Operation (2)
Parasha ran through the streets of Dickferji, gasping for breath.
Her bright red eyes swirled with a mix of ecstasy and anxiety.
'I did it! I escaped! I got out of that damned prison!'
In the brief moment when the connection to the restricted area opened,
she had poured all her strength into bending the iron bars and leaping outside.
She'd tumbled head over heels in the process, and the guard's dazed stare had felt oddly off,
but she chalked it up to his shock. Anyway, she'd passed through the gate and made it out—success.
"Hah... haaah..."
After running for a good while, Parasha caught her breath and scanned her surroundings.
Only then did she realize where she was.
"Dickferji?"
That meant she'd entered the territory of the "Watcher," who commanded her organization.
Invading a superior organization's domain was one of the Red Ghosts' great taboos.
She'd have to go to the Watcher's hideout and beg forgiveness.
She might even face punishment.
"Damn it!"
Parasha ground her teeth in a curse, her hand unconsciously fiddling with her throat.
A strange tightness was to blame.
It felt like something invisible was coiled around her neck.
But a brilliant idea popped into her head, lifting her spirits.
'Right! That guy who locked me up! If I tell the Watcher about that kid, he'll forgive me easy!'
He had incredibly potent blood.
She'd probably get praised instead.
If things went well, she might even leave that filthy gate city behind and move to this grand Dickferji.
Becoming one of the Watcher's underlings wouldn't be bad at all.
'Actually, it'd be great!'
With those hopeful thoughts, Parasha strode forward confidently.
She didn't know the exact location of the hideout, but she'd come this far—she'd find it.
Her kin's scent was distinctive, and she just had to follow the strongest "smell" in the city.
Moments later, she arrived at her destination.
"What? This is a goddess's temple?"
The Watcher had boldly made his lair in a temple, it seemed.
Parasha slipped inside cautiously and faced an empty chapel.
But in one corner, a fellow Red Ghost was dozing off, head nodding.
Clearly the gatekeeper.
"Excuse me, I'm here to see the Watcher."
"Hm?"
As she approached and spoke softly, he rubbed his eyes and woke.
He tilted his head, glaring at Parasha.
"Who the hell are you? Never seen your face before. Where'd you crawl in from?"
"I'm a servant from the gate city, but I ran into some trouble. I've got a gift, though. So if you could let me see the Watcher in person..."
But she couldn't finish.
The Red Ghost staring at her suddenly scowled, baring fangs and murderous intent.
"What the hell is that? That black, suspicious tail?"
"Pardon? Tail? What are you talking about? I don't have a tail."
"No! That necklace you're wearing."
"...I don't have a necklace either?"
"You've got a tail on you!"
"Pardon?"
"You damned fool!"
Parasha blinked, uncomprehending the gatekeeper's question.
Then curses flew back at her, along with an expulsion order.
"Get out! Now!"
"...!"
In an instant, a sharp blue sword gleam erupted like a fountain.
It was more than a threat—Parasha's forearm was deeply slashed, spraying blood.
If she hadn't pulled back, her whole arm would have been severed.
Red Ghosts could suppress Blood Qi effects on each other with secret arts, so a fatal wound could mean death.
It was natural for Parasha's eyes to roll back in rage.
"You crazy bastard! What the hell?!"
No matter the taboo broken, this was no way to treat her.
Especially when she'd come to beg the Watcher's forgiveness.
"You goddamn blood clot!"
Suddenly, an inexplicable surge of euphoria blazed through her like wildfire.
The undeniable will to fight.
"I'll kill you!"
Parasha roared in fury she couldn't explain, claws extending—
"Knew it! Everyone out! Suspicious intruder!"
As if expecting it, the gatekeeper bellowed.
Dickferji's Red Ghosts poured out from everywhere.
They sauntered over, curious.
"What's that stringy thing? Wait, looks like a tracking spell."
"But she smells delicious. Who is she?"
"Shut up! Everyone, battle positions!"
"Eh, blood tastes fine anyway."
At the gatekeeper's shout, fangs gleamed.
They melted into shadows and lunged at Parasha.
The net of darkness woven like a nightmare descended.
"I'll turn you all to blood!"
Parasha charged forward, fueled by that inexplicable rage again.
Dark crimson lines overlapped in layers.
The space around the nearest Red Ghost shattered into fragments.
Her instinctively flung claws had shredded him head to toe.
A blow even Red Ghost regeneration couldn't handle.
"...!"
Even Parasha was stunned.
It was power beyond her capabilities.
Why had she suddenly grown so strong?
But with the fight underway, there was no time for questions.
"Knew she was here to hit our organization."
"Where from? Rottenberg? Orguiya?"
"No wonder she smelled so good..."
Misunderstandings deepened instantly, and the surrounding Red Ghosts attacked with fiercer menace.
Shadows now coordinated, ensnaring her.
Dozens of clashes happened in the blink of an eye.
Parasha retreated wildly, parrying desperately.
"Die, you filthy clot!"
"You die! You insane clots!"
The brutal melee filled the temple with the stench of blood.
Red Ghosts' blood was the ultimate nourishment for each other.
"Kuhhahaha!"
Parasha licked blood splattering her face, bursting into mad laughter.
She fought desperately.
With every moment, her claws lengthened, fangs sharpened.
It felt like she was evolving into a pure vampire.
But that lasted only briefly.
"...!"
Suddenly, the thing around her neck tightened sharply, staggering her.
The shadows didn't miss the opening—slashes poured in.
The gatekeeper, first to show hostility and block her, brought his sword down.
Parasha tried to dodge frantically, but for some reason, her legs wouldn't move.
The result—
Kwachik!
Cleaved in two.
The gatekeeper's blade split Parasha's crown, then her torso clean in half sideways.
"Guhk..."
Another blow beyond Red Ghost regeneration.
Parasha collapsed limply.
The light faded rapidly from her blood-red eyes.
The Red Ghosts muttered, sheathing weapons.
"Damn. The place is a bloody mess now. This is trouble."
"The Watcher might blow up..."
"Shouldn't we have figured out her organization?"
"Eh? Doesn't taste that great?"
One even scooped up Parasha's pooled blood and tilted his head.
Everyone thought that was the end.
But no.
At that moment, at the road repair site—
"Now it begins."
Kirian Kirchheis murmured, perched on a thick stump.
To any onlooker, he looked like he was idly watching the land spirits repairing the road.
In truth, he was sensing the distant events via the artifact with the tracking spell.
—Vampire Choker.
An item developed 500 years ago to enhance Dumroad's abilities.
This necklace brutally boosted a vampire's power beyond limits, and it worked the same on the Red Ghost girl.
Special Spell 'Blood Explosion' executes.
The choker's activation, foretold by the Transcendent Eye.
Hierniorn, perched on my shoulder, chuckled.
[I never imagined an artifact I made 500 years ago would be used like this. How amusing.]
'Yeah.'
You see all sorts of things living long.
The invisible leash around the Red Ghost's neck was an artifact extracting vampire essence.
Its first embedded spell—
Combat power enhances proportional to exposed blood within 10m radius.
However, upon wearer's death, the blood explodes.
A bombardment treating blood as fuel.
If it worked perfectly, it'd rival a massive bomb blast.
Kwaaaaang—!
An explosion echoed faintly from downtown.
I didn't know the exact Red Cartel hideout, but they'd taken serious damage.
But that wasn't the end.
The true value of the Vampire Choker lay in its second effect.
Absorbs all blood from defeated foes.
If mana sufficient, special spell 'Limitless Regeneration' executes.
Fully absorbing the blood of the foe just felled by Blood Explosion.
Then condensing the energy within to resurrect the choker's wearer—an outrageous function.
Of course, insufficient mana meant no activation.
But if mana was ample and the Red Ghost girl revived to flee?
'That'd hand the Watcher a tasty morsel on a platter.'
Not content with bombing the hideout, a target that died and revived to escape.
Wherever he was hiding or in what form, he couldn't stay put now.
That's when Kubira Rox, the security captain, approached me.
"Kirian, sir, apologies, but we'll have to end work here for today. Please head back to the town hall."
"Why?"
I feigned ignorance, asking calmly. The man sighed deeply before answering.
"We just got a report of a major incident downtown."
"Incident?"
"I don't know the details yet. But maintaining city security is our top priority. Please cooperate."
Quite the urging tone.
I noted Kubira's expression and nodded lightly.
No need to stick around anyway—the land spirits would handle repairs without me.
"Got it. Let's go."
"...Thank you, Kirian, sir."
In the sunset glow, one corner of the temple had collapsed as if a giant had punched it.
Entry was blocked due to collapse risks—no one approached.
Amid the onlookers, a hooded man watched the scene.
"Intriguing... To think my lair in this city would be attacked."
"S-sorry, Watcher, sir... P-please forgive us. Have mercy..."
A trembling Red Ghost male bowed deeply to the Watcher, shaking like a leaf.
The gatekeeper who'd spotted the tracking magic on Parasha and issued the expulsion.
He was badly hurt from the blast, barely standing.
But the Watcher's gaze was ice-cold.
"So the girl revived and fled?"
"Y-yes. I definitely downed her, then suddenly a red explosion..."
"That's enough."
The Watcher smirked, placing a hand on the gatekeeper's shoulder.
Instantly, the gatekeeper felt intense vertigo and collapsed forward.
A powerful blood drain with mere touch.
"Huh? What's wrong with him?"
"Someone collapsed! Call security!"
"His eyes, though...?"
Subordinates' blood barely quenched thirst.
No—drinking only worsened the drought.
Anyway, the Watcher pushed through the gathering crowd.
Chest open, he deeply inhaled, sensing the faint blood scent.
'That direction.'