<h4>Chapter 28: A fateful encounter</h4>


    ╔═══?STATUS?════╗


    Name: Ben Franklin


    Race: Vampire


    Evolution: Evo 3 Level: 1


    Exp:0/10 HP: 100/100


    MP: 000/000


    Strength: 21


    Agility: 25


    Stamina: 23


    ╚═════════════╝


    *Sigh*


    "At least the system is working unlike that time before. Let''s see what''s more is there on the table-" Ben thought with a sigh, scrolling through the system interface.


    "Show me the passive skills" Hemanded, standing up from the ground and walking in a certain direction. He was currently wearing ck hood-like clothing with golden trim on it, simr to what those mages were wearing in the ritual ground.


    <<Active Skills>>


    1. Blood Bullet: 5HP/Use


    2. Inspect: Can Scan the object in sight


    3. Charm: Can be used to influence the target. *200% effect on the opposite gender.


    "Wait, that''s it?" Ben asked himself, in amazement and disappointment. He was expecting something better when he evolves into a Vampire, but guess what? He doesn''t even have the skills that he used to have before.


    *Ssh*


    He washed his face, sitting next to the river water. After removing any visual blood stains on his body.


    As he moved along the river''s edge, he gazed at his reflection. Though he couldn''t see his face, the otherworldly crimson red eyes and ck hair revealed the true nature of his vampire form. It was a stark contrast to his age, for his body appeared to be that of a 16 or 17-year-old, while his mind harbored knowledge umted over 32 years.


    "As long as I am not a mosquito" Ben sighed in relief before he stretched his body and started to walk towards the other side.


    ╠═ PASSIVE SKILLS ═╣


    1. Blood Vision: Sensory Vision


    2. Immortality: Immune to aging, diseases, and curses. [A/N: He can still be killed ]


    3. Mutatic Regeneration: Regenerate your body upon consumption of blood.


    4. All Tongue: Can talk and understand in any existingnguage.


    "Well at least this seems more interesting," Ben thought, before he sshed the water in his hands on the silver hair girl, who was sleeping on the ground.


    The girl in reaction, made some movement on her face as if she was about to wake up.


    Ben on the other hand, instantly took a step back and summoned his ''Beetle''s Chitin Dagger'' on one hand while ''Ancient Spear'' on the other hand, ready to take action if necessary.


    From the previous turn of events, Ben had temporarily only 3 soul weapons left. The dagger he obtained from killing ck beetles, the spear from the undead, andstly the Inferno Stringer from fireflies.


    The girl with silver hair, slowly opened her eyes, still exhausted and lying on the ground, she looked at Ben with a curious gaze, without muttering a word.


    "You woke up!?" Ben asked, while surprised at the same time.


    ording to the system, the girl is a ve contracted to him so she shouldn''t be able to harm him in any way.


    Not to mention, Ben already escaped the barrier range of Hell''s tree quite a while ago, so the devil has probably no external authority over here.


    But still, there was some uneasiness in Ben, asking him to always be on guard.


    From the 32 years of his life, learning 8 differentnguages and traveling to many countries, Ben could almost predict what''s going on inside a person''s mind, withoutmunicating.


    But this girl in front of him, it felt like he was looking at the abyss. Aplete hollow, as if he was looking at a corpse or something.


    "Did you save me?" She muttered, her eyes half open, barely hanging conscious.


    "..." Ben couldn''t answer but take a look at her, doesn''t she remember what happened just a few hours back?


    "Do you remember anything from the past-" Ben asked, taking a calctive approach.


    ...


    " I remember I was in some kind of moving prison, my handcuffed, and next time...I woke up here" She said, slowly regaining her bnce, trying to sit.


    "Argh" Ben almost choked on his breath, how cant she remember the bloody massacre she didst time.


    [Perhaps the host, her memory of that incident is somehow erased. Or maybe, she doesn''t have a memory of anything after being possessed by the devil. ]


    "You aren''t wrong, but what if she is just acting? No... I shouldn''t be thinking that, especially when she is the victim here." Ben thought, a little conflicted. Although she had all the right to know what happened to her, Ben wasn''t sure how would a 16-17-year-old girl will handle it.


    "Are you the one who bought me?" The girl asked in an emotionless voice, breaking Ben out of his daze.


    "She is probably thinking I brought her from those bandits or something." Ben thought, judging by her actions and words.


    "I will just go with the flow for now," He thought, taking a deep breath. "Ahh yes, I did buy you from those bandits, you were the only one in my budget haha.." Ben said, with an embarrassed smile.


    [ You shouldn''t have said thest line]


    "Oops!!"


    "I see..." The girl muttered with a sad smile. Currently, she was also wearing the same ck hood with golden lines, that Ben picked up from the ritual ground.


    With barely 3 hours before the barrier falls again, Ben was able to collect a few items that weren''t burned from the battle before escaping the hell''s tree range. This includes two cloth, a broken staff from which only blue crystal was remaining, a sword that somehow survived even after being enveloped by blue mes, two hood-like clothing, and a thin ring that the system said to be useful.


    "Is there any way I can buy my freedom back?" The girl asked, a little determination in her voice.


    "Is there a way system?" Ben asked, internally, feeling a little guilty about her question.


    [ There are indeed ways I can use to break free blood contract, but you will have to get more energy and time for that host.]


    *Sigh*


    "Don''t worry about that, I am not the kind of person who likes to keep ves. I will free you from the contract as soon as it''s time." Ben said as he summoned back his weapons, feeling no threat from the girl anymore.


    "In the meantime, you can act freely as you like," Ben said with a smile on his face, extending his hand towards the girl. In response, the other just looked at him suspiciously before she stood up without taking Ben''s hand.


    "Why do I feel like, I was rejected by a girl I never proposed to."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Yo, guys! Author here. I know the past 2-3 chapters were kinda hectic and confusing. So, for the readers who are confused, let me give you a small summary:


    The girl, we are reading in the story, is born of a Human father and an Elven mother. Because of her, being mixed blood, she was despised by the n and treated badly.


    When she finally turned 16 years of age and didn''t qualify for Elvan''s standards of the magic exam, she was exiled from the family and sold to random ve merchants.


    As you read earlier, these ve merchants weren''t normal merchants but participants in some weird ritual to make a contract with the devil. To make this ritual sessful, they needed to sacrifice 100 pure girls (virgins) from different races and summon the king of hell Hiryanakashyapu.


    But before they could summon the Devil King, a seventh hell devil Astaroth Malevolent was attracted by the girl''s anger and revenge, and made a contract with her.


    The contract is as follows- As long as the girl''s hatred and desire for revenge is burning in her heart, Astaroth will do anything to make her stronger. But if, ever, her anger turns cold or she changes her goal for revenge, Astaroth will capture her soul to the 7th hell.


    After making the contract with the girl, Astaroth possesses the body and kills all the mages present on the ritual ground. Then, for some reason, he makes a ve contract with Ben and turns off the barrier around the hell tree for 3 hours, so he can escape along with the girl.


    If you have any more questions or confusion, feel free to drop them in thements. Keep reading keep supporting <3.