#128
Sacred Blood (3)
The moment he ascended to Sacred Blood, Heinz II’s senses expanded without end.
His transcendent perception, which had reached synesthesia, surpassed its limits, and not only space but even time seemed to draw close enough to grasp—.
His mind, elevated to the utmost by the rise in rank... became able to sense a portion of the flow of causality that filled the world.
‘I see... So this is how the Sacred Bloods have been fighting all this time.’
Heinz understood instinctively.
If he poured just a little more intent into it, he could touch a strand of that flow.
‘It consumes a great deal of mental strength, and it’s limited to the area around Heinz that his power can reach, but... with this, beings of a lower rank wouldn’t even dare approach.’
Before the opponent could employ any means, the result of “evasion” had already come about, and the instant he decided to attack, “hit” was determined.
How on earth was one supposed to deal with an opponent like this?
‘If not for Briki, even Harley and Heinz together would have had a hard time in a war of attrition...’
The only reason the two of them had been able to continue an ordinary clash against Visk Yufersh was because of her interference.
If she had not been there, Hans, a being of higher rank than Visk, would ultimately have had no choice but to step forward.
In many ways, one could say they had been lucky.
And that luck was still continuing.
《The individual has fulfilled the conditions and grows. The skills 「Concealment」 and 「Invisibility」 merge and evolve into the special skill 「Existence Denial」.》
As his rank rose to Sacred Blood, the two abilities he had seized through 「Hybrid Evolution」 by devouring vampires from another dimension merged and evolved.
Into a skill whose very name was anything but ordinary.
‘...This was influenced by the ability of Sacred Blood too. A stealth-type skill that twists causality to deny the very fact that I’m being perceived. I can take it as having become superior in every aspect compared to before.’
It would have been nice if his other skills had evolved as well, but wishing for that much would be greed.
Heinz gathered the power boiling up within his body and opened his individual information window.
-Individual Name: Heinz II
-Race: Vampire (Sacred Blood)
-Common Traits: 「Mind Hub」, 「Persona」, 「Serene Mind」
-Individual Traits: 「Blood Clan (Sacred Blood聖血)」, 「Hybrid Evolution」, 「Mystery of Blood」, 「Refined Blood Crystal」, 「Existence Denial」, 「Acceleration」, 「Super Regeneration」, 「Insight」
-Special Notes: Used 「Hybrid Evolution」 to forcibly inherit Sacred Blood and achieve evolution. Can exert a slight degree of control over the “Yufersh” bloodline. All abilities have grown explosively, and he has become able to manipulate a portion of the strands of causality.
‘Oh, I didn’t expect this.’
Control over vampires who had inherited Yufersh’s blood.
It seemed that when he devoured the Sacred Blood, the influence over them had come along with it as well.
Since it was not a normal succession, the authority must have been greatly reduced, as the modifier “slight” had been attached, but...
‘I was planning to use 「Refined Blood Crystal」 anyway, so it doesn’t matter. Still, this will make things easier.’
It went without saying that someone who could be controlled, even slightly, was easier to handle than someone actively resisting and baring their fangs.
Unlike Brokoslak, Yufersh happened to be spread across the entire continent, and he had been pondering how best to absorb them.
“Phew.”
Just as Heinz turned his gaze with a smile of satisfaction inwardly.
His eyes met Briki’s, who had been watching him with interest the entire time through half-closed eyes.
“Hehe— As expected, you’re amazing. It’s my first time seeing a new Sacred Blood be born firsthand. And through devouring one of your own kind, at that.”
Even the moment he sank his teeth into the nape of Visk Yufersh’s neck, and even when he finally ascended to Sacred Blood through devouring his own kind, she had merely watched in silence.
She must have known that if Heinz became Sacred Blood, she, in her abnormal state, would no longer be able to oppose him.
‘Of course, Harley was on guard just in case, but even though she could have interfered if she had wanted to, she just watched.’
At this point, it could be considered certain that she had no hostile intent.
In any case, now that he had become Sacred Blood, she could no longer do anything to Heinz.
“That is my ability. But Briki, I acknowledge that your help was considerable. I will be sure to repay this debt.”
“Mmm— I was involved in this situation anyway, so just spare me a little time and that will be enough? There are quite a few things I want to talk about.”
As if the sharpness she had displayed in battle had gone somewhere, she replied leisurely with a limp, soggy demeanor like pickled cabbage.
Since he needed to know what her intentions were anyway, it was necessary to arrange a place and have a serious conversation.
However, for now...
“Wahaha! Well now, that was quite a rare sight. But since the revenge is over, I think I’ll be heading back! I came after abandoning what I was doing, you see!”
Harley, who had only been watching quietly, naturally stepped forward and offered them his farewell.
Harley and Heinz’s joint operation had also concluded successfully, so it was time to disband the party.
“Yes, Harley. Thanks to you, you were a great help. I will not forget this favor.”
“Ah, it was nothing! They were the ones who messed with my friend first. Besides, aren’t we in the same boat as our Hubert Company? Wahaha!”
“Then I’ll be counting on you from now on as well. We will pay a little more attention to the Hubert Company on our side too.”
“I’d be grateful if you did! Then I’ll be off!”
Immediately after that conversation, meant to be shown to those around them, ended, Harley strode proudly through the door and disappeared outside the building.
With the battle over, Mulo’s barrier had been lifted, and since Heinz, now the lord and a Sacred Blood, had given permission, there was no one to stop him.
“Hmm, are you sure it’s all right to just let him go like this? From his very first appearance, there were many suspicious things about that child...”
Briki, whose eyes now seemed almost closed, muttered in a sleepy voice.
“It’s fine. I already have something in mind.”
Heinz lightly dismissed her concern.
Then, after sending her, who had now begun dozing off while standing, back to her lodging first, he moved on to handle the aftermath of the battle.
‘I’ll be so busy I won’t have a moment to breathe for a while.’
From grasping the clan’s situation immediately after the battle, to managing the remnants of Yufersh, and then the response afterward.
There was still a mountain of work left to do.
***
A long two-handed sword held in one hand, and thick black armor enveloping his entire body.
That being had the shape of a human, but among those present, not a single person regarded him as human.
Setting aside the red gleam shining from his eyes and the black magic blazing as if aflame, the dense aura of death that oppressed them merely by being looked upon was something no human could ever possess.
And above all, they knew that being very well.
After all, to those who walked the path of the demonic, he was a figure akin to legend.
“...Death Knight Lord, Karam.”
“He’s the corps commander who leads the Immortal Army... How did a monster like that get here...!”
With the sudden activation of a barrier, they had been cut off from the outside, and an attack had immediately followed.
The defensive facilities densely laid out from the entrance onward were all destroyed, and the chimeras and magically modified dark knights stationed as guards could not hold back his steps even for a moment.
In such a situation, he had ultimately reached the heart of the hideout in an instant, so the black magicians of the Oath of Reversal’s Tulk Kingdom branch had no choice but to be tense.
“...Recently, the number of branches that suddenly lost contact has been increasing, so I thought the Order’s offensive had begun. To think it was the work of the Immortal Army.”
Oldman, the branch head in charge of this place and one of the elders of the Oath of Reversal, muttered in a low voice and frowned.
The fact that the Immortal Army had moved directly meant that the resurrected Immortal King was watching them—.
And that meant they had no choice but to discard their plan to reap only benefits from between the continent and the Immortal King.
‘...Let’s think about that later. Right now, the top priority is to convey this news. Judging from how it hasn’t been known until now, it seems they prepared quite thoroughly, but...’
Having organized his thoughts, he confidently looked around.
Dark knights lined up at the front in formation, and black magicians already preparing spells.
Their numbers alone reached several hundred.
This place was the central headquarters overseeing all branches in the Tulk Kingdom, and it was on a completely different level from the other places that had lost contact until now.
Though the entrance had been broken through by the sudden surprise attack, those stationed there had only been arrow fodder placed to buy time in the first place.
The real force was the central main unit, which had completed thorough preparations during that time.
‘No matter how formidable Karam is, there are limits if he’s alone. Even if he summons lower undead, there should be a limit to that as well.’
Moreover, this place was their base, and naturally, it was a location where layers upon layers of magic helpful for defending the stronghold had been installed.
Strengthening allies, weakening enemies, and all sorts of other minor black magic besides.
[Oho— this is beyond what I expected.]
Karam, facing them, murmured quietly.
Under the influence of magic acting on their minds, their fear was removed, and as their concentration rose to its limit, their momentum sharpened like blades.
At the sight of this elite unit that did not fear even death, a satisfied smile spread across Oldman’s face.
“I don’t know why the Immortal King is targeting us, but to think you charged all the way here alone. It seems you looked down on us quite a bit, Karam! You will pay the price for that arrogance!”
After shouting proudly in a voice filled with certainty, he slowly raised his black magic and prepared destructive magic.
No matter how thorough their preparations were, their opponent was a monster who appeared even in history books, so to reduce damage to their allies, they needed to use their full strength.
But before he could even weave his magic...
[You see, Karam...? This maiden did not request your support for nothing...]
[Hmm, indeed. To fulfill the command given by the King, it seems this cannot be helped.]
Behind Karam, another being revealed herself.
A woman dressed in a black veil and dress that were clearly discernible despite her hazy form.
Merely hearing her voice made their minds grow faint and shook their will to live, and her identity was...
“Banshee Queen, Olivia...!”
Oldman’s expression twisted.
One Karam might have been one thing, but to think another executive of the Immortal Army had been added to that?
Moreover, it seemed she had not come alone, as ghost-type undead began to reveal themselves one by one.
Unfortunately for them, however, the executives who had come here did not end there.
Ssssss—
In an instant, the surrounding floor turned black and began to emit an eerie aura.
And from within that darkness, which had begun to bubble and boil.
Fwoooosh—!
Clatter— rattle!
Creeeeak!
From headless dullahans to skeleton knights made of bone, countless undead crawled out endlessly and filled the surroundings in an instant.
[Pfft— You have prepared fairly well, but you lot have not even the slightest possibility.]
With an ominous voice, Dwell, the last to emerge from the darkness, looked down on the black magicians.
For the sake of capturing them all thoroughly, no fewer than three executives had participated in this operation.
At that overwhelming difference in strength, Oldman clenched his teeth with a bleak expression.
Death Knight Lord Karam and Banshee Queen Olivia, and on top of that...
“...Even an archlich. What on earth are you going this far for!”
For reference, Dwell possessed outstanding ability in controlling undead forces and formulating strategy, but due to his tendency not to step forward, his name was not widely known.
[...This body is the loyal servant of the Immortal King, Dwell McCain! Remember it clearly from now on!]
Angered by the other party’s reaction, he shouted proudly, but since there would be no occasion for his name to spread widely because of this incident, it was a meaningless act.
Naturally, not a single human could escape from this place.
A short while later.
Thus, another small war that had taken place behind the scenes came to a quiet end without becoming known to anyone.
However, Olivia, who had been handling the cleanup after the battle, had to move urgently before the work was even finished...
[This maiden, Olivia... has come in answer to the King’s summons...]
Because the Immortal King Hans had personally summoned her.
[Olivia, I picked up some interesting fellows this time.]
Hans’s gaze turned to those bound in black chains and suspended in midair.
[They’re from the Oath of Reversal, who were trying to infiltrate Talaria this time. After taking a rough look, it seems there’s even one executive-class among them.]
The fact that the Oath of Reversal had been there was proof that their intervention had been behind the movements of the Yufersh Clan.
No matter how much of a cell organization they were, they would not be able to use a unit of this level as disposable pawns.
‘Even if the order was passed through several intermediaries, Olivia should be able to trace the trail.’
And if her reverse tracking was combined with the results of interrogating the Yufersh Clan, finding the location of those who had schemed this matter would only be a matter of time.
[Investigate these bastards and dig out the location of the ones behind them.]
[I shall obey the King’s command...]
Thus, another piece of work was delivered to the one recognized by all as the busiest in the Immortal Army.
Olivia bowed politely with a face so pale it was nearly transparent.
Indeed, being too capable was also something worth thinking about.