Chapter 302
Chapter 302
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 302
Chapter Title: Vampire, Fairy, and Test Subject (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Just as there were countless dimensions, the titles given to those who had ascended to the transcendent realm varied wildly from place to place.
Present Realm, Grand Master, Forerunner, Overlord, Archmage, Immortal, and so on.
While there were subtle differences in the details, they all shared one thing in common: they had shattered their limits and redefined their very existence.
Whether through eons of training to pioneer a new realm, wielding special powers imbued with equivalent stature, or inheriting the accumulated karma of an ancient bloodline over endless ages...
Those who reached transcendence by their own paths stood at the pinnacle no matter the world—and Earth, the nexus of countless dimensions, was no exception.
'Overwhelming power has always been synonymous with authority.'
That said, even among those who had crossed such barriers, disparities in level were inevitable.
Just like the top student in high school ending up at the bottom in an elite university—hierarchies existed everywhere, didn't they?
'And Earth's Awakened are generally inferior to powerhouses from other worlds in various ways.'
After all, their power came relatively easily through the system's aid, so it was only natural they'd lag a bit in proficiency and such.
To put it bluntly, they were mass-produced types.
'Of course, my avatars benefited from the system too.'
However, Harley—having evolved repeatedly to surpass mortal limits and even embrace "madness"—and Harris, who had merged with nature through the World Tree's grace and advanced further with Hunter Realm martial arts...
They were far too extraordinary to lump together with the rest.
Those two alone could wipe out everyone else here.
And Heinz 2nd, who ranked in the upper echelons even among transcendents just like them...
Was now undergoing yet another dramatic upheaval.
"Hoo— Hoo—."
His breaths came in ragged gasps.
Thick blood mist mingled with his exhalations and scattered into the air.
Deepening his breaths before the crumbling ashes of the one who had once been a "duke," he struggled to contain the surging power boiling within him.
Naturally, a powerhouse on his level couldn't be subjugated and made a subordinate.
The best Heinz could do was drain every last drop of blood.
He hadn't expected anything more from the start, so he hadn't hesitated to proceed.
'I figured it might be like this...'
And right after.
A fiercer backlash than anticipated left him rooted in place, desperately reining in his energy.
If Harley and Harris hadn't smoothly controlled the situation, things might have gotten seriously dicey.
'If it had come to that, I'd have had no choice but to unsummon... Ugh!'
The blood coursing through his body writhed like a separate living entity.
His core skill Blood Sovereign activated violently, influencing all connected skills.
Hybrid Evolution, Blood Mystery, Refined Blood Essence, and more...
The skills intertwined like branches, linking more organically, compensating for weaknesses, and evolving further.
By that point, physical changes were inevitable.
Crack— Pop! Crunch!
After a considerable time passed.
As the battles elsewhere began winding down...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Collecting new vampire factors. Due to the influence of special skill Hybrid Evolution, the entity's presence becomes more distinct. The karma held by the entity has reached the critical point. All abilities of the entity explosively increase. The entity has met the conditions and grows. Special skill Bloodline Craving evolves into Return to Origins. The entity awakens, and race changes to 'Vampire (Sacred Blood)'. Something rooted deep within Heinz expanded explosively—and at last, he achieved what he desired.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Urghhh..."
"Tch, trying to run away after all that? If not for the barrier, we almost lost you."
A dying groan and a raspy man's voice echoed from between the dense trees.
Crunch!
Soon after a gruesome crushing sound, a massive barbarian emerged from the underbrush, something gripped in one hand.
Harley, now back to his original form, carefully gathered the corpses—including the teeth—and scanned the surroundings once more.
'Still, thanks to this, we've secured plenty of materials for Hans. All top-quality too.'
Plus, crippling the Reverse Heaven Society's forces this time was a huge bonus.
Who could've guessed they'd end up trapped in their own barrier, hunted like sitting ducks?
This was karma at its finest.
"Now, let's see... time to clean up."
Harley scratched his chin, his beast mask still pulled low over his face.
In the past, he'd have scarfed down meat nonstop after a fight to recharge, but now that he could consume madness instead, his immediate hunger was minimal.
If he wanted, he could keep fighting indefinitely.
"...Gotta handle the aftermath."
But Harley specialized in all-out destruction; cleanup wasn't his forte.
For that, someone else with useful skills was needed.
In the outer area, a bit removed from the central fight...
'Hm.'
Harris lounged atop a tall tree, scanning the area again with Observer of the Milky Way before nodding slowly.
'All done.'
He gently stroked the colorful spirits manifested around him, then turned to the barrier still enveloping the forest.
'Not your average barrier. A fight like that inside, and it's still holding...'
Though fatigue had left it ragged and on the verge of collapse, maintaining function amid such shockwaves was impressive.
And it had activated in mere moments—a custom job, no doubt.
'...Doctor's handiwork? Then he's probably watching inside through it...'
Harris tilted his head lazily.
During the fight, when the barrier shook from the aftermath, he'd sensed someone unknown peering in through it.
He'd planned to reveal himself soon anyway, so exposure didn't bother him—but being unilaterally observed grated.
'...Hang on. The barrier's state now... I could slip a spirit out undetected.'
Designed against transcendents, a fully operational barrier would've made it impossible.
But now? Different story.
Spirits were ethereal, making it even easier.
'Perfect timing. And if I play this right...'
Whoosh—
A gentle whirlwind stirred.
Harris carefully manipulated his energy to send the wind spirit Pascal outside the barrier.
There was a brief reaction midway, but blending in Formless Eight Trigrams Stance (Revised)'s harmony principles, he successfully extracted all the spirits stealthily.
'Go—find me suspicious spots in the city, Pascal. One of them has to link to this barrier.'
They'd come to Europe solely for Heinz's growth.
And that goal was now fully achieved.
Right on cue, this "Doctor" had stepped into their sights...
'A high-grade spirit like Pascal can scour a city quick.'
A cool gust soon swirled toward Bucharest, Romania's capital—the original destination.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A hologram replayed endlessly on one wall.
From the forest fight's start to its brutal end, Doctor stood motionless, Eye of Truth fixed unblinkingly on the scene.
Not ordinary himself, his eyes weren't badly strained—but bloodshot and crimson, they evoked a horror flick.
"...Freely adjusting that bulk? What's the density? Base weight looks hefty... Manipulating ambient energy? Energy flow and crater depth suggest over a ton easy. Internal structure must be..."
Huff— Huff—
His ragged mutterings amid the frenzy amplified his creepiness.
Those maniacal, gleaming eyes dissecting one man—it screamed dangerous criminal.
And he was one, in truth.
"...Huh? Already over? Everywhere else too... Tch, so pathetic!"
The Reverse Heaven Society's defeat was pure frustration for him.
Europe branch's fate? Irrelevant.
Just lamented losing his observation subjects.
"I misjudged the duke badly! Thought he had some use! To fall so pointlessly... Huh? What's that? Oh ho..."
Obsessed with Harley's frame throughout, glancing elsewhere revealed...
Heinz, facing massive change right after devouring the duke.
"That's..."
A phantom engulfed in vast, dense crimson blood energy.
Fresh fury forgotten, a spark reignited in Doctor's eyes.
A vampire devouring kin—both near level 9 freaks!
A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
"Ooh... Oooh?!"
Extraordinary indeed.
Unprecedented purity of immense blood energy writhed violently around one vampire.
But the real pity was...
"Aaaah—! No! Not enough! I should've been there! To witness it firsthand!!"
The energy was too dense to peer inside the transformation.
Even this top-tier imaging artifact had limits.
Directly facing such a mystery was iffy—remotely? Impossible.
"Argh! Missing this chance!"
Chest pounding in agony, he bellowed.
Yet his gaze never left the screen.
"Two prime specimens... And I can't have them? That idiot duke ruined everything! Useless trash! Should've drained him dry instead—Argh!!"
His rampage shifted suddenly.
The prior two were fascinating.
What of the third?
Checking another spot in the barrier...
"Oh? Ooooh!"
Through Eye of Truth, he spotted one assimilated with nature—and exclaimed again.
"That's... the real deal! I hoped, but it's true! An otherworlder on Earth!"
His truth-piercing eyes confirmed it.
No transformation trick—from its core, purely from another dimension.
Couldn't gauge details due to level, but enough for now.
"Fairies I've only heard of! None in my world—such regret. A heavenly gift!"
Doctor's ecstatic cry.
But elation crashed into reality: he couldn't claim them now.
Staring blankly like a child robbed of treasure.
Three treasures appeared at once, unattainable—a tragedy unparalleled.
Emotions rollercoastered to indignation; he clawed his chest.
"Grrrrr!"
A trickle of blood dripped from his mouth to the floor.
Gnawing his lip, obsession and possessiveness blazed in his eyes.
While Doctor fixated on the screen, lost...
In it, Harris's lips curved faintly.
'Gotcha.'
Finding the target hadn't been easy.
Bucharest, Reverse Heaven Europe HQ, brimmed with suspicious sites, barriers included.
But focusing Pascal's power fully, Harris pinpointed the faint link to this barrier.
No real-time signal now? He'd have taken longer.
'Alright then...'
Now, speed was key.
A freshly awakened Sacred Blood vampire.
Earth's one-and-only level 10.
His turn.