114 Chaos
[Year 623: You have trained the half-volume of Resurrected Body to perfection, stepping across the threshold to a new level of physical resilience...]
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 643 years]
I dismissed the panel, a surge of power coursing through my newly enhanced body. I'd already seen the technique at work, witnessed its effects firsthand on the Kongo Shintai Jushoku; I didn't need a vague description to understand its true potential.
Black and white energies pulsed beneath my skin, then faded. I clenched my fist, testing my newfound strength.
It was as I'd suspected. With the combined might of my vampiric talents and the Body of Awakening, my physical strength had already surpassed the limits of Wave Realm. This half-volume of Resurrected Body had bridged the final gap.
All I needed now were Mind Shards, and I could attempt to deduce a complete Crystal Realm body tempering technique.
Those tiger vampires had likely chosen their targets by now. There was no point in remaining at the Delgado residence. I retrieved my ceremonial saber and headed for the door.
Within the foyer, I had become an unexpected pillar of strength. My sudden movement, however, sent a fresh wave of panic through the Delgado family. The memory of the tiger vampire's brutal demise was still fresh in their minds.
"Show yourself, vampire!" the Delgado family warriors roared. "We know you're out there!"
The Delgado family warriors spun towards the door, their shouts echoing through the house. Even Aveline Hightower, despite her Aura Observation technique revealing no trace of vampiric essence, tensed, ready to strike.
Then they saw me, stepping out into the rain while casually hefting the tigervamp's massive corpse, its blood mingling with the rainwater.
"What are you doing?" Aveline blurted out.
"Taking a walk," I replied casually. With a single step, I vanished into the night, my form swallowed by the darkness.
… …
A walk? The Delgado family, young and old, warrior and civilian alike, stared, dumbfounded. The sense of security they'd felt, fragile and fleeting, evaporated with the young man's departure.
"Your brother... is he abandoning us?" Claro stammered, his voice trembling despite his attempts to appear calm.
"He's not my brother." Aveline snapped, her frustration mounting. She pulled a small copper bell from her sleeve. Several of the older warriors gasped, recognizing the bell, their faces paling. Despair filled their eyes.
A Vampire Hunter...
They were a prominent family; of course they'd heard the rumors about the Vampire Hunters. They knew that in the eyes of these Vampire Hunters, the lives of ordinary folk were far less important than hunting vampires.
And she had no connection to the Delgado family. Why would she stay and protect them, simply because their patriarch had asked?
"I'll say this now," she announced, her voice flat. "If we encounter a vampire we can't handle, I won't be sticking around to save you." Aveline sighed and slumped into the seat facing the entrance.
They hadn't even managed to gather the essence of those tiger vampires. They could only guess at their strength. Was it worth risking his life for merit? Besides, finding two vampires hidden within the sprawling downtown of Bellingham ... it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Perhaps it's better if he doesn't find them, she mused. At least he won't die.
Aveline was self-aware enough to recognize her limitations. Kane might not be as powerful as Arnold or Rose, but he was clearly operating on a different level. She wouldn't presume to interfere, or offer advice.
… …
Downtown Bellingham.
Years of peace lay shattered by the arrival of a few vampires, their presence a terrifying reminder of the fragility of human existence in this apocalyptic world.
I stood perched on a rooftop, my gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding below. The county police station was brightly lit, but the police officers patrolling the streets were pale and terrified, their daggers and useless pistols clutched tightly in their shaking hands.
The silver bell in my pocket vibrated incessantly as dozens of Vampire Hunters frantically exchanged messages, desperately trying to track the vampires, to capture a trace of their essence.
H.A.R.M. agents had been mobilized, but their efforts were futile. Screams echoed through the streets, each one a chilling testament to the demise of another skilled martial artist, devoured by the vampiric invaders. Bellingham had become a hunting ground, a playground for these monstrous predators.
Remaining composed, I began crafting my strategy. With eyes closed, I blocked out the frantic messages flooding the silver bell and concentrated on what truly mattered.
I finally understood H.A.R.M.'s tight control over Crystallizing methods. Once a vampire reached that level, ordinary towns, even a small city like Bellingham, were helpless against it.
These vampires... they were beyond the capabilities of the Vampire Hunters, even those with more experience than me. If things proceeded as they had before, the vampires would have their fill, then simply vanish, leaving behind a trail of blood and despair.
Choosing the next king, are they? My lips curled into a predatory smile. I unleashed my full aura, the power of the Perfect Wave Realm surging outwards. In that instant, I became the most tempting target in all of Bellingham, a beacon of potent life force, a walking elixir.
Without hesitation, I opened the fiery gates of the Melting Sun Furnace within me, allowing a hint of vampiric essence, stronger than any aura of Wave Realm, to seep out.
Hefting the tiger vampire's corpse, I turned and moving out of town. Two opposing auras, human and vampiric, intertwined, a spectacle that would surely draw attention.
I was both the hunted and the hunter, the bait and the trap. I activated the Turtle Aura-Surpressing Technique, subtly diminishing my Wave Realm aura, mimicking the exhaustion of a desperate escape.
If they're competing, I mused, and the number of cultivators within the city is limited, they won't want their siblings to claim the most valuable prize.
I moved in a seemingly random pattern, weaving through the streets, then out the gates. I paused, allowing my pursuers to catch up, before finally venturing into the hills beyond the city walls.
I found a suitable tree and hung the tiger vampire's carcass from a sturdy branch.
Having mastered the Turtle Breathing Technique to perfection, I unleashed its full power. Though I remained motionless, my presence vanished without a trace.
I leaped onto the branch of a towering tree, my gaze sweeping across the landscape below. Lightning flashed, illuminating my calm features, my eyes devoid of any excitement. I held my blade loosely, like a fisherman patiently waiting for a bite.
The wind howled, the rain lashed down. Then, silence. From behind the tree where the tiger vampire's carcass hung, a massive clawed paw emerged. A hulking figure stepped out of the shadows, its back arched, its muscles rippling like forged steel. Even hunched over, it stood a full five feet tall. Its eyes, glowing with an eerie light, fixed on the corpse.
"Good, good..." it snarled, its lips twisting into a cruel smile. "Foolish creature—ignorant of the rules and deserving of your death."
Such a potent elixir... did this scavenger really think it could claim such a prize? A massive arm draped across its shoulders.
"If it's so good," a gravelly voice rumbled, "why don't you join him?"
The two tiger vampires, their heads the size of bushels, locked eyes.
"Hmph!"
Simultaneously, they snarled, revealing their bloodstained fangs. Their auras, though still unstable, flared, the raw power of the Crystal Realm clashing. The larger tiger vampire grinned, its eyes gleaming with malice.
"So," it taunted, "you're hiding in the trees with your wounded body trembling, hoping we'll kill each other so you can scamper away like the coward you are?"
It released its brother and turned towards the trees, its gaze filled with mockery.
"Come out," it growled. "I can smell you."
But before it could finish, a voice, laced with confidence, echoed from behind them.
"Really?"
The question was punctuated by a sharp, searing pain. A black blade, seemingly appearing from nowhere, was buried deep in the larger tiger's back. Its powerful muscles clamped down, attempting to trap the weapon, but couldn't prevent the steady drain of its lifeblood.
"Roar!"
Pain lanced through it, and it roared in fury, whirling around. A figure in black emerged from the shadows.
I released my grip on the blade, my palm glowing with an eerie black light as I struck.