Vampire Rise (2)
It was too chaotic and disordered to be called a mental realm that constitutes a single existence.
‘What the heck…’
In one place, a dark red rain poured down like a shower, while in another, a puddle of blood swirled, and right next to it sprawled a desolate desert.
A world that seemed like fragmented pieces of existence forced together, mixed and tangled.
– How could there be kin consumption…? My power, my wish…
– I don’t want to die… How long must I hide and live…?
– I must research… I need to research… Buncheon Society, power!
To top it all off, fragments of unknown thoughts flowed through the entire space like a storm, confusing his mind.
[Kuhk, what in the world…!]
Just being exposed to this hostile environment was rapidly eroding his ego, which had been solidified for millennia, and the self that had settled in with a thousand years of memories.
‘Could this all be thoughts of kin consumption? Just how many have been consumed…? No, more importantly, how is it that my mental realm has become so polluted and yet I can think clearly…?’
He hurriedly surrounded himself with the weighty sins that had ballooned over many long years like armor to protect his ego as best he could, murmuring softly.
When he first came into contact with the deadly blood, he only thought it was due to some unknown bloodline dwelling within him, never expecting his mental realm would end up like this.
Thinking so would be ridiculous, especially since Heinz, the very person involved, appeared to be functioning quite well.
[Hooh, so you really are the primordial vampire? It must be a very harsh environment, yet you seem to be holding up quite well.]
While he was desperately trying to gauge the situation, a familiar voice echoed through the chaotic storm.
The owner of this mad world and his target: Heinz.
[I apologize. My unexpected visitor meant I couldn’t clean up. It’s the first time I’ve had a guest. Well, to be honest, I completely gave up since it was such a mess.]
A mocking tone laced with laughter.
Obaifo frowned and looked around.
But Heinz’s form was nowhere to be seen in this twisted and intertwined world.
‘Seems like he has no intention of stepping out… Is this place a trap set up to deal with intruders…? But still, there’s no way the leader of a faction that has reached pureblood would possess such a deranged mental state.’
There had to be some kind of safe zone where his complete mental state was kept intact.
‘Although even that is quite an achievement…’
He slowly heightened his mental power and curled the corners of his mouth upwards.
‘It seems he is trusting this trap a bit too much…’
The mental realm flowed through the power of will and thought, not the laws of physics.
Simply wandering around searching for a way would only mean playing right into the opponent’s hands.
[You’ve underestimated me, Heinz…!]
However, he was not a mere ordinary being.
Obaifo concentrated his mind in one place and took a bold step forward, mobilizing even the unknown power dwelling within his soul.
A single thought: to reach the place where this world’s master, Heinz, resided.
Swish—
As if using teleportation, the surroundings changed in an instant.
‘Huh, let’s finish this quickly…’
He raised his head with a sense of achievement.
And finally, he came face to face with it.
[…Huh? What the heck is that…?]
A massive wall that rose as if it spanned across the globe.
The impregnable sanctuary born from the undead king Hans’s corruption: the “Soul Firewall.”
‘Dammit, no way is he hiding inside that thing…?
A mountain over a mountain.
The overwhelming majesty felt at a glance, and the distant pressure that seemed utterly impossible to breach left him breathless.
Moreover, at this moment, he was being continuously devoured by the erosion creeping around him, so standing still was not an option either.
[You made it here in one go. The mastery over a space that is not your mental realm is impressive. However, that power from earlier is…]
Heinz’s voice began to resonate again, but with no time to spare, Obaifo ignored him and focused all his strength to ram into the gates.
This time, he pushed his power received from the revolutionaries to the limit.
[…Is it the power of the Abyss? No, something’s different. This definitely doesn’t seem like something to overlook easily. But how do you possess such power?]
Yet, despite the countless times he collided against the gate, there was no sign of breaking through.
Heinz, assured that the wall wouldn’t fall, continued to show interest elsewhere.
And that demeanor was enough to scratch at Obaifo’s already frayed nerves, which had been overlooked since the beginning.
[Kuh, you’ve been babbling since earlier…! If you’re so curious, why don’t you find out for yourself? Hiding inside like a coward won’t get you anything!]
This was frustrating, and in his irritation at the lack of response no matter how much he knocked, he spat out the words defiantly.
What returned was an entirely unexpected reaction.
[…Indeed, you make a valid point. I think we need a deeper conversation.]
‘What…?
As soon as the words finished.
The entrance of the iron fortress, which had shown no response to his knocks, began to tremble slightly, and then slowly started to open as if welcoming him.
It was such a disappointing opening that nullified all the effort he had put in knocking.
[Let me invite you in. Please come inside.]
Followed by a provocation that was imbued with an ominous meaning.
[If you’re sure you won’t regret it.]
It was an arrogant declaration made as the gates that had been guarding proteced him swung wide open, but Obaifo, undeterred, boldly stepped inside as if he had been waiting for it.
He had come here with that intention from the very beginning, and he had no other options left.
‘How foolish… You will be the one to regret…!’
Moreover, he had absolute confidence that he wouldn’t lose.
‘He doesn’t know that I can draw upon the powers of a different bloodline even in the mental realm.’
The essence of pureblood he had merged with his heart.
If he exploded that, which he had deliberately saved for a critical moment, along with the powers granted by the revolutionaries…
‘It’s temporary, but the output would increase tenfold.’
No matter how much this was Heinz’s favorable mental realm, there was no way he could overturn such a vast disparity in output with just his own power.
Even if he were to concede a third or a fourth in power, it would still yield the same result.
Before he could even think of other countermeasures, the situation would reach its end.
With such sinister calculations in his mind, Obaifo confidently entered the opened firewall—.
[You’ve arrived.]
And there he could finally face Heinz’s spirit, which glowed red and was the very thing he wanted to see.
However, what he did not expect was…
[…What is this…?]
In the deepest part of that mental realm awaited not just Heinz alone.
[Kuhuh— you’re quite the interesting specimen. You’ve got some strange attachments.]
A being whose eyes seemed to pierce through everything, an embodiment of the darkness of all impurities gathered in one place.
[That power. Quite concerning. It seems the revolutionary has pulled some tricks, hasn’t he?]
In stark contrast, a saint suffused with dazzling radiance and blessings, scattering bright light around him.
[Tsk, I’m strangely hungry despite not having a body. I wonder what would happen if I devoured that one? Would my hunger be quelled?]
[Ah… Indeed, there’s a peculiar aura emanating from that one…]
Among others, there were beings that looked like flames of madness in dark crimson and relaxed green figures that seemed to cradle warm sunlight…
Before he knew it, there were nearly ten of them surrounding Obaifo, who had entered the sanctuary.
‘When did they receive support from the outside…? No, wait a minute. No way? Are they all the owners of this mental realm?’
Having lived for a long time, well-versed in sorcery and the mental world, he realized in that instant that the situation was very peculiar.
‘This is surely not going in my favor.’
‘Multiple personalities…? No, it can’t be! Such well-developed different personalities could not exist in such a level! And the disparity in their traits and prowess is on a whole different plane! There’s a dark magician who seems like he could be the undead king, a saint, and even someone who resembles a high elf. And… could that possibly be a dragon…?’
Amidst them stood a golden being with a silhouette distinctly different from the humanoid figures that surrounded him.
A powerful life force that he hadn’t seen in nearly three hundred years, one that was on the brink of extinction.
‘The most likely scenario is that they are the souls of heroes summoned through necromancy and sealed within him by some greater method…’
Nonetheless, one thing was certain.
Right now, he was in a hugely inconvenient situation.
Hidden trump card? Powers bestowed? Such things held no meaning now.
‘What a hellish situation.’
Cold sweat trickled down Obaifo’s back.
There wouldn’t be physiological reactions among the spirits of this mental realm, so it must’ve just been a feeling.
[Kuhuh— I was just making some progress in my research. Who would’ve thought I’d get additional clues about the Abyss here! Well, come to think of it, you’re also from the Oath of Reversal, right? This could be quite the useful clue.]
A chilling voice that sent shivers down his spine just by hearing it.
He unconsciously glanced over his shoulder, yet the door he came in was already firmly closed as if it had never been opened.
[Don’t worry. You just need to cooperate a bit. I have something good for you! It won’t be too painful. Oh, to be more precise…]
Leading the way was a dark figure holding a bead in its hand.
Oddly ominous-looking spirits that seemed anything but ordinary began slinking closer.
And—.
[You won’t even feel the pain. Kuhuhahahaha!]
That was just it.
*
“Hmm.”
Heinz II slowly opened his eyes and gazed quietly at the stiff, old vampire, Obaifo, before him.
Quite some time had passed in the mental realm, more than anticipated, but not much time had elapsed in the real world.
He slowly raised his hand and brushed aside Obaifo’s hand that had stretched towards his forehead.
The vampire merely went along, as if he were a mannequin, acting mechanically and powerless.
‘Even if he surrenders, I have no intention of accepting him as a subordinate.’
Obaifo was a scheming fellow who had lurked in the shadows with the Oath of Reversal for a long time.
Contrary to Briki’s carefree personality, he was one who excelled in sorcery, so even if he were to become his subordinate, he would likely bring discomfort continually.
“Losers hand over everything to winners.”
Puh—
With no hesitation, Heinz’s hand plunged into Obaifo’s heart, which was just a hollow shell.
The heart, thrashing wildly, was caught in his grasp.
“This is quite a satisfactory offering. I hope you’ll accept it joyfully.”
As soon as those words were finished, Heinz grabbed the heart and crushed it.
Simultaneously, along with Obaifo’s blood, nine purebloods that appeared to be grafted in some means flowed neatly into his hand.
‘Hmm, not bad as an energy source.’
Since most of the vampires on the continent had already fallen under his influence, the fact that the energy pool had grown larger didn’t mean the purebloods were particularly special.
As mentioned earlier, even if gathered, they were merely one of the many factions of vampires, plus he had the superior “Hybrid Evolution” in comparison.
‘What’s important now isn’t that.’
Of course, it was important, but the more pressing issue was the change that had arisen as he absorbed everything from Obaifo.
Feeling the heat radiating from his engulfed body and the steam wafting out, he adjusted his physical state when suddenly a notification window appeared before his eyes, and he slowly curled his lips upwards.
《Achievement Unlocked! The Vampire Lord who unified the fragmented and feuding races, ‘The Blood King’ has been achieved.》
《You have obtained dominion over most vampires existing in the Auterica dimension. As a reward, you receive the special title ‘Lord’s Authority’.》
《You have made a significant impact on the world through your achievements. Your karma rises additionally.》
Heinz II, who went from being a human to an underling vampire, and ultimately to the pinnacle of pureblood…
Finally reached the moment where he became a true king, ruling over an entire race.
