Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Jin Soran (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As he drained the blood, waves of Gamma's resentment, rage, and frustration flooded in...
Well, it didn't matter anymore.
'More importantly, Concealment is a bloodline ability, huh? Then mental manipulation must be a unique skill.'
The reason he hadn't sensed Gamma's presence, and the barrier's exceptional stealth—it had all been thanks to this Concealment.
'Not bad at all. Perfect for the current situation.'
For one, he could now hide his own energy even better.
With this, he could conceal his vampire nature more thoroughly—even someone stronger than him wouldn't easily detect it.
It would aid stealth too, making it useful for an assassin role.
'But above all, being able to hide traces of devouring kin is huge.'
Vampires were sensitive to blood.
Gamma himself had approached after catching Heinz's scent.
But if he carried traces of multiple vampires from devouring kin? They'd attack before even talking.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Individual Name: Heinz 2nd 🧬 Race: Vampire (Pureblood) 🔗 Common Traits: Mind Hub, Persona, Clear Mirror Still Water 🩸 Individual Traits: Blood Clan (Pureblood), Hybrid Evolution, Acceleration, Regeneration, Blood Magic, Insight, Concealment 📝 Special Notes: Vampiric factors in the body have evolved repeatedly through the blood of vampires from another dimension. All physical abilities and mana operation techniques have grown dramatically. No mental corruption occurred due to the influence of Mind Hub. Unfortunately, he hadn't quite reached True Blood.
His blood quality had improved greatly, but he probably lacked the absolute quantity of vampiric factors.
Still, his current combat power wouldn't be overwhelmed even by a True Blood.
While Heinz was sorting through his gains, Hans was attempting necromancy at the spot where the vampires had died.
Black magic to summon the souls of the dead.
He was doing this as a last resort to gather information.
[Ughhh... What nonsense... Devouring kin... My power, my ambition...]
[I don't want to die like this... Hide forever... Power...]
This was why Hans hadn't relied on necromancy much.
Wraiths could only produce fragmented thoughts tied to intense memories or dying grudges.
The more negative the emotions in those remnants, the more the soul's obsession swelled, turning them into vengeful spirits.
Gleaning info from wraiths was never easy.
Reading memories directly from the brain was simpler and more reliable.
[Gah, keh! To gain power... Research, the research!]
Of course, it wasn't impossible—just difficult.
Hans used black magic to inflict precise pain on Gamma's wraith, guiding its thoughts toward the info he wanted.
[Kek... Research, collaboration... Support... Heaven-Reversing Society's techniques! Promise... Beta...]
He interrogated all the summoned wraiths, but the others knew little—Gamma had led this, it seemed.
They'd followed him only because he dangled power as bait.
Mental manipulation had likely played a subtle role too.
'Heaven-Reversing Society again. What do they gain from aiding the Blood Alliance hardliners?'
Further questioning of Gamma's wraith yielded nothing more.
They'd promised cooperation for the support, but no detailed talks yet.
'Beta' must be his superior. Their connections run that deep. Makes sense—this scale was too big for one guy like him alone.
Probably one of the Blood Alliance hardliner leadership.
If there's an 'Alpha' by logical inference, he might be involved too.
'I'll find out from here on.'
Heinz entered the corner room where the unconscious Jin Soran had been moved.
She'd been struck down by Gamma and still hadn't woken.
"This room, though..."
Heinz scanned the surroundings with a dubious expression.
It was a cluttered mess of occult elements.
Magic circles drawn in blood across the floor, gold-leafed skull engravings, colorful trinkets everywhere.
Heinz could only recognize that some involved blood magic.
[Oh ho, a new discovery.]
Not an issue for Hans, though.
Entering, Hans looked around in admiration.
Traces of black magic everywhere were dissected by Wicked Wisdom and analyzed by Forbidden Knowledge.
And it wasn't just black magic—other sorceries abounded.
[Curses and jujutsu, even Kabbalah's 'Ain Soph Aur'? And a Qimen formation too. Plenty of unfamiliar systems. Weaving all these together...]
Though a black magic specialist, Hans's mastery gave him a keen eye for magic in general.
His vigilante work had exposed him to sorceries from many worlds, enough to recognize their applications.
'Never imagined something like this was possible.'
Earth teemed with returnees bearing skills and mysteries from countless worlds.
Some brought advanced tech, others delved into magitech.
Yet twenty years on, magitech remained rare, progress stagnant.
Why?
'Each dimension has its own laws.'
From elemental composition to microscopic physics—everything operated by unique rules.
'Abilities are the most extreme case.'
Physics shared superficial similarities, but abilities were utterly arbitrary.
Being alien energies, they couldn't be taught or scientifically studied.
Powers nonexistent and unusable on Earth.
'Exceptions: stabilized magitech fixed with otherworld laws, or returnees using abilities directly.'
Returnees themselves were conduits unbound by Earth's laws.
That let Hans wield black magic here.
'Barriers needed a returnee as a core conduit too. No wonder magitech stalls.'
Even master artisans from isekai needed materials tied to their home laws for autonomous magitech.
Most items on Earth were personally carried back by returnees—hence their rarity.
This room was like ripping apart programs from different OSes, rewriting them from the roots, and fusing them into Earth's system.
'No wonder they're confident.'
Hans admired the setup.
Still incomplete—needed a returnee to activate, like barriers.
But impressive nonetheless.
Even Hans required Wicked Wisdom and Forbidden Knowledge—and only for black magic.
[Hm... but something's missing. Is this really it?]
Impressive, yet lacking.
The spells looked tight but unstable—too crude to safely purge vampiric soul imprints.
[Even with extra steps... the core ritual's too shaky.]
He knew without testing.
At black magic's pinnacle, Wicked Wisdom exposed every flaw.
Seemed effective short-term, but a ticking bomb.
'A slight trigger could make it go haywire... Don't tell me?'
The Heaven-Reversing Society funded this.
They'd contributed heavily to fusing multidimensional sorceries.
Like handing them the detonator.
[Hah! They're stirring trouble everywhere.]
And more capable than expected.
Gathering, refining, and merging sorceries wasn't trivial.
'Wish I had more intel...'
He deployed undead to search the building for clues—and loot research results.
Live together, share the good stuff, right?
While Hans scoured the interior, collecting valuables and intel...
Heinz approached Jin Soran sprawled in the room's center.
Her wounds from the vampire battle had healed; no bloodstains remained.
'Recovering blood for self-repair even unconscious? Stronger than expected—never saw her fight properly after the ambush.'
Heinz immediately used his new Insight on her.
"Hmm, this'll take time to get used to."
He'd expected a neat status screen.
Instead, abstract energy flows.
Vibrant blood-red aura surging through her...
'But oddly blurry. Like it's veiled... Ah! That's Concealment!'
Weaker now that she was out, but identical to Gamma's stolen Concealment.
The opaque shroud hid her entirely—even the blood aura appeared faint.
'Does she have the same bloodline power as Gamma? Same world origin?'
Explained her oddly subdued demeanor.
Mostly hostile vibes, though.
Regardless, she was key to infiltrating the Blood Alliance.
And capable enough—perfect if controllable.
Crash! Clatter—clatter.
Undead ransacking under Hans's orders echoed from outside.
'Waking her here would be awkward.'
Heinz crossed his arms, gazing down.
Ponytail of long black hair splayed on the floor, pale translucent skin contrasting red lips and long lashes, harmonious features.
All blending into overwhelming, inhuman vampire allure.
'Alright, knight-rescuing-sleeping-princess it is.'
Heinz scooped her up effortlessly.
No experience with adult women, but his overwhelming strength made her featherlight.
"Now, best stage for this..."
Scenario first, of course.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Hngh!"
Jin Soran snapped awake with a strange yelp.
Heinz, masked and composed—knowing via Insight she'd stir—glanced sideways.
"About time you came to."
Vroom—
The sports car smoothly cruised the road.
Heinz's new ride, generously donated by Gamma.
"Wha... Huh? What happened...?"
Jin Soran blinked in confusion at the driving Heinz, the car interior, then checked herself.
Clothes torn here and there from battle, minor fatigue—otherwise fine.
"Thought I was done for... You're the guy from before, right? Mind filling me in?"
Polite, unlike with Gamma.
Proper conversation from a cultured sort.
"You got lucky. Saw a chance and bolted. Figured you were a victim too, so I grabbed you."
"Lucky...? In that mess? ...Could I get more details?"
She frowned cautiously.
Made sense—she'd lived it; vague explanations wouldn't convince.
"Know the Hahoe Mask?"
"Hahoe Mask... Heard of it. Attacks criminals and their groups. No way...?"
"Yep. He showed up."
Heinz calmly spun the fabricated tale.
Sudden Hahoe raid threw the hideout into chaos.
Slipped through the clashes, secured her unconscious form, escaped.
Luckily snagged Gamma's keys en route—now fleeing successfully.
"Th-that's insanely lucky, huh?"
She murmured dubiously.
Heinz nodded firmly, ignoring her skepticism.
"Um, who are you...? No, wait—that's not it. Thank you for saving me! Must've been tough escaping alone in that chaos, yet you bothered with me too."
Her initial daze cleared; she bowed in gratitude.
"Sorry, got ahead of myself. I'm Jin Soran of the Blood Alliance. Level 6 from Nocternia. I was there because Do Hansu's group had kidnapped our crew member..."
She paused mid-explanation.
Hesitated, then stammered on.
"...So, friends from my moderate faction crew offered to help check it out... We were different crews but both moderates. Then, well... yeah. It happened."
Voice trembling, she bowed her head after finishing.
Betrayed by supposed comrades—huge shock.
I had no words of comfort, just silently watched the road ahead.
"That's how it went! But we escaped safe—silver lining! Exposed the traitor and his scheme. Turn misfortune into fortune, right?"
Forcing cheer, she brightened her tone.
Reporting up would end him and his connections; now she could relax—hopeful outlook poured out.
'Doubt it'll be that simple.'
Scale suggested hardliner leadership involvement.
Raising it would spark civil war, not peace.
'Won't let that happen, though.'
An organization to devour—best intact.
'Wipe out hardliner brass, seize moderate-led Blood Alliance.'
First step to that happy end: Jin Soran.