managed to stabilize my soul and recover some energy.
My first priority was finding Blade. I eventually located him beneath a pile of rubble, protected by a magical shield crafted from crow feathers. I conjured a small gust of wind to clear the debris.
"Blade, are you okay?" I asked, watching him emerge. His injuries weren't as severe as I had feared.
"Yes. My constitution has already healed the more fatal wounds. What about Dracula?" he asked hesitantly, his gaze shifting in a particular direction.
Raising my hand, I summoned a radiant black lotus.
"He's not dead, but I've planted a little lotus inside him. As long as he's near me, I'll know his location. As a side effect, this beautiful flower will hinder his recovery."
I had seen him escape as a black mist, likely using one of his special abilities. I hadn't pursued him, knowing I was too drained to continue safely.
Blade fell silent for a moment. I didn't press him, only moving when I felt it was becoming too dangerous to stay.
"We need to leave," I said firmly. Hearing my voice, he sighed and nodded.
I placed my arm around him and used Kai Kai to teleport us out.
We appeared inside an abandoned building, where I leaned against the wall. With a wave of my hand, S-1 (Black Stormtrooper) and D-3 (my third droid) appeared, taking up guard positions. I relaxed and focused on recovering, tossing some food and drinks from my inventory to Blade and taking some for myself.
After 30 minutes of rest, I saw Blade rise.
"Where are you going? Won't you accept my proposal?" I asked. He paused, then looked at the moon outside, his expression unexpectedly badass.
"My duty and desire are to eliminate vampires. And Dracula is still out there... I admire your power, dignity, and organizational purpose, but I can't join something like this—it's not my goal," he said after a brief silence, hesitating as he considered returning the item symbolizing the Guardian Sword. I stopped him.
"Keep it. Consider it a token of alliance. Even if you don't become a member, temporary allies are always welcome. If you need anything, call."
He smiled and pocketed the item. As he walked out of the building, his voice carried back to me.
"The same goes for you. Even if it's not about vampires, if you truly need help, ask. And thanks for today."
I smiled at his words. After resting a little longer, I left the building myself.