Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 239
Chapter Title: Zepia Republic (2)
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In an era when the whole world was gripped by turmoil,
cracks had formed within the mighty nation of the Zepia Republic—far more severe than what appeared on the surface.
The Obaipo Clan was scheming to control the entire country through the high-ranking officials they had already ensnared.
Various lower factions began to stir, driven either by patriotic zeal to protect the nation from those monsters or by ambitions to seize new power in the chaos.
And lurking in the shadows were shadowy organizations and minor factions biding their time, ready to exploit the confusion.
Delaying any longer might make the situation irreversible. It was a dangerously precarious state.
'This really is the best way.'
Kayla McClaire, the vice president of the republic, had no choice but to make the tough call.
Before the conflict erupted in full, this was the only way to calm things down and stabilize the nation.
'...Was there really no other option?'
But amid her resolve, a nagging doubt clung to her like a weight she couldn't shake.
Vampires from the Talia Kingdom's Hybrid faction had infiltrated the republic with her cooperation.
No matter how she justified it, hadn't she failed to solve her own country's problems and instead invited foreign powers—monsters no better than demons?
She might have been better off asking the Church for help...
'No, that would have only made things worse. Besides, they're already stretched thin as it is. It's better to let these monsters tear each other apart...'
She racked her brain for excuses, then finally stopped and let out a sigh.
They were pathetic rationalizations, even to her.
Still, it was true that she had weighed everything for the sake of her country before making this decision.
It was just that, in the process, a tiny sliver of personal motive had crept in.
'Temi...'
Kayla bit her lip, thinking of the only son she had lost over twenty years ago.
The Hybrids had offered, as compensation for her cooperation, the truth about her son's fate—and vengeance.
Vampire society operated on a strict pyramid of domination.
No subordinate could lie to a superior's command.
Forcing faded memories back to clarity wasn't hard with some aggressive blood magic, and any minor side effects were negligible for sturdy vampires.
In short, if the Hybrids took control of Obaipo, she could hear the truth straight from those involved that day—without excuses—and punish them.
No matter how she looked at it, this was the best way to uncover the events of over twenty years ago.
'...I hope by some miracle he's still alive somewhere, but even if not...'
Any parent deserved to know when, where, and how their child died.
Even just the location of the body.
"Haa—."
Overwhelmed by frustration, Kayla sighed deeply without realizing it and slowly walked to the window of the rundown safehouse.
She gazed up at the night sky beyond, praying her choice wasn't a mistake.
The full moon shone brilliantly, indifferent to her turmoil, casting its soft, gentle light over the earth as always.
Including the interior of this shabby hideout where she was holed up.
And the capital of the Zepia Republic, where the war for supremacy between Hybrids, Obaipo, and vampire society had begun...
And even the site where High Lord Heinz 2nd had personally taken the field.
'...Not a single cloud in the sky.'
It was a beautiful night, fitting for the birth of a new history.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shyaaak—! Kwak!
A blood vein shot through the darkness like a serpent, curving toward its target's nape.
"Kuh, where do you think you are!"
But the opponent seemed to anticipate it, twisting his body oddly and thrusting out an arm to minimize damage before charging right back.
Thick crimson blood magic aura billowed from both the attacker and the counterattacker.
"You filthy pigs reduced to livestock dare invade this place!"
"Fools blind to reality. The new order of blood has reigned for ages, yet you still cover your eyes and ears! He is the true king who will lead us to glory!"
A battle between vampires—taboo even in human society.
Astonishingly, this wasn't in some remote wasteland but right in the heart of Uletor, the capital of the eastern powerhouse, Zepia Republic.
And not just one or two spots, but erupting across the city on a massive scale.
"Alert! Alert! They're targeting the congressman!"
"Block them! We can't let intruders get any farther inside!"
Of course, fights of this magnitude couldn't all proceed as stealthily as planned.
And this was Obaipo Clan's home turf, where they had entrenched themselves for years.
They had long prepared for external assaults, pulling back slightly and shoving human puppet soldiers to the front lines.
While the Hybrids assembled elite strike teams from across the continent, Obaipo offset their numerical disadvantage by parasitizing the republic's forces.
'Of course, we anticipated that much.'
The Hybrid vampires Heinz 2nd had brought were selected with that in mind.
No matter how thorough the enemy's defenses, the garrisoned troops in each sector wouldn't suffice.
'They won't fall easily. And in the meantime...'
Ignoring the commotion echoing from all directions,
Heinz 2nd leisurely surveyed the city stirring from the sudden uproar and walked slowly onward.
"Halt! You won't go any further... Gahk!"
"Wh-what? No detection...!"
Pishuk—! Puhwak!
He had deliberately suppressed his presence to a mundane level, drawing in a few overconfident moths, but he paid no mind to the grunts reduced to puddles before they even closed in, simply pressing forward.
Thanks to Olivia's capable phantom intelligence unit, he knew the target location.
The enemy's ringleader—the Sacred Blood Obaipo's—hideout.
"Grr— What kind of monster...!"
"Fall back! We can't even approach—!"
Puhwaak! Pzzt—!
He merely glanced at the gathering foes, but with each step, blood fountains erupted, painting his path red.
Of course, only for a moment.
The blood soaking the ground crawled like living things, sucked into Heinz's feet in an instant.
The street, a sea of blood moments ago, was spotless in the blink of an eye, as if it had all been an illusion.
As he strode indifferently onward, a few system messages appeared before his eyes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Through the effect of Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」, you have gained enlightenment. Acquired Skill 「Fusion」. Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」 absorbs its subordinate ability 「Fusion」 and strengthens further. His eyes gleamed at the skill activation notice, which he hadn't seen in quite a while, as he examined it.
'「Fusion」, huh. I thought Aouterica's vampires lacked distinct bloodline powers, so there was nothing worth stealing. Guess that's not the case.'
「Hybrid Evolution」 endlessly evolved him by collecting various vampire factors, and occasionally stole even the latent potential within them at low odds.
He had scraped up every vampire factor available on Earth from various dimensions, and with his elevated rank, lower-grade blood yielded too-low theft odds—he had all but forgotten about it.
Somehow, it had pierced those slim chances to snag a skill.
'...Well, it vanished into raw material right away, so not much significance there.'
Absorbed by its originator, 「Hybrid Evolution」.
Self-sufficient, one might say.
Truth be told, fusing multiple middling skills into one superior evolved version was far more useful than hoarding awkward duplicates.
Just like his other skills.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Entity Information - Name: Heinz 2nd - Race: Vampire (Sacred Blood) - Common Traits: 「Mind Hub」, 「Persona」, 「Clear Mirror Still Water」, 「Herculean Strength」, 「Xenoglossy」 - Entity Traits: 「Bloodline (Sacred Blood)」, 「Hybrid Evolution」, 「Blood Mystery」, 「Purified Blood Essence」, 「Existence Negation」, 「Extreme Acceleration」, 「Super Regeneration」, 「Insight」 - Notes: Ascended to Sacred Blood, the root of vampires, transcending the species' limits. As progenitor of the 'Hybrid' bloodline, exerts absolute dominance over kin. 「Extreme Acceleration」 enables even faster movement; 「Insight」 clarifies the threads of causality. His original skills 「Acceleration」 and 「Hyperesthesia」 had merged into 「Extreme Acceleration」; stolen skills 「Perception」 and 「Discernment」 into 「Insight」.
Their performance went without saying.
Vampires below Pureblood now dissolved into blood at a mere glance from him.
They'd likely prove useful against equals or superiors too, not just inferiors.
Time to test them in real combat.
'Hmm, this is the place.'
After walking openly for a warmup,
he finally reached his target.
The mansion of a longtime senator in the Zepia Republic.
This was Obaipo's forward base... akin to the Bright Duke's household in Talia Kingdom.
'Naturally, they'd secure a foothold in the power structure before devouring the whole nation.'
Heinz closed his eyes, focusing his transcendent senses further.
As expected of the enemy's stronghold, potent barriers layered it thickly, but he could still indirectly detect powerful presences inside.
'Definitely in there.'
He felt it.
The writhing threads of causality clashing with his extended senses.
'That said, no intention of coming out, huh.'
He had boldly approached the front to gauge the response, yet there was none.
They had to sense him, so they must have some separate preparation.
"Hmm. Whatever comes from inside, I'm confident I can smash it head-on."
Heinz stroked his chin slowly, the mansion right before him.
Enemy headquarters, obvious trap; target showed no sign of emerging; mansion warded heavily, hard to act from outside.
Even inside, he could dismiss the summon if a real danger appeared, so no big deal...
'But something feels off.'
The thought started twisting his gut.
Shouldn't a host greet a guest who had come calling?
Hiding inside like this, as if saying, 'Enter if you want, or don't.' How rude for a visitor.
As an upright youth from the land of eastern etiquette, he couldn't overlook such discourtesy.
'No helping it. Time to roll up my sleeves.'
A familiar quote flashed in his mind.
If it doesn't work, make it work.
Words from some sage—truly wise.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Inside the mansion.
Obaipo, in the guise of an elderly man, lounged comfortably, swirling his teacup.
"A bit earlier than expected... but not bad... Preparations are complete anyway... If he comes himself, it just saves me trouble..."
He was destined to be king of all vampires.
No need to spurn a subordinate seeking audience.
Though he seemed arrogant now, a little education was in order.
Reaching this point was part of that process.
With all the effort invested, by arrival, the fool should be amenable to talk.
As he thought that, he sensed something entering the barrier.
The presence was muted, but the aura and mana unmistakably belonged to that Heinz.
"Curious to see what happens... Yes, show me if you're worthy of calling yourself Blood King..."
A faint smile crossed his face as he raised his cup in anticipation.
Kururung—
A subtle vibration made Obaipo's hand pause.
His face slightly scowled, head tilting.
'Hm, rejecting the trial and rampaging? But once inside, thrashing around is pointless. Fail the test properly, and it'll be even worse...'
Kwarung— Kwaang—! Kwoong!
But contrary to his sneer, crashing sounds rocked his space violently.
"...What? Shaking the inside without reaching the core of the 'Overlapping Phase-Reversal Hidden World'...?"
Not an external attack either.
The phase-overlapped, inverted hidden world resisted assaults from within or without, instantly overlaying an intact opposite phase to repair any spatial damage—impossible to neutralize.
There was a theoretical countermeasure, but it bordered on absurd...
Kwaaaang—!
Before he finished the thought,
a deafening explosion shook the world as if it were crumbling.
And right after the roar faded.
"Finally, we meet face to face."
A familiar voice from reports, but unfamiliar in person.
Obaipo slowly turned toward the sound.
"Sorry if the knock was too rough. The host seems hard of hearing—wouldn't come out at all."
So he smashed the door, Heinz added casually, utterly unapologetic.
His brazen expression suggested at least it improved ventilation.
Obaipo suppressed a retort rising to his lips, forcing a smirk.
A king must remain composed, no matter the situation.
Even if—
'...It's not just the door...!'
From the main entrance to this reception room.
A massive hole gaped through a third of the mansion's length.