Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Vladimir of the Blood Sect
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After receiving Miron's telepathy, I ran until sweat dripped from my soles.
The fact that Miron of all people had used the word "incident" meant it was no ordinary matter.
'Was I too complacent?'
I'd thought Ivarella—bold to the point of seeming utterly insane—would ambush us the moment we left Shudart territory.
But nothing had happened, making my vigilance seem laughable, so I'd let my guard down a bit.
'Who would've thought Ivarella would go this far off the rails... Hm?'
As I raced along, my eyes caught sight of numerous bodies strewn across the highway.
No, not bodies—piles of corpses. But not ordinary ones; they were shriveled like mummies.
What had happened? My heart raced, but I forced down the impatience and checked the traces.
These were corpses that had appeared along the route to the border Miron had mentioned.
'They might be connected to the problem Miron warned about.'
As I cautiously examined the corpses, one caught my eye, farthest from the highway.
This corpse seemed to have resisted to the end, still clutching a sword tightly.
Flash!
A faint glimmer from the sword in the corpse's hand drew my gaze instantly.
"This...?!"
The sparkle emanated from the hilt of the sword the corpse gripped.
A white base color with a neat crown, and beneath it, a map of the continent.
It symbolized a single royal house ruling the entire continent—an utterly arrogant emblem.
Only one nation bore such a pretentious symbol.
The Holy Empire.
Checking the belongings of the other corpses confirmed it: many had hidden swords among their luggage.
And every single one bore the Holy Empire's crest.
Their identities were clear from these traces.
'The Empire's Holy Knights.'
As expected. Ivarella must have dispatched the Holy Knights targeting Aria, just as I'd predicted.
Normally, they would have ambushed us as we left Shudart for Philador Kingdom.
But even she couldn't have foreseen their total annihilation.
Of course, neither had I.
The "problem" Miron mentioned was likely caused by whoever wiped out the Holy Knights.
In other words, a third party had intervened.
'Who the hell?'
Given that the entire Holy Knight Order was uniformly mummified, it had to be one person's doing.
A lone individual who decimated the Holy Knights.
'I need to hurry.'
Whoosh!
Finding Miron and Aria wasn't difficult.
As I neared the southern border, distant explosions and an ominous aura reached me faintly.
'There.'
Boooom!
A blood-red sphere, visibly extraordinary.
A man stood beneath it.
He spoke with an annoyed expression.
"...I'll just devour you all at once since you're a nuisance."
What?
Devour what?
I had no time to sort my thoughts.
The blood-red sphere was already hurtling toward Miron and Aria.
Anyone could see it was dangerous.
I unleashed Moon Step without hesitation, positioning myself in front of Miron.
Boom!
I shattered the blood-red sphere.
"What...?!"
Vladimir's eyes widened as his Blood Sphere burst so easily.
The reason Vladimir's fight had dragged on wasn't because he was weak; he'd been savoring his "gourmet meal" patiently.
Blood Sphere pulverized everything sucked inside.
Had he used it from the start, everything would have ended long ago.
Blood Sphere wasn't something you shattered so easily.
"Who the hell are you...?!"
There stood a man with legs extended in a stance before the obliterated Blood Sphere.
The kick that destroyed the Blood Sphere was picture-perfect, the leg's end gleaming brilliantly.
It exuded steel-like toughness, unbreakable by any means—a leg that was itself a greatsword.
A sharp aura emanated from the toes.
"Aura... a knight? ...No, wait. You're no ordinary knight. Could it be?"
As Vladimir guessed at my identity, I ignored him and tossed something to Miron.
"Miron, bloodstone. Hold it and rest."
That should calm the frenzy a bit faster.
"Gr...rr... Young... Master... Sorry...!"
I patted Miron's shoulder as if Vladimir were beneath notice.
"Sorry for what? Just meditate and take a nap; it'll be over by then."
"I... will... help... too..."
"Mercy, with that mindset, how'll you help? Don't hit me in the back—get back."
"...Sorry."
Miron bowed his head once more, insisting on his apology.
Despite all his efforts, he felt he'd been useless.
'Not true.'
Without Miron, Aria wouldn't be safe now.
They'd held out until I arrived because Miron had done well.
I said to the bowing Miron,
"You did great. Good work."
"......"
Miron bowed deeply again and retreated to the rear.
"Lady, you too. Fall back."
"You're going to face him alone?! That's too reckless!"
"You'll just get in the way."
"......!!"
Aria bit her lip in frustration at my firm words.
But she wasn't foolish.
She'd seen me dismantle that threatening blood orb in one go, so she knew I was right.
"...Please be careful."
"Of course."
Only after confirming Aria's retreat did I face the pervert squarely.
"...Hah! So you're the Shield Family's third son?"
"Yeah, that's me. And you? Who sent you?"
"Hahaha! That leg transformation matches what 'Shadow' said— you've mastered a Heterogenous Power. And this aura... a top-grade talent who's learned Aura too. Heh heh! Luck's on my side today."
He muttered to himself, ignoring my question entirely, and drew his conclusion.
What kind of guy is this?
"Didn't you hear me? Who sent you? The Empire's princes?"
The first or second prince, trailing Ivarella, might want to steal her credit—it wasn't impossible.
But if they had someone like this, it would've been known during the war with the Empire.
Especially a blood-user.
"Kukuku! Think puny Empire princes could move us?"
He sneered.
"Allow me to introduce myself. Vladimir of the Blood Sect, a tributary of the Turbid Stream."
"...Turbid Stream?"
The unexpected name slipped out.
Turbid Stream.
Why would they show up here?
But he had no intention of explaining.
"Our Black Wing demands your death. So."
Whoosh!
Unlike before, countless small spheres surged toward me.
"Die."
As Vladimir spoke, the spheres flew at me.
Smaller, they approached much faster. But.
Bang bang bang bang!
"!!"
I hadn't been idle either.
I swatted the spheres aside with Moon Step, closing in on him.
"Black Wing... you mean Black Wing. I don't know why he's targeting me, but."
Whoosh!
I thrust my fist swiftly at his main body.
Splatter—
His lower body sprayed like blood mist from the Iron Fist.
Vladimir's upper body floated, sneering.
"Hmph! Predictable trick!"
I swung more fists at the mist, but only ripples formed—no damage.
'Even Aura-coated fists do nothing?'
His blood spheres had burst from my kick.
Meaning my attacks worked on him.
Yet Vladimir mocked me openly, the scattered mist slowly enveloping me again.
"Hmph. Think I'd fall for such obvious attacks?"
'I see.'
Vladimir had anticipated where my fist would land and dispersed the mist beforehand.
Squish, squish.
Blood began seeping slowly from my pores toward the enveloping mist.
My steel-hardened skin slowed it, but.
Slowly, steadily, blood leaked out.
Hiss—
The blood vaporized and was sucked into Vladimir instantly.
"Mmm...!!"
Vladimir, tasting the sweet flavor from the mist, was too ecstatic to speak.
Such depth and variety!
An overwhelming delicacy compared to any blood he'd tasted before.
Thud! Thud!
Vladimir sneered at his trapped prey, the Shield Family's third son.
"Kukukuku, useless. I see all your moves. Stop the futile resistance. I'll drain every drop nice and slow. Enjoy it."
Thinking victory assured, he spoke smugly.
Unlike the surprise hammer from Miron, spotting my Aura, he wasn't careless. He'd meticulously shaped the mist to match my movements.
Roar!
Suddenly, intense heat flared from afar.
Aria's group was preparing magic at Vladimir again.
"Oopsie."
Vladimir's upper body shifted behind me.
"Hehehe! Such a bother. I hate interruptions during meals."
"...Milady. What should we do?"
The attendant mage behind Aria, hands in a seal, asked her.
"That monster seems to be digesting Young Master Jerome now. This is our chance to take it down..."
"......"
Aria swallowed hard at the mage's words.
Sensing their aura, Vladimir mockingly hid behind Jerome.
For Aria, raised as Philador's noble, this dirty situation was mortifying.
When had she ever faced such pettiness?
After brief hesitation, Aria released her seal.
"...For now, let's trust Young Master Jerome."
"Milady, but..."
He's the one who nullified that approaching blood sphere.
He won't go down easily.
Definitely.
"Kukukuku, that's why nobles are so predictable."
Vladimir chuckled mockingly.
Thinking magic couldn't cover since I was stuck to him.
"...Interesting."
Among Heterogenous Powers, blood manipulation types were the hardest for my past self before Aura.
No matter how I swung, attacks that didn't connect left me powerless.
But.
'Not anymore.'
Unlike back then, when I could only fight after learning Earth.
Now, both Earth and Aura dwelled within me.
In this close-quarters bind.
I couldn't miss if I tried.
"Hey, you said you see everything?"
"Kuku, yes. All of it. Give up the pointless struggle. You're next after them—no, they're after you."
Even watching me, Vladimir eyed Aria's group to ensure no escape.
"Fine then. Keep watching and dodging to the end. If you can."
"Kuku... What?"
Vladimir, buzzing like a mosquito while mocking me, grinned twistedly, then grasped my words and retorted.
And then.
"Seriate."
With my quiet call.
Flash!
Vladimir's compressed blood mist began exploding outward.