Sealing the Vermilion Bird
“Please, it has to work……!”
Seon Ga-hee had just poured everything she had into that one strike and collapsed. If even that didn't work, our only option would be to blow up the military factory. Madric Blood was exhausted now too, and Angelica had returned to the Sealed Sword after her summoning ended.
—Ugh…… I think I used too much power. I need to sleep now.
Pzzzt!
—Such pathetic static means nothing to me!
It was right around the time Seon Ga-hee's storm of lightning had expended its full power.
Ziiing—
An irritating electronic hum tickled my ears, flowing out through the portal I'd left open.
Hunter Stock Company Safety Planning Department
Ten red laser lines traced across from every direction.
“Take a taste of this laser sauna, you chicken-headed freak!! Wuhahaha!!”
Cherubim the Manager must have been watching from the command center. Some of the employees were probably equipped with remote wireless cameras.
Zzzzzzt.
—Kraaaah!!
Zhuque let out a piercing shriek from its own beak. A genuine cry of agony! Even for a monster like that, it couldn't withstand ten lasers slicing through it like they were cutting thick steel plates.
This was our chance, while the beast was out of it. I released the Bloody Chain and leaped with all my strength. My target: Zhuque's heart.
As the moment I'd waited so long for arrived, intense focus surged through me.
Thump thump.
Adrenaline exploded. Time itself seemed to slow.
In that instant, Zhuque's eyes met mine. A ferocious glare that could burn me to death with a look alone.
—You pathetic worm!
Seon Ga-hee's divine thunder ultimate. Madric Blood's chains of blood. And now the Safety Planning Department's ultimate weapon.
It had taken all three in succession and still had the strength to glare at me. A being we couldn't let our guard down against until the very end.
That's why I gripped my sword tighter.
Soon, Zhuque's beak gaped wide in a final spasm of rage.
—Die!
Fwoooosh!
Zhuque spewed flames straight at me. No dodging, no intention to dodge.
I channeled the energy from my Blood Cycle to the sword's tip. The Sealed Sword pierced through Zhuque's all-consuming blaze.
Then, I felt the tip connect with something solid.
—You think this puny skewer can do anything to me!
I immediately uttered the artifact's activation word.
“Seal!”
Woooong!
The Sealed Sword vibrated. Zhuque's form warped, its flames sucked into the blade.
—Me, I, sealed by some toy like th—
Shooooook!
Before it could finish, it was over. Zhuque vanished like a lie, and the gem embedded in the Sealed Sword regained its glow.
Confirming the seal, the tension melted away like snow. At the same time, profound exhaustion crashed over my entire body. Every meridian felt like it was being pricked by needles.
“Pfbt! Cough! Heh.”
I spat blood but couldn't help chuckling. Triumph, accomplishment—a mix of emotions.
“O… Ooooh!”
“Haaa…… Did we win?”
“I really thought we were goners today.”
Everyone exhaled the breaths they'd been holding.
Gwak Do-cheol approached me as I slumped to the ground, grimacing.
“Splendid! Among all the Black Moon Tyrant Sword forms I've seen in my life, that was easily top three.”
“……”
Pain left me speechless.
Gwak Do-cheol turned to the employees and shouted.
“Hey, what are you all doing! Our savior here is about to collapse from exhaustion.”
“Of course! We'll help you up, Section Chief Kim.”
“Thanks to you, Section Chief Kim, we survived another day. Thank you.”
The employees came over one by one to lift me. I appreciated it, but right now I just wanted to be left alone. Even opening my mouth was too much—someone, please read my mind.
“Save the reunions for later. Can't you see he's suffering?”
Only the Director would notice.
“And this stage isn't over yet.”
She was right. Everyone looked toward the same spot: the military factory behind the crater rim.
Madric Blood crouched and placed her hand on my back, infusing energy rapidly yet delicately.
“Hoo……”
My knotted muscles loosened languidly. She withdrew her hand and said,
“It's just temporary, so don't push yourself. Rest in the Health and Welfare Department when we get back to HQ. Understood?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
The pain ebbed bit by bit. I stood and headed for the factory.
As I followed Madric Blood, she glanced back at me.
“Fine work. Both the Blood Impact and the plan you devised.”
“That sounds like I qualify to learn the next Blood Impact.”
“The guy who looked like he was about to die is talking now.”
She smirked and continued.
“But…… perhaps it's worth believing in your potential.”
I let a sly smile creep onto my lips. Looked like I'd finally earned the right to learn the Blood Clan's secret ultimate techniques formally. I'd learn whatever I could. Sealing Zhuque in the sword didn't guarantee I could borrow its power right away. That was another challenge for me to solve.
They say even the toughest tree falls after ten strikes. If ten wasn't enough, I'd strike a hundred, a thousand times.
Lost in such thoughts, we reached the factory door. Inside were machines stamping out gear and transporting it; farther in, warehouses stacked with materials. All resources for us to use.
“Check for any remaining enemies inside.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
At Madric Blood's order, the employees sprang into action. Seizing the chance, I navigated by memory to the main system room. From here, I could control the factory's facilities. Everything was shut down now.
My eyes caught a large red button in one spot. The self-destruct for the crater. No need to press that now.
I found the main system activation button and placed my hand on it. The main monitor lit up.
Military Factory Main System initialized.
No administrator detected. Unable to log in to main system.
I opened the wooden box in front of the main monitor. A gold badge engraved with the character for 'official'.
I pinned it to my suit lapel. Another message appeared.
Manager Badge ownership set.
Administrator Kim Jeongha. Verified.
Now I was the manager of this military factory. After all that hardship conquering the stage, handing it straight to the Tech Info Department would be a waste. I needed some influence there. This would back us up in any inter-departmental power struggles. Plus, the badge was an artifact. I'd check its functions later.
Transfer Military Factory to Hunter Stock Company Lobby?
“Transfer it.”
Approved. Transfer process will take approximately 24 hours.
Kuuung.
A brief tremor shook the place. Then the factory interior was enveloped in white light. The other employees might be panicking at the sudden anomaly, but there was no cause for worry. We were just claiming our stage clear reward.
Teleporting to lobby shortly.
The 10-second countdown finished, and my vision went black. At the same moment, the energy Madric Blood had given me ran out.
* * *
“Hm.”
Fingers that had been twirling her long red hair reached up to stroke the pillar rising above her head. A habit since horns began sprouting from her temples.
'What a strange thing.'
Strange yet fascinating. He'd mastered the Blood Cycle at an astonishing speed—yet progress to the next realm was nowhere in sight, just as strangely.
'Kim Jeongha.'
Truth be told, she'd long known he lacked talent. How could she not? She'd been the noble servant of the Blood Clan.
Whether the Blood Cycle suited someone was clear from their bloodline alone. But this human reeked of a scent eerily similar to her kin. And despite knowing his own mediocrity full well, his thirst for power burned fiercer than anyone's. Fascinating.
And those eyes looking at her. Why did they hold the longing of an ancient bond, when they'd only just met?
'We were strangers.'
In her thousand years, she'd never seen a human like that. It piqued her interest. So she taught him what he craved.
His initial progress was peerless, but the limits would show soon enough. She figured he'd get cocky, overdose on some elixir he'd scavenged, and die. End of story.
Who could've predicted? He nearly died—but she was the one in mortal peril. And he had dramatically saved her and her subordinates.
Was this employee a Gift from the gods themselves? How could she not find him adorable?
A normal human youth would panic at such words. But to a millennium-old vampire like her, he was no different from a baby.
Her pale, almost translucent white fingers brushed the sweat-damp hair from the soundly sleeping Kim Jeongha's forehead. Soaked from his ordeals, but hands could be washed. No sense of filth.
Instead, her nose caught only a sweet fragrance.
Her fingers, stroking hair the same color as hers, trailed to his cheek, then down his neckline.
Gulp.
What would he taste like with fangs sunk here? How sweet?
Madric Blood felt her bloodlust surging. She'd held back amid countless snacks so far. Thanks to steady blood pack supplies from Health and Welfare, of course.
“I wonder if it's pent-up frustration bursting out, or if you are stirring my desires.”
Bite that neck. Savor the sweet blood. Make him your thrall. Subjugate him. Dark urges screamed at her.
No one to interrupt now. After teleporting to the lobby, she'd brought the exhausted, sleeping him here and ordered no entry.
“Haa.”
Her rough exhale came as her face slowly lowered. Her eyes turned gold, pupils slitting vertically.
Had she ever suppressed her vampiric instincts this hard? She deserved a reward this once. He was at fault for being so defenseless.
Thus she rationalized it.
“Mm……”
Then Kim Jeongha opened his eyes.