127 Vampire is Mine, He's Yours
"Damn it, he jinxed it!"
The colonels and agents had already lost most of their respect for Kourosh Zarrinkamar.
Now, as the Toad Lord appeared before them, they finally couldn't help but curse.
Though Kourosh would surely be dead, but they were just following orders. Perhaps they still had a chance to redeem themselves.
But now, it seemed none of them would make it out alive!
Rose Hightower's expression shifted, but in an instant, her eyes were filled with uncertainty and disbelief.
The vampire wasn't behaving like a creature seeking revenge. No—the more she observed it, the more it appeared to be fleeing for its life!
But in all Cascadia, where could be safer for it than Black Stone Spring?
And if it was fleeing, who could be powerful enough to chase it?
Her gaze snapped to the toad vampire's head, where the exposed hilt of the blade looked so familiar she could hardly believe her eyes.
As if confirming her thoughts, a surge of water appeared as the black-clad figure soared skyward, delivering a powerful punch to the blade's hilt!
Under that tremendous force, the long blade pierced straight through the toad vampire's massive head, shooting out from the other side.
The Toad Lord's remaining eye glazed over.
With a flying kick, the figure sent it crashing to the ground. Its massive body slammed into the black rock of the hillside, sending terrifying fissures spreading in all directions with a thunderous rumble.
Rose's heart leaped with a surge of relief so potent it was almost painful. Her breath caught as tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the image of the young man who was handling the toad vampire lord with ease. A smile, as radiant as the morning sun, lit up her face.
… …
I turned briefly to Rose with a triumphant smile. "Give me a second."
Before my words could fade, I lunged at the Toad Lord again, my fists hammering down like a relentless storm.
The Toad Lord sprawled on its side on the slope, its bloated body trembling violently from the assault. With its head lolling to one side, too weak even to squirm, it still feebly extended its forked foreleg, trying to crawl up the slope to escape. It looked utterly pathetic.
With a powerful slap, I flipped the toad vampire onto its back. My five fingers plunged into its abdomen with a squelch. Vampiric energy erupted as its enormous belly exploded with a thunderous bang.
Dust and shredded flesh filled the air.
In a flash, I reappeared with the vampire core secured in the silver bell, along with a wisp of the Toad Lord's heart blood.
[Slain a Crystal Realm toad vampire, total lifespan of 4,900 years, remaining lifespan of 872 years, fully absorbed.]
...
After the relief and euphoria ceded, Rose was filled with bewilderment. She turned abruptly to stare at the distant figure in black. Not only had he not drowned in the chilling lake, but his clothes remained perfectly dry.
Part of her yearned to run to him, to embrace him, to let tears fall on his shoulder and tell him how she had worried.
Yet, the other part of her stopped her right in her tracks, as if she was facing a stranger, someone she hardly knew.
As the triumphant warrior walked back towards the camp, Rose steadied her emotions and moved to meet him, unconsciously picking up his black sword along the way.
The colonels and numerous agents instinctively stepped back, revealing Kourosh in their midst.
Frustration twisted Kourosh's features as a series of clicks and gurgles escaped his throat. His mouth, a bloody cavern filled with black mud, gaped open like an aged lion's in a desperate attempt to roar.
Unable to accept what his eyes were witnessing, he slammed his head repeatedly against the ground, as if trying to shatter the illusion.
How could anyone come out of Black Stone Spring alive? How could anyone kill the Toad Lord so easily?
If this scene before him was real, then what had been the point of all his years guarding this place?
Rose finally steadied her emotions and ran towards John. His embrace felt warm and safe. She looked up at his handsome face—not a single drop of water dripped from his hair. Though she had been observing him closely these past few days, at this moment, he felt like a stranger.
This unfamiliarity made her step back. Though countless questions burned in her mind, they all distilled into a single, quiet "Are you alright?"
… …
I nodded, took the sword from Rose, sheathed it, and glanced at her wrist. "Is that injury going to be difficult to treat?"
I had only meant to ask Rose to help keep watch, but I hadn't expected her to fight with such disregard for her own safety.
"It's fine." Rose concealed her mangled wrist, with its exposed bone, behind her back. "In Surrey, General Laurent has plenty of physicians and no shortage of precious medicines."
"I'll go to Surrey with you. The vampire is mine—he's yours." I pointed at Kourosh.
There were no more vampires to watch here, so these H.A.R.M. personnel naturally had no reason to stay either. They could all be escorted back to Surrey together. A Crystal Realm vampire and a Crystal Realm personal attendant lieutenant general, in terms of merit, should be about the same.
In those few casual words, Kourosh realized he had been reduced to mere "merit"—just like the vampire—casually allocated by this young man.
Rose's lips curved into a slight but strained smile. "That's great," she said softly. "I'm sure General Laurent would be very happy to see you."
Then she hesitated for a long moment before finally asking, "How did you manage to defeat the Toad Lord in the lake?"
I paused for a moment and said, "My body tempering technique gives me special advantages when fighting underwater."
That was the truth, yet I wasn't ready to tell her everything about the panel, Mind Shards, External Crystal, and Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection.
… …
Rose's mouth twitched slightly, but she let the matter drop. Physical intimacy didn't entitle her to his secrets. After all, they hadn't known each other for long—the question itself had been rather presumptuous. Every Vampire Hunter had their own trump cards, and carelessly revealing them could cost one's life.
If it hadn't been so shocking, she wouldn't have asked.
At least he was willing to give a perfunctory answer, which meant that he valued their relationship.
"Rest for the night. We depart tomorrow," I commanded. Rose and I walked back along the path we had come.
The colonels and agents followed obediently, dragging Kourosh with them. The old lieutenant general slumped in defeat, not even daring to cast a venomous glance at my back.
Rose walked in silence, not even offering a usual cautious reminder about the dangers of delay, and perils of the night.
The prerequisite for a cornered dog to jump over a wall is that it must at least be a dog.
Neither Kourosh, the H.A.R.M. officers, nor even perhaps herself could pose any threat in John's presence.
Everyone returned to the wooden houses.
Despite knowing they would be escorted to Surrey the next day, the three colonels still respectfully prepared tea for me before quietly withdrawing.
… …
Once alone in the room, I pulled out the Toad Lord's crystal core, a wave of emotions washing over me.
The toad's crystal core was actually larger than the Leviasaur's crystal core from Crown Mountain. It could restore at least seventy-five percent of the Vampire Devouring External Crystal.
This single core contained as much cosmic essence as the three tiger vampire I killed in Bellingham combined.
I summoned the panel.
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 2,465 years.]
[Crystal Realm - Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection (angelic grade): Apprentice.]
Based on my calculations, reaching the third transformation would advance me to journeyman stage. Then I would truly be able to overpower some crystallizing vampires on my own, without needing the Vampire Devouring External Crystal or Rose's help.
I swallowed the toad crystal core and channeled my lifespan into the martial art.
[Year One: As you prepare for the third transformation, you first skillfully harness the death essence to suppress and destroy the young Mountain Lord's remaining consciousness within your body.]
Just as I had previously erased the Leviasaur's consciousness, I needed to completely eliminate the tiger vampire's to make its innate abilities and power truly my own.
Binding a vampire to oneself is essentially like nurturing a vampire within one's own body.
It was like raising a powerful vampire within—one without physical form, existing purely through cultivation, yet still maintaining its own consciousness.
If left unchecked, this consciousness could become a serious threat to its host.