The Vampire of Earth (3)
The 'Insight' of the one who had gauged Hans's magic power was imperfect.
As a bloodline ability of a vampire, it was more effective the weaker the opponent, but almost useless against strong ones.
It was merely making a rough estimate of something massive and passing judgment, nothing more.
Furthermore, since Hans was not even a vampire, there would be errors even if it were matched to their level system.
Originally, the standard method was to measure their vampiric factors and divide levels accordingly.
But none of that was an important matter to them.
An overwhelming powerhouse was glaring right before their eyes, after all.
[Hoo... So, you've mastered black magic.]
Hans exclaimed in admiration as he looked at Gamma.
It was an aura he hadn't felt when confronting Heinz.
It was faint, perhaps concealed by some means, but it could not escape the eyes of Hans, who had already ascended to the ranks of grandmasters in black magic.
"Ugh, how did you pierce my Concealment...!"
Gamma, unable to comprehend this, could only gnash his teeth.
The bloodline ability 'Concealment' that had been his secret trump card, and the black magic hidden behind it, had been read simultaneously....
[Fascinating. Black magic of a new system. Today is truly a lucky day.]
He had occasionally encountered black magic users during his peacekeeping activities.
Most of them were crazed lunatics corrupted by black magic power, and Hans gladly devoured their knowledge.
'Thanks to that, I've gained considerable accomplishments. But to discover yet another new system here.'
I was thinking that far when I suddenly paused.
Hadn't all these vampires been planned to be used as fertilizer for Heinz's growth?
'If they're exposed to black magic power during the process of rummaging through their heads, their blood will be corrupted... If they die from being drained, their memories can't be read, and necromancy has its limits. What should I do?'
While Hans hesitated at the sudden dilemma, Gamma and his crew, seemingly deeming it an opportunity, began scattering to flee all at once.
Pathetically.
[Such futile flailing. This place is already my domain. No one can escape without my permission.]
Kung—
Waves of black magic power spread outward, centered on Hans, who lightly tapped the floor with his staff.
And....
[Kihihihit]
"Ugh! What are these things!"
Body parts of undead stained jet-black sprang from the darkness-shrouded walls, ceiling, and floor, attacking those who fled.
While Heinz watched them and collected information, Hans hadn't simply been hiding inside the barrier.
The secret work of overlaying his own domain within the barrier, carried out covertly as they waited.
It was proof that Hans's black magic was growing day by day.
"Ugh...."
"Form up! If we scatter, we'll be defeated one by one!"
He had seen it earlier when fighting Jin Soran, but as they were also Returnees, a variety of abilities came into play.
Including nature-type abilities like fire and ice, telekinesis, instantaneous acceleration, and....
"Hup!"
Kung—!
Even the physical enhancement ability currently swinging a fist before Hans's eyes.
'So it was the one who'd been Jin Soran's comrade. Was his name Minyeong?'
Having entered combat mode, he had deviated from human form.
Violently swollen muscles throughout his body, a grotesquely twisted face, and shark-like teeth densely jutting from his mouth.
"Kuaaaa!"
Boom! Boom! Kwaang—!
Hans's barrier swayed repeatedly under the fists pounding at explosive speed.
Using his uniquely fast speed to dodge the undead and crushing the claws rising from the floor underfoot, he didn't halt his offensive.
"Hmph, is that a trait of vampires from that side? It seems they've evolved in the direction of enhancing physical abilities... Interesting."
Heinz, also a vampire, could tell that it wasn't a mutation caused by supernatural powers.
That form, similar to the 'Slaves' of Auterica, must be a common trait of the vampires from that dimension.
On top of that, a physical enhancement superpower that seemed to be an inherent skill was added, making for considerable synergy.
Thwack—!
"Kuhurk!"
Of course, even that had its limits.
Black thorns extending from all directions pierced through his entire body.
He had intended to capture the vampires as intact as possible, but this one was too lively, so it seemed some losses would have to be accepted.
[Holding back makes them far from easy.]
If he'd intended to merely leave them breathing, it would have ended already, but since each and every one of them was growth stimulant to feed Heinz, restrictions applied in dealing with them.
The difficulty of organic farming, one might say.
At that moment, Heinz used [Acceleration] and rolled across the floor.
Shhhk—!
A red blade sliced through the spot where Heinz's neck had been.
It was the other one who had come with Jin Soran.
'They really aren't easy, huh?'
Had it not been for the abyssal space Hans had deployed, he wouldn't have noticed the ambush and would have nearly been beheaded.
Hans, who controlled this space, had detected his stealth, and Heinz, sharing consciousness with him, had been able to dodge with the right timing.
"Tch."
The assassin clicked his tongue as the ambush came to naught and immediately disappeared.
Still, Heinz's senses couldn't pick up anything.
'Did he intend to create an opening?'
Seeing no way out, he had probably intended to shake Hans by attacking Heinz, who appeared to be on their side.
Perhaps he had even intended to neutralize him and take him hostage.
'Because getting one's neck cut doesn't mean instant death.'
Well, they were combat veterans who had survived countless battlefields in their own right. I suppose I tried to take them too lightly.
[I suppose I'll need to trim them into manageable pieces, even at the cost of some losses.]
Manifested black magic power poured out from Hans in thick streams.
Cold spread in all directions, and an aura of fear consumed the space.
"Kuhak!"
"These bastards suddenly got stronger— Hup!"
The vampires, who had been putting up a decent fight while looking for an escape, began falling one by one.
Even those said to be Level 6 were flustered dealing with black magic springing from the darkness in all directions.
The assassin who had ambushed Heinz from hiding was no different.
He avoided curses that could corrupt the blood, but used flesh-destroying black magic without hesitation.
Since they wouldn't die easily anyway, it would have been easier if he'd done this from the start....
"There are plenty I can still eat in the future. That gives me some leeway; shall I finish one off first?"
Heinz approached Minyeong, who was struggling violently despite being bound with thorns piercing his entire body.
"Kuaaaak! With something like this! Me! Did you think you could catch me—!"
Black thorns were breaking one by one from his thrashing as he howled like a beast despite bleeding profusely.
Left as is, he might escape on his own.
Clatter—
Of course, Hans, having no intention of leaving him be, wrapped his entire body in black chains.
"Krrrrgh!"
His grotesque face flushed bright red as he struggled to escape the pressure tightening from all sides.
Heinz circled behind him, grabbed his shoulders, and climbed onto his back.
'He's too big; it's hard to find a good angle for feeding.'
A hulking mass of muscle standing 2.5 meters tall.
He brought his mouth to the nape of the neck and sharply extended his fangs.
Kwaak—
Tough skin and muscles like steel blocked the fangs.
But Heinz poured blood magic power into his jaws and fangs, finally succeeding in piercing the nape.
"Kuaak! You madman! To attempt kin predation with your own fangs... Have you lost your mind?!"
Ignoring him, he drank his blood.
He plundered the vampiric factors, the source of power, along with his vitality.
[To think it's kin predation without refinement, insane... How did I survive all this time? I can't die like this. ...With what resolve did I betray... betray her for power, power... greater power......]
And the lingering thoughts that came with the blood burrowed into his mind, corrupting his consciousness.
Resentment and hatred, pain and despair.
All manner of other emotions flooded in like a tide.
'It's definitely much worse than when I practiced kin predation in Auterica. At this level, it's strange not to go insane.'
I can cleanly filter it out with [Mind Hub], so it's fine.
Finally, the feeding ended.
Minyeong, having had all his blood plundered, dried up completely and slowly turned to ash and disappeared.
"Huu—."
His heart began pounding violently. Blood flow accelerated, his whole body felt as if aflame. His skin flushed red.
He could feel the different vampiric factors contained in the blood combining and mutating—no, evolving.
"Haah...."
Steam spewed from his mouth.
...Looking closely, steam was also rising from the pores of his entire body along with heat.
Crack!
Accompanied by the sound of twisting bones, muscles repeatedly contracted and relaxed, and bruises formed and disappeared repeatedly as if blood vessels had burst.
How much time had passed like that?
《The vampiric factor possessed by the individual evolves, blooming with potential. Special skill [Mixed-Blood Evolution] is acquired.》
《New vampiric factor collected. Due to the influence of the special skill [Mixed-Blood Evolution], the individual's physical abilities grow explosively.》
Heinz's body grew lighter.
His skeleton grew, increasing his height and frame, and the rise in muscle quality and density let him feel a different power in his fists than before.
"...This is good?"
The [Mixed-Blood Evolution] he had obtained this time was a skill that constantly evolved whenever new vampiric factors were acquired.
Seeing it like this, he could understand why blood-mad vampires had been such a problem.
If those who possessed such power ran mad for blood....
"That power is mine now. And there are still eight more left."
[If it's this effective, it can't be helped. There will be plenty of opportunities for black magic going forward. I've gained quite a bit even now. Kukukuk...]
With all his subordinates fallen, leaving only the assassin and himself, Gamma resisted by expending the black magic he had hidden without reserve.
Hans was pressuring him moderately and looting his foundation with [Wicked Wisdom].
"First, the eight remaining here. And after that...."
He decided.
He would devour the Blood Alliance.
He had been feeling the need for a decent organization he could command.
If he could cut out the hardliners who fanned chaos and subdue the moderates, leaving only them, nothing could be better.
'Those who resist in the process become my nutrients. Truly a perfect plan...!'
Heinz smiled wickedly as he approached the suppressed vampires.
***
《Due to the influence of the special skill [Mixed-Blood Evolution]...》
《New vampiric factor collected. Due to the influence of the special skill [Mixed-Blood Evolution], enlightenment is obtained. Skill [Insight] is acquired.》
He could feel himself growing every moment.
Every time he finished feeding once, the cells throughout his entire body evolved and grew stronger.
Sometimes he couldn't obtain new vampiric factors because there were duplicates from the same dimension, but even taking that into account, the strengthening effect of kin predation was sufficiently tremendous.
And he realized that with low probability, he could acquire the 'bloodline ability' the opponent possessed.
'[Insight], huh... A useful ability. So it was a bloodline ability, not an exclusive skill obtained through awakening?'
Vampires from certain dimensions were granted special supernatural abilities according to their bloodline.
That is bloodline ability.
Heinz had become able to steal even their abilities using [Mixed-Blood Evolution].
'The probability rises against stronger opponents with higher vampiric factor concentrations. But this time, I was lucky.'
The [Insight] ability user who had measured their levels wasn't that strong an opponent.
By their standards, even being generous, maybe around Level 5?
'There will be plenty of chances in the future. By the way, so many of them have now been reduced to just two.'
No, just one now.
The assassin who had ambushed Heinz scattered into ash.
Unfortunately, he hadn't acquired a new skill, but he had mastered a blood magic power manipulation technique helpful for stealth.
Of course, physical enhancement and increased blood magic power were basic options.
"Y-you...! What the hell trick did you use? How can you be fine after practicing kin predation?! How!"
Gamma lay before him, neatly packaged after being subdued.
He glared at Heinz with wide eyes, foaming at the mouth.
He seemed to have lost his mind upon seeing another achieve so nonchalantly the goal he had pursued by staking everything he had.
'Still, he's an opponent who taught me a lot. Can't I at least satisfy his curiosity on his final journey?'
Intentionally or not, hadn't he gained quite a lot thanks to his rambling?
Surely he held a small share in Heinz's ability to grow like this.
"Fine. I'll tell you."
I, soft-hearted, decided to grant his last wish.
And until I circled behind him and placed my fangs on his nape, Gamma waited quietly and resignedly, solely for my answer.
I answered his expectations and spoke from the heart:
"You just have to block the lingering thoughts that rush in while feeding to prevent mental contamination."
"...? What?! What kind of nonse—."
Puk—!
It's no lie.
I really did tell him properly.
《Enlightenment obtained through the influence of the special skill [Mixed-Blood Evolution]. Skill [Concealment] is acquired.》
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