165 Dine with the General
Rose Hightower thought for a moment. Compared to the brutal and ruthless methods John displayed later, the arrow shot from the Sun-Shattering Bow was indeed just a "warning."
No one expected things to go so smoothly.
Even before the H.A.R.M. agents waiting at the gate could catch up with them, and before the Containment Division agents guarding the cliff could react to welcome him, General Kane was already on his way back to town.
"I feel like you're almost as good as Senior Sister Patani..."
As they walked, Rose's red lips parted slightly, her thoughts drifting as she remained immersed in the battle they had just witnessed.
From his punch that shattered the bronze bell to his crimson Will Embodied Knight Sword to his swift, unpredictable movements—every technique surpassed Cascadia's finest martial arts, and he mastered every one of them to perfection, which was beyond imagination.
Though all are born the same way, the differences between people can be truly staggering.
… …
I pondered for a moment, then shook my head, "Not yet."
Thinking of the terrifying Will Embodied Ice Dragon I had witnessed before, even though the Sixth Cycle of Sanguine Resurrection had captured Moonfeather, I still felt that I had no chance of winning.
To fight against Aisha Patani, I needed to increase my physical strength by at least one more level to withstand her ice swords.
Vampire martial arts remain, at their core, vampire martial arts. Though powerful, they consume far too much lifespan and are clearly not meant for martial artists to learn.
Three thousand years might be enough for a Crystal Realm expert to live multiple lifetimes, but it wasn't nearly sufficient for the Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection to achieve even a minor breakthrough.
Its greatest strength lied in its "upper limit"—it became unbeatable against opponents of equal rank, making victory as effortless as a butcher's work.
The cost-effectiveness was abysmal—a fundamental flaw in the martial art itself rather than any issue of talent or aptitude. Even masters like the Admiral of Cascadia or Aisha Patani would likely exhaust their entire lifespan before mastering it.
Still, I was satisfied with my progress.
After all, I wouldn't have learned human martial arts any faster.
Of course, there was another crucial reason... I wasn't spending my own lifespan.
The simple word "talent" represents a cold and cruel chasm. As one's realm advances, this chasm grows ever wider, until eventually, one loses the courage to even look across to the other side.
Some people spend their entire lives unable to break through the First Realm. Those who reach the Wave Realm are considered powerful figures, while Crystal Realm practitioners are so rare that among Cascadia's tens of millions of inhabitants, they number fewer than a hundred.
The harmonizing martial artists require the support of the capital, relying on faith of the people to follow the Path of Redemption.
Even so, there are only a dozen or so.
Throughout all of Cascadia, only Aisha Patani possessed the ability to advance to the Fourth Realm without tapping into the people's faith.
I remained dispassionate about this fact.
I understood myself perfectly well. I was nothing more than an ordinary person who had obtained the chance to make up for my limited aptitude by drawing upon the lifespan of vampires.
The only thing that could rival talent was time.
As long as I killed enough vampires, there would be no insurmountable obstacle.
Rose noticed that John had fallen into deep thought, as though he were seriously considering Senior Sister Patani as a potential opponent.
She had merely made an offhand remark, a simple comparison...
After a brief hesitation, Rose asked softly, "When you return, you'll be heading to the capital. Would you like to stop by my home first?"
"Of course," I nodded. I could use a quiet place to take stock of everything.
Vernon Wells and Johan Bergstrom followed closely behind, holding the fox vampire's corpse, finally understanding why General Grant had chosen the young man to be the new General of Vancouver.
They were now fully convinced and had no more complaints.
… …
"General Kane!" a familiar voice called out. Ethan Atzmon led a group of agents running toward us, while a large crowd of Pinewood County citizens lingered at a distance.
Recently promoted, Ethan had thought his new rank would bring him one rank below the young man he'd brought back to H.A.R.M. But now, looking at the black armor and crimson cloak, he felt a little deflated.
Colt McCoy recalled his conversation with Ethan Atzmon during their last return to Seattle. Back then, he had criticized the young man for having too scattered a collection of techniques. Now he realized the issue wasn't that the techniques were scattered—it was that the young man hadn't had access to enough of them. True talent could afford to be scattered, as their speed of learning was simply unfathomable to ordinary people.
Anil Patel caught his breath, trying to stand as straight as possible. He had run as fast as he could to catch up with the H.A.R.M. agents. Just as he fumbled for words to address the newly minted H.A.R.M. general, he saw the man in black armor walking towards him.
… …
As soon as I stood in front of Anil Patel, I snapped my arm up and struck my heel against the ground in a crisp, resounding salute. "Lieutenant Patel, sir!" I announced, my armor clinking with the motion.
Anil Patel stood dumbfounded. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to respond. Then, snapping to attention, he returned the salute. The agents followed suit in perfect unison, calling out, "General Kane, sir!"
I stood at attention for several moments. I had always felt deep gratitude toward Lieutenant Patel—he had picked me up when I was just a rascal on the streets and shaped me into a police officer. Yet I had betrayed him, pushing him aside while consorting with vampires, even having an affair with his wife. Now, before the watchful eyes of the agents and the gathered citizens of Pinewood County, I gave him the ultimate gesture of respect.
Anil's eyes filled with tears. He had never imagined this youngster held such deep respect for him. Though he was the highest-ranking official left in the county and a favorite to win the upcoming election, critics had questioned his strained relationship with Kane—the vampire slayer and local hero. With this gesture, all those doubts and criticisms vanished. John Kane had effectively sealed the deal for him.
Standing behind Anil, the last person trailing behind the group was Noa Atzmon. When John rode into town, she immediately noticed the pretty woman riding behind him. She observed the way the woman interacted with John, sensing the intimacy between them. She knew who this womna was, and she had heard Colt McCoy and Dave Gray joking about Rose wearing John's shirt and cooking for him when they found her in John's home.
Even though she had no claim over John, a subtle sadness crept into her heart. When Ethan led the group running after the entourage, she felt internally conflicted. She didn't want to miss the chance to meet John, yet she felt reluctant to face him under these circumstances.
I noticed Noa's crestfallen expression. I was about to say something to comfort her when I heard a call of "General Kane! General Kane!" Mr. Hightower came running from the distance. I turned towards him, and once he caught his breath, he said, "Would you do me the honor of having dinner at my humble home?" He glanced at his daughter. "Rose hasn't been home for quite some time either."
I nodded. "Would it be alright if I brought some guests?" I asked.
"Of course, of course! Everyone is welcome." He gestured towards Anil Patel, Ethan Atzmon, and his team.
The group erupted in excitement. They hadn't had many quality meals since leaving Seattle. Plus, while some had shared meals with Kane before, none had ever dined with a general.
The only person who wasn't excited was Noa. She lowered her head, dreading the thought of visiting Rose's home, when she felt a soft, delicate hand slip into her own.