The evening sounds of S-City began to echo in the background while Nikolai leaned against a clean wall inside the abandoned building. After the thrill of battle ended, he worried about leaving their remains and then noticed all of their corpses vanished into dust not long after death.
'It seems those I kill with the black claw vanish almost instantly...'
[It's a mystery even to us.]
[We have studied the differences between ourselves and humans for thousands of years and cannot find the reason for our bodies turning to dust after death.]
"Really... Sounds tough, but my mother managed to have a funeral, I think..."
[Because she and your father agreed not to kill humans or drink blood, which delayed that process for 24 hours.]
"I see... Dad must have suffered to see Mother vanish like that. All to save my life, too, and he never once blamed me..." Nikolai covered his face, naturally forming a smile on his face feeling grateful to his dad for being so resilient.
[Well, you are a priceless treasure he created with her. Of course, he doesn't hate you or feel angry.]
Nikolai rubbed the back of his head against the rough stones protruding from the wall because it felt good. The tingles made him relax, still feeling the tremors of his bloodlust and adrenaline, causing him to struggle to settle down.
"Why could I understand their thoughts... see their attributes without doing anything? Is this normal for everyone?"
[No at all! This is your gift or rather the gift of the Báthory clan that seems to have evolved or mutated since you are a hybrid.]
'Hmmm?'
[That blood art in your information (Blood Aura) is an aura that allows you to read anyone that enters your current range.]
[Because it's only F-rank, you can probably see within five metres at best?]
The words took a few moments to register, while Nikolai thought to himself and then realised Eliza was right.
The people distant on the way here showed nothing, but if he looked at someone while passing, their brief thoughts and current attributes would show.
'Like that Milos...'
Nikolai tried to remember what he saw from Milos before killing him and the leader horrifically.
The numbers and details appeared in his mind, teaching him all about his opponent, from his attributes to the drive in his life and talents.
His blood aura was like a sixth sense that would let him know the enemy's details inside his mind and then, like magic.
Those details somehow transferred to his pendant and began to glow with the familiar screen after a flicker of darkness.
—⁂—
[Name: Milos]
[Heritage: Vampire Thrall]
[Clan: Faust]
[Racial Level: 3]
[Bloodline: Fragmented Faust]
[Physical: 35] [Mental: 15]
—⁂—
Unlike the detailed report he would get when focusing on the person. It showed only a simple rundown of their attributes, with only their physical and mental values.
"So, this ability is because of my mother's bloodline? The Báthory clan?" He felt a sense of pride. Somehow, because it was from his mother, Nikolai felt a sense of empowerment and warmth in his chest while stroking the pendant with his index finger.
However, he could see the same details by just closing his eyes or focusing his mind on the name of the person he wanted to use his art on.
[Rather, because your mother was the sole heiress to the bloodline... If the other clan members tried, they would have to create a ritual to perform this result.]
'Hmm? That doesn't make sense, then—why can I do it so easily?'
Nikolai then tried to think back on the information given to him over the past two days. 'Is it because my mother sacrificed herself?'
[Exactly! Because she transferred most of her bloodline to protect you and help you survive. It caused your blood art to evolve and fuse with the strange bloodline from your father's side to create a sort of blood radar that can analyse people close to your strength.]
"What about stronger people?"
[I don't know about those far above you, though...]
[In your mother's case, it was a strong power of divination able to see the future in her sleep and a moment ahead during combat]
He wished to have that second ability that he could know the opponent's move and then react a second sooner.
'I bet it took a toll on her body and mind using that, right? Nothing comes for free.'
[It didn't help your mother was quite frail from birth because of the excessive inbreeding caused by stubbornness, which led to the family collapsing.]
"I see..."
The bleak fate of his mother's clan and family didn't really hit home. Because to Nikolai it was always him and his father, while he respected and loved his mother thanks to their memories together when he was younger.
He couldn't care less about other Báthory clan members.
[Your shirt and jacket are now dry.]
[We should head back home as your new items will be delivered tomorrow afternoon]
***
Nikolai, in his black suit, walked through the slums; with agile movements, he quickly reached an area with more light. The feeling of his back constantly being targeted never vanished during his time spent in the dark alleys, a sense of danger that surpassed the thralls.
The enemy seemed strange, sometimes revealing their strength before hiding. A sensation that something was constantly stalking him, step by step, like a hunting dog.
[....]
Brrrr!
Brrrr!
While aiming to reach the bus station, his phone began to vibrate. At first, he ignored it, knowing that no one would call him...
However, on the seventh time, he finally slipped it from his chest pocket and noticed all the missed calls from Selene!
'Oh... I forgot about her because of all the excitement!'
Since she called so many times, this time he dialled her number, while stepping away from the signalling bus.
Somehow, he had a foreboding feeling that the one-fight-a-month deal might have changed.
****
Meanwhile, back at the ruined apartment, a petite woman with an envious set of hips clad in tight leather clothes and a jacket with a thick woollen hood stood amongst the debris, sucking on a strawberry lollipop, the area where Ryuji fought the vampire thralls earlier in the night.
"Young Miss!" A rugged male with no hair but a fierce scar and eyepatch knelt before the female, handing a small device with several red lights and words on the screen.
[Blood Testing Machine]
[Type - VT]
[Type - VT]
[Type - VT]
There were three slots at the bottom, with small vials placed inside with blood that were left at the scene.
"Three Vampire Thralls... tsk, fucking leeches dare to attack my treasure!" The woman's voice was rough and husky but contained a feminine tone as she kicked the wall beside her, destroying half of the building's support pillar with a loud bang.
"Young Miss! Please refrain!" Another group of bald men with shades all grabbed the petite woman, dragging her away as she stopped the stone walls and started yelling profanity in R-Dialect.
The bald male with a scar watched them dragging the white-haired girl away. Then his fingers touched the ground, tracing four deep marks that seemed as if something gouged the rock and steel pillars below.
"Young miss, it seems the boy you turned is a terrifying genius... already manifesting his werewolf abilities. I have to tell the mistress. She will be happy, but big boss... I hope he can see the positive side to this union."
He then lit a cigarette and looked towards the new moon in the sky.
"That cheeky brat Nikolai is scarier than his dad. I hope this doesn't cause trouble with the Hati clan's planned proposal..."