Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Earth's Vampires (3)
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Hans's mana was read by their 'Insight', but it wasn't perfect.
As a vampire bloodline ability, it was highly effective against weaker foes, but next to useless against the strong.
It could only roughly gauge something enormous.
And since Hans wasn't even a vampire, there would be discrepancies even if calibrated to their level system.
The proper way was to measure vampire factors and divide levels accordingly.
But none of that mattered to them right now.
An overwhelmingly powerful foe was glaring right in front of their faces.
[Hoh... You've mastered Black Magic, have you?]
Hans gazed at Gamma in admiration.
It was a presence he hadn't sensed when facing him as Heinz.
It felt hazy, concealed by some method, but it couldn't escape the eyes of Hans, who had already reached mastery in Black Magic.
"Urk, how did you see through my concealment...!"
Uncomprehending, Gamma could only grind his teeth.
His trump card, the bloodline ability 'Concealment', and the Black Magic it hid had both been exposed at once...
[Fascinating. Black Magic from a new system. What luck today.]
During his public safety patrols, he had occasionally encountered Black Magic users.
Most were deranged lunatics warped by black mana, and Hans had gleefully absorbed their knowledge.
'Gained quite a bit of proficiency thanks to them. And now, discovering yet another system here.'
I thought that far, then paused.
These vampires were all meant to be fertilizer for Heinz's growth.
'Exposing them to black mana while probing their minds would taint their blood... Can't read memories from those who died by exsanguination, and spirit arts have limits. What to do?'
As Hans hesitated amid this sudden dilemma, Gamma and his crew saw their chance and scattered to flee.
Poor fools.
[Pointless struggling. This place is already my domain. No one leaves without my permission.]
Boom—
With a light tap of his staff on the ground, waves of black mana rippled out from Hans.
And...
[Keeheeheet!]
"Gah! What the hell are these things?!"
Body parts of pitch-black undead burst from the darkness-shrouded walls, ceiling, and floor, attacking the fleeing foes.
While Heinz gathered intel by observing them, Hans hadn't just been hiding inside the barrier.
In the wait, he had secretly overlaid his own domain within the barrier.
Proof that his Black Magic was sharpening day by day.
"Urk..."
"Stick together! Scattering gets us picked off!"
He had seen it in their fight with Jin Soran earlier, but as Returners, they unleashed diverse abilities.
Nature-based powers like fire and ice, telekinesis, instant acceleration, and...
"Hup!"
Boom—!
...even physical enhancement, swinging a fist right before Hans's eyes.
'The one who was Jin Soran's ally. Minyoung, was it?'
Now in combat stance, he had shed his human form.
His entire body swelled violently with muscle, his face twisted grotesquely, and his mouth bristled with shark-like teeth.
"Graaaargh!"
Bam! Bam! Boom—!
Hans's barrier shuddered repeatedly under the explosive barrage.
Dodging undead with his signature speed, crushing emerging hands underfoot, he pressed the attack relentlessly.
"Hmm, so that's their vampire trait. Evolved toward physical enhancement... Intriguing."
As a fellow vampire, Heinz could tell it wasn't a mutation from an ability.
That form resembled Auterica's 'Slaves'—likely a common trait among this dimension's vampires.
Combined with what seemed a unique physical enhancement ability, the synergy was impressive.
Stab—!
"Grahk!"
Of course, even that had limits.
Black thorns erupted from all sides, piercing his body through.
Hans had intended to capture the vampires intact, but this one was too lively—some damage was inevitable.
[Playing nice isn't easy.]
He could have ended it quickly by barely keeping him alive, but each was growth fuel for Heinz, imposing restrictions.
The pains of organic farming, as it were.
Just then, Heinz activated 「Acceleration」 and rolled across the floor.
Shing—!
A red blade sliced through where Heinz's neck had been.
The last one who came with Jin Soran.
'Truly no pushovers.'
Without Hans's abyssal space, the ambush would have decapitated him unnoticed.
Hans, controlling the space, detected the stealth, and Heinz, sharing thoughts, dodged in time.
"Tch."
The assassin clicked his tongue and vanished again upon the failed strike.
Heinz's senses still registered nothing.
'Aiming to create an opening.'
With no escape in sight, targeting the seemingly allied Heinz was meant to rattle Hans.
Perhaps even neutralize him as a hostage.
'Decapitation wouldn't kill him outright anyway.'
Considering their veteran battle experience, they got greedy.
[Time to trim them for easy consumption, even if it means some loss.]
Black mana poured palpably from Hans.
Chill spread everywhere, the aura of dread corrupting the space.
"Guh!"
"These bastards suddenly got stronger... Hup!"
The vampires, who had been holding their own while seeking escape, began collapsing one by one.
Even the so-called level 6s flailed against the Black Magic bursting from the surrounding darkness.
The assassin who ambushed Heinz was no different.
Hans avoided curses that might taint the blood but unleashed destructive Black Magic freely.
Hard-to-kill foes anyway—if only he'd done this sooner...
"Plenty more edible ones out there. No rush now. Let's polish off one first."
Heinz approached Minyoung, still thrashing despite being impaled and restrained by thorns.
"Graaaargh! With this crap?! You think you can hold me—?!"
Blood streaming, he roared like a beast, snapping thorns one by one.
Left alone, he might break free.
Clank—
But Hans had no such intention, wrapping him in black chains.
"Grrrrgh!"
His grotesque face flushed red as he writhed against the tightening pressure.
Heinz circled behind, gripped his shoulders, and climbed atop.
'Too bulky—hard to find the angle.'
A 2.5-meter musclebound giant.
Pressing fangs to his nape, Heinz sharpened them acutely.
Crunch—
Tough hide and steel-like muscle resisted.
But Heinz poured blood demon force into jaw and fangs, piercing the nape at last.
"Gack! You mad bastard! Trying to cannibalize kin directly—are you insane?!"
Ignoring him, Heinz drained his blood.
Stealing his life force and the source of his power: the vampire factors.
[Direct cannibalism without purification... insane... How have I survived this long? Can't die like this... Why did I betray ... her? Betrayed her for power... more power... stronger...]
His thoughts flooded in with the blood, polluting Heinz's mind.
Resentment, hatred, pain, despair.
A torrent of emotions.
'Way worse than Auterica's kin-slaying. No wonder it drives them mad.'
Mind Hub filters it cleanly for me, though.
The exsanguination finally ended.
Drained dry, Minyoung shriveled, turning to ash and fading away.
"Hoo—."
His heart pounded wildly. Blood accelerated, body burned like fire. Skin flushed hot.
Differing vampire factors in his veins fused, mutating... no, evolving.
"Haaa..."
Steam escaped his mouth.
...Actually, rising from every pore with the heat.
Crack!
Bones twisted with grinding sounds, muscles contracted and relaxed, veins burst forming then healing bruises repeatedly.
How much time passed?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The vampire factors possessed by the entity evolve, awakening its potential. Acquired Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Collecting new vampire factors. Due to the effect of Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」, the entity's physical abilities grow explosively. Heinz's body felt lighter.
Bones had lengthened, increasing height and bulk; muscle quality and density rose, his fist now brimming with newfound power.
"...Nice."
The newly acquired 「Hybrid Evolution」 was a skill that evolved ceaselessly with each new vampire factor gained.
Now he understood why Mad Blood Vampires were such a problem.
If those with this power went berserk in bloodlust...
"That power is mine now. And eight more remain."
[With effects this good, no choice. Black Magic opportunities abound. Already decent gains. Heh heh heh...]
With his underlings down, Gamma alone remained with the assassin, unleashing his hidden Black Magic in desperate resistance.
Hans pressed him moderately while plundering his arsenal with 「Wicked Wisdom」.
"First, the eight here. Then..."
He decided.
I'll devour their blood alliance.
He had been feeling the need for a useful organization under his command.
Eliminate the hardliners stirring chaos, keep the moderates—perfect.
'Rebels become my nutrients. Flawless plan...!'
Heinz approached the subdued vampires with a sinister smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Due to the effect of Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」... ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Collecting new vampire factors. Due to the effect of Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」, gained enlightenment. Acquired Skill 「Insight」. Growth was palpable every moment.
Each exsanguination evolved his cells, making him stronger.
Duplicates from the same dimension sometimes yielded no new factors, but even accounting for that, kin cannibalism's buffs were phenomenal.
And at low odds, he could acquire their 'bloodline abilities'.
'「Insight」... Useful. So it was a bloodline ability, not an awakening unique skill?'
Some dimensions' vampires gained special powers from their bloodlines.
Bloodline abilities.
Now Heinz could steal even those via 「Hybrid Evolution」.
'Higher concentration strongmen raise the odds, but luck was good this time.'
The 'Insight' user who gauged their levels wasn't that strong.
By their standards, generously level 5 at best?
'Plenty more chances ahead. Anyway, down to two from so many.'
No, one now.
The assassin who struck Heinz had scattered as ash.
No new skill, but he mastered blood demon force techniques for stealth.
Physical enhancement and blood demon force boosts were standard, of course.
"You...! What trick did you use? How can you cannibalize kin and stay sane?! How!"
Gamma, neatly subdued and packaged before him.
Bug-eyed, foaming at the mouth, glaring daggers.
Seeing another casually achieve his life's pursuit had broken him.
'He taught me plenty, willingly or not. Might as well satisfy his curiosity before the end.'
His ramblings had yielded much.
He even deserved partial credit for Heinz's growth.
"Fine. I'll tell you."
Soft-hearted me decided to grant his final wish.
Gamma waited meekly in resignation for the answer, as I circled behind and pressed fangs to his nape.
I met his expectations with utter sincerity.
"Block the invading thoughts during exsanguination to prevent mental corruption."
"...What?! Bullsh—."
Stab—!
No lie.
I told him straight.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Due to the effect of Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」, gained enlightenment. Acquired Skill 「Concealment」.