Chapter 283
Chapter 283
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 283
Chapter Title: European Advance (2)
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As the day began to wane in the outskirts of Paris, Bastian, a dutiful young vampire who had stepped out for his usual routine patrol, encountered something utterly unexpected.
While moving through his clan's territory on a routine sweep, he was suddenly ambushed by a masked assailant who appeared out of nowhere.
He, a member of Thermidor—the largest vampire organization in France, rulers of the night in Paris and other major cities!
'Crazy bastard! How dare you pull this shit in our territory? And at night, no less?'
Paris, the capital of France, was a world-renowned metropolis teeming with vested interests, a golden prize of a city. Naturally, the organization poured immense resources into securing it.
Bastian, a Level 5 vampire who could have commanded mid-level executives elsewhere, was personally handling grunt work like patrols.
'What a lunatic. Cocky about his skills, huh? Even if you kill me, you won't get away unscathed.'
For some reason, his body had frozen solid, unblinking.
As cold fingers tightened around his throat, he sensed his end approaching and silently mouthed a final curse—
That's when he realized he'd made a grave mistake.
'Huh?'
Something flooded into him from the fingertips digging into his neck, like a tidal wave.
Before Bastian could even register what it was, a colossal presence shattered his thoughts.
A deliberately concealed essence was forcibly imprinted into his mind.
'This is...!'
His breath caught.
It was an awe beyond words.
Lofty and distant.
Vast and boundless.
Immense and wondrous.
Deep and eerie.
His body hadn't frozen due to any trickery from the foe.
It was simply instinct recoiling in terror at the yawning gap in their levels.
Unbeknownst to him, his limbs were trembling uncontrollably.
'At least Level 7... No, 8? Beyond anything I can gauge.'
The strongest vampire Bastian had ever faced was a Level 7 high-ranking executive of Thermidor.
Even from afar during a lineup inspection with his comrades, the overwhelming tension had left him frozen until the distance allowed him to breathe again...
'Maybe even higher... Lord-class.'
Compared to now, that had felt like a vacation.
No— incomparable from the start.
But he couldn't dwell on it further.
Crack—pop!
From head to toe, every fiber of his being was being rebuilt by the invading blood.
'This... this is possible...!'
It was a revolution in evolution.
In that instant, his body shattered its limits, expanding his boundaries exponentially.
Enveloped in omnipotence that made his former self seem like a dozen pushovers, Bastian shuddered quietly.
Of course, the heightened sensation was just a side effect of surging hormones, but with his head buzzing from the rush, he couldn't care less about such trivialities.
Filled with reverence, belonging, and loyalty, he prostrated himself, forehead to the ground, and cried out his heartfelt oath of submission.
"Command me in anything! I, Bastian Duvbosque, will devote myself to helping you, Phantom, find Kristin!"
"......"
Already enthralled by the overwhelming presence, he seemed oblivious to his own words.
Heinz's awkward gaze bored into the back of his head.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What a mess this turned into.'
Heinz looked down at the prostrated young vampire, Bastian, with a displeased frown.
A single slip of the tongue, and now this guy was milking it for all it was worth.
But his subsequent full cooperation wasn't bad.
Worshipping Heinz with unnatural fervor, he answered every question with zeal, spilling everything he knew like a confessor.
Like a fanatic revering a god.
Definitely not a normal reaction.
'As expected, "Fascination" is at work here too. I didn't realize it was this effective.'
Even with subordination via "Purified Blood Essence," it shouldn't have enthralled him to this degree.
The vast gap in their levels must have amplified it considerably.
Either way, it made things easier—good for him.
'Saved some time. Perfect.'
His knowledge of France was limited to what the internet offered.
For smooth operations and swift results, local cooperation was essential.
Subordinating a Level 5 barely dented his "Purified Blood Essence" reserves—ideal target.
'Devouring someone like this wouldn't even register anyway.'
As a Sacred Blood vampire who had transcended, Heinz 2nd needed at least True Blood-level essence to complete his unique lineage and break his mold.
That was the bare minimum; for proper shedding, he'd need multiples at Sacred Blood level.
'Sacred Blood in France right now... Level 9. Just one.'
Heinz's gaze turned toward the pull of "Bloodline's Craving."
But the target's stature made it hazy; unlike before, he couldn't pinpoint the location.
Upon arriving in Europe, he'd dismissed the persistent thirst as minor and assessed coolly.
'Charging in blindly now would be idiotic.'
This was enemy territory, foreign soil.
Traps unknown, rash moves could draw government intervention like in Japan.
'Time to shake the board a little.'
Thus, with Bastian's aid, he began preliminary work for easy hunting.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Murmurs of excitement filled the air—
"This scent is exquisite. Impeccable taste."
"Right? Hard to procure, but nothing compares."
"Lady Nadia, I have urgent matters to—"
One of Thermidor's bases near Paris, in Versailles.
"What a disaster."
A chilling whisper cut through the raucous party in the opulent mansion.
Faint enough to drown in the din, yet...
"Hm?"
"...Who was that?"
Those present weren't so dull as to miss the discordant note.
The lax atmosphere tautened instantly.
Scanning with surging auras, they quickly spotted the intruder amid them.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"How'd you get in? When?!"
Hostile energies erupted, blanketing the area alongside wary shouts.
Yet the uninvited guest—Heinz 2nd in his opera mask—calmly surveyed the room.
Ornate chandelier overhead, gold-embellished tableware, priceless artworks everywhere.
The opulence clashed awkwardly with trembling boys and girls huddled among it all.
The blood in silver goblets and splattered decor screamed deliberate excess.
...Tch. Should've come sooner.
Tsking lightly, Heinz eyed the vampires reveling in fresh victim blood.
They had encircled the hall, primed for assault—everything but alerting outsiders.
"Communications are down!"
"What? Since when...?"
He'd revealed himself deliberately, despite the option for stealth.
"No time to waste. Let's wrap this up quick."
The outcome was already decided.
Snap—
With a flick of his fingers,
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Mystery of Blood Blood scattered everywhere and in goblets transforms into a thick mist barrier.
The avant-garde splatters and goblet contents erupted into a crimson fog enveloping the room.
"Blood magic barrier!"
"Group up! Prepare countermeasures—!"
What followed wasn't battle.
Just one-sided slaughter.
Sensing grudges in the victims' blood and karmic ties in the air, Heinz seized a fragment.
And so it came to pass.
Thud!
Boom—!
The chandelier crashed down, shards flying.
Splat—
Rip—
Tearing sounds echoed relentlessly.
"Gahk!"
"Grrgh..."
Vampire blood sprayed like rose petals in the sunset haze.
The transcendent strike defied defense or evasion.
Their meager regeneration meant nothing against its profound essence.
"Ngh!"
Not everyone fell in one blow.
Thermidor's strongest here—Nadia, the Level 7 executive coolly directing since Heinz appeared—clutched her severed left arm stump and fled.
What the hell?! Level 9? A Level 9?! This can't be real!
Overwhelming power from a superior being.
Ignoring her mangled subordinates, she gritted her teeth.
Opera mask... Who? Italy? Germany? Not Romania, surely?
Level 9 vampires were rare worldwide—even in Europe, countable on one hand.
None matched this description, per her knowledge.
From another continent? Americas? Asia? ...Come to think of it, I heard rumors...
But her thoughts cut short.
Step step—
Heinz emerged from the blood mist ahead.
"You look deep in thought."
Nadia halted, biting her lip.
She could've escaped the grounds in a second normally.
Yet the red fog still shrouded the mansion.
"...Who are you? What do you want here?!"
"The others were sorely lacking, as expected."
Her forced shout was cut by calm words.
"But you look quite nutritious."
As he finished, a red tongue flicked across lips beneath the mask.
That taboo gesture dilated her pupils.
"...No way... you...!"
"Shh—"
Not that she could do much.
The crimson mist thickened further.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Collecting new vampire factors. Influenced by special skill Hybrid Evolution... An unnatural silence fell, as if muted.
Then, only one remained.
Among the dragged-in victims, only a dozen or so survived until Heinz arrived.
All teens on the cusp of adulthood.
"Mmph."
"Ugh..."
The noisy or resistant ones had been sacrificed first, so they desperately muffled themselves amid the chaos, trembling in learned fear.
Ordinary humans, blind in the enveloping blood mist.
It shielded them too, but they couldn't know.
'Please, please.'
'Mom...'
One thing was clear:
The half-masked gentleman who arrived late beating the monsters was infinitely preferable.
How long had they prayed in tension?
The blood-scented fog began to thin.
Revealed: a vast hall devoid of vampires—or even a drop of blood.
"Huh?"
"No one's... here?"
Silence cloaked the empty space, save for them.
Some sought the presumed victor, the masked gentleman, but he was gone.
Only the shattered chandelier on the floor drew eyes.
Hesitant at first, they soon shuffled out, then bolted through the open front door.
'Hm, police are nearby, so this should suffice. On to the next.'
Phantom's surprise visit didn't end at Versailles.
St. Denis, Créteil, and more.
He hit Thermidor branches around Paris in sequence.
Even in the city's shadows, such events over one night couldn't stay hidden forever.
Survivors kept emerging.
Those tied to Thermidor read the message clear:
A blatant provocation to someone.
Come out. Now.
—I'm here.
Brimming with confidence.