《Rewind System: Vampire Harem In The Apocalypse》 1 Chapter 1 A vampire. The moonlight reflected off the beauty''s long silky silver hair, illuminating her gorgeous petite yet curvy figure. Pointy ears stuck out from her hair whilst small sharp canines stuck out of her mouth. Her slit-pupil eyes glowed a bright red crimson. While she stared at him, he found himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle as she drew closer to him as if they were under hypnosis. The girl''s lips slowly approached his face, her fangs were brought into closer view as they were only inches away. His heart began to pound as the sweet scent of roses permeated through the air. *Spurt* Whatever expectations he had, were all shattered in the following second however as her fangs suddenly dug into the side of his throat. "Awaken. You''re in danger." Her voice echoed. - "Ah-" His eyes opened wide, and he groaned as he smacked his hand against the side of his neck at the same time. He was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. As he nced around quickly, he tried to see if the woman from his dream was there, but she wasn''t. Instead, he found himself surrounded by bored students who were on the verge of dozing off while listening to the boring chairman''s speech "Fuck... It was that dream again..." He muttered before rubbing his neck. ''There''s no way right...?'' ''No matter how realistic it felt... It can''t be real... Likee on, this is Vampires we''re talking about...'' He thought to himself. Short, ck and spiky with silver edges and ck eyes. The short, scrawny, skinny, 156 cm, frightened young man with hardly any muscle was Xavier Trigger. Due to his short stature and weak figure, he was a target for many. Currently, the students were in the gym, arge branch of the main building just outside it. Despite being a branch, the two buildings were not connected. Recent renovations to the gym gave it the appearance of arge assembly hall. Within therge number of chairs, numerous students sat side by side. "My students... Once again, I''d like to thank you all foring on this Friday! I''m sure you''re all tired and still in the mood for vacations but unfortunately, we have toe in today! I really hope you all enjoy your first year at college!" Currently, they are located in King''s cross, Central London. This was Crimson Booking Academy, the young man''s new school. *p* *p* *p* He felt a throbbing burn on the side of his neck as the other students unamusedly pped their hands. ''Fuck... It''s burning again...!'' he grumbled inwardly before rushing to grab his phone. After pulling it out, he nced at the time. 9:15 AM, September the 9th, 2023. He opened the camera and used it to reflect the side of his neck where he felt pain. A scar in the form of two dots could be seen evenly spaced out from one another. They resembled bite marks caused by fangs. His scar was glowing red almost as if it was warning him of something But the instant he blinked, they vanished. ''The burning stopped... Damn it... What''s with this bad feeling...'' Ignoring the feeling, the young man put his phone away. But upon doing so, his sight fell over a golden ring with a crimson gem on his middle finger. He stared at the ring''s gem for a while before moving his sight away from it back over towards the the Principal. His boring speech seemed to be far from over. "Huuu¡­" Taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down, Xavier soon closed his eyes. But right before he could doze off- *BANG!* Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated throughout the room, snapping him out of his reverie. As he opened his eyes wide, he saw the door leading to the assembly hall fly across the room. *CRASH!* After crashing into the wall at the opposite end, it came to a stop. Complete silence. No one uttered a word as they stared at the doorframe. Cold gusts of air and torrential rain began to flow in, but that didn''t seem to be a cause for concern. "Hm~ Looks like schools are really the way to go~" What caught their eyes was the one single figure standing by the door. He has short antique pink hair and silver earrings on both sides of his ears. A moderately long sharp canine stuck out of his mouth and pointed ears protruded from his hair. His eyes had a bright red glint matching their crimson colour and his pupils were slit. He wore a night blue uniform and carried a long sword resting inside of the sheathe on his waist. As Xavier stared into his eyes, his heart sank. He ced his hand over his chest and he began to pant. ''Those eyes... It''s just like the girl from my dream''s...'' As he looked up at the single person standing there, there was no doubt he was the cause of his fear. ''Yeah... There''s no doubt about it... I didn''t think they were real but...'' When Xavier finally realized what was happening, he was covered in cold sweat. Suddenly, his neck began to glow and burn as if it were on fire once again. ''That''s a vampire...'' The principal was the first to speak up, he walked up to the vampire on his own. "L-Look, I don''t know who you think you are but this is-" *Stter* With a flick of his wrist, the vampire''s sword soared through the air, impaling the principal right through the middle of his head. After being knocked away and his sword stuck inside his head, he came to a halt a few meters away, right between the legs of a student. The student on the front row who was closest to the principal''s body was frozen with fear. Blood gushed out from his body as hey motionless on the ground, his eyes wide open, lifeless, but still stuck in the same confused expression. The sight shook her to her core. Her eyes welled up with tears as her voice struggled to escape. Ironically, it wasn''t she who screamed, but a girl to her right. "AAAAAAHHH!!!!" As a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the room, everyone''s hearts were filled with panic and fear. One by one the students hopped off their chairs before rushing towards the exit. There were two exit doors at the front and two at the back of the assembly hall. Most students rushed to the back, running for their lives as adrenaline filled their veins. While they didn''t know what was happening, they had all seen enough shit to know it wasn''t good. Xavier had already moved ahead of them since they were distracted by the show. Even though he wasn''t the brightest nor the fastest, it was times like these when his low presence and ability to sneak around truly shone. Cold sweat ran down his face as he stood in front of the door, holding on to the handle. *Grrrrrrr* Even though it was faint, he could hear it on the other side of the door. The sound of faint and quiet growls escaping through the door cracks. "H-Hey..." "Oi.. What the fuck is-" A whistle from the first vampire who had entered the room interrupted Xavier and the other students. "Kill them all... Ah- But leave the girls alive, we need food~" Knowing that he needed to step away from the door, Xavier quickly turned to leave. However, as soon as he turned. He was pushed back by one of the many students who rushed towards the other exit in a hurry. "Ah-" He felt his heart sink. *SLASH!* Suddenly, everything turned upside down before going ck. *Shatter* Secondster, Xavier''s decapitated corpse copsed on the floor, shattering the gem on the Ring in his hand. [System Synchronising...] 2 Chapter 2 [System Synchronised!] *Smack!* Xavier''s eyes opened wide The sound of rain drops echoing through the hall, filled his ears. Confused, he looked left and right. . . Slowly, his blurry vision filled in, revealing the halls where he had just been a short time ago. The eyes of Xavier were frozen open. Slowly, he moved his hand over to his neck, rubbing it lightly. He still had his head attached. "A....Ah...." His voice struggled toe out, petrified by the fear. He could feel the bread he had for breakfast in the morning slowly flowing back up his throat as he had an intense urge to throw up. Instead of causing a scene, he closed his teary eyes and swallowed it back, before gasping and panting for air. ''I... I died... I know I did... I died... So how-'' The principal interrupted Xavier''s thoughts "My students... Once again, I''d like to thank you all foring on this Friday!" He felt his heart skip a beat. ''This speech was...'' "I''m sure you''re all tired and still in the mood for vacations but unfortunately, we have toe in today!" ''No way...'' he thought to himself. "I really hope you all enjoy your first year at college!" Xavier''s pupils dted. As it sank in, his heart began to beat faster and faster. At that moment, Xavier pulled out his phone to check the time. 9:15 AM. September 9th 2022. ''This confirms it... After dying, I went back in time... But how? Does it have something to do with that system thing I heard-'' [System Launching.] [System Launched.] [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Human.] [Level: 0] [XP: 0/50] [Coins: 0] [HP: 10/10] [Energy: 90/100] (-10% Rewind) [State: Normal] [Strength: 3] [Agility: 6] [Stamina: 5] [Sense: 5] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Shop] [Quest] Xavier''s eyes widened as a strange system interface appeared before him. He scrolled quickly through the interface knowing his time was limited. ''What the hell is this? Some sort of game stat screen?'' ''If that''s the case what''s with these shit stats?'' Xavier''s curious eyesnded on the other tabs. Though he wanted to check them, there was no time. He jumped to his feet and began to run through the crowd of chairs as quickly as he could to the exit. The students as well as the principal were taken by surprise by the sudden action. "What''s he doing?" "That guy has balls... Imagine pulling weird shit like this on the first day of college." "Look at the principal''s face, he looks so confused! Lol." Xavier ignored thements from the people around him and ran to the exit opposite the one he had gone to previously. One of the teachers was standing by the door to the exit, a tall and muscr teacher with short brown hair. He appeared to have noticed Xavier heading for the door, and since he was closer, he stood by it to question him. *Bump!* In reaching for the handle, Xavier bumped into him, which caused him to fall to the ground. The teacher asked, "Where do you think you''re going?". Xavier nervously nced at the entrance on the other end of the hall. *Tsss* The mark on his neck began to glow and burn. ''Fuck! It''s starting soon!!!'' "I need a really really big dump! I really need to go!! Please let me out!" He yelled out shamelessly. Since he knew he couldn''t leave with the teacher there and there was no way he could ovee him, he shamelessly yelled out the first thing that came into his head. "A-Ah... So that was the case... Right.. I''m sorry... You did seem quite desperate..." As the students watched Xavier run out of the door and the teacher walk away, the entire room burst intoughter. "Hahaha! Did you hear what he said!?" "I need to take a big dump!! What''d he eat that morning!?" "He better make sure he washes those hands after he''s done!" "Eww... Stop talking about-" *BANG!* Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated throughout the room, snapping them out of their joyful moment. They watched as the the door from one of the entrances soared across the room beforeing to a stop as it crashed against the wall. *CRASH!* - - By the bushes around the school gate, Xavier was crouched and hidden. He was soaked by the pouring rain and shivering from the cold. It was clear they had all entered through the school entrance since there were no ghouls or vampires visible on the side of the school where he was. "My house in the same direction of the entrance... I''ll have to climb over this wall and then take the long way home..." Xavier felt bad for leaving his ssmates behind, but he didn''t know them very well either. He was a transfer student and it was his first day. Essentially, they were strangers. Keeping his family safe was more important to him than anything else. His powerless self could not survive with the attention he would get from moving with everyone. Xavier pulled out his phone and checked the time. 9:19 AM. "AAAAAAAAAH!!!!" A blood curdling scream echoed throughout the inside of the gym. Xavier''s eyes grew wide. ''That''s the signal!'' He leapt up onto the wall as soon as possible, struggling greatly to climb it with his small and weak legs. From the top of the wall, he stood wide-eyed. He could see the buildings around the school and the roads. There were people in dark blue uniforms and caps holding on to ghouls with metal leashes all over the ce. A few secondster, he jumped across the wall into another bush and surveyed the area. The ce waspletely infested, there were no openings anywhere. 9:20 AM. Momentster, the time struck 20, and in that instant, he instantly noticed that things were getting dark. It was almost as if a dark cloud loomed over him. Upon looking up, he felt chills rush down his spine. ''What... What is that...?'' An enormous ck sphere floated in the clouds above. The sight of terror unfolded before Xavier''s eyes as he crouched by the bush. [Dimensional Rift.] Xavier was startled by the sudden voice and bumped his head against the wall behind him. [Dimension Rifts are opening between dimensions or worlds. The rift is currently inactive and will most likely stay that way for a long time, however...] Xavier''s ears twitched. ''W-Wait... You can talk?'' [Negative, I can answer the user''s questions, depending on the information avable.] ''...Same thing... More importantly... What were you going to say? However-'' *CRASH!* Startled, Xavier turned his eyes from the sky above over to the post before him where a car had crashed. The driver stumbled out of the car with his entire body a few secondster. Parts of his hand had lit up in a glowing light like some sort of super power. The man seemed confused about this himself but too injured to properly make out what it was. He began swaying his arms around trying to put out the light. ''Even with the airbags deployed, the car waspletely smashed up, yet he''s able to freely move?'' ''Is he also a Vampire or ghoul?'' [Negative, that is a human.] [A ghoul is a human which has failed to be a vampire.] The system responded in his mind. ''Then how is he able to do that?'' [The Dimensional Rift.] [Whenever it invades a world, it unlocks the source of energy hidden deep within a person and amplifies it. It also amplifies the surrounding energy. This phenomenon awakens supernatural abilities within people''s bodies.] ''...Why is all of this happening now? Is this part of the Vampire''s ns?'' Xavier questioned as he watched the confused man. It wasn''t just him, but countless other people came out of hiding, freaked out by the changes happening to them. Some had elements moving at their disposable whilst others had more unique traits. [Due to ack of information, unable to answer the User''s question.] [However, I would assume the Vampires have started this chaos because they hold no control over the situation.] [With this Rift active, the humans, their prey, will only continue to get stronger.] ''So they feel threatened...'' Xavier concluded. [Affirmative.] Whilst Xavier watched the chaos take ce before him, a deep growl caught his eyes. Turning to the right, he noticed ghoulsing from all over the ce, approaching the people who were making the most noise. One even began approaching the distracted man who had just been on an ident. Xavier wanted to call out to him and warn him, but he didn''t want to risk his location being given away. And in that moment, the ghoul leapt and the man, biting into the man''s neck and tearing a chunk of flesh from his body as it did so. It then proceeded to drown in his blood just a few secondster with the most satisfied look on its face. The ghouls in the area had been freed from the leashes the Vampires had put on them. ''...Hey...'' Xavier called out inwardly. ''...Give me an idea to get away safely from here... Something that might help.'' [Due to ack of information, unable to assist the user in such a way.] ''...Nevermind.'' ''...I''ll figure it out myself..'' He thought to himself as he moved along the bushes. Right now his priority was getting the hell out of there and getting home. 3 Chapter 3 Xavier was on a rush home. In order to avoid any and all interactions with the ghouls or the vampires in uniform, he moved as sneakily as he could. 9:23 AM. *Riing* *Riing* *Static* [The number you are trying to reach is not avable, please hang up and try againter.] ''Damn it!! Why won''t they pick up!? They''re not responding to any of my messages either?'' Xavier wondered as he scrolled through the message app on his phone. Only a few minutes have passed since everything began, but he already felt like he''d die of fear. *Rattle* Xavier''s eyes widened as he suddenly came to a halt beside one of the houses down the road. Watching the chaos erupt everywhere, he hid by its side. *BOOM!* BOOOM!* *BOOOOM!* One after another, explosions were heard throughout the city and on the roads. Shockwaves were sent toward him. The screams of people echoed throughout the city, as did the sound of shattering ss as the ghouls entered the houses. Hell was on earth. On his run, he also noticed that people were experiencing strange symptoms, they were mutating in a way, and they had special abilities. In his mind, all that mattered was getting home safe and protecting his family, so he didn''t think too much of it. Everything else was cut off. Xavier rushed towards his house, fully aware of how quickly things were bing worse. He and his family had gotten a house not too far from or too close to the school, which was fortunate for him. He was just three minutes away. In that spirit, Xavier ran, he ran with all his might. Despite his short stature, he was exceptionally fast when it came to sprinting and was remarkably strong when it came to stamina. For him, a three-minute run was nothing. ''Please be safe... Please be safe...!'' He repeated over and over on the inside of his mind. [New Quest has been added.] [Daily Quest Avable.] [Main Quest Avable.] [Quest: Confirm Family''s Safety.] [Safety Confirmed: 0/3.] [Reward: 50 XP + 2 SP.] Xavier ran until his lungs felt like they were going to burst, but he didn''t stop, his legs wanted him to slow down for even a second after wasting all of their explosive energy in the sprint, but he did not. ''Almost ther-'' *CRASH!* From the house to his left, a bloodied Ghoul smashed through the window, interrupting Xavier. It munched on a chunk of flesh that had likelye from inside the other ce. After growling at Xavier, the ragged ghoul lunged at him. *FWOOSH!* This thing was absolutely fast. It jumped off the ground and lunged at him at a speed almost impossible to follow - *Sway* In spite of this, Xavier managed to avoid it by swaying to the side at the veryst second. After sliding down the slick, wet road, the monster lunged once more at Xavier. The fear-stricken Xavier took advantage of the slippery roads to his advantage, and slid right past and under the Ghoul before bolting away. The ghoul crashed into the window of the car behind him as he ran without looking back. *Huff* *Puff* *Huff!* Xavier''s pants were even heavier than before, and he took a few turns to get the Ghoul off his trail. He was not sure how sensitive their noses were, and they might have been able to smell him if it hadn''t rained. Therefore, he was grateful it had rained on this day. Having thought about all of that, he continued running, before eventually stopping at his doorstep. "I... I made it!" He muttered with a smile. Using the door handle, his heart felt as if it would jump out of his chest. While entering, he noticed something was off, it was quiet, almost as if no one was there. It was strange since everyone was on vacation today except him. ''Maybe they''re hiding...?'' He wondered as he rushed into the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen, he experienced a chill run down his spine. The kitchen walls were covered in dark blood and the window leading outside was broken. Someone or something broke in. "Haha... Haha.... This can''t be real, right?" Xavier asked with a smile as he walked along the Kitchen and grabbed a long kitchen knife. -Memory "Are you sure, you can''t wait for everyone to have breakfast?" She asked with a worried look. Ahead of him stood a woman with beautiful long light brown hair and round brown eyes. This beauty of a woman was his mother. ine. Sitting at 169 CM, she pretty much towered over him despite him wanting to admit it.. "It''s 8:30, school starts at 8:40. I''mte... I''ll eat on the way." "Alright... Just make sure you eat everything, Okay...?" "Alright mum..." -Memory End. "I mean, just this morning... Just this morning she was here and fine... They must be hiden somewhere..." He murmured as he made his way over to the living room with the kitchen knife in hand. The room was a mess, the sofa was ripped, the TV was broken, and there was no one in sight but the trail of blood. It led upstairs. -Memory He heard humminging from the living room just before leaving the house. Upon turning to the source, he sees his sister, lying on the couch. Long honey yellow hair, bright orange irises. Despite being 17, a year younger, she was somehow almost a whole ten centimetres taller than him, standing at 165 CM of height. It was his sister, Viera. Her mind was upied with the news that was currently being broadcast on the TV ahead of her couch. "The storms still rage on, scientists haven''t been able to figure out the cause for this abnormal weather, and with the way things look, this could go on for a longer while! Has global warming reached it''s end phase?" For a split second, They made eye contact but it''s quickly avoided as she turned her head away, humphing in the process. "Hmph... Have fun at school..." She was somewhat mad at him over a recent event and still haven''t gotten over it. -Memory End "She was just here this morning... Come on sister... Where''s your nagging like always? We still haven''t even made up after that fight..." Xavier murmured as he slowly ascended the stairs. *Step* Creak* The wooden material creaked with every step. His fear of reaching the top increased with each ascent. Though he was hopeful, he was also afraid. What if something bad happened? *Step* *Halt* After reaching the top of the stairs, Xavier stopped moving. He nced down the short hallway and remembered his conversation with his father this morning. -Memory Walking down the hall, he was suddenly caught off guard as the door to my parents'' room opens and his father emerges wearing nothing but his underwear. Short curly ck hair, light blue eyes visible through his rectangle sses. His shredded muscr 6-pack abs, muscr arms and legs were covered in sweat. A gentle smile grew on his face as he noticed him. It was his father, Eric. "Oh- Morning Xavier. Want to join me for my training this morning?" He asked. A smile grew on Xavier''s face as he replied. "If you call my school and let them know I''m sick likest time." His father''s smile grows more nervous, as he lets out a strained chuckle. He quickly looks left and right before leaning in and whispering. "You remember what your mother did to usst time when she found out you were faking, don''t you?" Xavier''s punishment wasn''t actually that bad, he was just grounded from reading his precious novels since grounding his introverted self wouldn''t have changed anything. His father on the other hand was tied to the tree on our backyard for three hours and forced to sleep in the living room for three whole days. "Guess we''ll have to settle for next time then..." Xavier muttered with a dejected look. "Boys, the breakfast is ready!" A voice called them from downstairs. "Coming!" They reply. They look at each other, and smile before bumping each other''s fists. -Memory End. The Trail of blood made it''s way over to his father''s room. Xavier gulped. His steps suddenly became heavier as he rushed to the room and mmed open the door. What he saw... Tore him apart. There was a severed arm lying on the floor on top of a pool of blood just in front of his parents'' torn bed. Xavier stared at the arm without saying a word. He recognised it, there was no way he wouldn''t. After all it... The striped tattoo on it... Was the same as his father''s. "..." Xavier didn''t dare enter the room. Shadow loomed over his face as he grinded his teeth and raised his knife to his head. [Main Quest Completed.] [Situation Confirmed!] [Rewards received!] [XP: 50/50] [LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL 0 --> 1] [XP: 0/100] [SP: 0 -> 2] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS AVAILABLE!] [1 - 2 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 - Mysterious Pill.] [4 - Mysterious Skill Roulette.] (Level 1 Special+) Xavier ignored the Level up options, he wasn''t interested in it. Rather he was clinging to but one hope and one hope only in his heart. "System. Show me my skill." A system interface tab opened up before him showing but a single skill. [Skill.] [Rewind] [Level 1: Return.] [Effect: User is able to return to a point before death. Each Return costs 10% of the User''s energy until the user passes the point of return.] [Cost: 10% Per Return.] "...Return." Without hesitation, with the shadow looming over his face covering it, Xavier pierced himself right in the middle of his temple. *Piece* Everything turned ck. [You have died.] [Skill: Rewind has been activated.] 4 Chapter 4 *Smack!* Xavier''s eyes opened wide as he found himself standing once again in the middle of the assembly. A light stinging sensation urred on the side of his neck, but he didn''t bother to deal with it. After looking over at his hands, he clenched them repeatedly. ''I made it back...'' He thought to himself. "System." He muttered. [System Launched.] [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Human.] [Level: 0] [XP: 0/50] [Coins: 0] [HP: 10/10] [Energy: 90/100] (-10% Rewind) [State: Normal] [Strength: 3] [Agility: 6] [Stamina: 5] [Sense: 5] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Shop] [Quest] He clicked his tongue as he noticed that he didn''t keep neither his Level nor SP. "My students... Once again, I''d like to thank you all foring on this Friday! I''m sure you''re all..." The principal suddenly stopped his speech with a confused look as he witnessed Xavier get up and slowly walk towards the exit. Other students looked on with surprised expressions as well. After all, it came out of nowhere. "Um, excuse me, could the student who just got up please have a seat? We''re in the middle of an assembly right now." The Principal requested. Xavier ignored it, instead he found himself standing before the tall muscr brown-haired teacher by the exit door once again. "I don''t know what''s gotten into you, but that was very rude. Have a seat and we''ll discuss this aft-" "Move." Xavier muttered. The man ced his hand over Xavier''s slim shoulder and began squeezing it. "I don''t know who you think you are, but you''reing with-" Xavier''s hair preventing others from seeing his expression. After he raised it and stared the teacher in the eye however... "!?" He flinched. Bloodlust, anger, hatred, rage, fury, and despair. He had a mixture of every negative thought or emotion piled up inside of him. His family was more important to him than anything else. When his parents abandoned him, they were the only ones who cared for him. They treated him like their own blood son and brother. And yet... Someone... No, something had the audacity to take them from him. All of it from him... The teacher could not even begin toprehend what was happening inside Xavier''s mind. The teacher let go of Xavier''s shoulders, and he walked straight past him, leaving the building right away. "..." The instant the door shut behind him, he ran. He ran with all he had, as fast as he could in order to make it to the house before anything could happen. - - 9:25 AM. After pushing himself ot his limits he made it once again. This time an entire minute earlier than before. Upon rushing inside, he inspected every single room and what did it change...? Nothing. The result was the same. Blood all over the walls, a severed arm, no one was there. [Quest Completed!] With a trembling hand, still somewhat hopeful, Xavier grabbed the knife and ced it just beside his temple. *Pierce!* [You have died!] [Skill: Rewind has activated!] - Once again, another minute earlier. 9:24 AM. He was still toote, so he decided to try again. [Quest Completed!] *Pierce* [Skill: Rewind has activated!] - *Pierce* And again. 9:23. AM. Result was the same. [Quest-] *Pierce - And again and again... *Pierce* *Pierce* *Pierce* [Skill: Rewind has activated.] - - - He couldn''t beat the 9:23 AM mark no matter how many times he tried. Despite dying six times, he couldn''t save them. In light of this fact, Xavier broke down. He stopped doing anything on the seventh run, sat there and watched his status screen while all the events unfolded before him. [Energy: 40/100] (-60% Rewind) His ssmates'' screams, the chaos, it all seemed to fade away as he stared nkly at the screen. ''Why...?'' He questioned. ''Why is this happening to me...?'' ''Why did this happen to them...?'' ''Who did this...? *Tap* *Tap* "Hello? Hello, hello?? Anyone there?" Suddenly, a voice called out to him and tapped him repeatedly on the head. Xavier slowly looked up to find the pink haired vampire standing right in front of him with hollow eyes. Short antique pink hair and silver earrings on both sides of his ears. The same vampire who started all this. With confusion, Xavier tilted his head to the side and looked around. As he did this, his eyes grew wide. A blood bath. The gym hall was littered with organs and chunks of flesh belonging to his male ssmates. Despite trembling in fear, all the girls were unharmed by the corner. Some even fell to the floor and pissed themselves. Xavier noticed that quite a few of them had also unlocked their abilities, and one had even created a barrier of sorts around the whole group to protect them. Despite all their fear, they felt safe within the barrier, unaware that it was not the barrier that kept them alive, but the vampire''s decision. Xavier turned around and watched as some of the male students who had been bitten by the ghouls slowly got up from the ground and behaved differently. It was as if their pupils had turned white, and they were foaming from their mouths and growling uncontrobly. Without a doubt they had be a ghoul. [Information Update.] [A bite from a ghoul, turns a human into a ghoul.] Mentioned the system. There is no doubt that all of this information was valuable. Additionally, there were many questions, such as what would happen to the girls? Where would they take them? Where did theye from. So many questions, so many mysteries. However, it was strange. Xavier didn''t give a shit about any of it. There was only one thing he wanted to know. ''Who was it..?'' ''Who hurt them...?'' *p* Xavier''s head instantly swung to the side before his body went sliding across the floor, through the chairs. He came to a stop just by the Vampire looking down on him with a smile on his face. His cheek had swollen up, the throbs wouldn''t stop. "You... You''re quite interesting... While everyone was running and screaming for their lives you just stood there..." "Was it fear...? That''s strange... I can''t smell any fear from you..." "Hm~ You''re quite interesting... Perhaps you would make a nice toy?" The Vampire asked. "Was it you?" Xavier asked with nk hollow eyes as he stared right at the Vampire. The Vampire, not exactly sure what it was the Xavier was referring to simply smiled brightly and said. "Yeah, it was me." *Crack* He broke one of Xavier''s fingers. Yet by that point, Xavier had been through so much, that he didn''t so much as let out a single whimper of pain. Instead, he bit his lip and smiled back. "Hm?" The Vampire let out in a confused tone. Xavier suddenly grabbed a hold of the Vampire''s sword on his waist and pulled it out of it''s sheathe. [You are in possession of a Vampire''s de.] [The sword desires blood in exchange for power.] [Will you let the sword consume your blood?] "Oh~ Are you going to try and kill me too like your ssmates?" The Vampire asked with an excited look. "I wonder what sort of ability you possess... Huh?" *Pierce* To the Vampire''s surprise, Xavier pierced himself right in his chest rather than piercing the Vampire himself. "Huh...???" The vampire inquired in a more confused tone. His expression was even paler than before, but he still had a smile on his face. Xavier''s lifeless eyes stared at the Vampire''s once more with the same smile before he whispered into his ear. "I''ll..." "Kill you..." "...Everyst one of you..." Those were Xavier''s final words before copsing. The Vampire scratched the side of his cheek with a confused expression. "...What was that all about? He went and said such cool things only to die afterwards... This is why humans are so boring." [You have died.] [Skill: Rewind has activated.] Everything turned pitch ck. 5 Chapter 5 Heavy rain poured down on the cities of Britain as cloudy skies loomed over them. The storm was getting worst by the hour. The roads, and streets were filled with puddles of water and mud. *Step* *Step* Through these puddles marched groups of people wearing night blue uniforms with blue caps on their heads. Their ears were pointed and their eyes glowed a crimson red in the dark as they walked. They all had swords and other kinds of weapons on their frames as they marched. On their hands were leashes attached to other people. These ones wore torn clothes and acted much more like animals. They were ghouls. "Five minutes until the signal but I can''t wait any longer... The scent of all those people... The sound of their heart beating... It''s so alluring~." Muttered a short antique pink haired vampire with silver earrings. He stood just outside a school gymnasium which was right ahead of the school entrance. There was a concentrated number of people here so it was his first target. He was just one of the many vampires raiding the city. These raids weren''t just happening in this one spot, they were happening all throughout the city. They had all been given a singlemand. "Spread chaos upon the signal... Feast till your hearts content..." *BANG!* He kicked open the gym door, sending it flying across the inside of the Gym. As he walked inside, hemanded the countless ghouls behind him and other Vampires to block out the exit. With that being said, he made his entrance and upon doing so, he was greeted withplete and utter silence along with the stares of all the students, teachers and even the principal. He relished these stares, taking in a deep breath before grinning with his fangs. "Hm~ Looks like schools are really the way to go~" With a flick of his wrist, the vampire''s sword soared through the air, impaling the principal right through the middle of his head. After being knocked away and his sword stuck inside his head, he came to a halt a few meters away, right between the legs of a student. The student beside her let out a blood-curdling scream and then came the panic. One by one, students began to fall to fall and trip over one another as they rushed to the exit. Seeing the students run and attempt to escape while knowing that it was futile gave him a sense of pride and joy unlike any other... ''Ah... Nothing beats a good old-fashioned hunt...'' He thought to himself. *Whistle~!* The vampire whistled loudly, grabbing the attention of some of the students again. ,m "Kill them all... Ah- But leave the girls alive, we need food~" The instant he said that, ghouls came crashing into the room from the exit where everyone was gathered. "AAAAAH!!!" "HELPP!!!!" "SOMEONE HE-" They rip and tore everything that stood in their paths, not sparing any human in sight. Their bottomless hunger was progressively leading to the formation of a blood bath. The students who were fortunate enough to have chosen the other exit on the opposite side were given more time, but their fates were still set in stone as being in a group would have gotten them targeted outside. The pink haired vampire took in a deep breath with a wide grin on his face. "Ah~ Thank god there''s going to be a war... If it wasn''t for this, I''d never have been able to-" The Vampire''s sentence was cut off by him suddenly tilting his head to the side. "Hm?" He let out in a confused tone. Just ahead of him was but a single, short, ck haired young man. He was standing in front of the principle''s corpse and holding onto the handle of his [Vampire''s de.] [Vampire''s de] [A weapon manufactured by Vampire''s, it allows the User to convert their own internal blood into power.] Xavier swung the sword repeatedly in order to get a feel for it. [You have equipped: Vampire''s de] [The sword desires blood in exchange for power.] [Will you let the sword consume your blood?] Without answering the question, Xavier began walking towards the Vampire. [New Quest has been added.] [Quest: Vampire yer.] [y the vampire in your path.] [Vampire''s in: 0/1] [Rewards:] [50 XP] [3 SP] [Daily Quest still avable, would you like to view it?] ''Hm????'' The Vampire was even more visibly confused than before, but the closer Xavier got, the wider his grin became. ''He took my sword and he''s approaching me with it? Did he go crazy after witnessing all the deaths?'' ''His hair is covering his eyes... I can''t tell what sort of expression he''s making... But this sure looks exciting.'' The Vampire watched as Xavier came to a stop right before him. Xavier gripped down tightly onto the Sword, and didn''t seem to make any moves at first. The Vampire who towered over him, looked down at him excitedly whilst waiting for him to make a move. Vampires were countless times faster than regr humans, he was slowly counting the number of times he could have Killed Xavier in his head. Doing so was fun for him. "I must say, I''m impressed. Out of all your friends, you were the only one who came-" *Swoosh* The Vampire was interrupted as the edge of a de was suddenly thrusted at his chin from below. He leaned back, easily avoiding it before countering with a thrust of his own at Xavier''s head. The gap in speed wasughable, The Vampire was so fast his hand seemed to blur out. Yet despite that- *Fwoosh* Xavier ducked, avoiding the thrust aimed at his head from the sides whilst also stepping in. *sh* The Vampire''s left arm was severed off it''s shoulder in that very same instant, as Xavier shed at it with a vertical swing. "...?" *WHAM!* Whilst still confused, The Vampire kicked at Xavier in the stomach, sending him sliding down the hall. The Vampire was even more surprised than earlier to find that Xavier''s guard was up. He had blocked the kick. Xavier''s arms were trembling from the sheer intensity of the kick, but he didn''t let go of his sword. ''I kicked at him with the intention to break his ribs but he blocked...? He reacted from that close of a range?'' ''And even more than that... He cut off my arm...?'' The Vampire wondered as he looked down in search of it to reattach it. To his surprise his arm which had been chopped off, was no longer resting over the pool of blood beneath him. It was gone. His eyes widened after he looked over in Xavier''s direction. His severed arm was right beneath Xavier''s feet. He had dragged it along with him after the kick. ''Don''t tell me... He intentionally took the kick to take my arm away from me?'' "I... Underestimated you because you were human... Based on what I can see, you''re no regr hu-" A shadow remained loomed over Xavier''s face as he began stepping on the Vampire''s severed arm to provoke him. He didn''t want to hear his bullshit any longer. A vein bulged out of the side of the Vampire''s neck in that instant. "Haha... Hahahahaha! You think taking one arm away from me is going to do anything!?" The Vampire burst intoughter for the next few seconds before ring at Xavier. *Fawoosh!* "I''ll kill you." The Vampire dered with cold eyes. The Vampire suddenly appeared before him, thrusting his one arm at his head. Xavier dodged to the right, only to end up dodging to the left as another thrust came right after. A barrage of thrusts aimed at not only his head but also his arms and heart was directed at Xavier by the Vampire in rage. Yet Xavier was effortlessly dodging all of them without moving a step. His eyes were going all over the ce, left and right even though the Vampire was moving so fast his arm seemed to blur. *SWOOSH!* The Vampire kicked at Xavier from the sides, sending him sliding to the right with his feet still nted onto the arm, before appearing above him with an Axe kick heading down at his head. Attempting to block that kick would have definitely broken every single bone in his arm, so Xavier did the unthinkable. Xavier let go of the arm, temporarily rotating his entire body with the side step. The Vampire saw this as an opening and stepped in, thrusting his single arm at Xavier''s heart. The moment Xavier took another step to dodge, the Vampire grinned. It was a fake ¨C He only wanted to get Xavier further away from his arm in order to grab it and that''s exactly what he did. ''I got It-'' *sh!* The Vampire''s thought was interrupted as his remaining hand which had reached out for his arm was cut off. "!!!" ''He saw through that too!? How!!?'' Xavier''s retreat step was also a fake, he knew the Vampire would go for his arm and already had a sword swing in motion for it. Whilst keeping the momentum going, Xavier pressed down on the slippery, bloodied floor, quickly changing his vertical swing into a horizontal one aimed right at the Vampire''s neck. The Vampire who was almost frozen in surprise watched as the sword made it''s way towards his neck. Death. It was then and there that he saw the reflection of his own death in the de. Disbelief, confusion, fear. All sorts of emotions built up from within the Vampire as the sword was just about pricking his neck. He was going to die. Or at least that''s what he thought- *CLANG!* Xavier''s swing stopped half way, as two other Vampire''s wearing the dark blue uniform with the caps over their head, appeared right before him. One had Pearl beige while the other had Mahogany brown coloured hair One Vampire had his hand on the de stopping his swing, while the other had his own sword out, with the de parried to Xavier''s swing. Their eyes both held a crimson light as they red at Xavier. "Oi... What the hell do you think you''re doing?" The pink haired Vampire muttered. "Rest assured, we''ll assist you." 6 Chapter 6 Xavier tried to step away, but the newly arrived Vampire wouldn''t let go of the sword. The pink haired Vampire twitched his ears. While clenching his fist, he exposed his fangs. ''Assist me? A Vampire? Against a human?'' "Go away... You and the ghouls were ordered not to interrupt me regardless of the situation." The Vampires looked at the pink haired Vampire with a confused look. "That was the case, but just now-" "I SAID GO AWAY!!!" The Vampire suddenly roared, as his entire arm and face erupted in mes. [me Maniption: Ignition.] A scorching fist print appeared in the middle of Xavier''s chest, causing his eyes to widen. In the next instant, he was sted away, only to crash into the wall beside the group of female students behind the barrier. They were still hidden away in a corner of the gym and had been watching the entire fight. Fear struck their hearts when they saw Xavier suddenly crash into the wall. Since they had watched him fight previously, they felt hope, but the oue was the same. With his back imnted into the wall, Xavier''s arm trembled as it grasped onto the sword''s cross-guard. "H-Hey!!" "D-Did anyone here awaken a healing ability, he needs help!" "T-Take down the barrier, we need to help him!!" "W-We can''t take down the barrier! I don''t even know how I put it up in the first ce...! And if I take it down, we could die!!" "Even still, we need to help him somehow!" "If you want to help him, go out and help him yourself!!" Watching the ming Vampire approach Xavier with an infuriated expression, the girls argued among themselves. As the mes were being emitted from him, it was clear just how angry he was, and how if they tried to help Xavier, it would only make their situation worse. All of them were looking out for their own survival. Their natural instinct was to do so. With each second that passed, the number of students willing to help Xavier diminished until, eventually, there was no one left. Xavier didn''t seem to care about this, he hadn''t even noticed. He could only see or think of the Vampire approaching him, and the sharp, painful, burning sensation in his chest. The angry Vampire scorched the floor with every step he took, leaving behind a burnt trail. ''Ah... That''s not good... I can''t move...'' ''My body feels broken... It looks like I''ll have to die and start over...'' ''Die and try again... How many times does that make it...? I think it was thirteen times...'''''' He repeated in his thoughts *Pssssss* His ears echoed with the sound of steam being slowly let out from his chest. Suddenly, memories of what he had seen began to sh through his mind. -Memory Throughout his home, blood was smeared across the walls. Just in front of his parents'' torn bed was a severed arm lying on the floor on top of a pool of blood. -Memory end. His fondest memories of them. -Memory Xavier''s most recent, eighteenth birthday. "Happy birthday!!!" The three of them cheered. Xavier blew out the candles on his cake and his mother quickly and excitedly pulled out a wrapped present from beneath the table. "Me and your father saved up to get you a little gift." Said his mother with a joyful smile on her face. "M-Mum..." His sister, Viera called out as she tugged her shirt. "I helped too..." She muttered shyly. "Haha! That''s right, your sister used all the money from her savings to help! Make sure you thank her, Xavier." Said his father, Eric as he patted and rubbed her hair. She stared at Xavier with blushing red cheeks, waiting for his reaction. After Xavier unwrapped the present, he was left with nothing but surprise. It was thetest model of the Z phone. He had mentioned it to his sister, but he never expected them to get it for him. "So, do you like it?" His father asked with a bright smile. *Drip* *Drip* As Xavier smiled back and responded, tears started to fall down his cheeks and his nose turned bright red. "Yeah, I love it.." -Memory End *Drip* Again, tears streamed down Xavier''s shadowy face as he struggled to move. ''It hurts... It fucking hurts..!!!'' The pain from the burn, or the ache of his bones cracking every time he attempted to move, was not what Xavier was referring to. It was the pain in his heart. His pain increased as more memories flooded through his mind. "My... Family..." Xavier muttered with blood gushing from his mouth. "That was my fucking... Family..." He mumbled as he wiped away the tears. [HP: 4/10] [Energy: 20/100] (-80% Rewind) Even though it was only ¨C80, Xavier had definitely died more than twice since thest time. After hiding in a corner, he waited for the energy cap to disappear so that his energy could return. Then from one hundred, he challenged the Vampire, over and over and over again. He repeated this thirteen times. In truth he couldn''t see the Vampire''s movements, nor could he react to them. Until now, his sess was solely due to memorizing the pattern. Without those thirteen times, he would have died within the first three seconds. He knew this because it had actually happened to him. Now even after dying thirteen times, he was going to have to die again and try again. ''I''ll have to die again...? When the fucker is roaming free...?'' Xavier questioned. "Bullshit." Xavier cursed bloodshot eyes as he struggled even more to move. [The sword desires blood in exchange for power.] [Will you let the sword consume your blood?] A red glint shed within Xavier''s eyes. As the Pattern on his neck glowed brighter and brighter once more, it burned even more intensely than the scorch marks on his chest. "Consume it..." Xavier whispered. "Drink as much as you''d like... In exchange... Give me the power to kill that fucker." He added as he red at the pink haired Vampire who was now only a few meters away. As he walked menacingly towards Xavier, mes gathered around his single arm. He didn''t even bother to attach his severed arm that Xavier had let go of because of his pride. He nned to kill Xavier by scorching him to death with the most painful means possible. *Pierce* Xavier''s hand was punctured by metallic fangs as they appeared from the cross-guard of the sword. The blood from his hand flowed down the sword''s white de. The jewel in the pommel of the sword began to glow a bright red as Xavier''s blood could be seen filling up the inside. [The sword consumes your blood.] Xavier''s arm bulged with veins that went up to his shoulder and ended at his neck. Xavier could feel the power pulsating through his veins. [Temporarily received a 50% Boost in Agility.] [Temporarily received a 50% Boost in Strength.] [Temporarily received a 50% Boost in Sense.] "It''s not enough... You want more don''t you?" Xavier asked as he ced the sword right before his chest. In his many deaths, he discovered one spot around his torso that wasn''t immediately fatal. ''That fucker... Don''t tell me he''s...!'' *Pierce* Blood gushed out of Xavier''s chest as he thrust the sword through it. Suddenly, the Vampire leapt towards Xavier, thrusting his arm with the mes he had gathered right at him. *Pierce!* *sh* Roaring mes crashed through the wall and out to the outside. mes so hot that they burned raindrops and watery puddles. There was no way Xavier could have survived it. *Pant* *Pant* ''It''s much stronger than before... Just like the prophecy had predicted... Humans aren''t the only ones bing stronger...'' The Vampire thought to himself. ''So are my abilities.'' "See? What did I tell you? There''s no way in hell I''d need help dealing with a hu-" Within a split second of turning around, the Vampire''s eyes widened. He could see the de''s edge descending vertically toward his neck. *SWOOSH!* At thest second, he just barely avoided the sword swing by stepping backwards. In a counterattack, he thrust his ming arm forward into the air,unching a burst of mes towards Xavier. As Xaviernded on the ground, he kicked off of it to the sides. *BOOM!* The burst of mes missed Xavier, who stepped in from the sides, delivering a clean kick to the vampire''s stomach. *WHAM!* ''He''s fast..!'' The Vampire sted out of the gym through the hole it had created himself. *Slide* Afternding on mud, he almost lost his footing as he slid even further away from the gym. Xavier leapt right out of the Gym onto the muddied terrain just ahead of the school''s main building. Countless raindrops crashed against him as the storm continued to brew. mes on the pink haired Vampire were slowly fading, steam was escaping from him as the rain greatly counteracted his ability. ''This fucker... He purposely brought me out here...! What the hell is wrong with this human!? Don''t tell me...'' ''He''s one of those Opposition fuckers who''ve been hunting the Vampires...!'' ''But he didn''t even have a weapon of his own... And I''ve never heard of one being this crazy!'' [The sword continues to consume your blood.] [Temporarily received a 100% Boost in certain stats.] The sword pommel''s gem shone with a deep crimson red, a colour simr to that of Xavier''s blood. [Litres of blood remaining: 3.6/5] [Danger Level: Blood < 3 Litres.] [HP: 3/10] [State: Risk] [Strength: 6] (+3) [Agility: 12] (+6) [Stamina: 5] [Sense: 5] (+5) Xavier kicked off the ground, leaping in the direction of the pink-haired Vampire as raindrops smashed against his eyes and washed away his tears. 7 Chapter 7 With the raindrops crashing against his eyes and washing away his tears, Xavier kicked off the ground, leaping in the pink haired Vampire''s direction. As a result of the sword''s power, the wounds in his body slowly closed off. In order to prevent further blood loss from the wound, it clotted the area. To absorb as much of Xavier''s blood as possible, the sword did this. Because of this, Xavier didn''t have to worry about his organs spilling or massive blood loss during the fight. After the fight he knew he would surely die, whether from the sword or from killing the other vampires and ghouls. Pink-haired Vampire charged at Xavier with a visibly angry expression. Within seconds, they were right before one another. The first move was made by Xavier, who swung horizontally at the vampire. By slidding past Xavier, he avoided the swing and got behind him. *WHAM!* A kick mmed into the side of the Vampire''s face mid-slide, widening his eyes. The boy went rolling to the side, only for Xavier to suddenly leap over to him and thrust his sword down at his head. "Predictable..." Xavier muttered. *Pierce* Xavier missed by just a hair, instead piercing the ground. With this opportunity the Vampire used one arm to push himself off the ground before kicking at Xavier''s face. Although Xavier dove to avoid the kick, he only brought himself closer to the Vampire''s arm as the vampire had intended. "Burn!!" *BOOM!* Xavier was struck by mes emanating from the Vampire''s arm, even if it was weakened by the rain, at least some damage should have resulted with how much more powerful the vampire had be. To the Vampire''s surprise, a de emerged from the mes and headed straight for his heart. Mid-air without footing to retreat or dodge, the Vampire felt chills run down his spine. *Pierce* Xavier widened his eyes as the sword did not pierce the vampire''s heart, but rather his arm. At thest moment, he moved his arm to block it. The sword prated the arm, but only did so for a few inches into the Vampire''s chest, not reaching its heart. The desperate face of Xavier emerged from the mes as he tried to force the sword further inside. Despite severe burns on parts of his neck and face, he didn''t stop. ''This fucker... What the hell is wrong with him!?'' The Vampire was being held up by the sword in his arm and chest, preventing him from falling to the ground or fleeing. Xavier used this opportunity to his advantage. *Leap!* Kicking off the ground, he leapt over to a nearby wall with the vampire. *CRASH!* The Vampire''s back mmed into the wall, partially cracking it. From that moment forward, Xavier began to push the sword deeper and deeper, getting it closer and closer to the vampire''s heart. [Information.] [A vampire''s heart and head are its weak points. They are susceptible to healing from any type of wound.] "You''re really going for my heart, aren''t you?" The Vampire asked with a grin out as his entire body ignited in mes. Rain mixed with the Vampire''s scorching hot mes created a steam cloud as he kicked Xavier with his long legs. *SWOOSH!* In order to avoid the attack, Xavier lean as far back as he could before countering with his own kick to the Vampire''s steamy chin. With enough power from the kick, he was able to pull out the sword and escape. Although the heel of the shoe was scorched slightly, he sank into the steam around them with a groan. Why did he retreat when he had him at the edge? Because that position was exactly what the Vampire wanted, Xavier was one hit away from dying. The Vampire''s movement was limited by the impalement but so was Xavier''s. Thus, he took a step back and changed his strategy. [The sword continues to consume your blood.] While his figure was lost in the steam, the Vampire backed against the wall gazed left and right in search of this. It was clear that Xavier was going to attack him by surprise by hiding himself behind the steam. He was also masked by the rain. In spite of this... With a wide grin on his face, the Vampire who was backed against the wall so Xavier wouldn''t attack from his blind spot suddenly turned his head to the right. *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* ''That dumbass... I can hear his footsteps and heartbeat! He''sing from... There!'' While thrusting his hand to the right, the Vampire''s arm began to glow brightly once more. Just as he had expected, Xavier emerged from the steam directly into his arm with a surprised look on his face. ''It''s over, di- Huh?'' [me Maniption: Ignition Burst.] ''Where''s the sword?'' He wondered as mes erupted from his hand. Xavier''s arm and veins returned to normal, but his speed was much slower than before as he leaned inwards and to the side in an attempt to evade. His sword was no longer with him so he wasn''t fast enough to fully escape the mes. ''Why would he let go of the-'' *Pierce* In the following second, a white sword with a glowing jewel in it''s pommel impaled his head from both sides, interrupting the Vampire. ''Huh?'' As he fell to his knees, he wondered. ''What''s happening...?'' As Xavier''s scorched figure approached him, the Vampire''s face had the most confused expression. Burns covered his arms and shoulders. Arge portion of his white shirt, dyed red from his blood, had burned off, revealing his bare skinny and small chest. Because of all the running and excessive movement, his professional ck pants were torn between the thighs. Despite having been torn and ruined, he finally aplished his goal. His long-awaited moment had finally arrived. The moment where he could look down upon the Vampire. *Grasp* After grasping the sword''s grip, Xavier pulled it out of the vampire''s brain. In the next second, he shed off the Vampire''s arm. "GAAH!" As his other severed arm was kicked away, the vampire groaned in pain. ''Ah... I see now... The whole time... I was in the palm of his hands.'' Xavier had thrown the de through the steam in the direction of the vampire, before leaping to the opposite side and attacking him from there to distract him. ''I lost this fight the moment I underestimated him... The moment I underestimated my prey.'' *sh* *sh!* After that, Xavier mercilessly cut off his legs with a single swing. The legs were severed, so the vampire could not run away. "AAAARGH!! GOD DAMN IT HURTS YOU FUCKER!" The vampire cursed at him. *Kick* *Kick* Xavier kicked those very same legs into the distance. He didn''t know it before, but the Vampire''s limbs would instantly close after being severed, preventing major blood loss. "It hurts...?" Xavier asked as he tilted his head to the side with a confused look. "Yeah!! It-" His pupils dted, and he felt chills run down his spine as his bones trembled from dreadful fear. As soon as Xavier heard of his pain, he smiled for the first time. ''W-Why is he smiling...? I-I knew it... T-This guy is crazy.. I... I need to get out of here!!'' A burst of pain pierced through the Vampire''s body as he ced his mouth in position to whistle. Xavier pressed his sword into the vampire''s heart "AAAAAAH!!!" "I''m d... You know... After all those deaths, I began to wonder... What would be the most painful way to kill him and torture him for what he did? ...To make him feel what I felt... To think that you can feel a fraction of it..." "AAAARGH!!! S-STOPP!!!!" "Thank you so much..." As he buried the sword further into the Vampire''s chest, Xavier mumbled, "Thank you for telling me it hurts..." tears streaming down his face. The Vampire''s body began to light up in mes, the deeper Xavier''s sword went, the further the mes spread, he was approaching death. "W-Wait!! STOP!!! YO-YOU DONT HAVE TO KILL ME!!! IM JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!!! GAAH!" "I''M JUST A VAMPIRE COMMONER! I WAS ONCE A HUMAN JUST LIKE YOU!!! I DIDN''T DO ANYTHING TO YOU SO PLEASE!!" The Vampire began to plead for it''s life, even after all the deaths it had caused. Still, he pleaded shamelessly for his life in his final moments. "Yeah... I know you didn''t do anything to me... I also know you''re not responsible for what happened at home... I also know that you were once human." Once Xavier began to speak, the vampire had a fleeting moment of hope that he might chicken out and spare him. "But that doesn''t matter... I said it didn''t I? That I''d kill you... All of you... Everyst one..." Xavier muttered. "AAAAARGH!!!" He screamed out in pain. ''Oh shit... This guy... I''m actually going to die...'' "Thirteen times..." ''I can''t die like this!! Someone... Anyone...!'' Then, as if a glint of hope appeared, he saw two other Vampires staring at him through the gap in the gym wall. The steam had mostly subsided, so they were able to see him. They could save him if it was them. "HEY!! COME HELP ME!!! HE''S GOING TO KILL ME!!! DO SOMETHING ALREADYY!!!!" He shamelessly begged. However, the two Vampires walked away into the gym, leaving him with nothing but despair. "HEY!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING!? COME BACK HERE!! THIS HUMAN IS-" *Pierce* *Throb* The Vampire''s mouth was gushing with blood as he slowly looked down to realize that the de had gone straight through his heart. ''Is this how it ends... To a human...? Right in the beginning of the war?'' Thest thing he saw before death was a sight he''d had never been able to forget, Xavier looking down on him with a disgusted expression. ''D-Don''t look at me like that... Don''t-'' That was thest thing the Vampire thought before he disintegrated, leaving only his uniform behind. [You killed a Vampire!] 8 Chapter 8 [You killed a Vampire!] [+ 120 XP!] [XP: 120/50] [LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL: 0 -> 1] [XP: 70/100] [Quest: Vampire yer / Completed!] [Rewards received!] [50 XP] [3 SP!] [XP: 120/100] [LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL: 1 -> 2] [XP: 20/200] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS X 2] [EVOLUTION AVAILABLE.] His mind echoed with a multitude of notifications as he stumbled in the Gym''s direction. In his state of haze, he hadn''t noticed that evolution was an option. With every step that he took, he wanted to cry out in pain. The sword caused him to lose a lot of blood, and he was probably already past the dangerous level. Aside from the blood he lost after letting go of the sword, it also opened up wounds he had closed with it. He shouldn''t have even been standing. "That''s one..." Xavier murmured. "Now there are only a few left..." He added as he walked to gym. There was still work to be done. "There''s those two fuckers and the... *Cough* Ghouls..." Xavier''s body was covered in scorching burns, if not for the Rain, he likely would have been roasted alive. [HP: 2/20] [Energy: 20/100] (-80% Rewind) [State: Death''s Doors.] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS 1 AVAILABLE!] [1 - 2 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 - Mysterious Pill.] [4 - Mysterious Skill Roulette.] (Level 1 Special+) [LEVEL UP OPTIONS 2 AVAILABLE!] [1 - 3 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 - Mysterious Pill.] [4 - Mysterious Wheel Roulette.] The first option was from Level one, while the second option was from Level two. "Number four... and Number two." [Options selected.] [You chose Mysterious Skill Roulette and Full Body Recovery.] Xavier''s body was enveloped by a bright green light, and the burns and injuries on his body began to fade as he began to walk normally again. Before his eyes, a giant dark wheel appeared in the air. The wheel had highlighted options on it, and the arrow stopped at the option that read [Nothing]. The wheel was centered on a button, and on the button was only one word. [Spin.] As he walked, the wheel followed him, so he pressed the button without stopping and watched the wheel begin to spin. [DIng!] [Ding!] [Ding!] While the wheel spun, Xavier looked at his status. [HP: 10/10] [Energy: 20/100] (-80% Rewind.) Xavier still hadn''t passed the point where he had previously lived the longest, which meant the energy was still capped at twenty. [State: Normal] [Blood Level: 4.85/5] [Strength: 6] (+3) [Agility: 12] (+6) [Stamina: 5] [Sense: 10] (+5) [SP: 7] ''These are all categories... No doubt that it''s a measurement of my current strength.'' "Apply four points into agility and three into strength." He muttered. [Strength: 3 -> 6] [Agility: 6 -> 10] [Confirm?] "Confirm." Xavier felt a surge of power rush through his veins once more. The Vampire de''s double stats effect was still active. [Strength: 12] (+6) [Agility: 20] (+10) [Stamina: 5] [Sense: 10] (+5) By the time the stats were applied Xavier had finally reached it. The hole in the Gym wall. He peered into and through it without wasting a moment. Again, he was met with the sight of a bloodbath, along with countless ghouls scuttling around the room, eating the flesh of the students who hadn''t yet be ghouls. In the exit, opposite to him, the girls could be seen being drag along by the two vampires from earlier, along with the ghouls under theirmand. "Hey... Where do you think you''re going?" Xavier asked with a grin. "If you leave, I won''t be able to kill you... We can''t have that... Can we?" Xavier asked with a grin as the mark on his neck began to glow once more. Vampire''s ears twitched as they turned back to him. Their eyes widened in surprise as they stared at his figure. "huh? Didn''t you say he was going to die?" "You saw his injuries yourself, he was definitely going to die." "The injuries are all gone... Don''t tell me he drank some of that Vampire''s blood and became a Vampire Fledgling to heal himself." A Vampire Fledging is a human who''s turned into a vampire after consuming the blood of a Vampire. Xavier''s case was slightly different. "But how does he know about that? And even still... He wouldn''t have been able to have healed that fast as a fledgling." The sword in his hand, Xavier jumped into the gym, ready to fight. "What''s with you Vampires and talking? Stop talking and fight." Xavier grumbled. In the same instant, he received a notification. [DING!] [Congrattions! The wheel hasnded on the skill: Gluttony!] [You have unlocked the devourer skill: Gluttony!] Xavier felt a burst of energy flow into him at that moment. His stats didn''t change, but something in him did. Following Xavier''s resolute stand against the Vampires, the girls felt hope. "If he''s here, then that means... The Vampire outside... He beat it?" "Who the hell is he...? How is he able to fight against these monsters?" In the midst of their confusion, a beautiful blonde student with light blue eyes stepped forward. "W-What are you doing!!? You don''t have to save us! Run away and save yourself!!" She cried out. When she did so, three nearby ghouls lunged at Xavier, their mouths wide open. They bore their fangs ready to bite into him. They were his fellow students who had turned into ghouls recently. The Vampires had purposefully used them to see how Xavier would react. -Memory ''Are you sure there''s no saving them after they be ghouls?'' [Affirmative.] [It is better to put them out of their misery.] -Memory End In one single motion as he swung his hand however, he cut through all three of their heads. ''Sorry...'' Xavier apologised inwardly. [You killed 3 Ghouls!] [+30 XP!] [XP: 50/200.] "Save you...? Run away...?" Xavier asked. "Don''t get the wrong idea... I''m not here to save you. I''m here to kill them." He continued. The girl felt chills rush down her spine as she heard this. *Step* *Step* *Step* "Just go hide in a corner again while I deal with them and don''t get in my way.'' [New Quest has been received.] [Quest: y all of your enemies.] [Reward: [200 XP] [3 SP] *WAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO* The emergency rm suddenly erupted out of nowhere, interrupting everyone''s focus and attention. The rm echoed throughout the cities of Ennd, Scond and Irnd and as an announcement yed. [Citizens Of Great Britain, this is not a drill!] [Stay hidden inside of your homes, try to rationalise as many provisions as you can and wait for rescue.] [If possible try to make your way to any localised shelters, the government will do everything in their power to keep you safe.] [Currently, all nations around the world are experiencing attacks from the Vampires. If you head outside or do not remain hidden, you will be at risk of death!] [This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!] "Took them long enough." Xavier muttered with a sigh. *WAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO!* The Vampire''s seemed clearly troubled by the loud rms as they dropped to their knees and ced their hands over their ears. ''Their ears are sensitive...'' "Now where were we... Right, Death." - - - An attractive young woman sat alone inside an undergroundir, drinking bright red blood from a wine ss. While lightly moving her hands, she watched as the liquid spun inside the ss. Short snow white hair with piercing, slit crimson eyes. Her 182-centimetre height was nothing short of impressive, and her plump, curvy figures definitely had a mother-like air about them. While listening to the emergency sirens overhead, she hummed quietly. "So the humans have finally begun making their moves..." Suddenly, the screen on the table lit up with the dark silhouettes of a few other vampires. "How are things going in your nations? Dear ancestors." Thedy joyfully asked. "Just as the prophecy foretold. At this rate, we''ll be able to overpower the oppositions before they can do anything about it." "Everything is fine here too. It is certain that the humans will fall, and we, the vampires, will reign supreme." Spoke another silhouette. Six silhouettes were present, the others were probably busy with their own affairs. "How are things on your side? Vampire Queen Of Ennd?" Asked one of the sillhoutes with a powerful, deep recognisable voice. "Everything is going ording to n... Vampire King Of Australia." She replied with a cheerful smile. After getting up and stretching, she ced her finger underneath her chin. "It should be about time I make a move... Should I gather the council?" 9 Chapter 9 *Step* *Step* *Step!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BABABABBABBABA!* "Evacuate as many people as you can!" "Don''t hold back on the ghouls just because they were once people! Don''t let them spread their bite!" When the armed forces and British army entered the scene, the sound of heavy footsteps was drowned out by the rain and gunfire as they fired and shot at every vampire and ghoul they saw. They were spread out among Britain''s cities, trying to save as many people as possible. Besides them, there was a different organization ying the vampires and ghouls in the area, in a different way. Swords and other kinds of weapons including knives and daggers were carried on their waists. The swords were specially made to work with a person''s supernatural ability, amplifying them as they drew energy from the person. These weapons were deadly, there was no doubt about it. Furthermore, they wore white uniforms that made them easily identifiable. "ONE GHOUL BREACHED THROUGH THE DEFENSE!!" "AAAH!! THE SON OF A BITCH BIT ME!! "S-SHOOT ME BEFORE I TURN!! QUICK!!!" The city was filled with gunfire and fighting immediately after the sirens. The ghouls were only multiplying in numbers with every passing second as more and more people were bitten. Instead of trying to kill them, the army and organisation working with them were given a single order of evacuation on short notice. Many other countries followed the same procedure. It was clear that the Vampires who struck first had an advantage. - - - Ennd, Central London, King''s cross. 10:30 AM. [Squad X,e in?] [Situation report?] As the squad followed behind him, a tall, muscr young man with moss green hair spoke into the microphone. "Sessfully entered central and we''ve managed to secure some evacuees. They''ve been sent back to the base on the armed vehicles." [Luke, did you confirm whether or not they were human?] "Yes, we conducted a physical examination and tested for a reaction against UV rays. It was all clear." [Number of evacuees?] "With the recent batch, the number will increase to seventeen." [Well done.] [Current operation? Your GPS shows that you''re in a school.] "There may be some students which survived... We''re checking the situation." [It''s a waste of time. Most schools were the Vampires first target, many students have been taken captive across the city.] "It''s still worth to checking." [Understood.] "Captain, the coast is clear." Said one of the members of the squad behind him as they entered through the school gates. Chestnut brown hair and bright yellow eyes with a bow on her hands. A white uniform was worn by her as well, and the bow was nothing short of extraordinary with its high-tech design. The squad had five members, two of whom had returned to their base with other evacuees. Now there were just the three of them. The first thing they did was follow the trail of blood from the school gate to the gym. There was also damage in the main school building, but it was empty. "Hey... What the hell happened here...?" The third squad member asked. It was a tall, slim man with mint-turquoise hair. The captain was the attacker, while the girl with the bow was the scout, so he was acting as the support. In the area, there were countless corpses belonging to students and ghouls. Although the rain washed it all away, the smell of blood lingered. The red puddles of water only entuated this. "Isn''t it obvious... This is probably another failure..." The Captain murmured as they approached the Gym. As they approached the bloodied door, the girl''s expression suddenly changed. "Captain! I''m sensing something! There''s arge number of people on the other side of that door!" Spoke the girl. "What!?" Following her words, the captain quickly and carefully rushed over to the door, kicking it open with his hand on the grip of his sword in it''s sheath. His two members followed behind with their guards up, ready to face another deadly battle. But after seeing whaty beyond the door. The group stopped dead in their tracks with wide eyes. In the gym there were countless corpses belonging to both ghouls and students. They were just ahead of a group of female students who were all staring nervously at something on the far end of the gym. It wasn''t the gory scene that caught their attention... It was the figure of a young man covered in blood who had the body of a vampire pinned to the wall and a sword impaled into his chest. After losing all its blood, the Vampire''s body quickly grew pale. The body had be a mummified corpse. In an instant, the young man turned his gaze from the Vampire to the squad which had just arrived as he removed the sword from the corpse. "More Vampires...?" He questioned as he took a step in their direction. "So killing my family wasn''t enough... They''re after me too, huh...?" "That''s fine... "The more kills, the better," Xavier murmured with a grin. *Step* His step sent chills down the spines of the squad members. They smiled nervously as they sensed the bloodlust directed at them by this single fearless young man. The bloodshot eyes and blood-stained hair, along with the many veins bulging out of his arms and neck make him seem just as menacing as a vampire. The support called out, "Captain...". "Yeah... Get ready to engage-" The Captain''s heart was filled with surprise as he witnessed Xavier copse on the ground, then and there, letting go of his sword. Bloodlust immediately subsided as the veins retreated back into his body. Xavier had lost consciousness. Some of the girls stayed because they were still hesitant, but most of them rushed over to the unconscious Xavier in that moment, trying to help him while crying. "Does anyone here have anything to help close his wounds!?" "H-He''ll die from blood loss at this rate!" "I-I think there''s a first-aid kit somewhere in here! I''ll go look for it!" Squad members stood dumbfounded as they tried to process what they had just witnessed. The female student happened to turn to the entrance and noticed the three squad members standing there. "AAAAH!!" She screamed out. "There''s more vampires!!" Immediately, the room became tense as all of the girls turned to the entrance she pointed to. Their newly found abilities caused the girls to get defensive, pointing the strongest weapon they had avable at them. In case things went south, they stuck together around the girl who could create a barrier. The squad captain sighed. "We aren''t vampires." "That''s what a vampire would say!" One of the girls retorted. - - - "So you''re telling me, this young man killed all the ghouls here, including three vampires? All by himself?" The captain asked. "Yes." The blonde-haired student replied, looking him square in the eye. There was no sign that she was lying. "Um... Are we really safe now...?" Another student asked. "Yes, that is correct... We''ll be taking you back to our base as part of our mission." Although the squad had shown them their IDs along with other forms of proof, students were still nervous around them. Many of them had been traumatized by the hellish sight they had seen. "That''s good... I''ll help you carry him." She added, grasping Xavier''s arm. "That won''t be necessary." The captain replied. "Step away from him." The blonde-haired girl''s ears twitched as she heard this. "Step away? Why?" She asked. The tall support behind him responded, not the captain. "It''s dangerous to be around him. Actually, we don''t trust him, no regr human could have aplished what he did." "Based on what you said, he was covered in injuries which would have killed any normal person only for the injuries to disappear after killing one of the Vampires inside?" "No regr person can have their wounds simply heal like that... Even if he had a healing ability, he wouldn''t be able to use it so masterfully that he could aplish what he did with it." Despite their reluctance to admit it, the girls agreed with him. Xavier was anything but a fighter. Besides being skinny, he was short, shorter than most of them. He looked like the kind of person who would die five seconds into an apocalypse. There was definitely something strange about him. The blonde student red at the captain while standing in front of him, "You can''t hurt him.". When the captain saw this, he smiled. "Don''t worry, we will only restrain him. Once he''s confirmed to be human back at the base, he''ll be released." "...I-If that''s the case..." Other girls seemed to agree as well, as it seemed like the best course of action. "Now, to the important stuff... How many are there out there?" The Captain asked as he stood up. "Seven... Eight... Ten... The numbers of ghouls are increasing, if we don''t leave now, evacuation will be hard. Even for you." A smile spread across the captain''s face when he heard this. He slowly got up and left the gym. Upon exiting, he drew his sword slowly. Immediately after his de was released, a dark miasma filled the air around him and darkened his aura. "Even for me...? That''s quite rude... Especially after you''ve seen me take out a Vampire noble before." The ghouls that were swarming in the area bared their fangs as they lunged at him. However, even as he swung his sword, his confident smile did not fade. - [Level UP, Evolution feature avable.] [Traces of blood belonging to a Vampire detected around the neck region.] [...] [Evolution Option 1: Vampire Fledgling.] [The Vampire race, an immortal race which feeds on the blood of humans. Their appearance and traits are simr to those of regr humans.] [A Vampire fledgling is a newly created or turned vampire who has not be a fully transitioned vampire yet because they have not yet drunk any human blood after drinking the blood of a vampire.] [They are inferior to Vampires, Purebloods, Nobles and the other more advanced variations of the race. They are the weakest of their kind. [...] [Traces of blood belonging to a Chronos detected throughout the body.] [...] [Evolution Option 2: Half Chronos.] [The Chronos is a race of higher humans that traversed the boundaries of time. Their appearance and traits are simr to those of regr humans.] [A Half Chronos is an inferior race to the Chronos which can only result from the union between a member of the Chronos race and a human.] [Gics and blood samples belonging to the race are present within the User''s body since estimated birth.] [...] [Both blood samples detected within the User''s body.] [...] [Evolution Option 3 (Fusion) avable.] [Half Chronos & Vampire Fledgling Hybrid.] [The Hybrid of a higher human unrestricted by time constraints with the superior abilities of a Vampire.] [Would you like to evolve?] [If so, which option does the User select?] [Time Limit for selection: 10 seconds.] [...] [Time passed, no evolutions were selected.] [As a result, the most promising will be automatically selected.] [Evolution Commencing.] Xavier was unconscious at the time, so he was unaware of the changes that were taking ce within his body. Neither he nor the squad noticed as they returned to the base with his body. 10 Chapter 10 "So that''s him?" An old grumpy voice asked. It belonged to a tall, old man dressed in a white uniform with a strange crest embedded into it. He seemed to be in a higher rank than the others demonstrated so far. The man stared at the image of the young man disyed on the screen. His arms and legs were chained to a reinforced steel chair. Despite being fast asleep, he was showing signs of waking up. [The trial will begin soon, what should I do?] ''If we get most of the other higher ups involved, this will definitely end with a simple execution... All they care about is looking good.'' "As I said before, question him, and if he shows signs that he''s a vampire, you may kill him." ''He looks young... Around my daughter''s age?'' ''Let''s hope my choice isn''t wrong.'' [And if he passes the test?] "Recruit him." ''If what they said he did was true, imagine how much stronger he''d be with our training? To have a monster like that on our sides is a must especially now that we''re going to war.'' [Understood.] - - - Trial room in the hidden base of operations. *Drip* *Drip* *Drip* The sound of water dripping into the distance filled the room. A young man tethered to a chair upied the room. While fast asleep, his skin was wrinkled and devoid of fat. Dark circles covered his eyes, emphasizing how bad his health was. *Drip* He opened his eyes. ''...?'' "W... Where am I...?" He questioned in a dry tone. Trying to understand where he was, he nced around. In the dark, his blurry vision quickly adjusted to allow him to see everything around him. The room wasrge and empty, with nothing but countlessmps overhead. As the young man tried to get up, he halted as he seemed to be bound by something. *Katchunk!* His expression grew even more confused as he looked down. "Chains...?" The metal chair imnted into the floor was wrapped inrge metal chains. It seemed excessive for just one person. ''What the hel-'' "Looks like you''re finally up." A voice echoed ahead of him. The young man''s eyes grew wide. When he looked up to search for the voice, he saw the edge of a de right before his eyes. A tall, ck-haired man with dark eyes was holding onto the de. His gaze was directed at the young man. "Xavier Trigger, Age eighteen, transfer college student from America... Currently enrolled in Crimson Booking Academy." "You are now being put on trial by the Imperial Vampire Opposition Corps." "I''ll ask you one question... Answer wrong and you''ll be executed." His neck was immediately pricked by the de, pressing against a vital point. "Are you a Human... Or are you Vampire?" Xavier had awoken, and now he was being interrogated in the room of trials. "I''ll ask you one question... Answer wrong and you''ll be executed." His neck was immediately pricked by the de, pressing against a vital point. "Are you a Human... Or are you Vampire?" "..." Xavier stared nkly at the man before him, his face expressionless. ''I''m hungry... My belly hurts... My throat feels dry...'' Xavier looked at the man''s neck once more, and his eyes shed a crimson glow. Every throb could be seen as their veins pumped blood throughout them. Every beat of his heart could be heard. Through his much more sensitive nose, he could smell the strong, masculine scent of the cologne. With each passing second, Xavier felt a growing hunger. Slowly but surely, it became less and less tolerable as he stayed up. ''Hey... System... Where am I?'' He thought to himself. [Afterpleting the quest, getting the rewards, leveling up, and receiving the rewards, the User fell unconscious.] [The group in white uniforms took the user''s body into a secret base while he was unconscious. ] [Upon being brought to the base, you were separated from the female students and put into a room where they are now conducting a trial to determine if you are a vampire. ] It was just as Xavier had imagined. ''So that''s the situation...'' "Answer the question." He demanded. As he moved the de closer to his neck, blood trickled down. [You are under the affliction of a curse from the de.] [Your vampiric healing power is rendered ineffiecient in the injured zone.] Xavier''s eyes widened as the notification echoed throughout his mind. ''...What''s the meaning of this system?'' The instant he asked that, the status screen opened up before his eyes. [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fledgling Hybrid.] [Level: 4] [Level UP options x 2] (Avable.) [XP: 160/800] [Coins: 100] [HP: 30/30] [Energy: 113/200] [State: Exhausted] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 20] [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 10] [SP: 3] [Skills] -[Rewind: Level 1] -[Gluttony: Level 1] [Shop] [Quest] [Daily Quest: Upleted.] Xavier''s eyes scanned the status screen in disbelief. ''My stats have all doubled... I got one hundred coins and most importantly... My race... What the fuck is a Chronos?'' [Half Chronos.] [The Chronos is a race of higher humans that traversed the boundaries of time. Their appearance and traits are simr to those of regr humans.] [A Half Chronos is the resultant race from a union between a member of the Chronos race and a Human.] [Vampire Fledgling.] [The Vampire race, an immortal race which feeds on the blood of humans. Their appearance and traits are simr to those of regr humans.] [Vampire Fledglings are newly created or turned Vampires through the digestion of Vampire blood.] [You have evolved through DNA samples from both races.] ''That''s a lot to take in... How did this all happen in the first ce?'' Xavier questioned. [The option be avable after the User Levelled up.] [Both blood samples detected within the User''s body.] [The system went through with the option as it was in the User''s best interest.] In that moment, Xavier''s forehead bulged with a vein. ''I''m cool with you doing what''s best for me... Truthfully, I might have chosen the same option... But system, this is thest time you make changes to my body without my permission.'' [Affirmative.] A sigh escaped Xavier''s lips. ''Where did the blood samplese from? Was it from one of the Vampires I killed?'' [Negative, the sample was detected in the User''s body prior to the system''s synchronisation.] [This means the user already had both samples before the incident.] It all began to make sense to Xavier as his eyes grew wide. When he looked down at the ring in his hand, he discovered that the gem had been shattered. His recollection was that a synchronization had happened right after the issue urred, so it was quite likely that the system came from that. That was how he had acquired the system. Xavier then felt a sting on his neck and remembered the dream. This Vampire girl bit him in his dream, thus leaving him with the mark. ''What if... It wasn''t just a dream? Does that mean she left a sample of her blood within me? Who even was she?'' No matter how hard he tried, he barely remembered her or the night of the dream if it had actually happened. Xavier''s expression grew confused. ''I''m guessing I became a Half chronos because i was born with it...? Then that means...'' ''Bir-'' *WHAM!* In an instant, Xavier snapped out of his thoughts as a fist hit the side of his face. With an impatient look on his face, he found the man standing still before him after a momentary haze. "Are you deaf!? If you don''t talk, you''ll die." "Oh, you''re still here?" Xavier asked. One more time, he looked down to see the de still there and covered in a tiny amount of blood. Xavier sighed. "There''s barely any blood. Move the de a bit more to the right or you''ll miss an artery again. If you''re going to kill me, do it efficiently." Said Xavier with a bored expression. ''What...?'' The man in the white uniform questioned inwardly. "But make it as painless as possible. From what I''ve seen in movies, a bullet to the head might be sufficient. Swords hurt." ''What the hell is he talking about?'' "You... Do you not fear death?" He asked with a surprised expression. To his question Xavier did not respond. "I may look innocent but I''m one to hold a grudge... My family, something that I didn''t realise was the only thing keeping me sane is gone..." "If you kill me now..." With cold and dark eyes, Xavier said, "I don''t know what I might do.". A surge of bloodlust burst out from within him in the following second as he continued. "The Vampires and ghouls I killed were unrted to the incident... I can''t rest until I find the right ones... The ones who murdered my family. I will not interfere with your work, so do what''s best for both of us and let me go." Xavier said. ''He''s gone crazy to try and threaten me in this situation, It''s pointless to try and talk to him. But I can see a genuine hate for Vampires within him.'' "All I wanted was a simple, I''m a human. If you won''t talk, so be it. We''ll figure out if you''re a vampire with this next move." He murmured as he removed Xavier''s ring from his finger. "Hey, give that ba-" *FLASH!* Suddenly, a purple light zed down on him, illuminating the room. He was almost blinded by the bright light. He felt the lights prickle against his skin like tiny needles; they were ufortable, but that was it. [You are directly exposed to UV light.] [All stats are restricted.] [Strength: 8] (-30% Restrictive) [Agility: 14] (-30% Restrictive) [Stamina: 7] (-30% Restrictive) [Sense: 7] (-30% Restrictive) ''I''m guessing UV lights are a vampire''s weakness. is it supposed to kill me? How will they figure out that I''m a vampire from this?'' [Due to ack of information, unable to answer that question.] *Growl* Xavier''s stomach grumbled. ''Fuck... I''m starving... When is this going to end?'' Xavier wondered. The lights continued to shine down on him for a minute before suddenly going out. "Looks like you''re still alive..." Muttered the tall, ck-haired man with dark eyes before him. "Alright, you pass." After putting the de back into his sword''s sheath, he handed Xavier the ring before freeing him from his shackles and giving him a tissue to put over his wound to prevent blood loss. ''Huh? Just like that?'' He thought to himself with a confused expression. *Beep* *Beep* The man input the code on the door with but a beep, the gears of the engine turned and the door opened. Instantly, his eyes widened as he was overloaded with information from his senses. Suddenly, the faintest smell and sounds bombarded his brain, leaving him dumbfounded. The soundsing from all the way down the hall, which he would not have been able to hear before, resonated in his ears. "Hey... They didn''t kill him? It''s obvious he''s a vampire." "Yeah... I agree... No regr human would have been able to take out a vampire after just awakening... Whatever he is, he shouldn''t be left alive..." This was one of the effects of his evolution, the senses of a Half Chronos & Vampire Fledgling. After a few seconds, Xavier was overwhelmed with a new feeling that overpowered all the others. Hunger. - - - Next Chapter preview [Skill: Gluttony is active.] [Effects of the skill are chained with the User''s Vampiric thirst, leading to an even greater hunger the before.] [The User must consume, otherwise, the User will be a ghoul.] 11 Chapter 11 "Move on! We need as much information as possible! The longer we take, the more people die!" There were numerous hasty steps echoing across the halls as people ran up and down in a hurry. As Xavier had no idea where the exit was, he followed behind the man in the white uniform to avoid wasting any time. Having already been tested by them, he understood why they did it, but it still left a negative impression on him. At least the way the man treated him. ''White uniforms everywhere... What kind of uniforms are these? As far as I know, they don''t belong to either the police or military.'' Xavier saw every person inside the halls wearing the white uniform, indicating they were affiliated with the ce. It was very interesting to see this base of operations. It was unlike anything Xavier has ever seen before. Besides being heavily guarded, there were countless reinforced doors leading to every kind of specialized room. Xavier found a group of scientists conducting tests on an individual who had manifested a powerful ability in one of the rooms. Apparently, they were helping the individual manage his powers. In another they were manufacturing high-tech weapons. The man Xavier walked with had clearly been granted great power as whenever he passed anyone who wasn''t in a hurry, they''d stop to salute and pay their respects to him. "Where are you taking me...? "It feels almost like I''m getting a tour of the ce..." Xavier asked as he followed behind the man. *Growl* The growl in Xavier''s stomach caused him to wince once again. As the hunger grew, he found it increasingly difficult to stay focused. ''God damn it... I''m starving...'' "You''ll know once we''re there." The man replied. Xavier narrowed his eyes and stopped in his tracks. "Hey... You remember what I said earlier right? I won''t get involved with your organisation, all I want is revenge. Just leave me outside and I''ll be on my way..." Likewise, the man stopped walking. "I can just leave you outside, but are you sure that''s what you want?" "If I do, you might miss out on some important information about your family. Your father, mother and younger sister wouldn''t want that, would they?" Xavier''s eyes widened, his dark eyes shed a momentary crimson glow, and the mark on his neck glowed brightly. "You... What did you just say?" Xavier asked as his face suddenly became expressionless. He became drenched in bloodlust as the veins on his neck and arms bulged out. The tall, dark-haired man sighed and kept walking. A smile spread across his face as he muttered, "Just follow me.". A dark expression covered Xavier''s face as he followed after him without saying anything. - - - *Pssssssssssss* The sound of running tap water echoed inside of the bathroom. Xavier looked around the toilet to check for cameras but it seemed to have been empty. ''He gave me a toilet break but where the hell is he taking me...?'' ''What he said about my family... How does he know about them...? Did he conduct a background check on me?'' ''He obviously noticed the mark on my neck but didn''t question it either... Just how much does he... Do they know?'' *Gulp* *Gulp* After drinking some of the tap water, he quenched some of his thirst, but his hunger still remained. Seeing his reflection in the mirror, he was barely able to recognize himself. The silver edges of his hair extended further up to the middle making it almost half ck, and half silver. He opened his mouth and looked at his canines, which now looked like moderately long fangs. He could retract them at his leisure. Last but not least, he opened his eyes wide while looking into a mirror. His eyes were deep crimson red, and his round pupils had be more slit-like, reptilian in shape. It fluctuated between red and ck with a round pupil, depending on his emotional state. So far he couldn''t control it. ''My hair became even more silver than before...'' ''My senses all feel incredibly heightened, it''s hard to keep focus when you start to notice so many things around you... Especially my sight..." ''How is everything so clear...? How can I see the tiniest of veins on a person''s neck by only focusing?'' ''I''m a Half... So why the hell am I so hungry? Isn''t it meant to be less or something?'' [Skill: Gluttony is active.] [Effects of the skill are chained with the User''s Vampiric thirst, leading to an even greater hunger the before.] [The User must consume, otherwise, the User will be a ghoul.] ''What a troublesome skill... if I don''t eat something soon, I''ll be a ghoul... What''s the point of having it if it just makes you hungrier?'' [Depending on many factors and the proportion, the stats of what the User consumes can be devoured and absorbed.] ''Say what now?'' [In order to grow stronger at a fast rate, vampires need to feed and consume blood. The more they feed and consume blood, the stronger they be.] [However, for the User, with this skill, the user can be stronger through feeding at a much faster rate than a regr vampire.] [This is a skill based on growth, which allows for limitless potential.] As Xavier stared at himself in the mirror, his eyes widen, a grin had developed on his lips without him realizing it. ''So on top of level ups and quests... I can get stronger by feeding too?'' ''To be smiling at something like this... I''m fucked up.'' Xavier sshed the water on his face before staring back at his reflection. [New Bloodline Quest Received.] A system screen suddenly popped up before his eyes as he stared at his reflection. [Bloodline Quest: Consume Blood.] [Blood consumed: 0/1] ''If there''s a chance that my family really is alive then..." ''...No, don''t start getting hopeful...'' "Otherwise, it''s just going to hurt even more..." He muttered before heading for the exit. - - - *Beep* *Beep* Two beeps echoed ahead of the two reinforced doors before they opened. When it opened, Xavier was already chewing on some grilled meat that the dark haired man alongside him had swiftly gotten for him. With just the right amount of vor, it was hot and soft. It was perfect. Xavier was on his fourth leg, and only two more remained. *Sigh* ''The hunger isn''t as bad as before... Despite drinking so much water, I can still feel the weak thirst.'' He said to himself as he chugged down a bottle of water. Xavier threw the bottle in the trash can in the corner of the room after finishing it before scanning the room. There are so many strangers in the room wearing different clothes. Many of the people were in suits; some were businessmen, while others were students in education. Approximately twenty people were present, and each one was unique in their own way. Based on the school uniform she was wearing, the youngest one appeared to be no older than sixteen years old with short wine red hair and small yellow eyes. Her gaze drifted from the tablet''s screen on her hand over to Xavier as she slowly inted a bubble-gum out of her mouth. Not only her, but everyone else was looking at him and the tall ck haired person higher up he was with. "So you''ve brought him here, I guess that makes everyone?" The man standing at the other end of the room asked. Standing at 190 cm minimum, the man was tall. His long, straight cement gray hair nearly touched his chin. There was an eye patch on one eye with a scar running down the brow, while the other eye was a simple brown color. In the corner of the room, alongside the man he hade with, Xavier simply leaned against the wall without saying anything. Based on everyone''s reactions, he understood the situation more or less. "Well then, let''s start with what''s happening..." Suddenly, a projector on the ceiling projected images behind the man of the cities in Ennd. London, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and so many others were included. Great Britain, September 9th 2022. - The streets were filled with heavy rain. Many workers andte studentsmuted to work during the early hours of the morning despite the busy streets. Many are busy minding their own business, stressed by the realities and challenges of life. Today was just like any other day. Most days, however, have involved constant cloudy weathers and never-ending rain. Still, no matter what the weather or their conditions were, the workers persisted with their work. This was the way of society. "Mum... What''s that?" A young boy asked as he walked beside his mother while pointing at the sky. His mother, unsure of what he was talking about, looked up at the sky, only to widen her eyes and gasp at the sight before her. People began to stop on their tracks, many stepping out of their cars, unsure if their eyes were ying tricks on them. A giant ck spherical portal. It appeared out of nowhere in the sky above the city. *Thud* His pupils dted as a change urred in his mother before him. As water from the sewers flowed out of the ground and gathered around her, her hair was lit up in a shining blue light. Something was mutating in her, but it wasn''t just her. Around him, panic erupted as other people experienced simr symptoms. While one man sank into the earth, another had wind constantly blowing around him. A person burst into mes, while another had spikes protruding from their bodies. Those who were driving and others in more vulnerable positions were caughtpletely off guard, creating chaos. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" "AAAAH!!! WHAT''S HAPPENING TO ME!!!" *CRASH!!* The same thing was happening in every corner of the world. No one knew what caused it. It was precisely this moment that marked the beginning. The beginning of the end. *Steps* *Steps* *Steps* Following this beginning, In the city, countless footsteps resounded as people in strange ck uniforms and caps appearedpletely unaffected by this process of mutation. Many of the people wearing these strange uniforms were holding onto chains, chains attached to humans wearing ragged clothing with drool running down their faces. Despite looking like humans, they behavedpletely differently. Long fangs, pale skin, nk pupils, uncontroble thirst. To prevent them from going out of control as they followed their animalistic impulses, there were chains attached to them. *Rattle!* *Rattle!* As they passed people, the chains clinked tremendously One blue-haired man led them all. The way he looked would have passed him off as no less than a model, but the energy he carried with him would have scared anyone off. He nced at the army behind him with his deep, slit red eyes. "As agreed by the other Ancestors... it is time to step out of the shadows! Let the ghouls loose! Before the humans grow any more powerful... Let the huntmence!" He roared, shing his bared fangs in a wide grin. The man then turned his head over to the camera and stared at it with a grin, before the footage became static. - The people in the room were speechless, the tension was up in the air as they continued to watch. They had all experienced it in their own way and had awakened their own abilities. "Now, let''s show what''s happening outside as of now." The projector were now portraying live camera footages taken from hidden cameras all over great Britain. Fires erupted, buildings copsed, and human beings were massacred and wiped out in the images. After that, it showed images and videos of humans being bitten and eaten by ghouls before bing one of them. In videos, people were bitten, attacked and bit others. Whether it was friends or family, all the ghouls could think about was their own hunger. "..." As they watched, they all stood speechless. Eventually, the videos stopped before showing a map of Ennd and its countless regions. Among these regions were circles, zones that were highlighted red. These zones showcased the number and spread of infected ghouls. It was clearly visible that the number was growing. "What''s happening can only be described by one word. Chaos. Our organization works with the military, but at the rate the ghouls are spreading, it is clear that the vampires have the advantage." "Get to the point, why are you showing us this?" A man in the other corner of the room asked. His green eyes are covered with purple sses over short, bright green hair. The man was wearing a bloodied business suit and holding a bloodied bag in his right hand. A grin spread across the cemented gray haired man''s face as if he''d been waiting for that question. "You must be Kite... It seems you''re as bright as your background suggests. Truthfully I didn''t bring you all here and have not shown you all of this for no reason." "I have an offer to make..." "Join our organisation." 12 Chapter 12 "I have an offer to make, Join us... The Vampire Opposition Corps." He offered. It was almost no surprise to anyone when the offer was made, and the room fell silent. All that information wouldn''t have been given out for nothing. "Even with most of our main forces on the battlefield, we arecking in numbers, so is the military. Therefore, we are trying to recruit potential evacuees to work with us." "We don''t have much time, and all of you here have the potential to work with us." "If you join our organization, we will provide you with a safe ce to rest, nutritious food, and even protection for you and your family." "So you''re trying to scout us... You offer fair terms and it''s not like anywhere outside is safe at the moment." Kite adjusted his sses and smiled as everyone watched. "Before I give you a reply, I have a question. Where did the Vampirese from, and what distinguishes the ghouls from them?" The cement grey haired man looked at Kite with surprise for a moment before responding. "Vampires have existed for as long as we humans have. They have lived in hiding but have always been there." "Ghouls are Vampires who have sumbed to their hunger, when a Vampire doesn''t feed, it either dies or bes something known as a Ghoul, a vampire who loses it''s senses and bes a monster who craves nothing but blood." Kite took off his sses. "Then, thest question. Why did the Vampires suddenly decide to attack us humans ande out of hiding?" The grin widened on the cement grey haired man''s face. "Because we are at a point of evolution. The ck sphere which you saw in the sky brought a new source of energy into our world... This energy has resulted in our race evolving." "They are scared, worried that the power bnce will be altered and they will no longer be able to feed as freely as they once could." Kite put his sses into its case before putting the case in his bloodied bag. "Alright, I''m in. I don''t know much about your organisation but that doesn''t matter for now. I''ll find out over time... It''s clear that you know a lot more about this apocalypse than the military anyways." "My chances of survival are at the highest with you." "You truly are bright, Kite..." said the cement grey haired man with a smile. "What about the others? Those who are in favour of joining, raise your hand." Each person in the room quickly raised their hands into the air until everyone except Xavier had their arms raised. "Xavier, was it? Is the offer not to your liking?" The cement grey haired man asked as he nced in his direction. ''So he knows my name... Not surprised.'' "I''m supposed to find out something about my family here... Tell me what it is." Xavier had no desire to work under them, nor was he nning to; however, he needed the information. "Ah, right... I was just about to get to that." The man snapped his fingers again, and the image behind him changed again, except this time it showed different angles within cities from CCTV''s in different neighbourhoods. The time was also disyed. 9:20 AM was the time shown in the image. Seeing what was happening through their images, their eyes grew wide. As soon as the ck sphere manifested, Vampires wearing their night blue uniform appeared in the shadows and began breaking into people''s homes. After leaving the homes, they would take unconscious humans hostage or even those who were awake and trying to break free. Countless images of this happening were shown. "Can you guess what this is?" "..." "It''s a video of vampires kidnapping people right before the ghosts are released." "They are capturing them because they need to feed..." The man looked directly at Xavier in the eyes. "Can you tell what I''m getting at? Many of the people in this room have had their families taken hostage. Not just here but all over the country." "I overheard your little conversation about revenge... And I must say, instead of focusing on revenge. Why not focus on making sure they''re still alive?" Xavier couldn''t believe his ears. His voice trembled slightly as he hesitantly asked. "They''re still alive...?" "Why don''t you see for yourself?" The man asked before snapping his fingers once more. At that moment, a video was projected behind him, and Xavier instantly felt his heart sink. A CCTV video of his house from a neighbor''s perspective showed vampires breaking into his neighbor''s home on his road. As they had seen in the previous video, the Vampires were carrying his neighbours away from the scene. They included children and women of all ages, all for the purpose of feeding. Xavier''s eyes were glued to his house. The windows had been broken into and through the broken windows it was evident there was an ongoing struggle inside. After a few more seconds of struggle, Xavier''s sister and mother were suddenly carried out of the house on the shoulders of two Vampires wearing a night blue uniform. One had long, steel blue hair which reached his shoulders, while the other had short, spiky raspberry red hair. Both swords were out of their sheathes, and they were covered in wounds that were healing as they carried the two out of the house. Xavier watched helplessly as his unconscious sister and mother were carried away. And if that wasn''t enough... Seeing what followed would surely traumatize him. His father crawling out of the house with only one hand and fractured bones in his leg shook him to the core. He saw his father''s tears streaming down his face as he desperately tried to stop them. Even though he was ignoring all injuries in his body and doing everything he could to protect his family, he was stomped on by the steel blue haired vampire who carried his wife. The blood flowed down Xavier''s hands as he clenched them tightly. As his eyes alternated between being dark and crimson, his breathing became unsteady and ragged. He watched as the steel blue haired vampire ced the edge of the de just above his father''s head, indicating that he would kill him. "Don''t do it..." Xavier murmured. "Please..." As he thrust his sword downward, another Vampire shot down the camera, causing the images to quickly go static. Xavier fell to his knees. The cement gray-haired man nced at Xavier with a worried look. "I am sorry... I honestly did not wish to show you this... It was a truly unfortunate thing to happen." "I am not sure about your father but there is still hope for your sister and mother! They were captured so they are most likely being held at a vampire camp." With his head hung low and a trembling voice, he asked. "Which camp...? Where are they...?" Xavier asked. A grin grew on the face of the cement grey haired man. "We do not know... If you joined us, we could devote time to finding out." "..." "If I joined you, will you take me to them to get them back?" The grin unfortunately faded from the man''s face. "It doesn''t work like that... They''ve already been caught. There are nobles and all sorts of monsters to be found in a Vampire''s camp. We won''t be able to get them back until everything''s settled down." "...Then, I can''t join you..." Xavier muttered as he got up before slowly turning and making his way back out through the entrance. "And even if that wasn''t the case, I wouldn''t have joined you regardless." "There''s something about you that pisses me off..." Hemented. "Is that so... That''s truly a shame... I really hope youe to understand that it''ll be almost impossible to find them on your own. You''d have to search the whole of Ennd... Do you really think by the time you do that, they''ll still be alive?" Xavier looked at the [Skill] section in his status screen. [Rewind.] "They will... I''ll find them, no matter what it takes..." Xavier stared at the reinforced door before him before remembering the two Vampires who had taken his family and injured his father. Their faces were burned into their minds. With tears in his eyes and his fangs extending from his mouth, Xavier made a vow. ''I''ll kill them... In the most painful way possible...'' *Step* The tall, dark-haired man was about to unlock the room to leave when a stranger in the room spoke up. "Man, why waste time recruiting someone like him who was clearly not interested in the first ce?"." Xavier halted. A tall, deep orange-haired man with knives around his waist was speaking. "I can''t sit here watching stupid old families get kidnapped all day. It''s the apocalypse, everything''s gone to shit. Who the fuck cares about what happens to them? If their dumbasses can''t even protect themselves what''s the point of-" Before he could so much as finish what he was about to say, his eyes widened as a hand filled with blood lust suddenly a hand appeared before his face ready to tear it down. It was Xavier''s hand. In an instant, he had gone from standing before the door to standing right next to him on the other side of the room. In that same instant, three other people stopped Xavier. One was the moss green haired man with the bloodied business suit, he had grabbed Xavier''s hand as he stood before him. The other was a cloaked stranger who was hiding his face beneath his hood. The palm of his hand was right on Xavier''s stomach, indicating that if he took another step, he would be hurt. Last but not least, there was the girl with wine-red hair and small yellow eyes that wore a school uniform. The girl appeared to be crouching down behind him as she blew bubble gum out of her mouth again. ,m As she scrolled through her tablet, she whispered quietly, "He''s now a member of their group, so if you hurt him, you''ll provoke them...". The two others, on the other hand, red at Xavier as if warning him to back down. Xavier sighed and lowered his hand. Likewise, the others lowered their guard. As the deep orange haired man who had insulted Xavier''s family began to reap the benefits of joining an organization, he grinned. "Serves you right, you short fuck." He stuck his tongue out. ''He looks strong but even he''s not crazy enough to try anything here.'' He thought to himself. Xavier took a step in the door''s direction, and right when they all loosened up- *CRASH!* Xavier''s fist crashed against the wall as if by magic, hammering the head of the man who had insulted his family into its surface. As all eyes turned to him, they widened. "Oh~ He managed to slip past me?" The man in the business suit questioned as he took a step in Xavier''s direction. "One more step and he''ll die." said Xavier. "You wouldn''t-" The businessman''s conversation was interrupted by the orange haired mans painful groans as Xavier gripped his head more tightly than before. ''This crazy fuck...!!!'' The orange haired man cursed inwardly as he tried moving Xavier''s arm away. However, no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn''t move. Knowing this, he reached over to his waist to grab a hold of his knives, but the moment he did, he felt it. A scythe belonging to the grim reaper limping right over his shoulders. "Try it... We''ll see which one of us dies first." Dared Xavier. "..." "I don''t care what you say about me... But to insult my family like that... You..." "Do you have a death wish...?" Xavier asked with hollow eyes. [New Quest has been added.] 13 Chapter 13 Xavier asked with hollow eyes, "Do you have a death wish...?". [New Quest has been added.] The quest screen beside Xavier caught his attention. [Quest: Rescue family from the Vampire Camp.] (New) [Family rescued: 0/2] [Bloodline Quest: Consume Blood.] [Blood consumed: 0/1] ''Zero out of two? There''s still a chance my father is alive... It should be three...'' ''And should I just drink this guy''s blood?'' Xavier pondered tightly gripping his head. "A-ARGH!!! IT HURTS!!! I GET IT, I''M SORRY!! LET GO!!!" Although he apologized, Xavier didn''t let go, and his fangs were emerging from his lips as he eyed the man''s neck. Many people in the room watched nervously, but a small minority didn''t seem to mind and actually found it quite funny. It was hard for them to hold back theirughter as they saw Xavier stretch his arm up to grab the man''s face. The tall dark-haired man who had been with Xavier simply smiled and sighed. *p* pping his hands, the cement gray haired man attracted everyone''s attention. "Let''s all calm down, why don''t we?" He asked with a smile. "Xavier, he''s apologised, that should be good enough to let him go, shouldn''t it?" ''...Drinking his blood won''t work here...'' Xavier thought to himself. "Don''t forget that he''s a part of our group now... If you don''t let him go, we''ll have no choice but to retaliate... Do you think you could take on everyone in this room and other people positioned in this base all by yourself?" "..." Xavier didn''t respond or loosen his grip. "Don''t you have a family to save?" "...Tsk." Clicking his tongue, Xavier threw the man to the side. "Gah...!" The man gasped only to tremble as he grabbed his reddened face. Xavier walked right past the cloaked man and moss green haired man without a word. The green-haired man had an amused expression on his face while the cloaked man seemed unconcerned. He nced at the red-haired girl who was crouched behind them, and she nced away from her tablet to look back at him. Xavier walked past her too after making eye contact with her for a few seconds. The tall, dark-haired man who had given him the trial stood by the open door, waving to him. After Xavier reached the door, the two walked out after the dark-haired man waved at the cement-grey-haired person watching. *Beep* Exiting the room, the doors closed with a beep, leaving a quiet room behind. "..." "Well then, as I was saying-" Suddenly, the orange haired man shouted in frustration, interrupting the cement gray haired man. "What are you doing!? Are you really going to let him just leave like that after what he-" The grey-haired man moved his hand toward his lips to gesture to the orange-haired man to be quiet. He stared at him with cold eyes and a look akin to that of someone looking at a bug on the side of the road. After that, the orange-haired man instantly shut his mouth... Once again, he was paralyzed by fear, rendering him speechless. "...Now to repeat myself, as I was saying... I''m sure you''re all tired." "Those who are joining will be escorted to another room to receive your IDs and rooms. Get some rest for you will begin training soon after. You will also be given a lesson and exnation on the energy inside you which fuels your ability." "Some of you will have more energy in vessel than others, do not fret, the amount can be increased through special means. By increasing it you''ll grow much stronger,st longer with your ability and be able to increase its output. Look forward to it." "Those who wish to leave will be escorted out as initially intended. That is all." *Beep* The door opened with a beep, and a group of men and women in uniform could be seen waiting outside. They saluted to the cement-grey haired man after seeing him. Each person left the room one by one, leaving behind the moss green haired man and cloaked man, as well as the red wine haired girl as they were stopped by him. "I''d like to thank you two for stopping him." Said the cement grey haired man as he looked at the green haired man and the cloaked man. "I have great hopes for you two." The cloaked man nodded before walking out. "There''s no need to thank me, I didn''t do much... And besides." The green-haired man nced at the cement gray haired man, whose hands were behind his back, before looking at the sheath around his waist. "If you wanted to kill him, I''m sure you easily could." Added the green haired man before also walking out. "Hohoho~" The cement grey haired man chuckled. He and the red wine-haired girl who was ying a game on her tablet were now the only ones in the room. "So, what did you think about him? I didn''t expect you to step in yourself." He asked her. Her eyes shed a scarlet light as she focused on the game. "He was arrogant... And immature... However, it wasn''t without reason..." "Hm?" The grey-haired man let out in concern. "I thought I got better at controlling my ability but... I couldn''t see it.. What his future holds..." She stated. The cement grey haired man''s eyes widened. With a confused expression, she scratched the back off her head. "More like I could see it... But it kept constantly changing making everything blurry..." "Oh~ For you to be saying that... He must be quite special, isn''t he?" "Yeah... For a moment, just a single moment, I could make out his figure standing on a pile of corpses... ''He''s dangerous or at least he''s on the way of bing it.'' The game character on the girl''s tablet suddenly died, then a highlighted message appeared on her screen. [Game Over.] The crouched girl sighed before getting up and walking over to the door. "You... You knew, didn''t you..? As did the high ranking official who was with him." "Knew what?" The cement grey haired questioned with an amused look. "That he''s a Vampire." The cement-grey haired man smiled. "Why do you ask? Did you fall for him?" "Yeah, right... I''ll give you a heed of warning, there are some things in this world you can''t control." She responded before walking out. The cement gray haired man was left on his own inside the room as the door closed behind her. "For even her to say that about him... And for him to resist direct exposure to UV lights without any protection whilst also having a strong hate for the Vampires..." He chuckled to himself as he thought of all the ways he could use Xavier. "Perhaps all hope isn''t lost." - - - *Step* *Step* *Step* Along with the tall, dark-haired man, Xavier walked down the hall toward the building''s exit. "Don''t you think you were too extreme?" The tall dark haired man asked. "Are you sure you don''t want to join us?" "..." Xavier didn''t reply. Sighing, he realized it was pointless to try and reason with him. Two people walking suddenly halted as someone appeared in their path. "Hm? Is she your friend?" ''She''s...'' The blonde-haired student from his school, the one with oceanic blue eyes, who believed he was trying to help them. She was being apanied by another officer. "Are you really leaving?" She asked. "What do you want?" Xavier responded coldly. Her right brow twitched. "..." "I wanted to thank you... For helping us..." "No need to thank me, that wasn''t my intention... And if that''s all, then bye." Said Xavier as he suddenly walked past her. "..." Standing there, she watched him walk past with a sad expression on her face. She felt she had no right to expect much since they barely helped him while he risked his life to fight. "Will I... Ever see you again?" She asked. "..." Xavier didn''t respond. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hung her head in sorrow. Suddenly, she heard him say. "Possibly." That was hisst word before turning the corner. A smile grew on her face as she wiped away her tears and clenched her chest. - "Wasn''t that a bit cold?" The tall dark-haired man asked as he caught up to Xavier. ''I didn''t have much of a choice... During our talk, I couldn''t stop staring at her neck and...'' Xavier shook his head. ''I''m getting hungry again...'' - - - *Vrooom* *Vrooom!!!* With his eyes blindfolded, Xavier stood at the back of a closed truck as the sound of an engine echoed around him. He received an empty backpack and his Vampire sword back. They didn''t question anything about it to him as one of the girls exined that he had picked it up from the Vampire during the questioning. ''They don''t want me knowing where the base is, huh...'' ''It''s pointless, they could just find out from a member taken hostage... Unless...'' Suddenly, the engines ceased and the sound of battle echoed from outside. "Take off your blindfold and jump off... Quick!" After swiping off the blindfold, Xavier leapt off the stopped car and was met by a cloudy, wet world outside. It wasn''t a long trip, so the base was probably somewhere nearby. He was back in central London. Afterpleting his jump, he slid down the wet sidewalk only toe face to face with a ghoul secondster. Just before his nose, the ghoul lunged at him with its mouth wide open. *Swoosh!* After holding the sword ready to slice the ghoul in half, Xavier was beaten by a half second as an arrow pierced the ghoul''s head from the sides before pinning him against the wall beside him. One of the men in the white uniform said, "Thank you." as heunched two more arrows at the two ghouls from behind him. ''Thanks for what? Leaving me in the middle of the city with all this noise?'' Xavier wondered as he watched the gathering number of ghouls in the distance. Xavier knew he had to get out of here as soon as possible. As the man and his group hopped onto the truck, they drove away through the hordes and avoided the other empty vehicles on the street. Xavier scanned his surroundings. Based on the underground station sign and the nearby rail train station, he quickly found out where he was. ''This is Westminister... I''d have appreciated it if they left me back in King''s cross.'' "Oh well." Xavier quickly got to running in search of a ce to hide. - - - Next chapter preview: Vampire Wife! ''This girl... I''ve seen her before... She''s...'' ''She''s the girl from the dreams...'' 14 Chapter 14 Her curvy, petite figure was beautifully brought to light by the moonlight reflecting off her long, silky silver hair. A pair of pointed ears poked out of her hair, while small, sharp teeth protruded from her mouth. Her slit-pupil eyes glowed a bright red crimson. He found himself paralyzed by her stare, unable to move a muscle as if under hypnosis. ''Ah... This is...'' ''That dream again...'' Xavier thought to himself as she drew closer. Bringing her fangs into closer view as she approached his face, the girl''s lips slowly drew closer to his face. ''I can''t move... I can''t speak...'' But even still Xavier desperately tried, to get three words out. He had enough of this dream. "W..Wh... Who are you!?" Both the sweet scent and the adrenaline caused his heart to pound. Without closing his eyes, he watched as she leaned in towards his neck. She was about to dig her fangs into him. The jolt of pain didn''te, to his surprise. An excited smile spread across her face as she muttered, "I found you*". - Xavier snapped his eyes open. In an instant, he found himself in an empty corner shop filled with blood and corpses of ghouls around him. Then there was Xavier, sitting on the ground by himself with his sword sheathed in between his arms. Upon wincing and rubbing his eyes, he noticed a decapitated mummified corpse at the other end of the store. It was the corpse of a vampire he had killed upon entering. "Ah... I dozed off..." Xavier muttered as he looked down at the cup noodles in his hand. Previously, it was scorching hot, but it was now lukewarm. The ghouls outside did not seem to enter the story since it was covered in a ghoul''s blood and stench giving Xavier all the time he needed to finish. *Growl* "I''m hungry..." Xavier muttered before slurping on the noodles. *Slurp* *Slurp* Slurping, he noticed a group of ghouls whizzing by at high speeds. Most of them, despite once being humans, now act as animals and move on all fours. ''Maybe that''s why I don''t feel any guilt when killing them... But what are they all doing?'' ording to what Xavier knew so far, the Ghouls followed any noise they heard, but it was strange because a lot of noise wasing from the direction they were departing from. Instead, there was a lot of noise in the city, so what was the rush? ''...Why am I wasting time worrying about what they''re doing?'' He asked as he scratched his head. [Bloodline Quest: Consume blood.] [Blood consumed: 0/1] [Rewards: ???.] [Failure: Be a Ghoul.] ''Is it because... I feel like I might end up bing a ghoul?'' Xavier wondered. ''Can''t I just drink ghoul blood?'' [Negative, ghoul blood is poisonous to both humans and Vampires.] [I am unaware of what would happen if the User were to drink, however if a were to drink it, they''d either turn or die.] ''...Right.'' Unfortunately, Xavier was unable to find a single human nearby. Even though he was still in Westminster and it hadn''t been long since he parted with the group, he couldn''t see anything. "Fuck... maybe I should have just sucked that guy''s blood right out of him instead..." Xavier mumbled to himself with food in his mouth as he remembered the face of the orange-haired young man who he had almost killed. ''Sucking blood this, sucking blood that... I really am fucked up.'' *Slurp* *Slurp* [Daily Quest: Failed.] The notification suddenly popped in his head as he was eating. He quickly looked over at the Quest screen beside him. [Daily Quest:] [0/100 Push ups: Iplete.] [0/100 Squats: Iplete.] [0/100 Sit ups: Iplete.] [2/2 Rewinds: Complete.] [Rewards lost: 2 SP + 50 XP] [Next Daily avable in: 30 minutes.] As Xavierpletely forgot about it, a vein bulged on the side of his forehead. "Two SP and fifty XP..." After sighing, he looked down to find that the cup of noodles was almost empty. Despite all that he had eaten, his hunger and thirst ravaged on from within him. "Yeah... It''s no use... What I need to eat and drink right now is... Blood-" *TREMOR!* As the entire ground trembled for a second, Xavier was interrupted. In addition to his backpack full of supplies and water, Xavier looked outside before getting up. It looked like a hurricane had hit the city. Many of the buildings had broken windows. Smoke filled the air, being blown away by the strong breeze and rainy storm. In a world where nothing but monsters prowled around looking for humans to devour, Xavier couldn''t help but think it was the end of the world wherever he went. Strangely, the number of ghouls around had greatly diminished in this area. Why? ''I have a bad feeling,'' Xavier thought to himself. He ran out of the store in a nonchnt manner. After doing so, he leapt up on to the sight before climbing up to the roof. His vampire body was definitely more agile, faster, and lighter than before. He felt like he could aplish anything with it. Xavier sniffed the air as he leapt from building to building in the direction where the ghouls had escaped. *Sniff* *Sniff* Rain had clouded his vision and smell, making it impossible to search for humans or vampires. Ghoul blood was poisonous, whereas vampire blood was likely safe. If Xavier had thought of this sooner, he would have drunk the blood of the vampire he killed in the store. *Leap* Through the corner of his eyes, Xavier caught a glimpse of something. As he came to a halt, he jumped from the top of the building to the sidewalk and nced around. As countless water droplets hit his face, his clothes, which had recently dried, were once again soaked. ''Did I imagine it...?'' Suddenly, he felt it. The mark on his neck began to glow out of nowhere, causing a burning sensation. ''This is...'' Two arms suddenly rushed at him from both sides, interrupting Xavier''s thoughts. ''!!!'' Due to the fact that he hadn''t sensed their presence, he instantly grasped his sword handle. He was surprised, however, when the pair of hands did not attack him or cause him any pain. It was quite the opposite, as he was put in a warm embrace. His eyes drifted slowly over to her from the road, confused. It was a short girl, his height with long silver hair that smelled of roses. Crimson slit red eyes which were that of a Vampire. A face whose beauty far surpassed many of the world''s most famous models. Her short, petite frame and elegantly curvy figure embraced him even more tightly as her soft cheeks rubbed against his, relishing the moment. "Xavi~!!!" She called out joyfully as she hugged him tightly. "It''s been so-" She was forced out of the embrace by Xavier, who had finally snapped out of it. Snatching her shoulders, he forced her away. Despite pushing her, he held on tight, gazing at her neck while he clutched her shoulders. He was breathing heavily and raggedly. ''Fuck... What''s wrong with me...? Out of nowhere my hunger just became...'' "Xavi...?" She asked with a confused look. ''Wait... This is a chance... I can drink her blood...'' As she noticed where his eyes were focused, a smile appeared on her face. She tilted her head to the left, exposing her neck, and drew him in closer. "You were hungry weren''t you? Why didn''t you just say so~?" *Gulp* Xavier felt as if he was being manipted; he had no control over his urges. It greatly annoyed him. While he was greatly agitated, he grabbed her by the neck and pinched her against the wall of the building. In that instant, she let out a quiet squeal before looking into his crimson red eyes and fangs. Blushing, she lowered the cor of her cloak and dress, revealing her slim bare neck. ''A trap...? It''s almost like she wants me to suck her blood.'' But he didn''t care. The thirst, the hunger, the lust... They were all in control. "What are you waiting for? Drink, don''t be shy~" Suddenly, Xavier leaned in and bit into her neck. *Pierce* ? The moment his fangs prated her, she let out a quiet moan. "Mn..." *Gulp* *Gulp* The sweet intoxicating taste and aroma made it almost impossible to stop. He made sure not to spill a single drop as he sucked the seemingly endless supply. His thirst and hunger were quickly fading, fading as he relished in the moment. His heart was pounding strongly. Whilst he sucked the blood right out of her, she stroked the back of his head. ''What''s with this... Why does it taste so good!?'' Xavier didn''t want to stop... He couldn''t... "Xa...Vi... I... Isn''t that enough...?" She tried pushing him away but she was out of strength from having her blood sucked right out of her. "If you... keep sucking... I''ll di..." Xavier snapped out of it, instantly pulling his head away before watching as the wound closed on her neck. She panted heavily before copsing onto his arms. "Do you... Feel better now?" She asked with a bright smile. despite her exhausted look. ''What...? What the hell is wrong with this girl? I could have killed her, just now... So why does she... Look so happy?'' "You... Who are you...?" Xavier asked. Her heart skipped a beat at his question. "Eh?" 15 Chapter 15 "You... Who are you...?" Xavier asked. Her heart skipped a beat at his question. "Eh?" She let out in confusion. Xavier who was about to exin, suddenly noticed an open status screen beside him with a log of what had just happened. He was so focused in the pleasure of drinking her blood that he hadn''t even noticed the notifications. [You are consuming the blood of a Vampire] [The Vampire''s strength surpasses your own.] [Skill: Gluttony is active.] [Absorbing the Vampire''s strength.] [The Vampire''s true form is sealed so only a portion of her stats can be absorbed.] [+1 Stat point in Strength] [+1 Stat point in Agility.] [+1 Stat point in sense.] [+1 Stat point in Strength.] [+1 Stat point in Strength.] [You have stopped consuming the blood of a Vampire.] Xavier''s eyes widened at the notifications in the logs. ''You''re telling me... I get this much stronger from just drinking blood?'' ''And what was that notification? Her true form is sealed?'' "Xavi...?" She called out to himself "Come with me." Said Xavier before grabbing her by the hand and pulling her away. - - - The girls eyes sparked as she joyfully stared at Xavier. The two were inside of an empty caf¨¦. They were both drenched by the rain and drying off. Xavier had just finished exining to her about everything that had happened. How he had been dreaming about her, how he had suddenly woken up with this mark on his shoulder and how he had forgotten all about her. ''I thought she''d be a little more upset that I forgot?'' "Why are you smiling?" "Fufu~ Because my dear Xavi was dreaming of me every night~" She muttered to herself as she ced both hands on her flustered face to cover it. Xavier stared at her with an interrogative and doubtful look. ''...This girl... I don''t know why but she''s into me for some reason...'' ''If that''s the case, then I might as well make use of it.'' "Hey, stop ying around. Weren''t you the one who gave me those dreams?" He asked. She quickly lowered her hands and turned to him before shaking her head, her cheeks were inted in a sulk. "That''s rude, what kind of wife would for her husband to dream of her? Besides, the sexy and adorable me doesn''t need any tricks to make you dream about me." She spoke with a bright confident smile. ''Wife... So she''s my wife?'' Xavier scanned her curvy petite figure once more. The clothing she wore was unusual, a long dark cloak which covered her body, with a light silky dark dress beneath it. While in a way she was sexy, Xavier did not want to admit it. "Sexy...? Where?" "Gah!" She froze up. Her eyes teared up slightly from embarrassment as she pointed at him. "T-That''s because my true form is sealed right now... That''s why I''m stuck in this tiny body..." She sulked. Xavier''s ears twitched. ''True form... What''s this true form I keep hearing about?'' "Then, let me see this true form." He said. She blushed after hearing such. "Oh... Right, you forgot, didn''t you?" ''..What''s she talking about? Have I seen it before?'' Without saying anything else, she took off her cloak and lowered her dress to the point where it was revealing just a portion of her chest. She watched with a flustered expression as Xavier stared intently. A long chain had spread itself around along the top of the chest and around the back. At the very centre of the chain which was on her chest, there was a tiny metal skull design with two fangs protruding out of it. "You''re staring at it quietly intensely..." She teased. "If you want, I can show you some more..." Xavier not buying into her advancements, suddenly extended his arm out and grabbed onto the skull design. *Katchunk* In that instant, an unlocking sound was heard. In that instant, Xavier felt it. An ominous feeling which made his throat go dry, a darkness which sent chills down his spine and a strong thirst of blood which felt minor inparison to his own. The two''s expression instantly turned dumbfounded as Xavier instantly let go of the metal skull and pulled his arm back. *Clunk* A locking sound echoed. "Just now... It unlocked...?" Xavier questioned. "Yeah, my true form is sealed but as my husband and bond, you can unlock it." Xavier raised an eyebrow. "First husband and now bond...?" She scratched the back of her head before letting out a nervous chuckle. "Right... I haven''t exined that have I?" - A Vampire bond, in otherwords, a connection made between a Vampire and an individual. Her the connection is made is unknown, it can be made by a Vampire gaining strong feelings for an individual, it can happen by just meeting an individual as if it were fate. A bond is a special for Vampires for various reasons. It can show just how special a Vampire''s rtionship with an individual is while also showing a potential rtionships. Vampires who''ve bonded can also share blood with one another while using each other''s blood as a means to quench their thirst. "So you''re saying, I am your bond. Is that why you are calling me your husband?" "Yes and no. You are my bond, but I wouldn''t marry someone just because of that..." "Then why?" Xavier asked. "You really can''t remember anything, huh... It''s because..." After realising that Xavier truly couldn''t remember anything her expression grew even more sadder htan before. But it was only for a moment before it was all smiles again. "I won''t tell you, you''ll have to figure out yourself when you get your memories back." "And how am I supposed to do that?" "Well that''s obvious isn''t it?" She asked before pointing at him. Xavier stared intently at her, waiting for her follow up and the answer. "Time will tell!" She spoke cheerfully Xavier sighed. "Alright, alright. Vampire wife~" He muttered beforeying down on the caf¨¦''s sofa. ''W-Wife... T-That has a nice ring to it...'' She thought to herself as she became flustered. Xavier grew quiet as he tried to getfortable enough to doze off. "W-What are you doing?" She asked as she suddenly sat down beside his head. "Going to sleep." ''I need to set a new checkpoint, I don''t want to have to go through this interaction again. The moment I wake up, I''ll begin searching through the city for the Vampire camps, we''ll split up to make things faster.'' -Memory [Rewind Level 1: Return.] [The User can return to thest point whilst conscious. By sleeping the User is able to set a new point to return to.] -Memory End Although he had yet to test it, that was what the System said, the only way to confirm whether or not it was the case would be for him to die which he nned on doing after waking up. There was also something about this feature that Xavier didn''t like, a big weakness. Be he tried not thinking about it too much. ''She might also know something about the camps but I''ll ask after the checkpoint is set... Getting more of her trust to make use of her is the priority for now.'' Xavier''s head was suddenly lifted up only to be ced on a soft cushion like legs.He opened his eyes only to find his head resting on herp. "What are you doing?" He asked. "I''ve seen couples do this and I''ve always wanted to try it..." She spoke cheerfully. "...Alright." Without saying anything else Xavier began to doze off, it was truly much morefortable than before. How could the girl''s legs be so soft, her neck so fragile and yet... The true form inside of her... How could it be so terrifying. There was a lot he didn''t know about her, he didn''t even remotely trust her, but to be able to make good use of her, he needed to lower his guard around her, if not just a little. And so he did. "Hey~ Xavi... Why did you look so sad today...?" She asked. "..." "...Neverm-" "My family... They were kidnapped by Vampires..." He muttered. Understanding what it meant the girl''s expression grew worried. She began stroking Xavier''s dark and silver hair whilst trying to think of something to say. She wanted tofort him even if it were only a little. "I''m sure they''ll be fine... As your wife, I''ll make sure we find them." "..." To this, Xavier didn''t say anything and simply nodded. "...Why were you, so happy today?" He asked. An adorable smile grew on the girl''s blushing face before she responded. "Because I got to see you... And it was also the first time... That someone sucked my blood..." "..." ''What does she even like about me anyways... She''s honestly so... Weird...'' With but a quiet yawn, Xavier quickly dozed off. "Fufufu~ His sleeping face is so cute..." She muttered as she poked at it slightly. The longer she stared at him, the redder her face became. It was just the two of them, all alone there. Knowing this, she slowly leaned in towards his face. *Smooch* And just like that, they made contact with his forehead. After that little kiss, she moved back up before turning her head outside the caf¨¦. A scene scary enough to cause ven the bravest of people to faint stood right before her eyes. Countless ghouls could be seen outside, eyeing the inside of the caf¨¦. Their hands were ready to smack and crash against the windows ande charging in after their prey. "Ghouls do not attack Vampires... So their target must be Xavi who''s not yet fully turned." Her eyes grew cold and dark as she red at them. "To even dare to think of hurting my husband... Die." *Snap* The shadow of a long scythe suddenly manifested across the caf¨¦, shing away at their heads in a blink. 16 Chapter 16 "Hey!! Xavi!!" His surroundings echoed with the sound of a soothing voice calling out to him. Unsure of what he was doing, Xavier followed the voice. He didn''t know where he was or what he was doing, but he knew that he was motionless on the floor, staring at a silver haired girl kneeling beside him. The memory was too foggy for him to see her eyes or see her expression, he couldn''t identify her. "Don''t die..!!I won''t let you die!!!" She bit into her arm, then poured a stream of blood down Xavier''s throat. No matter how much she poured down, the wound on his stomach wasn''t disappearing. Xavier looked down and found arge gaping, see-through hole around his belly ''What am I... Doing here...?'' He thought to himself. Next, he heard a deep, rough voice, which wiped away allfort from his ears. "We must leave, young master. As you can see, a human is not fit to be with a Vampire." A tall man''s shadow loomed over Xavier as he turned to the right. For some reason, the man''s expression was all he could clearly see. It was an expression of disgust and disappointment. Although Xavier could not see any other features that indicated who he was, he would never forget that voice. "No!! I won''t leave him!!! If he won''t drink the blood then I''ll...!" The girl suddenly leaned into Xavier''s neck before biting into it. - - - Xavier''s eyes widened as he awoke. From the top of the young girl''sp, he turned his head to the right to scan the room before looking back at her. A strand of silver hair hung over his head and exposed her beautiful face. Her face was the most innocent expression in the world as she breathed in and out slowly. She was fast asleep. Xavier took advantage of the opportunity to get a good look at her. ''The dream changed... Was that a recent memory? '' ''Either way... I guess you could say I do know this girl...'' "It pisses me off, that I can''t remember... I wonder why?" Xavier asked as he ced his palm on his face. [Parts of the User''s memory do not add up.] [Hypothesis: User''s memory was forcefully erased by an external factor.] ''Whoa, what a surprise.'' Xavier remarked sarcastically. The news didn''t surprise Xavier at all. If vampires, supernatural abilities, and giant spheres causing never-ending rain were to suddenly appear, it wouldn''t be outrageous to expect anything. Suddenly, Xavier snapped out of his reverie before looking at the girl before him. Slowly, he extended his arm out to her cheeks and gently caressed it. It was smooth and soft. As soon as he began to caress it, he couldn''t stop. He began pinching and pulling at her puffy cheeks and slim jaw before eventually grabbing onto her soft small bottom lip. ''Now that I think about it... I don''t know her name, do I?'' Xavier questioned. Surprised loomed over the girl''s face as her eyes opened suddenly. "Stwop pwushing mwy chweeks..." Sheined with a drowsy expression. ''...Cute.'' "My bad," said Xavier as he let go. *Sniff* *Sniff* Suddenly, his nose caught the scent of something. It was blood. There was arge amounting from behind them and the sofa. "Did you sleep w-" Xavier stood up and looked behind them, interrupting the girl. Numerous decapitated ghoul corpses filled the interior of the caf¨¦, causing his eyes to widen. They followed the trail leading from the building out onto the street. The furniture had all been cut into pieces simultaneously. Xavier looked at the girl who was rubbing her slightly swollen cheeks slowly. ''She did this all by herself to keep me safe while I slept?'' She tilted her head to the side with a confused blush when she noticed his gaze. "Xavi?" She called out. "What''s wrong?" Her eyes lit up as she realized what was going on. "Oh~! Are you hungry again? Or... Maybe..." "This is the thing called morning wood!" "I heard something about male Vampire''s waking up horny... As a good wife I must naturally help with this." Her dress cor was lowered and she presented her neck to him; furthermore, she teasingly gestured that she could remove more if he wanted. ''...'' The expression on Xavier''s face froze for a second before he stepped closer to her. The closer he came, the harder her heart pounded. He eventually came right up to her face. "See... I told you my sexy charm was iressis-" The girl was interrupted as Xavier suddenly pinned her down against the sofa, before leaning over her neck. ''This cheeky girl... She really thinks she has me wrapped up around her palms, doesn''t she?'' She could feel his heavy breaths pushing against her necks as he rested over it. With every puff, she slightly shivered. Her neck was sensitive. [Skill: Gluttony is active.] ''...I''ll just keep making use of it and growing stronger.'' [You experience a never-ending hunger.] "What''re you waiting for? I''ve recovered, drink up." Said the Vampire girl with blushing cheeks. Xavier''s deep lust and desire for her blood somehow excited her. *Pierce* [You are consuming a Vampire''s blood.] [+1 Stat added to Strength.] [+1...] - - - [Log] [+3 Stat added to Strength.] [+2 Stat added to Agility.] [+1 Stat added to Sense.] [Small amount of blood proportion consumed.] "So... What are we doing now?" The Girl asked as with a sluggish look as they walked out of the caf¨¦. Xavier looked better than ever. They walked over the corpses without paying it any attention at all. *BOOM!* Soon after walking out, an explosion erupted in a few streets up north. *BOOM!* *BOOM!* Two more explosions followed. He replied, "We''ll split up.". "Eh?" The girl let out in surprise as her eyes widened. - Xavier exined that splitting up would allow them to cover more distance and explore more areas of London. Obviously, they would search London first, since it''s big enough already, and it''s unlikely the Vampire camp they''d be in would be far from where they were caught. Xavier was praying on the fact that the camp was close, since the girl didn''t know anything about vampire camps. ''Whether it is or not isn''t the problem... If it isn''t close, I can just die and try again from a different city next time. I don''t care how many tries it takes...'' ''I''ll find-'' *Sniffle* *Sniffle* He was interrupted by the quiet crying of his proimed vampire wife. No matter how much she tried to wipe her tears away, tears continued to well up in her eyes. "What''s wrong?" Xavier asked. "It''s just... I finally found you again.... And we barely got to see each other and are already splitting up... I know that it''s too make things faster... And I know it''s my fault for not knowing any camps... But I wanted to stay with you for longer..." This clearly troubled Xavier. There would be no point in her following him since they would meet again whenever he died and he had nned on intentionally killing himself by the end of each day so that he could find leads and rewind time without wasting it. In any case, he didn''t want to tell her about rewind, as he wanted it to remain a secret. He hadn''t even confirmed that the new check point had been set. He could have died and had to start over from the Gym all over again. Something he did not want to go through. "If that''s the case... Give me your number. The Radio towers and power in the city isn''t down yet. We''ll exchange info through messages and if you feel lonely, call me..." He muttered before patting her head. Her eyes gleamed. 17 Chapter 17 While the Ghouls scavenged across the city for food, the sound of growling and groans was drowned out by the rain. The numbers had multiplied far beyond anyone''s expectations. The streets were filled with them. Unfortunately for the humans, they weren''t the only problem they had to deal with. In anticipation of further instructions, the military and organizations prioritized evacuation. In the meantime, the vampires roamed the city, abducting as many people as possible. The situation was tense. However, despite that. *Hum* *Hum* *Humm* In central London, a beautiful silver-haired girl wandered happily through the streets of Westminster. As she walked past countless empty buses, she stared at the screen on the phone in her hand. She had crimson red eyes, pointy ears, and the scent of a vampire, so the ghouls who saw her walked by showed no interest in her. Unlike other Vampires, it was much easier for ghouls to make a distinction between a predator and prey. They did not attack other predators. She stared at the screen with a bright smile on her blushing face. [Xavier: I''m heading underground, I won''t get a signal down here so I won''t be able to talk.] [Xavier: Make sure you sure West and South London properly, if you find anything let me know.] [Sangrea: I''ll let you know.. <3] -Memory The phone she was acquainted with was an old phone without a camera or anything to do with social media. The only feature was a calling feature for her to call her family. When he saw it, Xavier was both surprised and not surprised, but it didn''t matter. "Hey, tell me your name. I need to save your number." Said Xavier as he showed her his touchscreen with the digital phone pad." Having never even been allowed to touch one before, she couldn''t help but stare at it with sparkling eyes. She was saddened that he had also forgotten her name, but understood why. She mumbled with blushing cheeks, "Just make it ''My number one love.''". "No, give me your name." Xavier repeated in a colder tone. "Aww... S-Sangrea... Redblood..." She muttered embarrassedly She wasn''t much of a fan of her name, it didn''t sound very feminine or attractive in her opinion. She was quite shy of saying it. "Oh, badass." Her ears twitched after she heard that, her blush grew stronger as she stared at him. Xavier tapped on the save button on her screen. He patted her speechless figure before turning away to the underground station. "Well then, ti''ll next time.. Sangrea..." He said with a smile as he took a step forward. Xavier was stopped after a single step however as the girl suddenly hugged him from behind. "Be careful... You''re still a Fletchling... I heard that a lot of Vampires die in this phase, so please..." "Don''t worry about that... Until I kill everyst one of the Vampires who hurt my family, I won''t die." Xavier reassured her. *Drip* *Drip* Her face started to well up with tears as she apologised once more. "I''m sorry for making you a Vampire... Even though I said I wouldn''t..." Xavier didn''t seem to remember this either. However, he did recall a dream he had of her. The one where he had arge gaping hole in his stomach and was on the verge of death. If it wasn''t a dream then she had saved him. "It''s all right, being a vampire isn''t all that bad." "I quite like it in fact." Xavier responded. "Really...?" She asked once more with a trembling tone. "Mhm, thanks to it I''ll be able to grow stronger, that way I''ll keep everyone safe... And survive this apocalypse." Xavier slowly turned after she loosened her hug before patting her on the head again. He was the same height as her, if not a little shorter, yet somehow it made her feel so at ease. She lightly licked the edge of his palm before leaning towards it with her mouth without even realizing it. Her fangs popped out, she was going to bite it. Yet seeing it, Xavier didn''t stop her and instead- "Eek-" He pulled her in towards his neck. "Xavi?" She let out in a confused tone as she stared at it. "I drank your blood twice, we''re bonded aren''t we? If you''re thirsty, drink mine." He said casually. "H-Hm~ You''ve gotten a lot more bolder in just-" Xavier pulled her head closer, pressing her fangs right against his neck as he interrupted her. "Drink, stop acting smug. I know I took out a lot of energy when I drank your blood." With her face red and her eyes sparkling she nodded before biting into his neck. *Pierce* She watched his expression lighten up slightly as she slowly sucked the blood out of him. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* It had just the right sweetness and density, it felt almost addicting as the more she drank the harder it became to let go. But after a short while, she stopped as he clenched her shoulder and stared her right in the eye with his slit crimson pupils. *Gulp* She pulled her mouth away with a final gulp and the bite holes on his neck quickly faded after. -Memory End *Hum* *Humm* *Humm~* *sh* *sh* Ovepping her sweet soothing hums were the sounds of corpses being fallen. She decapitated all the ghouls passing by her without even noticing. While she held a phone, her shadow held on to a scythe and swung it around without her moving. A wide grin could be seen on her shadow as it let loose. Although her expression was sweet, the gory scene taking ce around her as she walked past the ghouls made it frightening. Ghouls who were lost in hunger could feel the danger of pursuing her, so without further thought they began to run and move away from her. "Hm...?" She let out in confusion before tilting her head to the side. By doing so, she noticed the giant dark sphere in the sky from the corner of her eyes. After staring at it for a few seconds, she looked back down and carried on walking. Three stepster, however, she suddenly halted before looking down an alley. There was an old man wearing a butler''s uniform inside the alley with sses. Beside him was a short dark blonde haired maid. They bowed their heads towards her, waiting for her orders. "Search through all the Vampire camps in the area, see if you can find any leads on Xavi''s family." Sangrea knew about the Vampire camps, the reason she didn''t tell Xavier however was because of the risk which came with it. Knowing him, he''d waltz right in there in search of his family, and, as a newly borned Fletchling, he''d die without knowing what hit him. Therefore she kept it from him, even now she felt guilty, but it was for his own good. Besides, there were quite a few amounts of camps around. Going through them all would take forever. Using a privatework of information would be much more efficient. "Understood." The maid replied. Heather Violet-haired maid disappeared leaving only the old butler behind. There were four other Vampires in suits lurking in the shadows behind him. Each of them was tasked with watching over her. "You go search too, I can take care of myself." She dered. "You and I both know I can''t do that. You were ordered not to get involved, and I was ordered to make sure you don''t." "The war is only beginning, let''s not make this harder for the both of us." Sangrea sighed. "Tell ''him'' to send some more people on the lookout. Because if something happens to his family, then even I won''t just sit back." "...Why him? Out of everyone, why that human?" "¡­" Without responding to him Sangrea walked on leaving the alley behind with a sigh. It was not necessary for her to respond to his question, and even if she had, he would not have understood. "Perhaps it would have been better if he had died back then after all-" Sangrea, who was many steps away, suddenly appeared before the butler with a scythe looming over his neck the moment he said that. "Watch your mouth. I don''t care if father favors you." "I know you were the one who caused the ''ident''." "Feel free to talk about me, but badmouth my husband again and you''ll regret it." A smile grew on the old butler''s face. "I apologise, it was only a slight slip of the tongue. Very well, we will be taking our leave and keeping a close eye on you." *p* With a p, all of them dispersed, leaving a frustrated Sangrea behind. Her scythe sank back into her shadow as she repeatedly stomped the ground. She stomped away from the alley after swelling up her cheeks in a sulk. "I won''t let anything bad happen to you or them... Ever again..." She muttered as Xavier''s face popped up on her mind. - - - *Step* *Step* "Was it always this cold on the underground rails?" Xavier asked as he leapt over the boarding gates. Around him was nothing but darkness only temporarily lit up by shing lights. 18 Chapter 18 *Step* *Step* "Was it always this cold on the underground rails?" Xavier asked as he leapt over the boarding gates. A smell of blood permeated the air as the lights around him shed repeatedly on and off. The walls were covered in dry blood and it was freezing. "Being trapped down here in the middle of a vampire apocalypse... Anyone would be fucked." He muttered as he looked around. All the blood made sense, but something seemed off. The only thing around were dead corpses. There wasn''t a single living thing or person moving in sight. "Well if there''s nothing to bother me, that''s fine." Xavier muttered as his dark eyes turned a bright crimson red. He looked at the map on the other side of the room with his superior sight. He could observe the smallest of details. ''Let''s see... I''m at Westminster which is central. Sangrea is searching west and south and I''m searching North and east...'' The map showed lines and patterns as well as the tforms Xavier needed to reach east London. He nned to leave North forst. [Victoria Line.] [Walthamstow Central.] [East London.] "Victoria line for east London, huh... And to get to the Victoria line, I need to go one stop from the Jubilee line to green park." [Jubilee Line.] [Green Park.] - Xavier jumped over another boarding gate before walking down the underground stairs once more. As he followed the signs, he eventually found himself approaching the underground tracks of the Jubilee tform. Westminister''s station did not have a Victoria line running through it, so he couldn''t go directly to the Victoria line. In order to change to the Victoria line, he needed to go through the tunnel on top of the tracks. ''Argh... Ennd''s train rail system is so long andplex.'' Xavier thought to himself. "One stop usually takes a few minutes through metro, walking shouldn''t take too long if I run." He muttered. ''The journey ahead of me will take a lot of walking but it''s fine... I can just keep trying over and over again.'' [Rewind: Level 1.] [Return to a set point in time.] "No matter how long it takes... No matter how much suffering I have to go through... I''ll save you all. I promise." Xavier muttered to himself before jumping onto the train tracks. Just as he had expected, the side tforms werepletely empty. There were only corpses around, did that mean that everyone underground had died? "It''s surprise the train tracks are still in good shape, I thought a train would have crashed into here or something." Xavier muttered as he began walking down the tracks and into the tunnel. Inside the tunnel, there was not a speck of light to be seen. Fortunately for Xavier, he had his vampire eyes, so he was able to adapt quickly. ''I just need to keep walking straight ahead until I reach the next tform... Then I''ll change over to Vict-'' A shiver swept down Xavier''s spine as his eyes widened. There was something dangerous hiding in the shadows of the tunnels above him. Upon looking up, his eyes found countless sleeping ghouls lying on the ceiling of the tunnel. Even though their chests were inting and deting, they didn''t make a sound as they slept, yet the scent was so strong that it was almost impossible to ignore. ''Three... Eight... Twelve... Neen...!!'' ''How many are there!?'' Xavier''s heart sank as he watched the sleeping bodies of ghouls descend the tunnel. ''I have to walk through this without waking any of them up...?'' ''Fuck me...'' Xavier cursed. - - - [Xavier: I''m heading underground, I won''t get a signal down here so I won''t be able to talk.] [Xavier: Make sure you sure West and South London properly, if you find anything let me know.] [Sangrea: I''ll let you know.. <3] The happy expression on Sangrea''s face suddenly changed into a concerned one as she read the text again. "Underground... Wouldn''t that be a bad idea? Much like Vampires, Ghouls are greatly harmed by the sunlight so they like resting in dark ces." "The sun isn''t out... Rather, hasn''t been out for quite a few days now so it makes sense for many to be outside..." "But that won''t stop the majority from going to ces where''s there''s no sunlight at all... Somewhere Underground for example..." After realizing how dangerous it was, her heart sank and her bones trembled with dread. "Ah-Ah... I-I have to go back and stop him!" She quickly called his number, only to be put on voicemail. [The number you are trying to reach is not avable, here is a message from the caller if you wish to contact them.] [Hey, This is Xavier. If you''re calling me and I haven''t picked up it''s because I''m busy right now.] [But don''t worry about me, I''ll return your call as soon as possible.] And just like that, the voicemail ended. In the midst of running over to where he was, Sangerea suddenly got out of the stance she was in as her shadow moved up her legs. After clenching her fist, she turned her head in another direction. -Memory "Don''t worry about that... Until I kill everyst one of the Vampires who hurt my family, I won''t die." Xavier reassured her. -Memory End. "What am I doing?" She asked before facepalming herself. "Have faith in your husband... If he told you he won''t die, then he won''t... Instead, focus on the task that he gave you." "I''ll search west and south to find any leads I can while my servants searches for the Vampire camps... What kind of wife would I be if I couldn''t even do that all because I''m a little worried?" She let go of her clenched fist before sighing. "Have some faith in him..." - - - Xavier treaded through the tunnels whilst making as little sound as possible. So that they wouldn''t be awakened by the scent of his drenched clothes once the water from them soaked off, he covered himself in the blood of some of the Ghoul corpses lying about. With every step he could feel himself growing more nervous as he went further inside. Xavier wasn''t afraid of death, but the thought of being eaten alive, it certainly wasn''t pleasant. If he made one misstep, he''d possibly have the most gruesome and painful death thus far. So he was careful, he took all factors into ount and made sure not to do anything to make a sound. Still, while he was walking, he couldn''t help but wonder. ''Just how much XP would I be able to make by killing them all?'' ''Status.'' [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fletching Hybrid.] [Level: 4] [Levels Until Evolution Remaining: 6] [Level UP options x 2] (Avable.) [XP: 640/800] [Coins: 100] [HP: 30/30] [Energy: 200/200] [State: Normal.] [Strength: 18] [Agility: 23] [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 12] [SP: 3] [Skills] -[Rewind: Level 1] [Return.] [Rewind time up to a set point.] -[Gluttony: Level 1] [You experience a never-ending hunger. The stronger this skill bes, the more hunger you experience.] [Absorb the power of targets by devouring their blood.] [Shop] [Quest] Xavier couldn''t believe his eyes as he stared at his status. The gains were so incredibly high, he was almost four times stronger than when it all began. In just a few days he''d grown this much just from drinking Sangrea''s blood, and levelling up. But still. Xavier looked up at the ceiling. The many Ghouls could be seen resting. ''Even I can''t take on a horde as big as that in such an enclosed space.'' He thought to himself. ''But if worsees to worst...'' Xavier ced his hand on the handle of his Vampire sword, on it there was a button which would activate the strengthening abilities in exchange for his blood. ''I''ll waltz my way out of here and kill all of them no matter how hard it may be.'' 19 Chapter 19 Inside of the London''s underground metro system arge group of people could be seen being held up as hostages. Four Vampires surrounded them, two on the tform in front of them and another two behind them. Families were forced to keep their hands down and wait while vampires watched over them. It was unclear what was going to happen. All were too petrified to ask, after all, the humans who had done so before them. *Stter!* They were drained of their blood and turned into corpses. As a young girl gazed at her parents, she muttered, "Mummy... Daddy... I''m scared...". The same brown hair as her mother and father, along with a pair of tiny brown eyes. With a handbag around her shoulder, she wore a small cute hat. Alongside the other hostages, her mother and father lowered their heads next to her. "Stay quiet..." Her father whispered into her ear as he tightened his embrace. "Listen to your father sweetie... Everything will be fine..." The prickling of his trimmed beard could be felt against their forehead. Despite their fear at the moment, she felt safe in his arms. Countless other people and families were stuck together, those who were alone avoided eye contact and didn''t make a sound. One of the Vampires at the end of the tform caught her father''s attention. He had a nervous and terrified hostage seated beside him, a beautiful girl whosepany he enjoyed. While his appearance resembled that of a human with his smooth short Pearl opal green hair, his pointy ears and red eyes said otherwise. "You don''t have to be so scared... I''m quite fond of pretty things..." He murmured as he stroked the girl''s ck hair. "Are you scared of me..?" He asked as he gazed upon her neck. The girl slowly shook her head as she trembled. "Hm~ Just now... You lied, you know?" He asked. The girl froze in her ce. "I-I- D-Didn''t..." He leaned in towards her ear sending chills down her spine before he whispered. "When I asked, your heart suddenly started beating really fast. Lying is ugly, you know." "I may lose interest and drain you of all your blood~" She felt her heart sink. Seeing the corpse of the girl beside her, she felt the urge to puke as the thought of it being her invaded her mind. Even so, she held it in and quickly apologized. "I! I''m sorr-" The Vampire suddenly ced his index finger on the girl''s lips and interrupted her. He pointed towards the ceiling of the tracks and underground tunnel where all the sleeping ghouls rested. "Shhh... You don''t want to wake them up, do you?" The Vampire asked with a grin. ''Those fucking monsters...!!!'' The father cursed inwardly as he watched. ''Should I try out my ability? I still don''t know how use it properly... And will it really be enough to take them?'' He wanted to do something to help her but he couldn''t risk it. He had to watch over his family, so putting them in danger was thest thing he wanted to do. This same thought was repeated amongst most of their minds. They wanted to do something, but they were too afraid of the consequences if they did. After all, they had just witnessed a massacre just a moment earlier. It was every man for himself. "Hey, fon''t forget why we''re here. We''re taking these hostages to the camp. Even if the ghouls won''t wake up this level of noise, it''s better to be careful." Said Another Vampire who was watching. This Vampire had Pastel turquoise hair which reached down to his shoulder. His navy-blue uniform was just like the other Vampires. "Don''t be such a party pooper, we''re doing as instructed and are waiting for the other squad to bring back more people." "If we''re going to be waiting for all this time, why not have a little bit of fun? For all you know, you won''t have ess to all this food once it''s inside the camp so why not enjoy it now?" Muttered the pearl opal green haired Vampire. *Pierce* He bit into the girl''s neck and began gulping down her blood right before the pastel turquoise haired Vampires eyes. As the pastel turquoise haired vampire watched he suddenly began to drool. The other two Vampires who were watching also drooled at the sight. The girl''s cheeks flushed red as she had her blood drained out of her. Rather than it hurting, the Vampire was being rather gentle with her unlike with the one who he had killed before her. *Gulp* *Gulp* After a few more gulps, he stopped, snapping the Vampire''s out of the trance before looking at the other Vampire''s straight in the eye. "As long as we don''t kill them, we can drink as much as we want." He muttered with a grin as he watched the blood streaming down her neck gradually lessen. "See? It closes on it''s own." The girl panted heavily as throbbing pain ran down her neck. The humans who watched were infuriated. "This is a war, let your desires run fr-" Without finishing his sentence, the Vampire''s eyes widened as he suddenly turned his head down the tunnel behind him. The other Vampires, including the pastel turquoise haired one all turned to the tunnels ony to find a two pair of glowing crimson slit eyes approaching them from down the tunnel. "Hm~ Another Vampire?" Said the third of the three Vampires. This one was the most muscr and oldest looking out of the three. He was bald with a scar on one of his eyes. The fourth and final one was a quiet dark brown haired Vampire who had said nothing thus far. "Hey you, I''m sure you can hear me. What squad do you belong to?" The Pearl opal green haired Vampire asked. No response came from the pair of eyes. [Crystal Maniption: Radiant Crystals.] Small growing crystals protruded out of the train tracks as the pear opal green haired vampire ced his hand on the tform ground. The crystals quickly lit up the path down the tunnel upon their summoning, it disyed countless ghouls resting whilst attached to the ceiling with their feet along with the figure of a short ck and silver haired young man. The ck and silver haired young man had a smile on his face as he seemed to think up of something. ''They think I''m one of them? I heard him say something about a Vampire Camp, they definitely said it...'' ''Two... Four vampires... If we were to fight those Ghouls would definitely wake up.'' ''Guess I''ll y along to gather some information.'' "A squad which was put in central, we ended up encountering members of the opposition and barely managed to get away." Said Xavier in the least threatening way as he smiled upon his face''s reveal. 20 Chapter 20 "A squad which was put in central, we ended up encountering members of the opposition and barely managed to get away." Said Xavier in the least threatening way as he smiled upon his face''s reveal. After walking down the tunnel quietly, he came to a halt before the tform where they all stared at him. As they eyed him like a prey, he would have no doubt felt helpless and terrified if it had been his former self. In contrast, such a feeling didn''t exist for the current Xavier. "Managed to get away, you say... Hm..." The pearl opal green haired Vampire stroked the hair of the frightened human girl seated on hisp. "What squadron did you belong to?" The pastel turquois haired Vampire asked as he lowered his guard. Xavier''s ears twitched. ''Shit, I had a feeling he''d ask that... I need to make up a name.'' "...Squad Fang.'' The pastel turquoise haired Vampire raised his eyebrows. "Squad Fang? Did we have a squad like that?" ''Was my cover blown?'' Xavier wondered. "Also, where is your uniform?" The pearl opal green haired Vampire asked. ''...Fortunately for me I already thought of an answer for not having a uniform.'' "This was one of the recently formed squads in preparation for the war. We were given a mission of blending in with the humans in order to find a way into the opposition''s hideout in case they made a move. Unfortunately for our squad we were caught before we could." Even though all of these things were lies, Xavier said them with such a confident and straight face that it would have been impossible to believe otherwise. "Hm... That does make sense. He also has his Vampire sword." Said the pastel turquois haired Vampire as he noticed the holes for the spikes in Xavier''s sword handle. ''They believed it.'' "Come up, we need to keep an eye out on the tracks for the noble toe." Said the bald muscr Vampire with a scar over his eye at the back. He hopped onto the tform and saw the countless terrified humans and families with their heads lowered. "Save me... God please..." Some were praying while others were crying for mercy. The underground metro station was jammed with people of all ages. Their chances of being saved were slim to none. Even if they survived the Vampires around them, the outside was a nightmare, not only because of the countless Ghouls they were faced with. All of them were powerless. Xavier felt a strange feeling of powerlessness as he saw their powerless self. It was rare that he paid attention to or cared about those he did not know unless they interested him. The powerless sight of them, however, reminded him not only of himself, but also of his family who could do nothing when they were kidnapped. ''This pisses me off...'' However, he held it in as he was posing as a Vampire to sneak into their camp. Maybe by sneaking in he could figure out a way to save his family if there were truly monsters inside. In addition, even if he were to save these people, it would only be undone at the end of the day as he would need to rewind everything in order to continue the search for his family. ''Don''t think about them, focus on your-'' "You''ve been staring at these people for a while now, are you hungry?" The pearl opal green haired Vampire asked. Xavier''s eyes widened as he remembered. He had been so focused on other things that he had almost forgotten about the hunger... It was still there. [Skill: Gluttony gives you a never-ending hunger.] Xavier''s vampire eyes shone with crimson red light. [Bloodline Quest: Consume Human Blood.] [Human blood consumed: 0/1] [Rewards: ???] He smiled nervously at the pearl opal green haired Vampire before shaking his head. "It''s fine, I''ve already eaten. I''m not hungry." ''This is probably a test, despite all these hostages here only Vampire is drinking blood meaning they were probably ordered not to.'' Xavier tried to avoid it, but he was very analytical when it counted. "Oh~ You''re just like the others. Boring, a little bit of rule breaking won''t hurt." ''I was right.'' Xavier thought to himself. In spite of that, he wasn''t happy. Deep down, he hoped he was wrong. He wanted to try human blood. Nheless, he couldn''t help but wonder what the cost would be if he took that step. ''Drinking blood makes me stronger... I wonder what sort of stats I could get from a human with [Gluttony].'' Xavier shook his head. The Vampires all had their eyes on him, they were still cautious. "So, Xavier, tell me wh-" Xavier interrupted the pastel turquoise haired Vampire by asking impatiently. "What exactly are we waiting for here?" The moment he asked that question, tension rose in the air. The eyes of the Vampires became that of predators once more as they red at him. ''Hm? Did I blow my cover with that question?'' "Don''t you know? We''re waiting for the Vampire noble to arrive." Said the pearl opal green haired Vampire with a smile. Suddenly, a pyramid appeared on the screen in front of him. The pyramid was arranged from top to bottom. [Vampire Ranks:] [Vampire Fletching.] [Vampire.] [-Turned Vampire] [-Pureblood.] [Vampire Noble.] [Vampire Lord.] [...Too low level to view anymore.] ''Vampire Noble... They''re quite high down. I wonder if I could take on- "You... You''ve been lying to us this whole time, haven''t you?" Pearl opal green haired Vampire suddenly asked. "What makes you say that?" Xavier asked. "To not know why we''re underground... The fact that you came all the way here leaving your squad behind... To refuse my offer for blood...'' "That''s it? That''s not enough to use-" "Squad Fang... You said?" The pearl opal green haired Vampire asked as he stood up. "We don''t use full words for our squad names, dumbass." He grinned whilst sticking his tongue out. A dark brown-haired Vampire and a pastel turquois Vampire appeared before Xavier in an instant with their arms thrusting towards his neck. *Swoosh!* The thrusts sailed right over Xavier''s head as he avoided them with a duck. *sh!* And before they knew it, he had countered with a sword swing of his own aimed at the dark brown hair''s neck. *Stter!* As the sword slicked cleanly through the dark brown haired Vampire''s neck, the momentum carried on to the pastel turquoise haired Vampire beside it. The pastel turquois haired Vampire leapt back, barely avoiding the swing as it''s bloodied edge grazed his neck. *Thud* On his retreat, he watched as the Vampire''s beheaded body slowly fell forward. In the meantime, Xavier was in the middle of stepping in after changing his grip from a forehand to a backhand before taking a swing. Xavier''s second swing was headed right for his neck. He raised his arms to parry but he knew it''d easily cut through and decapitate him. [Water maniption-] *CLANG!* Xavier''s de, however, was parried by a swording out from behind the vampire before he could use his ability. While he was stopped in his tracks, Xavier grinned at the notification that appeared. ,m [Killed one Vampire.] [+110 XP!] [790/800 XP] "You should have just yed along with my act." Said Xavier as he released his bloodlust. 21 Chapter 21 "You should have just yed along with my act" Said Xavier as he released his bloodlust In response to Xavier''s words, the pearl opal green haired Vampire who was holding him in ce with his sword pressed against his, grinned. "Crush him." At that moment, a tall muscr Vampire with a scar over his right eye appeared behind Xavier, swinging an axe at him. With his sheer power, Xavier knocked back the pearl opal green haired Vampire''s sword, before jumping off to the left. *Swoosh!* Xavier was just barely missed by the axe and a burst of wind created by the wind crashed onto the tform before them. "Hoh~ That fledgling is strong." Said the pearl opal green haired Vampire. Xavier who was mid-air repositioned himself to kick off the tunnel wall and counter. However, on his way towards the wall- [Earth Maniption: Destructive Coffin.] His intendednding spot suddenly receded inward, leaving behind arge spikey hole that he was rapidly approaching. And if he thought things couldn''t get any worse, the pastel turquoise-haired Vampire had appeared in front of him with a sword swing heading vertically down at him from the front. For Xavier however, this was a stroke of luck. He didn''t hesitate to take advantage of it. Xavier gripped his sword tightly and rotated his body mid-air as fast as he could. *Swoosh-* As the two des collided, the pastel turquoise haired Vampire''s de slid down Xavier''s to the other side. His eyes widened in surprise as in that instant, Xavier grabbed his uniforms cor with his arm before spinning the two and swapping their positions. Now it was the pastel turquois haired Vampire who was just about to enter the [Destructive Coffin.] [Water Maniption: Water bubble.] In an instant, he created a bubble of water behind him so that he would crash into it as he feared he would be ripped apart by holes if he entered the hole. The intent of the bubble was to slow down his momentum and stop him. And it would have, if it weren''t for Xavier- *SPLASH!* He kicked off the pastel turquois haired Vampire''s chest, forcing him right out of his bubble and into the [Destructive Coffin]. "CANCEL YOUR ABIL-" The pastel turquoise haired Vampire was interrupted as his body entered and the only exit shut off with him inside. *Pierce* *Pierce* On the other hand, the kick had boosted Xavier, sending him straight towards the two vampires on the tform. ''I didn''t get the kill or XP so he''s probably not dead yet... Oh well.'' "That''s two down." Said Xavier as he swung his sword vertically downwards. *CLANG!* He was parried this time by the tall muscr bald Vampire who swung his axe at the same time. *CLANG!* *FWOOSH!!* The swing was slow. However, the power- *CRASH!* He was knocked off course by sheer power and instead crashed down onto the train tracks. "Earth Maniption: Earth Bind." Said the bald Vampire. Four long flexible pirs of earth rose from the ground underneath Xavier as he kicked off the ground to try another method of approach Considering it''s name, it''s intent was probably to grab hold of him and bind him. *Swoosh!* *Fwoosh!* Running down the tracks, Xavier stepped left and right to avoid the binds. If he got caught, he would have had to start all over again. He was stopped however after a few dodges as the tall muscr bald Vampire suddenly leapt at him him with another swing in motion. Because Xavier was also in the middle of a leap, there was no way to avoid it. *CLANG!* Xavier''s knees bent under the force of the collision, his feet were driven into the ground, and the tracks beneath him cracked. Xavier''s arms and neck bulged as he pushed back against the Vampire. The tall muscr Vampire seemed to have his Axe already drinking his blood as the gem in it''s pommel was glowing a bright red. He had absurd power, his hands were numb after just two impacts. Xavier nced at the other pearl opal green haired Vampire and noticed he wasn''t moving at all, instead he was just watching with an amused smile. As he did so, he also noticed the earth binds emerge from behind the tall, muscr Vampire''s body. Xavier realized that if he didn''t move now, things would have gone beyond the point of no return. He pressed down on the metallic button on his sword''s grip. [Your vampire de craves blood in exchange for strength.] [Will you allow it to consume your blood?] ''I''ve pressed the button, just drink it! Now!'' [The sword consumes your blood.] Several spikes protruded from the sword''s quillon before piercing into his hand and drawing blood. By that time, the binds had just begun to wrap around him. *Crash!* The axe ended up crashing down onto the ground creating a slight tremor in the area as Xavier''s figure managed to slip right through. The Vampire looked down with a shocked look, only to notice there was a deep cut wound on his arm. *Gulp* *Gulp* The sound of gulping could be heard down the tunnel, and when he looked up, he saw Xavier. His face was unamused as he drank the stream of blood flowing down the sword''s edge. Veins could be seen bulging out of his arm as the Vampire sword drew his blood. [You are consuming the blood of a vampire.] He got into position to fight again once the stream ended. [You are no longer consuming a Vampire''s blood.] [No stat points were gained.] "Bitter... It honestly tastes like shit and didn''t even give me a stat point." Muttered Xavier to himself. Xavier then turned to look at the pearl opal green haired Vampire watching the performance. "Are you sure it''s alright for you to not get involved?" In a return to his own smile, Xavier smiled back at him. "I''m going to kill you next, after all." The people who were watching were all confused as they silently gazed at the fights unfolding before them. In fear of getting involved, many moved away from the tforms, while others even used the noise to elude the tforms. Neither the vampires nor Xavier, whose eyes were glued to the enemy, noticed this. The bald Vampire felt his veins bulge out of his head as he perceived Xavier looking down at him. "You think you''re hot shit don''t you...?" "I''ll show you your ce..." He mmed his axe onto the ground before Xavier before showing him a wide grin. "Earth Maniption..." The walls beside Xavier began to tremble violently. Xavier looked up to see the ghouls'' red eyes slowly opening. Opening up, a pair of red glints swept the length of the tunnel as if it were their wake-up call. Even the pearl opal green haired Vampire hadn''t expected this. "Hey! You''ll wake them up you dumbass!" "I don''t care! I''LL KILL THIS BRAT!" The bald Vampire yelled. [Earthen Crush.] 22 Chapter 22 [Earth Maniption...] The walls on the tunnel began trembling violently, cubic outlines formed all around the tunnel as it prepared itself to extend and crush Xavier to death. [Earth Crush.] Veins bulged out of Xavier''s legs, his figure blurred as he put all his power as he leapt at the Vampire. Within that second, his entire body was standing before the Vampire and his arm was in the motion of a horizontal swing aimed right at his neck to finish him off cleanly. He''d moved faster than he''d ever done before, surprising not only himself but also the Vampire. Before he could cut the Vampire''s neck off however, the unexpected happened- *Stter!* Xavier''s eyes widened as a severed arm holding onto a de could be seen spinning in the air before him. He then looked down only to find to notice that the arm was his own. But that wasn''t all that had caught his eye. The bald Vampire''s neck had been sliced cleanly off his head... But it wasn''t Xavier. *Crackle* Crystals rose out of the bald Vampire''s severed neck whilst his head rolled along the train tracks. As Xavier dropped to the ground, he saw him.. The pearl opal green haired Vampire standing behind the bald Vampire with a disappointed look. The bald Vampire on the other hand had his life leave his eyes with a confused expression painted across his face. The pearl opal green haired Vampire sighed as he nced up. "Do you know what I despite more than anything in the world? It''s dumbasses like you who can''t control themselves. You almost got all our food killed, can you imagine what would have happened if we returned back empty handed?" "Honestly you... You disgust me." The pearl opal green haired Vampire''s expression turned into that of disgust as he stepped on the bald Vampire''s corpse. In that moment, the Ghouls blood red eyes, which had been opening, suddenly closed again. The shaking and noise had stopped. "To make me a pureblood have to waste get involved against a single young man... I''m disappointed.." The pearl opal green haired Vampire looked over at Xavier only to notice that he was holding onto his arm and groaning in pain as he increased the distance gap between them. Blood no longer flowed down Xavier''s arm as his newly awakened vampire powers closed the wound, but he needed to attach the arm and honestly had no idea what to do, so he went with the most obvious option. His severed arm was ced on the part of the limb where it had been severed, and as he had predicted, his flesh stuck together. [Vampire Skill: Hyper Regeneration is now visible.] At the same time that the notification passed through Xavier''s ear, his health and energy bar appeared on his screen. [HP: 23/30] [Energy: 187/200] Xavier''s energy bar quickly depleted while his health bar rapidly increased as the flesh of his body quickly repaired itself and connected the limbs. ''It''s working...'' [HP: 24 --> 26 ---> 28 --> 30/30] [Energy: 187 ---> 179 ---> 173 --> 170/200] After clenching his hand over and over again, Xavier stretched out his arm. It felt somewhat numb, but it was functioning like new. ''Pureblood he said... Meaning he was born a vampire...'' Xavier nced over to the pearly-opal green haired Vampire, only to see a de''s edge heading straight for his eye. *SWOOSH!* Xavier swayed his entire body to the left, and the sword grazed past his cheek almost cutting his eye. In that instant, Xavier countered by swinging his sword at the pureblood. To his surprise however, his swing was forced to a stop mid-way as spiky crystals had extended out from the pureblood''s body heading towards Xavier. *WHAM!* With his quick reflexes and short body, he kicked off the uncrystallised body part, creating a gap between them. Xavier slide down the tracks while the Vampirended with his feet positioned on the wall, then leapt off of it right at him. *ng!* Xavier didn''t get a second''s rest, as the spikes retracted into his body, and their swords collided. *ng!* From just one hit, Xavier was almost knocked off bnce, it was a far greater impact than when they first collided. He was holding back, back then- *ng!* *ng!* A series of swings leading to parries was executed by both. There was not a moment of rest between the two, as they thrust their swords in one another''s openings and swung them whenever they could. *ng!* *Fwoosh!* As they were about to parry again, Xavier faked a swing and stepped in, barely avoiding the Vampire''s de. Xavier had no fear of death, so being close to the enemy was like being at home, unlike others who are afraid of being close to the enemy. After stepping in, he spun his body while swooshing his sword alongside it as he gained momentum. From the left, the swing had no doubt gathered enough momentum and power to slice him in half, his entire left side was exposed. Based on this knowledge, the Vampire focused and condensed as many crystals as he could from his body to the area where Xavier was about to cut with his sword. Then, he grinned as he set up a trap for Xavier, he stomped his left foot on the ground and in that moment, spiky crystals shot up from the ground, piercing Xavier''s feet. ''It''s over, he won''t be able to cut through-'' Xavier let go of his Vampire sword in the same instant that the pearl opal green haired purebloods eyes widened. The extra speed and strength he had gained vanished with it as he no longer held onto it, but he didn''t stop. Straightening his arm, he thrust it right at the pearl opal green haired Vampire''s heart. In the same instant, he subconsciously extended his ws, but was too focused on getting the heart to notice. Attempting to crystalise the area around his heart in time sent shivers down the pearl opal green haired Vampire''s spine. Unfortunately for him, there was nowhere near enough time- *Stter!* Xavier''s arm ended up piercing right through the Vampire''s chest. On the other side, where his arm was sticking out, there was a red beating heart that he was holding onto. *Stter!* As the vampire tried to turn his body to take back his heart, blood gushed from his mouth. But to his greatest fear- *Burst!* Xavier crushed his heart right before his eyes. "What...?" The Vampire questioned with a confused look. ''What''s happening? I''m a pureblood so why? Why did I lose to a fledgling? And how... How is he so fast?'' ''I''m going to die just like this? To a fucking fledgling!?'' [Crystal Maniption: Crystallisation.] Due to ack of blood, the vampire''s body began to mummify. Not wanting to waste all the stat points, Xavier took this opportunity to bite into the neck of the vampire. *Pierce* In that instant, the Vampire''s entire body crystallized in front of Xavier''s eyes. To make matters worse, the Crystals had begun spreading throughout Xavier''s mouth and arm before engulfing his whole body. 23 Chapter 23 "Is... Is it over...?" One of the human hostages asked as he peeked down the tunnel. Before looking over at the decapitated corpse on the train tracks, the hostages looked over at the Vampire corpse on the tform to verify it was dead. They had been mummified and dried of their blood, there was no doubt that they were dead. Xavier''s crystalized body was what scared them the most, as it was standing up, encased in arge crystal that hade out of the crystal vampire he had killed. As it turned out, no one had won the battle, they all managed to take themselves out. "Does... Does that mean we''re free now?" Another hostage asked, a young man who stood beside his girlfriend. - Xavier''s eyes were forced shut, he couldn''t breathe, and he couldn''t feel or smell anything. Only darkness surrounded him. ''Did I die again...?'' He wondered. The thought was erased from his mind as he felt a sharp throbbing pain around his heart and lungs. He desperately began trying to gasp for air and move only to find that it was futile. In the worst way possible, he was suffocating. ''AARGH..!!!!'' He groaned internally. [You have killed a Pureblood Vampire!] [+200 XP!] [XP: 990/800] [LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL UP OPTION AVAILABLE!] (New!) [XP: 190/1000] ,m [LEVEL UP OPTIONS AVAILABLE] X3 *BADUM!* *BADUM!* The echoing sound of his pulse rating and the notifications forced his memories back just in time. He was currently crystallised, trapped within a crystal. Unless he did anything, he would die by suffocation, a first for him. ''S-Show the options..!'' [LEVEL UP OPTIONS 1 AVAILABLE!] [1 - 4 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 ¨C 300 Coins.] [4 - Mysterious Wheel Roulette.] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS 2 AVAILABLE!] [1 - 3 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 - Mysterious Pill.] [4 - Mysterious Wheel Roulette.] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS 3 AVAILABLE!] [1 - 3 Stat points.] [2 - Full Body Recovery.] [3 - 500 Coins.] [4 - Mysterious Wheel Roulette.] Xavier''s consciousness began to fade as the screens appeared before his closed eyes. Were he to lose consciousness for even a second, it would be over. Despite this knowledge, he chose to go ahead with the options without a second thought. ''TWO, FOUR!!'' [Options 2: Full body recovery, selected.] [Options 4: Mysterious Wheel Roulette, selected.] [No third option selected, one option will be avable for future use.] And just like that, Xavier stopped moving. Or so it seemed. With the flick of a finger, a glowing green light enveloped his body. And in that moment. *Crackle* - *SHATTER!* The light from outside crashed against Xavier''s body as he emerged from the crystals. As he exhaled, his eyes opened wide. The first thing he saw was a short brown haired girl with a white hat and tiny bag crouching in front of him. She held her hands together in some sort of prayer gesture. Xavier''s sudden escape from the crystals left her petrified in fear. Her mind was all over the ce as she struggled to think of what to do. Unknowingly, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind in her state of confusion. "F-Fhank you... F-For helping us..." She suddenly mumbled, tearing up as she did so. "What?" Xavier''s question was interrupted by the girl''s father, who suddenly rushed to her side. In front of her, he held a sword and pointed at Xavier. Xavier recognized the sword immediately, it was a Vampire''s de. ''Did he get it from the corpse of the first Vampire i''d killed?'' Xavier wondered In order to gain a better sense of his surroundings, he looked around and discovered that he was on top of the train tracks with countless other people. As the human hostages had surrounded a map of London''s underground rail lines with an outline of where they would be going, it seemed that they were nning a route for where they''d go next. Xavier, who had broken free from the crystals, was now the focus of their attention. Xavier ignored this attention and continued looking to the right. Now that he was actually seeing it, it had confirmed what he had noticed from the corner of his eye. Right then and there, a huge dark ming wheel with a variety of options and rewards was floating through the air. A button read [Spin] in the middle of the wheel. The wheel was familiar to him, it wasn''t the first time he had used it. This was the mysterious wheel roulette. ''Looks like I made it out safely... And I haven''t rewinded yet...'' Xavier thought to himself. "Slowly walk away towards your mother, Tina..." The man whispered as he kept the edge of his de pointed at Xavier. "I told you not to go near the crystals...!" "I-I''m sorry... Dad... But he''s not a bad Vampire... H-He was trying to help us..." "Help? What do you know about him?! Look at his eyes, he''s one of them!" A sigh escaped Xavier''s lips. "I wouldn''t keep shouting if I were you... Their ears seem to be more sensitive to a human voice than anything else." Xavier pointed up. The ghouls eyes were slowly opening. On seeing this, the father, the girl, and others watching from the railroad tracks shut their mouths. Xavier found it odd how the eyes opened just by that; the Vampires made far more noise while fighting. Xavier had concluded that either they were nearing the end of their sleep or they were very sensitive to sounds made by humans. *Swoosh* Within a blink, the Father''s de disappeared from his hand. He looked up to find Xavier holding onto it and raising it into the air. As Xavier swung his sword down, the man felt his life sh before his eyes. *Shatter!* To his surprise, Xavier had not swung the sword at him but rather the crystals that were preventing him from moving. *Shatter!* *Shatter!* *Shatter!* He watched Xavier break free from the crystals with a confused expression on his face. "S-Shouldn''t we stop him?" A person amongst the crowd ask. "You want to stop a Vampire who took down four Vampires on his own? Are you mad?" Another person responded. When Xavier forced his legs out of the crystal entrapment and stretched them alongside the rest of his body, tension rose in the air. "Spare my daughter... She''s still a kid..." The girl''s father pleaded as he suddenly lowered his head to Xavier. Xavier ignored him and everyone else before leaping onto the tform and sitting on its edge. When he nced to the left, he saw the ck-haired girl who had been bitten lying on the ground with bandages around her neck. She was fast asleep. The people who had been making ns for what they''d do next avoided looking into Xavier''s eyes but were asionally ncing at him. "Is... Is he sparing us...?" "He doesn''t seem to care about us... Should we just continue?" "With him there? Are you crazy? What if he just wants to listen in on our ns." No one trusted Xavier, and it made sense. Especially considering how he was a Vampire. No one except the girl who had thanked him. "H-He''s not a bad vampire... He''s a good one... He saved us from the bad vamp-" The girl was interrupted by her Mother and Father who suddenly covered her mouth. "P-Please forgive my daughter, she doesn''t know what she''s saying at times..." Said the mother with a fearful look. As Xavier stared at the three, memories of his father, mother, and younger sister flooded into his mind. They looked nothing alike but seeing the three of them together reminded him of it. "Hey, you." Said Xavier as he pointed at the young girl. "Don''t thank me, I didn''t save anyone... I only killed my enemy." Xavier''s words lit up the girl''s eyes. She happily nodded her head as if not having understood his words. ''And besides... Once I rewind all of this. You''ll all just go back to being hostages again... So don''t look at me with those grateful eyes." Xavier''s decision to speak gave her father the opportunity to ask the question they all had been dying to ask. "So... What are you going to do with us?" Before turning to look at the other hostages standing close together, Xavier nced at her father. "I''m waiting... For the Vampire noble toe." 24 Chapter 24 "I''ve been wondering this for a while but... Is he alright in the head?" "I was also concerned about the same thing... He hasn''t done anything so far and just keeps moving his arm around the air... What''s he doing?" "Shhh... Stop talking about him, what if he hears you? Let''s just go over our abilities." The people were whispering amongst one another while keeping an eye on Xavier. Although they were on high alert around him, he didn''t seem to care. "Watch this." A person said as they raised their hand. Suddenly, a piece of mud appeared out of thin air before their eyes. A tired look appeared on his face after the manifestation. "I can only do this much for now..." Currently, they are testing their newly awakened abilities. Each of them had their own, some were weak while others... "Like this?" Another person asked. A red brown haired girl with dark brown eyes. The moment her hand was raised, the crowd experienced a strong surge of wind that sent chills up and down their spines. "Oi... What the hell is this?" "All this wind? I''d understand if we were outside but we''re underground..." "Don''t tell me... The girl''s ability is..." The crowd watched in astonishment as a ball of wind grew in size above her hand. "U-Um... How am I supposed to stop it?" She asked nervously. "Y-You''re joking right?" The girl quickly shook her head and watched as the ball continued expanding, it was going out of control. While the people quietly panicked, Xavier watched with intrigued eyes. *Sigh* From his sheath, he drew his sword and flicked it right at the center of the ball of wind. *CRASH!* The sword had pierced right through the ball of wind in a blink of an eye, and as it dispersed, strong winds blew in their direction. "Are you... Trying to wake them up?" Xavier asked as he stared at the red brown haired girl in the eyes. His stare caused her to be flustered and turn away. "N-No... Sorry..." She apologised as she grew redder. Xavier raised his eyebrows with a confused look before picking up his sword and walking back to the edge of the tform. ''She didn''t seem tired at all after all of that.. She''s strong and she hasn''t even been trained yet...'' ''Looks like there are hidden talents among humans too... There''s no telling how this war will go, not that I care.'' He thought to himself. After sitting back down, he continued organising his system stats. The young brown-haired girl he''d saved watched him from the train tracks with sparkling eyes. For some reason, she seemed to admire him. In Xavier''s opinion, her admiration was strange since he had not aplished anything worth being admired, he had only killed four people. Her reaction should have been the opposite. Focusing on the task ahead, he ignored the reaction. [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fledgling Hybrid.] [Level: 5] [Levels Until Evolution Remaining: 5] [Level UP options x 1] (Avable.) [XP: 190/1000] [Coins: 100] [HP: 35/35] [Energy: 174/200] [State: Normal] [Strength: 18] [Agility: 23] [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 12] [SP: 3] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 1] -[Return.] [Gluttony: Level 1] -[Devour.] [Hyper Regeneration: Level 1] [Shop] [Quest] -[Bloodline Quest: Drink Human Blood] -[Daily Quest: Daily workout.] -[Main Quest: Rescue family from the Vampire Camp.] He scrolled down his status screen with curious eyes. Several things caught his attention at first nce. The bloodline Quest, his skills, and the shop. ''System, I have a question. The Hyper regeneration skill, I only got it because of my race right?'' [Affirmative.] ''The same could be said for rewind, right? You know, Chronos and all that.'' [Affirmative.] ''I see... How do I unlock new skills? Like I did with Hyper regeneration?'' [There are different ways the User can unlock new skills:] [Skill Orbs from the Shop.] [Special Quests & Bloodline Quests.] [Labyrinths.] Xavier''s ears twitched. [Additionally, certain skills can allow the user to unlock new-] ''Wait... Wait! Labyrinths & Special Quests? What do you mean by that?'' Xavier asked with a surprised expression. [...Due to ack of information, unable to answer the User''s question.] Xavier narrowed his eyes. He had no doubts about the System, but he felt it was hiding something from him. Something worse than the vampire war that had just begun. [¡­] Xavier sighed. ''Continue from where you left off.'' [Certain skills can allow the user to gather more skills.] ''Does such a fortunate skill really exist?'' [Affirmative, the User is already in possession of a skill which can do so.] Xavier''s eyes widened. [The Skill: Gluttony.] In a deep state of reflection, he ced his hand beneath his chin. ''I''m guessing the skill will only be able to do so after it levels up and evolves?'' [Affirmative.] "Hehe... Hehehehe..." In the blink of an eye, Xavier began giggling to himself with a wide grin on his face. The sight sent shivers down the people''s spines. ''The hunger is a bitch but you''re one hell of a skill aren''t you... Gluttony? And then there''s Rewind too... Hehe...'' When Xavier thought of his family, a grin slowly disappeared from his face. In the end, he sat on his back and stared at the ceiling. In a quiet voice, he stretched out his arm and asked. "I wonder if I''ll be able to get strong enough to save them..." A shadow hung over Xavier''s face as he continued. "No... I will. No matter what it takes." After remembering his purpose, Xavier slowly approached the corpse of the first vampire he had killed on the tform. Upon reaching his body, he realized his sword and sheath were missing. He then remembered that the brown haired girl''s father was the one who had taken it. He ignored this and looked at the pool of blood underneath the vampire. As he gazed at it, he could feel his urges rising. Xavier did not mind the Vampire''s mummified body ruining the sight. ''That being said... I wonder how I''m supposed to gather all this spilt blood to drink it and garner XP?'' ''I can''t just start licking it from the floor like a dog in front of all these people and his body probably doesn''t have any blood left.'' Xavier''s eyes glowed a bright crimson red and the decapitated body of the Vampire came into focus in a pale red light. [Does the User wish to use Gluttony: Level 1 Skill, Devour''s special effect?] ''...?'' [Gluttony: Level 1 Skill, Devour.] [Gluttony, devour allows the user to consume the blood of a target and absorb their stats.] [Devour special effect: Gather the blood of a target the user has killed.] [The effect can only be used under the condition that the target was killed by the user.] [To use this effect the User must say its name: Devour.] Xavier ced his hand over his throat, rubbed it, and mumbled. "Devour." [Gluttony: Level 1] [Devour has been activated.] Xavier''s eyes widened as he watched the blood on the ground begin to move and gather in the air. The spilt blood of the mummified Vampire entered the floating stream, creating a sphere the size of a football in front of Xavier. [The Blood is ready to be devoured.] 25 Chapter 25 [The Blood is ready to be devoured.] He stared at the sphere of blood before him, the crimson glow in his eyes increasing as his fangs slowly slipped out of his mouth. [Would you like to consume the blood?] "Just a second..." Xavier muttered. "How long does this stay here for?" [The user can hold this sphere for a maximum of 60 seconds.] [This amount can increase as the skill''s level progresses.] "Alright, that''s good enough." Said Xavier. Right before the people''s eyes, Xavier leaned in towards the blood sphere and began to drink from it. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* [You are consuming a Vampire''s blood.] [...+1 Stat added to strength.] There was nothing sweet or salty about the taste, it was nd. There was, however, an empowering feeling that went along with it. The sensation of having his parched throat filled was definitely one he would like to continue experiencing. The size of the blood sphere was shrinking slowly, while the number of stat points he was getting was far less than the small amount of blood he drank out of Sangrea. Nheless, he seemed unconcerned. While staring at the screens before him, he continued to drink patiently. [You are being healed by the blood orb.] [Your health is already maxed out.] [Blood level: 4.5 --> 4.8 --> 5/5] (Full) Xavier''s eyes widened. ''Drinking the blood sphere heals me and raises my blood level...'' *Gulp* *Gulp* [¡­+1 Stat added to Agility.] The sphere was now about the size of a tennis ball. Xavier leaned back and licked his lips before carefully staring at it. Upon doing so, Xavier noticed a bar to the right, the bar was slowly going down and it appeared to be a timer. "Only two points... That felt like a waste..." Xavier muttered. ''At least my hunger doesn''t feel as painful as before... And my throat isn''t as dry.'' ''Still... This discovery. It could be very useful in battle... To be able to heal while I fight... The only problem is having to stop to drink from it directly." "Devour, can you make the blood from this sphere travel directly into my mouth-" The moment Xavier even mentioned it, the blood from the sphereunched towards his mouth in a stream. Xavier, caught by surprise, instinctively swayed to the left to avoid being hit. In response, the stream altered its trajectory and ended up hitting him right in the center of his mouth. *Gulp* *Gulp* [You are consuming a Vampire''s blood.] [¡­+1 Stat in Agility.] Xavier gulped down the remaining blood with raised eyebrows. [You have stopped consuming a Vampire''s blood.] [Log] [+2 Stat in Agility.] [+1 Stat in Strength.] [Status:] [State: Normal] [Strength: 19] (+1) [Agility: 25] (+2) [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 12] [SP: 3] Xavier froze for a moment before giggling to himself. "Haha... With devour I can drink blood while I fight... Meaning even if the sword consumes my blood, I can just recharge while fighting..." Xavier muttered as he nced at his Vampire de in his sheathe. Xavier''s chest began to inte with confidence as he began thinking of how powerful he was bing. ''But System, wasn''t I supposed to get a skill or at least more stats from the blood sphere?'' [Blood orb.] [They are orbs of blood which can be consumed generated through Gluttony''s: Level 1 Devour skill.] [Additionally, the Gluttony''s level is far too low to handle absorbing the target soul''s energy much less Ability.] Xavier looked over at his energy counter. [Energy: 174/200] It hadn''t changed at all, only his health had grown. ''So to gain energy from the blood orbs or an ability of a target I''ve killed, I need to level up Gluttony... That sucks... But the fact that I can still get strong-'' Xavier''s excitement instantly faded along with his smile as the people''s quiet whispers entered his ear. "Did you see the way he drank that blood...?" "What if he suddenly feels thirsty and ends up attacking us...?" Left and right, horrified expressions met him as he turned his head towards the train tracks. "H-He''s looking at us..." "D-Did he hear us?" "S-See... I told you... He''s a monster..." As he noticed his reflection on the shiny walls before him, Xavier turned his head forward. Blood was smeared around his mouth, his eyes glowed a bright red. Seeing his reflection, he realized what they were talking about. ''A monster huh... I guess it does suit me when I look like this.'' He thought to himself with narrowed eyes. Xavier wiped the blood from around his mouth and looked at his reflection once more. ''But that''s fine... I already decided that I''d do anything to save my family... Even if that means bing a monster...'' After he noticed that some blood remnants were still left, Xavier''s neck bulged with veins. ''..That being said... They''re starting to piss me off... How long does it take them to find a route and fuck off?'' [Bloodline Quest: Drink a human''s blood.] ''Since I''m already a monster in their eyes... Maybe I should just-'' "Don''t say that!!!" A feminine voice suddenly shouted. With widened eyes, Xavier turned back to the tracks and saw that it was the short brown-haired girl with the hat and bag. "Why are you all acting this way!? We were saved by him and yet you''re all saying such bad things... He''s not a monster-" The girl was interrupted once more as her parents covered her father covered her mouth. A desperate look on his face, he gestured for everyone to be quiet and stand still while pointing up. Everyone slowly looked up to find dozens of almost fully opened eyelids revealing veiny blood red eyes on the tunnel ceilings above them Seeing this, the girl with the boyfriend was about to scream out in fear, but her boyfriend stopped her by covering her mouth. They all stood their frozen in fear. Everyone made sure not to make a move. Even Xavier stood still, if they died he would have to start over all over again without seeing the noble. They stood still for seconds, seconds which felt like hours as they stood on the edge of a cliff. With a single word, the ghouls would fully awaken, killing them all within seconds. No one made a sound, even the young brown haired girl knew that she had to be quiet. Her father held on tightly to the de if worst came to worst but even he knew he wouldn''t be able to do shit. Gradually, the eyes began to close once more as the seconds passed. But notpletely, they were eyelids were only partially closed no matter how many more seconds passed. Everyone knew it was thest straw. Once things seemed to calm down, they resumed speaking. "W-We better start moving... We''re all in agreement to travel through the Victoria line and get out of London correct? If we need supplies we''ll temporarily get a few people to leave the station and gather supplies but overall we''ll stick together." "Is everyone in agreement?" The girl''s father asked while keeping an eye on the noise level. Everyone seemed to nod in agreement. He looked over at Xavier but received no response from him. "Um... Are you not going toe?" The red brown haired girl with dark brown eyes as she climbed up onto the tform where Xavier was. Xavier found it weird that she wasn''t afraid to approach him. Based on her school uniform, she was probably another college student like him. "No, and I''d start leaving now if I were you lot." Said Xavier as his expression grew serious. With his crimson-red eyes he stared down the deep, dark tunnel only to see three figures approaching from the other side. Their crimson eyes shone brightly in the darkness as they walked through the tunnel. "Why leave so soon? The fun is just beginning." The voice echoed through the tunnel. All of them froze in their ces as overwhelming pressure descended on them. Even Xavier found it harder to breathe. ''This pressure... There''s no doubt about it... A noble..'' He thought to himself with a nervous smile. 26 Chapter 26 The crimson red eyes of Xavier looked down the deep dark tunnel only to see three figures approaching with crimson glowing eyes. "Why leave so soon? The fun''s just getting started." The voice echoed down the tunnel. The feeling of death, fear, and their instinct to run only intensified as the voice reached their ears. However, their legs... They couldn''t stop shaking. When the red-haired girl turned her head over to where Xavier was standing, she found that he had disappeared. ''Where''d he go...?'' Having leapt up to the ceiling, he had hidden in a corner and watched events unfold from above. *Step* *Step* *Step* Three figures emerged from the tunnel below Xavier as he watched from above. When he got a good view of their faces and features, his heart started to pound from the adrenaline. In the lead was a single male vampire followed by two female vampires. The young man had short spiky purple hair and sharp crimson eyes. His uniform was night blue yet slightly modified in a way which made him stand out. There was also a strange red chest on his uniform. The two behind him were also nothing to scoff at. Twins with ivory coloured hair. One had short hair and the other had long. Their faces resembled one another and so did their short curvy bodies. Their uniform was the same as his, only one of the twins, the one with the short hair had long pants for her bottoms while the other wore a skirt. The purple haired vampire leading them had his sword out on disy, but their weapons were hidden. "Four... Eight... Twelve... Twenty... Oh~ There''s a lot of food here." Said the purple haired Vampire with a bright smile as he looked around. After a few nces however, his expression became troubled. "But I don''t see any food keepers around to watch over it... Instead, Ie to find traces of a recent fight having broken out and residue of elemental crystals just down there where I came from." The Vampire approached the short brown-haired girl and her father, who were the closest to him. The girl''s father held onto his de as he pointed it at the noble. It appeared as if even the slightest touch could knock the man''s des out of his grasp as his hands trembled. The two female Vampires behind him watched with narrowed eyes as he stared right into the eyes of the girl''s terrified father before looking around the remaining people. All of them were terrified. "Hm~ That''s strange... You''re the only one holding a weapon and yet you don''te off as someone capable of taking down the squad which called me over here..." "One appears to be in hiding." "We can smell it." Said the two girls behind him with nk expressions. Xavier had thrown parts of his clothing all over the ceiling, so they were unable to pinpoint it. In response, the Vampire patted their heads and said. "I''m sure you can.. Well done." "So, with that being said, will the one that''s hiding pleasee out?" Xavier was furious. The moment they dropped their guard, he was poised to surprise attack them and slice his head off in a swing, but they weren''t dropping it at all. After looking over at the girl before him, the vampire ignored her father and asked her with a kind smile. "Do you know where he is?" She shook her head as tears swelled in her eyes. "You know... I don''t like kids that lie... Didn''t anyone ever tell you what happens to kids that lie?" The Vampire raised his arm upwards. At that moment, the girl''s father suddenly embraced her in his arms to shield her. The purple haired Vampire got in the motion of swinging it down when all of the sudden- the edge of a de approached him from behind. Xavier had chosen the moment he had looked away to strike, leaping off from the top towards him. Given the time frame the purple-haired Vampire shouldn''t have been able to react to Xavier''s fast movements. And yet- The Vampire''s head suddenly swung in Xavier''s direction at phenomenal speeds, with a wide grin present on his face. ''Shit-'' At that moment, Xavier felt it. He saw himself being sliced vertically in half in his mind. Xavier instantaneously halted his swing and rotated his body to the side, only to feel a strong gust of wind pass right by him as the Vampire cut through the air with his sword. It was just one swing, just one swing. As some of the ghouls in the ceiling and the ceiling itself were struck, the entire tunnel trembled. ''Just now... I almost died-'' *WHAM!* Xavier''s thought was interrupted as, in that fraction of a second, a fistnded on the side of his jaw, sending him hurtling down the tunnel tracks, rolling repeatedly before he came to a halt with his head dug into the ground. People''s eyes widened with shock, especially the young girl who watched Xavier slowly rise after the impact. Part of his jaw was torn off, his ears were ringing and head was aching. All of that was caused by just a single strike. "Oh~ I was aiming to blow up his head but he managed to move it in thest second~" "Let me borrow this for a second." Said the Vampire as he swiped the sword off the girl''s fathers hands before throwing it at Xavier. The sword zoomed through the air and prated Xavier right in his chest. *PIERCE!* It was an effortless swing that pierced Xavier precisely where he wanted. Straight to his heart, or so he thought. ''Hm? Is it just me or did I miss the heart?'' ''Nah, that''s impossible.'' While raising his de into the air, the purple haired Vampire said with joy, "To finish things off...". *Swing-* *SWOOOSH!* When he swung his sword down, his arm blurred, and a vertical sh mark appeared down the train tracks, then down the ceiling as everything in his path was cut. The ghouls in the ceiling are included as well. Immediately after, a burst of wind created a smokescreen, blocking the view of what was on the other side. Even so, the Vampire knew he didn''t have to check. The moment Xavier''s heart was pierced, he was already dead. "Y-You idiot... You intend to keep us as food!? Look at all this noise you made!! We''re all going to die to the ghouls!!" The girl''s father yelled with rage. Despite his expectations, nothing happened. [Sound Maniption: Mute.] Throughout the tunnel, the Vampire deployed an anti-sound field that only affected the ghouls. "Haha, do not worry, food." "I''ve already muted all kinds of sounds from reaching the ghouls throughout this tunnel. No matter what happens to them, they will not awake from their slumber." As the two female vampires praised the purple-haired Vampire for his good work, he sheathed his des. "As expected of young master Zaos, you dealt with the issue without breaking a sweat." "Your father would surely be proud." The purple haired Vampire let out a sigh. "Proud over something like this? I didn''t do anything worth mentioning. I just squashed a bug, that''s all-" He widened his eyes as he turned back toward the smokescreens. "Young master Zaos?" One of the twins asked. "Do you hear that?" He asked. *Sling* *Swing!* *sh!* *Sling!* When they focused on their hearing, the sounds became apparent. It was the sound of flesh being cut repeatedly a de. "Get rid of the smoke screen." "Right away." The twins nodded as they thrust their arms forward. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the tunnel, blowing it all away. Even the purple haired Vampire noble was confused by what they saw. The darkness prevented humans from seeing clearly what was happening, but the vampires did. While ying as many ghouls as he could, Xavier leapt across the ceiling. Thanks to [Hyper-regeneration], his jaw injury had healed, and the sword that had barely missed his heart was being held tightly in his other hand. While holding onto the swords, Xavier continued to kill the motionless ghouls one by one. [You have killed 26 Ghouls!] [Earned 260 XP!] Only then did Xavier stop before turning to the purple-haired vampire. Xavier began walking slowly in his direction. "Devour." Xavier muttered with a shadow hanging over his face. [Blood Orbs extraction begins.] Xavier''s head was illuminated by glowing purple spheres of ghoul blood forming in the ceiling above the underground tunnel. A total of seven orbs appeared at once. The others had their activation dyed since they had a time limit of staying active. [Blood Orbs extracted.] [Warning: While it will temporarily provide healing, ghouls blood is poisonous to the User.] [Irreversible permanent side effects can result.] Ignoring the notifications which reached his head, Xavier pressed down on the buttons on both swords. [You are dual wielding two Vampire des.] [Will you allow both des to consume your blood in exchange for power?] [Warning: Drains the blood at double the amount.] He smirked as he hurried towards the purple-haired Vampire, his slow walking quickly turning into an all-out sprint. "Consume it... " He muttered as he pressed down on the buttons in the grip. "Don''t you dare stop drinking until that fucker is dead." *Pierce* [The Vampire de''s consume your blood.] 27 Chapter 27 ''From the moment I was hit... I felt it. The difference in level.'' ''He''s going to kill me.'' Xavier ''...Since I''m going to die... I''ll use everything... And devour you...'' Xavier With countless blood orbs over his head, Xavier charged down the tunnel toward the noble. The short ivory haired twin pulled out five throwable knives and held each in one hand in a fighting stance. While the other sister was also preparing to draw her weapon, the Vampire noble stepped forward to face Xavier, pushing the two aside. "It''s fine... You two focus on gathering the food. I''ll deal with this myself." He spoke with excitement. *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* "Consume it... " Xavier muttered as he pressed down on the buttons in the grip. "Don''t stop drinking... Until that fucker is dead." *Pierce!* Spikes extended out of both sword''s cross-guards instantly piercing Xavier in his hand as he continued his charge towards the Vampires. [Both Vampire Swords are consuming your blood.] [In exchange for the blood, you are receiving it''s power.] [Blood Level: 4.9 --> 4.7--> 4.6/5] [Status] [Strength: 29] <+10> [Agility: 35] <+10> [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 22] <+10> [SP: 3] As Xavier began putting even more force into his steps, dents began forming on the tracks. The Vampire noble''s arm blurred as he swung it down; a vertical sh mark appeared down the train tracks, heading straight for Xavier. *FWOOSH!* The Vampire widened his eyes as Xavier''s figure vanished. In surprise, he turned left only to discover Xavier crouching against the wall, muscles bulging from his legs. *CRACK!* The Vampire''s eyes widened as Xavier kicked off the wall and appeared in front of him with both sword swings heading straight for his face in an X cross. ''He''s faster-'' *CLANG!* Immediately, the Vampire noble swung his sword, parrying the two swings. As the three weapons collided, a gush of wind spewed down the tunnel. The Vampire noble was insanely strong, upon collision Xavier was knocked up onto the tunnel''s ceiling, crashing onto the head of a sleeping ghoul. "Drink more!" Xavier yelled out as he leapt off the ceiling back down on the tracks where the Noble was. *CLANG!* The two swung and parried again, but this time Xavier managed to hold his ground. His arms were bulging with veins. *BURST* Both were knocked back before stepping in and swinging their des again. *FWOOSH!* The noble''s arm and sword blurred as he swung it, full speed at Xavier''s neck. *SLING!* Xavier redirected the swing using the edge of his de before leaning into counterattack with his other de. *THRUST!* Xavier thrust his other sword''s edge towards the noble''s chest. *CLANG!* It was instantly countered by the noble with a blurred swing from below, causing Xavier''s arm to rise. The parry almost forced the sword out of Xavier''s hand. He held on, but was knocked off stance, leaving his body wide open from his neck downward. *CRASH!* A knee sank into Xavier''s chest, causing him to cough up blood before a kick smashed into his face from the side. While sliding down the tracks, Xavier saw a de reflecting off his irises, heading towards his head. *SPLATTER!* A pool of blood gushed out of Xavier onto the floor as his arm was severed cleanly. He managed to kick off he track and avoid a fatal wound at the cost of just his arm. ''Oh~ He dodged that at thest se-'' Xavier interrupted the Noble''s thoughts as Xavier''s sword drew closer, horizontally from the right *SWOOSH!* He ducked, choosing to avoid it. But that was exactly what Xavier wanted- *WHAM!* Xavier''s foot crashed against the bottom of his chin, causing his head to bop back. Though he noticed it an instant earlier, the momentum from ducking prevented him from avoiding itpletely. *CRASH!* Xavier followed up with a side-kick which mmed against the Vampire noble''s face from the right, sending him sliding right down the train tracks. "..." When he wiped the blood off the edge of his lip, veins bulged out of the side of the noble''s face. His swollen cheek instantly healed, reverting to normal along with the blood. But the fact that he allowed himself to be hit by a nobody like Xavier, it riled him up. "You-" "Devour." Xavier interrupted. As the vampire noble turned to Xavier, his eyes widened. Not in rage, but confusion. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* Right before his eyes, he was witnessing a stream of ghoul''s blood entering Xavier''s blood from the blood orb. Streams of blood were being consumed simultaneously from two different orbs. [You are consuming ghouls blood!] [You gained +1 Stat to strength.] [You gained +1 Stat to Agility.] [You are being healed by the ghouls blood.] [HP: 27 -> 29 -> 31 -> 34 --> 35/35] ,m [Blood level: 4.3 --> 4.6 --> 4.7 --> 5/5] While watching the blood flowing from Xavier''s severed body part andtching onto its severed arm, the Vampire sought toprehend what he saw. Xavier''s severed arm was suddenly pulled towards his body by the blood stream before reattaching itself. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* While gulping down the ghoul''s blood, Xavier gave his newly reattached arm a few swings with the sword. [You have consumed the ghouls blood.] He then got into the position to continue his battle with the noble only to be left confused as the noble beganughing before him. *Thump!* Xavier''s eyes widened as he stumbled forward. A huge amount of blood gushed from his mouth as he hung his head. ''My chest and stomach burns... It''s like my throat is on fire...'' ''And my hunger... It''s growing.'' [You have been poisoned by the ghouls blood.] [Forced evolution into a ghoulmencing.] [Failure to transform into a ghoul will result in: Death.] "Haha... Hahahaha... Didn''t you find it strange how I didn''t make any moves while you were having your drinkfest?" "It''s because I knew that blood would only poison you..." "I thought yourck of a fighting stance was bad... But now this...? You... You''re already dead." "I don''t even have to fight anymore, I can just sit here and wait a few minutes for you to drop dead-" He was interrupted by Xavier who suddenly burst outughing in front of him. "Haha!! I don''t need to worry about that, you wouldn''t do that." "After all... To run from an opponent, regardless of whether he''s poisoned or not, isn''t in your prideful nature." As he approached him, Xavier showed him a wide grin. "Then again... I could be wrong... I mean if you''re scared, feel free to run away." Mocked Xavier. Veins bulged out of the Vampire noble neck and head as he heard this. Xavier wasn''t one to enjoy talking during fights, however he was intentionally provoking to keep him at bay. ''Devour.'' One of the remaining five blood orbs suddenly erupted into a stream of blood that followed him as he walked toward the vampire. Xavier didn''t drink the blood however, he had other ns for it. "So... Vampire noble, what''s it going to be? Are you going to run away from this dying man?" Xavier asked as his grin widened. The moment he asked that question, the air around the noble changed. It became colder and darker, all the other hostages along with the Vampire twins felt it. A force which musn''t be reckoned with. "Drink." Hemanded as he pierced down on the button on his sword''s handle. *Pierce* His sword''s cross guard erupted with spikes that pierced his knuckles. Despite its simr design, his sword looked very different from either of Xavier''s swords. It felt more powerful and unique to him. "Scared? Me?" [Sound Maniption...] In a blink, the Vampire appeared before Xavier saying, "Say that again and I''ll rip your tongue out.". [Hypersonic st.] - Next Chapter Preview: Ghoulified Gluttony''s Berserk 28 Chapter 28 "You really want to die don''t you?" The Vampire asked with a cold smile as in a blink, he appeared before Xavier. [Hypersonic- st.] *BVOOOM!!!* The Vampire''s front erupted in a sonic boom, crashing into Xavier. Xavier was sent flying down the rail track as the sound waves crashed into him. As he soared through the air, blood spurted from his ears; his ear drum had ruptured. As the vampire vanished from his view, the blood stream from the blood orb followed after him, remaining within his mouth. *FWOOSH!* He turned his head in search of the noble, only to discover that he had reappeared behind him, swinging right at his neck. Xavier''s eyes widened as he noticed the increase in speed. *KATCHING!* As he swung his sword mid-air to parry and cancel the swing, Xavier''s heart skipped a beat. Xavier was a second too slow and was only able to divert the de''s trajectory away from his neck. *SLASH!* Xavier clenched his teeth as the sword cut straight through his right leg. Despite the pain, he still swung his sword towards the Noble''s neck. *SWOOSH!* The Noble kicked off Xavier''s face, pushing him to the ground and propelling himself away. *CRASH!* As Xavier''s head struck the train tracks, he instinctively guzzled down the blood that was flowing into his mouth. Immediately, blood gushed from his leg toward the severed part that was still airborne, then seized it and pulled it toward him, attaching itself to it. Meanwhile, his ruptured eardrums fixed themselves. [You are consuming a ghoul''s blood.] [+1 Stat added to strength.] [You are being healed.] [You are already poisoned.] Xavier''s heart skipped a beat as another attack approached, there was no time to rest. When Xavier''s legs were repaired, he kicked off the tracks and watched as a vertical sh mark appeared along the ground right where he had been lying. He was sted by torrents of wind a moment after showing just how much pressure was put into the sh. *SWOOSH!* The noble emerged from the torrent, cutting horizontally through it and toward Xaviers chest. *CLANG!* Fortunately, this time Xavier was able to parry it cleanly. However, the force instantly threw his arm backwards. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* As the noble stepped in, Xavier automatically swung his arm forward, straining it in order to block his follow-up swings. Using his advantage in strength, the vampire unleashed all his power on Xavier, not allowing him to rest for a second. Xavier was rained down upon by swings one after another as they exchanged swords. The noble was determined to kill him. Xavier was far weaker and slower, he was being pushed back and his injuries were only getting worse. With every exchange, it felt as if he was getting closer and closer to death. *SLASH!* *SLASH!* Cuts were forming all over Xavier''s arms as he put all his effort into keeping up. Xavier was being healed consistently by the blood orbs. Throughout their exchange, Xavier was continuously drinking blood, quickly healing his wounds. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* Every time a parry was made, a burst of wind was sent down the tunnels. Those watching from a distance couldn''t take their eyes off the action. Xavier''s orbs illuminated the tunnel, allowing them to see the situation just about by a hairline. While their eyes couldn''t track it, they felt it. Every impact, every contact between the two des. It shook their very cores. "What the hell...? Who is that Vampire...? To be able to keep up with young master Zaos..." Muttered the ivory haired twin as her hair swayed backwards from all the wind pressure. "No... I don''t believe it...! There''s no way that Vampire can match Zaos''s strength! I''ve never even heard of him! Zaos is a noble, a viscount! There''s no way!" The long-haired twin watched in disbelief as her hair swayed all over the ce. "Yeah... Even i never expected something like this... However." "This isn''t enough to beat young master Zaos-" *SWOOSH!* *SPLATTER!* As a swing finally broke through, Xavier''s left arm was sliced off. As the noble leaned forward to execute another fatal swing, his eyes widened and he nced to the left. Xavier still had the other de in his right arm, which was headed straight for his neck. *SWOOSH!* He leaned back instantly, barely avoiding the de as it grazed his neck. ''He... He didn''t even flinch after losing an arm!?'' Watching Xavier''s recently severed arm reattach right after being cut, he was in disbelief. Xavier, with both arms healed, attacked the Vampire with both des. His stance had been temporarily knocked off from having dodged the recent attack.. [You are consuming ghouls blood] [+1 Stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] *CLANG!* The Vampire noble bent his legs in an instant, lowering his center of gravity as he brought his feet to the ground before swinging his sword upwards with all his might. As the des collided, Xavier''s arms were knocked back once again, leaving him wide open. With a desperate look on his face, the noble swung his sword vertically down at Xavier''s head, veins bulging from his arm. Having seen the attacking, Xavier had already sidestepped to the side before he was attacked; as a result, he avoided having his head cut off once more. However, his arm and leg were not able to escape and was severed once again. Once again, having already swung his sword, the noble was unable to defend himself as Xavier thrust his sword into his chest. *Pierce* In an attempt to prevent Xavier from reaching the heart, the noble''s arm was pierced by the de as he moved it into Xavier''s path. Grasping the sword in his hand, the noble clenched his forearm muscles before swinging his arm to the side, altering the trajectory of the sword from his heart to his side. From his right, the noble swung his other hand, which had just finished the swing, at Xavier''s neck. *CLANG!* Xavier''s recently amputated arm parried his swing, causing his eyes to widen. It had already reattached itself by the time he had swung. ''It can''t be!? How does a nobody like him heal so fast!?'' He shouted inwardly in disbelief. [You are consuming ghouls blood] [+1 Stat added to Sense!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] *Gulp* *Gulp* Xavier continued to guzzle the blood of the blood orb. He had already used the seven and thus had [Extracted all the remaining 19 Blood orbs]. [Skill Gluttony: Level 1, Devour is being used on full session.] [Conditions have been achieved.] [Skill: Gluttony has levelled up.] They grinded their teeth as they pressed their weapons against one another; neither backed down. "YOU CAN DO ITTT!!!" The young brown-haired girl with the hat suddenly shouted from down the tunnel as she watched. Seeing how the situation had gotten out of hand, the twins immediately ran to help the Noble. Getting to them would take some time since they had traveled quite a distance down the tunnel. Veins bulged out of Xavier''s legs as he lowered his center of gravity and nted his feet firmly into the ground. As he was overpowering him, the noble pushed his feet deeper into the ground. [Sound Maniption: Vibrating de.] The noble''s de vibrated violently, chipping away at Xavier''s de. [Sound Maniption: Hypersonic st!] *VBOOM!* Xavier''s legs sank deeper into the ground as an explosive sonic boom hit him. Blood gushed from his ears as blood spurted out of them. "NOW DIE ALREADY!!!" The noble shouted as his de was almost done cutting through Xavier''s. *SWOOOSH!* As he cut right through, his eyes grew wide with excitement. Or so he thought- In reality, Xavier had purposely let go of the sword. The noble''s eyebrows raised in shock when he noticed the sword swish right past his hair. He had bent his body all the way back, the only thing holding it back and preventing him from falling were his feet which were dug into the ground. Xavier immediately leaped up and thrust his weapon-less left arm at the noble as the sword passed right by him. The noble had messed up, it was all part of Xavier''s n all along. It had always been part of his n to relinquish his weapons and get him to drop his guard, he didn''t think it''d work so well. In the act of leaping away, the noble felt chills run down his spine when he realized he couldn''t. The sword impaled into his left arm held him back. ''I-I can''t avoid-'' As Xavier''s ws reached the Vampire''s chest, it was visible to him. The shadow of death, looming behind Xavier. ''This is a joke, right?- '' *Pierce* "YOUNG MASTER ZAOS!!!" The two twins yelled out as they finally reached htem. With despair painted all over their faces, they moved to attack Xavier, only to stop in surprise as Xavier copsed right before their very eyes. *Thud* The noble poured cold sweat down his face as he unzipped heavy pants. Prior to copsing, Xavier''s hand had only prated a few inches into his chest. He wasn''t able to reach his heart. "Huu... Huu..." The Noble exhaled as he gazed down at Xavier''s copsed figure. Xavier who had fallen on his face was kicked before he rolled over and was examined. It looked as if he was having a seizure as foam and blood gushed from his mouth. "Ha...Hahaha..." After letting out a sigh, he burst outughing. Their fear increased as they stared into his eyes as they quickly moved to confirm his safety. ? Hatred. Deep hatred. The noble was furious. "Y-Young master, Zaos... Are you alright?" The short ivory haired twin asked nervously. While ignoring her, he stomped on Xavier''s face andughed loudly. *STOMP!* *STOMP!* *STOMP!* *STOMP!* *STOMP!* *STOMP!* After stomping Xavier a few more times, the noble''s smile faded. He ced his palm on his face as veins bulged out of his neck and arms. He was furious, he couldn''t recall thest time he ever felt this way. "Fuck... Fuck, fuck fuck fuck fuck!!!" He cursed as he repeatedly mmed his palm against his face. The twins took a step back, at times like this, it was best for them to not say anything, and they knew it themselves. Besides, all he could think about at the moment was killing Xavier. Upon cing his de over Xavier''s heart, the Vampire noticed that Xavier had stopped having a seizure, and instead, a strange purple liquid wasing out of his ears. "I''m... Hungry..." Xavier muttered in a dry, bone-chilling tone. Feeling a chill, rush down his spine, the noble thrust it down to his heart. *SPLATTER!* *TEAR!* The noble''s pupils expanded however, as in the following second, Xavier''s figure disappeared from his line of sight, along with his arm. [Evolution: Ghoulpleted.] [Skill Gluttony: Level 2 Berserk.] His ears twitched and he instantly turned around, only to find Xavier on all fours with his severed arm in his mouth On his hands were the two vampire des merged with Xavier''s flesh in the most sinister looking way. And on his face was a wide grin present as the blood streamed out of noble''s arm, creating a mini blood orb right beside him. [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Ghoul Hybrid.] 29 Chapter 29 Vampires were the superior race, whereas Ghouls were a mindless race driven solely by their desire for blood. The reason for their inferiority was that they were the result of Vampires who failed to consume blood, the source of their life and power. The Ghouls were despised and looked down on by Vampires, being treated as ves by those who tamed them as they were far from being rational. The ghoul was physically weaker than a vampire, and many factors would be affected by this, such as the strength of the vampire before he became a ghoul, or their abilities. Despite their inferiority, Vampires avoided fighting to the death with even the weakest untamed ghouls. Why? Because of their bite. The bite of a ghoul was poisonous. You could be killed or turned into a ghoul by it. - [Reward for the bloodline Quest: Consume a human''s blood has been changed.] [The User has be a ghoul.] [Your hunger runs wild.] Xavier stood on his hands and feet, facing the three Vampires before him. He grinned widely and had bloodshot eyes. As the blood orb lingered over his shoulder, it waited to be consumed. *Spit* Xavier spat out the torn-off arm of the noble to the floor beside him. Watching as his severed arm oozed blood, the noble watched as the colour of the blood slowly changed from red to purple. It was clear to the three Vampires that the arm was no longer functional. It had been poisoned. *Growl* With a growl, Xavier ripped the de out of the noble''s severed arm with his mouth, holding it onto it''s handle with his mouth. *Pierce* Xavier thrust the two swords in his arm into his chest, allowing them to sink in his purple ghoulish blood as they watched, unsure whether they should make a move. [The swords are consuming your blood.] [You are given power in exchange.] With Xavier''s purple blood filling the sword''s pommel''s jewel, veins bulged out of his arm. Immediately after pulling the swords out, the wound closed up. Simultaneously, the Vampires noticed that they were covered in his purple blood. ''He ced blood on his de to use it as a poison!?'' The three Vampires realised. With that done, Xavier widened his grin, the vampires took a step back as Xavier stepped toward them. A thin stream of blood flowed from the mini blood orb into Xavier''s mouth upon taking the step. The expression on Xavier''s face grew sinister as he leaned back in delight at the taste of the blood. [You are consuming a Vampire Noble''s blood.] [You are being healed.] [+1 Stat added to agility!] [+1 Stat added to agility!] [+1 Stat added to agility!] ''What... What the hell...?'' ''I... I''m scared? B-Because of a ghoul?'' ''Me!?'' The Noble wondered to himself as he noticed that his arm was shaking. As the blood ran out, the orb disappeared. [You are no longer consuming any blood.] [Your amplified hunger cries out for food.] [Skill Gluttony Level 2: Berserk.] [In exchange for power, the user enters a mindless state of starvation, the desire to consume blood is heightened, and the thirst is heightened.] The moment the blood from the blood orb ran out, they all felt their hearts sink as his bloodlust fell on each of them individually. By that moment they all shared themon thought to get away. But by then it was toote. "Young master, We need to run-" *SWOOOSH!* Both the long ivory-haired twin and her sister were suddenly dragged back by the cor by the Vampire Noble. Immediately after, a sword edge cut through her hair as it shed past her neck. ''!!?'' While he had missed the first swing, his arm blurred as he swung the second one down at her from above, while still in mid-air. *FWOOSH!* The Noble who reacted a second earlier threw both girls backwards, allowing them to barely avoid being hit by Xavier''s swing. On the other hand, the Noble who had saved them received a thin cut on his shoulder when the de swung right past it. While still airborne before him, Xavier spun his entire body while clenching down on the sword he held in his mouth, making the vampire noble''s eyes widen. *SLASH!* A look of confusion spread across the noble''s face as blood spurted from his neck. This was his second cut. ''Wha-'' A kick struck the side of his face, sending him crashing into the tunnel''s wall to his left. ''His movements they''re-'' *CRASH!* Upon colliding with the wall, he coughed blood, then felt chills run down his spine as Xavier vanished from his sight in a blink. As the noble looked up, his pupils dted as he saw the countless blood orbs manifesting in the ceiling over his head. They were all connected in a stream entering Xavier''s mouth as he leapt from the ceiling straight towards him. *FWOOSH!* By leaping forward he avoided a collision with Xavier, hearing the crash as Xavier crashed into the wall behind him. While looking back mid-leap, his eyes widened as a surge of pain swept through his body. In the corner of his eyes, he saw it soaring through the air, his only remaining arm severed. However, that wasn''t what caught his attention. It was Xavier''s staring right into his own eyes from beside him that had caught his attention. He held both swords in his arms in the motion of a swing toward his head. While the swords were approaching the noble''s neck, tears filled his eyes as he stared directly into Xavier''s cold bloodshot eyes. The noble knew then and there that he had made a mistake. ''He''s a monster-'' *SLASH!* Xavier''s double swing shed cleanly off the noble''s head, and the entire world seemed to turn upside down for him. *Thud* *Thud* [You killed a Vampire Noble!] [LEVEL UP!] The twins watched as the noble''s head smashed into the tunnel walls after it was decapitated. After that, they watched as his body slid across the rails before crashing into the very same wall. As tears streamed down their faces, they dropped to their knees. [Extracted vampire noble blood orb.] [The blood has been partially contaminated with Ghoul''s venom.] [The venom will not affect the user who is a ghoul.] A blush grew on Xavier''s excited expression as the blood orb was extracted from the Vampire Noble''s body When he saw the two prey he nned to chase no longer running, his excitement grew further. Looking up, Xavier saw countless blood orbs still hovering above. His supply of food seemed endless. [Gluttony Level 1: Devour.] *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* [You are consuming Vampire Noble''s Blood] [You are consuming Ghouls blood.] [+1 Stat added to strength.] [+1 Stat added to agility.] [+1 Stat added to agility.] [+1 Stat added to agility.] [+1 Stat added to sense.] ... In a pleasant daze from all the blood flowing into Xavier''s mouth from the countless ghoul orbs along with the Vampire Noble orb, Xavier stumbled as he approached the Vampire girls on their knees. The swords stuck to his hands, linked by chunks of his flesh, as well as the sword he was holding onto tightly with his mouth made him terrifying to look at. The bloodlust being released with every step made them feel like they were stuck in a void with no escape. In their eyes, the Vampire twins saw anger and hatred directed at Xavier as they slowly stood up. From beneath her uniform, the short ivory haired twin pulled out five throwable knives and held them each in one hand. It was the long ivory haired twin who pulled out a de of her own. It didn''t feel unique like the Noble''s sword in Xavier''s mouth but it still seemed powerful. Once she pressed the button, spikes emerged from the crossguard and pierced her knuckles before it immediately began drawing blood. [Wind Maniption: "We''ll... Kill you..." They dered with hatred. [Wind Maniption: Razor Storm] The short ivory haired twinunched her throwable knives at Xavier''s figure. A burst of wind followed after propelling the knives at an even greater intensity. The knives collided repeatedly as they were swiftly directed down the tunnel, slicing everything in their path. Just afterunching her ability however, confusion swept over both of the twins'' faces as Xavier''s figure had vanished. "Where-" The short ivory haired twin was interrupted as a droplet of purple ghoul''s bloodnded on her hair from above. Looking up, her heart sank. There was a blood stream that led right behind her, over their heads. After turning quickly to see what was behind her, she noticed the reflection of her face on a de that suddenly appeared beside her neck. *SLASH!* The short-haired twin''s head was shaved cleanly off. [You killed a Vampire-] However- *CLANG!* Xavier''s effortless swing was parried by the long haired twin, who was a second faster than her sister. *SLASH!* Xavier''s second swing with his other de however, cut right through her own arm which parried it. "AARGH!" She groaned out in pain before dropping to her knees, right where her sisters head had rolled. The next moment, a giant hand loomed over her face, before it pinned her down to the tracks. Immediately, he stopped consuming the blood from the orb and leaned into her neck. Although she tried to push him off, his bloodied mouth opened wide. And bit down. *Pierce* *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* The twin could feel her power leaving her body as Xavier drained out her blood from her neck. The strength to try and push him off was fading. Blood drank directly from someone''s body tasted better than the blood orbs, Xavier could feel his strength increasing with every sip. He wouldn''t stop gulping it down, he was sucking her dry. In the process of losing all its blood, her body was slowly turning pale. Her death was imminent. However, despite that. "Hahahaha...." Sheughed. "...You... Haven''t noticed yet... Have you...?" She asked as she looked as she slowly pointed down the tunnel. As he continued to drink, he looked up to see countless wide open red eyes illuminating the tunnel''s ceiling. Now that the Noble who was preventing any sounds from reaching the ghouls was gone, the ghouls had been awoken by the short haired twin''s earlier move, the [Razor Storm.] One by one the ghouls began to drop down onto the train tracks. 30 Chapter 30 One by one the ghouls began to drop down onto the train tracks. Their growls echoed from down tunnel as their eyes and senses adjusted. "They probably won''t kill you... But what... about those... humans behind you...? All that food... It''ll be s-s-stolen..." Within seconds, a wave of ghouls had fallen onto the tracks, and they began slowly moving towards them. Xavier continued to drink the vampire''s blood as he watched the ghouls drop onto the tracks in a swarm. "Run... Everyone run, now!!!" "There''s a horde iing!! Run up the station stairs! We''re getting out of the underground!!" [You killed a Vampire!] Xavier ignored the notification and turned around to find frightened humans running frantically for their lives. The light brown-haired girl who admired him called out to him, gesturing for him to hurry up and follow them as her father carried her away. While holding onto the axes of the tall bald Vampire they had killed, the red brown haired girl stood on the tform waiting for Xavier. The ghoulified Xavier immediately began running, his figure blurring when viewed by the human eye from his incredible speed - while a tidal wave of ghouls swept from down the tunnel toward them. Xavier drooled out of his mouth, his only thought was to consume them before the other ghouls did. He was terrified of having his blood stolen. Being unable to keep up with the fight, no one knew Xavier was no longer the same as before. He had lost all sense of self, he was only driven by his bloodlust and thirst for blood. He had reached the tform stairs before they even noticed him, and he had jumped up to the very top to cut them all off. The brown-haired girl was the first to notice Xavier at the top; her face immediately brightened upon seeing him. "You made it!!" She called out happily The smile faded from her face as she observed the swords dangling from his arm by his flesh, and as she felt the looming threat of bloodlust. However, those who were too terrified to notice- "Don''t just stand there! Help us!" "Use your powers and keep the ghouls back while we get out of here!" The figure of Xavier disappeared from her view as he grinned in response to theirments. "Huh, where''d he-" *SPLATTER!* In a split second, the young girl watched as each and every one of them had their heads severed from their necks. Because the girl, her family, and the red-haired, brown-eyed female student were at the bottom of the staircase, Xavier had reached themst. The sword he swung, which was dyed in their blood, reflected their confused expressions as he swung it before them. But whether it was because the family was simr to his or not, Xavier for whatever reason stopped the swing. *SWOOSH!* Blood sttered on their faces as a strong pressure of wind blew towards them, forcing them to close their eyes. When they opened their eyes, they saw Xavier panting heavily as he kept his des by their necks. [You have killed 8 Humans!] [LEVEL UP!] No one spoke, they were too terrified and traumatized. They were stunned for a moment. While he stared at them, Xavier''s mouth was wet with drool. It became more difficult to resist the urge as the scent of the blood from the other humans he had killed filled his nostrils. As the other ghouls approached the tform while flooding the tunnels, there was also a sense of urgency. For some reason, Xavier had stopped. He had bloody tears running down one eye as if fighting for possession of his body when the image of his family appeared before him. [Half Chronos Characteristic.] [Mind Corrosion Resistance.] Even though Xavier had be a ghoul, he had notpletely lost track of himself. If only for a moment, he found himself in the depths of his hunger. However, he knew this would onlyst another second before he lost himself again, and this time, if he sumbed to the hunger, he would never return. Xavier slowly moved the sword away from his neck and onto his own. As his body struggled to resist, his arms strained, but he pushed back harder than before. Then- Without saying anything else, he swung the swords with all his might. *SPURT!* *GUSH!* Everything went ck in an instant. - [Rewind: Level 1] [Return.] - Xavier forced open his eyes as he awoke. A gorgeous girl''s sleeping face loomed over the young man, with her long silver hair hanging over his face. As she breathed in and out slowly, she slept with the most innocent expression in the world. There she was, Sangrea Redblood, his self-proimed Vampire wife. Without saying anything, he extended his hand out to her cheeks and gently caressed them to make sure it wasn''t a dream. It was smooth and soft just like before, it all felt real. Just like before, once he started caressing it, he couldn''t stop. He squeezed and pulled at her puffy cheeks and slim jaw before finally grabbing at her soft bottom lip. As her eyes opened suddenly, surprise loomed over her face. "Stwop pwushing mwy chweeks..." Sheined with a drowsy expression. Since she repeated the words she had previously said to him, Xavier was able to confirm it. He had returned. "Xavi...?" The girl asked with a worried look as she rubbed the drowsiness out of her eyes. "...What is it...?" Xavier asked as he turned his head to the sides from the top of herp. "You''re... Crying... Is everything okay...?" She asked. ''Crying? Who...? Me?'' Xavier let in a deep breath. He then slowly exhaled that breath before noticing the tears flowing down his eyes. ''Why am I crying...?'' He wondered. "I''m fine... I... Probably had a bad dream." He muttered. After hearing his words, Sangrea calmly stroke his hair. With every stroke Xavier could feel himself growing more rxed. "...Do you want to talk about it?" She asked as she continued to stroke it. Xavier looked up at her and responded after shaking his head. "I forgot it all, already, I doubt it was important." Said Xavier. "Hm... So you''re not sad anymore." Xavier shook his head. "Good, looks like I won''t have to seduce you and make you forget it all through pleasure." She teased as she unbuttoned her dark dress, revealing parts of her chest. In response, Xavier let out a slight chuckle and with a smile replied. "Yeah." For some reason, that smile made her cheeks flush red and her heart skip a beat. ''W-Why am I the one getting flustered!?'' Sheined inwardly. Xavier stared at her neck and flustered expression for a while before losing himself in his thoughts. ''I was powerful as a ghoul... However... That wasn''t me. I had no control over myself... If I ended up encountering my family...'' ''I... Without a doubt, would have killed them...'' Xavier didn''t mind bing a monster, but if the monster he became would put them at risk, then there was a problem. ''I guess I should be grateful for my Chronos bloodline... I need to find out more about them.'' [New Secondary Bloodline quest received.] Xavier raised his eyebrow as he read the quest description. ''This is...'' 31 Chapter 31 [New Secondary Bloodline quest received.] [Bloodline Quest Secondary: Level Up time rted skill: Rewind.] ''This is...'' Xavier raised his brows at the quest screen which appeared before him as his head rested on Sangrea''sp. ''Levelling up rewind... Status.'' [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fletching Hybrid.] [Level: 4] [Levels Until Evolution Remaining: 6] [Level UP options x 2] (Avable.) [XP: 640/800] [Coins: 100] [HP: 30/30] [Energy: 180/200](-10% Rewind) [State: Normal.] [Strength: 18] [Agility: 23] [Stamina: 10] [Sense: 12] [SP: 3] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 1] -[Return.] [Gluttony: Level 1] -[Devour.] [Shop.] [Quests.] - Xavier''s eyes scrolled through his status screen. Just as he had expected, his level ups were all rewinded. Even gluttony was back to level one. ''My race too... It''s back to a Vampire just as I''d expected.'' ''Problem is... How the hell am I supposed to level up Rewind?'' ''If I think back on how Gluttony levelled up... It said something about conditions being met...'' [Affirmative. In order to level up a skill, the condition for said skill to be levelled up must be met.] [These conditions depend on the skill, some skills require mastery or continuous use of the skill.] [Other skills require certain achievements to be made.] ''Mastery of rewind... I''ve lost track of how many times I''ve rewinded so far... But it was definitely higher than the number of times I''ve used gluttony''s devour.'' Xavier didn''t understand how he hadn''t gotten any signs of rewind levelling up despite his many deaths and returns. After a short thought, his eyes widened as he came to a conclusion. ''Every time I rewind, all progress that I''ve made is undone... Does that also apply to rewind?'' Xavier asked. [Affirmative.] ''Then... I can''t level up rewind by simply rewinding over and over again?'' [Affirmative.] Xavier face palmed himself, startling Sangrea who was close to dozing off again. ''So then how am I supposed to level it up!?'' [For a unique skill such as rewind, the user may use an alternative method such as a to level it up. For example, a level up orb, or ifpatible, a skill orb.] ''What are those?'' [Level up orbs: Consumable orbs which can increase the level of any of the user''s desired skill by 1] [Skill orbs: Consumable orbs which contain skills and abilities which may or may not bepatible with the user.] Xavier was speechless, there was still so much he didn''t know. ''Where can I get these orbs?'' He asked. [There are limited ways of obtaining these. The user currently only has one method avable:] [The Shop.] Xavier''s eyes lit up. The one feature he had yet to expand on in regards to the system. The system''s shop. *BOOM!* The sound of an explosion urring in the far distance outside of the caf¨¦ drew Xavier''s attention, snapping him out of his thoughts. Xavier looked over at Sangrea who was woken up by it, only to be greeted by her smile. "Are you finally done thinking?" She asked with a smile. Xavier''s eyes were locked onto her smooth pink lips as she spoke, he didn''t know why but he was more conscious of her this time around. She appeared a lot more attractive than before, so much that his hunger and thirst came crashing in as he nced at her neck. "Yeah... I''m done." He muttered as he got up and leaned towards it. With his hand, he grabbed her chin, slowly turning her head before opening his mouth with his fangs out on disy. ''So far, her blood was the tastiest I''ve ever had.'' He thought to himself as he bit into her neck. *Pierce* Upon prating her neck with his fangs, a quiet moan escaped her lips. "Mn~" *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* - - - [You have finished consuming the blood of a Vampire.] [Log] [+3 Stat added to Strength.] [+2 Stat added to Agility.] [+1 Stat added to Sense.] [Small amount of blood proportion consumed.] "So... What are we doing now?" Sangrea asked with a sluggish look as they walked out of the caf¨¦. Xavier was fully energised as he walked out beside her. ''That''s the same thing she said before... Looks like I''m retracing my steps properly but more importantly...'' ''I only drank a bit of her blood yet the number of stats I got were higher than the amounts I got from consuming entire blood orbs before I rewinded.'' [Amount received from absorption depends on how powerful a Vampire is, if a Vampire is powerful then even a small amount of blood can yield higher number of stats.] ''I guess that means she''s powerful...'' Xavier thought to himself. ''I wonder if she''s stronger than a Vampire noble...'' Xavier slowly looked over to her and she looked back at him, the two made eye contact for a few seconds. ''Last time I told her to go and search on her own... But I''ve found a lead now... Should I bring her with me?'' Xavier wondered. "Wh-What... Is there something on my face?" She asked nervously with a blush. Xavier''s piercing eyes were too much for her to handle. ''Maybe I''ll bring her... Just to see how strong she really is.'' "Nope, there''s nothing. We''re going on the underground railway. I have a clue on where my family might be." Her face lit up from his words. "Really!? Let''s go then!" Xavier stopped her as she began her walk towards the closest underground station which was right down the road. "There''s something we have to get first." Said Xavier as thunder struck somewhere in the city from the clouds. "Something?" She repeated with a confused look. Xavier nodded before pointing at the nearest corner store on the other side of the road. It was broken into and seemingly empty with a few ghoul corpses around. "Yeah... I need buy a few things to set up a few traps... Also need something which can block out sounds." The Vampire Noble named Zaos who could manipte sound was on Xavier''s mind, he beat himst time because he became a ghoul but almost ended up dying in the process. Xavier''s attempt this time was to capture Zaos alive and get as much information as he could out of him. That was his main objective. "And no matter what happens, make sure to do exactly as I tell you." Xavier reassured her with an scheming grin. Sangrea was confused by Xavier''s statement, but she nodded with faith. If her husband told her not to worry, then you better bet she wasn''t going to worry. - - - "Young master Zaos, I''ve received a report from the nearest Vampire Camp, we are to bring more hostages." A short ivory haired twin stated. The short spiky purple haired Vampire noble beside her sighed before getting up from his seat made of human corpses. "I''ve been getting a bad feeling today..." "Whatever, let''s go." He responded. - - - ''Now that everything has been set into motion... System, open the shop.'' Xavier thought to himself. [System Shop is now opening!] Whilst walking down the underground stations tunnel with a backpack full of gear, Xavier stared at the screen which manifested before him. ring at the options. [... Shop is open. Select your choice... 1. Consumables 2. Items 3. Masteries.. 4. Weapons ...] A grin grew on his face, as he thought of all the ways to make use of this feature. 32 Chapter 32 Arge group of people were seen being held hostage inside London''s underground metro system. They were surrounded by four vampires, two on the tform in front of them and two behind them. They all wore navy-blue uniforms indicating that they were apart of a Vampire squad. The tall, muscr, bald vampire with a craggy face was a maniptor of the earth. The other was an averagely built pastel turquoise haired Vampire who could manipte water, the third was a quiet dark brown-haired Vampire whose ability was unknown. As for thest... A pearl opal green haired Vampire with pointy ears and crimson red eyes, he was known as a Vampire pureblood. On his side at the end of the tform where he was at, was a dark-haired human girl. Her face was filled with fear as he whispered words into her ears and licked at her neck. Families were forced to keep their hands down and wait while vampires watched over them. No one knew what was going to happen to them. "If we''re going to be waiting for all this time, why not have a little bit of fun? For all you know, you won''t have ess to all this food once it''s inside the camp so why not enjoy it now?" Muttered the pearl opal green haired Vampire. Other Vampires on sight drooled as the pearl opal green haired Vampire leaned his mouth towards the ck-haired girl''s neck. Her shivering, throbbing heartbeat, and sweet scent all attracted his attention. He was attracting all the attention of the Vampires as he prepared to prate her with his fangs. And right as they were about to, his eyes widened. For a fraction of a second, he glimpsed a thin trace of a wire. ''What-'' Suddenly, before he could react, the wires tightened around his face and neck, piercing parts of his skin as they dragged him off the tform and into the tunnel. Suddenly, the Vampires all felt their hearts sink; they were under attack. As the pureblood''s figure faded into the tunnel, they drew their weapons. "HEY!! GET THIS OFF-" In the tunnel''s darkness, the Vampire''s voice was suddenly cut off. In spite of seeing that, none of the Vampires moved, for it was strange. Even though it was dark, they should have been able to see through the tunnel with their night vision. But they couldn''t. It was as if a dark shadow was covering the tunnel. [Shadow Maniption: Hidden Shadow.] For how long had that shadow been there? Was it the reason why they hadn''t sensed nor smelt anyoneing? [You killed a Vampire Pureblood!] [+200 XP!] [XP: 840/800] [LEVEL UP!] [XP: 40/1000] "Don''t drop your guard... Let''s stick toge-" The pale turquoise haired Vampire was stunned as in a blink, Xavier wasunched out of the tunnel towards him. An instantter, a single de appeared before him, swinging horizontally towards his neck from the front. *CLANG!* As a result of a stroke of luck, the pastel blue haired Vampire parried the sword with a swing of his own and even managed to cancel out Xavier''s momentum. His eyes lit up as the sword was knocked off of Xavier''s arm and up into the ceiling. ''Now I''ll counter-'' In the corner of his eye, he saw yet another de inches away from his neck and the thought vanished from his mind. ''He had another sword!?'' Xavier had hidden it behind his back, it was the sword he had taken it from the pureblood. *SLASH!* Without fullyprehending what had happened, the Vampire''s head slid off his body as Xavier''s figure went sliding down the tform. Xavier had cut through cleanly. [You have killed a Vampire!] [+120 XP!] Xavier began walking towards the two remaining vampires whose eyes had been glued to him. They felt their life sh before their eyes as he approached them. As his emotionless expression expressed his bloodlust, fear grew in their hearts. "Devour." He muttered as he turned to his next target. The tall bald muscr Vampire wielding two Blood Axes. Watching spheres of blood appear above the pastel turquoise haired Vampire''s corpse and above the pearl opal green haired Vampire''s corpse that was thrown out of the tunnel and onto the tform, his feet trembled. [Blood Orbs Extracted.] *SWOOSH!* Slowly, Xavier picked up his sword from his hand that had been knocked off. The Vampires noticed pieces of string and cuts on his arm as soon as he did so. The string was covered in blood, the pureblood''s blood. Having seen Xavier kill him so easily, they knew they couldn''t take on this man. "Devour." Xavier repeated. This time blood streamed out of the blood spheres over to his mouth, they watched as he gulped the blood down bit by bit as the blood orbs decreased in size. [You are consuming the blood of a Vampire!] [You are consuming the blood of a Vampire Pureblood!] [+1 Stat added to Agility.] [+1 Stat added to Strength.] [¡­] ''H-He''s a monster! W-We need to report this at once!'' The bald Vampire thought to himself as he turned to the quiet dark brown haired Vampire. The dark brown haired Vampire nodded as the two made eye contact before raising his arm up to the air. [Steam Maniption: Lost Steam.] Steam surrounded the dark brown haired vampire''s figure, covering everything in its path. They were unable to see where they were, so they had to rely on their senses, but the steam seemed to be masking their scent as well. With everything they had, the Vampires pounced right past Xavier and ran down the opposite tunnel. It was easy to determine his location by simply following the blood stream from the blood orbs, but they chose not to. Even if he could not locate their position, they did not want to risk fighting him. Xavier, who really hadn''t expected this development, thought for a moment. ''They didn''t runst time... Did something scare them?'' He wondered. Either way, It didn''t matter. "Sangrea." Xavier called out. "Yes~ Xavi!" Sangrea happily responded. "Restrain them." Hemanded. *Snap* [Shadow Maniption: Shadow bind.] She snapped her fingers, and with the steam still present, she appeared before Xavier with a joyful look whilst expecting praise. "How were you able to find me in here?" Xavier asked as he looked at her. "Love~" Xavier narrowed his eyes. "Stop joking." Her cheeks puffed out in a sulk as she muttered. "Shadow... I could feel your location from your shadow." They were underground, it was dark and a perfect location for Sangrea''s ability. The steam began to fade, Xavier slowly turned his head in the direction he had felt them pass by, the opposite tunnel. "Did you catch them?" "Of course. I also made sure to seal their mouths so they won''t wake up the ghouls." She replied with a proud look as the steampletely faded. With his night vision, Xavier saw the two Vampires bound by dark chains sticking out of the tunnel''s shadow, down the tunnel as the steam faded. Xavier was at a loss for words, her ability [Shadow Maniption.] It was much more powerful than he had expected. ''Bringing her was a good idea.'' Xavier thought to himself as he patted her on the head. "Hehe~" She giggled whilst enjoying his pats. Xavier leapt onto the tracks before approaching their binded figures down the tunnel. The hostages watched in disbelief, slowly raising their heads at the sight unveiling before them. "Who are these people?" "One is a Vampire and what about that gorgeous girl?" "Why did they kill the other Vampires? Are they here to save us?" The brown haired girl with the small hat and bag watched from beside her parents with sparkling eyes. Her father and mother watched without saying anything as Xavier came to a stop before the two restrained Vampires. "I''d like to borrow your uniforms if you don''t mind." "And also, a question, what''s your squad name?" Xavier asked with a smile as he ced the de over their necks. The Vampires red at Xavier showing signs of retaliation, their mouths were also covered so they couldn''t answer regardless. "You should answer his question truthfully~." Said Sangrea with a smile as she snapped her fingers once more, thus exposing their mouths. 33 Chapter 33 *Step* *Step* The sound of footsteps echoed across the vast tunnels as a group of three Vampires approached the tform for the [Jubilee line.] at [Green park.] Their reason for heading to said ce was straightforward, to collect the human hostages and bring them over to the nearest Vampire camp. "Things have been quite crazy outside, haven''t they?" The short ivory haired twin questioned. "Yeah, even though we''re stronger and have better control, the number of humans who can use abilities is increasing. There''s no telling how this war could go." Responded the long ivory haired twin. The purple haired Vampire noble who walked ahead of them had smiles present across his face. He didn''t seem to worried at all about the war. "It doesn''t matter if their number is greater. Humans will always be food, as the consumers, we''ll naturally reign supreme." He spoke with such confidence and charisma that the worries the twins had were immediately erased from their minds. "Looks like we''ve arrived." Said the Vampire as the tform was brought out onto view. Many groups of people were stuck closely to one another trembling in fear and watching over them were two Vampires sat by the edge of the tform. One was a young vampire with half ck and half silver hair, while the other was a gorgeous silver haired Vampire with deep crimson eyes. Her pointy ears and fangs made her beauty stand out even more for the Vampire noble. ''Oh? How amusing.'' Unlike the male Vampire, the female vampire wasn''t wearing a uniform and simply a dress. ''It doesn''t seem like they''ve noticed us yet. Probably because I''ve concealed out scent and sounds.'' *Snap* The purple haired noble snapped his finger before they walked out of the shadows of the tunnel and down the tracks ahead of the tform. The half ck and silver haired Vampire, Xavier, suddenly turned to the noble before smiling. "Great noble, it appears you''ve arrived safely." Said Xavier as he walked up to him and bowed. The noble, ignoring Xavier had his eyes on the silver haired beauty who was sat on the tform with a bored look whilst she stared at him. "It seems you''ve kept all the hostages here, well done." He responded to Xavier. Xavier slowly raised his head and watched as the Vampire walked away from him, over to Sangrea. "Why is it that you''re not wearing a uniform?" He asked curiously. The Vampire twins behind him red at Sangrea upon noticing that he was showing interest in her. Sangrea ignored the man''s question and instead pointed at Xavier to respond. "Her uniform was torn to pieces after a battle so we had to make due with a dress from one of the hostages." -Memory "Listen Xavi, I think you''re script is a good idea to fool him so we can enter the Vampire Camp, however no matter what, you can''t mention my name or my family''s name." -Memory End. "That''s my wife, the other member of our squad-" Xavier was interrupted by a vast amount of bloodlust which fell on his shoulders as the Vampire noble red at him from the front. "I don''t recall asking you- Wait, did you say wife?" The noble asked before turning to Sangrea. "Yeah, what about it?" Sangrea asked with an annoyed look. She had felt his rude attitude and hostility towards her husband, it had pissed her off. But she held herself back, for Xavier had told her to. "Leave him, be my wife instead." "No thank you." She responded with a humph. "But I''m a noble-" "I don''t care." Getting rejected in such a casual way was a first for the purple haired noble, it only made him desire her even more. But he decided to put this desire behind for a now since there were bigger things on his mind. The twins on the other hand seemed to have a me ignite behind their eyes as they red at Sangera, they really didn''t like her. The noble disappeared from Sangrea''s front before appearing in front of Xavier who had been smiling. "I was told there were four members in your squad, where are the other two?" Xavier pointed to their corpses which was down the tunnel on the opposite direction. "One of the hostages who had learnt how to control their ability had managed to catch them by surprise. I''ve already killed the hostage responsible." The noble looked over at the corpses. Their heads were decapitated meaning the hostage that killed them knew their weakness. In reality there were four corpses however Xavier had hidden the other two ahead of time. "I see... That does indeed make sense." "I take it one of those two swords on your waist is from one of them?" The noble asked Xavier nodded. "I see... everything seems to be fine, get the hostages let''s bring them back to the camp." Said the Vampire as he leapt up onto the tform. [Sound Maniption: Mute.] A field expanded from out of the Noble, covering over the tunnel ceilings to prevent the ghouls from waking up. It was something he''d always do in preparation for a battle underground. Right as Xavier and the twins jumped onto the tform after them, Xavier felt another surge of bloodlust fall over him once again. "Ah, that''s right. I wasn''t alerted about any girls being on the squad, much less a wife. Also... you don''t match a description of any of the members. Do you have some sort of magical excuse for that I wonder?" A smile grew on Xavier''s face as he ced something in his ears. "You got me-" [Sound Maniption: Hypersonic st.] *VBOOOM!* A strong burst of sound waves, collided against Xavier as the noble turned and pointed his palm at him. Xavier was supposed to have been sent flying away with ruptured ear drums, but to the Noble''s surprise, he remained in his spot by holding onto his sword which he had thrust into the ground at thest second. His eyes widened as he noticed that Xavier waspletely unscathed by it, and instead giggling. ''It didn''t work!?'' The Noble''s eyes widened as during his state of confusion Xavier had swung both swords at his neck from both sides. At that moment he got a nce at Xavier''s ears, there was something inside of them, some sort of tiny plug made for blocking out sounds. "I put on earplugs, you dumbass." Said Xavier with a grin. *SLASH!* - Sangrea let out a sigh of relief as if it were the moment they had finally been waiting for. The twins instantly pulled out their weapons and got into a fighting stance. "Looks like we can finally drop the act. I was getting bored of this already." 34 Chapter 34 "I can''t believe it... That wasn''t that Vampire a noble? I don''t know what it means but doesn''t it mean it''s some sort of big shot?" "So, if that''s the case... How in the world did this happen?" "Do you think the silver haired Vampires are on our side...?" The group of people stared down the tunnel from the top of the tforms while they whispered. They had a wide look of disbelief on their faces, and with good reason. They felt as though their eyes were ying tricks on them. The purple-haired Vampire noble who had arrived had his back dug into a wall, all of his limbs severed. His underling, Xavier, had clearly defeated him. "What... What the... How is this possible...?" The purple haired Vampire noble struggled to ask. The world was spinning around him, his vision was blurry, and he wanted to throw up. When he looked down, he saw his limbs dettached to his body, lying beneath Xavier''s feet above a pool of blood. ''He''s... He''s just a peasant so how? How did none of my attacks work on him?!'' -Memory It was a short fight, he recalled. After he''d fail to knock Xavier away with ruptured eardrums in their first exchange, Xavier shed his dominant hand holding onto the sword off. Then whilst unable to wield a weapon, Xavier unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks on him, even though the noble was fast, it was as if Xavier was used to the speed, despite being considerably slower. The rest of the fight was a one-sided beating being dealt on the noble. It wasn''t long before he found himself in his current position. This was only possible because Xavier was wearing earbuds and was immune to the sound maniption attacks. The only attacks the noble could use with a missing hand and weapon. -Memory End. ''What the hell is he...?'' He wondered as he watched Xavier slowly approach him. After slowly turning left, he found Sangrea down the tunnel with the two female twins restrained in chain binds. *Crash!* A kick from Xavier pounded the wall besides the noble''s head before he sank his feet into it. "I have a few questions for you. Answer carefully if you don''t want a painful death." However, he said he intended to kill him in order to consume his stats and XP. Knowing that he''d die either way, the noble didn''t want to ept it. "Do you know who I am? I''m the son of a viscount! If you kill me, you''ll be hunted throughout the Vampire worl-" *SLASH!* While thrusting his de''s edge into the Vampire''s mouth, Xavier forced him to groan in pain and shut up. Xavier pulled out the sword as he said coldly, "I''m asking the questions.". Xavier watched as the hole on the noble''s mouth slowly faded away as his skin repaired itself. A noble''s regenerative powers were no joke. "Xavi! How much longer do I keep them restrained for?!" Thanks to the mute field still being active, Sangrea was free to shout however much she wanted without waking up any of the ghouls. "Just a while longer, I need to go kill them and devour their blood to grow stronger." "Alright, I''ll be waiting!" She responded happily. Sangrea seemed to be having a lot of fun being with Xavier, even though what they were doing was... Well, not something to be happy about. "Since you won''t tell me anything, I guess I have no use for you. They might know someth-" Xavier was interrupted by the noble who suddenly said. "Don''t... Hurt them. I''ll tell you what you want to know..." The vampires who were restrained down the tunnel, as well as Sangrea, heard his words clearly because of their incredible hearing senses. Tears streamed down their eyes as they called out to him. "Young master Zaos! Don''t worry about us, focus on getting yourself away!" Yelled out the long ivory haired twin. "Young master Zaos!!! Please! We''d never forgive ourse-" *Snap* Once more, Sangrea snapped her fingers, shutting their mouths with the shadow binds and interrupting them. She watched their tears stream down their faces before leaning against the tunnel''s walls and shutting her eyes. ''I don''t know about the noble but these two seem like they were just following orders and watching over him. Will Xavi really kill them?'' She wondered. Ignoring the events which had unfolded around them, Xavier pulled his leg out of the wall before questioning the noble. "For starters, tell me about the vampire camp you were nning on taking everyone to." A smile grew on the noble''s face. "You have business in the camp? If you do, it''s best to give up on it... Even though you beat me, it''s because my guard was lowered and you''d somehow prepared against my ability beforehand... But in a camp, there aren''t any lowered guards." "There''s ears everywhere you go, it''s big but you can''t hide anything there... Why do you think the humans that enter can never escape?" "If you try any funny shit like you did with me and fail, you''ll die." Xavier let out a sigh. "So?" He asked. The noble stared at Xavier''s expression, not an ounce of fear could be seen beneath his eyes. Seeing it, he couldn''t help butugh. "Haha... Hahaha... I was wondering why I lost, but now I''m certain of it..." "You''re batshit insane... Does death not scare you?" The Vampire asked. Xavier didn''t respond to his question and instead red at him, waiting for a response of his own. "Very well... I''ll tell you where the closest Vampire Camp is..." - - - "Is that all?" Xavier asked before cing the edge of his de over the Vampire''s heart. Blood had stopped flowing out of his limbs they had closed, but it appeared that was all it was limited to. He couldn''t regenerate an entire limb regardless of how much time had passed. He''d only be able to if someone applied the limb to the part where it was severed. "Yeah, that''s all. I wouldn''t lie with their lives at stake." Xavier didn''t know why but it appeared that those twins were important to the noble in some way, he recalled him saving them twice when Xavier attacked them in his ghoulified state. Vampires also had families which were precious to them. Sangrea watched as Xavier prepared to thrust the sword into the noble''s heart. ''Xavi''s changed... The Xavi I knew would never hurt a fly... I guess this just shows how much his family means to him...'' ''I wonder if I''ll ever mean that much to Xavi...'' Sangrea wondered. "Before you kill me, do you mind answering onest question?" The noble asked. "Depends on what it is." "That vampire girl that was with you, your wife, her ability is insanely powerful...." "Yeah." The noble looked over at her once more and seemed to recall something. ''Long silver hair... A long ck dress... I thought it was just a coincidence but...'' [Sound Maniption: Mute.] Xavier noticed a change in the sounds around him, he could no longer here the people''s whispers or heartbeat. "Don''t worry, I''ve blocked out any sounds from reaching outside of here. No one else around will here us." "That wife of yours... What''s her name...?" Xavier was confused at his question, did he recognise her somehow? If so, this was a great opportunity for him to learn more about his wife. "Sangrea, Sangrea redblood." The Noble''s eyes widened. "...Redblood... Redblood, huh... Hahaha... You really are insane." He asked once more, even more terrified of Xavier than previously." "Do you know something about her?" Xavier asked. "Who doesn''t...? I''ll give you a piece of advice... Keep her out of whatever madness you''re nning and if you don''t, don''t let anyone know who she is..." Xavier stared daggers at the noble, it didn''t seem like he was lying, rather he was genuinely terrified of Sangrea''s and her background. "What happens if I don''t?" Xavier asked The noble grinned at his question. "Who knows? I still don''t know how you knew about my weakness, earbuds. Since i''m going to die curious, you might as well experience the same." "..." *Pierce* 35 Chapter 35 [You have killed a Vampire Noble!] [You have consumed the blood of a Vampire noble!] [+5 Stats added to Strength] [+3 Stats added to agility!] [+2 Stats added to Sense!] [Quest: Defeat a Vampire Noble Completed!] [+120 XP!] [+400 Coins!] ''What a waste... Gluttony didn''t level up this time and I didn''t get any abilities from it either.'' Xavier cursed. As they watched Xavier devour the noble''s blood, the Vampire twins cried out inwardly. In an effort to appear to not have noticed, Sangrea walked away from them in the direction of Xavier, who had started walking back through the tform. ''System, Open shop'' Xavier thought to himself [Shop] [... Shop is open. Select your choice... 1. Consumables 2. Items 3. Masteries.. 4. Weapons ...] ''Show the consumables, option 1.'' Xavier thought to himself as he walked. [Consumables, Category] [Healing Potion (Weak): 50 Coins] [Healing Potion (Medium): 100 Coins] [Healing Potion (Strong): 200 Coins] [Healing Potion (Rare): 400 Coins] [Healing Potion (Epic)): 1000 coins] [Healing Potion (Legendary): 5000 coins] [Healing Potion: (Mythical): 10000 Coins] [Stamina Potion: Same Ranks and Price] [Refinement Orb: 1000 Coins] [Skill Level-Up Orb: 1500 Coins.] [Skill Orb: 2000 Coins.] [Due to low level, consumables limited] [Coins: 500] He let out a sigh and closed the shop. ''Looks like I still can''t afford it.'' He thought to himself. He nced at the groups of people upon reaching the tform and leaping up onto it. "Alright, you''re all free to go. Leave and do as you please." Said Xavier as he stood before the group of hostages standing on the tform. They hadn''t moved nearly as much as they had in his previous rewind. For this time he didn''t suffocate and make them assume he was dead. Because they were afraid Xavier could turn against them, their eyes lit up when Xavier told them this. "This isn''t a fake test right...?" "He isn''t going to kill us if we suddenly get up is he?" "You all saw what he did, if he wanted us dead, we''d be dead by now." They all stood up one by one, looking away from Xavier''s eyes as they were afraid to make eye contact, but they appeared grateful nheless. They then proceeded to look up at the tunnel roofs where the ghouls were, they were fortunately still asleep but their eyes were partially open. Looking further down they could find the twins chained up, trying desperately to break free from the shadowy binds. "So we can just leave?" Xavier nodded. "I rmend you all leave soon, the other two vampire twins might attack you all in rage when they''re freed from the chains. The chains will buy you a few hours at most." Said Sangrea. Along with Sangrea, he walked past the crowd up the tform esctors. They were changing to the Victoria line which was on another tform at their station. Before they could go up the esctors however, they were stopped by the short brown haired girl with a small hat and bag as she ran through the crowd and grabbed Xavier''s arm. Her entire body was shaking in fear, she even struggled to get the words out, but somehow she managed to force them out. "F-Fank you... For saving us..." She muttered, biting her tongue once more. As she whimpered in pain, Xavier gave her a slight smile and patted her on the head, she reminded him of his sister. "What''s your name?" "Be..." She whispered with a blush upon seeing his smile. "Make sure you listen to what your father and mother tell you to do from now on, alright?" The girl gave Xavier a slight nod. "That''s good, stay safe." Those were Xavier''s only words before turning and walking away up the esctors. "..." The girl watched with tears in her eyes as Xavier and Sangrea disappeared into the distance after going up the esctors. They were greeted by a red brown haired girl dressed in a school uniform shortly after reaching the top of the esctors. "I came up here like you said, what do you want from me?" "Give me your blood." He responded. Confusion swept away at both Sangrea''s and the girl''s face. "W-What happens If I don''t...? You''ll kill me?" She asked. Sangrea gazed at Xavier quietly with hurt eyes, Xavier ignored it and walked up to the red brown-haired girl. [Quest: Consume the blood of a human.] [Human blood consumed: 0/1] [Rewards: ???] "No, I won''t kill you. But I''ll need some form of payment for freeing everyone." "You could have asked them for blood..." Xavier didn''t want to scare them anymore than he had already; it was the least he owed them after killing them before rewinding. In addition, he believed this girl''s blood would be the most useful since she had the strongest ability among them. "Are you going to give me blood or not?" Said Xavier as he appeared right in front of her after a single step. *Badum* *Badum* *Badum* Xavier could hear her heart pounding out of her chest. The driving emotion was clearly fear. "Sure, why not." She responded nervously. Sangrea''s eyes widened at the response. ''Eh? Wait, he''s not actually going to drink her-'' Sangrea''s thoughts were interrupted as Xavier by Xavier who suddenly leaned into her neck before biting down. *Gulp* *Gulp* Sangrea''s jaws trembled as she witnessed the girl let out a quiet moan as Xavier sucked the blood out of her. Her face was almost bright red from blushing whilst Xavier sucked out the minimum amount necessary from her. [You are consuming a human''s blood!] [+1 Stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat added to Sense!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] [+1 Stat added to Stamina.] As the blood streamed into his mouth and through his throat, Xavier felt an unexpected rush. It was almost like the one he had gotten from drinking Sangrea''s blood. It was that good. Having more control over his addiction to the blood however, after drinking just the bare minimum, Xavier managed to stop himself. Parting his lip from the girl''s neck, he watched as not an ounce of blood streamed out Afterwords. A mysterious ability which came with the bite of a Vampire. [Quest Complete!] [Reward received!] [+100 XP!] [+2 SP!] [+400 Coins!] [Evolution Option unlocked!] "Is that enough...?" The girl asked whilst panting before have a seat whilst leaning against the wall. "Yeah, it''s enough." Said Xavier as he watched the screen which appeared before him with intrigued eyes. [Evolution Option: Vampire!] [Would you like to evolve into a fully-fledged Vampire?] [Warning: This is an evolution avable my meeting a certain condition.] [By evolving into this evolution at this state, the User will disregard the other races in possessions. This includes the Chronos side of the user''s race.] ''So I''ll stop being a hybrid?'' Xavier wondered. [Affirmative, the system rmends waiting until Level 10 where more evolution options will be avable.] ''Hm... It''s a good thing I gained this option... If worsees to worst, I''ll be able to go the Vampire route like I did with the ghoul and then rewind.'' ''I''ll still be able to use rewind even if I''m no longer a Chronos, right?'' Xavier questioned the system. [Affirmative, however progression of the skill is futile.] [Just how the user wouldn''t be able to progress the Hyper Regeneration skill if user seized to be a vampire.] ''Status.'' - [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fletching Hybrid.] [Level: 5] [Level UP options x 3] (Avable.) [XP: 890/1000] [Coins: 900] [HP: 35/35] [Energy: 198/220](-10% Rewind) [State: Normal.] [Strength: 25] [Agility: 29] [Stamina: 11] [Sense: 17] [SP: 5] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 1] [Gluttony: Level 1] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Shop.] [Quests.] - Xavier''s stats were perfect, he''d unlocked the Hyper regeneration skill once more in this run, and the number of coins he had were also more than before, despite not being enough to buy anything from the [Shop.] This was sort of expected after consuming the blood of a Vampire Noble and four others. His next objective was buying a [Level-up Orb] From the shop, the price had really put him off initially when he''d first seen it. "Sangrea, let''s-" Xavier''s eyes widened after turning to Sangrea. Her bottom lip had protruded out of her mouth, and her brows were stuck together in a frown as she looked away from Xavier. She was sulking. "Sangrea?" He called out. She nced over at him before puffing her cheeks and ncing away. "What is it?" "You''re pouting just now." "I''m not pouting... Let''s go." She muttered whilst walking away. "..." Xavier looked over to the red brown-haired girl and gave her a slight nod as thanks. "I''d have gone with you two, but a Vampire Camp seems too much for me." She whispered. Thanks to Xavier''s great hearing he had caught her words clearly. "That''s for the best... Stay safe." That was the only thing that came to his mind. Xavier really didn''t have the time to be worried about others, especially not when he could rewind each time. There was no telling when he''d go through all of this again. He didn''t want to be close to anyone else, not until he found his family. Otherwise, he probably wouldn''t be able to bear having all those connections lost from him taking a different path each time. As Xavier and Sangrea''s sulking figure disappeared into the distance, the red brown haired girl let out a sigh. "What sort of Vampire asks someone if they can drink their blood?" "What a weird guy..." She muttered with a blushing smile. She slowly moved her hand over to the part of her neck where she was bitten before rubbing it. "I expected it to hurt a little more... Somehow it felt... Rather nice..." - - - The sound of quiet footsteps echoed across the shadows of the tunnel. They were travelling through the [Victoria Line.] towards [Walthamstow Central.] Xavier''s figure walked alongside Sangrea''s down the tunnel. Sangrea was unexpectedly quiet and still sulking. After seeing what she was capable and realising that there was quite the mystery to her he knew wasting their rtionship would be a missed opportunity. Xavier began slowly increased his walking speed before catching up to her and grabbing her hand. "Are you mad that I drank her blood?" Xavier asked. "I don''t know..." She responded with a dejected look. "I don''t mind you drinking the blood of others, it''s just when I saw the way you grabbed her... I got a little jealous." Hearing her words, Xavier suddenly cut her off and gentle shoved her against the wall before cing his hand on the wall beside her. Sangrea''s heart skipped a beat as her eyes met his piercing gaze. Xavier slowly moved his other hand over to her chin and slightly raised it upwards. Slowly he leaned in for a kiss, only to go past it and over to her ears before whispering. "Your blood was tastier." Sangrea''s face became a bright radiant red, her mind began to spin around as she suddenly raised her hand and ced it on his chest. "We''re here." Said Xavier as his hand sunk into the wall. *Glow* Strange runic patterns appeared on the wall behind her before it eventually opened up. Without saying anything else, Xavier moved away from the blushing, shocked Sangrea before walking inside. ''Ah-H-He... Wh-What?'' Whilst she was still shocked by what had hit her, Xavier slowly descended down the staircase. With every step he took downwards, his expression grew increasingly serious. "We''ve finally reached it... A vampire camp." 36 Chapter 36 Xavier and Sangrea quickly descended the staircase; as they neared the bottom, Sangrea''s face became increasingly worried. ''I hadn''t told him anything about the camps to keep him safe... Is he really ready to enter?'' ''If something goes wrong... There won''t be anyway to escape...'' Her eyes lit up as she watched his back slowly drift downward. ''No... No matter what happens, I''ll keep you safe... Even if I have to break the seal on my powers myself-'' Unbeknownst to Sangrea, Xavier had suddenly stopped. Looking past him, it became clear why. They had reached the bottom. "What''s this?" Xavier asked as he stared at the single object before him. Arge square mirror with a blood red reflection. The mirror showed them the reflection of themselves, however, upon a closer look, one could see something else, somethingrger. As she approached it and ced her hand on it, Sangrea muttered, "It''s a transportation mirror, built by the Vampires to manuaver around their camps. Vampires absolutely hate having their camps location discovered after all." ''So this is the only way to get there, at least the only known way.'' "Do we just walk through?" Xavier asked She shook her head. She snapped her finger, and in that instant- *SLASH!* A scythe emerged from her shadow, creating a cut on her arm before disappearing once more. *Drip* *Drip* As she ced her bloodied arm on the mirror, Xavier watched her blood stream down it. *Glow* Following a split second of the mirror growing brighter, their reflections slowly faded into an underground passageway. "It reacts to blood." Xavier said as he stepped forward. The moment he was about to walk through the mirror, Sangrea beside him stopped him. "Only Vampire''s blood, fledgling or human blood doesn''t work..." Xavier nodded having understood but Sangrea still didn''t let go "Is something wrong?" He asked After a slight nod, she hung her head. "You''re strong, a lot stronger than before... We''ll get your family and leave quickly, don''t do anything to put yourself or them at risk..." Xavier stopped to look at Sangrea, who was genuinely worried. "I won''t make any promises about putting myself at risk, you know I''ll do whatever it takes to get them back. But don''t worry about them, I''ll make sure nothing bad happens to them." Replied Xavier. Xavier hade all this way for them, to think he would let anything happen to them while he was in reach of them. It was absurd. His blood boiled just thinking about it. She let go of Xavier''s arm, and as he turned to walk into the mirror with her, he stopped to ask a final question. "Those guys who''ve been following us... Are they with you?" Xavier asked. Sangrea froze up. ''He noticed them? But when and how?'' Slowly, she nodded, worried that he''d react badly to it. "I tell them not to but my father always puts them on my watch in case something goes badly..." "That''s fine, I just wanted to make sure." Xavier grabbed the shocked Sangrea''s hand and dragged her into the mirror with him. And just like that the two''s traces disappeared from the sight. On the staircase descended an old man wearing a butler''s uniform and round sses. He was apanied by a tall, heather violet-haired maid. Other figures hid in the shadows while waiting for orders behind them. "Do you think that young boy really managed to sense us?" The heather violet haired maid questioned. "If he did, then maybe he wasn''t as useless as I''d assumed." Responded the butler with a wide grin. Being caught while hiding, something that was his specialty, deeply enraged the old butler who had years of experience. "I want all of you to prepare yourselves. That young man is putting the youngdy''s life at risk, it''s clear she doesn''t care about her father''s orders." "What are your instructions?" Asked the heather violet haired maid. "If worsees to worst, we kill him. The youngdy''s life should always be prioritised over her happiness." Hemanded. Though she seemed hesitant to agree with him, the heather violet haired maid nevertheless nodded. - - - Xavier''s eyes narrowed at the sight. He and Sangrea had ended up on the inside of an alley. He looked back only to find a wall which led to a dead-end. "So we can''te back the way we came?" Sangrea too seemed surprised by this. "I only travelled byrge mirrors and usually there''s a way back through another mirror in the same spot... I''m guessing this is a feature whiches with the smaller mirrors." She muttered. Xavier nodded, and just like that, he walked out of the alleyway. His eyes widened as he did so. Before him wererge brick houses that looked as if they would be perfectly at home if put next to those built during the medieval era The area is connected by manyrge roads and streets that lead to huge, ancient, castle-like buildings. What surprised Xavier the most was above their heads. Rather than a sky, there were countless hardened bundles of earth being held up by foundations ced all over. It made sense since they were standing on the inside of a giant cave, but it was still impressive to see. ''They weren''t joking when they said the Vampire camp is underground... This is just one camp? How big is this ce?'' The street before them was deathly quiet; there were no lights visible in the houses around, as if they were just there for aesthetics. "Surprising, isn''t it? Most of this ce is uninhabited." Said Sangrea from beside him. *Step!* *Step!* *Step!* The sound of hasty footsteps caught their attention, as they saw a group of Vampires wearing navy blue uniforms rushing past them. Their crimson red eyes and pointy red ears stood out from beneath their cap. Even though Xavier was wearing the uniform, he had a problem since his ear wasn''t pointed since he was only a fledgling. His messy spiky ck and silver hair covered part of his ears, so it was harder for others to tell, making it easier for him. "So... Are you ready?" Xavier asked. He was referring to the search for the ce where they were keeping all the hostages. Sangrea nodded. ''Looks like the only way out of here will probably be to travel through the main gate... How will we get everyone out even if we find them? We can take on the noble''s but what will Xavier be able to handle a Vampire Lord or greater?'' Sangrea was snapped out of her thoughts by Xavier who suddenly tagged at her shoulder. A Vampire down the road held onto numerous chains tied around the necks of what appeared to be humans following after him. Xavier gestured at her to follow him and she agreed. 37 Chapter 37 *Step* *Step* *Step* Following the Vampire who was dragging along the chained humans, Xavier and Sangrea strolled down the streets. Their goal was not to hide or act suspicious in any way, but simply blend in. Drawing any attention would have blown their cover, and that was thest thing they wanted. *Swoosh* Vampires walked down the road in the opposite direction asionally, passing by them. Neither Xavier nor Sangrea seemed to pay much attention to the Vampires, they only nced asionally. When they reached a bridge, Sangrea tugged at Xavier''s shoulder with her elbow. As he looked over at her, he saw her making a gesture asking if he''s okay. Xavier nodded. Even though he kept a straight face, he was anxious, because if he had discovered that his family had been killed, he was not sure what he would do. *Tug* He tugged at her once more before she sneakily pointed at the giant pce-like building down the road after the end of bridge. In addition to being huge and old, the pce was dark inside and looked like a haunted asylum, the kind you see in horror movies. From their right, they could see another bridge connected to the pce. A bridge connected that pce with another, evenrger one, which was cut off by the cave''s walls. It was only a half of a pce since the rest was cut off by walls, yet it seemed to cover an entire quarter of the cave. Crossing the bridge, Xavier''s gaze drifted from the giant pce back to the Vampire. While walking along the roads and past many more empty houses, they ignored the Vampires that passed by them before eventually stopping near the smaller pce''s entrance. Several Vampires were on guard by therge door entrance, they stopped the man with the humans chained and began questioning him before letting him through. Sangrea and Xavier took a step back when they saw this before hiding beside one of the empty houses. Sangrea smiled as Xavier gestured to ask how they would get inside. [Shadow Maniption: Shadow Transit.] Sangrea''s bodies began to sink into shadows beneath their feet as a dark shadow moved around them. Impressed and surprised, Xavier closed his eyes and ced his trust in Sangrea. Suddenly, they were submerged. *Blink* Not even a secondter, they were rising again out of a shadow. They emerged from the shadow of a pir surrounding the entrance of the pce''s inside. They were in. Thanks to the angle and the fact that they wereing out of the shadows tantly, they were not spotted. In the midst of scanning the area, Xavier looked away from the entrance and felt his heart sink. In front of him was arge room. Concrete walls and pirs supporting a ss arch ceiling. But that was not what boiled his blood. There were countless humans strapped to tilted bs with blood infusion devices beside them. A series of long flexible tubes was attached to their arms, and their blood flowed through the tubes and into the blood bags. There were other bags filled with strangely colored fluids beside the blood bags. The bag was equipped with tubes that appeared to be pumping fluids and nutrients directly into their bodies. The humans all appeared to be a deep in a slumber. It became clear where they were after that. They were in the heart of the Vampire Camp, it was where they kept all the people captured. ''So this is what they do to humans... They capture them, put them under sleep and drain them of their blood while doing the bare minimum to keep them alive...'' Xavier''s hand tightened into a fist as the thought of his family suffering the same fate crossed his mind. Xavier looked over at Sangrea, and she looked back at him with a guilty look while avoiding eye contact. ''She told me she didn''t know much about Vampire Camps but based on the way she''s been acting, even before we hade here she''s shown signs of knowing a lot... Did she know about this too? Why did she hide it from me?'' Xavier shook his head. Now was not the right time to think about such things. He hid by the shadows with Sangrea and noticed that many Vampires were keeping tabs on the people sleeping as they walked by. Based on what he could see on one side, there were many more than thirty. Because they were all wearing the same navy blue uniform, Xavier did the only thing he could do. *Swoosh* Xavier left the shadows and put himself in broad view as he walked through rows of sleeping people. Sangrea stayed behind in the shadows since she''d stand out based on herck of a uniform. On his own, Xavier looked left and right at the faces and figures of the people. There was a chance that his family wasn''t amongst them, there was a chance they weren''t anywhere in this particr camp, but Xavier didn''t care. His heart was pounding as he searched, his anxiety level was rushing through the roof. ''Where... Where are they!?'' Having had no luck with his attempts, Xavier suddenly stopped at the centre of the room and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled to calm himself. He slowly began to recall it, the scent of his mother, sister, and father. There were so many different scents that he had no choice but to single them out. As a result, he focused fully on it. Meanwhile, Sangrea moved through the shadows in search of his mother and sister, she had not only seen a picture of them on his phone lock screen, but she had already seen them in person. ''System... Apply all stat points to sense.'' [Sense: 17] [SP: 5] [Adding 5 Stat points to Sense!] [5 Points added.] [Sense: 22.] Xavier''s shut eyes began to twitch before eventually snapping open. ''These scents...'' As she excitedly turned him, Sangrea appeared to have a simr reaction. Without wasting a second, Xavier immediately ran in the direction in which the scent had been detected. The closer he got to the smell, the harder his heart pounded in anticipation. Unfortunately, this sudden hasty action had attracted the attention of the Vampires in the area. But he didn''t seem to care. "Hey, what are you-" The Vampire was interrupted as Xavier breezed past him before eventuallying to a stop. His jaws trembled as he looked down on the two tilted bs in front of him, and tears welled up in his eyes. 38 Chapter 38 While halted, he looked down on two tilted bs before him only for his jaws to tremble and tears to well up in his eyes. Before his eyes were two figures. A short woman with beautiful long light brown hair and round brown eyes, ine. Beside her was a long honey yellow haired girl who was only slightly shorter and clearly younger, Viera. The two were right in front of his eyes, they were his mother and sister. Like all the others in the room, they wore patient gowns and were having their blood drained. Nevertheless, their hearts continued to beat. Xavier felt a variety of emotions upon seeing them, happiness, sadness, relief. There was one emotion, however, which had been welling deep within him, an emotion he had felt from the moment he entered the room. Rage. "Hey! You, what are you doing in here!?" A Vampire asked, baring his fangs as he suddenly grabbed onto Xavier''s shoulder from the side. As he ignored the Vampire, Xavier removed the tubing and lifted the two girls onto his shoulders. This caused the Vampire to quickly draw his sword from his waist and point it Xavier. "Sangrea." He called out as he turned to the Vampire. The Vampire, seeing Xavier''s expression, shivered, and in that very moment, a shadow passed by his neck, slicing it off. As Xavier leapt behind a pir, the nearby vampires watched as the decapitated Vampire''s head rolled on the floor after sliding off his neck. "What are you guys doing!? After him!!!" Shouted another Vampire as he ran across the rows of people towards the pir. Xavier who saw this turned to Sangrea in a rush. "What are you waiting for? Get us out of here." [Shadow Maniption: Shadow Barrier.] From the shadows, Sangrea extended her hand and a dark spherical barrier appeared, hiding them. "The weight load is too high, it needs to be one at a time." He nodded nervously, showing his confidence in her as he handed over his sister to her. Two secondster, the two sank into the shadow beneath them before disappearing. While listening to footsteps outside, Xavier remained in the same position with his mum over his shoulder. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* Suddenly, the sound of attacks falling on the barrier started resonating on the inside. "Argh... X-Xavier...?" His mother groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. A drowsy feeling overtook her, her vision was blurry, and her head rang. "Yeah... It''s me, mom." Tears welled up in her eyes as she recognized his voice. "Your... Father..." Just as she was about to finish her sentence, her eyes closed once more. She had fainted. "Get some rest... Everything will be fine." He muttered. "Xavier! Bring her here!" Said Sangrea as she emerged from the shadows behind him. After handing her over to Sangrea, Xavier watched as cracks began to appear on the shadow barrier. It wasn''t going tost much longer. With a desperate look on Sangrea''s face, Xavier''s mother, as well as her figure, plunged back into the shadows once more, leaving Xavier alone in the dark. After taking a deep breath, Xavier slowly exhaled while seated in absolute darkness. Putting his hands together, he listened to the sound of his tears dripping onto the ground. "Thank you, God..." "They were still alive...". "Thank you..." He cried. *SHATTER!* The dark barrier shattered showing that there was nothing behind the pir. Xavier had vanished. "Where did he-" The nearest Vampire, who had stepped forward to check on the situation, was impaled from above by the edge of a de. In a fraction of a second, his impaled head struck the ground below as Xavier''s figure fell and mmed it from above. [You killed a Vampire!] [+130 XP!] [LEVEL UP!] A smothered Vampire''s head hung below Xavier''s crouched figure as he remained crouched on the ground with his head hanging. "Who did that to my mother and sister?" He asked. Xavier subconsciously released an abnormal amount of bloodlust upon asking the question. As a result of consuming and absorbing a noble''s blood, the pressure felt very much like one, frightening the vampires. From his pressure alone, their hands trembled without stop. However, they couldn''t simply let him go after what he had done, so they didn''t back down. *Sigh* "Do I have to do everything alone?" A voice entered Xavier''s ear from the side, another Vampire was approaching from down the rows. Xavier quickly turned his head in the voice''s direction, ignoring the Vampire''s before him. The pressure he was feeling, there was no doubt. It was a noble who was heading towards Xavier. *Grab* In the moment the other Vampires and the Nobleunched themselves at Xavier, a hand appeared from the shadows below him to grab onto his feet before dragging him in. *CLANG!* Severals of swords crashed against the ground in that moment as Xavier''s figure disappeared into the shadows. "Tsk, he got away huh? Ring the rms. Alert the Vampire Lord." Said the Vampire Noble with a grin as he appeared on the scene. Short Blue lc coloured hair with crimson red eyes. His waist was adorned with a sheath carrying a long sword. Some of the Vampires rushed to ring the rms as he''d ask while the others on the scene bowed their heads. "W-We apologise, Noble Arnold..." Apologised the Vampires one after another having failed to stop him. "It''s fine, he wasn''t someone you could handle... But it doesn''t matter... that short Vampire will die either way... The Camp''s Vampire lord is here after all." - Xavier''s figure emerged from a shadow into an empty closed off and dark room. From the inside he could see his mother and sisterying on the bed as well as Sangrea''s figure emerging from the shadow beside him. "Where-" Xavier''s mouth was instantly covered by Sangrea who leapt at him. The two fell over with her on top as the sound of hasty footsteps outside echoed through their ears. "Search everywhere for them! They couldn''t have gotten far!" "Send people over to the gate to keep watch! We must find them!" "They''re crazy if they think they''re getting out of here!" The first thing he noticed when calming down was his ears ringing. It felt as if they were picking up a loud sound but at the same time weren''t. "It''s an rm... It''s to let the people of the Camp know there''s an invader... It''s yed at a frequency at pitch which is inaudible but can only be heard by Vampires..." "From now on... Until we make it out of here... We''re going to be hunted..." She whispered in his ears. 39 Chapter 39 In a giant empty room, a pointy-eared vampire with midnight green hair and crimson red eyes was enjoying a cup of tea while humming to himself. The rm had rung, causing his ears to ring, but he did not seem too bothered. "It appears another ant has entered my nest..." He slowly stood up before adjusting his uniform. Seeing himself in the mirror, he smiled. "Should I decapitate them or tear out limb from limb~?" He asked before vanishing, leaving behind a cracked mirror as he did so. - - - "From now on... Until we make it out of here... We''re going to be hunted..." She whispered in his ears. [Point of previous rewind has been passed.] [Energy restriction: 0%] [Energy: 220/220] After taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Xavier nervously looked over at the bed where his mother and sister were sleeping. "That''s fine... Knock me out." He responded Sangrea tilted her head to the side with a confused look before asking. "What?" "Just trust me... Knock me out, now...!" She hesitantly nodded before clenching her fist and pulling her hand back. "S-Sorry, Xavi..." *WHAM!* - Xavier snapped his eyes open and quickly pushed himself up. The first thing he saw upon getting up was the teary expression on Sangrea''s face. She felt awful for what she had done. "How long was I out for?" "A few seconds..." She responded. ''System, has the rewind point been set?'' [Affirmative.] Her tears were wiped away by Xavier before he got up and raced to the bed, telling her that she did a good job Their eyes were shut, but their breathing was steady and steady, and other than the tubes, their had been no other harm dealt to them. Xavier sighed in relief. The relief quickly faded away, however, once he remembered that his father was still nowhere to be found. ''I''d only encountered two familiar scents in there... Dad''s scent wasn''t in that room... Meaning he''s either being kept somewhere else or... He''s dead....'' Xavier hung his head. "Sangrea.... Can I ask something of you...?" SAngrea slowly nodded. "Lend me your strength... Please... Please help me keep my family safe until we''re out of here..." "Do you even have to ask? Obviously I will." She responded as she got up. Xavier smiled before picking up both bodies and cing them over his arms. He nced over at the long silver-haired beauty behind him once more before looking out the door. "...Let''s go." - - - Xavier and Sangrea ran down the roads. While sprinting with all his might, Xavier carried his mother and sister inside shadow cocoons to keep them safe. He hadn''t given it much thought until now, but aside from his body being lighter, his agility was much higher, making him glide through the roads while making as little noise as possible. Acrobatically, he leapt from ce to ce, sometimes hiding in alleyways to avoid vampires'' eyes. Sometimes they would see groups of Vampires pass by them, but thanks to Sangrea''s shadow maniption, they could remain hidden. Atst they had reached the bridge that led towards thest pce, containing the giant transportation mirror leading to the outside of the Vampire camp. "All we need to do is get to that ce to escape right?" Xavier asked whilst hiding by the shadows with Sangrea as they looked at the pce at the end of the bridge, Sangrea nodded whilst panting. She seemed drained and tired. "Easier said than done... That''s going to be the most heavily guarded ce right now... Just look at how many Vampires they put on the bridge." Vampires were scattered on both sides of the bridge, waiting for their faces to be revealed so they could attack. "Although I''d say our chances are looking good... This Vampire camp is much smaller than a regr one and the troops avable seem weak..." Muttered Sangrea. The only noble encountered was at the ce where they were draining the human''s blood. "Can you teleport us to the other side of the bridge?" She shook her head. "Shadow transit takes out a lot of energy from me, I''ve used it in session too many times... I wont have the energy to fight if I get us all over there... That is if I can even get us there in the first ce." Said Sangrea. Xavier nodded, he had expected much based on how tired she looked. "Sorry... We''re going to have to find another way to get past-" Sangrea''s eyes widened as she watched Xavier draw both swords from the sheaths on his waist. "Hey... Xavier, you''re not nning to-" Xavier interrupted Sangrea before rushing out of the shadows whilst saying "Stick close!". With a shocked look on her face, Sangrea, who had been left behind with both shadow cocoons, ran immediately after him. "I found them!! They''reing for the bridge!" Yelled out the Vampire closest to them who had spotted them. When he yelled, all the Vampires'' attention went to Xavier, and Sangrea as they ran towards the bridge. *SWOOSH!* *FWOOSH!* Xavier and Sangrea dodged every swing that was aimed at them as they rushed past the Vampires at the bridge''s entrance. "What are you doing!? Stop them!!!" *WHAM!* Xavier dodged thest Vampire on the bridge''s entrance before leaping onto the face of the Vampire behind him. *FWOOSH!* Xavier propelled himself down the bridge as the Vampire''s back struck the ground. While Xavier slipped past from above, Sangrea fled from below, while their attention was focused on Xavier. Shadow-like shields surrounded her, blocking any swings or swords aimed at her or the cocoons. Eventually they''d made it onto the bridge. The vampires, however, wereing from both the front and back, giving them only one option. "Push through." Said Xaiver as veins bulged out of his arms. His arm was pierced by spikes from the swords cross guard as he pressed down on its buttons. As they drew blood from Xavier''s body, the jewel on their pommels filled with blood. After leaping past Sangrea and into the groups of Vampires approaching them from the front, Xavier swung his des at them in a spectacr disy of speed. *Fwoosh!* Xavier''s single swing was not only able to push them back but cut off the arms of those closest to him after receiving it. "AAAH!" Screams and groans filled the air before Xavier leapt over the front lines of each group andnded in the middle. "Die." *SWOOSH!* In an instant, Xavier decapitated all the vampires around him by rotating his entire body and swinging his sword. [You killed 8 Vampires!] ,m [+ 850 XP!] It was then that the massacre began. Sangerea watched as Xavier shed and cut past the Vampires with bloodshot red eyes as he charged along the bridge. In addition to letting all of his fury loose, Xavier also cut off all of the Vampires who might threaten them out of their path as he unleashed everything. Blood was sttering all over him. Not even for a moment did his sword stop being swung. [You killed 7 Vampires!] [You killed 8 Vampires!] [+1640 XP!] [LEVEL UP!] Within moments, they were standing in front of the Pce with even more Vampires hesitantly approaching from down the bridge. Xavier opened the pce doors with Sangrea beside him, only to find a single Vampire in the middle of the huge hall. Even before they entered the room, however, they began to feel powerful surges of pressure all over the ce. They had to watch out for more than just one vampire. "Look who finally arrived~." Said the Vampire standing before them calmly. "You kept me waiting quite a while, didn''t you? Redblood." . 40 Chapter 40 The pce''s interior was simr to the one where the human hostages were being kept, a ss ceiling with pirs all around. Only difference was that this one was muchrger, mostly empty, and had a staircase leading up to a giant red mirror. It was the transportation mirror that they needed. However, they would have to pass by the tall Vampire with midnight green hair standing in their way. "Look who finally arrived~." Said the Vampire standing before them calmly. "You kept me waiting quite a while, didn''t you? Redblood." ''Two.. Four... Six Nobles...'' She counted inwardly. Sangrea reluctantly stepped back, understanding the true threat of the situation. Even though the midnight green haired Vampire had been hiding its power from them, it was obvious to someone as sensitive as her. He was a vampire lord. A Vampire Noble ranked at the top of the Hierarchy of Vampires. Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron. These were the five ranks of the nobility which followed after the King. At the very least, a Vampire Lord would be an Earl. These nobles were far more difficult to deal with than regr nobles. "Xavier, we need to retreat for now, he''s not someone we-" Xavier and Sangrea''s eyes widened as, in a fraction of a second, the Vampire had disappeared from their line of sight before a handnded on their shoulders from behind. "Leaving already? We can''t have that..." Their hearts sank as they turned to attack him, but Xavier, who was a second slower than Sangrea, was barely able to put his guard up as something crashed against his face before he was sent flying down the hall. As for Sangerea, she had ced a dark shield to block the attack from reaching her, but she was left stunned to watch as the Vampire lord easily shattered through the shield with the momentum from the swing in inflicted upon Xavier. ''!?'' *WHAM!* At that moment, his fist mmed against her stomach as she tried to leap back and sted her over to the staircase where Xavier had crashed down the hall. *CRASH!* *CRASH!* Both of them coughed blood in response to the impact. [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] After recovering from the attack, Xavier and Sangrea got up only to have their heads dug into the staircase further by the Vampire Lord''s hands as the Vampire Lord appeared before them. As the Vampire Lords repeatedly crashed their heads against the staircase, veins bulged out of their necks as he began squeezing and crushing their skulls. [Shadow Maniption: Shadow Bind.] Xavier swung his swords at the Vampire Lord''s arms, while shadow chains erupted from Sangrea''s shadow towards him. *SWOOSH!* The chains and sword swings missed as the Vampire Lord''s figure disappeared in a sh before reappearing a few meters away. [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Energy: 209 -> 206 -> 202/220] In spite of his energy being depleted from his regeneration, Xavier managed to get into a proper sword stance as he red at the Vampire Lord. Even after the regeneration, his arms were trembling and he was still dizzy from the previous impacts to his skull, showing just how powerful he was. Even with his strength, Xavier did not care. It was clear that the Vampire before them was inmand, the six nobles behind the pirs hadn''t yet moved without being instructed, he also had the strongest presence. This meant that he was the leader. He was the one behind his family''s pain... Just that fact alone was all Xavier needed. The moment he moved to take a step forward and force himself to attack- *VBOOOM!* [Gravity Maniption: Gravitation Field.] Xavier''s feet dug into the ground in response to a heavy load suddenly falling on his shoulders. With every passing moment, the force only grew stronger, forcing him to crouch to the ground. Sangrea, who was focused on catching the Vampire Lord with her shadow chains, was also interrupted and forced to kneel. In the blink of an eye, the dark chains that were chasing after the Vampire Lord copsed before him. Their pursuit ended. "Of course, it''s gravity... Damn it..." Sangrea cursed as she slowly began to rise upwards alongside Xavier. *WHAM!* Xavier, who was barely able to stand and support his body weight, opened his eyes as a kick appeared before him, the feet had a gravitational field surrounding them. It was no ordinary kick heading for him- *KABAAAM!* From the right, the kick prated Xavier''s head,unching him over to the left before he collided with Sangrea. The pair across the stairs together, before crashing and denting the stairs'' steel handrails. [Hyper Regeneration: Level 1] "This was disappointing, it seems you are a Redblood only in name." Said the Vampire Lord as he drew his sword whilst pressing the button on the handle. Spikes resembling fangs protruded from the handle before piercing his hands. The jewel on the pommel of the sword began to fill with blood. This sword was more sinister than anything else Xavier had seen before. [Gravity Maniption: Gravitational Pull.] It was as if the Vampire Lord had be a ma at that moment as both Xavier and Sangrea''s figure wereunched towards him at insane speeds. At the very moment the Vampire Lord was about to swing his sword at their approaching figures, he noticed something was wrong. He saw the steel chains wrapped around Sangrea''s back, as part of her dress had been torn by the previous impacts. Unbeknownst the Vampire Lord, those chains were the ones which sealed Sangrea''s powers. Unapprehended by him was the fact that a part of the chains was missing, the silver skull linking it, for Xavier had removed it. As soon as the Vampire Lord swung at them to finish them off, the seal was lifted. *Shatter* *CRACK!* *BOOOM!* A dark surge of energy burst from Sangrea, parrying the Vampire Lord''s swing before forcing him to retreat and take a few steps back. Each Vampire Noble in the room watched with widened eyes as the transformation unfolded before them. Dark shadows emerged from the ground as Sangrea''s figure halted in the air. The shadows covered her in a bubble of darkness and through the darkness, they could see her changing form. Parts of her body were expanding. Xavier grinned as he witnessed this since he''d been trying to remove the seal since the beginning of the battle. ''If that fucker hadn''t interrupted me all those times... The fight could have started this way while I focused on fighting the nobles at the back.'' Even though Xavier knew he wasn''t strong enough to face the vampire lord, if he used all of his leveling up options, he had a chance of doing so, especially with full body recovery. But why go through all of that when Sangrea could weaken him for him? "You... You not only did you insult my bloodline... But you also dared to harm my husband..." When Xavier saw Sangrea emerge from the dark bubble, his eyes widened. It wasn''t just her voice that had changed, but also her figure. It had matured. "I''ll show you... Hell." Said Sangrea as her true form revealed itself. - - - Next Chapter Preview: Rewind Level 0: Origin. 41 Chapter 41 "I''ll show you... Hell..." Said Sangrea as her true form revealed itself. Silver hair glistening like the moonlight and blood-crimson eyes that looked as though they could devour you whole. She wore a ck gown with slits on both legs that showed her long, and delicate legs and high heels. Due to how seductive they were, those who saw them were sure to feel their blood boil. Her figure and facial structure had matured giving her an even more unique beauty. Her curves had be more pronounced and eye-catching. As her physical appeal increased, so did the sense of danger. The pressure which was being released from her re made them feel as if it was death itself ring at them.. ''My body... It feels light... It''s overflowing with power...'' Sangrea thought to herself as she looked down at her shadow. It was squirming around uncontrobly, unable to effectively suppress itself. A pulsating scythe was thenunched out of her shadow towards Sangrea as she slowly lowered her hand. *Catch* Grabbing the scythe, she spun it around a few times with her finger before getting into a stance. There were long red veins running across the scythe''s grip and a pulsating red gem in its heel. [Gravity Maniption: Gravitation Field X 50] *CRACK!* A grin appeared on the Vampire Lord''s face as he witnessed her appearpletely unfazed by the force of gravity pressing down upon her. Her feet plunged deeper and deeper into the ground as the ground beneath her crackled under her feet. ? "Haha... Hahahaha! This is what I''m talking about! This is what the presence of a true Redblood should-" He was interrupted as Sangrea suddenly appeared before him with her scythe''s edge just before his neck, leaving cracks on the ground and bursting the air behind her. *CLANG!* A shiver ran down the Vampire Lord''s spine as he swayed backwards and watched the edge of the scythe whizz right past him. Immediately making its way around her body, it swung downwards at him from above. [Gravity Maniption: Zero Gravity] *CRASH!* As he kicked off the ground, away from her at incredibly high speeds, the spike crashed right before his feet. Having released the pressure of gravity on himself, he was able to quickly create distance from her. Or so he thought- *SLASH!* While soaring through the air, the Vampire Lord saw Sangrea appear above him with another swing heading his way. *CLANG!* Having swung his sword with all he had, he parried the swing only for two more scythes to emerge from under her, swinging right at him. *SLASH!* *CRASH!* Just before colliding with the wall, his non-dominant left arm was shed off. The Vampire Lord leapt away from the wall whilst looking down at her shadow. The scythes were squirming around inside of it. ''She''s taken my arm off already? This fast!?'' *CLANG!* While the other nobles watched in disbelief, the Vampire Lord was pushed back as a fury of scythe swings was unleashed upon him. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* As soon as he parried one swing, two more appeared from her shadows at high speeds, shing at him and aiming for his vital points. His body was constantly being cut and healed, leaving him exhausted as he focused all of his efforts on surviving. *Swoosh!* Sangrea swung her scythe diagonally at the Vampire Lord, forcing him to duck to the left only to have a kick smash into his ribcage and liver. A pained and shocked expression covered his face as he was hurled over the wall, plunging into it and nearly through to the next room before remaining motionless. Immediately, eight chains soared through the air after him, binding and restricting his figure to prevent him from moving. ''M-My body.. It can''t move...!'' He panicked as the chains wrapped themselves around him. ''Already? That quick...?'' ''I''m a Vampire lord...! Even for a Redblood this shouldn''t be possible...'' When he looked over at Sangrea, and blinked, he saw his life sh before his eyes as her scythe swung horizontally toward his head. "Stop, Sangrea." Muttered Xavier *SWOOSH!* Right at the Vampire Lord''s neck, the edge of the scythe stopped. Sangerea turned to Xavier with a confused look and found him standing near the entrance of the pce with both swords pointing at the six nobles before him. Xavier had blood dripping down his mouth from biting his lips in rage. Trying to hold back his anger, he could feel his arms trembling. After noticing what the two closest nobles were holding, her eyes widened. Xavier''s mother and sister were still in their slumber, but they hade out of the shadow cocoons. The nobles had ced their swords upon their hearts. If they were still in the cocoons Sangrea could have fortified it, when had they broken them out? "Lower your weapons..." Demanded the Nobles. When The Vampird Lord heard this, he burst outughing. "Hahahaha... Hahaha... Hahahahaha!!!!" The Vampire lord burst outughing. "What''s wrong, Sangrea Redblood? Aren''t you going to killl me?" The Vampire Lord asked as he ced his neck against the des edge, forcing it to prick into his skin. Sangrea watched as the Vampire Nobles moved the edge of the des closer to Xavier''s mother and sister''s heart. "Do as they said, lower your scythe..." Said the Vampire Lord as he giggled with an excited grin. Sangrea''s expression turned into that of disgust as he re at the Vampire Lord before moving to do exactly that. But before she could, she was stopped by Xavier who said. "Don''t, Sangrea. Stay as you are." Sangrea watched as Xavier let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his head with his sword. "Let''s not waste time. You have a hostage, we have your Vampire Lord, as our hostage. What do you think is worth more? Two human blood bags, or the one who watches over this blood bag." "If anything happens to them, Sangrea will kill the Vampire Lord, then after..." A shadow loomed over Xavier''s face as he red at the six Nobles and bore his fangs. "I will do everything in my power to give you the most painful death imaginable..." "And devour you..." With confused looks, the nobles looked at each other before pointing at Xavier andughing with one another. The one to speak up was a short blue lc haired noble with a longsword on his waist. Xavier recognized him, he was the noble who almost caught him at the other pce. Arnold. "You make a fair point... How about no?" *Pierce* *Stter!* Sangrea stretched out her hand to try and stop him but it was toote. Arnold Noble had grabbed onto the hands of the two nobles holding Xavier''s mother and sister hostage, forcing their hands down, and forcing their des deep into their hearts right before Xavier''s eyes. speaking. "...What...?" Xavier let out with a confused look as he dropped to his knees. Watching the blood pouring out from their bodies, he found himself unable to believe his eyes. Sangrea didn''t move a muscle, she also couldn''t believe it. She didn''t know what to say. Memories of Xavier''s mother and sister shed by his eyes as tears streamed down it. "Hahaha... Those Nobles couldn''t care less about me dying, in fact, they''d love it. Taking my spot is something they probably dream of every day." Laughed the Vampire Lord only to have his mouth silenced by Sangrea''s chains. "Evolve..." Xavier muttered as he hung his head. At that moment, his hair colour transitioned from ck and silver to entirely silver. [Evolution Complete.] [Race: Fully fledged Vampire.] The two Vampire Noble''s leapt at Xavier''s defenceless figure, swinging their swords at his neck, before decapitating him. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] Everyone blinked, confusion filled the air as the two Vampires that had leapt found themselves standing in the position they had taken before leaping. Sangrea who had also leapt a second after them to stop them, had reverted back to her previous position. "Didn''t... Didn''t we just kill him?" "Am... Am i imagining things or are we back to where we were standing?" Asked the Nobles. Meanwhile Xavier had gotten up and had began walking over to them with the two swords in his hand. [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Fully Fledged Vampire.] [New Quest Has Been Received.] 42 Chapter 42 [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Fully Fledged Vampire.] [New Quest Has Been Received.] [Quest: Kill all 6 Vampire Nobles.] With every step, Xavier swayed from left to right, getting closer and closer to the nobles. Dark shadows loomed over his face, and he had bulging red eyes. [Status Update.] [As a result of giving up the Chronos Race, the User has lost the ability to progress the Skill: Rewind.] [Unintended side effect: The Skill - Rewind has reached its peak potential at it''s current level of progression.] [Additionally: Rewind Level 0 has been unlocked.] [Repercussion: For as Long as the User remains solely a Vampire without the Chronos Race, the User may only use Rewind Level 1: Return once.] [If the user Rewinds back to a point where the User is a Chronos again then the User may continue to use Rewind Level 1: Return however the User will not be able to use Rewind Level 0: Origin.] Watching Xavier walk, Sangrea was speechless. ''What am... What am I witnessing right now? Just a second ago Xavier had certainly died...'' ''Yet it was as if it had never happened... This is just like that time in the past...'' She thought to herself. "But wow, look at that expression... I guess those blood bags must have meant something to him, not that a low ranking Vampire Lord like me cares-" *SLASH!* In a moment of anger, Sangrea shed off the head of the Restrained Vampire Lord. "Shut up..!!" It was then that she turned to look at the six nobles who, while not trying to admit it, felt intimidated by Xavier''s bloodlust. "What are you guys doing!? Use your abilities or some shit! Just attack him!" Yelled out Arnold the Noble. In response to their attack, Sangrea got ready to attack herself in order to stop them, but she halted as she felt a chill run down her spine. "Stay there... They''re mine." Xavier murmured. He had a look on his face like she''d never seen before. She sighed as she saw this. "They''re dead... I''m crazy for thinking he needed my help.." [Acid Maniption: Acid Burst.] [Deep Fire Maniption: Scorching End.] [Psionic Maniption: Psionic st.] [Vine Maniption: Thorn Coffin.] [Stone Maniption: Hardened Shard.] There were countless elements in the attacks hurled at Xavier by the five nobles before him in an instant. Together, the force and magnitude of the attacks exceeded Sangrea''s expectations. He was bombarded with a wave of thorny vines mixed with shards of earth and acids that made them poisonous. A psionic wave wasunched at Xavier from above these vines, propelled by giant balls of fiery me. Unlike regr vampires, these were attacksunched by nobles, even though they were low in rank. Despite that, Xavier there was not a change to Xavier''s expression. "Rewind." *VBOOOM!* A loud explosion erupted as all the attacks collided with Xavier, cutting and slicing him into pieces, then burning him alive. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] However, within a blink, everyone''s eyes widened as they once again reverted to their previous positions. The explosions and smoke cloud which were there a while ago hadpletely disappeared. ''What the fuck...!?'' ''Didn''t I just imagine it again!? How the hell is he standing here!?'' ''My ability... I could have sworn I justunched-'' *Step* In that moment, all the nobles felt it. Their spines tingled with dread as a well of bloodlust loomed over them as a footstep resounded right in front of them. Xavier, who had been countless steps away, was now in front of them. Their faces were filled with confusion as they watched Xavier walk right past them before stopping at his mother''s and sister''s corpses. They were so intimidated by Xavier''s presence that they couldn''t say a word or move a muscle. The only Vampire Noble who could was the vine maniptor. He had swung his sword at Xavier''s head as he crouched down to get closer to his mother and sister''s corpse. *SLASH!* *SPLATTER!* In the following second, the Noble who had swung for Xavier had his entire head sliced cleanly off his neck and both arms holding the sword severed. [You killed a Low-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [Rank: Baron!] [+180 XP!] Xavier remained crouched down before Arnold, looking at the bodies of his mother and sister, without saying a word. Arnold''s eyes twitched in fear. Blood pooling beneath them, no rhythmic heartbeat pumping blood through their veins, it didn''t seem real to him. However, it was. After slowly raising their corpses, Xavier grabbed them and embraced them. Although it was only a bit cold, it felt as if he was being frozen. As tears poured down his face, his arms couldn''t stop shaking. "System... Use Origin to bring them back." [Skill: Rewind Level 0 ¨C Origin is unable to do that.] [Rewind Level 0 ¨C Origin allows the User to undo an event.] [Reason for failure: Time since death exceed the point which an event can be undone.] "I understand..." Xavier muttered as he lowered them to the ground. Upon looking up, he saw five different sword swingsing towards him from above. He sighed. *SLASH!* [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] [Energy: 170/220] Their eyes widened as their positions had once again reverted to what they had been using previously, a position to swing their swords. "That confirms it... This unexined phenomenon that keeps happening... This is due to your ability..." Muttered Arnold nervously. ''But even if I know that it''s him? What difference will it make? Do we run? No... That won''t work. Or do we keep trying until he exhausts all of his energy and is unable to use it? Xavier looked over at the corpses of his mother and sister, which were lying back on the ground. "You... You, and you." Pointed Xavier at Arnold and the two nobles next to him. Arnold was the one who had killed them and the two nobles were the ones who held them hostage. The one to Arnold''s left had brown hair and the one to Arnold''s right had dark hair. "Don''t listen to him, just attack and make him waste his energy!!!" Shouted Arnold. Xavier continued speaking while the Vampires swung their swords. He pointed instead at Arnold. "But mainly you... Do you have a family?" Xavier asked with a smile. *SLASH!* Xavier''s arm and head were shed off before he was burned and smoldered by the other abilities. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] Their eyes widened as they had reverted back to their position only to be forced to try again. Upon reverting, however, one of the vampires'' eyes widened as the spot he had reverted to was now a spot with a de in it. Prior to this, Xavier had moved it there, impaling the Vampire in the process. "Wha- *Cough!* The vampire coughed out blood before groaning out in pain and having his body be mummified. [You killed a Low-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [Rank: Baron!] [+170 XP!] The other four Vampires looked at one another while taking a step back. Xavier thrust his sword at the other vampire behind him, who was not one of the three he had pointed at. As he leapt backward, the vampire was easily able to dodge Xavier''s thrust, but at that moment he felt shivers run down his spine as Xavier grinned. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] - "ARGH!! FU- *Cough!*" The Vampire groaned out in pain as in the next instant the de had impaled his heart. It was as if he had never dodged, he had been rewinded right onto it. [You killed a Low-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [Rank: Baron!] [+190 XP!] Xavier slowly turned back to the three vampires he''d originally pointed at, they were dumbfounded. "Devour." Xavier muttered. [Gluttony Level 1: Devour.] In the air, piles of blood umted over the three dead nobles, creating an orb of blood over their bodies. [Blood Orbs Extracted.] Seeing Xavier manifest the three blood orbs, the Vampires knew it was over. ''He has another ability!?'' Arnold, along with the two others, turned away from Xavier before running to the door. They were forced to stop however as they found Sangrea leaning on it, blocking their paths while waiting for them. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] An instantter, they found that their distance towards the door had increased. They were back where they had been standing. "H-Hey... W-Why don''t we stop here...? W-We got rid of the Vampire Lord like you wanted... W-We may not be strong but we''re very important figures in the underworld... Unlike that low ranking Vampire lord, if you hurt us, our families will-" Arnold was instantly interrupted by a surge of pain rushing through his body as the connection between his legs was severed. With a grin, Xavier crouched beside him as both he and the other two nobles groaned in pain. "So you have a family... Good." Despite having just lost his mother and sister, Xavier''s grin showed genuine joy, the noble could see it from his eyes. "I''ll kill them." Added Xavier with a blush before tilting his head to the side. "But before that... Let''s start." Said Xavier with a grin. Tear welled up in the other nobles eyes. "W-We didn''t hurt your family..." "It wasn''t us... It was him... We were only following orders..!!!" Arnold was the only one who asked the question that mattered. "S-Start what...?" He asked nervously as he held in the pain in his legs. Sangrea let out a sigh before looking away. Xavier didn''t respond to his question, instead his arm seemed to blur for a second- *sh* *sh* All three of the Vampire Nobles eyes bulged out from the Pain as Xavier proceeded to sh off their remaining arms. Xavier then positioned the edge of his de over their hearts before suddenly- *Pierce* Piercing it. "AAARGH!!!!" They yelled out in pain as their life left tehir eyes and their bodies mummified. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] The Vampire Noble''s eyes opened wide, once again only for him to feel the abnormal surge of pain piercing through his chest once more. *Pierce* *Pierce* *Pierce* They were all impaled. But that wasn''t the end of it. [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] Xavier undid the whole event, bringing them back with the pain still surging through their bodies. "AA-AARGH...!! W-Wai-" "We were forced-" "Please sto-" *Pierce* *Pierce* *Pierce* [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] "AAAAARGH!!!!" With every rewind, the pain acumted, it just hurt more and more. The Vampire Nobles grit their teeth and clenched their fists as the cycle began. "Grit your teeth, there''s still a long way to go." Said Xavier with a smile before thrusting the des downwards once more. 43 Chapter 43 "Please..." the Vampire Noble cried as he repeatedly banged his head on the floor as Xavier positioned his sword over his heart once more. "Just let me die... Please... Please... Please..." He repeatedly pleaded with his body trembling from fear. Xavier nced at his energy bar. [Energy: 79/220] He then recalled how many times he had killed this noble. He''d lost count but it was definitely over thirty. He seemed to have lost his will. "Do you really want to die, already?" Xavier asked with a troubled expression. As he responded "Yes," Arnold''s dead beat crimson eyes shone with hope and tears. Xavier smiled sympathetically at him, giving him hope that he would finally be free of pain. Xavier then turned back to look at his mother and sister''s corpses one more time. "Do you recall how you killed them just a while ago? You know... I was feeling kind of hopeful, that i''d be able to convince you and we''d be able to leave... Yet right before my eyes... You killed them, with a smile." Arnold''s teeth began ttering from fear as Xavier looked down on him with dark cold disgusted eyes. *Pierce* The hope in Arnold''s eyes broke down and transformed into despair when Xavier thrust the de''s edge into his heart once again. "AAAAARGH!!!!" As the life seeped out from Arnold''s eyes while he cried out in pain, Xavier continued. "Rewind..." [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] "N-No... Please... Not aga-" *Pierce* [Rewind.] - - - "Do you feel better...?" Sangrea asked as Xavier walked and sat down by the door beside her with his head hung down. *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* There was a banginging from the other side of the door as the Vampires surrounded the building. Even after doing so, they could not enter since every entrance, crack, and exit was covered by a shadow from the outside. It was Sangrea''s doing. "Nope. I don''t get any XP from the same person after killing them once." She tilted her head sideways with a confused expression before lowering her head. "Sorry... I couldn''t save your fami-" "It''s fine... They''re not dead." Xavier responded. ''I''ll try again and look for my father this time...'' Sangrea''s eyes opened wide. When she looked over at their corpses, it was obvious that their hearts had stopped beating. "Xavi... What are you talking about?" Xavier raised his head and nced at her before sighing. "You wouldn''t understand... And you don''t need to..." Xavier then inspected Sangrea''s new figure. There was definitely a change in her presence, it was almost like he was speaking to someone else. The two made eye contact as Sangrea, who didn''t understand what he meant, turned to him. Under Xavier''s eyes were dark circles. She knew how much his family meant to him, after all, he always had a bright smile on his face whenever he talked about them. ''Well then... Time to kill myself and start over-'' "Are you going to bring them back with that ability you used...? Just likest time?" Sangrea asked. Xavier''s eyebrows rose in surprise. Initially, he was nning to use [Return.] and go back to his previous checkpoint, but Sangrea''s words had caught his attention. "Last time?" Xavier questioned. As far as he knew, it was the first time he used [Rewind Level 0: Origin.] Yet somehow Sangrea recognised it? ''This may be something worth learning about before I go.'' "Yeah... Don''t you remember...? B-Back when you... Had died...?" Xavier''s eyes had widened at that moment he felt an intense throb in his head. "Argh..!" He suddenly groaned as he ced his hands on both sides of the head. His head pulsated in pain as shards of memories started flowing into his mind. -Broken Memory Xavier could be seen running around in the snow with a beautiful silver haired and red eyed young girl. A peaceful memory of two kids having fun. -Memory Transition Xavier''s motionless figure drenched in bloody on the cold snowy floor, beneath him the snow was red and across him was a figure covered in dark scribbles that rendered it unrecognisable. The young girl''s body had crashed into the wall behind Xavier. Her body was covered with injuries, most of her bones having been broken or twisted. She could barely breathe. Unlike her, Xavier did not have a heartbeat. He had died. Or so it seemed. *Stter* Slowly, the spilt blood that had dyed the snow beneath him began to drain back into his body as his body recoiled back into its original position. As the figure shrouded by dark scribbles witnessed the sight unfold before him, he flinched. Even Sangrea, whose face was covered in tears, couldn''t believe what she was seeing. -Memory End Xavier panted heavily, his eyes remained wide as shes of memory flooded in. "Xavi... W-What''s wrong!?" Sangrea asked nervously as she checked him for injuries left and right. "Do you need blood, is that it!?" Xavier''s pants grew as he moved the de closer to his neck. ''Thank you... Sangrea... Thanks to you I remembered something... But I have to rewind now... These memories made my consciousness numb... I feel like I''m going to faint...'' "L-Look... On the other side of the room, A vampire made it in..." Xavier had lied, he had done it to divert her attention away from him. Sangrea believed it and, thinking he was under a mental attack, quickly turned to look for the vampire. "W-Where are they? I don''t s-" *Stter!* Sangrea''s eyes widened as right before her eyes, Xavier decapitated himself Everything went ck. [Rewind Level 1: Return.] - - - When Xavier opened his eyes, he was greeted by a guilty Sangrea and a cold and dark room inside. As he nced over at the bed to his right, he saw his mother and sister peacefully asleep. Xavier sighed in relief. "I''m back... Hold on." He muttered. With a confused expression on her face, Sangrea tilted her head to the side. Vampires were outside, so they couldn''t make a sound. She wanted to question what he meant by it, but she couldn''t. Xavier suddenly began waving his hand in the air while staring at the ceiling. He continued to do this without saying anything. - ''D-Did I hit him too hard!? Did he go crazy!?'' Xavier''s next move, however, surprised her even more. *Grab* *Unbutton* He suddenly unbuttoned the cor of her dress before lowering it. As a result of Xavier pulling too hard, it dragged downward and exposed her sweet soft curvy boobs and nipples, which bounced, as well as the seals chains that were wrapped around it. Sangrea looked down and her face instantaneously became a bright red. ''Eh?'' As Xavier slowly extended his hand towards her chest, her heart beat faster and faster. ''Ehhhh!?!?'' ''H-He wants to d-do this right now?'' ''D-Doesn''t he know that it''s a bad timing!? His parents are in the room and we''re being hunted!'' ''B-But I can''t back down now after always teasing him... W-What do I do...?! I don''t have any experience with this sort of thing!!'' As Xavier got closer, Sangrea''s mind was having an internal conflict. As he whispered, Xavier stopped right next to her ear, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "New n... They already know our moves. No point in hiding, we''re breaking out of here." Sangrea''s blush faded immediately as Xavier grabbed the silver skull from her seal rather than fondling her. At that point, She realized she''d been overreacting all along. ''Oh right... This is Xavi we''re talking about... He probably isn''t interested in those things... That, or he doesn''t see me as a woman... Though I''m his wife...'' Sangrea thought to herself with a dejected expression as she nodded. "Also... Sorry... For revealing your special parts like that..." Xavier muttered with a blush as he slowly looked away. Sangrea froze at his reaction. She took a moment to process it before her eyes grew bright. ''Eh? This reaction...!'' ''H-He''s blushing...!!!'' She thought to herself as her expression filled with joy. "Oh~ Are we going to act like that wasn''t on purpose now? You know~ If you wanted to see, you could have just asked~ I wouldn''t mind showing it~" *Rattle!* Xavier removed the sea, pulling out the chain and interrupting Sangrea as he did so. "Oh-" At that moment, a surge of energy burst out towards him. 44 Chapter 44 As he nced at the bridge through the small cell window, a Vampire asked, "Do you really think someone would be crazy enough to take two hostages with the Vampire Lord here?". The Vampire was inside of an old broken down and open prison, before him were countless chained men whom they soon nned to execute. "Maybe they don''t know, in which case they''re fucked. on top of that, we have countless weak butpetent Vampires positioned on sight, they''d never even be able to-" *VBOOOM!!!* Suddenly, a dark pressure blew towards the Vampires interrupting him. A beam of dark light had shot up towards the rocky ceiling of the Vampire camp''s cave from one of the empty houses across the bridge. Their eyes widened as they peered through the barred windows at the source of the beam. Out of one of the houses emerged the silhouette of a giant dark shadowy bird. On top of the bird were four figures. "What the-" *BANG!* As the doors banged open, the two Vampires in the room were dumbfounded. There came a Vampire running in with a desperate look on his face. "The intruders are soaring through the camp heading towards the main building. "All units are to proceed to the main pce!" He yelled with a desperate look before running out and informing the others. They looked at each other before grabbing their swords and rushing out, leaving the prisoners alone in the room. After the Vampires left, all the prisoners immediately began looking for ways to escape. Their clothes were stripped from them and they were chained up by the arms and legs. "Fuck... My injuries are still burning..." "I''m going to kill those fuckers... They took our family and kids...!" For many reasons, these men were kept there and tortured instead of being turned into a blood bag. The mostmon one was that they had retaliated against the vampires to protect their family and were captured whilst doing so. Most were killed, they were the only survivors and their deaths were soon toe. "Fuck... They made the shackles too tight and took the keys..." "Did anyone else here awaken some sort of power? Mine isn''t useful for a situation like this... Hell they drained us of our energy, I wouldn''t be able to use it even if I tried." As the prisoners struggled to find ways to escape, a ck haired man with a shredded physique remained motionless with his head hung. A red bandage covered his left shoulder, where his arm had been severed by a Vampire. "Hey you... Don''t just sit there and help us...! What sort of ability did you unlock? Now''s our chance!" He ignored him and remained motionless. "Leave him be... Look at his eyes... He''s already lost all hope..." Then, as their attention shifted back to finding a way out, something strange happened to him. Suddenly, there was a slight distortion in the air. His eyes glowed dark as he slowly raised his head, bringing them into full view. - - - "Xavi!! We''re almost there!!" Said with hair swaying strongly against the wind. They were perched atop a giant bird clouded in shadows, soaring over a bridge. Beneath them were countless Vampire''s pointing their weapons and firing at them. Various abilities wereunched at the flying bird, but it avoided them by swaying left and right in the air, even doing a barrel roll as it approached its destination. As soon as they crossed the bridge, they were at their destination. The pce. *FWOOSH!* It pped its wings vigorously before stopping in the air above, sending strong gusts of wind. When the shadow bird transformed into a giant sphere engulfing its passengers before falling to the ground, the Vampires eyes widened in surprise. "Iing!!!" A Vampire yelled as they all rushed away from the pce''s entrance. *CRASH!* The giant shadow ball crashed into the ground, cracking and sending tremors throughout the area. "Surround it!!" Before readying their weapons, the Vampires surrounded the sphere with their weapons in hand. "Atta-" *FWOOSH!* Four figures were suddenly thrown out of the sphere over the Vampire formation straight through the pce doors. In just seconds, Sangrea closed the door with the snap of her fingers, enclosing them in darkness as she covered the door with shadows. After doing so, Sangrea turned to the center of the room where Xavier was standing. Before him were two Vampires, one was blue lc haired Vampire, and the other was a midnight green haired Vampire who held a superior presence. Both were powerful, and Xavier easily recognized them. Having spent so much time torturing one of them, it was impossible for him to have forgotten. It was Arnold and the Vampire Lord of the camp. Xavier looked around and noticed the other four nobles from the previous rewind weren''t here. It appears they hadn''t arrived. ''Looks like rushing here was the best bet... If it''s just the two of them...'' While getting ready to engage, Sangerea began to crack her fingers. Her shadow began squirming around. "Wow... Silver hair and bright red eyes with a dark dress... It really is you Sangrea Redblood. I heard rumours of you being sealed and weak... This pressure... It doesn''t feel weak at all to me..." "Quite bold of you though isn''t it? To make an enemy of the ca-" "Shut up." Xavier interrupted as he walked towards them. "Come again?" Arnold asked as he directed a re at Xavier. Xavier extended his arms as he approached them, dragging the edges of the de across the ground. "Sangrea, remember what I told you up in the air?" Xavier asked. Her instructions were to depart with his family through the transportation mirror and to keep them safe until he arrived. The two before her were powerful, so she was hesitant to do so and leave Xavier on his own. ''Although they''re no match for me... I doubt that Xavier who has yet to be a fully fledged Vampire can-'' Sangrea''s eyes widened. ''Wait... Xavier drank the blood of a human back at the station... Why hasn''t he be a fully fledged Vampire yet?'' Sangrea was unaware of the system or it''s ability to dy and manifest more improved evolutions. She hadn''t found it strange before because so much was going on but now that she had thought about it. "Sangrea, what are you still doing here? Go." Sangrea''s figure vanished along with his mother and sister''s who were on her shoulder. They entered a shadow before appearing by the top of the staircase right beside the mirror. *Pfft* The Vampire Lord suddenly snorted before Xavier''s eyes before showing him a confused look. "Are you... Crazy? You think you stand a chance at defeating me and a noble?" Ignoring his words, Xavier stared at the two wheels manifested beside him. In the middle of the wheels were a giant button which read [Spin.] [Other Level Up Options are still avable.] Xavier had decided to save those for [Full Body Recovery.] He knew he was going to need them. Xavier grinned as he was now only a few steps away from them. "You Vampires just never stop talking... Even a Vampire Lord who''s ranked the lowest of the low is all bark and no bite." "Then there''s his bitch beside him waiting for a chance to take over his position." Veins bulged out the side of both the Vampire''s necks as Xavier gazed at them with cold eyes. "Come." *CLANG!* 45 Chapter 45 After smearing her blood across the Transportation Gate, Sangrea activated it and crossed through it with Xavier''s mother and sister. Although she did not want to, she trusted his abilities. "Come." Said Xavier as he took up an amateur sword stance. Xavier spread his legs as he crouched, his body slightly tilted towards the Vampires before him and his swords pointed at them, taking a deep breath. [Spin.] [Spin.] When he pressed the spin button, the two dark ming wheels beside him began to spin, and at the same time the two infuriated vampires vanished from his sight. *Swoosh!* Arnold appeared before Xavier''s very eyes with a sword swing heading straight for his head. The Vampire Lord appeared behind him with another swing that moved even faster towards his waist. Xavier, whose speed was vastly inferior, had no way to avoid it, much less parry both of them at the same time with hisck of technique. However, despite that, he still smiled. *Fwoosh!* In the next second, Xavier''s figure vanished, forcing Arnold and the Vampire Lord to sh through the empty air. ''What..?! He''s gone!?'' Arnold thought in astonishment. While ducking to his left, the Vampire Lord swung his head backwards, barely avoiding Xavier''s swing diagonal from behind. *sh!* While the Vampire Lord avoided the swing, Arnold, who was in front of him and had not seen iting, had part of his leg severed as Xavier carried the swing over to him. ''Wha-'' *BAM!* Xavier was struck from the left by a punch to the arm as the Vampire Lord countered with a fist. As Xavier went sliding down the hall with his arms raised, The Vampire Lord said, "Not bad". At the veryst second, he raised his guard and blocked the punch. ''What the hell just happened!?'' Asked Arnold as he looked at his detached leg. ''His movements... What the hell is going on!?'' Xavier took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Xavier began sprinting at them with all his strength as Arnold attempted to reattach his leg. "Watch out for his movements!" [Gravity ma-] *SLASH!* As Xavier disappeared from their view, the Vampire Lord''s eyes widened in surprise. In that moment, his left arm, which he had been getting ready to use to slow [Gravity Maniption] Xavier''s movement, was suddenly sliced off by Xavier as a swing crashed past him from behind. ''!?!'' With the surge of pain flowing through his body and his blood gushing out, the Vampire Lord quickly turned around to find Xavier''s feet mming into Arnold''s face. *WHOOSH!* Arnold slide down the hall, leaving his leg behind, as the Vampire Lord swung his sword vertically downwards at Xavier. *CLANG!* Xavier crossed both swords in mid-air, allowing him to easily block the powerful swing of the Vampire Lord. [Gravity Maniption: Gravitation Edge.] *CRASH!* Upon parrying, the figure of Xavier plunged to the ground, cracking the concrete as he coughed up blood and saliva. In a fraction of a second, the Vampire Lord thrust his sword at Xavier to pin him to the ground. *Pierce!* The Vampire Lord''s heart sank however, as his figure had vanished, resulting in him having prated nothing but the concrete floor. *SLASH!* Vampire Lord''s eyes widen however, as his very arm, which he had used to thrust down the sword, was shed cleanly off by a sword swing that came out of the air right before him. As he nced up, he saw Xavier''s figure spinning in mid-air with another horizontal swing heading right for his neck. [Gravity Maniption: Gravitation Burst!] Suddenly, Xavier was hit by an invisible force bursting at him, sending him careening through the air. While watching Xavier''s figure m and crash into the pce wall, the Vampire Lord let out heavy pants as blood poured from both of his severed arms. So that Xavier wouldn''t be able to move, he continued to apply Gravity to the wall. His swords were also scattered as he had identaly loosened his grip on them, making him much less of a threat. "Get up and go kill him!" Shouted the Vampire Lord at Arnold as he quickly tried positioning his body to reattach both arms. The instant he bent down to do so however- Again, Xavier''s figure appeared in mid-air before him in the exact position he was before being sted away. This time two diagonal swings simultaneously heading down at him forming an "X" cross. The Vampire Lord couldn''t believe his eyes, just an instant ago, Xavier was pinned against the wall by gravity, yet now he was right Infront of him. ''How is this possib-'' *SLASH!* The Vampire Lord''s head was sliced cleanly into four pieces before his body fell and dropped onto the floor. [You killed a Low-ranking Vampire Lord!] [+370 XP!] [LEVEL UP!] Xavier dropped onto the ground, onto the ground, before almost slipping and falling on the Vampire Lord''s pool of blood. As he adjusted himself, he looked towards the only remaining Vampire in the room, which was Arnold. While Xavier had been dealing with the Vampire Lord, Arnold had managed to reattatch his leg and get into a proper fighting stance. But as Xavier approached him, he couldn''t help but wonder. ''Although he had caught us by surprise with his ability... He still managed to beat the Vampire Lord... C-Can i really beat someone like him?'' Meanwhile Xavier was staring at the screen before him with a smile as he thought of how lucky he was. [Skill] [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] [Allows the User to revert his, an object or a person''s position up to five seconds.] -Memory As they soared through the Vampire Camp on top of the Sangrea''s Shadow bird. Xavier took the opportunity to organise his stats and [Spin.] the [Mysterious Wheel roulette.] for the sake of it. He proceeded to feel his heart sink from surprise however, as the wheelnded on a feature he didn''t even know possible. [Ding!] [Congrattions! Wheel hasnded on: Level up Orb!] Right before Xavier and Sangrea''s eyes, a glowing orb manifested in the air beforending on Xavier''s arms. [Would you like to consume the Level up Orb?] [Y / N] Xavier nodded his head as he muttered. "Yes..." Confusion spread against Sangrea''s face as the orb slowly levitated out of Xavier''s arm before entering through his chest. Xavier''s eyes shone a bright glow for a few seconds before a smile grew on his face. "Xavi...? Is everything okay?" Sangrea asked with a worried look. "Focus on flying... Everything''s just fine..." Muttered Xavier. "With this... I might just be able to beat them..." -Memory End. Xavier was now just a few steps away from the trembling Arnold. [Ding!] [Ding!] [Both Mysterious Roulette Have Both Landed on an option!] [Would you like to see the options?] "Just a second." Said Xavier as he red at Arnold. "Devour." He added. Arnold felt his heart sink as streams of blood flowed out of the Vampire Lord''s body and into a sphere of blood over it. A blood stream then ruptured out of the blood sphere over to Xavier''s mouth before filling it while he walked. *Gulp* *Gulp* [You are consuming the blood of a low-ranking Vampire Lord!] [+1 Stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] [+1 Stat added to Sense!] [...] Xavier was inundated with notifications every second as the blood of a Vampire Lord hit. In spite of this, he paid no attention to any of it, and instead looked at Arnold, who was shaking in fear before his eyes. He lowered his head, forcing his blue lc hair to cover his eyes. "I-I''m sorry... Please spare me..." Xavier didn''t respond and instead stopped moving. Feeling hope, he slowly raised his head only to find Xavier looking down at him with a look of disgust and disappointment. It was the type of look you''d make when finding out you''d stepped on shit on the side of the road. It sent shivers down Arnold''s spine. "Spare you...?" Xavier asked as the image of his dead mother and sister popped back in his head once more. "Did you... Really just say that?" 46 Chapter 46 "Did you... Really just say that?" Xavier asked with hollow eyes. [You have stopped consuming the blood of a Low-Ranking Vampire Lord.] [Logs] [+6 Strength.] [+4 Agility.] [+5 Sense.] Ignoring the notifications resounding across his head, Xavier leaned in towards Arnold''s ear before whispering. "You don''t get that option... Raise your guard." Arnold, shivering in his boots, slowly raised his trembling arms only to widen his eyes as a fist mmed across his face. *BAM!* His figure was blown across the air before he slid down the hall on his back. Watching his bloodied broken nose regenerate, he looked down at it with bloodshot eyes. Then he nced up at Xavier who was slowly approaching him. Anyone could see that at that moment, Xavier was furious. "I''ll give you a hint... I can turn back five seconds in my position." [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Strength: 31] [Agility: 33] [Stamina: 11] [Sense: 27] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 2] [Gluttony: Level 1] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] Hearing Xavier''s words, a grin grew on Arnold''s face. Gradually, he pushed himself up off the ground before smiling while he facepalmed. "Hahaha... So that''s what it was..." Arnold giggled to himself. "You... You really are an idiot, aren''t you? Telling me about your ability..." Arnold inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling. After pushing his legs into the ground and cracking it, he kicked off in the direction of Xavier almost instantly. If there was one thing Arnold was confident in, it was his speed. As he circled around Xavier repeatedly, his figure quickly blurred. Xavier, who saw this, continued to walk forward, not looking left or right to watch out for Arnold''s attack. ''This humiliation... I''ll kill him! I''ll rip him to bits!!'' [Electric Maniption: Electric Shockwave.] Suddenly, Arnold mmed his feet into the ground, sending an electric shockwave towards Xavier from his front beforeunching himself at Xavier from his blind spot [Electric Maniption: Electric de!] In a sh of blue light, his sword lit up as he swung it down at Xavier. With two separate attacksing from two different angles, Arnold forced Xavier to use his ability to avoid rather than just attempting to dodge with his inferior speed. *SWOOSH!* Just as Arnold had expected, Xavier used it. Right before his sword or the shockwave connected, Xavier''s figure faded. [Retract: 5 seconds.] Having taken a step with each passing second, Xavier appeared 5 steps behind Arnold. Xavier was sessful in avoiding, but as Arnold turned his head, Xavier noticed the grin on his face. As Xavier threw his sword at Arnold, something struck his body from the right. *BZ-BZZZT!!!!* The electric shockwave that mmed into Xavier''s right side widened his eyes. The countless volts of electricity flowing through his muscles stunned him in that spot, causing him to tremble throughout. While swaying to the side, avoiding Xavier''s sword, he could see veins bulging in his arm from all the blood his sword had drawn. Arnold, not wanting to waste the opportunity, sprang at Xavier from the front, the initial shockwave passing through him and toward Xavier. It had all gone as nned. While circling him and setting up an attack, he deliberately waited five seconds to calcte where Xavier would [retract] after his initial double attack. Xavier had ended up exactly where he''d predicted, five steps backwards. Having just reverted, Arnold ced his bet on Xavier not being able to do it again until five seconds had psed, making it impossible for him to avoid again. Xavier who could barely manage to move three steps back in just two seconds while stunned watched as Arnold thrust his sword at him with a grin of victory. At the same time Xavier was about to be struck by the beast-like electric shockwave- *BZZZZT!* *Pierce-* Following the electrical discharges, the sound of a sword cutting through flesh drizzled through the air. *Drip* *Drip* *Drip* In a moment of deathly silence, blood streamed down through the edge of a de. With the smile wiped cleanly off his face, Arnold dropped to his knees before hanging his head. "H-*Cough!*" He coughed out blood. "How...?" He asked in disbelief. The handle of Xavier''s sword could be seen sticking out of his chest when he looked down. "You said five seconds... And you said only your body''s position..." Arnold muttered. Five seconds had not psed since Xavier threw the sword. After turning around, he found Xavier standing behind him, with a sword in his left hand pressing against his neck. He then looked down his back and saw the right sword''s de sticking out and blood streaming from it. "Did I? My bad... I must have forgotten to mention that it was up to five seconds? Meaning one or two or even half a second counter. Oh! And it wasn''t just my position but the position of my objects." Said Xavier with a smile. "This... This was all part of your n wasn''t it?" Asked Arnold as he teared up. The moment Xavier had thrown the sword, from its position to how he threw it, it was done for Arnold to intentionally evade. Having somehow calcted that Arnold would attack straight from the front with his guard lowered, he could reverse the sword''s position to be right where he''d leap. Hence, piercing him through. "Then... Then, that would mean you purposely let yourself get hit by the shockwave- *Cough* *Cough!*" Arnold''s tears dripped down onto the floor as blood gushed from his mouth. "What are you...? Your speed and strength are clearly inferior to ours, so why...? Why did we lose!?" *Sigh* "You... You still don''t get it do you?" Xavier asked as he winded back his arm with the sword. "Your prideful nature and tendency to underestimate those of other races... That weakness of yours is so easy to take advantage of it''s scary..." It became evident that Arnold was getting closer and closer to his death as Xavier threw some practice swings at his neck. "But that''s not it... The real reason you lost is simple." "You''re weak." The sword had pierced a vital weak spot in Arnold''s body, causing a surge of pain that burst from every movement. He cried out, wanting to move and fight back, but the sword prevented him from doing so. "E-Even if you kill me... My family... The Demitris and the Vampire Lord''s family which you killed... The Azriels... They won''t forgive you... They''ll hunt you down and-" After seeing Xavier''s expression of pure delight, Arnold''s words fell from his lips. "Thank goodness... I won''t have to search for them that way... But don''t worry, I will bury them with you." Xavier blushed. "Y-Y-You mo-monster-" *SWOOSH!* Xavier decapitated Arnold in a single swift motion by swinging his sword. [You killed a Low-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [Rank: Viscount.] [+210 XP!] "Devour..." Xavier muttered with cold eyes. - - - [You have finished consuming the blood of a Low-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [Logs.] [+4 Strength.] [+1 Agility.] [+5 Sense.] *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* The Vampires banged against the doors as they tried to break in. Meanwhile, some remnant of the corpse''s blood smeared the walls in front of him. Against the walls, blood was smeared in a way that read. [A gift for the Azriel and Demitri Family from your predator <3] Xavier put a lot of effort into the heart, he was very proud of it. "Well then... Let''s head out there and look for my father. I can feel him somewhere in the camp... I''m worried about leaving mom and sister alone, but Sangrea''s with them." Xavier murmured. ''Besides, this will be a great experience to gain some XP... Vampire camps they said? One this weak feels more like a levelling farm.'' Xavier thought to himself excitedly. However, as he stepped towards the door, his heart sank. His eyes snapped open as he looked over to a dark corner of the room. "You cane out now... My dumbass finally noticed." Said Xavier. "..." At first there wasn''t a response. But shortly after, the sound of pping echoed from the dark corner as two figures emerged. As Xavier stared at the figures, his mouth opened. Memories of his past came crashing into his head. Before him was a butler and beside the butler was a maid. At that moment, for some unknown reason, Xavier''s body began to tremble. "I hate to say this, but you will not be seeing the youngdy." The butler adjusted his sses. "You will be dying here right now, after all." - [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Current status.] [Strength: 35] [Agility: 34] [Stamina: 11] [Sense: 32] [SP: 0] 47 Chapter 47 Xavier stared at the figure of the butler in front of him with trembling hands. Memories of his younger self covered in blood shed in his mind as the butler approached. While the butler released his bloodlust, his face resembled that of a devil, making Xavier even more terrified. "I hate to say this, but you will not be seeing the youngdy." The butler adjusted his sses. "You will be dying here right now, after all." Said the butler. Xavier''s ears twitched. Suddenly, he stopped trembling in his body, his expression shifting from fear to anger as he red at the butler. While the butler narrowed his eyes behind his sses, the maid stopped in her tracks as she was red at. "It''s just as I thought... The idea of dying doesn''t scare you..." Muttered the butler. Xavier''sck of fear as he stood before them surprised the maid. ''The head butler of isn''t just any regr Vampire... He''s strong enough to acquire his own territory... Yet despite that, this young man is able to stand before him with that expression...'' "So you finally decided to show yourself... You''ve been following us for quite a while, haven''t you?" Xavier asked as he pointed the edge of his de at him. "If you''re going to kill me, what are you waiting for? Come." Said Xavier. *SWOOSH!* In the following instant, the butler''s chest appeared right on the de''s edge before grinning at Xavier. Xavier''s narrowed his eyes. ''He''s even faster than the low-ranking Vampire Lord that I just killed...'' Seeing the two [Mysterious Wheel Roulettes] beside him, he nced at the choices they had selected. [Option 1: Timed Bomb. (1 Use Consumable)] [Option 2: Teleport Crystal. (1 Use Consumable)] Xavier let out a sigh. "Before we start, tell me... This isn''t the first time we''ve met, is it?" Xavier questioned. The butler smiled. "That''s right, it isn''t." Xavier nced at the maid behind them. ''I feel like the puzzle is finallying together...'' He thought to himself. "...You''re the one who almost killed me, aren''t you? On that snowy day..." Xavier muttered. As he pulled his arm back to thrust it forward, the Butler said, "I don''t think you understand the position you''re in right now...,". As he red at the butler a grin grew on Xavier''s face. "No.. There''s a lot of things I still don''t understand... But rather than that, You should pay attention to your surroundings." Said Xavier as he nced down. The butler and maid nced down at the ground and saw a strange cube with a timer that read [00:01]. With a confused look, they watched as the timer hit [00:00] *BOOOM!!!* A loud explosion echoed through the room as the cube exploded before the two of them. The butler went sliding down the hall with his arms raised in a guarding stance. Xavier, on the other hand, was sted right at the door, crashing straight through it and out into the middle of the Vampire''s formation, where he mmed into another vampire before sliding down onto another Vampire''s feet. [Timed Bomb Used!] The Vampire wore a cap and had an infuriated look on his face. "The target is confirmed... All units! Attack!!!" He shouted. Numerous weapons were swung down at Xavier at that moment. "Oh-" [Rewind Level 2: Retract] *SWOOSH!* - There were burn marks running down the butler''s arms, which were slowly regenerating. "Oh dear... He''s a sneaky one." Said the butler. "How much longer do you insist on testing him...?" The maid asked as she walked up to him. After adjusting his sses, the butler took a step forward. "Orders from the head were to make sure he was truly worth the youngdy''s time." While staring at the smoke cloud ahead of him, the maid took a deep breath. "Do we have to act like we''re going to kill him, though? Are you aware that the youngdy will kill us when she finds out? The maid asked with narrowed eyes. "Hohoho... It''s more fun this way." Said the butler with a grin The butler''s grin widened as he looked out through the open door as the smoke cloud began to subside. Xavier stood outside the door, fighting off the Vampires on his own. *SLASH!* *SLASH!* While swiping his sword without stopping, Xavier was leaping left and right from one Vampire to another. He gulped down streams of blood as a growing number of Vampire corpses filled the area surrounding him. As they bombarded each other with their abilities trying to hit him, he was simply outmanoeuvring them all with his [Retract] ability. As he killed more and consumed more blood, he became faster and faster. "Doesn''t that alone qualify him?" Questioned the maid with an intrigued look. "You''ve seen what he''s done... He''s put her and the family we serve at risk several times and all we''ve done is watch." The butler took off his coat before saying, "If he can''t survive a fight against me, he''ll bring us all down." In nothing more than his shirt and vest, he slowly drew a rapier from his sheathe before forming a stance. "You''re not just saying that because you want to fight him, are you?" The maid asked with narrowed eyes. "Of course not." The butler responded with a grin. *FWOOSH!* - [LEVEL UP!] [Blood orb extracted!] [Blood orb extracted!] [You are consuming the blood of Vampires!] [+1 stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] [+1 Stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat added to Sense!] ''Faster...! Faster!'' Xavier shouted repeatedly in his head. *SLASH!* *SLASH!* [You killed a Vampire!] [You killed a Vampire!] As he desperately killed one vampire after another, Xavier went on a killing frenzy. As more blood sttered over him, the more he knew he couldn''t stop. ''There''s no telling when that butler will-'' *WHAM!* The side of a fist smashed against Xavier''s face in mid-air, interrupting his thoughts as it sted him through the formation of the Vampires and sent him sliding down the bridge. The impact Xavier sustained had sent him so far away that it severed the connection he had with his nine blood orbs. Once he had stopped sliding, he quickly got up before spitting out a bit of mouth and looking at Butlering towards him from down the bridge. As he opened his mouth to speak, he noticed that his jaw was partially dislocated. [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Energy: 134/220 -> 120/220] By the time he''d entered back into a stance, his jaw had fully healed. [Name: Xavier trigger] [Level: 8] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS AVAILABLE: X4] [LEVELS REMAINING UNTIL EVOLUTION: 2] -Next Chapter Preview: The Vampire Butler. (Part 2) 48 Chapter 48 "...14th Camp Unit Commander... We''ve confirmed that the camp''s Vampire Lord has indeed fallen... What do we do...?" Asked one of the members of the Vampire Camp defence unit as they stood by the bridge. Two figures stood on the bridge. A dark and silver haired young man with two swords on his hands who was being approached by a butler. After thrusting his sword into the ground, the unitmander rested his hands over it. "Let''s wait and see how this fight ys out... Let them tire themselves out before we kill them..." He muttered. "That is... If we even stand a chance.." - [Name: Xavier trigger] [Level: 8] [LEVEL UP OPTIONS AVAILABLE: X4] [LEVELS REMAINING UNTIL EVOLUTION: 2] Getting into a fighting stance, Xavier cracked his head left and right. Several spikes protruded from the de''s cross guard before piercing his knuckles and drawing blood. As Xavier''s blood filled the jewel at the pommel of both swords, it began to glow. [The sword consumes your blood in exchange for power.] [You grow stronger by the second!] The butler walked slowly towards Xavier, his wide grin on his face. The closer he got, the more excited he became. Xavier clicked his tongue as he looked at his [Skills]. [Gluttony: Level 1.] The reason he had attacked all those Vampires a while ago, wasn''t just to get a few stats boosts. He did it to get Gluttony''s Level 2 ability, berserk. ''Why still hasn''t it levelled up...? What am I missing? What are the conditions?'' ''Without it, I won''t be able to beat this-'' Xavier''s eyes widened and for a moment the butler''s figure blurred, only for a long rapiers edge to appear before Xavier''s eyes. *SWOOSH!* Xavier''s heart sank as he swung his head to the left. While doing this, he nced towards it, only to notice arge cut on his cheek, he barely avoided it. ''What is this speed!?'' He questioned as he swung both swords at the Vampire butler''s waist. The Vampire Butler effortlessly avoided both swings as he stepped backwards, before thrusting his rapier forwards once more. *SPLATTER!* Xavier''s cheek was once againcerated by the rapier as it passed by him, despite once again moving his head in an attempt to avoid it. The instant he moved to counter again from a new angle, countless rapier rapier thrusts were directed at him simultaneously. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* While Xavier was backing up, parrying repeatedly and swaying from side to side, the butler was giving pursuit by stepping in while thrusting out attack after attack. *CLANGGG!!!* With an upper swipe, Xavier''s arms were knocked upwards, leaving him exposed before the butler thrust the edge of the Rapier towards Xavier''s chest. [Retract] *FWOOSH!* The butler''s eyes narrowed as Xavier''s figure vanished, right before the Rapier could pierce it. He had appeared a few steps behind the butler moving to attack him. *BAM!* Xavier''s eyes widened however, as the heel of a boot dug into his chest the moment he''d retracted to his previous position. *VWOOM!* While soaring through the air, Xavier had his momentum squelched by the butler who appeared behind him with another kick to the head. [Rewind Level 2: Retract] *SWOOSH!* Xavier''s figure had vanished again and the Butler''s kick flew past the empty air,pletely missing him. Xavier on the other hand, had appeared a few meters away from the butler, soaring towards him with his swords thrust out. Mid-air, the butler could not avoid it. Or so it seemed- [Barrier Maniption: Invisible Barrier Wall.] *FWOOSH!* Xavier''s eyes widened as the butler kicked off of thin air, barely avoiding Xavier''s thrust while dodging out of the way. The butler''s heart skipped a beat however, as Xavier too proceeded to kick off with the same spot, appearing before him and swinging his des at him. *CLANG!* At the instant Xavier swung his sword, a barrier suddenly appeared around the butler, blocking his swing. ''This... The speed at which he adapts to changes in a fight is truly a sight to behold... He caught me off guard by leaping off after me...'' As they plummeted down the bridge to countless pointy earthern spikes below it, Xavier repeatedly swung at the barrier, attempting to crack or break it. *BAM!* The Sixth swing was cut short by a kick which crashed against Xavier''s arm as the butler kicked towards his head. Xavier''s guard was still raised when he was sted into the wall. Simultaneously, the butler kicked off his own barrier and leapt at him to grab him. *GRAB!* The Vampire units which were on standby all watched from above the bridge as Xavier was dragged down the walls by the butler. While he swung his sword repeatedly at the Butler, Xavier''s head was repeatedly banging against rocks, but no matter how many times he swung, he could not break the tiny barrieryered over the butler''s clothes, he could only partially crack it. Finally, they reached the bottom, and Xavier''s figure wasunched at the pointy spike''s edge. [Retract.] Xavier''s figure disappeared right before he made contact with the spike''s edge, only to reappear in his previous location up in the air above a few seconds above the butler. Right after retracting, however, something grabbed his leg, causing Xavier''s eyes to widen. It was the butler, he had predicted that Xavier would do that. "Not good enough." Said the butler as he swung his leg along with his body downwards. *SPLATTER!* *SWOOSH!* But the moment he swung Xavier''s leg tounch him back down, the butler ended up dragging his leg alone, it had been detatched from his body. The butler''s eyes widened. As the butler looked up, he saw Xavier''s face filled with pain as his sword swept through where his leg had been severed and an axe kick headed down at the Butler. ''He cut off his own leg?!'' *BAM!* The kick crashed into a barrieryered over the butler''s skin beforeunching him down to the spike. Xavier grabbed his leg and plucked downward, beforending on top of a corpse stuck to one of the spikes below. Before looking over at the cloud of smoke caused by the butler''s impact, he looked at the corpse. He knew the impact wouldn''t have injured the butler. Groaning in pain, Xavier attached his leg with [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] at the cost of [Energy: 114/220 -> 78/220]. Xavier was running out of energy. Nheless, Xavier could use one of the [Level up options] to heal himself. Looking down at the corpse beneath him, he recognised it. It was the corpse of one of the vampires he hadunched from the bridge. While staring at it, Xavier noticed something that made him smile. ''I''ve figured it out... The key to levelling up berserk.'' "Devour..." He muttered. - As the smoke cleared, the butler emerged from the top of the broken spike. He was pping his hands. "Impressive... Truly impressive... The determination to cut off your own leg and to strike me with your other leg... The ability to think of that in such a short amount of time... You passed. " A confused expression hung over the butler''s face however when he noticed that Xavier wasn''t paying attention to him, he was looking up at the bridge. In addition, Xavier was now wielding three des instead of two. He had picked one up from what appeared to be a corpse beneath him. A blood orb could still be seen over the corpse, despite being partially devoured. [Conditions have been met.] [Skill: Gluttony has levelled up.] [Gluttony Level 2: Berserk has been unlocked.] [The hungrier the user is, the stronger the user bes. The user''s stats increase proportionally to hunger.] [Warning: The user may be consumed by the hunger whilst using the skill.] "Hey..." Xavier muttered with the sword''s handle in his mouth. "...I''m hungry..." he mumbled. ''What''s this feeling...? ...The air around him has changed...?'' The butler thought to himself. "Well, you''ve passed, why don''t we end this confrotation and go get you something to-" Xavier''s sword edge appeared before the butler''s face almost instantly, interfering with his speech. *CLANG!* Across the butler''s neck''s skin, the sword''s edge mmed into the thinyer of the barrier beforeunching him through the countless spikes around him. ? *CRASH!* *CRASH!* *CRASH!!!* Having crashed straight through three giant earth spikes, dumbfounded, he adjusted slightly distorted sses while watching through his cracked barrier as Xavier approached. Watching the butler''s blood drip down his forehead, Xavier grew a grin. ''He''s faster... And stronger... And he managed to shatter through my barrier? This..'' "This is getting exciting..." said the butler as he took off his sses. 49 Chapter 49 There was a stare-down between Xavier and the Butler. Xavier, who was holding three swords, began to giggle and drool as he dug his heels into the ground. As he prepared to attack, muscles bulged from his neck, arm, and legs. [Berserk State Activate.] Meanwhile, the butler took a different stance. With an assertive posture, he stood upright. Putting his left arm behind his back, he raised the Rapier, positioning it right in front of his chest. While the butler closed his eyes, the Vampires standing on the bridge watched nervously. It was impossible to predict the oue. *Snap* As the butler''s eyes snapped open, Xavier kicked off the ground, his entire figure blurring through even the eyes of a Low-Ranking Vampire as heunched himself at him. Rather than stepping back or trying to avoid it, the butler grinned as he thrust his sword forwards towards Xavier. *CLAAAANGGG!!!!* A loud ng resounded at the bottom of the bridge, causing strong winds to burst forth. The Vampires widened their eyes in surprise as they looked down the bridge. A third figure appeared. It was a dark blonde-haired girl with deep crimson red eyes in a maid outfit. She had appeared in between the two with her arm stretched out towards the both of them. She was surrounded by a thick barrier that stopped not only Xavier but also the butler. "Isn''t that enough for a test, head butler?" She asked as him with a cold smile. After seeing her cold look, the butler sighed. "You''re right, perhaps I did get a little too excited... But Anastasia... If I hadn''t put up my barrier... You could have gotten hurt." She nced over at Xavier was on the other side of her. The feral look on his face intensified as he dug further and further into the barrier with his sword. The butler and maid''s eyes narrowed, their expressions growing serious as the cracks progressed to the point where it was about to shatter. "See?" The butler asked with a smile. Once again, the maid stared coldly at the butler. "Do you really think I can''t tell that you''re holding back?" "The Vampires up there have called for back-up. We need to remove any trace that we were here before the other camp''s back up arrives so I kindly ask that you stop ying around." *Shatter!* The barrier shattered, and Xavier''s three swords descended upon the maid''s figure. Even so, the expression on her face did not change. *SWOOSH!* A gust of wind blew past her, Xavier had halted mid-air as three barriers had manifested around him, stopping and trapping him. While trapped on the inside, he took swing after swing, gradually shattering one barrier after another, but whenever he did, another two barriers would simplye into ce to rece them. "You should rx more often, stress is bad for your youth..." Veins bulged out of the side her neck. "I am aware of that..." Exhaling a deep breath, as she looked at Xavier, she casually muttered. "Sleep." Through a cut on her arm, strange, barely visible chemicals were being secreted and directed at Xavier. The chemicals entered the barrier through the gaps and had filled it. [Pheromone Maniption: Sleep-inducing secretion.] Xavier''s movements became sluggish after shattering the eigth barrier, he was both slowing down and calming down. In just a few moments, Xavier''s movements ceased. The maid let out a sigh of relief before looking at the butler. "Looks like he finally fell asleep... So, did he pass?" She asked. "With flying colours... He''s worth keeping alive... Probably worth the youngdy''s time too." The butler replied as he picked up the barrier with the sleeping Xavier inside. "Then let us return to the youngdy at once..." *Badum* *Badum* *Badum* Pheromone maniption. The ability to manipte and secrete pheromones, chemicals that can react and trigger a social response in the target. This chemical reaction can induce sleep upon an individual, even for Xavier the sleep would be hard to resist. Contrary to what they knew, Xavier had not fallen asleep but had rather calmed down, leaving his [Berserk State] as an additional effect. [Berserk State Deactivated.] Though his eyelids felt sluggish, he tried his best not to fully close them. ''Fuck... I lost control during the berserk state... Just like with the time I became a ghoul... Even my fighting style changed to shit...'' ''However i was stronger and faster... Yet even with it...'' ''The butler was able to restrain me... What the fuck is he? Or more importantly... Who the hell are the Redbloods?'' Xavier faked his sleep while being carried away while he patiently waited for an opportunity to strike. He had heard something about it being a test and how they would return him to Sangrea, but he didn''t trust it. ''Either way I was able toplete my objective... I was able to save them... The only problem is that I couldn''t find dad... I thought I found his scent but i never felt it again... Was I just imagining it?'' ''It''s entirely likely that he''s dead...'' Xavier hade to the conclusion that he''d been trying to avoid. Memories of the good times he had with his father shed by his mind as clenched his hands into fists. ''Fucking damn it...'' Xavier cursed as he cried from the inside of barrier. ''I''ll keep them safe dad... I promise... Just like how I avenged you...'' Whilst the tears streamed down his face, a notification that Xavier had not heard in a while, suddenly popped up. [New Quest Received: Evolve.] - - - "Hey... Where did they go?" An eerie mist covered everything below, preventing them from seeing what had happened. "Why''s this mist so thick? I can''t see anything.." Asked the Vampires as they looked down from the top of the bridge. As he stared at the mist, the Unitmander narrowed his eyes. "They''re gone... It seems they''ve already escaped." *Step* *Step* *Step* The sound of approaching footsteps attracted the attention of the Vampires, as well as themanders. As they turned towards it, their eyes widened. The figure of a young boy with spiky short Pearl ck berry colored hair was seen walking down the steps of the pce entrance. He wore a tiny ck suit and a mask with a drawing of a smile He was apanied by a cloaked squad who also wore masks. On their masks were drawings of a frown. "That''s... The noble, Marquess Luther!" In that instant, all the Vampires on sight bowed before the young boy. It was a high-ranking Vampire noble. High-ranking nobles did not all be vampire lords. Some found the role tooplicated and full of responsibilities. A vampire lord was not necessarily stronger than a noble, it was all a title and rank at the end of the day. The Vampire Lord which Xavier had defeated was ranked Earl as a normal and even then he was ranked at the lowest of the low as a Vampire Lord when he became one. "Hm~ I can''t believe that with all these Vampires here, I was still called out here... From going to the front lines over to this ce... What is the duke thinking by always making me run his errands." "Master Luther, I believe you should refrain from suchments in public." Whispered a female voice from the squad behind him. "Who cares about that? More importantly..." The marquess turned to the Vampires bowed around him. "Why are you all bowing...? If they''ve escaped go look for them." Said the marquess with his young innocent sweet voice. However, despite how innocent or sweet it may have sounded, the bloodlust which was delivered through it sent shivers down each and every one of their spines. "You heard him! Send the patrol units out! Find them! Guard the pce and make sure nothing goes through!" Yelled themander. The marquess who saw this, nodded in approval before appearing before themander and cing his hand over his shoulder. "You, you''re in charge here right? Is it true that the Redbloods are involved with this incident?" He asked. "T-That is correct." Themander responded. A smile grew on Luther''s face from beneath the mask. "Hmm~ Maybe this wasn''t a waste of time... Good thing I stayed here instead of getting deployed to America or whatnot." "I wonder what the Redbloods are thinking? Do they want the major families and queen to make a move?" 50 Chapter 50 *Swish* *Swish* In the tiny tunnel, two Vampires traversed through dirty waters while the sound of water swerved left and right. Barricades and a wall indicated a dead-end at the end of the tunnel, but there was a moderately sized crimson transportation mirror ahead. With the giant barrier floating beside them, the butler and the maid walked over to the transportation mirror without saying a word. Inside the barrier, Xavier continued to pretend to be asleep. Along with the tears that had flowed down his cheeks, his sadness had dried, leaving him with nothing but anger. Due to the fact that he had found only his mother and sister in the camp, he knew there was little to no chance he was alove and that he was now responsible for their safety. In order to reach them, he could not simply break out of the barrier and go through the main pce. In the Vampire Camp, Xavier felt some stronger presences arrive, and he wasn''t in the mood to deal with them. Especially when there was clearly a different gate right before his eyes. [New Quest Received: Evolve.] Xavier''s thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sudden appearance of a screen. Despite having his eyes closed, he was still able to see it. [Quest: Reach Level 10 and choose an Evolution.] [Levels achieved: 8/10] [Reward:] [+ 1 Ancient Relic Compatible with Evolution Choice.] [+500 Coins.] [+1000 XP] ''I was going to evolve anyways so it''s just free rewards... And why are you only showing up for a quest now after all this time? I could have gotten some quests while fighting the Vampires a while ago.'' Xavier wanted to click his tongue, but resisted. *Cut* The butler cut his hand and smeared blood on the mirror before activating it. Then he nced over at Xavier, who had his eyes shut with an innocent sleeping expression. "..." Without saying anything, they crossed the gate. - Upon crossing the gate, the first thing Xavier noticed was the horrible scent permeating through the air. He narrowly opened his eyes before looking around only to get frustrated at the result. They were inside a sewer, there was dirty water sloshing around in a stream that led down to darkness. Standing on a tform beside the stream, they began walking down it without saying anything. ''Another tunnel... At least they look like they know what they''re doing...'' After patiently waiting and listening to their footsteps, Xavier''s thoughts turned to his mother and sister, whether or not they had woken up. But that wasn''t all. His mind also shed to Sangrea''s smiling expression, which surprised him even more. ''...I guess I only got this far thanks to her... Even if her butler and maid tried kidnapping me.'' ''I can''t tell if being involved with her is more trouble to my te or more positives...'' ''Oh well, there''s no use thinking about it... It''s the apocalypse after all. Might as well check out my stats.'' [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Race: Half Chronos & Vampire Fletching Hybrid.] [Level: 8] [Level UP options x 2] (Avable.) [XP: 920/1600] [Coins: 900] [HP: 50/50] [Energy: 148/220] [State: Normal.] [Strength: 41] [Agility: 43] [Stamina: 11] [Sense: 37] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 2] [Gluttony: Level 2] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Shop.] [Quests.] ? [Equipment] While Xavier''s body was being transported through the barrier, his eyes scanned through his statuses. ''St-Stamina is 11? God, I need to find a way to work that out...'' He thought to himself. Drinking Vampire''s blood didn''t give him any Stamina, unlike his other stats. He had only received one stamina point from drinking human blood. ''Meaning once I''m back together with Sangrea and the others, I''ll have to start drinking more human blood... Should I raid a blood bank?'' He wondered. Further down, he found the [Equipment] section, something he hadn''t seen previously. [Equipped:] [Common Vampire Patrol Unit Uniform.] [Common Vampire de x 2] [Vampire Noble de x1] [Active Affects:] [+5 Endurance] [Hibernating Affects:] [Strength, Agility & Sense Stat boost up to +20 when all three swords are drawing blood] ''This is interesting... Good thing I stole the uniform, even though it''s super torn right now...'' As Xavier moved around to find a morefortable position, a faint glow appeared from his uniform''s pocket and a notification appeared on his screen. [You have yet to use the Teleportation Crystal (x1 Use).] [Would you like to use it?] In a frown, Xavier brought his brows together. ''I''ll save it for when I need it. I can escape whenever.'' Xavier''s words were not a joke. To avoid being consumed by berserk, he surpressed himself and held himself back. It was nothing like when he was a ghoul and he was going on a rampage. In terms of strength, Xavier''s [Ghoulified form] was on par with his [Fully fledged Vampire] form. But his current state was weaker than both, even with his recent [Berserk.] Berserk worked by getting stronger the hungrier he was, however while he was hungry, Xavier was nowhere near as hungry as he was when he became a ghoul. Nevertheless, they showed clear intentions of not trying to kill him so there was no point in going all out against them, so he was simply resting and regaining his strength. He didn''t trust that they''d take him straight to Sangrea, but he didn''t care. He could find her whenever or force it out of them if push came to shove. "Xavier... Do you know how long the Vampires have existed for?" The butler suddenly spoke up, breaking the deathly silence. Xavier didn''t respond, he kept his eyes closed. ''Did i hear that right? Does he actually know that i''m awake or is it just a bluff?'' He wondered "You can stop the act now, we know you''re awake. You''re curious aren''t you? About Vampires and the Redbloods. The war is only just beginning after all." Muttered the butler with a grin. - - - A group of young men and women entered a vast training room, where a man sat silently on his own, meditating and practicing controlling his ability flow. There were many badges on his uniform, and he had a grumpy expression on his face. "What is it?" He asked. "S-S-Sir... Is it true that we will be deployed into the battlefield soon?" Asked one of the young men in fear. Slowly, the grown seated man stood up, towering over the group. [14th Vampire ying Division Captain Of The Great Vampire Opposition Corps.] Short red hair trimmed short with brown eyes that are strong and determined. He had such a shredded physique that it felt as if he had no fat at all, and he wore a big sword around his waist that seemed impossible to carry. It was like a giant lump of metal. "Yeah... That''s right... We''ll be getting deployed soon..." He muttered in a deep voice before turning to the target behind him and drawing his sword. "B-But weren''t focusing mainly on rescuing as many people as possible for now?" The man nced at the person who''d asked the question with a cold look. "Orders from above... I believe the patrol units have made it clear that the Vampires arepletely taking over... If we want to preserve as many lives as possible... Then it''s obvious what we have ot do..." *SWOOSH!* He swung his sword and strong gusts of wind blew by the room. The wind pressure seemed almost impossible for a human to produce. But just as the Vampires were evolving, so were the humans. "We''ll kill them." He muttered before ncing at the target before him. It was sliced cleanly in half. 51 Chapter 51 A vampire was an immortal, ageless race that survived by devouring human blood. Their existence among humans hadsted countless centuries as they hid in the shadows and hunted their prey whenever hunger struck. Many did it for the thrill of the hunt. In time, the number of Vampires gradually increased until it reached its present level. However, that led some to ask, where did it all begin? The Ancestral Vampires. The very first Vampires, the ancestors, the group which existed far before any other. Their identities were unknown and how they became vampires in the first ce was a mystery that remained unsolved. To avoid causing chaos in the bnce of power, the Ancestral Vampires split up and gathered in their respective continents and countries. By increasing their numbers and manipting civilisation as they saw fit, they created their own kingdom of the shadows. What is known today as the Vampire World. A hierarchy of vampires was created, with the purest and closest blood to their ancestral blood tending to rule at the top. As a result, the Royal Vampires emerged, the Vampire King and Queen who had the purest blood rted to them. In a much weaker concentration followed the nobles. Dukes, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and the Barons. Then came the fledglings, fully turned Vampires. Their ancestral blood was scarce, making them much weaker than normal vampires from birth. These vampires weren''t treated as nobility or given any special rankings, unless they had parts of them which stood out. Of course, fledglings created from ancestrals themselves were a different story. There was a mysterious day though, when all the ancestors vanished, leaving only the nobles to manage their jobs. - *Step* *Step* *Step* Xavier listened in to the butler''s story as they walked. A lot of questions were answered during the butler''s exnation. He walked behind him and listened as many thoughts passed through his mind. ''At first I thought the butler was the one who''d killed me before, in my memory... But now that I''m walking behind him, I''ve noticed that the presence they give off is different... He wasn''t the figure clouded in scribbles from my memory.'' ''But then why was my body shaking when I saw him?'' In addition to paying attention to the butler, Xavier was also trying to figure out his puzzling thoughts. "Where do the Redbloodse in?" Xavier blurted out. The butler adjusted his sses once more. "I was just about to get there." - There was an even higher rank than the duke, second only to the king. Royal blood-rich and only existing because of its extremley close proximity to royalty and strong amount of ancestral blood running through it''s veins. In the entirety of Ennd, there was only one Archduke family. In the beginning, the title of archduke was granted to the very first Redblood who then created a family bloodline of vampires that had existed for generations. In the recent past, a great event had taken ce and the rank of the redbloods was revoked. The process led to them losing influence and power in the vampire world. - A narrow look swept across Xavier''s face as he listened intently to the butler''s exnation. "What happened, why would they remove the rank?" Xavier asked. Immediately after he asked the question, the air around the maid and butler changed. From the side, he noticed that their faces were painted with anger. "Treason... The Redbloods attempted overthrow the royal family." Xavier ced his hand beneath his chin before nodding. "Oh, so that''s why." The butler and maid were left puzzled by Xavier''s nonchnt reaction. "You... You''re strange... Despite hearing all of that, you remain calm... Treason is one of the highest offences someone canmit, I''m sure it deserves a more surprised reaction." Said the maid. Xavier tilted his head to the side with a confused look. p "But It doesn''t matter? We''re in war aren''t we? If we want to overthrow them, we can do it now." Said Xavier. The maid''s eyes widened and the butler grinned. "I thought you were strange, but you''re really just crazy, aren''t you?" Asked the maid with a surprised look. "That''s quite rude, you''re making me out to be some kind of brute." Responded Xavier. Veins bulged out of the side of the maid''s neck. ''Because you are!'' She thought to herself. "Haha... Xavier, the Redbloods had never tried to overthrow the royal family, we were framed for doing so because of the amount of power we were gaining." "Ah, is that so... Well doesn''t that make it better? Since you''ve already been framed, why not just do it?" The butlerughed at Xavier''s response. "It''s not that simple, the family barely got away with just losing a rank from that usation. This time we could lose our entire bloodline... Do you think we''d want to make an enemy of all the families in the country?" Asked the maid. "Why not?" Xavier asked as he stopped in his tracks. Without a hint of fear in his eyes as he looked towards the two before him. "We''re in war, aren''t we? Aren''t Vampires greedy and prideful, isn''t now the perfect time?" Xavier''s response and look left the maid speechless, and the butler wiped away tears from all theughter before grinning at him. "I can see why the youngdy chose you... You''re truly interesting, in more ways than one." Said the butler. The maid who noticed that she was at a loss for words, quickly turned away from Xavier before continuing her walk. "Tough words for someone that couldn''t beat a butler." Her words pierced Xavier right in his chest as he followed after. "I would have won if you hadn''t interrupted." He remarked. "Bold excuses. Tell him, head butler." She added. The two turned to the butler who had a constant smile on his face, he was enjoying their interaction. "Who would have won, huh...? It''s hard to say..." "You mentioned that I was holding back when fighting him, didn''t you?" He turned to the maid. As he adjusted his sses, his expression grew serious while he walked past them. "I wasn''t." Those were hisst words as he walked ahead. Xavier turned to the maid and she turned away, avoiding eye contact as she did so. "You were saying?" Xavier asked. "Either way, the head butler''s power can''t bepared to the strength of the royal family." "So?" Xavier asked while walking past her. "If they''re stronger... Just get stronger and devour them." 52 Chapter 52 "So?" Xavier asked while walking past her. "If they''re stronger... Just get stronger and devour them." It was a simple response, but doing so would have been unthinkable for anyone. Yet Xavier didn''t even seem to care, the bloodlust he let out as he walked without a hint of fear... It terrified her. ''...'' The maid was speechless, and that fact that Xavier made it sound like such a minor thing irked her greatly. ''Is this really who the youngdy chose...? Someone who isn''t even aware of the risks? How can he be so carefree?'' She wondered before following after. Xavier who was walking was stopped by the butler who suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to him. "Xavier... I have a question. If we decided to overthrow the royal family, would you y a part in it?" The butler asked. The moment he asked the question, the maid felt shivers run down her spine. "It''s just a personal question of mine, nothing serious." Xavier thought a bit about the question before responding. ''I could be honest and tell him that I won''t get involved with any matters as it doesn''t involve me and my family... But... I still can''t trust him, what if he decides to use my family as a reason to get me involved?'' Although he had a carefree expression on his face at most times, Xavier was one to carefully consider "You should already know, I''m neutral. If nothing bad happens to my family I won''t get involved. Then again... I owe it to Sangrea for putting so much at risk for me, so if that was what she wanted in return, I''d do it." The butler adjusted his sses once more. "You''d do what exactly?" Xavier''s eyes glowed a vibrant shade of red as stared at the butler right in the eyes. "I''d devour them..." The maid who had bene watching from afar felt shivers rush down her spine at his words. She could almost visualize a pile of corpses belonging to the royal family beneath him. ''What the hell..? He''s just a fledgling... How can he give off this kind of pressure?'' The butler grinned at the pressure, before turning away and walking ahead. "That''s good to know..." "Because right now, as the way things stand, this war won''t just be between humans and Vampires." Xavier had already known this fact, even he wasn''t dumb enough to not have noticed the hints. Sangrea''s family did something bad by helping him, and now they were most likely going to pay the price. [Skills] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Gluttony: Level 2] [Rewind: Level 2] Xavier took a moment to stare at his skill tab while he walked. The journey ahead of them still appeared to be quite far. ''Level two... I need to Level up Gluttony again... Especially if I want to get stronger...'' Xavier recalled the fight he had with the butler. During the end, he had figured out a way to level up Gluttony. One which he did not expect to figure out. ''Levelling it up was far simple than I''d imagined. There were only two conditions.'' The first condition was hunger, Xavier needed to let himself drown in his hunger, his gluttonous desire to consume anything. THen came the second condition, to devour enough blood. When Xavier had previously be a ghoul, he''d managed to level up gluttony because of how hungry he was nad how much blood he''d consumed. That sparked the evolution of his [Gluttony.] p And so when fighting the butler, Xavier simply retracedd his steps. Fortunately for him he''dready consumed enough blood nad was simply in the need of bing hungry. ''So to level it up to level htree... I''ll have to starve myself and devour a multitude of blood or just use a level up orb...'' Xavier sighed, the path of growing stronger was still a long journey ahead. But it didn''t dismotivate him at all. ''If I can level up gluttony... Then I may be able to devour people''s abilities like the system said... Whether it''ll be level 3, or a higher level however is something I''ll gamble.'' Xaiver couldn''t even begin to imagine what the next level of gluttony held in store for him. Xavier then looked back at the skill tab and frowned. [Rewind: Level 2.] ''The only problem is rewind... If skills and abilities level up with continuous use, then now that I''ve finally acquired level two... As long as I continuosly use Retract, I should be able to level it up...'' Xavier was cing his bet on this theory, for it was his one and only shot. After reaching his conclusions, Xavier turned to the sewers roof. There weren''t any ghouls anywhere to be seen. "There aren''t any ghouls down here, are there?" Xavier asked. "No, there are." The maid responded. "You were inside the camp and underground for a while so you porbably wouldn''t know, but it''s night outside. The ghouls are active during this time." Xavier moved his hand closer to his swords handles. "It''s fine, they won''t disturb you if you''re with us. They''re not down here ianyway, they leave the underground and go out to hunt." Reassured the butler. A dejected look spread across Xavier''s face. ''And here I wanted to collect some XP on the way...'' He thought to himself. - - - The three travelled along the sewers with their guards up, not because of the ghouls but in case any Vampires had decided to follow and find them. Eventually, they''d reached adder which led them upwards towards an exit. After taking it, they found themselves standing in the middle of the underground train tracks. "There really aren''t any ghouls here..." Mumbled Xavier as he looked at the tunnel''s ceiling. He prooced to look down the tunneln on both sides while asking. "What station is this?" Fortunately for him, his question would be shortly answered as they were near a tform. "Let''s find out." Said the butler as he walked down the tracks towards the tform. Xavier and the maid followed after, but after a few steps, they suddenly stopped in their tracks. There were three figures standing by the tform, quietly waiting. One had bright red glowing eyes and stared at them while the other two didn''t seem to notice. Xavier who had stopped walking slowly narrowed his eyes as he tried to see who they were before opening them wide. *FWOOSH!* Kicking off the ground, he suddenly left the butler and the maid''s side before rushing to the tform. His heart was pounding with excitement, joy and fear as he saw their faces through his [Night-Vision.] *SWOOOSH!* Xavier''s figure vanished and appeared just ahead of the tform where the three were sat down. With tears streaming down his eyes, he watched as they slowly turned to him. It was as if everything was moving in slow-motion. "Mum... Sis...!" 53 Chapter 53 Deep underground at King''s Cross St Pancreas''s station, a cute young girl could be seen sat down on the floor with her body curled up into a ball. Sat beside her was a gorgeous olderdy . Sadness and tension filled the air as they waited quietly. With her body still curled up, the young girl slowly raised her head and gazed at the silver haired standing by the tform''s edge. Long silver hair, slightly curled around the edges along with deep bright crimson eyes. Her attention was focused down the tunnel as she stared into it. But as if having noticing her gaze, the silver haired beauty suddenly turned to her and the two made eye contact. ''...She''s pretty...'' They both simultaneously thought to themselves. Worried that her gaze was disturbing her, the young girl suddenly lowered her head. "...You... Really won''t hurt us, will you?" The olderdy mumbled. The silver haired beauty shook her head. Her question caused a saddened expression to grow on Sangrea''s face. "I''d never, I promised Xavier I''d keep you safe..." She responded. Despite having said that, neither of them were buying it. The Vampire had told her that Xavier had stayed behind in the Vampire Camp where they were being held captive and was dealing with the Vampires for them. Even though most of it was a blur since they were unconscious most of the time, they''d seen first hand what Vampires were capable of, there was no way Xavier could survive on his own. Even their father had his arm cut off and was toyed with. ''..Please god... Please let them both be safe...'' The olderdy prayed. The young girl on the other hand, clenched her hands into fists and grit her teeth at the thought of her dear brother getting hurt. ''If theyy even a finger on my brother... I''ll never forgive them... Those damn Vampires...'' She thought to herself in anger as even more tears streamed down her eyes. From the young girl''s eyes her brother was someone short, weak and fragile how needed to be protected. ''...For now we need to figure out a way to escape to look for him... But how?'' The youngdy looked around down the other tunnel''s entrance, in the shadows there were a group of Vampires on standby. Fortunately for her, there weren''t any ghouls around and any which they had seen had been dealt by the group which had been on standby. ''They''ve been watching over her since she left...'' Upon making eye contact with one them, they responded with a re, sending shivers down the youngdy''s spine. She quickly turned her head away before hanging her head down. ''What was I thinking...?'' ''These guys are not only faster and stronger but there''s way too many of them... Getting away will be impossible...'' While looking down she noticed that she was shivering, but it wasn''t just her. It was also her mother who had her arms wrapped around her. Although they were mostly unconscious they could still faintly remember the Vampires strapping them to a b and draining their blood from them in a cold and dark room. ''Damn it...'' The youngdy cursed as tears grew in her eyes. ''Dad... Brother...'' She called out inwardly. *SWOOSH!* Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by her, interrupting her thought process as it did so. "Mum... Sis...!" The two''s ears twitched at the familiar voice. As they both slowly raised their heads, their eyes widened. Before them was a young man. He had short ck and silver hair with sharp crimson eyes. His jaws were trembling from pure joy as he stared at them, his round eyes quickly grew watery. "B-Brother...?" "Xavier...?" *Thud* Out of nowhere, Xavier suddenly leapt at the two, wrapping his arms around them and hugging them tightly. Xavier''s mother''s and sister''s eyes quickly teared up as well as they both returned the hug with their own tight embrace. Tears were streaming down from their faces as they were filled with happiness and releif. "Brother...! Brother!!" "Xavier...! You''re safe!!" Both his sister and mother cried as they tightened their embrace. Xavier who could feel their joy and heartbeat instantly felt a wave of relief rush in as it sunk in. Their bodies were warm, their heart was beating. It wasn''t cold like in the previous timeline. They were alive. "Thank god... Thank fucking god..." Xavier whimpered with a smile as the tears began flowing out. It was as if all the tears which he had been holding out hit him all at once... An overwhelming feeling. A small smile grew on Sangrea''s face as she watched the family''s reaction. It was clear to her that they really loved and cared for one another deeply. ''...I didn''t know he could make an expression like that...'' It truly brought her happiness to see the three of them together. Xavier had finally done it, all his hard work to find and save them had paid off. ''This alone was worth it...'' Without saying anything, Sangrea quietly leapt off the tform before gesturing towards the maid and butler to follow after her. ''I wonder if one day... He''ll ever be able to make an expression like that because of me...'' The maid and butler nodded quietly, not wanting to ruin the moment before the two headed towards the other side of the tunnel where the Vampires hiding in the shadows were on standby. ''I didn''t even get to introduce myself properly to his family because of how shy I was... Argh this sucks...'' Countless thoughts filled Sangrea''s mind as she walked away. The ache in her chest however managed to overwhelm all those thoughts the further away she got from Xavier. Eventually her eyes began to tear up as she reached the tunnel. [Shadow Maniption-] "Where are you going? Sangrea." Xavier interrupted, as he called out to her. Sangrea''s ears twitched. She remained on the train tracks with her back turned to him. "I''m leaving." "What do you mean you''re leaving?" Xavier asked. "..." "Answer me." Sangrea clenched her hands into fists. "I''m sure you''ve already heard from the head butler... The other families will be out for me. If they''re with you, you''ll be able to keep them safe even if it''s the apocalypse... But if you stay with me, they''ll be at an even greater risk..." "..." Xavier didn''t utter a word, he just quietly stared at Sangrea. Seeing this, having nothing else to say, Sangrea continued her walk. After two steps however- She suddenly felt a handnd stop upon her shoulder. She turned back only to find Xavier standing behind her with an angered look. "Does I look like I give a flying fuck?" Sangrea''s ears twitched. "You helped me, now I''ll return the favour and help you. Whether it''s those prideful nobles, Vampire lords or even the fucking royal family line. If theye at us for saving my family, then I''ll fucking devour them all." Bloodlust began to seep out of Xavier from all the frustration. "Stop acting like a sorry bitch ande enjoy this moment with me, you''re my wife, aren''t you?" Sangrea''s pupils dted. Viera''s eyes widened and ine blushed and covered her mouth in surprise. "Oh my~" ined mumbled. ''You''re telling me that''s Xavier? He''s changed...'' Viera thought to herself. Sangrea turned to Xavier showing her eyes filled with tears, her jaw was trembling as she grabbed onto his arm and asked. "Is it really alright...?" 54 Chapter 54 Sangrea turned to Xavier showing her eyes filled with tears, her jaw was trembling as she grabbed onto his arm and asked. "Is it really alright...?" "Who knows? Doesn''t matter, you''re sticking with me." He responded as he looked her in the eyes. "Is that clear?" With streams flowing down her eyes, Sangrea suddenly leapt at Xavier with her arms stretched out. *Thud* The two collided and flopped to the floor. Xavier whonded head first on the train track let out a pained groaned before looking down at Sangrea. She had her arms wrapped around him and had the happiest looking expression panned across her face, as well as a bright smile. "That hurt, you know?" Xavier muttered while rubbing the back of his head. "Hehe... Can I still like this for a bit?" She asked. "...Alright." Stuck in that position Xavier took a moment to get a good look at Sangrea. She had reverted back to her sealed state and was back in her previous petite form. He''d also noticed that the skull seal was back in it''s previous spot, as he nced down her dress. ''Did she put the seal back? Why is she back in this form if the other one is more powerful?'' Xavier looked around, all eyes were on them. The butler took a moment to clean his sses, while the maid sent Xavier a re and gesture telling him toply. Xavier then looked over at ine who had a rxed and happy expression on her face as she watched. Viera, his younger sister on the other hand... ''What''s with that girl...? Why is she so close to my brother...'' She wondered as she gazed at them. *Boop* Sangrea suddenly poked Xavier''s nose, instantly drawing his attention. When he turned to her, he noticed Sangrea''s sparkling gaze as she stared at him, her cheeks were bright red and he could hear her chest pounding super fast. "Why do keep looking around?" She asked as she tilted her head to the side. ''Isn''t it obvious?'' "Because-" *Smooch* Xavier''s eyes widened. The moment he had opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by Sangrea who suddenly leaned in and kissed him. This cheeks instnatly flushed red along with hers, and his heart began to pound faster and faster His mind was filled with thoughts of the sensation of her soft lips as they connected with one another. Sangrea''s tongue slowly slid it''s way into the inside of his mouth before making contact with his. Her technique was all over the ce, even the way she moved her head showeed inexperience. She was a bad kisser. But even so- It felt amazing. Without moving they remained in the same position for a few seconds before separating their lips. A strand of saliva could be seen connecting their lips before disappearing after they did so. Quiet pants filled the air as a cheeky grin grew on Sangrea''s face before hse leaned nito Xavier''s red ears and whispered. "Something''s been boking at me for a while now~ I wonder what it is?" She teased Xavier nced down only to find arge throbbing bulge in between his legs, it had been poking against Sangrea''s thighs. ''''T-This girl...'' Xavier had grown annoyed of her constant teasing, so much that he reflexively opened his ahnds wide before mming it against her ass. *Spank!* "Mn~!" She squealed in surprise. "Behave yourself, everyone''s looking at us." "..." Sangrea didn''t say anything, she was simply frozen with a surprised expression. Xavier who saw this let out a sigh of relief, but the moment he did- "Can you do that again?" She asked with an excited expression as she blushed. ''...'' Veins bulged out of the side of Xavier''s neck. The spank had the opposite effect. Without saying anything, he slowly moved Sangrea to the side before getting up and looking over at his mother and sister. They had seen the whole thing and were both blushing. Viera had her hands over her eyes leaving just enough of a gap to see through. ine on the other hand had only covered her mouth, hiding her smile as she watched. Xavier looked over at Sangrea and she looked away with a blushing smile as she avoided eye contact with all three of them. "Fufu~" "Don''t fufu me." Muttered Xavier. "Also..." "Also?" Sangrea questioned. "What happened to your form? You''re back in your sealed state." - - - "It seems that a lot has happened while we were out..." Muttered ine. "Yeah..." Xavier responded with his head hung low. The four were seated on the tform, the Vampires were all minding their business, making ns for what to do after returning to their base with how bad the situation was. "Brother... You''ve changed..." Mumbled Viera. A saddened look grew on Xavier''s face before he asked. "Is it bad...? That I''ve be a Vampire..." Xavier was certain that she was referring to the fact that he had be a Vampire. He was worried that they''d look at him differently because of it. "Huh? That wasn''t what I was referring to. For starters, you being a vampire or not doesn''t matter, you''ll always be my brother-" "And my boy-" Added ine. " What I meant by changed was... Her." Continued Viera as she pointed at Sangrea. Sangrea looked left and right with a confused expression before pointing at herself. "Her?" Xavier asked "Yeah, that gorgeous girl. Who- No, what is she to you? I don''t remember you being such a beauty ma..." Muttered his sister as she red at him. ''''...Why does she look like she''s in a bad mood?'' Her cheeks were puffed out in a sulk, and she had been sending him countless res, one after another. ine also seemed curious, she didn''t recognise Sangrea but felt like she''d seen her before. Xavier looked over at Sangrea who was smiling happily after being called gorgeous by Xavier''s sister. "She''s my self-proimed wife." Thunder struck at the back of both ine and Viera''s heads. "Eh?" 55 Chapter 55 "I see..." ine muttered with her hand beneath her chin. Her Long light brown hair had been tied back by a hair band to make it less of a hassle, her round brown eyes showed a concerned gaze as if she''d recalled something. "..." Viera remained quiet with her head hung low. Her Long honey yellow hair rested over her face covering her bright orange irises. Xavier had just finished exining the whole situation of his rtionship to Sangrea to his mother. He''d exined how he met her in the city, she ended up being his long-lost childhood friend whom he''d been forced to forget about and how she turned out be his bond and was now his wife. "...I don''t buy it..." Muttered Viera as she clenched her hands into fists. "Don''t buy what?" Xavier asked "You didn''t tell me... If what you said was really true then why didn''t you tell me about her? Even if you did forget, there''s no way I would... How do you know she''s not making this up? Even if you forgot, there''s no way I would forget about someone like her..." She had a point. Xavier had also considered this, but based on the memories which were returning to him, he knew for certain it wans''t lies. He wasn''t sure why he hadn''t told his sister or mother though. "Actually, Xavier had mentioned it a few times." Said Viera. ''I did?'' Xavier thought to himself -Memory "Mum, mum... Can I go out to y with a friend? It''s snowing!" Asked Xavier with an excited expression as he tugged on his mother''s apron as she stood by the kitchen doing the dishes. "Friend? What friend and where are you guys going?" Viera responded. "Just outside, I usually go y with her, we don''t go too far." Viera was concerned at first because she did not know who he was referring to. Xavier was only ten, he was at an age to get easily deceived." "How old is she? Can you show me what she looks like?" Viera questioned. Xavier slowly shook her head. "She''s eleven! But I can''t show you her... I promised her mr. butler not to talk about her..." Viera was even more concerned at that stage but before she could press on with anymore questions, she was interrupted by Xavier''s father who entered the kitchen. "Oh? You''re going to go y with her again? Sure! Go have fun!" Said Eric with a wide smile. Xavier''s expression lit up before he went rushing out of the house. He was already wearing his winter clothes, jacket and gloves. Viera sent Eric a confused look before putting the dishes down and walking over to him. "Wha- Who- Who is this mysterious person he''s talking about?" Eric simply smiled and spoke. "Some rich girl who he met and made friends with, they always y together. Don''t worry, she''s always apanied by her butler who keeps them safe. They''ll be fine." "So you knew about this all this time and didn''t tell me?" "Because you''d probably try to pry in. Let them have their fun... More importantly, our son already has a girl at his age... Is it my gics? Man I''m blessed..." Said Eric with a smile -Memory End. "I tried pressing him about it but he wouldn''t tell me anything more than that." Said Viera with a cold look. "T-That does sound like him... O-Okay, fine. You knew her when you were younger, but what does that have to do with her suddenly being your wife?" "Just because she said she''s your wife, doesn''t mean you have to ept..." Viera muttered. Sangrea who''d been listening suddenly nced at Xavier. His sister had a point, even though he was her bond, the one she liked and the only one who could remove her seal, it didn''t mean that he had to marry her. In the end it was ultimately his choice. And once that thought sunk in for Sangrea, her expression instantly changed from that of a smile to that of worry. What if he didn''t like her? What if he was only going along with it because he felt like he was responsible? *Grab* Sangrea was snapped out of her thoughts by Xavier who suddenly put his left arm around her shoulder. "It''s fine, she makes a good wife. She helped me save the two of you too." Said Xavier with a bright smile. Viera and ine were both surprised by Xavier''s boldness. Sangrea had turned as a red as tomato, she opened her mouth in disbelief slightly showing her fangs before wrapping her arm around his back. ''Aaaah.... I''m so happy I could die!!'' She squealed inwardly. "But this reaction, usually you''re so cold to me. Don''t tell me... You''re jealou-" Xavier was interrupted by Viera who suddenly mmed her hand into his mouth to stop him from speaking. "I was simply trying to confirm that you weren''t being deceived is all.. Stupid brother..." She muttered as she tried covering her blush with her other hand. Xavier extended out his right hand twoards her before patting her head. "Right, right~ What would I do without you?" He asked with a smile. Viera seemed to calm down as she gracefully epted his pats, meanwhile Sangrea was rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. ine watched the three of them interact with a smile. It was good to see the three of them in a good mood, she was also d that she finally met the girl Xavier would always hang out with. Behind her smile however, there was a hint of sadness as she wondered about her husbands whereabouts. If Xavier and the Vampires couldn''t find him then there was no choice but to ept it. ''He''s really dead...'' ''I wonder what he''d think if he were here right now... Xavier''s all grown up and is starting toe out just like him... Even if he isn''t his biological son...'' *Ahem* "I hate to interrupt, but I believe we should get going." Said the maid as she suddenly approached the group from the train tracks. "I believe they areing after our trail as we speak." 56 Chapter 56 *Sniff* *Sniff* A group of Vampires could be seen moving across the underground tunnels, sniffing the air in search of a scent. They all wore the night blue uniform indicating that they were a part of a Vampire squad and were being led by a short young boy who''s face was covered by a mask. "Noble Marquess... They''ve been here." Said another Vampire with a mask covering their face as they approached him. "Yeah... There''s no way I wouldn''t recognise this scent." He responded with a wide grin present on his face. He proceeded to look down the dark tunnels, gazing through it with his crimson red eyes before giggling. "You can''t run from me, Redblood." - The sound of hasty footsteps filled the air as the group journeyed up the stairs of the underground station. They had decided to move from underground to overground due to the risks it posed. Their movement was restricted and there was barely anywhere to hide. It would also take them ages to reach where they wanted to go since none of the trains were running or present. *hop* One by one, they leapt over the boarding gates before following the exit signs and running down the path. The closer they got to the exit, the stronger the colder it became, and the stronger the flow of wind. Eventually, they''d reached the stairs and without wasting a single second, rushed to it''s ascension. *Fwoosh!* As they reached the top of the stairs their eyes widened as a strong cold breeze blew by them. "What the hell is this...?" Viera questioned with as the sight unfolded before their eyes. With their hairs swaying back against the strong winds, and the droplets of water crashing against their faces. They stared at appeared to be hell on earth. The roads were filled corpses and puddles of blood which were slowly flooding with all the rain. The buildings around were cracked with their windows shattered and trails of blood running along them. The cars and busses were vacant andpletely destroyed. A massacre had without a doubt taken ce. And if that wasn''t bad enough, after looking up they felt their hearts sink at the sight of the giant ck sphere in the sky above them. It was so big that it almost covered the night sky and stars. The ck sphere was all they could see. "What... What is that...?" Asked Viera as she covered her nose to mask out the nauseating stench. "I don''t know..." Xavier replied as he narrowed his eyes while staring into the far distance. They were still inside of the station, but even so they could feel it. There were ghouls all around them. "Us Vampires also don''t know... What we do know however, is that it''s an event which the higher nobles had been waiting for." Responded the maid. Xavier looked to the left at the [Underground.] Sign before his eyes shifted over to the [King''s Cross St Pancreas.] Sign. Beside it was a map of the underground lines, this would have been useful prior to the situation but not as of now. "So, what will you do now?" Asked the butler as he nced at Xavier whilst adjusting his sses. "Will youe with us back to the mansion? Or will you and the youngdy stay here in the city with your family?" Asked the butler. Xavier looked over at Viera and ine, both of the options seemed to worry them. ''Makes sense, after all... You either choose to live in a mansion with Vampires or choose to live in a city with Vampires.'' The mansion was an offer the butler had proposed while they were leaving the station. The Redbloods had a few mansions. One of them was Sangrea''s home. The mansion was fortified of course and had many servants on guard. However, there was no telling how the servants would react to humans like Xavier''s mother or sister. They could even attack them in their sleep. There was also the problem of the other families going to target the Redbloods. They would probably pay them a visit to beforehand but with the way things were, this would be a perfect excuse for the main families to get rid of them. ''I promised Sangrea to help her... To do so we''d need to go to the mansion... But then I''d be putting my family at risk...'' ''The risk wouldn''t be as big in the city... I could kill of the ghouls and my only threat would be the Vampires... But with [Rewind.] They could be avoided...'' Xavier took a few moments to think, everyone waited quietly. The cloaked guards on the defense squad had yet to say a word. They only quietly followed orders. *CRASH!* Xavier''s thought was interrupted by the sound of a vending machine crashing into the wall beside them. ncing down the path before them, they could see a group of ghouls charging towards them. Their eyes were fixed on Viera and ine. "W-What''s wrong with those people?" Asked ine with a surprised look as she took a step back. The ghouls resembled humans. They had wide grins spread across their faces and drooled as they ran on all fours like an animal towards them. For humans they moved scarily fast on all fours. "W-What''s wrong with everyone? Shouldn''t we be running?" Mumbled Viera as she suddenly retreated to her brothers back, grabbing and tugging on his shirt. ine looked at the other Vampires, none of them had moved, they all had a look of disappointment on their faces. "I don''t think we need to..." Muttered ine. "What?" Viera questioned with an even more confused expression. Xavier slowly turned to his sister with a smile on his face before cing his palm over her eyes to cover them.. ? "Viera... Close your eyes for a second. You too, mum." Said Xavier with a smile. Viera who was trembling from fear did as he said and closed her eyes, at that moment the ghoul which had finally caught up to them, lunged at her with joyful groans. "AARGH-" *SPLATTER!* 57 Chapter 57 The sound of a stter resounded across the underground. Viera who had her eyes closed snapped them open, only to find the very same ghoul with his body split in half from the head down mmed against an barely visible barrier. Xavier who had his sword extended out, quickly swung it sttering the blood on the de all across the floor before cing it back into the sheathe. After turning to his sister, she could see the smile still present on his face. [You killed a ghoul!] [+20 XP!] [Would you like to devour the ghoul''s blood?] ''No.'' Xavier quickly responded. "Don''t worry, these things are weak." Said Xavier. Viera looked at the floor where the ghoul''s corpse slid down onto, a pool of purple blood began flowing out of it towards her feet. She ignored it and looked over at ine only to find the ghoul which had leapt at her had been dealt with in a single strike by Sangrea, its body had also been sliced to pieces. "Then why didn''t you just say so?" Viera asked as she puffed up her cheeks. "Yeah, you gave us quite the scare." ineined. The two puffed their cheeks out before lightly bumping at Xavier''s back with a fist. Their reaction had surprised all the Vampires present. The maid who had been watching them narrowed her eyes. ''They don''t seem unsettled by all the blood or the ghoul''s corpse... They look carefree even, wouldn''t the normal human reaction be for them to appear unsettled?'' She looked over at the ghoul''s bodies which had their organs spilling out. Even if they were ghouls they still resembled humans. Most people would react in fear, panic or would even be puking at the sight. Yet they were perfectly fine? ''Both him and his family... They''re quite weird.'' The maid''s attention quickly shifted from them and her thoughts however, over to the [Underground.] Exit ahead of them. "Tsk." She clicked her tongue in disgust. "I''d hate to interrupt again... But there''s moreing." Said the butler. "Have you made your decision?" He asked as he nced at Xavier. "Yeah, take us to the mansion." Replied Xavier. "Let''s give it a look." A grin grew on the butler''s face as he listened to Xavier''s response. "Well then... Since the choice has been maid... Let''s head over to the closest one. The youngdy''s mansion." Throughout the time they were speaking, a swarm of ghouls had gathered and closed in the distance between them, lunging at Xavier''s mother and sister with their mouths wide open, drooling for flesh. *Snap!* The butler snapped his finger, and at that instant- *BWOOSH!* From the outside, countless ghouls could be seen soaring through the air at high speeds before crashing into the buildings ahead of the station. *BWOOSH!* *BWOOOSH!* With the sound of a loud bang, they were sted out of the station. Some went sliding down the puddle-filled streets while others banged their heads against themp posts, cars and other objects. A few secondster, the group emerged from the station with a barrier surrounding them. The butler who stood at the head of the barrier, sent a death-re towards the ghouls before him. The station was filled with ghouls, all around. From station''s main building to even the ghouls gathering in the area because of all the noise. "Youngdy... Your orders?" Asked the butler as he turned to Sangrea. "Get us home safe, make sure not a hair on their body is harmed." "As you wish." The butler responded with a bow. *FWOOSH!* Before their eyes, a horizontal barricade suddenly manifested, resembling a tform for them to stand on. Another barricade appeared on said top, of the other in the shape of a staircase ascending into the air. Together the group hopped from tform to tform, slowly getting further and further away from the ground as the ghouls repeatedly crashed into the barrier in an attempt to break it. "I thought the Vampires could control the ghouls..." Muttered Xavier. "We assumed the same... It appears they''ll all gone out of control due to external factors. They would usually avoid humans banded with Vampires but I guess they don''t care about us anymore." Responded the butler. "Only particr Vampires with mind control abilities can do anything to them at this stage..." Muttered the maid. *Hop* *Hop* *Hop* With each hop and transition onto a new tform, the previous tform would disappear and an aditional one would be formed above. Eventually they had gone so far off the ground that the ghouls could no longer reach them. [Barrier Maniption: Giant Barrier.] *Fwoosh!* The hexagonal horizontal barrier beneath their feet expanded creating arge tform just big enough for all of them to spread out upon. With their clothes swaying against the wind, ine and Viera took a seat on the tform to rx their legs. They had hopped through quite a lot of tforms. "Whoa..." Muttered Viera and Sangrea as they looked down. The ground was so far away, but the city view was incredible. Even if all they could see was destruction everywhere along with a few buildings. "Isn''t the government of this country supposed to bepetent?" The butler asked. "Against Vampires? I doubt it." The maid responded. Xavier gazed at building lit up in mes, a short distance down south. The dark smoke flowing up into the air as well as the rampaging fire, it had managed to hook in his attention. Sangrea and Viera imitated him and also stared at the burning building. While Viera could barely see it with her human sight, Xavier and Sangrea could see the ghouls clearly rushing into the buildings. No matter how weak they were, their numbers were getting out of hand. "Alright, that''s enough rest. We''re at central so to get to the mansion we need to head west to Knightsbridge." Viera and Xaviers ears twitched. ''Knightsbridge... That''s the posh area, isn''t it?'' Viera wondered. ''Isn''t that one of the most expensive districts of London?'' Xavier questioned inwardly. ''It seems they''re not just influential in the Vampire world...'' 58 Chapter 58 Sangrea nodded before getting up. She was being quite quiet and less flirtatious around Xavier. Xavier who noticed this wondered if something was wrong. But after watching her for a while, he noticed that she was asionally sneaking sses at his mother and sister with a nervous look on her face. ''Ah... She''s being shy.'' Xavier realised. "Youngdy, may we proceed?" The butler questioned as he sent her a nce. "Of course." Sangrea responded after sending Xavier a nce. "Well then, let''s-" *BZZOOMT!!* In that instant, a bolt of lightning passed right by the barrier, barely scraping against it before propelling itself up into the clouds. The Vampires eyes all widened as they nced down at the barrier. At the bottom a group of Vampires could be seen standing outside the Underground Station''s staircase. Ahead of the group was a young boy with a mask on his face. He was in a throwing stance, indicating that he was the one whounched the attack. "Oops, I missed." Said the young boy with a giggle. "But that''s fine... After all, I''ve finally found you, Redblood." He muttered with a grin behind his mask. "I won''t be missing this one..." Except for Xavier and his family, the other Vampires on the tform instantly recognised who the young boy was. "Urgh... It''s him..." Muttered Sangrea with a disgusted look. The young boy swung his arms a few times, practising the motion of a throw before getting back into his stance, and pulling his arm back. His eyes locked onto the giant tform in the middle of the air before he took a few steps back. High Voltage Lightning Currents flowed through his arm as he took in a deep breath. "Heave..." [Lightning Maniption...] He closed his open hand, clenching down on it tightly. At that moment a burst of lightning struck the surrounding ground, breaking and shattering it upon contact. A rod made purely of lightning could be seen forming in between his hands, expanding with every passing second. While this happened, he began to jog forwards. And after a few steps, once he finally found his rhythm, veins bulged out of his tiny arms before he swung them forward. *VBZOOM!* [Lightning Javelin.] [Barrier Maniption: Dense Hexagonal Layout] A giant bolt of lightning wasunched out of his arms towards the barrier, at unforeseeable speeds. It resembled a javelin with it''s pointy edge and long slim body. At the same time, countless hexagonal barriers formed in the air, linking with one another to create an even denser barrier. *BAM!* *SHATTER!* The butler''s eyes widened, javelin of lightning pierced and shattered right through the barrier. ''It wasn''t able to fully condense itself in time-'' *VBOOM!* The butler''s thought was interrupt as the javelin pierced right into the centre of the barrier tform. It had almost managed to piercepletely through. *Crack* *Crack* Despite not having done so however, many cracks had spread from the centre of the tform all the way over to the edge. It could break at any second, forcing them all to plummet to the ground. "This has be quite troublesome..." Muttered the maid before looking over at Viera. "Now is good time for us to start running as you mentioned previously." The butler adjusted his sses, and in that instant, another giant barrier, just a slightly bit smaller than the current one manifested west of them. "Go." Said the butler as he extended out his arms. ine, Viera, Sangrea, the maid and the Vampire Defence squad all ran along onto the next tform. Xavier on the other hand, had stayed behind. "Why are you still here...?" Asked the butler. Xavier crouched down by the tform''s edge, looking down at the group below him from above. "I''m going to go deal with them real quick. Stay up here and keep my family safe." Those were Xavier''sst words as he leaned over the edge. Just before he could fall however- *Grab* He was grabbed by the cor preventing him from falling as he leaned across the edge. Xavier''s cor was quite slippery however from all the rain. If he hadn''t held on properly, Xavier would have fallen. "Huh? What was that for, head butler?" Xavier asked. The butler had veins bulging out from his neck. "One... I don''t take order from you... And two, that young boy''s a marquess. More specifically, the son of one." A confused expression grew on Xavier''s face as he tilted his head to the side. "So? Look, that fucker is already winding up for another attack. It''s easier to devour him-" Xavier was interrupted by the butler who let out a sigh. "You have quite the foul mouth, don''t you? The problem isn''t dealing with him. If we fight and kill him, we''ll end up in an even worse rtionship with the other noble families." "On top of that, the noise from the fight might attract other nobles to the area and there''s still a chance he''s called for back-up." "Do you really want to take that risk?" Xavier looked over at the young boy who was on the verge of charging up another explosive attack. Xavier sighed, before grabbing a hold of the butler''s arm and pulling himself back onto the tform. "My bad, I lost my cool." Muttered Xavier before leaping over to the other tform. Xavier''s leap had taken him all the way over to his sister''s side, surprising her and his mother as he looked like he was soaring from their perspective. ''Not even the world''s best athletes can do that... Is every Vampire able to do this? Or is my brother just stronger than most?'' ''How strong even is he-'' *VBBZZZT!!!* *SHATTER!* The tform which they had been previously standing on was suddenly shattered as a rod of lightning passed through. The rod continued to ascend before disappearing into the clouds. "That was close-" *VBMOOOM!* Viera''s words were interrupted by the sound of thunder striking down from the clouds where the rod had entered. "..." Before she could say anything else, she was dragged off by ine and Sangrea who suddenly grabbed a hold of her pulled her towards the next tform which the butler created. Xavier who chased after them from behind was visibly annoyed. "Getting outdone by someone shorter than me when I''m already short pisses me off..." He quietly muttered. ''That''s what you''re worried about!?'' The thought struck all their minds simultaneously. 59 Chapter 59 "I broke through but it looks like they''re getting away... That''s not good." Muttered the young Vampire Marquess. "Should we chase after them?" Asked a member of his squad as she stepped forward. Her voice was mature, in the group she was the one closest to him and unlike them, her mask had neither a frown nor a smile but rather a mixture between the two. Half of it had the smile facing upwards while the other half had the smile facing downwards. "Hm~~ If you tried you could probably catch up to them... But nah, it''s fine." Said the young Vampire Marquess before taking a few steps back. "The gift I''m about to give them will be more than worth it... I''ll put all my energy into this one." He muttered with an excited grin hiding behind the mask. "Very well." Responded thedy before returning back into the group''s formation. The young boy''s eyes locked onto the group moving from tform to tform above the air. As he pulled back his arm once more, almost instantly, a rod manifested, letting out waves of lightning which cracked the surrounding ground''s sediment. The lightning began to flow through his body, causing his hair spike upwards as electricity coated it. His eyes began to glow a deep blue from beneath the mask as cracks progressed across it. [Lightning Maniption...] The butler who could feel the bloodlust and danger of the attack, suddenly stopped before thrusting his arm out towards him. [Barrier Maniption: Dense Hexagonal Layout] Once again, countless hexagonal barriers formed in the air, linking with one another to create an even denser barrier. The butler who had moved ahead of time was able The young boy''s feet dug into the ground, his legs and arms bulged with muscles and veins. "Maxiumum... Lightning Javelin-" Then, with a quick run up almost impossible to see with the regr human eye, he shifted all of his body''s weight into his arm and pushed forward with his body beforeunching the javelin right into the air towards the group. [Maximum Lightning Javelin.] *VVVBZZZZZTTTT!!!* All the Vampire''s eyes widened as it reflected an approaching giant glowing blue bolt of lightning with a rod in it''s centre. It''s path and speed were irregr, almost impossible to perceive as it travelled in a zigzag fashion. ''Either way it''s not making it''s way through-'' *FWOOSH!* The butler''s eyes widened, his thought was instantly wiped past his mind as the bolt suddenly appeared before him and the group. A grin grew on his face in disbelief. Rather than breaking through the barrier, the bolt of lightning curved right past it in a zigzag fashion. Their hearts sunk once they realised, by the time the other Vampires moved to react, it was already toote- *CLANG!* It waste for them, but as for Xavier who''d already foreseen this event and moved prior to them, he''d made it just in time. Their pupils dted as they stared at Xavier''s back, as his figure tanked the electric bolt and rod head on with his swords, stuck together in a cross. ''Argh... Fuck it hurts!!! Even though I leapt at it and swung with all I had, this shit won''t fucking budge!!'' Xavier cursed inwardly with his arms trembling. He could feel his arms burning as the lightning from the rod coursed through his veins. His muscles expanded as he grit his teeth, putting his absolute all into stopping the attack. The butler, the maid, Sangrea, Viera, ine and the five members of the shadow defence squad all watched, dumbstruck as the sight unfolded before their eyes. "Head butler!!" Xavier called out. [Barrier Maniption: Hexagonal Barrier Wall.] *BAM!* Xavier''s back crashed against a barrier which manifested behind him as the momentum and force from the rod pushed him back. Even so, he kept pushing with all he had. But strangely even his all didn''t feel enough to stop him. Xavier had beaten noble''s but that did not mean his strength was on par with a marquess, or even close. He''d beaten them because he took advantages of their weaknesses and the fact that they constantly underestimated him. But this, this was different. This was a full powered attack from one of them. - "Oi, oi, oi... Am I seeing things right now?" Asked the Noble Marquess as he watched the sight unfold from below. "Is that Vampire actually trying to stop it? What an idiot." The nobleughed. Thedy in the mask approached the young boy before adding. "He is truly a fool to try and stop one of your Javelins during a storm." "Yeah... On top of that... My Maximum Javelin just gets stronger by the second." - Xavier''s eyes widened as he looked at his swords. Cracks were slowly progressing from the de towards the handle. It was going to shatter at any second. Seeing this Sangrea could no longer stand back, both her and Viera wanted to help. The moment they took a step forward to do anything however, they were pulled back by ine, the maid and the butler who stood before them. "Don''t... You should know you wouldn''t be able to change anything. The best thing you could do rihgt now is get out of that thing''s range so he can dodge." Sangrea and Viera both closed their hands, clenching them into fists. They were furious, but he was right. "What are you waiting for? Get out of the attacks path!" She yelled. - The dark clouds above were circling around Xavier. Based on what he''d seen previously with the previous lightning javelin, he could feel it, a bolt of lightning was about to crash right down on him from the clouds above. Unlike the javelin before him, actual lightning was much faster and harder to dodge. There was no way he''d be able to dodge in his position. And even if he could, there was a chance the rod would strike someone behind him. He didn''t want to take the chance of it being someone important to him or not, not when he had yet to set the checkpoint with [Rewind.] So instead of trying to avoid it, he decided to tank it all head on. The rod and the lightning strike, and right before dying, he''d use his [Full Body Recovery.] from one of his two [Level Up Options.] *Rattle!* *Rattle!* Xavier''s swords were trembling, the cracks progressed even further along the des. His arms were burning, his heart was pounding from all the adrenaline as his health drastically dropped with every passing second. [HP: 43/50 -> 40/50 -> 37/50 -> 35/50] There was no telling when the lightning would strike, there was no telling whether or not his swords would hold out, or whether the barrier behind him would copse beforehand. There were so many factors out of Xavier''s control that he ended up shutting off his thoughts and relying solely on his instincts and his one single desire. To stop the attack. [Gluttony: Devour.] Whether it was due to his burning desire to stop the move, or the system intervening on it''s own to save his life was beyond Xavier. But in that moment, it happened. The skill gluttony activated on it''s own and for a single moment, he was able to see a glimpse of it''s evolution and true potential. *Spark!* *Spark!* A red smoke could be seen slowly flowing out of Xavier''s mouth as his eyes glowed a bright crimson. His stomach growled before the electric energy from the lightning javelin began to stream into his mouth. 60 Chapter 60 A red smoke could be seen slowly flowing out of Xavier''s mouth as his eyes glowed a bright crimson. His stomach growled before the electric energy from the lightning javelin began to stream into his mouth. The butler''s eyes widened in disbelief as he observed this feat happening from right before him, he then looked up at the sky and thrust his arms out towards Xavier. [Barrier Maniption: Insting Hexagonal Barrier.] A single thickyer of hexagons bonded with one another in the form of a barrier suddenly appeared above Xavier, and in that instant, a bolt of lightning shed right before their eyes. They couldn''t even react as it struck it''s target, Xavier. *KABOOM!* The sound of thunder resounded across the air in a burst, the Vampires all covered their ears before looking over at Xavier. A cloud of smoke had been created from the lightning strike, making it impossible to see what had happened. "...Xavi...?" "Brother..? The two girls called out as they took a step towards the tform with the smoke. *Zap* The moment Sangrea stepped onto the tform however, her feet was suddenly zapped and shocked by an electric current. With a surprised look, she watched as the smoke slowly faded. Xavier''s shredded shirtless figure stood by the edge of the tform just barely holding onto a glowing red rod of lightning. His chest and back had red electric currents flowing through it. The electric currents streamed out of his mouth towards the rod as he exhaled a deep breath. Hideous third-degree burns ran across his arms, they were still scorching red and hot. Xavier had sessfully stopped it, the Marquess''s full powered Javelin. Beneath Xavier were his [Vampire Swords.] with their des shattered and above Xavier was a horizontal hexagonal barrier, which was most likely what had stopped the lightning strike from the clouds. But the fact that Xavier not only stopped the rod but also caught it. They couldn''t believe it. ''I knew he was strong but this... It was as if he absorbed the attack? I don''t recall him having such an ability...'' The maid thought to herself. ''Is this really my brother...? Just when did he be so strong?'' Viera wondered as she stared at his back. For some reason his reliable back appeared a lot more reliable than usual. "Xavier... Are you okay...?" ine questioned as she took a step forward. Xavier didn''t respond, his eyes remained glued to his target as he pulled his arm back and got into a throwing stance. Veins bulged out of his burnt arms as he took a few steps back. - "The rod suddenly stopped...?" The Marquess asked with a confused expression. "Huh...? Did he actually survive that...?" As the Marquess narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the situation in the far distance, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The Marquess''s instantly tilted his head to the right and in that instant- *VZWOOOM!* A red light shed right past him before piercing into the ground beside him. *CRASH!* The Marquess slowly looked over to his side to confirm what it was that had pierced the ground beside him, only for his with the drawing of a smile to crack and split in half as he did so. The cracked mask fell loose and dropped onto the floor, disying the surprised look on his face. His short Pearl ck berry fell over covering his crimson red eyes. With said crimson eyes he got a good look at what had beenunched at him. It was his very only Lightning Javelin, only this one had a crimson colour with red currents flowing through it. *Shatter* He watched as his own javelin broke into pieces right before his eyes. ,m "Ha..Hahaha..." He giggled with joy as the members of his squad rushed to check up on him and confirm his safety. Ignoring them, he slowly turned over to the tform only to see them using this opening to get away. Upon an even closer inspection, he noticed Xavier ring at him from a far, not for a single second did he take his eyes off him, not even when he ran. It was re filled with bloodlust, and desire for revenge. The marquess felt his bones tremble from the excitement. "A warning... That was great... Just great!!" He stared towards Xavier with a look of fascination, one a child would have after finding a new toy. "More... I need to fight you again and show you more... There''s no way I''d be satisfied with just that..." [Lightning Maniption...] "Lightning Dragon-" *Wham!* The young man''s ability was interrupted as a hand suddenly smacked against the back of his head. "Ouch! What was that for?" He asked as he turned over to thedy behind him. "You''ve already done enough. You''ll get a better opportunity in the future, now isn''t the time to chase them." A confused expression grew on him from behind the mask. "Is that what you think?" He asked as he turned back over to them. "Is something wrong? Their family will without a doubt be made a target after what Sangrea Redblood did. We can strike at that time." "No, that''s not it... It''s just I felt like if we didn''t deal with them now, we''d not be able to deal with them in the future. *Snap* With the snap of a finger, another mask suddenly manifested above his hand before it was used to cover up his face. "Oh well... Maybe it''s just my imagination. Let''s leave." He muttered before retreating back into the underground tunnels. Right before leaving he nced over at the ghouls scurrying around in search of humans and food. "Pity..." He muttered before snapping his figures. *Snap* [Lightning Maniption: Thunderp.] The moment he did so, thunder instantly struck the pavement exactly where the ghouls were standing, scorching and burning them in and instant. "That''s much, much better." He added before walking down the underground staircase with the group. "Redbloods and that mysterious young man... I''m not letting neither of you out of my sight... Hahaha..." 61 Chapter 61 After throwing sending the javelin right back at the Young Noble Marquess, the group made use of the opening to get away. They ran and ran and ran, leaping from tform to tform. Even while in a rush, the butler and maid still managed to maintain their elegant and professional mannerisms up. Xavier on the other hand didn''t look so good, no one could ce their hands on him as they''d get instantly zapped by strong electrical currents and there wasn''t anyone with a healing ability around to treat him. Viera and ine''s abilities had awoken however they still couldn''t manifest them, there was no telling what abilities they had. Because they were high up in the sky, they were able to get a great view over the city and area in hand. There were many buildings lit engulfed in mes around even with all the rain pouring down on them, upon a closer inspection, they could see squads of people wearing a uniform coloured differently than the Vampires night blue uniform. These squads wore grey and white uniforms. Their eyes weren''t crimson like the Vampires, they were humans, fighting against the Vampires and Ghouls with their abilities. An all out battle had been going in the city between the Vampires and Humans without them being aware, but as of then, none of them seemed to care. Their many worry was Xavier. "Why aren''t his burns fading? Aren''t Vampires able to regenerate themselves?" Viera asked as she turned to Sangrea with a worried look. Sangrea turned to the butler gesturing for them to stop. They had travelled far enough and there didn''t seem to be anyone on their trail. The butler did as she request, creating one final barrier tform for them to rest. "Argh... I''m fine..." *Thud* The instant he finished the sentence, Xavier copsed right then and there, panting heavily as he began to heat up. The sound of his sister, mother and Sangrea calling out to him slowly faded alongside his vision. All the stress had finally caught up to Xavier''s body. ''Fuck... Are you kidding me..? Open... Open your eyes... Damn it...'' Xavier felt cold, his eyelids had forced themselves shut, none of the sounds which were entering his ears were getting through to him. ''System... Use the... Full body Rec...'' Before Xavier could finish the sentence in his head, his consciousness suddenly faded leaving behind darkness to cloud his thoughts. - - - "Open!!" Xavier shouted as he suddenly sprung upwards, snapping open his eyes as he did so. For a moment, relief filled his heart once he finally managed to open his eyes. However that relief onlysted a second before being overwhelmed by fear as Xavier found himself sat on top of an unknown bed. "Huh...?" He let out in a confused tone as he looked around. He was in an unfamiliar room with countless old pieces of furniture spread around. Beside the bed was arge dark coffin resting on the floor. Ahead of him eyes was arge painting of a gorgeous crimson-eyed silver-haired girl hanging on the wall before him. ''This room is quite well maintained... That picture also resembles Sangrea, Is it her bedroom or something...?'' Just before Xavier was about to get overwhelmed with worry for having made the mistake of falling asleep, he felt a soft warm sensation wrap itself around his hand. As he looked down at the nket, he noticed something resembling arge ball slowly expanding and deting with every second hidden beneath it. Upon moving the nkets down, his heart skipped a beat. Beneath the nkets was a curled up sleeping Sangrea who had her arms wrapped around his own. She wore a ck pajama outfit but without the bottoms. Her curvy butt and dark panties were in full in view and Xavier''s hands were right between her straight, soft thick thighs. "Xavi~" She mumbled with a smile as she slept cheerfully. Xavier''s face instantly became bright red from blushing as he tried moving his hands away from her thighs. The instant he managed to slip his hand out- "Ahn~" A quiet moan escaped Sangrea''s lipped as it rubbed on a certain particr spot. That moan pushed Xavier over to the edge, something had risen beneath those nkets and it wasn''t his knees. "..." Xavier who nned on quickly leaving was now having second thoughts. Based on the room and painting, it was clear they''d finally arrived at Sangrea''s mansion. However he had yet to confirm whether or not it was actually safe, or whether or not his family was safe. If this was truly Sangrea''s homes then there were probably Vampires in every nook and cranny. He hadn''t yet confirmed whether or not they had positive intentions... On top of that Xavier ended up renewing the checkpoint for [Rewind.] Because he lost consciousness. Such was thest thing he could have possibly wanted. ''Yeah... There are more important things to do now... Get your priorities straight... Even if it''s unlikely that something bad happened to them and I''m just overthinking things...'' Xavier thought to himself. Ever since he found his family and confirmed their safety his suppressed urges and desires came crashing back at twice the speed. But who could me him? A young growing man with a wife gorgeous enough to pass by one of the most eye-catching models one could possibly witness. Although he was trying to keep it at the back of his mind, Xavier was slowly growing more and more conscious of Sangrea. *Step* *Step* While quietly walking across the carpet towards the door, Xavier noticed that the clothes he had been wearing had been changed. His burns and injuries were all covered in bandages but had mostly healed. He wore a in white shirt with white shorts, somehow the size fit him perfectly. ''I''ll give my thankster... For now I need to find out more about this ce.'' He thought to himself. Xavier slowly and quietly walked across the carpet over to the door before turning the knob and opening it. 62 Chapter 62 *Creak* The door made a rather quiet creak, which echoed into the hallway allowing him to fully peak through. The hallways were dark and empty, not a single person could be seen in sight. As Xavier walked out into the hallway, he noticed a change in the air around him. Being in the room made him feelfortable, but once he was out he felt like he was being watched. He ignored the feeling and walked down the halls, staring at the old furniture. Themps overhead gave off ancient antique vibes. The paintings shown were quite old but rather interesting to stare at and interpret. One of them was a painting of blood pouring down on a fang. That was quite an obvious one. But the other was a red figure standing over the a dark cliff in a world where there''s mostly darkness. That one was a little hard to understand. *Grab* Xavier''s eyes withered away from the paintings and instead over to the many doors around him. The house was without a doubt big, there also seemed to be something in the air messing with his senses making it so that he couldn''t pinpoint his mother and sister''s location by scent. As Xavier turned to the closest room to his left and ced his hand on the doorknob, a voice called out to him. "Don''t you know it''s rude to go through rooms in another''s house without permission?" Xavier turned to the right only to find the dark-blonde haired maid standing just a few meters away from him down the hallway. "The house belongs to my wife, does it not? What''s wrong with going through it?" "Your wife is asleep, just because she is yours does not mean that you can go through her belongings without permission... Besides you are not yet officially married, only bonded." Xavier let go of the doorknob before walking over to the maid. He came to a stop right before her face and stared her right in the eyes before asking. "You know what I''m looking for... Where are they?" The maid narrowed her eyes at him before turning around and walking away. "Follow me." - The two walked across the halls, turning a left and then a right from Sangrea''s room before descending down the stairs. As they went down the stairs, Xavier began to see more and more Vampires wearing servant clothes walking around and carrying out their tasks. "Why were there no servants upstairs?" Xavier asked. "The youngdy was asleep. They did not wish to cause any noise to bother her." "Fair enough." Xavier muttered as they reached the bottom of the staircase. They were inside of a giant hall with tinted windows covered with curtains hiding the outside. It was clear to Xavier that it was the bottom floor. Question is, why the hell was his mother and sister''s room ced so far away from his? Were they even in their room? Xavier continued to follow after the maid with the questions rushing through his mind. To his surprise however, the questions werepletely wiped off his mind as they ended inside a giant library room filled with shelves of books. His confusion grew when they came to a stop by a book shelf filled with cobwebs in the corner of a room. "What are we doing here...?" Xavier asked. Ignoring his question, the maid extended her arm out towards one of the books before pulling on it. The moment she did so- Xavier was dumbstruck. The entire shelves of book began to tremble as if an earthquake had struck. Xavier watched with a look of surprise as the shelves shifted over to the right, portraying a hidden stairways leading downwards. "Really? Does it not ur to you how suspicious you look?" Xavier asked the maid as she walked ahead. "You scared?" The maid questioned with a smile as she turned back to look at him. "I thought you were fearless-" *Grab* Xavier interrupted the maid, grabbing her by the arm from behind before pulling her up and pushing her against the wall beside him. He mmed his hand into the wall beside her before leaning in towards her. "Yeah... I''m scared. I''m scared of what I''m going to do to you if this turns out to be some sort of trap." Responded Xavier with a grin. The maid red at Xavier her bloodlust seeping out as she did so. Seeing this reaction, Xavier gave her a pat before walking ahead. The maid quickly clenched her hands into fists before following after him. Xavier could feel a pair of eyes ring at him from behind along with the bloodlust as he walked down the stairs, but he ignored it with a smile spread across his face. "..." "..." There was nothing but the sound of the footsteps echoing in silence as they descended in silence. "Hey, do you hate me or something?" Xavier asked. "..." Seeing the maid''sck of response Xavier sighed. "Suit yourself." Between the two there was without a doubt tension. Xavier didn''t know what was causing it and he honestly didn''t care but having someone like the maid on his side would definitely be a beneficial connection. Based on how she was acting the members of the house wouldn''t juste to like him because of the fact that he was who Sangrea had chosen. In fact, it was quite honestly the opposite of it. Xavier could feel the res from the other servants piercing through his back as he walked. ''I''m going to have to sort their attitude otherwise I won''t be able to consider this safe ce...'' "Tell me your name." Said Xavier as he suddenly turned back towards her. "..." "I won''t move until you do." "..." "..." "...Anastasia." She responded. "...It suits you. I''m Xavier." "I know." Xavier narrowed his eyes and continued his descent. - Once they finally reached the bottom of the staircase, Xavier stopped in his tracks. Before him was a giant door with strange patterns running along it from bottom to top. Without saying anything he extended his arms out and slowly pushed them open. 63 Chapter 63 ? They were heavy, just pushing them open felt like he was trying to move a car up a hill. *Creak..!* Yet he persisted, and with a single creak the doors opened wide. Almost instantly Xavier and the Anastasia''s hair swayed backwards along with their clothes as a strong gust of wind crashed against him and Anastasia. And when he saw what was on the other side of the room, his eyes widened. Viera and ine be seen sat down quietly before the butler with their butts on the floor and legs crossed. There was a strange flow of energy circting around them. The energy felt the same for the both of them but worked in different ways for each. Xavier slowly and quietly stepped into the room alongside the Anastasia before closing the door. They made as little noise as possible as to not distract his mother and sister. Upon moving closer, Xavier noticed the objects floating before Viera. "Reconstruct..." Viera quietly muttered. One of the objects floating was what appeared to be a metal cube, the moment she spoke the cube instantlypressed itself before expanding into a different shape. While taking the shape, it moved in the shape of a puzzle, some parts of it outlined rotating left and right. The butler and Anastasia watched with surprise at the phenomenon uring before their eyes as the cube took it''s shape. *Click!* With a click, the cube''s reconstruction wasplete. Viera slowly opened her eyes, only to find a metal knife floating right before her. Her cheeks grew red from excitement as she quietly panted. "I did it..." The butler showed her a kind smile before giving her a nod. She proceeded to look over at his mother next to her and watched as she too released a bright glowing light from her heart. The light pulsated rhythmically, warming the surroundings with every throb. Her eyes were stuck together in a frown, an exhausted expression grew on her face as she struggled to maintain it. Viera prayed for ine''s sess as she watched, she could feel that her mother''s ability was powerful and that it would be extremely useful. *Throb* *Throb* With every throb and pulsation, the light grew warmer and in size. The light which had been around her heart had now enveloped her entire body as her hair began to flow upwards. ''That light... It''s a divine element... But what ability?'' Anastasia wondered. *Throb!* With one final throb, a golden wave burst across the entirety of the room, pulsating through them as it did so. Xavier looked down at his body, a golden aura had coated it. He swung his arm a few times, before doing some stretches. ''My body feels light... Like it''s overflowing with power... And my hunger... It feels slightly '' Xavier wasn''t the only one who had felt it. Anastasia, the butler and even Viera could all feel the power coursing through their veins. [You have been buffed by an ability.] [All stats have temporarily increased by 25%] [Your defence has temporarily been fortified.] [Ability uses temporarily consume less energy.] [Your regenerative prowess has increased.] [Your hunger grows weaker...] ''Holy shit...'' The moment Xavier moved to open up his status to check on his newly buffed stats, a new notification rushed in. [Buff has been cancelled.] Confusion spread across Xavier''s face once he read it. ''Huh? Why was the buff cance-'' *Thud* The moment Xavier asked the question, his mother copsed right then and there before his eyes. "E-ine...!?" He called out in a worried tone "Mum?!" Viera yelled out from beside her. - "Looks like she just overworked herself.." Muttered Anastasia after conducting her check-up. She quickly got up and put ine on her back before walking towards the staircase. Xavier at first was hesitant to let her go with ine just like that after they had finally met again, but he knew it was for the best that she got some rest. "Brother? How long have you been here? And are you feeling better?" Viera asked in a rush as she suddenly hugged him. "Yeah, I''m feeling great." As he returned the hug. The two released the hug and Viera quickly got to jogging over towards Anastasia. "I''ll go with Anastasia to put mum to bed then I''lle back! Wait here for me." Said Viera ''Eh? She knows the maid''s name? How long was I out for?'' "Do you want me to go with you?" "Nope, you can stay right here with me, we need to have a chat." Said the butler with a smile as he ced his hand over Xavier''s shoulder. Xavier watched Viera and Anastasia left the room with ine on their backs, the two were happily chatting to one another before the doors closed behind them. "When did they be so friendly...?" Xavier asked. "And more importantly... How long have I been out for?" "They became friends while you were recovering. Despite how she feels about you, Anastasia seems to quite like your sister." "And if I were to make a guess, I''d say you were out for about a day. You slept through the night and morning, and now it''s night again." Said the butler. Xavier was dumbstruck. ''I slept for that long?'' Him losing consciousness was without a doubt his biggest weakness as of now, he needed to find a way to deal with it and soon. "Why don''t we have a seat?" Asked the butler as he snapped his finger. The moment he did, a tform was created behind both him and Xavier at a height perfect for them to sit on. Xavier sat on the tform and so did the butler. "So, what exactly were they doing down here?" Xavier asked "They said they desired to be stronger to not be a hindrance to you, so I offer to show them how to properly use their abilities. I also taught them a bit about the evolution energy inside of them." Evolution energy, it was the source of their abilities powers, that much was obvious even for Xavier, especially since the system had exined it. 64 Chapter 64 Evolution Energy, a source of energy which was awakened in almost every living creature once the giant ck spheres appeared. Not much was known about them to the public other than it was what fuelled their abilities. To be able to properly control one''s ability then naturally they''d need to have somewhat of an understanding of the flow of energy residing in them. "And that ability that my mother and sister used..." "It was the result of their hard work... For more powerful abilities they are harder to develop which is why unlike most of other humans, theirs took extra preparation rather than them simply being able to use them from the get go." Xavier nodded, based on what he''d seen, their abilities were without a doubt powerful. The Buff that his mother gave was one thing, but his sister''s reconstruction abilities. When he first witnessed it, it made his heart skip a beat. The potential behind it was tremendous. "Reconstruction, the ability the disassemble and reassemble any object... She can only do objects for now but I believe she''ll be able to disassemble even living organisms and all types of matter, making her strength unparalleled." "As for your mother I''m leaning on it being a blessing ability. In just a second she managed to empower all of us who were standing in the room... An incredibly useful ability." "But why did you help them?" Xavier asked with a smile. "Because I''m on your side." The butler responded with a smile. ''Bullshit.'' Xavier cursed inwardly. "Alright... I suppose I owe you one then, for unlocking their potential." Muttered Xavier. "Don''t forget those words." Responded the butler with a grin. Xavier didn''t like the butler''s grin, it always made him feel as if he was ying into the hands of whatever he had nned. "But under no circumstances are you to feed them Vampire blood or turn them into a Vampire without consulting me first, is that fine?" Every time Xavier looked at them, a feeling would rise up from within his chest, a strong urge to consume blood. It was a thirst which couldn''t be parched no matter how much water he consumed. And with [Gluttony] recently evolving it had be that much more unbearable. Xavier was barely managing to get through with his will. While being a Vampire had it''s ups, Xavier was now probably never going to see the light of day again. But it was fine, it was something he sacrificed in order to save them. If he could go back to the past and change it, he wouldn''t change a thing. But as for them, thest thing he wanted was for them to live bounded by these shitty constraints. "Moving on, what did you want to talk about?" Asked Xavier. "...Do you know why I brought them to train down here? Or why I told them to always stick close to Anastasia?" Xavier''s expression grew serious as he fixed up his sitting posture. "Let me guess, the Vampires in this house are after them." A nervous smile appeared on the butler''s face. "I wouldn''t say it''s that bad... The news of what happened has already spread through the Vampire world, even with the war ongoing... The servants here me you for the trouble this will cause them and the entire family." "So?" Xavier asked as he waited for the point. "So, have shown some hostility... They are probably plotting something." Xavier ced his hand beneath his chin. "Has my sister and mother said anything yet?" Xavier asked The butler shook his head. "It appears they don''t wish to bother you." "Is that so..." Xavier muttered as he hung his head. The butler adjusted his sses, a surprised expression loomed over his face. Xavier seemed strangely calm despite what he''d heard. He''d expected Xavier to go rushing out of the room in search of the Vampires who posed a threat. "Is something wrong?" Xavier asked as he looked at the butler. "You seem confused." "Do I...?" The butler questioned as he adjusted his sses. "I guess it''s because of your reaction... I thought you''d me more up-" The rest of the butler''s words left his mouth when Xavier raised his head. A shadow had loomed over his face, his eyes were glowing red as he overflowed with bloodlust. "Hey... You know I''m going to kill them, right?" Xavier asked with cold eyes as he nced towards the butler. "Just make sure you have the proof to back it. Not every servant is involved." Responded the butler with a grin. Xavier got up, he walked over to the metal knife that Viera had [Constructed.] before kicking it up to the air and grabbing. [You have equipped a metal knife.] Xavier got into a random stance and ced the knife in a dagger grip whilst pointing it''s de towards the butler. "Since you trained the others, why don''t we do a bit of training ourselves?" Xavier asked. "We didn''t finish our fight, did we?" [Gluttony Level 2: Berserk] [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] [Hyper-Regeneration Level 1: Regenerate.] Both abilities were just aching to be used, and Xavier wanted to train and evolve them as soon as possible. The room was big and spacious enough, there was nothing else to be doing. Sangrea was still asleep, so he might as well break a sweat. With the grin still present on his face, the butler got up and drew his rapier. "Before we start... Tell me one final thing. How were you able to absorb the Marquess''s attack? Even if he is still young and unable to control his powers unlike his father... In those conditions, blocking that attack was almost impossible." "Who knows... But in the moment, I just simply thought of myself devouring the attack and it worked." Confusion expressed itself on the butler''s face. "You devoured it?" The grin instantly returned to the butlers face after the confusion faded. It was wider than ever. ''I thought I just imagining things... But with the way things have been, I''m convinced.'' ''Xavier is the devourer... The wielder of one of the seven deadly sins. The sin of Gluttony.'' 65 Chapter 65 As already mentioned, in the Vampire world there is a hierarchy where only the most powerful of the Vampires are at the top. And at the top of the world''s hierarchy a select few Vampires contain special abilities which allowed them to reach the top. Amongst these special abilities are the sins. The seven deadly sins. The sin of pride, the sin of greed, the sin of lust, the sin of envy, the sin of sloth, the sin of wrath andstly, the sin of gluttony. The power held by each of these sins are unimaginable, it can even be said that it was the sole reason those who had reached the top were able to reach it. Not much was known about the bearers other than the fact that they could identify one another. There hadn''t been any recent information however, of any of the sins dying. Only one of the same sin could exist at a time. So if that was the case, how did Xavier end up with the sin? The glutton''s sin, one of the most powerful, nheless? *SHWING!* The butler was snapped out of his thoughts, as the rapier which he had thrust towards Xavier was misdirected to the sides, barely grazing Xavier''s cheeks in the process. Xavier stepped in on the opening that had created before kicking at the butler''s face from the side. *BAM!* The butler went sliding down, still remaining upright with his guard up. "Oi, stop getting distracted. Weren''t you talking about correct my stance earlier?" The Butler looked over at Xavier. The two had been fighting for almost an hour now. At first, he wasn''t sure, but after training with Xavier it became apparent. Xavier had no knowledge on any fighting stances or techniques. He fought by solely relying on instinct and imitations. The butler always found it strange why he''d always change his stance while fighting. It was because he knew too little about them. ''As he is now, Xavier will at most be able to deal with Nobles up to the Earl rank and 5th Ranked Vampire Lords." Once an Earl, or a higher ranked Vampire Noble bes a Vampire Lord, they are a given a rank. The ranks range from 5th the lowest, to the 1st rank, the highest. The one Xavier had defeated in the Vampire Camp was a 5th ranked Vampire Lord. There was no telling how Xavier would fair up with those of the higher ranks, but ''His ability to adapt... Paired up with his fighting instinct and his sin which propels him to devour and grow stronger...'' ''He''s going to be one hell of a monster...'' "I think it''s about time we take a break." Said the butler as he put on his sses. Xavier frowned. "Don''t tell me you''re tired already." "Of course not... There are simply more important things to be dealt with. For example... Food supplies." Xavier ced the dent and almost broken metal knife on the floor before walking up the butler and asking. "Are you kidding me? You don''t have any food in this big ass mansion?" "Well, we''re Vampires. We survive on blood so all we have are bloodbags. If I were you I''d go looking for something for your mother and sister to eat." "They haven''t eaten anything since yesterday?" "There were a few ingredients here, but it was only enough for two meals which they had." Xavier ced his palm on his face before turning to the door. "I''ll go get some supplies, if they ask, tell them I''ll be back soon..." "Very well." Responded the Butler with a smile. Xavier who was walking towards the door, suddenly stopped as he quickly realised something. "You said you had blood, right?" Xavier''s eyes had a sharp glint to them as they gazed at the Butler. ''If it''s human blood, I''ll be able to boost up my stamina and other stats... A simple and efficient way to grow stronger... The more blood I consume-'' "Yeah, but there''s not much to spare. The supplies have already been gathered and assigned ounting to each and every member of the house because of the war." "If you were toe in and suddenly take blood form the blood supplies, you''re standing on the eyes of the servants would be even worse." "Doesn''t Sangrea have her own supply?" Xavier asked. "I''m not sure, you''ll have to ask her." Responded the butler. Xavier pictured himself asking Sangrea for blood. He then pictured her sulking about her blood not being enough for him. "Alright, I''ll just raid a blood bank on my way back." Muttered Xavier after shaking his head. ''A blood bank... Hm... That''s quite a risky move... Oh well, if he seeds, he''ll grow stronger.'' The butler thought to himself as he watched Xavier walk away. "Young man." The butler called out to Xavier. "What is it?" Xavier asked as he nced back. "Don''t stay out for too long. There''s a limit to the amount of protection we can offer." "I know." Xavier responded as he left the room. - - - *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* "..." Inside of a cold and dark room, a man was sat behind his desk in front of arge tinted red ss panel. He had long grey hair tied back into a pony tail with a trimmed straight grey beard. His eyes held a much darker shade of red than regr Vampire, and the air around him was much stiffer. Laying back on his chair, he slowly opened his eyes before asking. "I believe I''d given you clear instructions to make sure she stays out of trouble and avoid any interactions throughout the duration of the war." In the corner of the room, two shadows had manifested in the figure of two different people who were bowed as they stood on one knee. The grey hair man looked over to that shadow and watched as it took the shapes of an old butler and a younger maid." "The situation was one which could not be avoided. I ept any punishment, my lord." The grey-haired Vampire sighed. "The problem is that punishing you will not change anything. We have already been made a target. Some bugs have already ended up at my door." "However I am aware of the situation and know you two are not at fault. You will not be punished." "We thank you for your kindness and forgiveness, my lord." They said simultaneously. "Before you are dismissed, tell me. What are your thoughts on him, should he be disposed of?" The butler grinned at the question. "Not at all, my lord... I believe he is the key we were missing." The grey haired man''s expression grew serious. "You are dismissed." The two shadow''s vanished from the room without a trace. 66 Chapter 66 Knightsbridge, located in the west ends of central London. It was the site of stately houses and clubs and of the famous department store, because of such it was deemed as one of the more luxurious areas. It was the first time Xavier had been in this area, he was also unconscious so he didn''t know much about the path to the mansion. But that was the least of his worries. After all, in the city, he couldn''t just feel the presence of ghouls, but also the presence of countless powerful vampires. "...I said I''d being out to get supplies, but what is this..." Muttered Xavier as he leaned in from the edge of the top of a building. On the streets below, he could see what appeared to be countless swarms of ghouls roaming around and breaking into broken down buildings in search of any life they could find. ''Why the hell are there so many ghouls here? Aren''t expensive areas less densely popted?'' The amount of swarms he''d seen were growing frequent. Xavier looked up at the sky, ignoring the dark sphere over his head, it was night time, the time which they were active. Moving during the day would have been better, but so far the ghouls hadn''t shown interest in him and Xavier didn''t have the option of waiting that long nor was he certain whether or not he''d survive direct exposure to sunlight. As far as Xavier knew, the sun was harmful to Vampires, but at the same time he survived direct exposure to UV lights by the Vampire Opposition Corps with only his stats being reduced temporarily. Xavier pulled his phone out of his pocket before looking at the time. [23:58] is what it read. *Sigh* ''It''s already close to midnight... I left the house at around twenty-two... Was I lost for that long?'' He questioned. The mansion was surprisingly big, Xavier had never seen one as big during his short stay in London. All of the other mansions in the area were also a sight to behold. They were quite a distance away from the centre of the district where there were all the hospitals and shops which had the supplies which Xavier needed. ''System, what level am I right now?'' [Name: Xavier Trigger.] [Level: 8.] [Levels remaining until evolution: 2.] After reading the notifications on a screen before him, Xavier tapped on his camera roll. *Tap* His camera opened, showing a reflection of his face. He was wearing a ck cloak which covered his physique along with a in white mask which covered his entire face. On his back was a giant hiking bag for the supplies and bloodbags. His spiky part ck, part silver hair stood out from the cloak''s hoodie and his crimson eyes appeared to glow as they gazed at the phone. ''The mask suits me...'' -Memory Inside of the mansion''s first floor, Xavier approached the door leave. He ignored the stares and res from the other Vampires and grabbed onto the handle. The moment he did so however, he was stopped by Anastasia who suddenly called out to him. "Xavier." Xavier turned around only to find her already standing right behind him. She was holding onto a in white wooden mask with two holes carved out for his eyes and two different Vampire sword and sheathes. They were in their sheathes so Xavier couldn''t tell what they exactly looked like, but he could feel a powerful auraing out of them. One had a ck handle while the other had a white one. "Before you go, take this and this.." She handing him both of the swords and their sheathes along with the mask. "Worried about me already?" Xavier teased. In response to this, she sent him a re before walking away. "The youngdy had told me to give this to you if you''d decided to go out before she awoke." "And it''s better to keep your identity hidden so your family isn''t put isn''t dragged into any more problems because of your foolishness." "I thought so." Responded Xavier before back towards the door. Upon turning the doorknob an additional question entered his ears. "Will you need a guide?" Anastasia asked. "Nope, I''ll be just fine." Xavier responded with a smile. -Memory End. [23:59...] ,m Xavier slowly stood up before leaning forward over the edge. ''Now that I think about it, I haven''t done this before, have I?'' Xavier [00:00] The moment it turned midnight, a grin grew on Xavier''s face. In that instant, his figure which had been leaning forward hadpletely lost it''s footing. Xavier was plummeting towards the ground at incredibly high speeds. His clothes were swaying all over the ce as the wind crashed against his face. While falling headfirst, Xavier stared at the giant ck sphere. ''A dimensional portal is what you said, right? When will it activate?'' Xavier asked. [Due to ack of information, unable to answer the user''s questions.] [However, no signs of the portal opening have taken ce.] Xavier rotated his body mid-air, positioning his feet against the building''s wall as he continued to plummet. ''Now to push off with all my strength...!'' Muscles bulged out of Xavier''s veiny legs, before he thrust them out. Kicking off and propelling himself over towards the building across the street. Xaiver felt incredibly, as he soared across the air a bright blush oculd be seen on his face which was growing a smile in excitement. ''I''m flyin-'' *SHATTER!* Xavier''s thoughts were interrupted as he suddenly crashed into the ss panel of the building ahead of him. Sliding and rolling before crashing into a bunch of tables which were on his path. [HP: 47/50] "Ouch..." Xavier groaned in pain as he slowly got up and got a good look, of the room. Before him was a room filled with tables and chairs neatly organised, and at the very end of the room was a counter filled with whine, and all types of expensive liquor. Xavier looked over at the counter with an excited grin. Although he was now officially an adult and allowed to drink, he''d never done so because of his age. "These are necessary supplies." Xavier muttered as he put down his back. *Thump* The moment his bag touched the floor however, he felt a shiver rush down his spine. Upon ncing up, a droplet of salivanded on his forehead. In the ceiling above him was a creature with crimson red glowing eyes ring right at him. But It wasn''t just one, as most of the ceiling lit up with the red glowing eyes. It was a horrifying sight enough to make even the bravest of people faint at a nce. For Xavier however. The grin on his face widened as a strong red blush spread across it. All he could see was XP that he needed to level up. *Growl!* *SWOOSH!* 67 Chapter 67 Xavier stared at the countless eyes in the ceilings above, just as he had expected, they were ghouls prowling the ceilings. Their clothes were ragged and their drools were dripping down onto the ground. The ghouls had so far paid no attention to him because he was a Vampire Fledgling, but these ones, there was something different to them. They were starving. They all had their eyes on Xavier who was smiling excitedly at the free XP. [Quest: Defeat all the ghouls in the room.] [Rewards:] [+200 XP!] [+300 Coin-] Xavier''s attention shifted from the notifications over to the ghouls as in that instant, the wide opened fanged mouth of a ghoul had appeared right before his eyes, it had lunged at him. *SWOOSH!* *CRASH!* Xavier leapt backwards barely avoiding it''s bite, watching as it crashed into the table and chairs before him. ''It''s fast-'' The thought shed by Xavier''s head as the ghouls started to rain down on him. *FWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* Xavier ran towards the wall, stepping left and right, as the falling ghouls lunged at him. As he made his way towards the liquor, avoiding every sh and grab by a hair''s margin. *CRASH!* *CRASH!* *CRASH!* The ghouls which had failed to grab Xavier on their fall, all crashed into the surrounding furniture. Meanwhile, Xavier was only a few meters away from the liquor section. Before him however, were thest two remaining ghouls which had yet to fall. They had ran along the celing chasing after his figure, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Then and there was the opportunity they decided. As they lunged at Xavier''s figure which went sliding down a table, their eyes widened, as they noticed that his figure hadpletely disappeared from beneath it. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] As they turned their heads, their bloodshot red eyes widened a hand grasped them. Before they even knew what happened- *Crunch!* *Stter!* Their heads were smashed together, crunching and breaking them before being dragged off and thrown away by Xavier who''d leapt over the conuter. [You killed a Ghoul!] [You killed a Ghoul!] [+40 XP] Xavier''s eyes didn''t bother to scan through the drinks, he didn''t have time, the ghouls which had fallen were already charging towards him. Xavier grabbed and threw whatever alcohol bottle he could towards the ghoul, shattering and sshing it''s contents all over the wooden tables, and ghouls. *Shatter!* *Shatter!* *Shatter!* The liquor''s contents had sttered all across the room, on some of the rushing ghoul''s bodies and across the counter ahead of Xavier. Seeing this, a grin grew on Xavier''s face as he pulled out a silver lighter. *Flick* Xavier flicked the lighter open, disying a bright me before dropping it. In that moment, the closest ghoul had leapt at Xavier. *Clink!* The silver lighter dropped onto the liquor-filled counter, instantly igniting the mes. The mindless ghouls which were being driven by their hunger, quickly stopped in their tracks and watched as the ghoul which had leapt before them, disappeared into the mes over the counter. Following that came a surge of mes all around them as the liquor which had been sttered around were all being ignited one after another from the spread of mes. Taking a few steps back, the wary ghouls looked left and right watching as the mes grew. Before the thought of escape even came through their hungered, minds a voice called out to them. "Oh...? What''s this?" A figure emerged through the mes over the counter beforending right in front of the mes. Their boots and hands were covered in purple blood belonging to the ghoul''s he''d just in. Short spiky ck and silver hair with crimson red eyes. The demonic grin on his face along with his cloak lit up in mes was enough to make even the starved ghouls feel fear. "Haha, you really are afraid of mes." Xavier mocked .as he took off his cloak, disying two sword sheathes on his waist. -Memory. "Take this." Said the butler as he threw an object over to Xavier, after he''d left the house. Xavier grabbed the object before inspecting it. It was a silver lighter. "What''s this for?" Xavier asked. "Fire, the ghoul''s fear it. Make use of it in the city." "I thought they don''t attack Vampires.?" "You''re a fledgling. Keep it just in case." -Memory End. ''What do you know, it turned out to be helpful.'' Xavier thought to himself as he stared at the frozen ghouls. Xavier knew from the moment he''d seen them that it would be impossible to avoid a bite or two at his level if he were to take on all of the ghouls in such a closed off space. One bite was all it would take for it to be over. The bite of a ghoul was deadly to both Vampires and Humans. ''But now that the stage is set...'' ''I''m finally free to go wild...'' Xavier thought to himself as he grabbed onto the handles of the swords on his waist. Instantly, upon drawing it, he was overwhelmed by it''s quality. The one with the dark handle fit perfectly on his left hang, the weight of the sword, the bnce, the grip it was amazing. Xavier''s right sword with the white handle was slightly heavier, but as it was his dominant hand it felt just right. [You are wielding two, Grade A Vampire Swords.] [The sword desires blood in exchange for power.] [Will you grant the sword blood?] There were around ten ghouls remaining. They had all been frozen in fear as they watched the mes spread, but their hunger it was driving them insane. Before they even knew it, they were charging at Xavier, thinking only of devouring him. Their hungers had driven them to break through part of their fear of mes. But by the time the two closest to Xavier started moving, it was toote. For his de''s edge was already before them. *SLASH!* The de shed cleanly through both of the ghoul''s heads while Xavier slid right past them. "Devour my blood." Hemanded as he stretched his arm out, pointing the de towards the ghouls before him. 68 Chapter 68 The sound of shes echoed across the room as the fires raged on from the inside. They were quickly spreading, engulfing the surrounding rooms in the building. *SHATTER!* The figure of ghoul crashed through the wall and out into the flooded streets only for sounds of more aggressive beating and shing to follow after. *SLASH!* *BAM!* *WHAM!* The shivering sound of the ghouls screeching and growling filled the air. The disgusting scent of ghoul''s blood only increased. *SLASH!* And after one final sh, thest screech was let out before nothing but quiet remained in the room. "..." Inside of the room, a single figure could be seen sat on top of a beheaded ghoul''s corpse trying to put out the mes on his cloak, once the mes had disappeared, a smile grew on his face. The young man bore his fangs as he read the notification on the highlighted panel screen before him. [You killed a ghoul!] [LEVEL UP!] [Quest Completed!] [Quest Rewards Received!] Xavier could feel a surge of strength flowing through his veins. An empowering pleasant rush that he would get whenever he''d travel onto the next level. "Status." He muttered. [Level: 9] [Level UP options x 3] (Avable.) [XP: 210/1800] [Coins: 1400] [HP: 55/55] [Energy: 112/220] [State: Normal.] [Strength: 41] [Agility: 43] [Stamina: 11] [Sense: 37] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 2] [Gluttony: Level 2] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] [Shop.] [Quests.] He ced his hands beneath his chin, before letting out a sigh. "What a pain... *Cough*" He muttered with a dejected look. He was being boiled alive with all the mes around him, not to mention all the dark smoke around him. If he inhaled too much, even as a Vampire he''d probably still die. But it wasn''t the thought of death that gave him such sadness. Not at all. ''My stats haven''t changed at all... I can''t absorb any points from a ghoul''s blood or I''ll be a ghoul...'' Feeling annoyed by this fact, Xavier turned over to the remaining liquors on the shelves behind the counter. There were many bottles of different brands and alcohol concentration left. "At least one good thing came out of this-" *CRASH!* The ceiling near the window behind Xavier suddenly copsed downwards, further igniting and spreading the mes. ''Shit already!?'' Xavier got up and rushed towards, the liquor the moment this happened, picking up his bag in the process. - - - *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* Xavier panted away the exhaustion as he took a seat on the rooftop of another building a few buildings away from the one he was previously in. The rain was crashing against his face and body, washing away part of the blood which had yet to dry. On his back was arge hiking back with it''s bottom filled by the most expensive liquor he could identify. Xavier pulled a bottle of the bag before looking around and giving it''s ss a quick kiss. *Smooch* After that, he nervously looked around again before putting the bottle back into the bag. "I can''t wait to try you..." He whispered, before leaning over the building''s edge and staring at the superstore just down the street. This superstore was big, phenomenally so, it was branched off from otherstores and had it''s own highway despite being in central london, a ce with barely any space or room for expansion at all. But it made sense, after all, the superstore brand was quite big and well known. ''I probably don''t need to go to that store, but it''s spacious and I''d rather not get attacked in the smaller shops where my space is limited.'' Xavier was confident in his abilities but that didn''t mean he didn''t like ying it safe. While staring at the store, something caught Xavier''s eyes down the road. *VOOOOM!!* *VOOOOOM!!!!* "Holy shit." He cursed. Down the road was a person in a white and gray uniform riding a bike down the road. They were elerating as they zoomed past the abandoned vehicles on their paths. The water from the puddles around them were being sshed all around, but even still they didn''t slow down. Xavier couldn''t believe his eyes. The uniform colour indicated that they belonged to the human faction based on what he''d known. Night blue were the Vampires while Gray and White were the humans. The fact that a human was manoeuvring with a bike through the small gaps in between the abandoned cars on top of the puddles of water making everything super slippery was unbelievable. *VWOOOM!* The person on the bike zoomed past the building which Xavier was on, before disappearing into a curve. Xavier could still hear the sound of the engines in the far distance. ''...They were wearing a helmet so I couldn''t tell, but for a moment I got to get a good look at their figure with my [Vampiric Sight.], their chest and butt were quiterge... That was a girl...'' Xavier let out another sigh before leaping off. "She seemed strong, I wonder how much stronger I could have gotten if I''d stopped her and drank her blood?" He questioned The moment he said so however, the figure of his mother and sister smiling instantly popped up in his face, forcing him to shake his head repeatedly mid-fall. "For now just stick to getting to the blood bank..." Xavier needed human blood in order to increase his [Stamina.] Stat. If he wanted, he could easily find a human or two and drink their blood. All he needed to do was search through a few apartments in the city. With his evolved sense of smell, sight and hearing. It wouldn''t take long to find one. However, that was something he was trying to avoid unless the person volunteered, it was absolutely necessary or he was facing scum. The reason was simple. Even though he was bing a Vampire, he did not wish to be one which would look down on humans as simply food and cattle. For not only was he once human, but so is his family. Thest thing he''d want is to view them differently, and for them to view him differently. Once Xavier had finally sorted out his thoughts, he stood by the buildings edge, before kicking off of it with everything he had. ''Too much thinking is a pain in the ass...'' He thought to himself as he plummeted. 69 Chapter 69 *Fwoosh!* Strong gales of wind burst throughout the city as the storm raged on, the floods and puddles were only growing as barely any form of sunlight struggled to prate through the dark clouds. In this situation a duo of individuals, a quiet young man wearing the mask of a smiling ogre and a charming girl whose hair was a luminous shade of orange with the edges being a bright red. With crimson red eyes and cloaks covering their bodies could be seen crouched on top of one of the tallest buildings in Knightsbridge, staring at the figure of a young man plummeting down a building before them. The young man hadn''t yet noticed them as they had masked their presence. *BURST!* They watched as the young man kicked off the building and propelled himself towards the next building before parkouring his way towards the superstore just down the road. "..." The girl kept her eyes on him with an intrigued and curious look whereas the young man wearing the smiling ogre mask red at him with hostility. "Even though he''s wearing a cloak, I got to see it... Silver and ck hair. Isn''t that the rumoured Devourer?" Ever since Xavier had left the Vampire Camp, small rumours had spread of what had gone down like flies on a corpse even despite them being in a war. The rumours talked about a young man with silver and ck hair called the Devourer. The one who devours all. On his own, he took on an entire formation of Vampires which had surrounded him, killing them and devouring the blood from their corpses as he fought. For every kill, he''d devour as if his stomach had no depth to it. ''It was quite the terrifying rumour.'' Thought the girl to herself with a smile. The Devourer was put on the kill on sight list and had a bounty on his head by the family of the nobles he had killed. They were infuriated, and wanted his head. With all being said, the rumours were still rather small. There were many other more important things going on for anyone to focus on tiny rumours such as those. Expansion was taking most of the Vampire''s main forces as the stronger humans had started to fight back. Therefore only the Family of the Nobles who were killed and those out for an easy bounty were the only ones out for Xavier. Because of the war however, not much was being done to Xavier as of now, the Vampires main forces were all focused on expanding their territory and destroying the enemies. "...Are we after his bounty?" The man with the ogre mask asked coldly. His voice was dark and deep, his tall and muscr figure hiding behind the cloak seemed to be itching for a fight. "..Hm..." The girl took a few moments to think, putting her fingers on her temples as she did so. "He really is a Vampire... I wonder why he''s attacking Vampires?" She let out a sigh with a smile before looking over at the Vampire with the ogre mask. "Who cares? We''ve never minded the details before, have we? Are you ready to fight?" She asked. The young man with the ogre mask, slightly moved his hooded cloak, disying the two swords on his waist in response. A strong wind blew by forcing her hair to sway to the sides with the raindrops crashing against them. "Guess there was no need to ask." Said the girl as she smiled. - - - Sneaking across the cars while masking his presence from the ghoul''s on the parking lot view, a dejected look spread across Xavier''s face as he looked down. Beneath him was a stream of water which went all the way up to his ankles, the city was slowly flooding. ''Ah... Fuck... My socks are wet... And I''m freezing.'' He shivered. Xavier had worn in boots for this reason, but it appears that all the movement had resulted in the oue he least desired. "Wait... I''m freezing? Aren''t Vampires immune to the cold in movies or something?" Xavier questioned. Xavier facepalmed himself at the fact that it had taken him ages to notice this fact. Truly, now that his mother and sister were confirmed to be safe, Xavier was seeing the world in a much broader view. Once this fact sunk in, he stopped for a moment before inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it. He then looked over at his hand and palm for a few seconds before closing it into a fist. "I''m still alive..." in that moment, just as he was about to smile, the figure of his smiling father popped up into his mind, instantly wiping the smile away. "I''ve avenged him... So why does it still hurt?" Xavier asked as his eyes grew colder. Xavier''s thoughts were drowned away by the sound of the rain crashing against the water around him whilst he looked up at the clouds. ''I wonder what happens to normal people when they die...? Do they go to heaven...?'' He then looked down at the ground. ''Or...'' *SPLASH!* The sound of a loud ssh resounded from behind Xavier, interrupting his thoughts. The figure of a ghoul who had heard his voice had lunged at him. There was not a change in Xavier''s expression despite that, for he''d already heard the ghouling. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] *CHOMP!* The ghoul''s eyes widened as just as he was about to bite down on Xavier''s neck, his figure disappeared, forcing him to bite down into thin air in the process. "Small fries just keeping one after another..." The Ghoul''s eyes widened, as it heard Xavier''s voiceing from behind it. *SPLASSSH!* Even more water sshed around as the ghoul''s figure went sliding down. While doing so, it quickly turned towards Xavier with a growl, ready to lunge again. Right as it leapt off the ground, it''s eyes widened, it noticed something off. It''s head had been detached from it''s body. Confusion. When was it cut? The ghoul neither felt nor saw it. Xavier''s de. It hadn''t even been drawn in the first ce. [You have killed a ghoul!] [+20 XP!] "Great, it sshed more water on me." Xavierined before sheathing his sword and walking towards the superstore''s entrance. The ghoul''s head which had been severed off its neck, floating on top of the flood, staring at Xavier''s back with its lifeless eyes before being carried away by the current. "How much longer is it going to rain for? I might catch a cold at this rate." Muttered Xavier. [That is highly unlikely.] "Oh, you''re speaking to me again. That''s a surprise." [The User is the one who stopped inquiring questions.] ''Did I? Oh well. The scent of blood is thick around here. Let''s go inside.'' Said Xavier as he stood by the superstore''s entrance. 70 Chapter 70 *Crumble* *Crumble* Xavier walked over shattered pieces of ss and bloodstains with his boot as he entered through the entrance. The automatic doors were broken, and the lights in the store were shing on and off. But it didn''t make much of a difference since he had [Night-Vision.] "..." Without saying a word, Xavier walked towards the many corpses before him, parts of their flesh were missing around their neck regions and many had their intestines flowing out. The scent of blood and rotten flesh permeating through the air made it all the more disturbing. *Crunch* *Crunch* With no other options avable, Xavier walked over the corpses beforeing to a stop ahead of a map beside the main door which led to the main section. "Let''s see here..." Xavier muttered as he inspected the map. The map disyed all of the sections of the superstore. In this one there were ten sections. Each section covered a portion of the store''s entirety. Specifically, one tenth. Each section provided it''s own set of products and the map showed what each specialised in. Xavier was in the middle section ahead of the store''s entrance, the fifth section. The clothing section. The sections Xavier needed to get to were the 6th section, groceries and the 7th sections, tech and mechanical parts. There was also the 10th section which caught Xavier''s eyes, it focused on medicine and first aid but Xavier was nning on going to a hospital regardless so he put it off not to waste time. *Growl* The sound of growling caught Xavier''s ear. Upon turning to the source of the sound, he could see humanoid figures slowly approaching him on their fours through the clothes smearing blood on them in the process. Their eyes glowed a crimson red as drool flowed out of their mouths. The shing light made them look even more disturbing than usual. Xavier''s eyes narrowed when he saw this. One of the shirts they had gotten their blood on was the very first shirt he''did his eyes on when entering the section. "Fuck... That''s depressing... Now I don''t want it anymore." Xavierined before sighing. "Oh well-" *SLASH!* - - - "So this is where he''s at... This ce is just perfect for my ability." Muttered the cloaked Vampire as she stood by the superstore''s entrance. The Vampire beside her wearing the ogre mask gave her a nod before walking ahead. Meanwhile the girl stared at him with narrowed eyes. Watching his back slowly distancing away from her as he entered the store, she could almost visualize the bloodlusting out of him, it reminded her of an uncontroble stream just waiting to burst out. ''The smiling ogre, a vampire assassin whose identity behind the mask has never once been revealed. He''s as quiet as the rumours say... I wonder why someone like him wants to take such a low reward bounty with so many others out there.'' The girl shrugged her shoulders. "Who cares, it''ll make my life easier. Whether it''s the Devourer or even a high-ranked Vampire Noble, no one who bes his target can survive." - - - "At-At-At-Choo!" Xavier sneezed. Rubbing his nose with a tissue, Xavier continued to walk down the food shelves, throwing any cans, vegetables and packs of rice he could find into the supply bag on his back. "That''s strange... Did all the rain make me catch a cold?" Xavier questioned. "Is that even possible for Vampires?" Xavier was in in the store''s 6th section. It was big, filled with food shelves and a ss panel ceiling above walls which were as tall as 10-15 meters. Despite the asional encounter of a trashed shelf or corpse, things were in quite great condition. "I''m d you ghouls have no use for these things. That makes things easier for the both of us, isn''t that right?" Asked Xavier as he turned back with a grateful smile. Behind him was a trail of corpses belonging to ghouls which were beheaded one after another. "Ah... Right... They''re all dead." Muttered Xavier. Xavier had killed all of the ghouls which he''d encountered as to not waste any XP. All in one swift sh to the neck. The only downside of it for Xavier was that he couldn''t drink any of their blood. "What a waste... It''s depressing." Xavier muttered. ''How far am I from level 10?'' Xavier questioned. [XP: 940/1800] ,m The instant the screen with counter popped up before him, Xavier felt the hair on the back of his hair rise. He instantly turned towards the door which led to the 5th section before tilting his head to the side with a confused expression. ''...For a moment I felt a strange presence but it''s gone now... Did I imagine it?'' Xavier wondered. Ignoring his sense of danger, Xavier scratched the back of his head before continuing his search for supplies. *Step* *Step* *Step* After a few steps Xavier stopped to confirm that there were no ghouls in sight before crouching in front of a different shelf. The products in these shelves were all sauces. There was ketchup, mayonnaise, custard, chilli pepper, and all others. While crouched Xavier stared intently at the ketchup and mayo, his red eyes then shifted over to the custard. "Hm..." While Xavier was debating on which to go for in his mind, the shadow of a figure appeared behind him with it''s presencepletely masked. "I wonder if I should go for ketchup or mayo... Maybe both?" The figure red at him as it readied it''s dagger to decapitate him in a single swing but right as it was about to- "Hey, what do you think? It has to be both right?" Xavier asked as he turned his head backwards and faced the figure. "!" *SWOOSH!* In that instant, the figure swung his de, quickly shing it through Xavier''s neck. Or so it seemed. Right before the swing made contact with Xavier''s neck, his figure disappeared. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] And not even a secondter- *BAM!!!* A kick crashed on the back of the masked man sending him crashing through the sauce shelf and the two shelves behind it. "Ah.. Fuck. Now my sauces are all scattered." Cursed Xavier as he crouched down and began picking them up one by one. The moment smiling ogre masked man got up, his narrowed eyes as a burst of bloodlust fell on his back. "I don''t know who you are but I''ll give you a little warning... I''m feeling depressed right now..." Muttered Xavier as he sent him a re. "So just fuck off while you still can..." 71 Chapter 71 "I don''t know who you are but I''ll give you a little warning... I''m feeling depressed right now..." Muttered Xavier as he sent him a re. "So just fuck off while you still can..." The bloodlust being let off by Xavier, the re in his eyes it set off all of their danger senses. There was no doubt about it, he was the devourer. "Ha... Hahah... Hahahahahaha...." The smiling ogre slowly began to rise with only his feet nted into the ground as he let out a menacing readying his daggers as he did so. Xavier took this as a sign he was itching for a fight. "Aah... What a fucking pain." Xavierined as he took off his supply bag, kicking it off to the sides to not end up ripping it mid battle. After doing so, Xavier took a step back and entered his stance. The instant he took the step howevever- *SLING!* Xavier''s eyes widened as threads suddenly surrounded and wrapped themselves around his body, binding him as they dug into his skin. Veins bulged out of Xavier''s neck and arms, as the more he struggled to get out, the tighter the threads dug in. *SWOOSH!* And by the time Xavier had realised it, the smiling masked ogre was already standing before him with both daggers in hand in a swing towards Xavier''s neck. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] *SLASH!* A grin grew on the ogre''s face as he watched the dagger pass right through the threads, Xavier''s figure was no longer being held captive. Without even bothering to check where it was, the smiling ogre sent an axe kick down below whilst ncing down. *BAM!* There Xavier was, crouched down below him holding onto his kick. Veins bulged out of Xavier''s arm and his grip tightened around the smiling ogre''s leg before he swung his arm down to m the smiling ogre into the ground. Right as he swung his arm however- The smiling ogre rotated his entire body,pletely breaking and dislocating the bones his leg beforending a spinning kick across the side of Xavier''s face. *WHAM!* The impact sent Xavier flying across the store, his back mming onto shell after shell beforeing to a stop after only the 5th shell. Quickly getting up to recover, Xavier''s eyes narrowed as he watched the smiling ogre''s leg suddenly spin itself back into ce. All the broken bones had recovered in that short of a time frame. Xavier''s eyes then widened as he noticed countless thin strands of thread around him. He''d been kicked to the centre of a trap. Looking down, he could see countless intertwined threads around his legs. ''Fuck... I must have been caught after the kick sent me flying... That being said that fucker''s ability to regenerate is clearly levels above mine... What is he?'' "Give up." Xavier nced to the side, as a different, feminine voice entered the battle. To said side, in between the shelves Xavier could see a rather short, gorgeous girl whose hair was a luminous shade of orange with the edges being a bright red. Her hands were stretched out and upon closer inspection, Xavier could see threadsing out of her finger tips. ''So it was her..'' "this isn''t a battle you-" [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] Without bothering to hear what she had to say, Xavier''s figure vanishedpletely, appearing the exact position he''d been before getting kicked. This included one arm being raised up holding onto nothing. The smiling ogre who had moved to approach Xavier looked back grinning behind his mask while the luminous orange haired Vampire girl red at Xavier. "Hey! At least finish listening to what I had to say first!" Sheined. ''If I''d listened I would have missed the timer to retract back into a safe position.'' The time limit for [Retract.] an ability that allowed Xavier to revert to a previous position was still 5 seconds. Ignoring her, Xavier kept his eyes on the smiling ogre who approached once more, Xavier also made sure to keep the threads in check. As long as he fought on the opposite side of the store, he should have been fine. After all, there was no way they set up threads all around was there? "Also, Ogre, be careful. I think he has an ability other than devour. This one allows him to teleport or rather move himself to a position he was previously at." She said. Xavier narrowed his eyes. He wasn''t surprised that she figured it out. His teleportation had given it away, for starters he reverted into a position he had where he was grabbing onto the Ogre''s legs with his arm raised up. Only problem was, the ogre was no longer there, and if Xavier could truly teleport, why teleport in that position? There was only one possible conclusion for this, and she figured it out. "Also, Ogre... There''s probably a time limit to it, how far back a position he can take was. Otherwise he would have gone for a more favourable... Less obvious position. Judging by the time frame, I''d say... 5 sec-" *SWOOSH!* The girl was interrupted, by a packet of ham,unched at her by Xavier while she spoke. The threads instantly banded together before her however, blocking the piece of ham, stopping them from making contact with her. The ogre who had listened in on everything, charged at Xavier with a grin and a greater understanding of his ability. Meanwhile she slowly approached from the sides, setting up more and more of her threads while waiting for an opportunity to attack. ''She''s smart and those thread of hers... Should I go for her first-'' *SWOOSH!* Xavier''s thoughts were interrupted, he bent backwards and watched as a swing passed right by him, cutting off strands of hair before another one descended down him from above. *CLANG!* Xavier parried the swing with a swing of his own after drawing his de. The moment where the two were knocked back was grasped by Xavier who kicked off the smiling ogre''s chest to create distance. *BAM!* Xavier''s figure was sent sliding back before being backed against a thread. ncing away from the thread towards the Ogre, Xavier''s eyes widened, before his eyes were two daggers approaching simultaneously. 72 Chapter 72 Xavier''s eyes widened, before his eyes were two daggers approaching simultaneously. [Retract] *SWOOSH!* Xavier''s figure reverted back to the position he was in before kicking off of the ogre''s chest, the position where he had his body bent backwards. The moment he looked towards the ogre, he shivered. *SLASH!* Xavier''s arm was sent flying through the air as the smiling ogre passed right by him, rotating his body mid-air as he did so. Xavier quickly bent his body forward, ignoring the pain in his arm and watching with bloodshot red eye as the Ogre collided against more threads. Contrary to what happened to Xavier, the threads didn''t bind or entrap the smiling ogre. Instead, they stretched out along with his figure, pulling his feet backwards beforeunching him towards Xavier like a slingshot The moment he wasunched, a big hole opened up through his feet and shoe, before forcing out a rapid stream of gas, hence propelling him even faster- [Jet Maniption: Burst.] *VOOM!* *SLASH!* The side of Xavier''s neck was shed, as the ogre blew past him once more. Blood spurted across the air, as Xavier''s left severed arm mmed into the ground before him. He drew the right sword, instantly having his knuckles pierced and punctured by spikes as they extended out of the sword''s cross guard. Xavier was constantly on the move while the sword drew his blood, stepping left and right as the smiling ogre burst at him repeatedly. [You have been given power in exchange for blood.] Despite that, the number of cuts on Xavier''s body were consistently increasing. And Xavier who''s room for movement was limited had nothing he could do if not try and hold out. With every passing second the ogre''s speed was getting out of control. His figure was blurring to the point Xavier could barely see his face. *Step!* In that moment, when Xavier stepped out of the way to avoid the swing. *BAM!* His eyes widened as a leg dug into his ribcage, breaking every bone it made contact with as all the momentum gathered was transferred into that kick alone. [Jet Maniption: Burst Kick!] Blood gushed out of Xavier''s mouth, his eyes bulged out before he was sted away, bursting through the air, he soared into a thread which stretched super far out, before beingunched back at the smiling ogre. With trembling arms, Xavier was barely able to position his sword over his head to parry the smiling ogre''s daggers if he swung them. But contrary to Xavier''s expectations- *BAM!!!* Not a single dagger was swung at him, instead a rising kick ended up crashing right into his chest after smiling ogre stepped to the side. [Jet Maniption: Burst Kick!] *COUGH!* *VWOOM!* Xavier hurled out blood, before gettingunched right up at the ceiling at inconceivable speeds. *CRASH!* *SHATTER!* He shattered right through the ss ceiling, before continuously ascending upwards. [Jet Maniption: Jet Burst!] Gas burst out from the hole in the smiling Ogre''s feet propelling him up towards Xavier at even faster speeds. "Ogre, wait!!" The luminous orange haired Vampire called out to stop him. Unfortunately, by then the Ogre had already left the building in his journey towards Xavier. *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* Every Few seconds even more gas would burst out from the Smiling Ogre''s feet holes, quickly closing the distance between them. By the time Xavier had started to descend, the smiling ogre was already right behind him. *Grab!* Xavier''s descent was stopped by the ogre who grabbed his leg and began to spin him around mid-air. [Jet Burst] [Jet Burst] [Jet Burst] Gas continuously burst out of the holes in his leg, increasing the rotation speed repeatedly. From another''s perspective it looked like a helicopters rotary wings spinning around in the air on it''s own. The Ogre had gathered so much rotation that Xavier could feel the muscles in his leg tearing. [Jet Maniption: Jet OverBurst!!!] A hole suddenly appeared behind the ogre''s arm, propelling Xavier even further as he loosened his grip. The instant he let go- *VA-BOOM!!!* A sonic boom erupted and Xavier''s figure blurred, plummeting towards the ground at a speed faster than even the Vampires could see. *CRASHHH!!!!!!* A quarter of a second, that''s how long it took for Xavier''s body to collide with the ground. Xavier''s body dug into the ground, creating a crater as a strong shockwave was sent across the store. With his hand positioned behind his head, Xavier''s figure was motionless right at the centre. All of his bones, was broken, he''d stopped breathing and not a sound could be hearding out of him. A dust of smoke created obscured the luminous orange haired Vampire''s view, preventing her from seeing his condition. The ogre slowly plummeted towards the ground, while keeping an eye out from the view above. Meanwhile the luminous orange haired Vampire approached the cloud of smoke with her threads ready to defend in case of any sudden attacks. After a step however, she heard something. *Throb* *Throb* *Throb* Xavier''s heart, it was still beating and loudly too. ''It''s strange, he could have avoided thispletely... Why he didn''t use his ability to teleport to a previous position to escape the Ogre''s helicopter attack...?'' *Throb* *Throb* *Throb* The Smiling Ogre slowly descended through the hole in the ceiling with the shattered ss, and in that instant, her eyes widened. "Get out of there!!! Ogre!!!" She yelled. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] Suddenly, a sonic boom echoed throughout the air, above the ogre. By the time he''d moved to get out of the way, it was already toote- *SLASH!* The Smiling Ogre''s eyes widened beneath his mask as in that that instant, Xavier''s blurred figure with a sword swing in motion shed right past him. *CRASH!* Xavier''s figure crashed into the ground, meanwhile confusion spread across the ogre''s face as the world began to spin around. He''d lost all sensation across his body. ''Huh...? What just happened? Don''t tell me I...'' ''I was cut...?'' That was the ogre''s final thought before life left his eyes. *CRASH!* The Ogre''s head plummeted into the ground crashing right in the centre of the crater beside Xavier. 73 Chapter 73 His head which had plummeted copsed right beside Xavier''s broken down figure and the pool of blood beneath it. Whereas his body copsed onto the bundle of threads scattered around. Knowing that it wasn''t over, Xavier who could barely see, barely feel anything and had the constant sound of ringing echoing inside of his ears struggled to get up. Blood was gushing out from every hole in his body, he could barely even breathe because of how clogged up everything was. Even with [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 1] Being left constantly active his wounds were still having trouble healing. The only reason Xavier was even able to pull off an attack like that again was because of it. He focused all of his [Hyper-Regeneration] around his brain area in order for him to remain conscious. As a result however, his body had broken down. ''Ah... This won''t do... This really won''t do... I can''t feel anything... Only pain...'' *Cough!* [HP: 4/55] [Energy: 34/220] [State: Death''s Doors.] Xavier looked over at the head of the smiling ogre beside him. Half of Xavier''s mask was cracked but the entirety of the smiling ogre''s mask had shattered showing him his face. One eye was red while another was brown. Xavier found this confusing. ''Where''s his body? It holds the most blood for me to devour it to heal up...'' [You killed an Vampire Noble Halfling!] [+330 XP!] Xavier''s eyes widened. [You are approaching Level 10!] [Evolution Is In Proximity!] Before Xavier could make out what all of this meant, countless threads wrapped themselves around his immobilised figure before raising it up into the air. With the strands tightening themselves around every corner of his body, the luminous orange haired girl''s figure slowly became visible as the smoke cloud dispersed. She had her arms stretched towards him with the strands ready to decapitate him and tear him from limb to limb. She couldn''t believe what she''d witnessed. The risk he took in order to defeat the ogre. "Oi.. .What are you?" She asked with a cold smile. "At the end, you could have but you chose not to escape his attack with your ability." "Then you took that life-threatening attack and gambled on whether or not it would kill you..." "Taking that attack forced us to drop our guard, giving you the opening to finish off the ogre... The more I think about it the more I don''t understand." She ced her palm on her face. "What Vampire... No what living being risks having their life on edge like that? Leaving their chance of victory to a gamble where their life is the one on the line..." "It''s as if you''re purposely trying to kill yourself while taking the enemy with you." At first Xavier didn''t respond, he only grinned and hung his head. But after a while. "Do you really have time- *Cough* ...To be talking to me? *Cough* W-Won''t killing me now be your best bet? *Cough* *Cough* *Cough* "There''s no need. It doesn''t take an expert to tell that you''ll die by those wounds. Even your regeneration can''t save you." "Ha... Hahaha... *Cough* *Cough* Hahahahaha..." Blood gushed out of Xavier''s mouth as heughed, with every exhale he could hear the gurgling in his punctured lungs. He slowly raised his head disying the bright red smile on his face. Sending a shiver down her spice. [System Request Confirmed.] [Using 1 of the 3 Level Up Options.] [Option 1: Full Body Recovery.] A green light highlighted Xavier''s body and in almost an instant, all of his injuries repaired themselves, leaving him behind without not even a scratch. Even his severed arm which was on the ground, was suddenlyunched at him before attaching itself back into ce. The female Vampire who''d been watching this was left dumbfounded. "What... What did you just do!?" She asked, startled as she took a step back. Xavier''s happy and smiley expression remained as he asked. "Do you know why people are scared of dying?" "Huh...?" She let out in a confused tone. "There are two reasons as far as I''m aware... Living beings in general have been programmed to seek survival and because people are afraid of whates after it." "Why... Why are you telling me this? Why are you even asking me questions? You''re my hostage in this situation!" "Am I?" Xavier asked before shutting his eyes. "Devour." *Burst* A stream of blood burst out of the smiling ogre''s body which had been caught in by the threads. It streamed towards and into Xavier''s mouth before he began gulping it down. [Blood Orb Extracted!] [You are consuming the blood of a Vampire Noble Halfling!] *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* The girl tried using her threads to stop Xavier from drinking but it''d either go around or through the threads, showing no signs of stopping regardless of what she did. [+1 Strength has been added.] [+1 Stamina has been added.] [+1 Stamina has been added.] [+1 Agility has been added.] [+1 Sense has been added.] - Notification after notification,ing non-stop as if there was a bug on the system. Xavier couldn''t believe his eyes as he continued to devour. The female Vampire who''d been watching tried tightening the threads around his neck to stop him but it was no use, he was focusing all of his defence and regeneration in said neck''s area. Because of that- *SLASH!* Xavier''s limbs which were being unprotected were all shed off simultaneously, leaving his figure with only a neck hanging by a thread. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* Yet even in that situation Xavier was still gulping down the blood whose contents were almost finished. [Thread Maniption: Bundle Of Threads a€¡° Spear] As her threads bundled together to form a spear, she witnessed something unbelievable. Blood streamed out from Xavier''s severed limbs, connecting themselves to the severed parts before pulling them in and attaching themselves back. By the time she''dunched her spear at Xavier''s chest. It his limbs had already reattatched themselves, and since the threads were no longer bounding them, there was nothing to stop them- *CLANG!* The spear wasunched right back her, right past her face forcing a shiver down her spine. 74 Chapter 74 *Drip* *Drip* Blood dripped down the cut on her cheek for a few seconds before her wound quickly stopping as her wound closed. Before her eyes, stood Xavier no longer bound by her threads and now free to move around freely. On his body there were no visible injuries, none at all. And in his arms were two different coloured des which were draining his blood. As she felt the bloodlust directed at her, only one thought passed by her mind. ''I wish I''d never epted this bounty.'' [Log] [+8 Strength added.] [+6 Agility added.] [+7 Stamina added.] [+ 3 Sense added.] ''So Vampire halfling''s give stamina... Makes sense since they''re half human... Now to deal with that girl-'' *CRASH!* Xavier kicked off the food shelf behind him, instantly appearing before the luminous orange haired Vampire with a swing in motion directed at her neck. *CLANG!* Xavier''s swing was slowed by the threads set in ce around her before being stoppedpletely by a bundle of threads intertwined in the shape of a shield. [Thread Maniption: Bundle Of Threads ¨C Shield.] *Flick* The Orange haired Vampire flicked her finger, forcing the surrounding threads to close in on Xavier to immobilise him once more. *SWOOSH!* Yet despite her attempt, Xavier''s figure went nowhere close to being caught as he disappeared from her line of sight. Turning her head back, she found Xavier mid-air right beside her with another swing drawing closer to her neck. ''He''s faster!'' *FWOOSH!* Avoiding by a hair''s margin she ducked past the first swing before leaping back on the second one, thrusting her arms out and forcing all the threads to enclose themselves on Xavier as a counter. *SLING!* Xavier threw his sword, his figure disappearing once again right before he was caught by the threads. *SWOOSH!* The girl, stepped to the left, towards her shield causing Xavier''s sword to miss and go sliding off to the distance while she swung her head to the left in search of him. She knew that whatever position he''d reverted to would be to her left since that was where he''d initially been, and just like she''d expected- *STEP!* there he was, emerging with a step from beside her shield of threads with a red glint in his crimson eyes. He was right where she wanted him. [Thread Maniption: Bundle Of Threads ¨C Hammer] The threads bundled up together taking the shape of a giant hammer in almost an instant before swinging itself down at Xavier. In the same instance, Xavier threw his only remaining sword at her before cing his arms overhead to block the hammers impact. The Vampire girl who saw his de heading right for her head, took a step back and swayed to the side to avoid it. And in that exact moment, Xavier grinned. *CRASH!* The hammer mmed down at him from above, his arms which were upied holding it up to prevent it from crushing him left his bodypletely exposed in the process. Her eyes lit up as she thrust her arms forward, it was her win. ''Now to finish him off-'' *PIERCE!* Her thoughts were interrupted by a surge of pain which surged through her body forcing her to halt in her spot. With a confused expression and blood flowing out of her mouth, she looked down only to find her sides impaled by one of Xavier''s swords. ''Both of my lungs were pierced... Since when...? How...?'' Her eyes then widened when she realised. It was the first sword which Xavier had thrown which she had avoided. It turned out he couldn''t just revert the position of himself but also objects which he wielded. "This... This is unfair... *Cough*" She muttered as she flicked her fingers, getting the threads the wrap themselves around the handle and pull the sword out. *CRASH!* Unfortunately for her, it was already toote. The thread hammer holding Xavier down ended up crashing into the ground as his figure was no longer there, instead it was right before her. "Wai-" *SLAM!* Xavier''s grabbed her neck mid leap before mming her against the ground. *CRASH!* The floor beneath her cracked as she gasped for air. Veins bulged out of Xavier''s hands as he tightened his grip, she struggled trying to push him off but no matter what she did he wouldn''t budge. "Use your threads, I kill you. Keep struggling I kill you. You are to answer my questions, understood?" With tears streaming down her eyes she gave Xavier a slight nod. After doing so, she stopped struggling. Seeing this, Xavier loosened his grip and not even a secondter, she was gasping for air while coughing at the same time. *Cough* *Cough* *Cough* "Grit your teeth." Said Xavier. The girl showed him a confused expression when all of the sudden- *Stter!* Xavier pulled the sword and de right out of her sides, forcing her to let out a loud pained squeal. After looking around to check for ghouls Xavier looked back down at her teary figure. Her eyes were watery, her slim body was shaking in fear as the wound quickly closed. For some reason, with her teary sparkling eyes she somehow looked even cuter than before. ''She''s cute, almost too cute. It''s a shame I have to kill her.'' Xavier sighed. ''Ahh... This depressing. I''ll make it painless.'' "So, first question. Who sent you?" Xavier asked. The girl red at him with her crimson red eyes for a few seconds before looking away in fear and muttering. "I''m a bounty hunter... No one sent me... There was a bounty ced on you and so I went after it..." Xavier frowned. "Do you know who ced the bounty?" The girl shook her head. "It was anonymous but based on the reward it was an influential family with a lot of power... Maybe One of the families of the nobles you took out in the camp...?" "How do you know about that?" The girl narrowed her eyes. "Who doesn''t? An event of that scale will have rumours spreading like flies... If it wasn''t because of the war, you''d be getting flooded by other hunters and assassins... Also, basic information like that was put alongside your bounty." "I see... So, what was the reward for you and that dumbass risking your lives toe and kill me?" Xavier asked with a cold look in his face. 75 Chapter 75 The girl looked away for a moment without responding the question. Xavier leaned in further with a re before repeating his question. "Did you not hear me? I asked you what the reward was." "...An ancient relic... And a few gallons of blood." She muttered. Xavier raised his brows in confusion. ''Ancient relic... Where have I heard that before?'' [Main Quest: Reach Level 10.] [Rewards:] [Ancient Relic] [Coins] A quest notification screen popped up beside her reminding Xavier of where he''d heard it. "Ancient relic, what is that?" "Powerful objects of the past said to contain unimaginable powers..." Xavier closed his eyes to envision one of them. They definitely seemed useful. ''I wonder how a system will provide me one...'' He thought to himself. "Um... Are you... Are you going to kill me...?" She asked while shivering in fear. Without a change in his expression, Xavier stared her right in the eye and responded. "Yeah, I will." Her bones were filled with dread at his stoic expression. Her heart which had been pounding sunk and her eyes filled with tears which slowly streamed down their sides. "Can you... Please spare me..." She asked staring him right in the eye as tears streamed down her face. Her look was determined showing that she still wanted to live. Unfortunately for her, Xavier didn''t give a damn. "Don''t you have any shame? Begging for your life despite trying to kill a depressed man?" Xavier asked with an annoyed look. She didn''t respond, instead looked away feeling too ashamed to stare him in the eye. "Why should I let you live? Your friend''s dead, isn''t he? Why don''t I sent you to him instead of leaving you alive and giving you the opportunity to take revenge on me?" The girl wiped her tears with her arm before responding. "He''s not my friend, he''s more specialised in assassinations and just happened to be taking this bounty at the same time as me." "I still have things to do in my life, I won''t try to take revenge, I doubt I''ll be able to even if I did." Xavier let out a sigh. "There''s no guarantee you won''t. Besides you''d be much better to me dead than alive." Killing her and devouring blood would make him stronger and also get rid of the threat of her smart ass nning revenge. "I''d be more useful alive... In fact, I''ll work for you." "You don''t have much knowledge or information of the Vampire world, do you? I have connections there andworks that allows me to track most movements, it''s because of that, that I was able to find you." "Also, you get stronger by consuming blood, don''t you? Your speed and power increased after you drank the smiling ogre''s blood. Getting stronger that fast after consuming blood is unheard of, you probably have some ability linked to it..." "If it''s blood you need, I can constantly provide you mine as long as you don''t kill me. Won''t have a long-term supply reap more benefits than a short term. Xavier thought about it for a moment, the Redbloods were being chased and in hiding so it would be much harder for them to collect information. What she said about the blood was also correct, killing her now would have given him a boost but looking at it from a long-term perspective, it would have been a waste. ''Not to mention how bright she is... She might honestly be useful.'' "So you''re saying you''ll be my personal blood bag that provides me with information?" "And helps you." She added. Xavier leaned in a bit further, to the point where there noses were almost touching. With a grin, his fangs were brought out into full view. "This all sounds too good to be true. How do I know you won''t betray me?" Xavier asked. "I swear on it, even I wouldn''t be crazy enough to try after witnessing you fight. And if it eases your worries, I''ll stick to you so you''ll be able to keep my movements in check." Xavier stared at her right in her eyes while listening in to her heart beat. Her eyes were unwavering but her heart was beating quite fast. Usually, it would be a sign of lying but in her case, it was probably due to the adrenaline and fear of dying. "Hmm... Let me have a bite while I think about it." Said Xavier as he grinned. Hearing this, the girl nodded and without a hint of hesitation she tilted her head to the sides, exposing her slim necks sides. Xavier let go of her neck and nced at the strangle marks he''d caused before leaning in and going for the bite. *Pierce* "Nn~" She quietly squealed as his fangs prated her neck. Shortly after, Xavier began to suck on her neck, gulping down the stream of blood which flowed into his mouth. ''I was right... Drinking blood directly tastes so much better than a blood orb...'' He thought to himself as he rxed. [You are consuming the blood of a Vampire Hafling Noble] [+1 Stat added to Strength.] [+1 Stat added to Stamina.] [+1 Stat added to Agility.] - Xavier''s eyes widened as the notifications began to echo inside of his mind. He instantly stopped sucking her blood and pulled away before staring at her and asking. "You... You''re a halfling too?" [You have stopped consuming the blood of a Vampire Halfling Noble.] ''Just like the smiling ogre... Could they be rted? Then that would mean she lied to me...'' "Yeah... That''s right... How did you know...? Did my contactse off?" She asked whilst panting. "Contacts?" Xavier questioned. She gave him a weak nod, before pointing at her left eye. "That''s a red contact lense made to resemble a Vampire''s eye... I''m using it to hide the fact that I''m a halfling..." She proceeded to exin the Vampire Halflings had one eye which was that of a vampire and one of a human. The human eye gave the fact that they were halflings away. "Why hide the fact that you''re a halfling?" The girl made a bitter expression. 76 Chapter 76 Vampire Halflings. A species of Vampires created through the reproduction between a Vampire and a human. They''re physical traits are like that of a Vampire''s only with better benefits. For example, a resistance to sunlight, as well as a weaker thirst for blood. It is because of these features that it is easier for them to live hidden amongst humans unlike regr vampires. "...Halflings are discriminated against in the Vampire world... Because they''re conceived through the intercourse between a human and a vampire... They''re treated so badly that the only way for them to make a living or survive in the Vampire world is through dangerous jobs." She narrowed her eyes as unpleasant memories flowed into her mind. "Most choose to live hidden in the human world, but some like me remain in the Vampire World, doing dangerous jobs like bounty hunting and others..." "I see... And are you in any way rted to the smiling ogre?" The girl raised her brows with a confused look. "What...? I already told you, we met by chance for this bounty. Before that we''d barely interacted." Xavier wasn''t buying it at first, after all they were both halflings, but based on her story it could have all just been a coincidence. "Are you aware that he''s also a halfling." She finally understood where Xavier was getting at. "Oh... I had my suspicions but I never got to see what was behind the mask. Did my suspicion end up being correct?" Right as Xavier was about to respond, the sound of approaching growls echoed in the distance. The two looked up only to find a group of ghouls with their sights set on the two of them, approaching. ''Right... she''s a halfling and I''m a fledgling... We both have human blood and that makes us a bigger target for the ghouls.'' Xavier sighed as the ghouls got closer and closer, tripping up on the threads as they did so. ''Well, it''s free XP so noining...'' - - - "Is this good enough?" She asked as she turned to Xavier. Xavier looked over in her direction, only to find all the ghouls raised up into the air with the threads wrapped around their limbs, preventing them from moving. They were sessfully restrained. ''She''s already showing signs of being useful.'' "Yep, just perfect." Muttered Xavier before vanishing. *SWOOSH!* A secondter, his figure blew by the restrained ghoul''s instantly decapitating all five of them in one single swing. [You have killed 5 Ghouls!] [+ 100 XP!] [XP: 1540/1800] [You are approaching Level 10!] [Evolution in proximity!] Xavier was only 260 XP away from evolving and boy was he looking forward to it. "Let''s head over to the tech section... I want to see if I can get a charger for this iPhone, or something I can use tomunicate with my family in case they ever need me." Said Xavier as he picked up his giant supply bag and walked over to the next section. "I''ll help you look." She responded before following after. Once they reached the entrance to the next section, Xavier looked back before pointing at the threads. "Aren''t you going to get rid of these?" She shook her head. "They''ll stop any ghouls thate and don''t take any energy to maintain. Think of it as some sort of defence system." ''That''s a useful ability... I wonder when I''ll get one like that...'' Xavier thought to himself as they walked through the door. Nothing seemed out of ce at first nce, it was quiet, not a single ghoul to be seen other than the many corpses lying around. Xavier shrugged it off, assuming that the ghouls which had been in this section had moved onto another section or something. ''Gluttony... Level up faster so I can finally start gaining stronger abilities.''ined inwardly Xavier with a dejected look. Unfortunately for Xavier he wasn''t able to take the smiling ogre''s ability [Jet Maniption.] This sucked because for Xavier there were so many different useful uses for it. It not only offered mobility but also an offense boost, there was no ability more bnced for Xavier''s fighting style. "Um... Devourer... I believe this is the tel row." Said the vampire girl as she pointed at the shelves beside them. Xavier had been walking whilst focused on his thoughts so he hadn''t noticed. Turns out she was right. They walked over to the shelves and began inspecting the devices they had avable. While they did so, the two interacted for a bit. "Xavier... That''s my name. What''s yours?" Xavier asked as he inspected amunication device. It was a walkie talky. "O-Oh... I''m Sophie..." The air around them was still a bit awkward after what had happened but in Xavier''s opinion, it could have been worse. They''d expected as much, there was no helping it. ''It''s been five days since the apocalypse began... I doubt the power willst for another day or two.'' ''When the powers shut down so will the radio towers... My phone won''t have any signal so using it for calls will be useless... Will this work in that situation?'' "I think you should take that..." Said Sophie as she nced at the walkie talky. "Do you know anything about it?" She gave him a slight nod. "Not much... Their range is limitedpared to a phone but they''llst longer and can put out their own transmissions... They''re not overly reliant on radio towers unlike cell phone signals." ''What part of that is not much?'' Xavier questioned. "Alright, grab around six of the best quality ones you can find. I''ll go get a charger, so we can finally get out of here." Sophie nodded in understanding. "Where are we going after this?" She asked with a confused look. "You said you''re sticking to me right? We''re going to go to the hospital and then you''reing back with me to my base." A shocked expression mixed with fear grew on her face. "Is that really alright?" She asked. Xavier thought about it for a while before responding. "Probably not, but who cares. If you try anything back in the base, you''ll die." Sophie shivered at his words. "A-Alright..." She responded nervously. "I''d already assumed as much." Xavier smiled in response to this. He proceeded to look around for the charger in order to not waste any more time. "Let''s hurry up, we still have to go to the hospital." 77 Chapter 77 The heavy sound of the rain droplets pouring against the rooftops resounded across Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they leapt from building to building on their way to the nearest hospital. Xavier let out a sigh of relief at the fact that his supply bag was water proof as the rain poured down on it. Inside, both his phone along with Sophie''s were connected to a wireless charger. Xavier was surprised when she even pulled out her phone in the first ce. "The flood is getting worse." Sophie muttered. "At this rate the city will bepletely flooded in no time..." "Yeah..." Xavier responded as he nced down. Even with all the sewers around, the flood was on growing exponentially, the roads were filled with floating corpses and trash. The stream of water was even red in some parts because of all the blood which was picked up. The sight was quite hard to take in. There was no telling when things would get better or even if they''d get better. If all of this wasn''t proof that everything was ending then Xavier didn''t know what was. "Do you know anything about what''s causing this horrible weather?" Xavier asked as they leapt over to the next building. Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me... But if I had to guess, I''d say it has something to do with that." She muttered as she pointed up at the giant ck sphere over their heads. The dimensional rift. ''Ever since it appeared... No, even before it. That thing has just been causing problems one after another.'' ''The Vampires are enough for me, If that shit starts causing problems then I can''t see any happy endings.'' *SwoosH!* Xavier''s thoughts were interrupted as the two suddenly came to a stop on top of a building in front of their destination. He leaned over the building''s edge despite it being unnecessary to truly confirm whether or not it was the ce they were looking for. ''Yep, that''s a hospital alright.'' They''d finally arrived at one of the hospitals in Knightsbridge. "Any other entrances that you know, Mrs know-it-all?" Asked Xavier. The flood had risen to waist level, for someone short like Xavier or Sophie it would definitely be an unpleasant experience trying to pass by there. "Even my knowledge is limited. I''m not a schr, I''m a fighter... But yeah, there should be an entrance in the roof, most hospitals do, based on what I''ve seen." She said. Xavier looked at the hospital before slowly looking upwards. There were quite a lot of a floors, the way up towards the roof was a long one. But Xavier didn''t seem to mind. "You cool with climbing up?" Xavier asked. She gave Xavier a confused look. "Yeah but why not take a more fun approach?" Xavier raised his brows. [Thread Maniption: Bundle Of Threads a€¡° Slingshot.] Threads extended out of the girls finger tips before digging into the floor of the roof they were on and taking the shape of a giant slingshot. "This is your idea of fun?" Xavier asked as he leapt onto the centre of it. "Trust me, it is." She responded with a proud smile as she flicked her finger back. The moment she did so, the thread around the centre secured Xavier in ce while the rest of the threads stretched out, pulling Xavier further and further back with each passing second. When it reached it''s maximum stretch, the Sophie waved at Xavier with a smile. There was something Xavier found off about her expression. "Wai-" *SWOOSH!* And just like that, Xavier''s figure blurred, he wasunched upwards soaring through the air at immense speed. The water droplets crashing against his face, the cold breeze and the view of the city from a much higher point than before. Xavier didn''t know why but the experienced turned out much better than expected. He''d ended up going well past the hospital''s roof, and was seemingly floating in the middle of the air with such a nice view below him. With a blushing expression Xavier looked around, enjoying the moment for a few seconds before it all began to go downhill. ''Fuck- How many times am I going to fall in one day?!'' Xavier questioned himself mid-air as he began taking swim strokes to bring his figure closer and closer to the hospitals rooftop. ''Damn it! If I''m going to crash, I''m crashing on that roof!'' But once he was right over the roof, Xavier began having second thoughts as he recalled the pain from the fall he''d sustained by the smiling ogre. Xavier grit his teeth and prepped himself for a world of pain right before hended. *THUMP!* Yet contrary to his expectations, there was no pain. He looked down only to find a bundle of threads beneath him in the shape of a cushion. "..." Looking up he found Sophie smiling at him with a thumbs up. Her luminous orange hair which was red around the edges, swaying as a strong breeze blew by. "So? How was the view?" "It was good..." Xavier responded as he stared at her. "How did you get here before me?" She pointed at the rooftops edge. "I ran up the wall with my threads." "..." With a dejected and envious look, Xavier walked over towards the rooftop door ahead of them. It was there just as she''d said. "What are we looking for in here, anyways?" She asked. "Ah right, I haven''t told you yet... We''re going to get as many blood bags as we can." "In that case, wouldn''t a blood bank be better?" Xavier halted. "Do you know any blood banks around here?" He asked. Sophie thought about it for a second before shaking her head. "There''s also the case of Vampires guarding the blood banks right? Same could be said for hospitals but it''s much more rigid there, am I wrong?" Xavier asked. Sophie thought about it again for a while before shaking her head. "Nope, you''re right." "Good." Xavier responded while secretly breathing a sigh of relief. ''Are you kidding me...? I can''t believe I didn''t think of heading straight for a blood bank... After all that''s where the hospitals get their blood from.'' Xavier thought to himself while facepalming himself. 78 Chapter 78 *Step* *Step* *Step* The sound of hasty footsteps echoed across the hospital halls as a duo ran down it. Before them were a series of ghouls which had been prowling around in search of food. For the ghoul''s they hade at the perfect time. But for them, the ghoul''s weren''t even worth giving attention. *SLASH!* Xavier drew his sword, instantly decapitating the closest ghouls, while the ones behind them were prated by spears made of thread. [You killed 3 Ghouls!] [+60 XP!] Xavier watched as the threaded spears expanded from within them, causing their body to burst upon contact. Seeing this, he looked towards Sophie with narrowed eyes. "You were going to use that on me?" Xavier asked. Hearing his question, Sophie nervously looked away, avoiding eye contact as she murmured. "W-Well I thought I''d need at least that much to beat you..." "...What do you think I am, immortal?" Xavier asked. "Is that a trick question?" Sophie replied. Xavier sighed before turning to the staircase. "I''m still a fledgling." Sophie''s eyes widened when she heard this. "Wait really?" She asked with a surprised look. "Yeah." Xavier replied before rushing down the stairs. ''Although I have to option to be a fully-fledged Vampire any time... I''ve just been holding back on it because I''ll get more evolution options at Level 10.'' Sophie who was right behind Xavier as they descended the stairs, stared at him with admiration. To be a fledgling yet still this powerful. She couldn''t even begin to imagine how powerful he''d be once he''dpleted his vampirification. "Blood bags have to be kept under special storage conditions to be preserved... I''d say any storage room with arge refrigerator made to preserve things." While leaping down the stairs, Xavier ignored the ghoulsing at him from the floor and leapt down onto the next whilst gazing at Sophie. Since Xavier didn''t try to fight the ghoul''s neither did she. Their priority was getting blood bags for now. "W-What...?" Sophie asked, as she started to get a little intimidated by his gaze. "You''re not just smart but wise too..." "Eh?" She let out in a flustered manner. Her cheeks were slightly red as when it came topliments, she wasn''t the best at taking them. After all, most of her life she''d been talked down on because of her background. "How do you know so much?" Xavier asked. Xavier''s question seemed to have brought back an unpleasant memory as her eyes grew colder after he''d asked. ''Should I not have asked?'' Xavier wondered while they continued their descent. "I... Because I had nothing else to do..." She muttered. Xavier raised his brows not understanding what she meant. "Nothing to do?" He asked. "Yeah, when I was a child I was locked up in a room filled with books made by humans. With nothing else to do I''d just sit read all day and try to solve the puzzles in them for fun." Xavier instantly began to sweat the moment she told her story. He expected something dark but actually hearing it hit different. "I-I see..." Xavier muttered, unsure of what else to say. *Halt* Suddenly, Sophie stopped in her tracks before looking down the hall. Thinking that she''d stopped because he''d upset her, Xavier scratched the back of his head nervously whilst thinking of a way to apologise. Before he could however, she pointed towards one of the rooms down the hall. Thebel on the closed locked door read. [Blood Transfusion Laboratory.] "I think that''s what we''re looking fo-" Sophie was interrupted by Xavier, who suddenly pulled her back, allowing her to barely avoid the ghoul which had lunged at her from above. His eyes widened however, as the very same ghoul was split in half uponnding on the ground. She had set up a barely visible thin thread above herself before hand. "Looks like you had it covered." Said Xavier as he let go of her shoulder. "..." Without saying anything she nodded before rushing over to the room. Xavier followed after while keeping a look out for any other ghouls in hiding, but all the ones which were in the hall were instantly restrained by her and her threads. ''This ability is really useful... If the stronger the bloodline, the stronger the ability, what sort of noble bloodline does her Vampire half belong to?'' Xavier wondered. *FWOOSH!* Upon reaching the door they swung it open, not wasting a single second. Before them was aboratory with countless microscopes and at the end of said room was another door. They could feel a cold breeze seeping in through said door. Ignoring the breeze, the two rushed towards the door, mming the door behind them close before creaking it open. *Crackle* *Crackle* Almost instantly after opening the door inside theboratory, they were greeted by an ice cold frosty breeze which sent shivers down their spines. Inside were countless giant advanced refrigerators set around. The power for them was fortunately still on as the power in the city had yet to go. Even if it had, the hospitals most likely had a back-up generator so the blood-bags should have been fine. The moment, they took a step towards the inside of the room. Their eyes widened. At the very end of the room, in between the two refrigerators was the figure of a girl who was fast asleep. Long tinum white hair, brows and eyelids. Her slim jaw and innocent sleeping expression made her resemble an angel. Yet the sword resting on her waist, over her skirt indicatedpletely otherwise. "Xavier..." Sophie called out nervously. "Yeah... She''s strong, even whilst sleeping I can feel that bloodlust." The girl sleeping before them was no ordinary girl, her captivating looks aside, Xavier''s danger sense was going wild at the sight of her. He was getting the same vibes from her that he''d get from Sangrea in her unsealed form if not greater. But Xavier wasn''t surprised, after all, what kind of normal girl would possibly be able to sleep sofortably in such a condition. Sophie''s reaction only further proved his suspicions. *Step* Xavier was the first one to take the step forward, ignoring the danger before walking over to the fridge. "Hey, careful you might wake her up." "Look at her, she''s at peace. She won''t wake up, let''s just get what we need and go." Sophie nervously nodded before quietly walking over to the fridges. The two began opening one fridge after another, letting out another cold gush of wind before peeking inside. After doing so, they looked at one another with bright smiles on their faces. The blood bags were there. "How long can thesest out of the fridge?" Xavier asked. Sophie closed her eyes to recall before snapping them open and responding. "Around 30 minutes, but as a Vampire you should still be able to drink it after. There''s only risk of bacteria forming after a few hours but it doesn''t really matter thanks to our immune system." "It''s also impossible to contract any diseases from consuming human or vampire blood regardless of where they''re at." Added Sophie as she recalled that Xavier had only recently be a Vampire. Xavier was at a loss for words. It was then and there that he knew that he hadn''t made the wrong decision. "Alright then... Throw as many blood bags till the bag''s full... There''s a decent amount of space left." Said Xavier as he pointed at the bag on his back. Sophieplied and together the two began filling up the supply bag. - Once everything was filled, they both took a blood bag each before opening it and sucking on it''s straw. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* Xavier''s eyes widened. Unlike drinking regr blood from the neck, drinking it from the ice cold stic blood bags felt like having a sweet ice cold drink in the middle of summer. It wiped away his thirst whilst also satiating part of his hunger. It wasn''t bad at all. Although Xavier still preferred drinking directly from the neck. "Shouldn''t we start getting out of here?" Asked Sophie as she wiped the blood off her small soft lips. Xavier looked over at her only to open his mouth in surprise after noticing that her blood bag was empty. ''She already finished it all?'' Not wanting to overthink it Xavier gave her a slight nod before approaching her whilst pulling something out of his pockets. Surprised by Xavier''s sudden approach Sophie took a step away, backing herself against the wall. Xavier on the other hand stepped in. The two were face to face with one another, while Xavier searched his pocket for something. ''W-What''s with this tension?'' Sophie wondered as her heart began to pound. ''What''s he trying to do?'' "Got it." Said Xavier with a smile before pulling out a blue crystal. [Teleportation Crystal (1 Use)] [Crystal which can teleport the user and passengers to a chosen location.] ''...!?'' "What''s that?" Sophie asked with her eyes sparkling beneath her luminous orange hair. 79 Chapter 79 "It''s something that will take us straight to my base." Her curiosity had been peaked. "Is that even possible?! How does it work?" Xavier gazed at her with narrowed eyes in response to all her questions. Realising how immature she was acting, she quickly grew embarrassed, lowering her head to hide her blushing face. "Do we have everything ready?" Xavier asked. She slowly nodded. "Are we not going to do anything about her? And are you sure this is going to work? That looks just like a regr crystal." "Yeah it''ll work and I only attack those who attack me or those close to me." ''Besides, I''m tired I just want to go home,y down andze around while sipping on blood. I deserve at least that much rest.'' Xavier thought to himself. "You''re theplete opposite of the impression I got from reading your bounty info, Devourer." Xavier grinned before patting Sophie on the head with his other hand. Her head and hair were both soft, he felt like stroking it. "Crystal, take us back to the mansion." *Shatter* the Crystal shattered and, in that moment, a bright blue ring formed around them. From the inside of the ring, their bodies began to disassemble, before eventually a bright light shed in the room and they disappeared. Leaving the tinum white haired girl on her own. The girl slowly opened her eyes, disying her crimson red irises before letting out a yawn as she stretched. "They''re really gone..." She muttered before looking around. "I can''t sense their presence anymore..." She proceeded to slowly get up before grabbing a blood bag from the fridge. "Teleport crystal, and devourer... What an odd duo..." "Are you sure it was okay not to kill them? If you wanted you could have finished it before they even realised what hit them." Asked a feminine voice which hade from one of the ice crystals behind her. "They didn''t try to harm me despite being defenceless, there was no reason to kill them." "...Very well princess. When will you be returning to the castle?" Asked the voice. The girl sat back down before leaning against the wall. "When my sleep is over..." She muttered before dozing off. "...You said thatst time..." The girl did not reply, for this time she was fast asleep. - - - Xavier and Sophie''s eyes snapped open, they looked around and were both in disbelief. There they stood at the very top of a table before the butler, and Anastasia, the head maid who were sipping their teas. The head butler''s brow was twitching in disbelief whereas Anastasia had be as pale as a ghost. *Sip* The butler took another sip of the tea despite his arm trembling before putting the cup down. Meanwhile Anastasia asked. "So... Care to exin how you magically ended up here?" Anastasia asked while trying to remain calm. Xavier looked around, he didn''t recognise the room at all. It was well designed and seemed like the type you''d see at a girl''s tea party. ''This wasn''t where I had in mind...'' *Shatter* The crystal in Xavier''s hand broke down. - - - "Okay so you''re telling me you ended up using a special crystal which magically brought you here...?" Anastasia asked as she organised the supplies in the hiking bag. The three of them were in Anastasia''s room, specifically the kitchen side of it. That''s right, her room had its very own kitchen. The reason she was putting the supplies in her room instead of the main kitchen was pretty obvious, they didn''t want to risk any of the other servants poisoning the supplies. All meals which were to be made for Viera and ine were to be handled by her. Xavier also nned on being the poison-tester just in case. He''d sorted out the supply problem but now there was the servant problem. Until they identified which servants were on their side and which ones weren''t, Xavier would barely be able to get any rest whilst constantly worrying about his family being targeted. "Yep that sounds about right..." Xavier responded with a smile. Veins bulged out of Anastasia''s neck in anger due to Xavier''s carefree attitude towards the situation. "I have so many questions right now... For starters, I''ve never even heard of a crystal or device which could do that. But more importantly..." Anastasia red at Sophie. ,m "Who is this woman?" She asked. "I don''t recall you having any other family back here, your cousins and their parents should still be in America if my memory serves me correctly." Xavier''s eye brow twitched. ''She knows that? Just how far of a background check did they do? I''m not even close with that side of the family.'' They didn''t really like Xavier so he never bothered to try to get to know them any better back in America. "Xavier, you''re american?" Sophie asked with a surprised look. "That exins the ent..." "Yeah, I''m a transfer student. Our family moved here recent-" "You''re going off topic." Anastasia interrupted. She red at him waiting for him to exin who Sophie was. "Who is she...?" Xavier repeated cing his hand beneath his chin. "Hm...." The butler quietly sipped his tea while listening into the conversation, he had a peaceful expression in his face and smiled as he watched them interact. "My bloodbag?" Said asked with a stoic expression. *Ptoooo* The butler suddenly spat out the tea in his mouth in surprise. "...What?" Anastasia asked with a dumbfounded look on her face. "Hey, you''re not wrong but that''s still quite the rude thing to call a maiden, don''t you think?" "Can''t you think of anything nicer to call me? I am your information centre, after all..." Sophie asked. "Hmm..." Xavier ced his hand beneath his chin once more as he went into deep thought. "My bitch?" "Oi- I''ll punch you." Sophie interrupted with cold eyes. "Then why don''t you tell me what I should call you, I don''t know." "Just say I''m your underling or something? I work for you." "How Is that any different from being my bitch-" Sophie ced her hand over Xavier''s shoulder. "Alright, let''s take this outside. We''re fighting it out again." Anastasia''s body began to tremble from trying to contain her rage as she watched the two interact. Eventually, she took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling it to calm down. "Young piece of tra- I mean, master Xavier." ''She was about to call me a piece of trash, wasn''t she?'' "Please exin what sort of rtionship you have with her before the youngdy arrives. This is her mansion-" *Wham!* Before Anastasia could finish her sentence, the door mmed open revealing Sangrea smiling happily alongside Viera by the entrance. The two seemed to have been talking about something amusing. When they looked inside of the room their eyes lit up, the air around them had grown brighter when they saw Xavier, but after looking a little bit to the right. They eyes met with an unfamiliar girl. Long luminous orange hair with crimson red edges, her slim jaw, pale skin and crimson eyes was definitely a sight to behold. ''Stunning silver hair, crimson red eyes, and a dark night dress. A beauty able to enchant those who stared with just a glimpse... Is that Sangrea Redblood!?'' Sophie wondered with cold sweat pouring down her face. "Big brother~ who is that gorgeous girl?" Asked Viera with cold eyes. Meanwhile, Sangrea didn''t say anything but simply stood there smiling, waiting for a response. Surprised by the sudden rise in tension, Sophie nervously looked at Xavier for help. Meanwhile Xavier looked at Anastasia who was avoiding eye contact. ''Their reaction... I feel like a bad misunderstanding is about to happen... Quick, say something!'' Cried out Sophie inwardly. Fortunately for her, Xavier who had his hand beneath his chin had already thought of the perfect response for the situation. "She''s my bitch." "..." Silence. Not a word was uttered. ''Yeah, I am fucked.'' Sophie gave up. Sangrea stood still smiling, meanwhile Viera hung her head. "Is that so..." She muttered as she lifted up a steel ball. "Brother... Why don''t we go out and y catch, like the good old days? I have a ball right here." Viera asked with a cold smile [Reconstruction] Spikes slowly protruded out of the steel ball as it levitated over Viera''s hand. ''...Shit. I took the joke too far.'' Xavier nervously thought to himself. ''I did it to make the air less awkward between all of us but it looks like it backfired.'' "Pfft-" Sangrea suddenly snorted. "Fufu... Fufufu..." Out of nowhere her eyes grew teary as sheughed quietly. "Eh, why are youughing? Sangrea?" Viera asked with a worried look. "Ah... Sorry... That''s just so like him." All three of the girls were surprised by Sangera''s reaction. They thought she''d react far worse than she actually did. After catching her breath, Sangrea exhaled. "But Xavi... You still have to exin the situation properly... Before I get jealous..." Sangrea mumbled in a pout, her cheeks red. 80 Chapter 80 "So you met her whilst you were gathering supplies... And she became your underling... I see... I''m sorry about to way I reacted." Apologised Viera with sincere apologetic eyes as she stared at Sophie. "It''s fine, please don''t worry mention it. The one at fault was Xavier after all." Responded Sophie with a forgiving smile. The two girls were sat by the table interacting whilst Xavier and Sangrea stood beside one another organising the supplies at the kitchen. It was just the two of them, Anastasia was sent off with the butler to do other chores. They seemed rather grateful after leaving, especially Anastasia. "So there''s really nothing going on between you two?" Sangrea asked. Xavier shook his head. "Nope, I spared her and she became my underling since she has potential to be useful." Xavier''s response was genuine, he didn''t seem to lying or trying to hide anything. "But if you''re worried I can tell her to lea-" "No, it''s fine. She can stay." Sangrea interrupted. "It''s just... When I saw you two together..." Sangrea''s bottom lip protruded out in a pout once more as she struggled to finish the sentence. With her reddened cheeks, she nced at Xavier. *Thump* Xavier''s heart skipped a beat when he saw her expression. ''How does she pull off such cute expressions...?'' Before all he was focused on was saving his family, but even he wasn''t an idiot. Having such a gorgeous girl making that sort of expression because of him. Not to mention that girl being his wife, the current Xavier couldn''t help but tease her. "Don''t tell me, you were jealous?" Xavier asked as he leaned in whilst grabbing her face. Sangrea''s cheeks grew even redder once Xavier''s face was in proximity. She reflexively looked away with her heart trying to pound its way out of her chest. While doing so however, she ended up noticing the gaze of Sophie and Viera on her as they watched. In that moment, her ears twitched as she got an idea. ''She''s too fucking cute... Should I tease her some more-'' Xavier''s thought was interrupted when all of the sudden- *Smooch* Sangrea had leaned in, kissing Xavier right on his lips before their eyes. Xavier''s eyes widened as he reflexively pulled away in surprise, but in that moment, Sangrea grabbed him by the cheeks and pulled him in again, before giving him another passionate smooch. Just like the time in the train station where they had their first kiss, Xavier''s mind was overwhelmed by the softness and her lips and tongue as they intertwined. Sangrea was still a bad kisser, but the way she was sucking on his tongue to prevent him from escaping the kiss, it felt strangely present. After a few more seconds of smooching the two''s lips finally separated with a strand of saliva connecting them whilst they panted. "Yeah... I was jealous..." Sangrea muttered with bright red cheeks as she caught her breath. ''So they were together... No wonder it was said that they were both involved as factors in the fall of the camp... That being said... That was one hell of a kiss...'' Sophie thought to herself as she blushed. Viera whose cheeks were also red, didn''t say anything. She simply narrowed her eyes before looking away. Xavier who was also panting, looked down at his shorts before moving his cing his hand in his pocket and stretching his pocket out to hide it. The kiss had given him a massive bulge. Because he''d reacted fast enough Sangrea hadn''t noticed. "That being said, in the Vampire world it''s quitemon to have more than one wife, and if that''s what you wanted, I wouldn''t be against it... After all, I''d still be the one you love the most." Said Sangrea with a confident, slightly cheeky smile. *Thump* Once again, Xavier''s heart skipped a beat once again. It had been happening more and more frequently ever since he''d met Sangrea. And in all honesty, it was scaring him. The only reason Xavier had initially gone along with the idea of her being his wife was because he wanted to make use of her. Sangrea was powerful and she knew a lot more than he did when it came to the Vampire World. That was what he got from her, from their first interaction. She was exactly what he needed to find his family and survive the apocalypse. Yet now he found himself starting to think that her being his wife wouldn''t be that bad. And that was precisely what he was afraid of. ''Stop making cute expressions like that... Stop being so happy around me...'' A multitude of thoughts travelled through Xavier''s mind as the two gazed at one another. ,m Suddenly- "I feel like training, let me know when the food is ready." Said Viera before getting up and rushing out of the room. *Creak* *Shut* Her sudden action caused Xavier and Sangrea to both snap out of their trance. Xavier took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling it. ''Close off your heart... Whether it''s Sangrea, or any other person you form a future connection with... Let them fall for you, but don''t let them into your heart... That''s the only way you and your family will survive.'' Xavier reminded himself. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling it. "Let''s hurry up and sort things out, I''m dying to cook a meal." Said Xavier with a smile. "Come help us, Sophie." Said Xavier. Sophie who was right by the door, close to sneaking out turned to him with teary eyes beforeplying. Sangrea who noticed a change in the air around Xavier tilted her head to the side before asking. "Xavi... Is everything okay?" With the same smile on his face, Xavier teasingly responded. "Of course everything''s fine, why? Did you want another kiss?" Sangrea looked away with puffed out red cheeks. "Stop teasing me..." She responded before going back to organising the supplies. - - - Central London, Westminster. The building''s states were as bad as could be, almostpletely unrecognisable inparison to how they were just a week prior. The flood was ongoing, filled with debris from the buildings which had copsed. The storm was brewing, thunder striking every few seconds along with extreme winds blowing across the air. In these conditions, barrages of elemental abilities wereunched through the air, colliding with the opposing sides elements as the humans and vampires engaged in a battle. *ng!* *ng!* *ng!* *Dudududududu!* The sound of sword striking sword was overwhelmed by the echoing of the bullets being fired by the firearms. The war was still going strong, the humans who were severely disadvantaged were fighting back with all they had. These losing battles weren''t just taking ce in the main cities. It was all over Great Britain. Other continents were fighting in their own way, but at the rate the battle was going. Ennd, no, the entirety of the United Kingdom would fall to the Vampires. The days where the humans who''d always sat on the thrown of the world for centuries were reaching their end. The question was, what would happen to the world if the Vampires took over those thrones. Desperate to not find out, the battle raged on. - - - Third Vampire Opposition Camp, set up west of the nearest base. Countless tents spread around from one another were visible all-around camp across the roads. Giant hemisphere barriers surrounded them. The area where all the tents were gathered, it was keeping any ghouls, threats and even water from the flood from entering. Inside were soldiers and those of the opposition squads, resting, eating and recovering with the supplies and treatments they had avable. It was one of the recent core camps set up during the day to give the people on the front line some rest. Attacking each and any one of these camps, would provoke a big blow to the human forces hence why it was heavily guarded by high-ranking skilled officials. Even for Vampires attacking it out of the blue was unthinkable, this included the low-ranking nobles. Despite that, one decided to do the unthinkable. "Is this the ce...?" Asked the tinum white haired girl as she walked straight towards the giant barrier. *Crackle* *Crackle* *Crackle* With every step she took the frosty sound of ice crackling could be heard, for she was walking on top of the flood, freezing the water beneath her feet with every step. "Hey... You guys seeing what I''m seeing? Who is that?" Asked one of the soldiers on watch as they looked at the figure through their binocrs. "It''s another Vampire... I''d deal with her." Responded the sniper crouched by the floor beside him. He quickly adjusted his scope, locking onto the girl''s figure with his iron sight. *Whistle* "She''s kind of cute. If only she wasn''t a monster." He muttered as he ced his finger on the trigger. "Wind Bullet." [Bullet Generation: Wind Bullet.] A green bullet was generated out of thin air right inside of the sniper''s chamber. The moment it had fully generated. He pulled the trigger. *BANG!!!* 81 Chapter 81 The wind bullet shot straight at her figure, heading right for her head at hyperspeed. In addition to reducing any speed loss, the wind pressure propelled it to increase its speed. It was the fastest bullet the man could fire, most Vampires wouldn''t even know what hit him. And yet- *Crackle!* It halted. The bullet had halted right before her eyes. The young man was at a loss for words, he didn''t know what to say. He looked through the scope twice to confirm it. The bullet was frozen in the middle of the air as she walked past it. "Oi... Ring the rms... That ain''t a normal Vampire..." "What? But it''s just one-" "I SAID RING THE ALARMS!" He shouted, interrupting the young man. But by the time he had, it was already toote. A snow-white wave of snowkes was heading down the roads right towards the barrier at immense speed. "W-What is that..?" The men on watch asked as they began taking a step back. Those of the camp who were outside the tents eating and ying around as well as those who were on duty for other areas all noticed it. A giant shadow looming over them. They all looked up at the snowke wave with an expression of fear and disbelief. Above their heads were the countless rain drops frozen andpressed together, creating a giant ice spike in the form of a cross beneath the clouds and above the barrier. Ahead of the barrier the way of snowkes was approaching, growing bigger the closer it got. The man with the sniper instantly got up before turning his back and running. "Re-Retreat!!!!" *SHATTER!* The barrier was instantly shattered as the ice cross descended, then came the snow and ice which swept everything up, freezing all which came into contact with it in an instant. A steamy smoke cloud resulted from just how cold it was. Once that cloud faded, the sight which resulted would have enough to demoralise anyone standing on the opposing side. A giant frozen rising iceberg with a crystal blue ice cross on top. It''s size only increased with the rain droplets falling on it, freezing it further upon contact. The surrounding flood had alsopletely frozen up to a certain distance, as a result. It was truly a sight to behold. This very moment had marked the fall of a human safe point. The Third Overground Vampire Opposition Camp. "I''m sleepy... Let''s go back..." Muttered the tinum white haired girl as she yawned while turning around. The crystal floating beside her seemed to nod, as it followed after her. The female vampire''s tinum hair swayed strongly at the extreme frosty winds which blew by her as she walked back to her base. Her mission was finallyplete and she''d exhausted quite a lot of energy with her attack and was feeling quite vulnerable. Maybe that was why she noticed it. The presence of individuals, heading towards her location. "How many of them?" ''Ah... I can''t wait to go back and sleep in the freezer...'' She thought to herself with another yawn. "If I can sense their presence, I''m guessing that they''re powerful, right?" She questioned. The floating crystal responded. Hearing this, the girl halted in her tracks before sitting on top of a throne of ice which had risen out of the ice trail beneath her. "Then, let''s wait for them... Wake me up once they''re here." The young girl shut her eyes, and just like that, she fell asleep. - - - "The third camp has fallen... What do we do...?" Inside of a dark room, six silhouettes were gathered in a discussion. They were the ones who stood at the very top of the Vampire Opposition Corps, the ones who sent the orders and directed the corporation. "It''s not so much as it just falling... All it took was one Vampire based on the video feedback... Just how strong are those god damn monsters!?" The tension in the air was at its peak, losing a camp this early stage in the war would surely be detrimental, especially with how much of a pain it was to set up. All of them were angered at the result, at the fact their investments into the defence barriers were taken out so easily. "It''s fine... Let them have the third camp... It was our weakest camp... And besides, the military is almost done with their project." The moment he mentioned it, all their eyes widened as they turned to him. There was only one project he could be referring to. The alpha project being executed by the military. The reason the military was making barely any moves and only providing their weakest of soldiers was because they were investing all their research into investigating new EV, Evolution Energy source and training their mostpetent awakened members. Those who made it half way through the training were powerful and still being kept at the military''s base. The training was almostplete, and those who''d managed tost all the way until now, they were on apletely different league. There were rumours saying that they''d surpassed human limitations, their strength was unrivalled. "So, while we waste our numbers and get weaker, they only continue to increase their military power... Hahaha..." Muttered the silhouette by the corner of the room who''d barely spoken. "But even... We have a bundle of monsters on our side as well, three different squadrons of five even have managed to survive entering the Vampire''s base, and one in particr has even taken out a Vampire Camp." The heavy tension in the room seemed to lift the moment the squadrons were mentioned. "Those three groups... Thanks to them we''re not entirely helpless... Make sure to treat them well." "Of course." Responded the silhouette in charge of the division which they were at. "Speaking of them, how are they recovering? Are they in any condition to be sent out for another mission?" "Recovering? They''re all engaged in battle as we speak." "What!? Don''t you think they deserve at least some rest after their recent mission." The silhouette of the leader of their division could be seen trembling as if trying to hold back hisugh. "Rest? You don''t understand. Those people had almost everything taken from them by the Vampires. They won''t rest until they''ve ughtered them all. They''re operating on the bare minimum." - - - A group of five figures wearing grey uniforms were visible leaping from rooftop to rooftop as they charged in the direction of the iceberg. The one leading the group was a long signal ck-haired girl with determined orange eyes. Her grey uniform was specially modified in a way allowing her to make use of one of her strong points, her mobility and flexibility. Behind her were four others. Members of her squad who were geared and wielding their weapons. Twowere sword wielders. A spiky pine green haired young man and a smooth oxide red hair older man with a trimmed beard. They both carried longswords on their waist and were the group''s swordsman along with the leader. The third man was a giant, he was bald and his uniform covered fully by steel armour. He carried a giant shield on his back, the tank of the group. Lastly, was a short copper brown haired, innocent looking girl who wielded a bow, the group''s archer. Her plump chests was the biggest of the group, jiggling with every step which she took. All of the group members would asionally wonder how she managed to maintain bnce with those things weighing her down. This was squadron E of the Attack Division Vampire Opposition Corps. Squadrons which had managed to surpass a certain point in power are assigned by letters and no longer numbers. Most of these lettered squadrons were in charge of dealing with the more powerful Vampires in the front line. Their weapons had also been specialised designed to support their abilities as a result of this. Without a doubt, they were powerful. "Captain, targeting up ahead, just down this building. It appears that they''ve stopped moving." Said the copper Hearing this the signal ck-haired girl''s expression turned serious. "Is everyone ready!?" The entire group nodded as they simultaneously responded. "Yes, Captain!" - The tinum white haired young girl was awoken from her slumber as the floating crystal suddenly tapped her on her head. "Are they here, already?" The girl slowly looked up only to find an arrow heading right for her head at incredibly fast speeds, it wasunched by an archer hiding by the top of the building to her right. Ignoring the arrows, she looked past it at the three figures which had leapt off the very same building, plummeting towards her. Right before making contact with her, the arrow split up into five different arrows, each glowing brightly. [Explosion Arrows: Burst.] 82 Chapter 82 Right before the arrows could collide with her and explode. The arrows halted in the middle of the air, instantly freezing before dropping to the ground and shattering. "What!?" Questioned the archer as she quickly reloaded another arrow. The three swordsman which were falling towards her had all witnessed this. The signal ck haired girl leading them nced at both of them mid-air, and they nodded. *Fwoosh!* The two men rotated their bodies mid-air until their feet were parallel to one another before thrusting their legs and kicking off one another. The force from the kick sent them both flying in opposite directions towards the buildings, leaving behind the leader. The signal ck haired with her long sword in the motion of a swing heading down for the snow princess. [Blue me Maniption...] Her irises began to glow brightly as her sword''s de lit up in blue mes. Steam was gathering around her de as they rain drops crashed against it, but the me didn''t die out. [Burning de.] *CLANG!* The moment the captain reached the snow princess, she swung her ming de down with everything she had. But right before she could even reach her, she halted in the middle of the air, as she came into contact with some sort of invisible barrier. Her sword wouldn''t barely budge as it dug into this invisible wall of sorts and an uncontroble amount of steam was being released from it. It was then and there that she realised it, the air around the snow princess was so cold and thick that it froze whatever tried to get close to it. The captains mes were also weakened by rain making it less effective but that wasn''t a problem for her. The more heat and power she put into it, the closer it got to shattering. [Zero Ice Maniption: Zero Execution Hammer.] A hammer of ice instantly formed above the captain''s head before swinging down on it. Meanwhile, blue mes burst out of the captain''s feet propelling her away from it. *SWOOSH!* The axe passed in between her legs as she soared through the air backwards before sliding on the trail of ice behind her. "Everyone, buy me some time to charge up. She has some sort of barrier put up so regr attacks won''t work, don''t get close andunch any projectiles you can." They responded. And just like that, while keeping their distance, they began tounch attacks at the snow princess who hadn''t yet taken a single step. A barrage of arrows rained down on the snow princess, none of them hitting her as they all halted before contact. des of winds boosted by the extremely windy conditions were sted towards her, but once again, neither damaged her as they failed to break through the thickyer of cold air. Even the tank was firing off chunks of the buildings at her, in order to break through but they were all being stopped. But it was all fine, after all the main objective was to buy the captain time. And fortunately for them she seemed to almost be ready. The size of her blue mes had expanded two meters up into the air and two meters to the side. Seeing the size of the mes, the squadron members were starting to think they had a chance. That was until... *Sigh* "You still don''t understand..." "My blood is royal blood. My ability far surpasses those of the nobles... And to think of defeating me within this climate... It''s simply foolish." *Snap* The snow princess snapped her fingers, and in that instant, everyone''s eyes widened. The water from the flood beneath the snow princess had frozen stiff, spikes rose out of it and were directed to each of them. But that wasn''t what had caught their eyes. "T-The rain..." The archer muttered as her mouth trembled. In just an instant, right before their very eyes, all of the rain drops had suddenly halted mid-air in the form of ice. Completely surrounded and with nowhere to hide, the ice drops crashed against them freezing all of them in their spots. All of them except for the captain who melted the ice drops with the presence of her blue mes, her attack was fully charged up, a four-meter tall and wide me. "Captain!! Go kick her ass!!" "Show her whose boss, captain!!" "Make her feel the pain and strength of us humans!!!" Her squad cheered. She kicked off the ground, charging down the ice trail towards the snow princess with everything she had. With every step, the ice from the trail tried spreading up her feet to stop her, but she simply broke through. [Azure me Maniption: Azure me Burst!] mes burst out of her feet, propelling her down the ice path as she positioned her ming sword pointing it towards the snow princess. The surrounding ice drops from the rain bundled together, creating countless ice spikes, spears, swords and all sorts of weapons around. Those very same weapons were propelled all propelled at the captain at high speeds. *SLASH!* *CRASH!* *SLASH!* Her body, soared through the air, spinning left and right as she tried to avoid as many as she could. Unfortunately for her, there were simply too many topletely avoid. Cuts and bruises were forming all over her body, as the weapons shed through and past her. But that did not stop her. She grit her teeth, holding in the pain as she red at snow princess who''d yet to sustain a hit or change the emotionless expression on her face. "Aargh!!!" She shouted, as the mes bursting out of her feet exploded, giving her the final push once she was just ahead of her. *PIERCE!* Almost instantly upon reaching her, her sword pierced through the thick cold iceyer, shattering it a secondter as she broke through. The captain''s chest flooded with hope as all that was left was one final burst form her feet to propel her sword through the snow princess''s chest. But in that moment, she heard the archer''s voice calling out to her through the microphone. The moment instant she pierced through the snow princess''s chest, her heart sank. Above their heads, plumetting towards them was the tip of a giant ice berg, the size of two or maybe even three apartments. *Pierce!* And upon piercing through the princess''s chest, she was overwhelmed with despair as the princess''s figure shattered. It wasn''t the real body, it was a fake. "DAMN IT!!!" The captain yelled out *CRASSSHHHH!!!!!* *BOOOOOOOOOM!!!* - - - "What the hell is happening over there?" Xavier asked as he nced through the window. With his Vampiric sight, he was able to witness the giant iceberg falling down on a part of the city. It had manifested right beneath the clouds. "The iceberg... There''s no mistaking it, that''s the snow princess." Responded Sophie. The two were resting in the living room, while waiting for the food to cook. Xavier had a feeling that he would have been assassinated in his sleep he stayed in Anastasia''s room any longer, even if he was just staying in the kitchen. Xavier felt like doing it for the fun of it but he didn''t want to ruin his rtionship with her. Xavier tilted his head to the side with a confused expression. "Who''s the snow princess?" He asked. Sophie was surprised by Xavier''s question, she thought he was joking at first but then remembered it hadn''t been long since he''d be a Vampire. "The Vampire princess is a wielder of the ice element, Zero Ice. Everyone has heard about her ability to control ice, it''s unparalleled and simply illogical. If anyone can manipte ice like that, it has to be her." "Vampire Princess, so she''s rted to the queen, right?" Xavier asked. "That''s right, she''s the queen''s younger sister." Sophie replied. "Hm... Why didn''t she be the queen? Is she weaker than the queen?" Xavier asked. Sophie nodded her head. "In terms of power, the queen is on a whole other level. That doesn''t mean the princess is weak, she''s one of the strongest in the country." "And she didn''t be the queen because she lost the battle for the throne." Xavier ced his hand beneath his chin. "Hm... So there''s battle for the thrones in the Vampire Worlds as well... One of the strongest in the country... Like top 5? I''m pretty sure royalty is the strongest after the ancestors right?" Sophie narrowed her eyes while stretching out her legs on the couch. "That''s a good question... You''d think that but there are still some very powerful nobles able to match her power, although the number is very few. So I wouldn''t put her top 5... Oh and they''re one of the three royals left in the country. As far as the Vampire public knows at least." ''So there''s nobles able to match the power of a royal Vampire? That''s interesting.'' "Wait, three royals? Who''s the third." Xavier asked. "The Young Vampire Prince. He''s the youngest of the three, but he''s still far older than you or me." Responded Sophie. ''The Young Vampire Prince?'' Xavier questioned. 83 Chapter 83 "Xavi! The food you''re cooking will burn if you don''te check on it with me soon!" Shouted ine interrupting his thoughts. Xavier felt a strange sense of nostalgia hearing his mother mention food and cooking. "I''ll be there soon." He responded with a sigh before running off, leaving Sophie alone in the room. Sophie blinked at the door with a surprised look on her face. Right as he left, she could see him smiling. "Hm... So, he can make an expression like that?" After the door shut, it opened itself once more with Xavier peeking into the room. "You shoulde eat as well." "Is that really fine?" Sophie asked nervously. "It didn''t seem like I was very wee here." "Huh? What are you talking about? You''re my bitch, of course you''re wee." Replied Xavier with a confused expression. "Stop calling me that!" Sophie responded with a flustered expression. Xavier chuckled at her reaction. ''Teasing is fun...'' "Xavi!! It''s burning!" ine shouted once more. *Swoosh!* And just like that he vanished. - - - "..." "..." Xavier stood ahead of the cooking pans with his mother. She stared straight at him, whilst he stared at the sight before him. "You know, I was expecting it to get burnt but it came out surprisingly nice... So why are you staring at me like that, ine?" Xavier asked his mother. "I wonder why it didn''t end up burnt?" She responded sarcastically while staring at him. Xavier chuckled nervously, meanwhile ine sighed. "Honestly, Xavier... Aren''t you worried about how your wife will find your cooking?" ine''s eyes seemed to sparkle as she recalled some rather pleasant memories of the times she used to cook for his father. The sparkling quickly faded after she came to the reality that his father was gone. ''Worried about my cooking...? She''s a vampire, they''re mostly numb to the taste of regr food and can''t survive on it, so is there really a reason to try?'' After realising said thought, Xavier''s eyes began to twitch at the sight before him. "I think we ended up cooking too much..." Thanks to the fact that the house had a backup generator and a lot of high-tech equipment, Xavier was able to go all out on the kitchen. *Growl* His stomach began to rumble. ''Oh well, gluttony doesn''t seem to mind.'' - - - "This is..." Sophie muttered "Quite the feast, isn''t it?" Sangrea interrupted with an excited expression. Countless tes of food wereid out beside one another, from fried prawns to grilled chicken along with rice. Xavier had cooked it all. The food was alreadyid out on their tes, all that was left was for the Vampires to pour themselves some blood to drink. Xavier knew they wouldn''t be eating but heid out the tes so it would all be aesthetically pleasing in the very least. The whole group was sat by the dining table in the dining room. Seated at the end of the table was Xavier and to his right and left were Sangrea and Viera. Beside them were Sophie, andstly ine. Anastasia and the head butler stood behind Sangrea, iming to have already eaten. They were holding onto bottles of what appeared to be liquor, but Xavier could tell from the smell that it was clearly blood. "Are you sure you wouldn''t like any?" The head butler asked once more. Sangrea nced towards Xavier in that instant. As the two made eye contact her her cheeks reddened. "If I''m going to have some blood I''d rather have Xavi''s..." She mumbled quietly. The butler who, other than Xavier, was the only one who''d heard what she said smiled. "If that''s what the youngdy desires... I''ll arrange it so you two can have your alone time after... However, even if you can''t taste it, I''m sure trying some of Xavier''s cooking will make him happy." Hearing this, Sangrea quickly turned to the butler and responded. "Of course! I had ns on trying it from the from the very beginning!" "Is that so... I am pleased to hear that." The butler replied with a caring smile. Xavier quietly watched the two of them interact from his seat. From Xavier''s eyes, the head butler seemed to really care about her. "Anastasia, and Mr head butler, why are you still standing? Have a seat." Said ine with a smile. "Madam, while I am grateful for the offer we''ve already-" The butler was interrupted by Sangrea who kicked at his leg from beneath the table. Sangrea nced towards Anastasia and the head butler. "ept their offer, you can drink all the blood in the bottle." Sangrea quietly whispered. "Very well, we will dly take you up on that offer." Said the butler before heading over to his seat beside ine. Anastasia who sat beside Sophie stared at her for a few seconds before showing her a forced smile. Sophie on the other hand returned the smile with an even more forced one. Xavier could barely hold in hisugh as he watched them interact. He proceeded to nce at the Butler, giving him a sign that he was free to pour the blood from the wine bottle for the three of them to drink at any time. The butler nodded and poured down the blood from the wine bottles into his, Sophie''s and Anastasia''s cups. Sophie''s eyes sparkled as she watched the ss cups fill up. "Well, since we''re all sat down. Let''s eat." Said Xavier with a bright smile. And with that being said, they all started to eat. *Munch* "Hot!" Viera unintentionally called out after having a bite of the rice. Sangrea on the other hand, took bite after bite with happy expression. "Amn~ Amn~" She chewed happily with sparkling eyes as if she were having the best time of her life. "Sangrea..? Does it taste that good? I thought our taste buds numb down the taste mostly..." Sophie asked as she sipped on the blood from her cup. After finishing the food she had on her mouth, Sangrea quickly turned to Sophie before joyfully responding. "Of course it does! After all this is the first time I''m trying Xavier''s cooking." "I-I see..." Sophie responded before looking over at her cup. ''W-Whoa... This is some high quality blood... The taste is just the right amount of sweet...'' She thought to herself before sipping on it more and more. She felt like chugging it all down at once but didn''t want to because Xavier''s family were at the table. Since they were human, she assumed the sight of drinking blood would ruin their appetite. ''That being said, it''s not like they know it''s blood. After all it''s disguised in a wine bottle and looks kind of like it-'' "So, how''s the blood?" ine asked with a smile as she happily took a bite of the grilled chiken wing. Anastasia and Sophie both twitched at her question. With surprise, the two looked at one another with while quietly sipping on their drinks ''Eh? She knew?'' They questioned simultaneously. "It''s delicious, thank you for asking. How is your son''s cooking?" The butler asked with a bright smile after wiping his lips. "I am very d to hear that, his cooking is just as good as I taught him. Ah- I just remembered something... I still haven''t properly thanked you for taking care of my son..." "Please do not worry about such, we too were helped by your son. If anything, I should be the one thanking you... I haven''t seen the youngdy this happy in ages... Whenever she hangs out with him, she always has such a bright smile on her face." The butler quietly muttered as he stared at Sangrea. ine looked over at Sangrea and watched as she happily interacted with Xavier. "I''m surprised you know how to use cutlery and basic etiquette" Said Xavier. From the way she ate, to the way she even sat, Xavier could really feel the noble auraing out of her. "Wha? That''s a rude thing to say to a nobledy, I''ll have you know I''ve been trained in it since I was younger." Responded Sangrea, flustered. Seeing her flustered expression Xavier couldn''t help but smile as he ate. "My bad, I thought there was no use for it, since all Vampires needed for survival was blood." "Well... Humans are very nosy... We Vampires need a way to put up an act... And just because we survive on blood doesn''t mean that''s all we consume..." She muttered. "Speaking of which, Sangrea, you''re back in your petite form-" ? Sangrea''s brow twitched at the word ''petite'' "Didn''t I unseal you and throw away the key? Why are you back in your sealed state?" Xavier asked. "Oh.. About that... Shortly after we separated, I just suddenly reverted back into this form... After checking, the seal''s key, the skull was back in it''s ce." Xavier recalled him throwing away the skull and leaving it in the Vampire Camp, returning to the Camp would have been the only way to get it back, but based on what she''d said, she''d never returned, it just magically appeared back in ce. "That''s quite an annoying seal... Even if I remove it and throw it away somewhere, it''ll justeback on it''s own..." Muttered Xavier. "Yeah-" *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* Sangrea along with the others who were happily eating and getting along with one another on the table were interrupted by the sound of knocking. "Who is it?" The butler asked as he got up from his seat. "Head butler, we have a visitor..." Spoke a feminine voice on the other side of the door. Her voice was shaking from fear. 84 Chapter 84 "Head butler, we have a visitor..." Spoke a feminine voice on the other side of the door. Her voice was shaking from fear. Hearing this, the butler''s expression turned serious. "Didn''t I tell you that we''re not expecting any visitors at this time?" "She had to make a special exception, she didn''t have much of a choice after all..." Spoke another voice as the door creaked open. This one was masculine, not an ounce of fear could be felt in it. If anything, it was cockiness. The butler didn''t recognise the voice at first. With the opening of the door, two figures walked inside. In that instant, Sangrea and Anastasia both stood up from their seats with their guards up. The one in the lead of the group, was a tall Chocte brown haired man with deep slit crimson red eyes and pointy ears. He wore the navy blue uniform and carried a single long sword on his waist. To his left was a talldy. She had long deep onyx coloured hair which was tied back in a ponytail, her hips were wide and her waist was slim. She too was wearing the female version of the same uniform. Her crimson red eyes rested behind her sses as she held onto a paper holder pad with a single piece paper being held. "What''s the reason for your visit, Gale Vernon?" The butler asked, recognising the chocte brown haired man. Xavier who was seated by the table looked over at the look the three of them were giving the man. They seemed to recognise him but didn''t seem like they liked him. ''Gale Vernon...? Vernon? If memory serves me correctly that''s a noble family... Marquess ranked. If he''s here then that means...'' "I''m sure we all know the reason for my visit." Said Gale, interrupting Sophie''s thoughts as he nced over to thedy beside him. "As of, 11:00 AM, September 14th, All the members of Redblood family have been sentenced to execution for betrayal." Said thedy. "There you have it. Orders from above. You really pissed them off this time, didn''t you?" Said Gale with a saddened look as he walked towards Sangrea. The instant he took a step forward however, the butler appeared before him with a knife he''d picked up from the table. It was ced right on gale''s neck. "Because of our past history together, I will give you the chance to turn back now." Said the butler as he red at him. Gale could feel the bloodlust looming over him but waspletely unphased by it. "I heard the stories, if it was the you from before, you may have stood a chance to stop me... But the current you... You know that won''t be enough, don''t you?" "Shall we test that theory?" The butler asked with veins bulging out of his neck in anger. "Haha, maybe another time. You see, I''m not here to hurt her. I came here to make an offer to Sangrea." "Offer?" Anastasia questioned as she kept her guard up, she had the knife pressing down on her vein, ready to activate her ability whenever necessary. "Yeah, Sangrea... If you finally decided to ept my marriage proposal, me and my family will do everything in our power to guarantee you and your family''s safety." "What will marrying you at this point change? The order is official, the royal family themselves are out for the Redbloods. You''re just a Marquess." The smile on Gale''s face grew. "I shouldn''t have to tell you, should I? You already know about my family''s connections... I can make a few arrangements and make another family take the me for the incident. If that doesn''t work, there are plenty of others ways now that we''re at war." Sophie who was listening in from her seat, ced her hand beneath her chin. ''True, if it''s the same Vernon family I''ve heard of... It should be possible... It''s said in terms of connections in the Vampire World, their powers could rival even those of the dukes. They have their very ownwork spread out even to other countries.'' Sophie looked over to Viera and ine, who were still on their seats along with Xavier. They were worried and looked like they wanted to help but their bodies couldn''t move from all the fear. Then there was Xavier who had finishing his meal. ''He''s eating even in this situation? How hungry was he!?'' "So, what''s it going to be, Sangrea?" He asked as he looked over at her. "...No." Gale''s eyebrow twitched. "Sangrea, I ask that you think carefully about this, this entire mansion is surrounded by high-ranking noble''s which hold hatred towards your family. Only I can calm them down, you may not get another opportunity like this-" "I said no, I''ve already given you an answer in the past. I won''t marry you. I''m already married to someone that I like, and that I''m bonded to." Clenching his fist in anger, Gale maintained the forced smile on his face as he looked past Sangrea at the only other man seated in the room. A young man with hair which was part silver and part ck, just as the rumours mentioned. He was seated by the table and finishing the te of food that was left. "So, it''s him... Is it? The Devourer... I found it strange, why do something absurd as taking down a Vampire camp when you have nothing to gain from it..." "It''s because of him, isn''t it? He''s the one you''re engaged to." Gale asked as he red at Xavier. Sangrea didn''t respond to him, instead she shifted over to the right, in order to block Xavier from his line of sight, indicating that if he wanted to get to him he''d have to get past her. Gale also noticed countless thin barely visible threads around Xavier and the others seated on the table as if protecting them. He looked over at Sophie, quickly realising that the threads belonged to her. "A coward hiding behind all these girls, this is the man you''ve chosen as your husb-" *ng!* Xavier mmed the cutlery down onto his te once he''d finally finished it. Upon getting up, he wiped his mouth with a napkin before ncing over at Sangrea and the others. "Everyone, sit back down. You''re not finished with your meal." Xavier''s tone of authority along with his cold emotionless expression sent shivers down their spine''s as he got up and walked towards the window. "Sophie." Xavier muttered. In that instant, Gale''s eyes narrowed as he noticed countless threads wrapped around his neck and arms. Thedy beside him widened her eyes as she also noticed the thread wrapped around her own neck and arms. *SWOOSH* *CRASH!* And just like that, with a swing of her arm, both of their figures wasunched by the threads straight towards the windows and right past Xavier before crashing through it and out into the pouring rain. *Crash!* The sound of him colliding against the dirt, permeated throughout the air. "That''s better." Said Sophie with a grin. Her grin faded however, as the man tugged at her threads from outside the mansion. Had she not let go of her threads, she would have gone flying out of the room towards him. The butler and the maid were both surprised by this, even they only noticed the threads after she had made her moves. "Sangrea,e here." Called out Xavier, as he nced at her. Sangrea nodded before quickly running over at Xavier, upon reaching him he stretched his arm out towards her, gesturing her to lower her cor. She did as she said and lowered her cor, exposing her cleavage and part of of her chest along with the seal and skull on it. "I''ll go and kill all of them hiding outside. You and the others will here with Sophie and keep everyone safe." Sangrea stared at him with a worried look before nodding. "Are you sure you won''t need our help?" She asked. [XP remaining until Evolution: 280] "It''ll be fine. I''ll kill them all." He responded with a cold smile. In that instant, Gale''s infuriated and drenched figure appeared behind him by the window thrusting his arm out to grab him. But the moment he touched him, Xavier''s palm mmed against Gale''s face causing his figure to vanish in that very same moment. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] Xavier had rewinded him five seconds back to where he''d beenunched. *CRASH!* The crashed resounded again. Surprised by what had just happened and what they''d seen, no one uttered a word. No one except for ine who shouted. "P-Please be careful!" Not wanting to show his mother anymore of his dark side, Xavier nodded before leaping out of the room and pulling Sangrea''s seal''s Key along with him. *VBOOOM!!!* And just like that, all the closest windows around shattered, as a dark aura protruded out from the window after him. *CRASH!* Xavier crashed into the ground, outside the mansion. Staring at Gale''s figure as he quickly picked himself up from the ground. He was infuriated and even more drenched than before. His uniform was covered in dirt. Beside Gale was the pissed offdy, who''s uniform was also dirty. To make things worst, they weren''t the only ones Xavier had to worry about. Despite all the rain masking their scents and making it harder to see, Xavier could both feel and see them. Many powerful Vampires on stand-by around the mansion''s vicinity. Xavier took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Devour." 85 Chapter 85 In the mansion''s backyard and with rain crashing against his figure, Xavier red at the two drenched Vampires before him. Behind them he could make out countless pair of crimson red eyes hiding by the bushes, they were all positioned in the vicinity of the mansion. "Devour." He muttered as he threw a pill towards his mouth. Gale''s eyes widened as the moment Xavier bit down on the pill, he uppercut himself. *BAM!* Upon colliding his chin with his fist, Xavier''s body was knocked off the ground, into the mansion''s wall behind him, crashing into it in the process. *CRASH!* Thinking that it was some sort of preparation for some sort of attack, Gale instantly ced his hand on his sword''s handle before drawing it. "The hell is he doing..?" He asked as he pushed down on the handle''s button after drawing the sword. *Pierce* Spikes protruded out of the sword''s cross-guard instantly piercing Gale''s hand and sucking out his blood. His sword radiated an ominous crimson energy as the red gem on it''s pommel glowed a bright red colour. Thedy beside him pulled out a pistol from her uniform before pointing it at Xavier. Xavier just remained motionless with his back against the wall and a blood stream running down his nose. He was unconscious. "I don''t know... Perhaps that is a requirement to activate some sort of an ability. We should deal with him right away." Without a hint of hesitation, she pulled down on the trigger, instantly firing off a bullet towards Xavier. The bullet soared through the air at insanely fast speeds. It was coated in a strange purple fluid which remained stuck to it despite the rain. *CRASH!* Her eyes narrowed however, as the bullet ended up going right past Xavier''s head. He''d tilted his head to dodge at the veryst second. Gale then intervened as she was about to fire off the next shot, cutting in front of her before walking menacingly towards Xavier. "Save those bullets, you won''t need them." Said Gale as he approached Xavier with a re. The bullets were specially synthesized by the Vampires using Ghoul''s blood. They were made to deal with any Vampire''s they nned on executing as it was poisoned and weakened them. Meanwhile a grin grew on Xavier''s face as a notification screen appeared in front of him. [Rewind point has been set.] Raising his brows with a surprised expression at the grin, Gale kicked off the ground towards Xavier thrusting his long sword, which radiated the crimson energy, at his grinning face. *Swoosh!* But right as he''d initiated that movement, Xavier pushed himself further up the wall, before kicking off of it towards thedy. ''I''ll deal with her first to evolve-'' Xavier''s thought was interrupted mid-air as somethingtched onto him. Looking down he quickly noticed a hand grabbing a hold of him. It was gale. *FWOOSH!* Gale swung his arm, spinning Xavier around in the air beforeunching him at the mansion''s wall. *CRASH!* Xavier crashed right through the wall, straight into an empty room with barely any furniture. Right before Gale could drop to the ground however and carry on with his attack, Xavier''s knees appeared right before his eyes, they were heading straight for him. [Rewind Level 2: Retract.] Gale''s brows rose again in surprise, how did Xavier get to him so fast? *SPLASH!* Xavier''s knee ended up crashing right into Gale''s face, but contrary to his expectations, it ended up going right through it, as Gale''s headpletely liquified. [Aqua Maniption: Liquification.] ncing at Gale in that moment, Xavier notified thedy below them with her pistol pointed right at him. *BOOM!* Xavier quickly reacted, thrusting his leg at Gale''s back to kick off of it and avoid the bullet. But right as he did so, Gale liquified the rest of his body, causing his feet to plunge through his liquified body. And if that wasn''t enough, the surrounding water from the rain created a whip which wrapped itself around him, preventing him from dodging- [Aqua Maniption: Water Bind.] *CLANG!* Xavier''s head bopped backwards as his body soared away from Gale towards the grass beside them. After sliding through the slippery grass with his binded arms, Xavier came to a stop still on his feet. In that moment, Xavier raised his head, showing the bullet stopped in between his front teeth. He''d stopped it with his bite. Thedy who saw this was surprised but Gale whose body reverted back into its solid state looked as if he knew all along. *Ptoo* Xavier spat out the bullet before looking down at his arms, they were still binded by the water whip. Muscles bulged out of his arms and he thrust them out, breaking through the binds. *Ssh!* But they returned almost instantly after as the rain drops crashed against his skin. "It''s no use, I''m a water elementalist, there''s water all around you... You know what this means, right?" Gale asked with a grin as he walked towards Xavier. As he approached Xavier, a shield of water began to form around Gale. Meanwhile countless water bullets and spears were forming around Xavier, along with the binds restricting him growing bigger and bigger to the point where even his legs were binded. "Before I kill you, I have one question-" "Just hurry up and finish him off." The young masculine voice interrupted. And almost instantly after- *Spark!* *Spark!* *VBOOOM!* The sound of a thunderp resounded across the area, and In that fraction of a second, Xavier''s figure could be seen across the grass field once more, with a javelin of light impaled through his stomach. "What do you know... I can hit him." Muttered the boy as his figure was illuminated by the thunderous light. A short pearl ck berry haired boy was standing by the bushes hiding as he''d been ordered, he had electric sparks travelling through his body and was in a throwing position. Xavier instantly recognised him. What he didn''t recognise were the two other figures beside him, they were just as powerful, Xavier also wasn''t able to get a good look at them as he was sent all the way across the field towards the mansion vicinity''s wall. *CRASH!* A smoke cloud emerged and Xavier''s figure disappeared into view in the far distance. "Hey, what was that for, young Marquess? I had something to ask him." Asked Gale as he turned towards the young boy. "I had unfinished business with him. More importantly, aren''t we here to execute the the Redbloods? Why put us on stand-by to watch your fight?" The young Marquess responded. "I was wondering the same thing, isn''t the youngdy Redblood in that room?" Questioned another Vampire as he walked up to them. A handsome young man whose face could be mistaken for a girl''s, especially his long braided brown hair flowing down his shoulders. He too had crimson eyes which were peering at the room. It was filled with shadows, almost sealed off. The only way to enter would be to break the shadowy wall. "A few hits... Should do it..." Said a fourth voice. Behind him walked another Vampire, his appearance was the most bizzare out of all of them. Pale green smoke surrounded his figure covered almostpletely by bandages. His crimson red eyes stared through the small gaps on the bandages on his face in the direction Xavier had beenunched. There were no signs of movementsing from the cloud of smoke. "Wha about... him...?" He asked in a cold dry tone The braided haired Vampire ced his hand beneath his chin before closing his eyes. "Hm... Is that really a question? We have four Marquess''s here, what could he possibly-" *BAM!* A fist crashed through the side of the braided haired Vampire''s face, interrupting him before sending him zooming and sliding down the backyard. All of the other Vampire''s turned over to where the braided haired Vampire had been standing only to find Xavier staggering as he walked over to them. "Hm... That was fast, did you speed up?" Gale asked. Xavier didn''t respond, his eyes remained open wide, asionally twitching as he continued to approach him. [Gluttony Level 2: Berserk.] [Berserk State: Activated.] "Hm? Did you not hear me- Gale was interrupted as in the following instant, Xavier''s hand appeared ahead of him, thrusting at his face to grab it. *VBOOOM!* Right before it could however, the sound of a thunderp resounded, and in that very same second, Xavier''s figure wasunched away from Gale, grabbing a hold of a glowing blue javellin of light as the electricity spread across his body. "You''re wee, Gale." Said the young marquess as he grinned. The grin quickly faded however, as he noticed Xavier was holding onto the blue javelin of light. He''d caught it and was currently Zooming across the field with it in his hand. "He''s doing it again." Said the young marquess as his eyes lit up in surprise. While Zooming across the field the energy from the javelin was flowing into Xavier''s mouth, it was quickly losing it''s momentum. [Gluttony Level ???: Ability Devour.] *FWOOSH!* With a trail of burning grass in front of him, Xavier quickly came to a halt, still holding onto the rod filled with electricity. There were many burns running along his arm but that didn''t bother him. The rod and electricity''s colour quickly changed to a crimson red as he got into the position tounch it. The young marquess chuckled once he saw this. "Looks like we''re in a bit of danger-" *VBOOOM!!* 86 Chapter 86 Steam began to rise around Xavier as he stood by the burnt grass, rain drops crashing against his burned arms. A stream of smoke could be seen flowing from his mouth as he leaned forward tounch the [Lightning Javelin] back. Xavier''s eyes became brighter and brighter as he expressed pain. In an attempt to control his body, the [Berserk] State was eating away at his consciousness. In trying to resist it but still keeping it active to reap the physical benefits, Xavier felt anger, heightened emotions, and bottomless hunger that made it even more difficult. Still, he persisted, keeping his cool. Only logical thinking and thinking outside the box could beat them. He wasn''t going to seed by attacking mindlessly like he did when going fully berserk. The marquess''s all stared at him with widened eyes. They had just witnessed him eat all of the electricity out of the attack while stopping it. And as if that wasn''t enough, he was winding up tounch it back- *Chuckles* "Looks like we''re in a bit of danger-" *VBOOOM!!* The sound of a thunderp resounded, in an instant a sh of light zoomed towards them resembling a strike of lightning itself. *SWOOOSH!* All the marquess''s in the area, leapt away once they saw this. Although the young marquess was the youngest, his [Lightning Javelin] was not an ability to take lightly. And just like that, the sh of light zoomed past all of them, fortunately striking neither one. *VABAM!* Another burnt trail had emerged across the field, creating even more stream and a slight cloud of smoke which made it progressively harder to see. "Did that hit any of us?" The feminine braided haired Marquess asked inside of the smoke cloud. "Hm? I never expected you to be the type to worry about others." Responded Gale from within the smoke. "He''s not worried. Didn''t you hear? He can draw the blood of a target he''s killed and use it to heal himself, that''s why the rest of the Vampires which came with us are on stand-by." Said the young marquess with a smile. "..." The bandages marquess didn''t speak any words, based on everyone''s reaction it was clear that none of them were hit. But as he stared at Xavier''s pair of glowing red eyes through the cloud of smoke, he noticed that he was staring at something behind them. The bandaged marquess turned back only the burnt corpse of another vampire with a long rod impaled through their heart. "...Gale... Is that not... Thedy... Who... Was with you...?" Asked the bandaged marquess. Gale turned around with a confused expression only to narrow his eyes upon doing so. "Fuck... That''s her alright. I''m fucked. It was my responsibility to keep her safe." The cloud of smoke had finally dissipated showing Xavier standing there motionlessly. Staring at something to his right, something which they couldn''t see. [You Killed a Vampire Noble!] [+310 XP!] [XP: 1850/1800] [LEVEL UP!] [Level 9 -> 10] [Congrattions! You have reached Level 10!] [New Evolution Option Now Avable!] [Evolution Options:] [Evolution Option One: Fully Fledged Vampire.] [Evolution Option Two: Vampire Pureblood] [Evolution Option Three: Chronos Pureblood] [Evolution Option Four: Vampire & Chronos Hybrid] "Option Four." Xavier muttered without hesitation as he remained in his berserk state. Gale pointed his drawn de towards the distracted Xavier and so did the other Marquess''s as they drew their weapons. The young marquess drew a short sword, whereas the bandaged marquess drew two double-edged daggers dipped in some sort of gooey poison while the feminine braided haired marquess pulled out a flute. They all pressed down on the buttons in said weapons as spikes permeated out of their cross-guards before piercing them in their hands and drawing their blood. The already all-powerful nobles had be even stronger and with that, they were ready. "Looking away with the four of us standing before him? Let''s kill him." Said Gale with a bright smile. *FWOOSH!* At that moment, all of the marquess''s figures seemingly vanished. Each appearing before Xavier swinging at his vulnerable spots. Gale thrust at his heart, the bandaged marquess swung at his head neck from above, the young marquess, shed at his liver whilst the braided haired feminine marquess with the flute appeared behind him ready to blow into it. [Toxic Maniption: Deadly Toxic sh] [Aqua Maniption: Aquatic Thrust.] [Lightning Maniption: Lightning Bite] [Vibration Maniption: First Scale Impact Burst.] *BOOOOOOM!!!!!!* A loud explosion resounded as a burst of air surged across the backyard. The air was filled with a green gas resulted from the [Toxic Maniption] and deadly for any fragile being who''d dare inhale it. The nts in the garden were all dying as they were exposed to the gas permeating through the air. While this happened, the figure of the four marquess''s could be seen with narrowed eyes staring at Xavier. They were all looking at one spot... Or rather, one figure, stood a few meters ahead of them with his head hung down. His hair had transitioned into a full silver and swayed against the wind as a strong breeze blew by, blowing away the green gas. "Hey, hey... What the hell is this? He dodged that?" Asked Gale. *Tick* *Tock* *Tick* *Tock* "More importantly, what''s that sound?" Asked the young marquess The sound of a clock ticking could be heard. It was quiet and faint, and would have gone unnoticed by a human''s ears, but their pointy ears could hear it clearly. For some reason, it was giving them all a bad feeling. The air around Xavier had changed. [Evolution Complete.] [Evolution Bonus: All abilities have Levelled up!] "Who cares? He doesn''t have a weapon. Let''s just finish him off and ask questionster." Said Gale as he snapped his fingers before leaping towards Xavier. [Aqua Maniption: Giant Water Serpent.] A stream of water created from all the rain, in the shape of a serpent, burst towards Xavier at high speeds from behind Gale. Gale who was ahead of it and right before Xavier, swung his sword down at his motionless figure. *ng!* Gale''s eyes widened as his very same swing, was parried by Xavier''s own swing. It had collided with a solidified red rod of lightning overflowing with electricity. *BZZZT* Gale was surprised once the two weapons collided as he hadn''t even seen where it''de from. But as the two were knocked back by each other''s strength, the surprised expression changed into a grin as Xavier was knocked back towards the water serpent which had circled behind him. Gale''s grin grew wider as he noticed the other nobles in Xavier''s blind spot with their attacks also in motion. *Bite!* *Ssh!* The moment the serpent bit into Xavier''s shoulder, all of the noble''s eyes widened as it quickly turned into a puddle of a water, sshing into the ground in that instant. Xavier quickly lifted his head up, showing Gale his eyes. They had a crimson red glint but were different, they both had the frameworks of a clock, slowly moving backwards. [Rewind Level 3: Revert.] ''What the hell...?'' Gale questioned mid-air. The other nobles who hadn''t seen it and were still in the motion of their attacks, all continued on with their swing, shing off his arms and legs in an instant. A dagger was impaled through his chest in the same instant, barely missing his heart. ''I... Missed? No... Problem...'' Thought the bandaged marquess as he rotated his body mid-air, swinging his other dagger at Xavier''s neck. The young marquess who''d cut off Xavier''s legs, watched as the de made it''s way to Xavier''s neck mid-air. ''Ah... He''s done for, he can''t block or defend from that angle-'' *Tick* *Tock* [Rewind Ability Chain Level 2 & 3: Retract & Revert.] *SWOOSH!* Xavier''s figure disappeared from view right before his neck was shed off, appearing back down in the ground in the position he was in before getting knocked back by Gale. The Vampire Nobles instantly recognised it as Xavier using his weird teleportation ability again, but they didn''t mind it for this time, they''d cut off his arms and legs, he was no longer a threat even if he did manage to avoid. As they all turned him however, their eyes widened, as they found him standing perfectly still with his limbs back in ce, holding onto the crimson rod in the position to throw it. It was as if he''d never been injured. His target? It was the only one still in the air, the bandaged marquess who''d tried to decapitate him a second ago. "How-" *VBOOOM!* The young marquess, gale and the braided haired marquess tried to stop him, but they were a second toote as Xavierunched the rod at the defenceless bandaged marquess, piercing right through his heart. [You killed a high-ranking Vampire Noble!] [+490 XP!] The notifications rung inside of Xavier''s head as the remaining three marquess''s stepped in, striking at the opening of Xavier having disregarded his only weapon. The young marquess was the fastest out of all of them, sending a burst of lightning across the grass as he took his step. [Lightning Maniption: Lightning Dash] Electricity surged through his entire body, spiking up his pearl ck berry coloured hair before blurring past Xavier, leaving behind a trace of electricity behind. 87 Chapter 87 [Lightning Maniption: Lightning Dash] Electricity surged through his entire body, spiking up his pearl ck berry coloured hair before blurring past Xavier, leaving behind a trace of electricity behind. The young marquess stood behind Xavier in a crouched position whilst panting heavily. His arm was extended out, trembling as it held onto his shortsword whose de was being asionaly zapped by the burst of electricity within him. He felt it, he definitely shed Xavier''s neck. But as he turned around to confirm, his eyes widened as he noticed that it was not Xavier''s neck but rather his arm which had been chopped off. Whilst Staring at Xavier''s falling arm, they watched as the [Lightning Javelin], which he had justunched to kill the bandaged marquess, was back in his hand once again. [Retract & Revert.] It was reverted back into it''s optimal state, and retracted back into a position in his hand. ''I still haven''t mastered the Lightning Dash... Really going to be killed by my own attack?'' The thought shed as a fearful expression grew on the young Marquess''s face. Staring into Xavier''s mechanical clock-like eyes as he released the [Lightning Javelin], the young marquess realised that there was no hope for survival. *VBOOOM!* The loud sound of a thunderp resounded once more, as if thunder had again struck the backyard, a bright blinding light shed for an instant, and the young marquess was dragged across the garden, with the rod impaled through his heart. [You killed a High-ranked Vampire Noble!] [+580 XP!] Gale, and the feminine braided haired Vampire who were the only two remaining took a step back in surprise and fear once Xavier turned his head to them. Now that he was weapon less, they knew that it would be their only chance to attack, but despite that, their legs wouldn''t move. ''It won''t work... We saw him have all his limbs shed off, but they healed at a speed faster than I could see... As if they''d never been shed off in the first ce...'' Gale thought to himself with fear. ''He''s a monster... How can we possibly kill him?'' The feminine braided haired Marquess wondered. Keeping their eyes on Xavier, they watched the rod he''d justunched magically manifest in his hand once more. With it there, Xavier began walking towards them with the same ring expression. He didn''t say any words, but it made sense, for there were no words needed to be said. Xavier was out to kill them, and they were fully aware of it. It was a feeling they''d never felt before. He was their prey, it was four of them, four high ranked renowned Vampires. Yet, how? How did they end up in this position? Was it a fluke? The two Vampire''s began to back away in fear, the closer Xavier got. And this seemed to annoy him greatly. "What''re you doing?" He asked before tapping his neck with his electric rod. Electrocuting it as he did so. "Don''t tell me... You''re scared?" Asked Xavier with a grin. Scared. It was just a word, but to think that he''d ever use it being attributed to someone of his superior background by another of a far inferior background regardless of the situation, it snapped something inside of them. "Scared... Us...? Shut your fucking mouth, you fucking peasant." Said the femine-looking braided haired Marquess as he halted. The Vampire Nobles had stopped backing away and instead, instantly lunged themselves at Xavier. ''A suicide attack? No... They''re too prideful for that... Looks like they still have a trump-card left.'' Xavier thought to himself as they appeared before him. Appearing before the unphased Xavier, The feminine braided haired Vampire dragged in as much air as he could in the short period of time which he had before blowing it all into his flute. Xavier''s brows raised in surprise as he felt shivers running through his body, as if warning him that something dangerous wasing. Simultaneously, Gale''s body liquified as he could also tell. [Vibration Maniption: Grand High Pitched Impact.] *FWOOOOO!* The loud sound of a flute being blown echoed throughout the air, and in that instant, all of the mansion''s windows shattered as the entire backyard''s ground sunk forming two giant craters. In a fraction of a second, the entire garden was wiped away as if an explosion had urred. - "W...What was that sound...?!" Viera asked with a worried look as she turned to Sangrea. They were all inside of a dark cube made purely of shadows, nothing could enter and nothing could leave without Sangrea''s permission. It was her [Shadow Domain.], one of her abilities which she could only use whilst the seal was removed. Sangrea who was in her mature form walked over towards the wall made of shadows, jiggling her erged chests with every step, before halting and cing her hands on it. "This domain should be sound proof... Yet all of us heard that... Is Xavier really doing okay out there?" Sangrea asked with a worried look. Viera stared at Sangrea''s expression with surprise and disbelief. Appearance wise she looked like apletely different person, but inside she was still the same Sangrea. "Youngdy, if you''re thinking of going out there, please remember the promise you made with him... You have to stay here and keep everyone safe." Said the head butler as he walked up to her. "I know but... There''s no telling what kind of reinforcement Gale brought-" "It''ll be fine, youngdy. I have been watching Xavier for long enough to know. That boy cannot die." Said the butler with a serious expression. "Just because he''s been lucky a few times doesn''t mean it will always be that-" "No, it is not simply luck. Time and time again I have witnessed him face opponents far stronger than him in positions where it would be impossible for him to survive, but he''d emerged. Even luck has a limit." Everyone in the room, including Sophie who was quietly sat by the corner, ying with her threads, listened in as he spoke. "It''s ironic, isn''t it? A human is far harder to kill than we Vampires who boast immortality." If an outsider were to hear it, they would take it as a joke, but to those of them who stood in the room and witnessed Xavier''s power. Somehow they couldn''t help but believe it. "Does it have something to do with his ability...? Speaking of which, what even is my son''s ability?" ine asked. "His ability? I''m not sure... What I do knows it that it wouldn''t be a stretch to say it could rewrite reality itself to his liking." "Is that even possible?" Sophie asked, joining in on the conversation. "If it''s him, it is." The butler replied with a grin. - *Huff* *Huff* The femine braided haired Vampire let out heavy pants as he stood at the center of the crater. Beside him was Gale who was emerging out of his liquified state. Ahead of them was a cloud of a smoke which was quickly fading, they could see the sillhoute of Xavier''s figure on the floor through the smoke. ''We got him... From point nk range too... With a Vampire''s hightened hearing, there''s no way they''ll stay conscious after an attack like this...'' "Gond the finishing blo-" *VBOOOOM!* The feminine braided haired Vampire was interrupted as the sound of thunder striking echoed once again, next thing he knew, his body was being dragged through the crater by a rod of lightning impaled into his stomach. ''He... He survived that!?!? How!?!!'' He wondered as he crashed into the inside of the dirt formed from the crater, coughing out heaps of blood as he did so. Gale who hadn''t been hit, slowly turned around and stared at his injured ally. "He survived that...? That''s not possible... What the hell is he...?" Asked Gale with a fearful expression. *Step* *Step* He quickly turned his head back over towards the smoke which had been fully blown away. There he could see Xavier walking over to him with the crimson electric rod in his hand. His eyes still had the crimson clock works with the time turning backwards. "Ah... I see... You''re not human or a Vampire... You''re just simply a monster... A monster that can''t die..." Hearing his words, Xavier halted in front of him staring him right in the eyes. He was far shorter than he was, but still, Gale felt as if Xavier was towering over him. "No... I can die. And before I evolved you had many opportunities to do so... Honestly, to not even kill me once... You''re useless." Xavier let go of the rod of lightning before thrusting his bare hand straight through Gale''s chest to grab a hold of his heart. [Aqua Maniption: Liquify] Gale''s body instantly became water, allowing the hand to smoothly pass through, however thanks to it, he was able to avoid being injured. Gale nned to escape in his liquefied state, he knew beating Xavier would have been impossible. He would need more reinforcements. "Revert." Said Xavier with cold eyes. [Rewind Level 3: Revert.] But Gale never managed to escape, for his body instantly returned back to it''s solid state, with Xavier''s arm still in his chest. 88 Chapter 88 "Revert." Xavier coldly muttered. *Stter!* Gale''s eyes opened wide as bursts of unimaginable pain surged through his chest. Looking down he could see Xavier''s arm sticking out of his chest. Xavier had grabbed a hold of his heart. "Answer my question, and I''ll make this painless." Said Xavier. "You... Why go this far...? Killing us will only create more enemies... They won''t just be after the Redbloods... They''ll be after you and your family..." Said Gale as he coughed out blood. "It doesn''t matter who they send... I''ll devour them all." Responded Xavier as he looked Gale right in his eyes. ncing at his determined and fearless look Gale could tell that his words wouldn''t get through to him. He wouldn''t be able to convince Xavier to let it slide. ''I''m dead... After I die all the other Vampires on stand-by will attack... He''ll y them all and grow stronger... At this point will there even be anything left to stop him..?'' "Now for my question..." Xavier muttered as he tightened his grip over Gale''s heart. Gale''s eyes bulged out with red veins as he showed an even greater pain-filled expression. He clenched his teeth desperately in hopes that it would ease the pain, but it was to no avail. ''How is he so strong...? I heard that it was only recently that he''d even managed to be a Vampire... Where did all of this powere from? He''ll really kill me at this rate... I need to buy some time...'' "If I''m going to die anyways... I want to know if my death was wasted... How do you even... Feel about Sangrea?" Gale asked with blood gushing out of his mouth. "Asking a question when you haven''t even answered mine-" "I''ll tell you... Anything... Just answer..." Xavier looked at the feminine braided haired Vampire standing by the crater''s wall behind all of them. He was slowly moving his flute over to his mouth to blow on it. ''So he''s buying time... Tounch a signal for reinforcements, I assume?'' Xavier wondered before grinning. "Go on, call for back up. It doesn''t matter whoes... They''ll all just be devoured." Said Xavier filled with confidence. Even if he were to end up dying he could simply start over. ''Fuck, he noticed and he''s still letting us? What the hell is wrong with-'' Gale''s thoughts were interrupted by Xavier''s words "And to answer your question... A tool." Gale''s eyes widened. ''A tool?'' He pondered, internally debating whether or not he had heard Xavier correctly. "Yeah, a tool." Xavier responded. Xavier''s shadowy face lit up for a moment as thunder struck in the distance, highlighting his expressionless face. "To me, she was just a useful tool to use in order to rescue my family. She was powerful with connections, so I yed along acting as her husband. She is and will always be nothing more than a tool for me to use." Gale''s surprised expression slowly shifted into a smile as he muttered. "A tool huh... You''re a bad liar... You think I didn''t notice? At the table when I asked for her hand in marriage, you sent me a re unlike any other I''d ever experienced... You say she''s just a tool but in reality..." "You care for her deeply, don''t you-" *SPLATTER!* Xavier closed his hand, crushing Gale''s heart before he could finish his sentence. [You killed a High Ranking Vampire Noble!] [+630 XP!] Hearing the notification, Xavier ripped Gale''s heart out before throwing it away onto the floor. He then watched as Gale''s body copsed before him. "Shut up... You don''t know what you''re talking about." [Would you like to devour the blood of the targeted corpse?] A notification suddenly rang inside of Xavier''s head. ''That notification... Is that gluttony?'' [Skill Gluttony has a new evolved feature. (Level 3)] [Ability Devour allows the user to devour the target''s ability.] [Ability Devour Additional feature provides a set chance of the user harnessing and absorbing the ability of a target which has been devoured. The chance of session increases as the skill level progresses.] [Would you like to consume the blood of the corpse?] Countless screens popped up in front of Xavier with an entire description of what Level 3 could do, Xavier had always waited for these set features to pop up ever since it''s possibility was first mentioned. Under normal circumstances he would have been excited, but what Gale had said had stuck to him. "..." Shaking his head, Xavier let out a sigh before muttering. "Yeah, Devou-" *VWOOOOOOO!* Before he could finish his sentence however, he was interrupted by the sound of a horn as the feminine braided haired Vampire blew into the flute. Following the horn, Xavier looked around as countless pair of crimson eyes began to light up all around. "So that''s the signal..." Xavier muttered as he looked around. One by one, Vampires wearing the night blue uniform were emerging from the mansion''s vicinity and walking towards it. They came in all types of ranks, from regr Vampires to even nobles. ''Three.. Five... Ten... Twenty... Ah fuck it.'' "No point in counting, they brought out a whole fucking unit." Said Xavier as he began doing some stretches. "Hey, what are you doing?! Why aren''t you running?!" The Feminine braided haired Vampire asked while still pinned to the wall of the crater. The rod just wasn''t budging and he''d exhausted all of his energy on the flute. "What does it look like I''m doing?" Xavier asked as he picked up Gale''s longsword. The brown braided haired Vampire watched as Xavier gave the sword a few swings before walking towards him. "S-Stay away... Don''te any closer... Even you can''t take them all on yourself-" *Fwoosh!* The feminine braided Haired Vampire''s eyes widened as Xavier suddenly appeared crouched down in front of him, grabbing a hold of the electric crimson rod with his hands. "h, h, you can''t do this, you can''t do that. You should be more worried about whether you''ll be meeting god or going straight to hell." Said Xavier as he pulled out the rod. The braided haired Vampire let out a grown of pain before staring at Xavier in fear. "I have an idea, why don''t we find out?" Xavier asked before instantly decapitating him. *SLASH!* *SPLATTER!!!* [You killed a High Ranking Vampire Noble!] [+ 590 XP!] [LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL 10 - > LEVEL 11] With the notifications ringing inside of his head, Xavier turned back to the groups of Vampire ahead of him. They didn''t seem the least bit threatening and were all inferior to the Marquess rank. That didn''t mean they weren''t strong... It just meant that Xavier had already surpassed their strength. Ever since evolving the time frame for which he could have thoughts had increased, their movements seemed far slower than usual. His body was filled with power, he felt invincible. "Gluttony... Devour the blood of the four marquess''s... There''s a whole banquet ahead of us..." Said Xavier - - - "Do you hear something?" Viera asked Sangrea as she leaned against the shadow domain''s wall with her ear. "Why''d your face suddenly turn all serious?" Viera added. Sangrea shook her head. "I can barely make out the sound of weapons colliding... The fight is still ongoing." "How long will itst?" ine asked. "Who knows... It all depends on how many he''s facing." Replied Sangrea "We''re at war... Surely, they wouldn''t send out that many dangerous Vampires, would they?" Viera Questioned. "Knowing them, getting rid of us would be one of their priorities, so they probably would... But I wouldn''t worry." Said the butler with a cold smile. He was growing tired of staying in the shadow domain, holding himself back from going out there and killing all those who dared to trespass into the redblood''s territory. Sangrea looked down to the shadowy floor with a worried looking before raising up her ten fingers. "Ten minutes... After ten more minutes we''ll check on him if he doesn''t say anything." Viera and ine smiled in relief and the others nodded. Sophie who was sat by the corner of her room silently pondered with a worried expression. ''There''s not much information on Xavier so I doubt they''d send anyone incredibly strong... That being said, rumours of Sangrea being unsealed also did spread so there''s a chance that they might send someone powerful enough to fight her...'' ''The only ones powerful enough to fight Sangrea, the daughter of an archduke with powers which still haven''t been measured... Would probably be nothing less than the Duke rank.'' ''But surely they wouldn''t send in a duke would they? That''s one of the strongest cards they can y in the war... There''s only 3 Dukes in the whole of Ennd, to deploy one here... It''s unlikely... So why can''t I shake this bad feeling off my chest?'' Sophie questioned inwardly. - - - In the backyard of the Redblood''s mansion, Xavier could be seen sat on top of an injured, barely conscious low ranked Vampire Noble. Xavier had countless swords, spears and even knives sticking out of his body. A stream of blood was flowing into Xavier''s mouth as the countless stab wounds on his body quickly healed. "Impossible... This shouldn''t be possible..." 89 Chapter 89 "Impossible... This shouldn''t be possible..." The Vampire Noble muttered with tears streaming down his face as he looked around. Countless beheaded corpses of other Vampires could be seenying around, around 20 in total. There were spheres of blood above the corpses which had their blood streaming into the a giant blood sphere resting in the sky above. That giant bloods sphere had a single stream of blood flowing out of it, all into Xavier''s mouth. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* Xavier indulged in the sweetness of the blood showing no signs of growing full as he continued to drink. [You are consuming the blood of Vampires mixed with the blood of Vampire Nobles!] [+1 Stat added to Strength!] [+1 Stat Added to Sense!] [+1 Stat added to Agility!] [¡­] The countless notifications were ringing inside of his mind without stop. Ignoring them, Xavier looked around. The entire backyard was filled with corpses of Vampires, their corpses all looked as if they''d been mummified emphasizing on how drained of blood they were. Above the mummified corpses was a giant sphere of blood. As he stared at it, a notification popped up in a screen beside it. [Giant Red Blood Orb] [Contains: Blood of Fully Fledged Vampires, Purebloods & Vampire Nobles.] [You are consuming the Giant Red Blood Orb] *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* [Ding!] While gulping Xavier suddenly heard a loud sound ring inside of his head. [Gluttony Level 3: Skill Absorption Sessful!] [Skill: Lightning Maniption absorbed!] Xavier''s eyes widened. [Ding!] [Skill Absorption Sessful!] [Skill: Vibration Maniption absorbed!] Xavier''s heart began to pump as he opened his mouth with an excited look. "How... How did you kill them all... So fast...?" The Vampire beneath Xavier asked with a shaky voice. Xavier looked down at the Vampire beneath him, staring at him with his cold clock-like eyes as he asked. "Did I say you could talk?" The Vampire felt shivers rushed down his spine, after ncing at the long sword which Xavier was holding onto, the Vampire instantly shut his mouth before lowering his head, trembling as the dread rushed through his bones. Seeing him quiet down, Xavier let out a sigh before looking up at the screen before him. [Status Before] [Level: 10] [Level UP options x 4] (Avable.) [Race: Vampire & Chronos Hybrid.] [XP: 50/2000] [Coins: 1400] [HP: 60/60] [Energy: 100/100] [Strength: 49] [Agility: 49] [Stamina: 18] [Sense: 40] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 3] (Level up!) [Gluttony: Level 3](Level up!) [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 2](Level up!) [Shop.] [Quests.] - [Status After] [Level: 14] [Level UP options x 8] (Avable.) [Race: Vampire & Chronos Hybrid.] [XP: 3140/4000] [Coins: 1400] [HP: 57/80] [Energy: 48/100] [Strength: 96](+30 Evolution)<+17 Blood Consumed> [Agility: 93](+30 Evolution))<+14Blood Consumed> [Stamina: 48](+30 Evolution))<+0 Blood Consumed> [Sense: 88](+30 Evolution))<+18Blood Consumed> [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 3] (Level up!) [Gluttony: Level 3](Level up!) [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 2](Level up!) [Vibration Maniption: Level 1] (New!) [Lightning Maniption: Level 1] (New!) [Shop.] [Quests.] Xavier was semi-impressed by his stats, they had improved a lot thanks to his evolution but all the blood which he''d devoured didn''t give him as much of a boost as he thought. ''The more blood I devour the slower the growth...? That''s strange... Is it because they were all weaker than me?'' Xavier wondered as he continued to gulp down on the blood. But that didn''t bother him, for there it was the two new skills he''d absorbed. It was strange how those were the only two skills he managed to obtain out of an orb filled with the blood of twenty different Vampires, all with their own abilities at their disposal. "Is there some sort of requirement necessary for absorbing? If I recall correctly those two skills were the ones that did the most damage to me... Maybe that''s it?" Xavier theorised. [¡­] [+1 Stat added to Strength] [+1 Stat added to Agility] [+1 Stat added to sense] [Energy: 48/100] [Strength: 97] [Agility: 94] [Stamina: 48] [Sense: 89] [You are consuming the blood orb.] ''The system ignored the question...?'' [+1 Stat added to Strength.] Xavier sighed as the system continued to focus on the stats being added. "Oh well, there''s still some blood left... I should be able to hit the hundreds if I continue to drink." Said Xavier as he got up. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* After three more gulps, he wiped his mouth before turning to the mansion. "But I can''t do that can I? I only wiped out the Vampires hiding around the back. There''s still the dumbasses that areing through the front door and the sides..." Xavier nced at the blood orb, it was one fourth of it''s initial size. [Time of activation remaining: 28:58] There were still 30 minutes left until it disappeared. "No time to finish drinking it, I''ll leave this blood orb here while I go deal with them." Xavier muttered to himself. Xavier looked down at the Vampire beneath him with a smile as he thought of something. "How many of you guys are there?" Xavier questioned as his ears twitched. He could hear the sounds of them breaking into the mansion, as well as the cries of the servants in hiding. "Th-There were fifty in total..." He muttered. Upon the mention of the number ''fifty'' a grin grew on Xavier''s face. It was a grin filled with gratitude an excitement, as if he was thankful for theirrge number. ''So this... Is the Devourer... Just who was it...? Who thought that we could win against such a monster?'' ''It was never the redbloods we had to look out for... It was just him... Large numbers don''t work against him, they just make him stronger... Even the four marquess''s couldn''t stop him... Those four were our strongest...'' ''There''s no saving me... Maybe if I get on my hands and knees and beg he''ll let me go?'' After getting a good look at Xavier''s devilish grin however, the Vampire knew it wouldn''t have changed anything. It was clear that he was relishing this situation. While the Vampire was analysing the situation and having an internal monologue however, Xavier could be seen excitedly skipping away from him towards the mansion. A bright red blush could be seen on his face as he thought of all the ways to try out his new abilities. Raising his head, the Vampire made an expression of confusion and relief as Xavier walked away. ''He''s leaving me?'' "I-I''m free to go...?" He asked as tears began streaming down his face. Hearing him, Xavier suddenly stopped before turning to him with a smile and saying. "Ah, no- You... You''re already dead." Said Xavier. The Vampire''s brows raised in surprise, as he noticed the blood dripping down his neck. His neck sliding off of his body was thatst thing the Vampire saw before letting out hisst breath. *Thud* His head copsed onto the floor. "Because of the information you gave me, I made it painless." Said Xavier before resuming his skipping. After a few skips however, he remembered something. [Energy 48/100] "Didn''t I have over 200 energy before? Why did it go down to 100?] [Energy has been capped at 100] [From now on attacks will consume less energy the higher your stamina, energy also recharges faster the higher your stamina stat.] Xavier listened to the system''s exnation with the same smile present. "Hm~ That sounds useful." - - - Inside of the mansion, a group of Vampires of around fifteen Vampires could be seen standing by the entrance. Blood was sttered all across the walls and carpet. Ahead of them were ten corpses of Cloaked Vampires with their faces covered by shadows. They were the redblood''s assassination and defence squad. Unfortunately for them, they were wiped out. There were also some additional Vampires wearing maid uniforms all around. They were the mansion''s servants. "Those fuckers took out almost half of our numbers..." Said one of the Vampires as they looked at the corpses of their allies. The Vampire in the lead of them, ignored the massacre and remained focused on the objective. Walking past the corpses and up towards the stairs. "Search all the rooms." He ordered as he walked over the corpses and up the stairs. "We must assassinate the Redblood while the ones at the back buy us time." The Vampires Morales were at the top, after all they were being led by another high ranked noble. Earl Darick. With the four marquess''s gone, he was the highest ranked one they had avable. Even with the four marquess gone, there were still 20 Vampires all to keep the devourer in check. There was no telling how much time it would buy them, but they were certain it''d be enough to finish of the youngdy. ''Even if she''s unsealed, I''ll-'' The Earl''s thoughts were interrupted as the sound of ss shattering suddenly echoed across the quiet mansion. All of the remaining fifteen Vampires ears twitched as they looked up the stairs over towards the room which harboured the sound. The earl who was at the top of the stairs, ahead of most of them, was startled for a second but after snapping back into it, he quickly ran towards said room. "After! They''re trying to escape!" He shouted as his figure blurred, reaching the top in a second before mming the door open. *SLAM!* The moment he mmed the door open however- his eyes widened a hand grabbed onto his face, instnatly halting him. "You were saying?" Asked a young man as he emerged from the room, holding the earl up by his face. Short spiky silver hair with crimson red eyes. It was Xavier. 90 Chapter 90 "You were saying?" Asked a young man as he emerged from the room, holding the earl up by his face. The young man had short silver spiky hair with deep crimson clock-like eyes. His figure was far smaller than the earl yet he was still easily holding him up with a single hand while holding his long sword on the other. The earl grabbed onto Xavier''s arm which held him up, tightening his grip around it as he tried to get drag it off. Unfortunately, no matter how much power he put into it, Xavier wouldn''t let go. "I wouldn''t struggle if I were you..." Threatened Xavier as sparks of electricity sparked around his hand. *Zap* *Zap* [Lightning Maniption.] The Earl''s eyes widened as he saw this. The ability to control electricity and Lightning was the young marquess''s. Was it a coincidence that he could also do the same? The other Vampires drew their weapons, cautiously waiting for a moment to strike. Above Xavier were two Vampires quietly crawling across the ceiling with their sharp ws. They assumed that Xavier had yet to notice them. Xavier looked around, down the staircase and onto the main hall he could see around 20 Vampires, and upon looking even further down he noticed a few other Vampires walk into other rooms while he was holding the earl hostage. "Um... Hm... How do I go about this?" Xavier asked as he closed his eyes, going into deep thought. The two Vampire''s on the ceiling above him, instantly kicked off of it, leaping towards Xavier with their fangs sticking out of their open mouths. They saw their opportunity to strike. However- *Swoosh!* Right before they made contact with him, both Xavier and the Earl''s figure seemingly vanished. [Retract.] Looking around for them, they found them standing by the door with Xavier still holding the Earl up. This shook them to their core as they hadn''t even seen them move. "Oh, I know. Let''s just do it the old fashioned way." Said Xavier as he began to tighten his grip on the earl''s head. "A-AAARGH!!" The Earl groaned in pain as he could feel his skull getting crushed. Xavier''s hand and fingers were digging further and further into the earl''s skull. In an attempt to save himself, the Earl''s ability began to activate as his body began to glow. Meanwhile, the two Vampires who''d missed and the other Vampires who''d been watched rushed at Xavier, all at once. *Tic* *Toc* [Rewind Level 3: Revert.] In an instant, the glow of the Earl''s body vanished, as it was reverted to a point before he''d activated his ability. Simultaneously, Xavier''s hand began to vibrate at high speeds, charging up an electric attack before bursting out in the fraction of a section. [Vibration Maniption Level 1: Vibrate.] [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst.] [Energy: 37/100] *SPLATTER!* The Earl''s head exploded, sttering all of it''s contents across the faces, uniforms and weapons of the many Vampires before Xavier. [You Killed A High-Ranking Vampire Noble!] [+340 XP!] Xavier watched as the weapons all the weapons pierced into his body. Some went for his neck in a swing, others went for his chest in a thrust and the rest just went for anywhere with a spot. He watched in slow-motion as they dug into his skin. They''d managed to reach him faster than he''d expected, he''d wasted too much time trying out his new move. Without a doubt, he was in a dangerous position. Despite that, an expression of boredom could be seen on his face as the time began moving backwards on the clockwork in his eyes. [Rewind Level 2 & 3: Retract & Revert Chain.] [Energy: 32/100] Xavier''s figure vanished along with the blood spilt from the weapons digging into him. Meanwhile the Vampires who were being carried forth by their momentums, all collided with one another. *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *SPLATTER!* Some were pierced on ident by each other''s weapons while others barely managed to get away with parrying the other''s weapons. Either way those who''d attacked Xavier copsed onto one another, while Xavier''s figure could be seen standing inside of the room, charging up an electric attack. The other remaining Vampire''s who hadn''t copsed and witnessed this, all leapt into the room after him to attack- *VBOOM!* Yet only three seconds after, they all went bursting right out through the walls with glowing electric fist prints all across their faces. The Vampires who''d previously copsed all got up and stared through the wall only to find Xavier standing there menacingly with electricity flowing all throughout his body. His figure suddenly blurred as he moved across the room at high speeds, appearing on the wall before appearing on the ceiling before appearing in front of a Vampire who''d been staring at him in disbelief. The Vampire felt his heart sink as Xavier stood before him, looking up at him with his mechanical eyes. His spiky silver hair had spiked upwards, electricity was constantly flowing through his body. "If I contain the lightning burst... I can use it to boost my speed... Why didn''t that kid try this?" Xavier asked the Vampire as he ced his hand on his face. The Vampire''s mouth was trembling as he was unsure of whatever to reply. Right as he was about to say something however, a sword swished by his neck, instantly decapitating him. *sh!* As his head dropped towards the ground, two other Vampires zoomed past Xavier, striking him at the opportunity. Inside of the room, the two Vampires halted before turning to Xavier, blood was dripping down both sides of his neck from their cut. On their hands were daggers which were covered in Xavier''s blood. Their mouths were covered by some sort of silky face cloth leaving only their crimson eyes out as they stared at Xavier. "My cut felt shallow, did you get a deep one in?" The Vampire on the left asked as he nced at the Vampire on the right. "..." The Vampire who''dnded on the right didn''t respond. ncing towards him, the Vampire on the left''s eyes narrowed as he watched the Vampire on the right''s head slide off of his shoulders. ''What the-? When did he cut him!?'' As his eyes moved over to nce at Xavier, they stopped mid-way as something else had caught them. The Vampire''s dagger which was previous covered in Xavier''s blood was nowpletely clean as if it had never even cut Xavier in the first ce. The sh mark on the side of Xavier''s neck was also nowhere to be seen as he turned to him, looking at him with his mechanical eyes as the time constantly moved backwards. "What the hell... Are-" *CRASH!* The Vampire was interrupted as a hand mmed against his face, Xavier had appeared ahead of a him in the blink of an eye. *CRASH!* The Vampire crashed into the wall with a throbbing red hand print resting on his face as he coughed out blood. *Pierce* Before he could even see the next attacking, the edge of a de plunged into his heart piercing it. [You killed a Vampire!] [+70 XP!] "Consume." Xavier muttered as he turned back towards the broken wall. Countless pairs of crimson eyes could be seen ring at him. The Vampires hadn''t had enough, their injuries had already healed. They were dying to finish him off. "So? What are you waiting for?" Xavier asked as he swung his sword, sttering the blood of the Vampire he''d just killed across the wall and floor. "Come at me." Said Xavier with a smile. - - - "Head Butler." Sangrea called out as she anxiously tapped her dark shoes on the ground. "Youngdy?" Questioned the butler. "A fight has broken out inside of the mansion." Said Sangrea as she red at him. "I am aware of that." Responded the butler. "Alright, that''s it. No more waiting. It''s been long enough, I''m going out to check on him." Anastasia who heard this took a step forward to stop her, but she was pulled back by the head butler who bowed and nodded. "Very well, if that''s what the youngdy desires." Said the head butler. Hearing his words, Sangrea''s expression lightened up in gratitude. "We''re heading out already? Finally, I can help-" Viera was interrupted by Sangrea who shook her head and said. "You''re staying here, Sophie, Head butler and Anastasia will keep you safe. Fear not, nothing shall enter the domain as long as I am still in the vicinity." Hearing this, Viera frowned. "But I''m worried about Xavier-" "I promise I''ll keep him safe... He told me to keep you safe and protect you, so please stay here and avoid danger." Said Sangrea before plunging into the shadow below their feet. "Wha- Wait!" By the time she called out to her, Sangrea was already long gone. Viera rushed over to the wall trying to break it open, punching and kicking it but it was no use. "Anastasia, please!" Just before Anastasia could respond to Viera''s request, ine, her mother spoke up. "Viera, that''s enough. You will wait here with the rest of us and have faith in them. We''re both powerless, we''d only be a hindrance and you know that." ine''s words struck deep. They were cold but reasonably so. Viera hung her head before nodding in understanding. She clenched her fist in sadness and anger at her own powerlessness before sitting by a corner of the domain. ''Is this what it''s like to be powerless...? It fucking sucks...'' 91 Chapter 91 *Fwoosh* In the middle of the cold and empty hallway, Sangrea''s figured emerged as she slowly phased out of the dark thick walls which encoated the room that they were in. Upon stepping into the hallway, the very first thing she noticed were the shattered shards of all her precious vases given to her by her father. "...These were expensive..." She muttered after staring at them for a few second before looking down the hall. Upon turning her head, her entire body froze seemed to freeze for a moment as she tried to make out the sight in her mind. Before her were many corpses belonging to Vampires which had been beheaded and had all their blood sucked out of them. She recognised a few of the Nobles as he walked by them. Although their rank was low, viscounts and barons, they were still quite influential and known in the Vampire world. ''Or at least that''s what I think... I never really paid attention to that sort of stuff...'' She thought to herself. That being said, for this situation to have been caused by Xavier alone, even this was beyond her wildest expectations. The youngdy continued her quiet walk through the hall, ncing through an open door and out the window at the backyard. The garden was ruined, all the ns which she worked on to cultivate with the servants had been ripped out, one by one during a great battle. After walking into the room and moving closer to the window, she was able to see even more corpses belonging to other Vampires resting on the grass. The Vampires all wore the night blue uniform indicating that they were all a part of the Royal Vampire Syndicate. The queen''s personal army of Vampires. ''To think the queen would send this many just to get me...'' After staring at the corpses for a few seconds, Sangrea''s eyes drifted upwards. And when they did, she froze again. [Giant Red Blood Orb] A giant crimson sphere of blood levitated firmly in the air above the corpses. The blood only slightly fluctuated and moved. It was clear that it was an umtion of the blood of all the corpses but how was it possible for someone to merge it all together just like that? "This must be Xavier''s doing..." Muttered Sangrea as she sighed. "Just what is his ability?" She asked before turning away from the window. ''I didn''t sense his presence out there... Rather I haven''t sensed it at all... There''s a presence that resembles his, but it''s different... More refined and darker-'' *Shatter* Sangrea''s ears twitched as they caught the sound of something shatteringing from a room all the way down the hall. Sangrea quickly rushed out of the room, following the source of the sound before turning right on a turn into another hallway. The lights in this one were shing on and off, the walls and ceiling had clearly suffered from more damage in this part of the building. Not wanting to waste a second, she quickly turned towards the room closest to where she recalled hearing the sound before rushing towards it. The door was open and the wall beside it was broken down. ''The bloods still fresh..'' Sangrea thought to herself as she slowly rose out of a shadow by the room''s door. Only her head had partially risen out in order for her to stay concealed in case she''d need to save Xavier, or deal with any unfortunate situation. But after peeking through she realised just how far off the mark she was. ''...'' There she stood speechlessly staring at Xavier''s back, as he stood by the room''s window holding onto a sword impaled through another Vampire''s heart. She watched as the Vampire''s life left its eyes and the blood dripping down it''s body streamed towards the giant sphere of blood outside. She then watched as Xavier pulled his sword out of the body before kicking the Vampire outside. Upon staring at the sword, she quickly noticed it. It''s shape and size, it resembled greatly the sword which belonged to Gale. Seeing this she let out a sigh of relief that Xavier was able to survive a fight against him. But at the same time she was still a bit cautious. Xavier''s hair had changed colours into aplete silver. His bloodlust was more tranquil, his flow of energy was more contained... And above all, he was stronger. ''Is it really possible for someone to change this much in less than half an hour...?'' Sangrea wondered as she continued to observe him. She honestly couldn''t wait to happily pounce on him for staying safe but there was a chance she was mistaking it and it wasn''t even Xavier. "Sangrea, that was thest one." Said Xavier as he turned around with a bright smile. His eyes had returned to their normal crimson red but for an instant she saw it, mechanical eyes resembling a clock. ''Did I... Imagine that?'' She wondered before quickly rising out of the shadow. Upon doing so, Xavier dropped his sword before walking over to her. "Were you able to keep everyone safe?" He asked with a smile. ''He got taller...'' Sangrea thought to herself. Sangrea stared at him and his smile with narrowed eyes for a few moments in order to confirm it. ''That carefree look... That smile... Yep, that''s him alright...'' She thought to herself as she nodded. While nodding, Xavier gave her a few pats with his unexpectedly clean hand before responding. "That''s good... Thank you for keeping my family safe." After saying so, however, his brows raised in surprise as he witnessed tears streaming down the youngdy''s face as she stared at him with bubbly eyes. "Wh-What? What''s wrong? Were you hurt on your way here?" Xavier asked as he began to hastily look around. Upon doing so, he noticed a mirror on the corner of the room. There was something off about the mirror, but before he could make out what it was- *Thud* Sangrea''s head suddenly collided against his chin, rocking his head back as she leapt at him with a hug. "Ouch-" Xavier groaned as she wrapped her arms around him. Her embrace and warmth felt asfortable as always. ''She smells nice... I''m covered in blood though, wouldn''t want to get her dirty.. But at this point, she''s definitely not letting go.'' Xavier recalled the time they woke up in the same bed with a pleased smile while Sangrea cried her eyes out. "Do you have any idea... How worried I was?" "I told you not to worry, I was fine." Xavier brushed it aside with the same carefree smile. "I know but still... I''ve already lost you once... And no matter what I don''t want it to happen again... Not likest time, please..." The carefree smile quickly faded from his face and instead a serious one emerged as he recalled something. -Memory "How do you even... Feel about Sangrea?" Gale asked with blood gushing out of his mouth. Xavier''s shadowy face lit up for a moment as thunder struck in the distance, highlightng his expressionless face. "To me, she was just a useful tool to use in order to rescue my family. She was powerful with connections, so I yed along acting as her husband. She is and will always be nothing more than a tool for me to use." Gale''s surprised expression slowly shifted into a smile as he muttered. "A tool huh... You''re a bad liar... You think I didn''t notice? At the table when I asked for her hand in marriage, you sent me a re unlike any other I''d ever experienced... You say she''s just a tool but in reality..." "You care for her deeply, don''t you-" -Memory End. ''I care for her...? No... From the start, I''ve only ever been using her... Someone like me... Doesn''t have the right to care for her.'' "Sangrea... Maybe... You are better off without me." Sangrea''s heart skipped a beat as she heard his question. Not wanting to believe his ears, she moved her face away from his chest to look at him. Xavier''s expression was serious, he wasn''t joking. Xavier''s serious expression slowly faded into one of guilt as his words somehow made even more tears start to flow out of the frozen Sangrea''s eyes. She didn''t know what to say. ''Her feelings for me seem genuine enough... I''d rather not hurt her anymore than I already have.'' "Ah, don''t worry. I''ll still stay with you and keep you safe just, in a romantic sense we''ll-" Xavier was interrupted as Sangrea''s head mmed against his chin as she leapt at him again, knocking the two of them over to the floor where she was on top. "No..." She muttered with a trembling mouth. The moment was extremely stimting for Xavier especially now that she was in her adult form, Xavier was finding it hard to stay concentrated with her huge racks resting on his chest. "But Sangrea, there are lots of better Vampires or people out there that can-" "No. I don''t care... No... That answer won''t change." She mumbled. "..." Xavier wasn''t sure what to say. "It can only be you... I don''t care if there''s better or worst... And I don''t n on finding out... I only want to be with you..." It was with that final straw that Sangrea broke down into a bucket of tears. "I''m sorry... I''m really sorry... You''re mad at me for putting you and your family at risk aren''t-" "It has nothing to do with that." Xavier interrupted as he grabbed a hold of her face, squeezing her cheeks as he did so. 92 Chapter 92 "I''m sorry... I''m really sorry... You''re mad at me for putting you and your family at risk aren''t-" "It has nothing to do with that." Xavier interrupted. "Then why...? Why can''t we continue to stay as husband and wife...? Why do we have to end things?" She asked raising her head and staring at him in the eyes her teary sparkly crimson eyes In that moment, Xavier looked away, avoiding her eyes before letting out a sigh. "I never said we had to end things... I just said it''d be better to end things... We don''t have to." "Do you want to...?" Sangrea asked, still staring at him. Xavier slowly nced back over at her, making eye contact and noticing that even whilst sad, she was determined to know at least that. "I don''t... I don''t want to end things with us." He muttered as backed his head against the floor and covered his eyes with his elbow. "Then don''t! You promised didn''t you? That we''d be together..." Xavier didn''t recall ever saying anything of the sort but based on her expression he could tell she was referring to something of their childhood. "Alright... I won''t leave you..." He muttered as he pulled her in closer, stroking her silver hair on the back of her head as he did so. In that position with Sangrea''s trembling figure and warmth resting over him, the two hugged. Xavier could feel a pair of incredibly soft melons pushing against his chest sending his mind a drift. "You promise...?" She asked, snapping him out of his trance. "Yeah... I promise." Xavier responded with a caring smile. Sangrea''s eyes grew brighter, her teary expression slowly shifted from that of sadness to a mixture of joy and happiness. "To make your pretty wife cry like this..." She muttered as she slowly got up. "Xavi... You''re mean..." She added as she began to wipe her tears. Watching her wipe her tears, Xavier could feel something shift within him. "Hey... Sangrea..." He called out. "Xavi..?" She responded with a confused look after wiping away her tears. At that moment Xavier, grabbed a hold of the back of her head and pulled her in. Before she could even react, the two''s lips were sealed. *Smooch* Sangrea''s face instantly turned to a vibrant shade of red, her mind began to spin around in surprise. Xavier had embraced her preventing her from moving away as the two locked lips. This time Xavier had taken the offense, he sucked up her upper lip and lightly licked her bottom lip until she opened her mouth. When she did, he quickly slid his tongue inside as their mouths connected. Just like Sangrea, Xavier was an inexperienced kisser, but he had technique. And as they kissed, their horrible technique slowly got better as Sangrea followed Xavier''s lead. They could feel each other''s warmth and heart beating rapidly as they pressed their bodies against one another. ''It tastes sweet...'' They shared the thought. For just this one moment, in Xavier''s eyes. Sangrea''s inhuman beauty was the only thing he could see. He couldn''t take his mind off of her. Once they parted lips, their quiet pants filled the room as they caught their breaths. Sangrea''s already red face from the kiss suddenly grew even redder as she noticed something different. Looking down while still on top of him, a cheeky grin grew on her face as she muttered. "Xavi... Something''s poking me..." Xavier knew exactly what she was referring to, and in no way did he care about hiding it. It was the opposite in fact. "Wha-" Xavier suddenly grabbed Sangrea, flipping her over to the side before being the one to get on top. As he held himself over sexy figure with his arms, a very familiar feeling began to surge up from within him. Lust. But this time it was far more powerful than usual, whether it was due to Sangrea''s increased charms, or Xavier''s emotional surges which came with his evolutions, Xavier didn''t know. But it didn''t matter. Xavier wanted to devour Sangrea right then and there, in a different sense. "Is that better...?" Xavier asked. Although his bulge had stopped poking her, Sangrea could now get a clear view of the bulge sticking out of his pants from his position over her. "You didn''t have to move... I never said that It was bad..." She muttered as she looked away to the sides with the same flustered look. In that moment, an explosion went off in the back of Xavier''s head. He lost all and any sense of reasoning. Right as he was about to push her down once again however- He felt it. The feeling of someone watching them. Both Xavier''s and Sangrea''s head instantly swung to the side, their eyes showing a red glowing glint as they stared at the corner of the room. In the corner of the room was a mirror. And in that mirror, they could see only their figures. ''Did we... Imagine that?" Xavier wondered. Sangrea on the other hand continued to stare at the mirror with a confused look. Then, as if he she realised something- A desparate look appeared on her face as she moved to push Xavier off of her. *VZWOOOM!* But it was toote. Before she could, a bright blinding light shed across the room. And just like that, their figures vanished from the room without a trace. - - - Xavier''s eyes snapped open, beneath him was Sangrea in the exact same position as before but the rest was different. The floor around them was no longer covered in blood, the scent of blood waspletely gone. Xavier and Sangrea looked around with confused faces only to widen their eyes after scanning their surroundings. A giant white cubic room with ck stripy lines running all across it. The walls of the room, Shards of ss reflecting their faces and body floating in the air around the room. Upon a closer inspection, they could see some shards showing separate images of different ces and people. ''Those are... Vampires?'' "Where are we?" Xavier asked as he nced over at Sangrea. She seemed to somewhat understand the severity of the situation based on how worried she looked. "The mirror dimension." She responded. A confused expression panned over Xavier''s face. "The mirror dimension?" He repeated. *p* *p* *p* At that moment, his attention was drawn by the sound of ppinging from behind him. Turning to the source, Xavier could see but a single Vampire. He had spiky Short Mouse grey, pointed ears and crimson red eyes resting behind a pair of round circr sses. He wore the Vampire''s night blue uniform and had numerous badges on it. Xavier didn''t know who he was but based on the badges and the presence he gave off, he was clearly high ranked. Xavier didn''t expect to find one of the Vampires at the very top of the ranking to appear to be as old as him. That being said, Vampires are granted eternal youth so it''s not entirely unexpected. "Despite never being in the mirror dimension, you instantly recognised it. Impressive as always, Sangrea Redblood." Said the young man. "It''s easy to make out what''s happening with how many rumours circte around... A Noble able to drag people into an entirely different dimension filled with mirrors. The only one able to enter and bring people into this dimension is you, isn''t it? Wolfram Eldon." Wolfram Eldon, of the Eldon family, one of the very few families of dukes in Ennd. Xavier was unaware of this fact, but Sangrea was. A grin grew on the young man''s face as he heard this. "You know quite a lot about me despite this being our first time meeting." He said. "Who wouldn''t?" Sangrea replied as she slowly got up from beneath Xavier. Based on her expression Xavier could tell it wasn''t an enemy to take lightly. "Then, you should already know that you have no chance of surviving right?" He asked with a smile. "You''ve entered my domain after all." Upon saying those words, all of the mirror shards floating around suddenly merged together, forming a giant mirror in the ceiling above their heads. As the mirror reflected their figures, cold sweat poured beside Sangrea''s face as she stepped in front of Xavier, standing her ground. "Yeah, I know. No enemy has ever survived unscathed after entering your mirror dimension. ." "Yet you still wish to stand before me?" "Well you''re here for me... What choice do I have? To think they''d send someone of your level to me instead of my father." The young man let out a sigh. "Your Father is the Arch duke, it''d take all the Dukes teaming up to kill him and right now they have their hands busy." "And I think you''re misunderstanding something. I don''t care about the order to kill you. I''m not here for you, I''m here for him." Said the Duke as he pointed at Xavier. Sangrea''s expression grew cold as she heard this. Her shadow began to distort and expand even in the mirror dimension. "What business do you have with my man-" Sangrea was interrupted by Xavier who suddenly ced his hand over her shoulder to calm her down. ? "Based on the way the conversation is going, you must be a duke right? So, what do you want with me?" Xavier asked coldly while staring at his energy bar. [Energy: 23/100] 93 Chapter 93 "Based on the way the conversation is going, you must be a duke right? So, what do you want with me?" Xavier asked coldly while staring at his energy bar. [Energy: 23/100] ''It''s too low, I still haven''t even had the chance to rest. I don''t need to be told that he''s a Duke to know he''s powerful...'' Xavier thought to himself as he stared at Wolfram. Xavier''s ability to sense an enemy''s level of power had grown after evolving. Yet strangely enough, he couldn''t feel a thing from the young man standing before him. It was as if he lived in an entirely different ne. It was vaguely simr to Sangrea who''s power was too high for Xavier to properly measure. "Sangrea is one thing, but you''re awfullyposed for someone standing in the presence of a Duke." Xavier scratched the back of his head with an unamused look. "Just cut the chit chat. What do you want?" "Right... I''ll get to the point. What I want is your help." Replied Wolfram as the smile remained on his face. "Help?" Sangrea asked as she stared at him with narrowed eyes. *Snap* Wolfram snapped his fingers and in that moment, two shards from the giant mirror resting over their heads flew in front of them. The Duke took three steps closer to them before snapping his fingers once more. *Snap* The moment he did so, the reflection on the mirror changed from them to the image of a girl sat on a golden throne in arge empty room. She had short snow right hair which went down to her chin, her eyes were pure bright red and her ears were pointed. She wore a moderately revealing ck dress which emphasised on her magnificent curves. With all being said, even with no one in the room, the air she was giving was one of both royalty and elegance. ''Hm... Her looks are on par with Sangrea... That crown, she must be the queen.'' As the three stared at her, the unexpected happened. The queen''s face suddenly turned in their direction as if she somewhat noticed them spying at them. The expression on Wolfram''s face instantly changed into that of fear before he snapped his fingers again, causing the shards the reflection on it to change. "Her senses are as sharp as always.." Wolfram muttered to himself with narrowed eyes. He then back to Xavier who still had the same unamused look. Beside him Sangrea could be seen quite surprised. ''At least one of them is reacting normally...'' Wolfram thought to himself. "I''m sure you both already know, but that was the queen." "I noticed, what of it?" Xavier asked. ''Most people don''t even get to see the queen and that''s how he reacts?'' *Ahem* Wolfram cleared his throat before continuing. "My request regards her... You see, I want you to kill the queen." Sangrea''s exploded with surprise, she looked over at Xavier before looking back over at Wolfram with an expression you''d make when hearing nonsense. "...Is this a set up to see if we''re an enemy to the queen? No... The order has already been approved by the queen to execute us, there''s no changing it now... Meaning he really wants to kill the queen.'' Xavier''s expression remained the same, he didn''t utter a word. Meanwhile Sangrea pped her hands together as she realised something. "You want to make use of the war and apocalypse to take over the throne, is that right?" Sangrea with a smile. "You''re quick on the uptake. That''s right. I want to ascend to the throne and to do so, I''m willing to work with you and betray the queen." "You realise that defeating the queen is impossible even for you." A grin widened on Wolfram''s face. "Impossible if I''m by myself, but I''ve been watching him. If it''s him, he should be able to do it if he carries on growing as he has. Isn''t that right, gluttony?" Sangrea turned over to Xavier with a confused look. ''Gluttony? One of the seven deadly sins? Why is he reffering to Xavier as-'' Sangrea''s brows then raised up as it all began to click. Xavier''s unbelievable rate of growth, his never-ending hunger, his overpowered nature. His ability was Gluttony, he was a wielder of one of the seven deadly sins. "I never thought a wielder of one of the Seven deadly sins would be in ennd. Much less an ordinary Vampire. I mean who would have expected it? Not once in Vampire history did such a thing happen..." Sangrea was speechless she felt like an idiot for not noticing sooner. "Although this happening might have something to do with that giant sphere in the sky... It''s appearance also allowed most humans to awaken and ability and strengthened the abilities of Vampire''s so maybe it has something to do with that..." Wolfram began theorising to himself with his hand beneath his chin. "Ah- Sorry. Went off topic. But yeah, what''s your response? Will you help me? I''ll be able to offer you any information necessary from within this dimension as long as we agree to cooper-" Before Wolfram could finish, Xavier interrupted by taking a step forward. "Hey... You''re doing it wrong." Said Xavier as he red coldly at him. "That''s not the way you should ask someone for help, is it?" Xavier ced his hands on his pockets while looking up at Wolfram who towered over him. "Get on your hands and knees and beg properly." Commanded Xavier as he stared him straight in the eyes. "Haha... I don''t like your attitude." Said Wolfram with a smile. Despite his smile a vein was clearly bulging out of the side of his forehead. He was angered by this. [Energy: 23/100] ''System, whenever I rewind I face a penalty of energy reduction. What happens if I don''t have enough energy to rewind?'' [System Warning: Penalty is a 10% Reduction of total energy per rewind. If the User does not have 10% of energy avable during death then Rewind will not activate.] ''And I''ll die for good. d to get that out of the way.'' Xavier let out a sigh. "So what if you don''t like it? What are you going to do about it?" Sangrea was surprised by Xavier''s response, he knew that the Wolfram was both a Duke and stronger and yet he wasn''t afraid. Did he have some sort of n to beating him in mind? "Are you underestimating a Duke...?" Wolfram responded as he stepped up. Despite smiling the veins bulging from his neck and forehead indicated nothing but anger. The two were now face to face. "I''m not asking you for help because I''m weaker than you. I could kill you right now and there''d be nothing you could do about it. Don''t forget we''re in my domain, I know you''re tired from all the fighting." "Why not test that out?" Xavier asked with a grin. "Go ahead and try. Just know the moment you do, I will kill you." That was Wolfram''sst straw, he instantly motioned his hand to snap his finger. But the moment he did- *sh!* His entire body was cut in half. While flopping to the floor, he nced at Sangrea standing behind Xavier and noticed that behind her was a scythe sinking into her expanded shadow. "I avoided attacking you out of respect. But to think you''d dare try something against my husband in my presence. Have you gone mad?" Sangrea asked as she red coldly at him. *Shatter* The second his split bodynded on the floor it shattered. "You truly are fast... You''ve got yourself a good wife, Xavier." Said Wolfram. Turning over to the source which was behind him, they watched as one of the mirror shards slowly took the shape of his figure. "But it''s useless, we''re in my domain." Said Wolfram. "I can''t die here." The two didn''t respond nor did they seem to care. They just stood there, waiting for him to make a move as if daring him. There crimson eyes locked onto him without a hint of fear. "Maybe I should show you... Just what happens when you incur the wrath of a Duke..." Wolfram muttered as he took off his sses. The mirror shards in the ceiling instantly began to spin around and expand. The air within the room slowly grew heavier and denser as wave of bloodlust rushed towards them. As the two got ready for a battle, their eyes narrowed as in the next second, Wolfram stuck out his tongue with a smile on his face. "Just joking. I never nned on harming either of you, I was sending you both back. Besides, you''ll both be of use to me whether you want it or not." Said Wolfram with a smile. "One day you''ll surely end up fighting the queen, and when that dayes I''ll be rooting for you." "What?" Sangrea was confused by his sudden change in deameanor. "Have a safe trip back." Said Wolfram as he waved at them. *Snap* And at the snap of the finger the two vanished from the room leaving him on his own. ''Xavier is one thing but Sangrea... She''s only ever used a fraction of her power since the seal is removed...'' ''She''s the daughter of the arch-duke so there''s definitely more to her power that''s why there was even a seal in the first ce... even if I can kill that imprudent husband of hers. There''s no telling how she''d react.'' "I''d be lying if I said I didn''t want to find out... Why they sealed that girl as a child...'' "Hahaha... Hahahaha! Ah... I can''t wait to watch them purge themselves one after the other." He muttered with a blushing grin. 94 Chapter 94 *Crackle* *Crumble* The sound of their feet pressing down on the shards of ss within the room forced them to snap their eyes open. Looking around, they both let out a sigh. They''d made it back into the room they were originally in. "Looks like he really let us out." Said Sangrea as she red in the direction of the mirror. *Step* *Step* *Step* With cold eyes, Xavier slowly walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room before stopping and staring at it. "He''s probably watching us from there." Xavier stretched his arm out in the mirror''s direction before thrusting his palm at it. *Shatter!* The moment his hand made contact, the mirror shattered into countless pieces. Sangrea shed a tear as based on the mirror''s design, it was quite high quality. That being said, if Xavier hadn''t done it, she would have done it herself. "What now?" She asked as she nced out the hallway. Xavier crouched down by one of the mirror shards before picking it up and staring at his reflection. He was admiring his hair which had gone fully silver. Xavier then nced over in Sangrea''s direction. There was a lot they had to do. For starters, repairing the house. He also had to make sure he consumed the [Giant blood orb] outside before the timer ran out. In addition, he needed to go check up on his family and exin the whole situation to them. *Sigh* "We''ve got a lot to do... What a pain..." Hearing this, Sangrea''s ears twitched as she came up with an idea. She quickly approached Xavier before stopping ahead of him with a mischievous smile. "Then, why not continue where we left off?" She asked whilst blushing. *Thump* Xavier''s heart almost skipped a beat at the question. He stared into her bright red eyes, contemting on whether or not to ept. Deep down he wanted badly to say yes, but right now they had far more important things to take care of. "Stop beingzy." Said Xavier as he chopped at her forehead with his hand. "Owie-!" She winced. "Let''s sort everything out first..." Hearing his words, the pained expression on her face faded into a bright smile as she asked. "And then after-" "We''ll continue from where we left off." He responded before walking out of the room. Sangrea''s eyes sparkled for a second as she jumped up in joy. The joyful expression then quickly shifted into an embarrassed one as she realised that this time he wasn''t joking around. Her eyes slowly drifted downwards beforeing to a stop on her plump chests. A grin then grew on her face as she giggled. "Fufu... I knew he wouldn''t be able to resist my unsealed state." She then proceeded to check her dress and the way it smelled. ''It smells nice but I''m still going to take a shower after everything''s done...'' "Alright, Let''s go!!! We''ll clean this all up as fast as possible!" She yelled out excitedly. Xavier who was down the hall nced back at the room. ''I wonder why she''s so excited...'' After a few more steps he halted before leaning against the wall and facepalming himself. ''Let''s everything up quick...'' He thought to himself with a flustered expression. Although he was trying to hide it, it was clear that Xavier was also looking forward to continuing off from where they left off. He could still vaguely remember the soft feeling of her body and her warmth. It was etched into his mind. ''Damn Vampire... She wasn''t joking about being irresistable... I almost pushed her down right then and there...'' Xavier took in a deep breath before slowly letting it out to calm himself. After making sure that he was back to normal, he continued his walk down the hallway before stopping by a door to one of the unupied rooms. *Knock* *Knock* Xavier knocked twice and shortly after- *Click* The door was unlocked and someone swung it open from the other side. Xavier got a good look at the one who opened the door as it creaked open. It was a female servant wearing the same maid outfit as Anastasia. "Are the other remaining servants all safe?" He asked. The girl slowly nodded before opening the door wide. From there Xavier was able to get a good look inside. Crouched inside of the room and bundled together were the other servants who were trembling in fear. Both male and female Vampires. On one corner of the room were the injured which had received treatment from the servants specialised in such."U-Um... H-Have you finished dealing with thest one?" The female maid ahead of him asked. Xavier had avoided getting a decent look at the servant''s faces as he didn''t want to build any sort of connection with them before. Things however, had changed. Xavier got a good look at the face of the servant ahead of him. The girl had short umbra ck hair which reached her pointy vampire ears and deep red eyes. Her eyes stared at Xavier with both fear and respect. "Yeah, I killed them all." Said Xavier before suddenly stepping into the room. "You heard me right? I killed them all." The Vampires expressions all lit up once they heard this, just as they were about to get up and celebrate their survival, they were stopped by Xavier who let off a wave of bloodlust as he red at them. "I hope you all understand what this means... I was hearing rumours about some servants being... Unsatisfied with the fact that my family is human or that Sangrea risked it all for us." Veins bulged out of Xavier''s neck in anger as the tension rose in the air. It became harder and harder for them to breathe. "If you have anyins... You''re wee toe sort them out with me at any time... But if any of you dare try to do anything to harm my family. I promise you, it will fail, and in return... I''ll devour you." Xavier let everything that he was holding back out. It was the perfect opportunity now that he''d saved them and showed them what he was capable of. "..." Cold sweat dripped down the faces of all the Vampires in the room as they stared at him. Speechless. "Am I understood?" Xavier asked. Without hesitation, all of the Vampires nodded. Their feelings towards him were of fear and respect, the absolutest thing they would want would be to incur his wrath. "Good... Spread the message to the other servants in hiding." Said Xavier as he turned around. He nced back at the original short ck haired servant before asking. "What''s your name." "A-Alexia..." She responded. Xavier walked past her with a nod. "I hope you remember the promise you made." Xavier responded. During the battle, Xavier had encountered this very exact servant. She begged him to keep them safe and not let any harm befall them. Xavier had only agreed in exchange for her being his personal informant. From now on, she would be his eyes in the mansion. Whenever servants would show signs of nning harm on his family, she would ry the information of who they were to him. She would also need to fabricate enough evidence but Xavier had ns to discuss it with her yesterday. ''There''s no one else better for the role, the servants see her as one of their own.'' Xavier clenched his fist. ''With that sorted, It''s time to move onto the next task.'' "I-I remember..." She nodded as she watched Xavier walk out. Just as she said that however, a familiar voice reached her ears. "Xavi, what are you doing here- Ah-! A-All the servants are here..." Stood by the door was Sangrea who was smiling joyfully. She waspletely unharmed. Seeing her safe lifted the spirits of all the servants in the room, including Alexia''s. "I''m so d you''re all safe..." Sangrea muttered as tears began streaming down her eyes. Confusion spread across the room whilst they watched as Sangrea cried there. They were all happy to see that she was safe so why was she crying? "I''m sorry... I''m very sorry. I know I don''t have any right saying that... Many of you were hurt because of me... And for that I have to apologise..." She muttered as she suddenly bowed before them. She''d prioritised looking after Xavier''s family because she thought they could fend off for themselves. But on the way she''d seen the corpses of other servants who were unfortunate and caught in the cross fire. Tears began flowing down the servants face as they couldn''t bear the sight. "Please, youngdy, raise your head!" "It''s not your fault!" "It''s those bastards fault! We knew what we were getting to when we signed up for this!" Stated Alexia as she walked up to her. "Please don''t worry about us... We''re fine." Said Alexia as she grabbed Sangrea''s hands, sping them together. Sangrea slowly raised her head, showing her teary face with a bit of snot running down it. "I still failed as the one in charge of this household. I''m still sorry... I promise... I promise that I''ll avenge them... I''ll make the ones responsible for this pay...!" The fact that Sangrea thought that much of them moved all of the servants in the room to the state of tears. Xavier who stood outside the room, quietly leaning against the wall, backed away from it before walking down the hall. ''So that''s what was bothering her...'' Sangrea''s expression was a bit off when he had seen her, she felt responsible for everything that had happened. The weight of the lives of her servants were weighing down on her. ''Don''t worry, now that they''re no longer perceived as a threat to my family. I''ll make sure no harm falls upon them.'' Xavier thought to himself coldy before continuing his walk. 95 Chapter 95 Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. Xavier was sent flying back before crashing into and through a door of the room on the opposite side. Sangrea who was drifting away with her thoughts suddenly snapped out of it. "What just- Eh?! How''d you get all the way there? You okay?" She asked as she looked through the door. "And why was the door torn off?" Xavier who wasying on top of the torn off door slowly got up while padding his clothes. "Didn''t you just see me flung into the room by your domain barrier?" Xavier asked. "Ah- Sorry... I was distracted. But the barrier should be neutral, it wouldn''t attack you for no reason-" "I punched it." "B-But why-" "I wanted to test its durability." "..." Sangrea waited for Xavier to walk over before standing before the domain together with him. Right as she extended her arm out to withdraw it. "I wonder if using Lightning maniption and Vibration maniption together will break it..." Xavier muttered. "Why do you want to break it so badly?!" Sangrea asked. Shortly after asking the question however, she froze as she realised something. "Wait.. Xavier, did you just say lightning maniption and vibration maniption? Since when were you able to use these two abilities?" Her eyes didn''t mistake her at that moment she had definitely witnessed electricity coursing through his veins. "Since today. I got them with gluttony." Xavier responded while waiting for her to withdraw the domain. ''Gluttony can do that? No wonder Wolfram wanted Xavier on his side.'' "My husband is turning out to be a big deal, huh.." Sangrea muttered as she ced her hand on the domain''s wall. "Not as much as his wife." Xavier responded. *Shatter* In that moment, the domain was shattered. Its shards were sent flying straight into Sangrea''s shadow. With the shattering of the domain, Xavier''s sight fell upon all of those standing in the room. At the same time, those who had been waiting quietly all turned to the door where Xavier was standing. For a moment there was nothing but silence as they all made eye contact. And after that quiet pause, both ine and Viera teared up before rushing over to Xavier. *Thud* Both mother and daughter leapt at him with their arms stretched out and teary eyes and just like that they both fell over. Sophie and Anastasia who were inside of the room, looked at one another before letting out a sigh. ''Well, it''s good he turned out to be safe. Wouldn''t want my benefactor to go out dying now.'' Sophie walked out of the room past Xavier who was on the floor, tapping him on the shoulder as she did so. "Good Job surviving. I''m going to go get a look arou-" Sophie instantly froze with her mouth open, not bothering to finish the sentence as she looked down the hallway. Rubble everywhere, the walls to some of the rooms were destroyed and there was blood sttered all across the walls and ceilings. It was as if she were staring at a haunted hospital from a horror movie. ''What the hell went on down here?'' Sophie questioned. - - - "Four Marquess''s?!" Anastasia and Sophie simultaneously shouted. Seeing as how all the attention fell on the two girls after, they cleared their throats before apologising. Xavier was surprised, it was the first time he''d seen Anastasia react in such a way. ''Were the Marquess''s that big of a deal?'' "Please continue." Said the butler while tidying up the room. Xavier resumed his exnation of what happened from a separate room as he too focused on tidying up. They were all each working on one side of the mansion at the time. Since they were bored, Xavier decided to sort of exin or give a rundown of what happened. "How were you able to defeat four Marquess''s on your own?" Anastasia asked from a separate room. "Because he''s Xavi." Sangrea responded proudily. "..." "Oh- I stabbed them in their hearts." "..." "Brother, I don''t think that''s what she meant." "Who cares about the method, what matters is results." Xavier responded. "That''s beside the point." Anastasia responded. "True, it does seem like something impossible." Said ine from another room. "Thank you." Said Anastasia. Just like that, the seven of them continued to interact while clearing up the hallway and rooms. There were also a few servants helping out in this side of the hallway despite most being on other sides to speed things up. These servants listened in quietly without saying a word. The more they listened, the more the fear they felt for Xavier grew. - - - "Finally... We can rx." Xavier sighed in relief as hezilyid down on the mansion''s roof. He stared at the cloudy sky, breathing in the fresh air as the raindrops crashed against his face. He was already used to the rain to the point of it not even bothering. Vampires were also cold-resistant to the point where the cold gusts of wind felt likefortable breezes. "Looks like I''ve finally done it. I''ve be aplete Vampire." Xavier muttered to himself while staring at the screen highlighted in front of his face. [Level: 15] [Level UP options x 9] (Avable.) [Race: Vampire & Chronos Hybrid.] [XP: 2210/5000] [Coins: 1400] [HP: 57/80] [Energy: 48/100] [Strength: 108] [Agility: 106] [Stamina: 48] [Sense: 101] [SP: 0] [Skills] [Rewind: Level 3] [Gluttony: Level 3] [Hyper-Regeneration: Level 2] [Vibration Maniption: Level 1] [Lightning Maniption: Level 1] [Shop.] [Quests.] (+1 New Alert!) Xavier stared at his screen with a satisfied look on his face. ''I ended up missing out on a lot of blood while cleaning up, but at least I was able to get enough to push my stats pass the 100 point. It sucks how after all these Vampires came, I was only able to level reach Level 15, but looking at it from a different perspective, it''s not that bad.'' ''I got to evolve and I now even have nine level up options avable, which I get to y around with.'' Xavier grinned whilst staring at the level up options. Whilst doing so however, something caught his eye. Xavier narrowed his eyes while staring att he quest tab. "New Alert?" He questioned. ''Open the quest tab.'' The moment he did so, his eyes widened. ''This... I''dpletely forgotten about this.'' [Quest: Reach Level 10 and Evolve Completed] [Quest Rewards:] [+1000 XP!] [+1000 Coins!] [+1 Ancient Relic] [im Rewards.] Xavier''s eyes sparkled with greed as his finger snapped towards the im reward button. He repeatedly poked at it in the middle of the air, his finger was moving so fast that it was blurring. From an outsider''s perspective it looked as if Xavier had gone insane from the way he was poking at the air. [Rewards imed.] The moment he read the notification, Xavier''s mouth opened with anticipation. [XP: 3210/4500] [Coins: 2400] First the two tabs showing his XP and Coins showed up. And then after that, came a wheel. A wheel different from the mysterious wheel roulette that he''d previously used. This one was a bright red crimson wheel which was pulsating a surge of energy. The wheel was split into different sections which had different shadowy shapes disyed. You couldn''t tell what the shapes meant because they were covered by shadows but based on the general outline some of them resembled weapons. One had a basic outline of a sword while another had the outline of a bow for example. But the shapes were constantly changing as well as outline indicating that there were numerous different options avable. Xavier stared at the [Spin] button resting in the middle before extending his hand towards it. ''Let''s hope I get something useful..'' He thought to himself nervously. *Press* At the press of the button, the entire red wheel was highlighted. And in that moment- [Spin Confirmed.] [The Ancient Relic wheel has begun to spin.] In rhythm with the notifications, the wheel began to spin around faster and faster, only increasing in speed with every passing second. Xavier could feel his heart pounding from anticipation as he waited patiently waited for the wheel''snding. He couldn''t help but wonder what his fate had in store for him. "Argh... Slow down! You''re spinning fast enough." Said Xavier impatiently. Spinning wheels were one of the very few times he''d express his impatience, it was nerve-wrecking after all. [The Wheel is spinning.] 96 Chapter 96 [The Wheel is spinning...] Xavier ignored both the feeling and the drops of the rain crashing against his skin from the surrounding, focusing solely on the wheel whichy ahead of him. The wheel spun and spun, and with every option that the arrow passed Xavier could feel his anxiousness growing. After what felt like half a minute, Xavier could no longer bear it. "What''s going on... Why''s it still spinning?" He asked whilst looking around. It was almost time for the end of his break. The group wouldn''t be able to finish repairs without him. [Rewind Level 3: Revert.] [Allows the User to restore the state of an object or an organism to a previous state.] [State can be reverted up to 30 minutes back.] It hadn''t yet been thirty minutes since the mansion was destroyed, but it was approaching it. They''d already finished off on the side of the mansion which had suffered the most damage and was closest to the time limit. The main hall, and the west-end and north-end hall. All that was left was the east and south end respectively. The break was exactly five minutes each and here was Xavier, spending an entire minute of it spinning a wheel. "Come on!" He urged on, and just as he''d hoped. The wheel began to slow down. *Tic* *Tic* *Tic* With every option it passed, the sound of a tic resounded. And once it passed it''s final option. *Ding!* A bell ringing notification came. [The wheel hasnded on an ancient relic!] Xavier''s eyes drifted over to the option innded on in anticipation. Was it going be a sword? An axe? Maybe even a spear? Xavier didn''t know, but boy was he excited. Or at least he was until, he saw its shape. ''A cube...?'' He questioned, his expression slowly fading from excitement over to confusion. [Would you like to im the ancient relic?] A cube was by far the least interesting shape of the entire list of options. "Could I maybe spin again?" Xavier asked. [Negative.] Xavier sighed. ''Oh well, it''s better than nothing.'' "im." *FWOOSH!* At the mention of the word, a bright radiant light shed across the area almost blinding Xavier as he forced his eyes shut. Squinting at the light, he could see a blue light simr to that of the one he used when he activated the [Teleportation crystal.] Shortly after the light came, a cube the size of a football instantly appeared before bursting towards him. "Huh-" *VOOM!* The Cube struck Xavier straight in the centre of his guts, interrupting him whilstunching him across the roof. He was dragged across the roof tiles, breaking them apart beforeing to a stop with his back at the very edge of the mansion. Xavier who managed to stay on his feet, panting heavily while looking down at the cube. He watched as it slowly fell off of his stomach, down onto the broken roof tile ahead of him. "*Huff* What... *Huff* ...the hell..." ''That was definitely personal... Was it because I asked to respin it?" [Ancient Relic imed!] [Ancient Relic Type: Amplifier & ???] [Name: Reality Breaker Cube.] Xavier stared at the relic type and raised a brow before side-eyeing the cube. ''Reality breaker? That thing?'' Xavier wondered. "It''s a cool ass name, that''s for sure." He muttered as he leaned down to grab it. Upon lifting it up, his eyes narrowed. "It''s quite heavy." Xavier swung it around a few times, trying to get a feel for it''s weight. Once he was used to it, he began inspecting it. Currently, it wasn''t doing anything special really. It was a simple silver cube with outlines running across it. "It''s an amplifier type so maybe that''s it''s ability? How do I activate it?" Xavier asked. [...] The system did not respond. "So it doesn''t know..." He muttered. Xavier rotated the cube around, looking for some sort of switch but ended up finding nothing. While flipping it around however, he ended up discovering that the outlines were parts which could move. Xavier yed around with the moveable parts and realised that it resembled some sort of puzzle. Xavier could move the outlined parts around in some sort of pattern, the queen was that he didn''t know what pattern it was they were supposed to be. Xavier recalled a toy cube he had as a child, it had different colours on each side and he was supposed to move the parts around to try and connect all of the respective colours on a single side together. This used somewhat of the same concept, only there were no colours or any indication of what was supposed to be where. A troubled look appeared on Xavier''s face as he racked his brain. "So the key to using it is to solve this problem... Is every relic like this?" [Powerful relics contain functions and requirements which make it harder for the individual to use.] [In cases where the User is able to meet the requirements the relic must find the User to bepatible to prove truly useful.] "Ah... That sounds like a pain..." He muttered. Xavier was on the verge of tears as he continued trying to figure out the pattern when all of the sudden- *SWOOSH!* The confused figures of Sophie, Sangrea and the Butler, appeared. The three were looking around hastily and were on guard. "What happened!?" Sangrea asked. "Are we under attack?!" Sophie added. Xavier stood there, staring at Sophie without saying anything. An idea had suddenly popped up in his mind. "Sophie!" Xavier called out happily. "Solve this for me." Hemanded, shamelessly while pointing at the cube he was holding up. "Eh?" Sangrea and Sophie both let out in confusion. Sangrea and the Butler watched as Sophie inspected the scene. The rooftiles were scattered around in a trail leading towards Xavier. His shirt was even more torn than before and his stomach was slightly caved in and his back had cuts and bruises which were healing. "That light we saw wasn''t a mistake, something definitely happened... You were dragged across the roof... Was it because of that cube?" Sophie asked. Xavier smiled at her deduction. "That''s right. It''s some sort of puzzle and I want you to try and solve it. "Wha- Where did it evene from?" "Thin air." Sophie narrowed her eyes. "Let me get this straight, you were attacked by this random cube thing which turned out to be a puzzle and now you want me to solve it without doubting whether or not it''s a bomb or harmful to us." "Ah- Don''t worry. It won''t do anything like that." He chuckled. Xavier refrained from telling them that it was ancient relic. He didn''t want to exin how he got it so he just made up an excuse that it came out of nowhere. Sophie nced over at Sangrea and the Butler, wondering if they were hearing how absurd he was sounding, and the two gave her a thumbs up. ''...'' Sophie sighed. She walked over to Xavier, grabbed the cube from his hand before sitting down beside him. Without saying any words she quickly began ying around with it. Xavier watched her with a smile before having his attention taken by Sangrea who suddenly pinched him on the side of his stomach. She''d appeared beside him without him even noticing. Even though he''d evolved, her unsealed state was still physically superior. "Ouch- Sangrea?" Xavier called out, looking over at her. To his surprise, Sangrea had her cheeks puffed out along with her bottom lip protruding outwards. She was pouting. "What''s wrong?" He asked. "Nothing... Head Butler was telling me toe get you. Our break time is over." Xavier nced over at the head butler and could see him pointing at the broken roof tile trail Xavier had left. "If possible could we start off with this?" He asked whilst smiling. "Sure, I''ll be right there." Xavier proceeded to look over towards Sangrea, before patting her on the head. "So, you going to tell me why you''re sulking before I go?" "..." Sangrea who had been avoiding eye contact, looked over to him steeling her resolve to say it. The moment she opened her mouth to- "Oh, you were sulking because I asked Sophie for help and not you right?" Xavier asked. Sangrea froze, Sophie who had heard them thanks to her Vampire Hearing also froze for a second before acting as if she heard nothing. Meanwhile Xavier, who again showed no mercy in regards to the feelings of those close to him harboured a confused look. Sangrea''s expression turned bright red from embarassment once she snapped out of it. Looking over at Xavier, she realised there was no point in denying it. "You didn''t have to say that out loud... Xavi, you idiot..." "Why not? There''s nothing wrong with it. Knowing you, you''d probably be able to solve it, but we need your abilities for fixing up the house. Sophie isn''t really needed so I thought no one would care if shezed around." "Oi-" Sophie interrupted. Sangrea listened carefully to Xavier''s words as he continued. "Either way, you have your specialties. She has hers. I''m counting on the both of you to help me out. When things get tough, alright?" Xavier asked. Sangrea slowly nodded her, her sulk slowly fading. 97 Chapter 97 Xavier stared at Sangrea for a few seconds after that. Despite her unsealed state having such a matured appearance, deep down, she was the same Sangrea inside. ''Cute and Sexy, one hell of abination...'' Xavier thought to himself as he patted her once again. Xavier had been trying to avoid it, but even he didn''t know how much longer he''dst. Histe adolescent desires amplified by his evolution was grabbing a hold of him. On his mind, the most surging thought he was having whenever he stared at her was pinning her down. The one following after that was how hungry he was. Ignoring those thoughts Xavier began his walk over towards the broken trail on the rooftop. "Um... Xavi..." Sangrea called out. "What is it?" Xavier replied. Her expression grew redder but she didn''t look away. "It''s been awhile since we''ve had each other''s blood..." Xavier smiled when he heard this. "After we''re done with everything, I''ll let you drink as much as you want." "M-Me too." She replied happily. Xavier turned back over to the trail before taking in a deep breath. ''With that said and done...'' [Rewind Level 3...] Xavier''s crimson irises slowly began to take the form of a golden red clock. The clock had the timing slowly rewinding backwards. "Revert." Xavier muttered. *VWOOOM!* One by one, all the tiles which had been flung out had began flying back into ce, restoring it back to the state it was before as Xavier walked down the path on the rooftop. Their eyes widened as they witnessed the sight, they could never grow tired of seeing it. It was like watching a video being yed back in real life. Xavier''s spiky silver hair had risen up as the air around him became dense. They were watching his newly unlocked ability [Revert.] In action. Thanks to the ability it didn''t take long for Xavier restore the roof back to the state it was. "Truly fascinating..." Mumbled the head butler as he ran his finger across the restored roof tiles. "It was as if they had never been broken in the first ce. "Shall we move onto the next location?" Asked Xavier. "Yeah, you said the time limit was thirty minutes so the sooner the better." Responded the butler as he got up. The butler then turned over in Sophie''s direction before watching as she continued to fiddle around with the puzzle. An angered expression could be seen on her face as she moved the outlined pieces. ''How interesting... To think she''s attempting to solve that... Even I had no idea about how to go along with it.'' The butler''s eyes then narrowed as he stared at the puzzle itself. ''But that thing... What''s something of that level doing here?'' The butler looked over at Xavier before adjusting his sses. ''You continue to surprise me, time and time again... Just what are you?'' The group proceeded to return back to the mansion. Xavier and Sangrea who stayed nced over at Sophie who was focused on the puzzle. "Aren''t you going toe in? The rain''s getting stronger." Sophie shook her head while keeping her eyes on the puzzle. "I''m fine, don''t worry about me. The rain helps me concentrate." Hearing this Sangrea gave her a nod before wishing her luck. With that they all went back to work. Xavier and Sangrea rushed straight the remaining sides of the mansion which needed repairs before starting their tasks. With her [Shadow Maniption] Abilities, Sangrea rounded up all the debris in one fellow swoop and put them in their respective ces for Xavier to revert. Doing this allowed Xavier to consume less energy when reverting and it also resulted in less time being consumed per room. They repeated this, at fast speeds, rushing from room to room, while fixing up everything they could. Meanwhile, the others all rushed in after, tidying up the rooms and making sure they were all neat and presentable. Viera was using this as an opportunity to practise her [Reconstruction] ability as it surprisingly also worked in this sense. She was getting practise by using it to fix up cracked patches in the walls and floors. The head butler was surprised by her progress when he saw it he couldn''t believe his eyes. Xavier was one thing but for his to get the hang of her ability in one day. It was truly unexpected. ''They''re a family.'' It makes sense they share talent. The only one who couldn''t really do much to help in the construction sense was ine, but she made it up for the excellent job she did whilst tidying. With a series of tasks ahead of them, the group poured their all intopleting everything as efficiently as they could. - - - *Huff* *Huff* *Huff* [Energy: 16/100] Laying on the floor, Xavier stared at his energy bar, regretting his uses of the new ability. ''Rewind Level 3... Revert... It''s extremely useful, but god does it Zap my energy... I definitely need to get my Stamina up one way or another, otherwise I''ll die from using it in session.'' "This is the exact definition of a double edged sword..." Xavierined as he let out a sigh of exhaustion. "Here''s some water." Said Viera as she sat beside Xavier, handing him a cold bottle of water. "Hm...? Where''d you get water from? I thought they only had blood here." "It''s the water you brought back, remember? Anastasia gave it to me, she told me to hand it to you." Xavier took the bottle out of Viera''s hands before unscrewing the lid and chugging it down. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* "That hits the spot..." *Gulp* *Gulp* Viera sat quietly beside him as he gulped down on the bottle of water. She leaned against his shoulder as he too sat up. "What? You sleepy?" Xavier asked. "...A bit..." She responded as she closed her eyes. "...Then get some rest." He muttered. "..." Following those words, the two exchanged nothing but silence. Xavier tried not to move too much as she seemed to have settled into afortable position. He nned on slowlyying her down once she fell asleep but until then, he''d remain silent. ''...'' "...Hey, Brother... Today I realised something..." "Is that so... What did you realise?" "Yeah... I realised that I''m powerless and weak, and that I''m only holding everyone back." "I wouldn''t say that-" "No, I am. I never thought I''d be saying this to my small and defenceless brother." "Small and defenceless? Is that what you thought of me? I was your dependable older brother you know." "Dependable? You always used to get bullied for being short. You also barely socialised with people, what part of that was dependable." Xavier froze, those words cut deeper than he''d expected. "I take back what I said." He muttered. Hearing this, Viera giggled. "It''s toote to take it back." "...Shut up." "But yeah... I''m weak. That''s a fact... But watch me... Soon I''ll go back to being your dependable older sister... So that what happened today doesn''t have to repeat itself." "That''s quite a margin you''re setting for yourself." "Not really, I''ve always been the dependable one, I''m just taking back my spot." Xavier gave his sister another pat before getting up. "Believe what you want." "Wha-Hey. I was just about to fall asleep. Why''d you move your shoulder." "You''re dependable aren''t you? Why don''t you go find another way to sleep?" Xavier asked with a grin before vanishing. Xavier chuckled a little as he heard his sister''s quiet and annoyed squeal from down the hall. His eyes then drifted upwards to the roof as he wondered how Sophie was getting along with the Ancient Relic''s puzzle. ''I should probably go check on her.'' *Fwoosh!* With that single thought, Xavier rushed into the room and out of the window before leaping up to the roof. The wet and slippery roof almost tripped him up as hended on it but thanks to his bnce, he was fine. ncing on the other end of the roof, Xavier could see Sophie still fidgeting around with the cube. It was vastly different in appearancepared to before. Some of the outline parts had stuck out, extending a cube out in ayer. And through thatyer Xavier could see it. A faint trace of what appeared to be a core at the centre of the cube. ''That girl... She''s already gotten this far?'' He wondered before rushing over to her. Xavier''s figure blurred across the rooftop, sshing water everywhere beforeing to a stop in front of Sophie- *SPLASH!* Unfortunately, his sudden stop ended up resulting in her having water sshed against her entire face. "..." Without saying any words, she slowly wiped the water off her face. She then slowly looked over at Xavier with a re before asking. "What?" "Haha, sorry about that... I was justing to check on the puzzle. We''re finished with repairs." "Already? That''s fast. And I''ve sort of figured it out." Xavier''s eyes lit up. "You have? I knew i could count on you!" He responded with a bright smile. Startled by his words and the smile, Sophie slowly looked away. Her cheeks slightly reddened as she did so. 98 Chapter 98 "You have? I knew i could count on you!" He responded with a bright smile. Startled by his words and the smile, Sophie slowly looked away. Her cheeks slightly reddened as she did so. "...Yeah." Seeing this, Xavier suddenly leaned in before pressing his hand against her forehead. "You''re all red, did you catch a cold from staying out here in the rain?" Sophie quietly shook her head and pushed away his hand. "I''m fine... More importantly, look at this." She showed him the cube. Before it was a regr hunk of metal with outlined parts, but just as Xavier had suspected the parts were a puzzle. Sophie seemed to have figured out the order of the puzzle and was working on it. It''d reached the point where some of the parts were sticking out while still keeping its cubic shape. "The outlined parts can protrude outwards." Said Sophie as she fidgeted around with it. "If you pull this part here, this section opens up which allows you to pull out this part here." "But to open this section up you need to rotate this part here." *Click* "The cube is locked in this puzzle. With this method you can slowly get closer to unlocking the cube. The only downside is how time consuming it is. It''ll take me a whi-" While exining Sophie nced upwards, when she did, she instantly forgot the rest of what she was going to say. Xavier''s face was incredibly close. He had a focused expression as he listened into her exnation. He waspletely unlike the carefree Xavier which she knew. "What''s wrong? Why''d you stop exining?" Xavier asked, his eyes meeting her gaze. Sophie averted her gaze before looking back down on the cube. "N-Nothing." She muttered as she continued fidgeting around with it. "As I was saying... It''ll take me a while. But look at this." She muttered as she pointed at what was resting inside the cube. Based on it''s shape it appeared to be some sort of sphere, only of quarter of it had been exposed. "This is most likely it''s core... I feel like once we unlock the puzzle and it''s core is exposed, we''ll be able to move onto the next stage." Sophie muttered. "There''s a next stage?" Xavier sighed. "I hope not." She responded with an annoyed look as she continued to fidget around with it. ''That being said she''s done really well, to be able to figure it all out in just an hour with no leads. Keeping her alive truly was a good idea.'' Xavier nced over at the flustered girl. ''As long as she stays on my side, that is.'' "Are you going to stay out here?" Sophie nodded. "Don''t worry about me, you''re tired from the repairs aren''t you? You can go rest." "Is that so.." Xavier muttered before vanishing. Sophie twitched at that moment, expecting another ssh of water to crash on her, only to sigh in relief when she realised that he was truly gone. "I can finally focus without worrying about getting sshed." She muttered. *Fidget* *Fidget* After a few more turns, her eyes lit up as she unlocked another section of the puzzle. "This isn''t that bad-" *Fwoosh!* *Ssh!* Sophie twitched again as Xavier ahead of her without a moment''s notice. She expected another puddle of water to go crashing onto her but to her surprise, there was nothing. "Ah, don''t worry about the water. I reverted it before it sshed you. There''s no point in reverting you though since you''ve been wet for longer than half an hour." Sophie looked up at Xavier only to find him holding onto an umbre and chair. She tilted her head to the side with a confused look and watched as stuck the umbre onto the chair before cing it beside her. "This..." The umbre was blocking the rain, preventing it from hitting her. The sound the drops made as they crashed into the umbre was also rxing. "You didn''t have to do this." Said Sophie. "I know." Xavier responded with a smile as the rain drops crashed against him. "..." Sophie averted her gaze again before looking down at the cube. Her hands had stopped fidgeting around with it. "You can sit down and watch if you want... Although it''s a bit wet." Said Sophie as she pointed at the spot beside her. The umbre was also covering that spot hence why she chose it. "If you don''t mind." "Just- Don''t make any noise... Let me focus." Xavier slowly nodded. "I''ll be quiet." He muttered as he sat down beside her. "...Okay." Those were thest words the two exchanged with one another. The sound of clicks and Sophie fidgeting around with the cube as well as the rain were the only sounds the two could hear as they quietly focused on the puzzle ahead of them. At one point Xavier stopped staring at the puzzle and instead stared at Sophie. She had this ability which allowed her to pour all of her focus into the task at hand. It was as if everything else had stopped existing. Her expression was stuck in the same exact one, her hands moved unbelievably fast, trying one form after the other. ''So this is what it means to be smart...'' Xavier thought to himself. He then nced over at Sophie''s pale neck. The thought of biting into it and draining her blood shed by his mind almost instantly. ''The cravings are kicking in even harder than before.'' He thought to himself as he clenched his hand into a fist. Xavier felt as if his throat had been left to dry out in a desert for a whole week and that Sophie''s neck was the ice cold fresh river which he needed to clench his thirst. ''Even after drinking all of that blood it''s still this bad? Is Vampire blood bing less effective?'' Xavier knew what this meant. He needed human blood. ''But is human blood even effective at this stage? Gluttony just wants me to devour everything... The more I devour, the more it wants...'' Xavier thought to himself. ''That being said, Sophie''s a Half-Vampire. She''s a mix between a Human and Vampire...'' ''It''s probably why my craving is kicking in... Just one bite... Just one and I''ll find out if it''s effective or not-'' *p!* Xavier smacked himself in his cheeks, startling Sophie while he shook his head repeatedly. "You good?" Sophie asked. ''Fuck... This hunger... I almost bit into her neck just then... What the hell am I doing?'' Xavier who wasn''t worried about his self-control was starting to worry about how badly things could go now. There was a chance he could lose control and even attack his own family, and that was something he''d never forgive himself for. Even if he did Rewind. ''Fuck... As if worrying about getting stronger wasn''t a problem, now I have to worry about losing control too...'' "Yeah, I''m good... Sorry about that." Said Xavier. "It''s fine." Sophie muttered. She didn''t pry any further with questions and just continued on with the puzzle. Xavier liked this part of her. ''We should still have the bloodbags left. I''m pretty sure Anastasia put them in the freezer. I''ll go have some after this.'' Xavier thought to himself. With that being said, the two continued on with their silent interaction. Sophie continued on with the puzzle while Xavier continued to watch. With that, time flew by. - - - "Where''s Xavier?" Sangrea questioned as she walked around the mansion. She''d asked the servants but they hadn''t seen him. Viera was down training in the hidden training room with the head butler along with ine, they too hadn''t seen him. Anastasia was also too busy doing her maid tasks and tidying up to care, leaving Sangrea all on her own. Sangrea quietly walked down the hall before looking out of the window. After doing so, she stopped as she found him. Xavier sat underneath an umbre besides Sophie. The two didn''t seem to be interacting and appeared to be focusing solely on the puzzle. "So he''s out there with her..." Sangrea thought about going there and interrupting but after thinking things through, she decided not to. "We all have our specialties... He said." She muttered. "If her help will be beneficial, than it''s better to not interrupt or distract them..." Sangrea carried on with her walk, thinking about all the ways she was going to tease him as revenge. "..." After a few steps however, a servant passed by her and for some reason. She halted, turning back towards the servant. When she did so however, her eyes widened. No one was there. ''D-Did I just imagine that?'' She wondered. ''That was a servant here right?'' But was it really a servant? Even though she hadn''t gotten a good look at his face, the structure and hair colour waspletely unrecognisable, all she''d which even remotely resembled a servant was a butler''s outfit. ''The ominous vibe that I got... That wasn''t my imagination... The enemy is still among us. If he had to speed to escape my sight and hide his presence then he''s not to be taken lightly.'' Sangrea slowly walked over to the shadow. ''Either way, it doesn''t matter where he hides. I''ll find him.'' 99 Chapter 99 A short brown haired Vampire wearing a butler''s uniform peeked down the hallway before letting out before letting out a sigh of relief. [Infiltration Status?] "Infiltration sessful." He responded. [Well done, Situation report?] "It looks like all of the Vampires were wiped out and they''ve already recovered from the damages." [¡­Reason?] "The one that wiped them all out was the Devourer, Sangrea Redblood''s rumoured husband. The mission failed." [Probability of sessful assasination?] "Very low, based on what I''ve seen, he''s scarily sharp. If I try anything it''ll give away my position." [¡­] [...Good work. Carry on with the project, under no circumstances must you give away your position.] The brown haired Vampire showed an expression of relief before responding to themand. [Roger.] He stopped peaking down the hallway before leaning against the wall and letting out a sigh of relief once the connection was cut off. "That being said, I did one hell of a job." He muttered with a smirk. ''Sneaking in was incredibly easy...'' He re-adjusted his uniform''s cor and realigned the tie before a confident expression overtook him. ''Well, anything''s easy in life when you''re a Marquess.'' "Now then... I wonder who I should check on next..." "No one." A voice echoed from behind him. The man felt shivers rush down his spine as he leapt forward, barely dodging a de as it swung past his back. *Swoosh!* With narrowed eyes he rotated his body mid-air,nding on the wall with his feet while getting a good look at the attacker behind him. It was Sangrea, she was emerging through a shadow on the wall. Her plump chests jiggled as her body quickly slid out of the shadow. Realising that his cover was blown, the man instantly turned down the hall to retreat, his eyes widened however once he noticed both of his legs were stuck on the wall. Binds had emerged out of one of the shadows on the wall trapping his legs against it. "So I wasn''t imagining it... Someone actually dared to infiltrate my home." Said Sangrea with dark cold eyes as she stepped in swinging her scythe down at his face. *FWOOSH!* *Pierce!* Sangrea''s scythe dug into the ground havingpletely missed it''s target. A burst of wind surged down the hallway as the man''s figure appeared a few steps away from Sangrea. A surge of wind was visibly drawing around him. As he gathered up air, the windows in the other rooms began to m and close repeatedly. "Aw man, looks like my cover was blown. Oh well, guess I''ll have to just kill you." Sangrea looked over at him before looking over at the wall where he was standing. The shadow binds were cleanly cut off. "I held back too much..." Sangrea muttered. A confused expression loomed over his face as he drew a sword from the inside of his butler''s outfit. It had been strapped onto his back. "Held back? Shouldn''t you be running instead? You probably can''t recognise me before this outfit but-" The man''s figure vanished, appearing before Sangrea in an instant. The swing of his sword was in motion towards Sangrea''s neck. "I''m a Victor, a Marquess." *Swoosh!* A grin grew on his face as she sliced cleanly through Sangrea''s neck, the grin quickly faded however as he noticed that not even a drop of blood was split. Her head had slid off her neck yet all which hade out were shadows. While staring at the standing decapitated body, a voice emerged from behind him once again. "My husband''s not here... So it should be fine... I wouldn''t want to scare him after all..." She muttered with a sigh of relief. The man turned around only to find Sangrea standing behind him without so much as a scratch. Realising that it was her ability in y, he quickly moved to attack. Two wind spheres manifested his feet in a fraction of a second. [Gale Maniption: Gale Hunting Rifle-] *BANG!* The sound of a gunshot resounded as the wind spheres burst,unching him towards Sangrea at unparelled speeds. With the edge of his de right before Sangrea''s face however, he noticed it, a bored emotionless expression resting on her sweet and pretty face. *Swo-* In that instant, the man''s eyes widened as his entire body had halted in ce. Looking around whilst in the middle of the air, he noticed that even more shadow binds had emerged from all over the ce. Rather, Sangrea''s shadow was slowly expanding engulfing the entire hallway. "What the hell...?" He asked as he desperately tried to break free. [Shadow Maniption: Binds Of The Abyss.] One by one, more and more binds emerged from the shadows, trapping and restricting the Marquess''s movements. Before he even realised it, his entire body from the neck down was entrapped in something resembling a cocoon. "There''s a reason... Why my abilities were sealed..." Sangrea muttered as the darkness of the shadows progressed down the hallways. "It''s because I can''t control them... Or rather, it." Not understanding her words, the Marquess''s eyes widened as he saw the figure of something strolling towards him from down the dark hall. It made no sounds, it had no smell, it didn''t even seem like it was physically there. But within the darkness, it was all he could see. A giant shadowy hand slowly strut towards him from the darkness, it slowly creeped up from behind Sangrea, before thrusting towards him. Simultaneously, even more smaller shadowy hands emerged from the floor and walls, thrusting towards him before grabbing a hold of him. The moment the tiny hand''s finger touched him, his eyes bulged out with red veins running through them. The man groaned out in excruciating pain and fear as the giant hand stopped before him. "W-Wait... N-No... P-Please stop this- PLEASE!!!" Sangrea looked away, muttering only a few words in response with her cold eyes. "Thank god, Xavi wasn''t here to see this..." "!?" "WHAT DOES THAT MEA-" *Stter!* The man wasn''t able to finish his sentence as the giant hand grabbed a hold of his body and dragged him away into the darkness of the shadows. *Snap* Sangrea narrowed her eyes as light returned to the halls once again. Her expanded shadow reverted to normal and all that was left of the Vampire Marquess, was his shoe which had fallen off. Sangrea nced at it before averting her eyes. She proceeded to walk down the hall without saying anything else. A hint of the shadow''s darkness could be seen in her crimson eyes as she narrowed them. - - - "This... This is...!" Xavier muttered as he stared at the cube which Sophie held onto with sparkling eyes. The puzzle was around 90%pleted, most of the cube''s outlined parts were sticking out, exposing the dark red sphere in the centre. Sophie let out a sigh of relief once she realised just how far they''d gotten. She had goten so immersed in it that she hadn''t even realised. "What does this cube do anyways?" Sophie asked as she turned to Xavier. "Hm... I''m not sure. All I know is that it''s an ancient relic." Sophie''s eyes widened, her body twitched for a second before trembling as she asked. "A-Ancient relic...? Y-You''re making me hold onto such a valuable thing?" At the mention of the words Ancient Relic, Sophie''s attitudepletely changed. For her, a bounty hunter, an ancient relic was like a treasure chest full of gold. She''d always dreamed of finding and selling one. "Why are you shaking? Are they worth that much?" "A-Are they worth that much?" She repeated in disbelief. She turned to him with a frown before quickly exining. "Of course they''re worth that much! No one knows the origin of these things, they''ve existed since the times of the Ancient Vampires! These Relics can''t be recreated with the current technology we have avable!" "But what''s so special about them?" Xavier asked. "What- S- Y-You! Don''t you know how much power they hold? Just one of these can disrupt the bnce of power in an entire country of Vampires! Even the highest ranking nobles can barely manage ess to one." Xavier ced his hand beneath his chin and nodded as he listened in. "Oh, that sounds like a big deal-" "Of course it is!" ''Judging by how much she lost her cool, I should probably avoid mentioning it.'' He thought to himself. "..." "..." Silence was exchanged between the two as Sophie stopped moving. "Hey, Xavier... It''s not toote. We can still sell this and make a quick buck-" "No-" "But-" "No-" Sophie became teary eyed as she slowly nodded her head in understanding. Selling it and buying more assets wouldn''t really be helpful for them in the apocalypse. They needed more power, and that Ancient Relic could grant it. That being said, Xavier didn''t know what he could get from selling it, maybe it''d be more useful than the Relic itself? Who knows. ''I''ll see what I do with it once I use it. If it''s useless, I''ll sell it.'' He thought to himself. 100 Chapter 100 *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, with a final click, the cube was unlocked. "Y-You did it..." Xavier muttered. "W-We did..." Sophie added with a yawn. Their eyes were etched onto the heavy lump of metal before them. What was once a solid lump of metal with outlines was an evenrger mechanical and futuristic looking lump of metal with the outlined parts sticking out. Despite the outlined parts sticking out, it somehow still maintained the shape of a cube, just arger one. What stood out the most about it however, was the giant red core sphere at the centre of it. It was dark and damp as it failed to emit any light, but based on the fact that this was an ancient relic, it was probably something of value. "What now?" Xavier asked. "I''m not sure..." Sophie replied. They''d solved the puzzle but nothing else had happened. Despite unlocking the cube the core remained inside and it wouldn''t budge. Sophie handed Xavier the cube and watched as he yed around with it, tapping the core repeatedly while also swinging the cube around. After around five minutes, they gave up. "That felt like a waste of time." Sophie muttered. Her eyes had dark circles beneath them, she was slowly dozing off as she remained seated in the same position. "Hey... Xavier... I''m a bit sleepy... There''s another... Step for it activate... I''ll find out when I''m awake...." Those were Sophie''sst words before suddenly copsing onto Xavier''s chest. Xavier looked down, watching as the beauty slept with the most peaceful expression in the world. Her luminous orange hair with their bright red edges seemed even more sparkly than usual. His eyes had somehow fallen on her small pink lips and slender neck. Despite having self-restraint, inside Xavier was still ate adolescent. He was at an age where he couldn''t help but feel the lust for those things. "She probably exhausted a lot of brain energy on the puzzle... It makes sense she''s tired." Xavier muttered before picking her up. He put her in a princess carry and ced the cube on top of her. "Well, no reason to be here any longer. Let''s go back inside." He muttered. With that being said, Xavier''s figure vanished from the rooftop, scattering the droplets of water around in the process. *Swoosh!* A few secondster they appeared in the hallway. Xavier still holding onto her in a princess carry as they walked down. There were a few servants who were still cleaning up but whenever they made eye contact, they''d avert their eyes. ''Seems that they''re still scared of me.'' Xavier concluded. "I wonder which room, Sophie''s in?" Xavier asked as he walked past the unupied rooms. While walking, he suddenly smiled as a familiar figure appeared. It was Anastasia, she was quietly waiting for Xavier and Sophie by the end of the hall. When Xavier reached her, she extended her arms out, gesturing that she could carry Sophie. Anastasia noticed the Ancient Relic on top of Sophie but ignored it as she didn''t know what it was. "I''ll take her to her room. It''s next to mine which is in the same side of the mansion as both of you and the youngdy''s." ? Anastasia looked down at Sophie''s sleeping figure once Xavier handed her over. "Although I was annoyed you brought somewhere here without discussing with us first, After getting to know her, I''ll admit that it was the right choice." "Her IQ is probably the highest in this mansion. Her thread maniption ability is versatile and powerful, able to subdue even a Marquess. She also seems quite loyal to you. I''ve been watching her and she hasn''t made any suspicious moves. Though, it could be that she''s waiting for the right time." "That''s a good analysis, but what are you getting at?" Xavier asked. "She''s proved useful and will be a good help to the household.. So what I''m trying to say is..." Anastasia averted her eyes. "I''m sorry for the way I reacted. I''m starting to think you''re not that bad-" "Um, Anastasia, is that really how you should apologise? For starters, you''re not even looking me in the eyes. I''ll only forgive you if you go down on your hands and knees and ask properly." Interrupted Xavier as he shook his head. With a twitch of her ears, Anastasia froze. She instantly felt regret for her apology as a surge of rage overwhelmed her. Before Xavier even knew it, she was ring at him with hateful eyes. Xavier chuckled at her reaction before he patted her on the head. "I''m joking, you don''t have to apologise. You just act the way you do because you want to keep Sangrea, safe right? She''s lucky to have such a reliable maid." He imed with a smile. Anastasia who was startled by his pat and words, took a moment to react before head-butting his hand away as her hands were upied with carrying Sophie. "..." Without saying anything, she turned away to the other hallway before walking down it. She had said nothing but her brows were still stuck together in a frown. Despite that, it didn''t feel like a frown of hate or disgust like the one from usual. This one was different. "As long as you understand." She muttered Xavier watched with a smile as she disappeared down the hall. His eyes then slowly drifted to the right. "Hey, Mr Head butler." He said. The Butler''s towering figure suddenly appeared beside Xavier, a smile present on the Butler''s face as he adjusted his sses and muttered. "So you noticed me." "It''s hard not to when you''ve been spying on me all this time." Xavier responded. "Haha, so you noticed that too. Have your senses gotten sharper?" The butler asked. "I guess they have. Weren''t you training with my mother and sister in the hidden training ground?" Xavier asked. The butler grinned. "I''ve left them with some tasks. You have quite the talented family." Xavier nodded with a smile. "I''d say it''s gics, but we''re not blood rted. I''m sure you already know that." The butler nodded. "Yes, I am aware." "..." ''So he knows that too. Just how much does this old man know?'' Xavier wondered. The Butler nced over at the ancient relic with a surprised look. "I never expected that Sophie girl to actually be able to decipher the puzzle." Xavier stared at the Ancient Relic with narrowed eyes. "Ah right, you were watching. Yeah, it''s a hard puzzle, but now that we''ve deciphered it, we''re not sure what to do next. Do you have any ideas?" The butler smiled before shaking his head. "None. But I''m sure you''ll figure things out eventually." Xavier let out a sigh. "Wouldn''t that be nice." He looked back over at the Butler who was still there. "So, don''t you have anything better to do? Or do you need me for something?" Xavier asked. The butler opened his mouth to respond but after thinking things through, he shook his head. "I did, but it''s fine now. Go get some rest." He said. Xavier nodded before walking down the hall in the opposite direction that Anastasia and Sophie had gone. "Then, with that, I''ll take my leave." The butler responded with a nod before waving Xavier a goodbye. ''Sneaky as always, that butler.'' Xavier thought to himself as he continued to walk. *Step* *Step* *Step* The hall which Xavier was on was unusually quiet. There weren''t any servantsa round and the only sounds he could hear were the raindrops crashing against the window. When he finally reached the end of it and turned to the right, he noticed Sangrea sat on the floor with her back against the wall. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and her head was lowered. "Sangrea?" Xavier called out to her. Sangrea slowly raised her head, showing him dark cold eyes before responding to his call. "Xavi?" Xavier was quick to notice that something was different about her, usually she''d be prepped up with joy from seeing him, but... "..." Without saying anything, Xavier sat down beside her before putting his arm over her shoulder. When he sat down, it was then that he noticed. Her shadow, it was moving out of control, twitching and changing shape non-stop while wriggling around. "S-Stay away... It''s dangerous... I can''t control it..." She muttered with a trembling voice. "Did you send the servants away from this area because of this?" He asked. Sangrea nodded. Xavier didn''t know much of the situation, he wasn''t sure why she was struggling to contain her shadow ability which she could use effortlessly. But he didn''t care. He just sat there beside her with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. "Don''t worry about me. I''ll wait here until you can get things back under control." Without saying anything, Sangrea slowly leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes, focusing as she began trying to contain it. 101 Chapter 101 Sangrea''s faint breaths permeated through the air as she struggled to contain her shadow''s shape. Her shadow which had been wriggling around, and changing from shape to shape was slowly stabilising once she squeezed Xavier''s hand. The softness of her shoulders and fingers was all Xavier could think about as he quietly stood by her side. His crimson red eyes were glowing even brighter as his stomach shook violently. Her cor had been lowered exposing her bare neck, the sight was incredibly tempting for Xavier who''d just concluded his evolution. Gluttony wanted nothing more than to devour her blood. Despite that, Xavier held it in, it wasn''t the right time. No matter how many needles he could feel spinning around his stomach or how much his throat burned from thirst, he held it in. Xavier was prepared to even knock himself out if he had to, to keep the hunger out of control. It was that bad. ''If I start sucking her blood now... I might not be able to stop...'' He quietly thought to himself as he tried clearing his mind. "Fu..." Sangrea slowly exhaled. With that final exhale, her shadow had finally stopped moving. It had sessfully stabalised. "Do you feel better?" Xavier asked as Sangrea copsed onto his shoulder. "Mmm... A bit..." She muttered with a tired expression. Beneath her eyes were dark circles emphasising on just how drained she was. "But I managed to do it at least..." She added with a smile as she turned to him. Xavier gave her a pat on the head before also smiling in response. "Yeah, well done ." Without saying anything else, Sangrea lowered her head while still leaning on his shoulder. It was only the two of them in the hallway and that alone kept her heart on the edge. "..." "..." No words were spoken in between the two. While Xavier was focused on surpressing his urges, Sangrea''s were slowly leaking out. "Hey... Xavi... Can I have some blood...?" She asked as she suddenly turned her head towards his neck as she rested her chin on his shoulder. Xavier didn''t know why but the question somewhat flustered him. "Yeah." He responded, somehow managing to keep a straight face. "Thank you..." She quietly muttered while leaning towards his neck. As her breath crashed against his neck, Xavier could feel pleasant shivers surging through his body and when her teeth finally sunk in- *Pierce* A rush of pleasure flowed through his neck. It was unlike any other time she''d suck his blood. *Gulp* *Gulp* With every faint gulp he could hear, the pleasure from the rush increased. Both of their hearts pounded loudly while the redness of their cheeks only grew. ''What''s happening...? His blood tastes... So good... Way too good...'' Sangrea thought to herself. ''...The pain in my stomach and throat is going away... This feels incredibly rxing... How is she doing this...?'' Xavier wondered. Sangrea who''d only intended to suck his blood was just as confused as he was. That is, until she remembered something she''d been told in the past. When a Vampire who share''s a bond with an individual shares the same desire and lust for one another. Something amazing will happen as they drink each other''s blood. Sangrea could feel Xavier''s strength flowing into her as she drank his blood, it was unlike anything she''d ever experienced. ''Is this what he meant by amazing?'' Sangrea wondered as the dark circles slowly vanished from beneath her eyes. *Gulp* Sangrea didn''t want to let go but out of fear from sucking all of his blood out of him, Sangrea let go with the final gulp. The moment she did so however- Xavier grabbed her by the waist and threw her on top of him. While still backed against the wall, he guided her mouth back to his neck with his hand before telling her. "Drink." Sangrea was surprised by this but overwhelmed by her urge for his blood, her mind didn''t care to ask questions. *Pierce* Her fangs pierced in his neck, her eyes winced however, as in the same moment, she could also feel his fangs prated hers. Xavier had moved into take a bite in the same moment, and he didn''t hold back. *Gulp* *Gulp* Without exchanging any words, the two drank whilst experienced the ecstatic rush. Their thirst was quickly being quenched and they could think of nothing but one another. As their emotions reached even newer heights, something strange began to ur. A bright crimson glow began emerging from beneath their chests, in the exact areas where their hearts were. The glow pulsated in rhythm with their heartbeat and with every beat, they could feel their energy colliding. [The User''s energy is merging with the bonded Vampire.] [The merged essence flows between the bonded Vampire and the User.] [The merged essence is empowering the user.] Xavier''s ears twitched at the notification. [Gluttony devours the excess essence- The merge''s efficiency is rising.] [Gluttony grows stronger as it devours the excess shadow maniption essence.] [The User''s power is rising.] [+1 Stat added to Strength.] [+1 Stat added to Stamina.] [+1 Stat added to Agility.] [...] All sorts of notifications were going on inside of Xavier''s head, yet with his racing mind, he could barely understand any of it. He was focused only on drinking Sangrea''s blood and she was focused only on drinking his. [Warning: Both the User and the Bonded Vampire''s blood level is reaching a low amount.] [If the merge continues any longer-] Before the notification could even finish, Xavier swung his head backwards, removing his fangs out of her neck as his head against the wall. Sangrea also snapped out of it, and slowly pulled her fangs away from his neck, realising that they were reaching a dangerous point. The sound of the two panting was all they could hear for the following seconds as they stared at one another with surprise. "W..What was that...?" Sangrea asked whilst blushing. "Not sure... I think our energy merged because of our bond and that made us a bit stronger..." Xavier replied. ''This is probably the main reason Vampire''s marry those they form a bond with. It''s for power.'' He concluded. "Either way..." Xavier muttered as he looked down her back. Amidst the process, Xavier had instinctively grabbed a hold of her curvy ass and squeezed it repeatedly. Even through the Dress''s cloth, he could still feel unmatched softness. The sensation of squeezing it was running through his fingertips. He wanted to do it again. *Squeeze* He did, and she shivered. "X-Xavi..." Sangrea called out to him, staring at him with sparkly eyes. "I-I''m a bit sensitive right now... If you keep holding onto me... And squeezing me like that..." Hearing her words and seeing her embarrassed expression made Xavier, want to tease her even more. He ended up squeezing her as two more times before smacking it. "Kya-" Sangrea squealed with another shiver. The girl then proceeded to direct her gaze towards him, her expression changing from a shy embarrassed one to lustful one. Her eyes stared at him as if they were nning to devour him. "..." It was then that Xavier realised, he''d taken the teasing too far- "San-" Before Xavier could finish saying her name, he was interrupted by Sangrea who suddenly leaned in, kissing him straight on his lips. Her crotch rubbed on his bulge as she wrapped her arms around his neck, preventing him from moving away. That being said, he wasn''t even remotely thinking of stepping back. Xavier retaliated by raising up her dress and exposing her big round ass before grabbing it directly. As the tongues intertwined, he grasped her pair of cheeks without hesitation, failing to understand just how in the world they could be so soft. The thought of him plowing her from behind and thrusting his hips into her ass made him lose all rationality. Sangrea slowly lifted up Xavier''s shirt, revealing his shredded physique while Xavier slowly lowered Sangrea''s dress from the cor downwards. Her plump chests slowly flowed out, jiggling with a bounce before standing firm along with her pointed nipples. Xavier stared at them, unable to avert his eyes before grabbing a hold of them with his hands. He watched as his hands slowly sunk in, as the soft sensation ran through his finger tips. He fiddled around, ying around and jiggling them around without stop. Sangrea who was struggling to hold in her moans, shivered in ecstasy with every touch. Shepletely lost it however, as Xavier suddenly leaned in with his mouth before sucking on the right nipple. "Ahn!" She moaned while slowly cocking her head back. Just like that, Xavier fiddled around, ying around with one of her chests with one arm while using his mouth to suck the other. It was a lot more fun that he''d expected it to be, he was getting creative trying out all sorts of techniques and seeing which one jogged forth the biggest reaction. After a few minutes which felt like hours, Sangrea was on the edge. She was trembling while staring at him with her teary eyes. "S-Stop teasing me..." She muttered as if asking him to take to step further. That was Xavier''s final straw. 102 Chapter 102 "S-Stop teasing me..." She muttered as if asking him to take to step further. That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Viera''s figure emerged from down the hall. Sangrea reacted quickly, nudging Xavier to let go of her, but Xavier didn''tply. He continued to hold on and instead turned over to his sister who was staring at them with a flustered look. ''The hell is up with this timing?'' Xavier wondered as he stared at her. "Sister? What''s up?" Xavier asked with a look that suggested that he was busy. Viera got the message, the situation spoke for itself. Although she couldn''t tell because the dress was covering it, she could make out that her older brother was holding Sangrea up by the butt. The fact that they were heading into an empty room only reinforced her idea of what was going to happen. "L-Looks like I''m interrupting.." Viera muttered. "Yeah, pretty much." Xavier responded. "So, how can I help?" Viera stared at the two for a few seconds without responding. Her flustered expression slowly shifted into a saddened one before she replied. "You and Sangrea had suddenly disappeared so we were worried something had happened..." Xavier gave a pat on Sangrea''s head whilst still holding her up with his other arm. "We''re here. Don''t worry about us. Is that all?" Viera hesitantly nodded. "Alright, you''re drenched in sweat from training. Go take a shower and get some rest." Said Xavier. Sangrea shyly waved over at Viera as Xavier opened the door. Viera watched as the two went into the room. Right before the door closed however, she quickly spoke up. "Mum copsed again..." The moment she said that, Xavier retraced his steps backwards before putting Sangrea down on the floor. "How''s her condition?" Xavier asked as he turned to her. ''...'' "I don''t know... She''s not waking up..." Viera responded. "Which room?" Xavier asked once again, this time whilst standing right before her. "Anastasia''s-" Before she''d even finished the sentence, Xavier''s figure vanished from the hallway. Leaving only her and Sangrea behind. "I hope she turns out to be okay." Said Sangrea nervously. "...Yeah." Viera responded as she stared at her with narrowed eyes. When their eyes met, a confused look appeared on Sangera''s face. "Um... Are you mad at me for something?" Sangrea asked. Viera averted her eyes before turning away from Sangrea. "D... Don''t steal my brother from me..." She muttered as tears formed in her eyes. Those were herst words before walking away. Sangrea who was shocked by those words, could say nothing as she watched her walk away. "..." - - - Inside of Anastasia''s room, ine rested on her bed. Her eyes were shut, she was fast asleep, yet a pained expression could be seen on her face. Beside her was Anastasia and the Head butler. Anastasia had cut open a small wound on her arm and from it, pheromones were being released. [Pheromone maniption: Rxation.] Many pink chemicals were flowing out of Anastasia''s wound out into the air. ine''s pained expression was slowly turning into a more rxed one. However- "She''s burning up..." Said Anastasia as she ced her palm over on ine''s forehead. The butler ced a moderately cold wet towel over her face, leaving a gap for her to breathe. He then proceeded to go other to the kitchen section of Anastasia''s room where he was brewing his tea. Upon grabbing the tea cup however- his attention turned towards the entrance. *Fwoosh!* Xavier''s figure appeared a split secondter by the door, his eyes carried a hint of worry as he rushed over to his mother. "What happened?" Xavier asked, as he stopped by the bedside. The head butler walked over with the tea cup before stopping beside Xavier and responding. "She overdid it again." Xavier looked over to the butler with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" "She''s been overdoing it with her training. She''s been exhausting all of her energy time and time again in an attempt to improve her control." The butler adjusted his sses. "What she''s experiencing right now is the after effect of draining yourself time and time again without much rest-" Right as the butler finished his sentence, Xavier grabbed him by his neck and mmed him against the wall. "Why would you push her to this point!?" Xavier roared, veins bulging out of his arm as he red at the butler before him. The butler stared at Xavier through his sses with his dark red cold eyes before recalling a memory. -Memory *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* ine''s drenched figure suddenly copsed in the middle of the training chamber. A few seconds after however, she could be seen slowly getting back up. The butler watched as she staggered forward before bncing herself and continuing with her training. A bright glow was pulsating from her heart out into the surroundings. The air once again felt lighter and warmer and both the Butler and Viera who was also training could feel themselves being empowered. *Thud* A few seconds after, ine''s figure copsed again. Viera who was focused on her training didn''t notice, but the butler had witnessed this happen for the sixth time. "..." As ine struggled to get back up, the Butler who''d been watching them train, approached her. "Why don''t you stop to rest? You''ve already reached your limit. Isn''t that enough for today?" The Head butler asked as he adjusted his sses. "...Ha... Huff... Sorry... Let me catch my breath first..." Said ine as she slowly looked up at him. After tries, ine finally managed to get her breathing under control. Her chest was in a lot of pain, but she didn''t care. "Mr butler... Have you ever had kids?" She asked. "..." The butler wasn''t sure whether or not to respond to the question at first. Before he could give a reply, ine continued- "I''m not sure how to exin it but... They mean the world to me. The world is changing and with the strength I have right now, there''s no way I''ll be able to protect them." "That''s why... No matter what happens to me... No matter what it takes... I''ll continue to push myself to grow stronger... Strong enough to keep them safe... That''s all there is to it." After hearing her words, the butler had nothing to say. Rather, he didn''t know what to say. ''Motherly instinct... You humans continue to impress me in more ways than one...'' "Are you saying you would give your life away, if it meant keeping them safe?" Head Butler asked. Viera who heard this, tilted her head to the side with a confused look on her face. "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, I would." She added with a bright smile. The butler adjusted his sses before slowly turning away. "I hope you refrain from telling the young man that. There''s nothing he''d want more than for you to live." "Haha, there''s no need for him to worry about that, I don''t n on kicking the bucket until I''m an old grannie." The butler smiled at her response. "That eases my worries." He responded. -Memory end The continued to stare at Xavier, his cold eyes gazing at the re of the young man before him. "Why I let her push herself to this point?" The Butler asked as he grabbed Xavier''s arm. "It''s so that she can live." Xavier loosened his grip at the Butler''s words, and the butler swiped his arm away. "Now if I may continue." Said the Butler as he showed Xavier the tea cup. "This tea was made with a special type of leaf, it has energy revitalising properties. Xavier narrowed his eyes before averting them. "I''m sorry... I lost my cool." The Butler nodded, understanding where he wasing from before walking over to the bed and slowly pouring the tea onto the centre of ine''s body. Xavier watched as the bright orange liquid flowed onto her. Although the tea was hot, the liquid didn''t cause any burns and was absorbed without issue into her stomach. The entire process was mind-blowing to witness and what came after was even more unbelievable. 103 Chapter 103 A warm golden glow was emitted from the centre of ine''s body. Her long light brown hair began to sway left and right as the expression her face grew even more rxed. Her already smooth skin seemed to grow even smoother as the glow pulsated from her body. The pulse was full of light indicating that her condition had stabilised. ''Her energy reserves are replenishing...'' Xavier concluded as he watched. Xavier proceeded to sneak a nce at the butler. ''Looks like it wasn''t all talk. That tea he made, it''s the real deal.'' Xavier let out a quiet sigh before turning away from the bed and walking towards the door. "Where are you going?" Anastasia asked, turning to him. Xavier rubbed the back of his head, wondering how to phrase his answer. "ine ended up in this condition out of fear for our safety, knowing her she''ll keep pushing herself to this point. She''s stubborn." ''You don''t need to go this far to keep us safe.'' He thought to himself as he nced at ine. Anastasia narrowed her eyes. "Yes that''s true, but that doesn''t answer the question. Where are you goi-" Anastasia felt her heart sink as Xavier''s figure suddenly appeared before her, interrupting her whilst gazing into her eyes. "I''m going to get rid of the root of that fear." His eyes were dark and cold and his expression showed neither a hint nor trace of emotion. A frightening amount of slowly pouring out of him. "Getting rid of the root... You don''t mean..." Xavier could only mean one thing by getting rid of the root. "Yeah, I''ll kill the queen." Xavier muttered. The moment he said the words, he could feel the tension drop in the room as all eyes fell on him. Cold sweat poured down Anastasia''s face as she stared at him. "I-It''s too soon... T-Think things through... It hasn''t even been a month since you''ve be a Vampire. Y-You''re signing a death wish." Ignoring her, Xavier continued his walk towards the door. Upon doing so, however, he noticed a smile painted on the Butler''s face, as if he had expected this reaction. There was something about the smile that pissed Xavier off, but he decided to ignore it due to the fact that ine''s condition had been stabilised thanks to him. Right as Xavier was about to exit the room Anastasia appeared before him in the doorway blocking his exit path. "Move." Xaviermanded. "I can''t do that. Take a moment to think things through, you won''t even make it to the pce''s door step. If you die everything will copse and the youngdy will-" "Are you saying you''re going to stop me?" Xavier asked as he gazed at her coldly. Another droplet of sweat slowly poured down her face as she averted her eyes towards the Butler, to her surprise he hadn''t made any moves in regards to way Xavier was acting. ''You''re telling me I''ll have to restrain him on my own? That''s impossible...'' She thought to herself. "But if that''s what it takes..." She whispered. "Is that so." Muttered Xavier as he let out a sigh. "Then, stop me." In that instant, Anastasia felt shivers rush down her space as Xavier''s figure disappeared from before her. Her eyes widened as she quickly realised that it wasn''t he who had moved but rather, she herself. [Rewind Level 2: Retract] Xavier had reverted her position a few seconds back to a previous one inside of the room, quickly moving her away from his path in the entrance. Quickly realising this, Anastasia turned to subdue him before he could get away. But just as she was about to take her step to leap at him, she noticed that he hadn''t even moved from his spot. He was just standing there, gazing at her with a bored look. The clock frame in his red eyes had slowly began to turn anti-clockwise. "Trying to stop me is pointless... I told you already, didn''t I? Whether it''s a nobility, royalty or even the fucking ancestor himself, if they ever did anything to harm me or anything close to me, I''d devour them." Xavier then pointed at the ceiling. "Look at the condition the mansion is in... She sent people to attack us and will continue to do so You think I''ll just sit idly by and watch that happen?" A grin grew on Xavier''s face. "Not over my dead body." Xavier then directed his gaze from the ceiling back over to Anastasia who was frozen on the spot. "Are you still going to continue wasting my time? If you are, take that step. Just know that the moment you do..." Xavier''s eyes suddenly turned dark. "I''ll stop holding back." "..." Anastasia slowly clenched her hands into a fist, tightening them as she lowered her head. "Fine... Suit yourself, go die for all I care." She muttered before turning away from him Xavier smiled at her words and proceeded to vanish from her sight, giving ine one finally nce before doing so. *Swoosh!* And just like that, he left the room. - Just outside the room, a few doors down the hallway, Xavier noticed a girl standing by the door, leaning against it. Her long bright yellow swayed ever so slightly as she locked her golden eyes onto him. "Did you overhear, Viera?" Xavier asked. The girl nodded. "...Won''t it be dangerous?" She asked. "Killing the queen and all..." "I don''t understand much about the hierarchy, but the higher up thedder, the stronger they are, right?" She added. "Yeah. It''ll be dangerous." Xavier replied. Usually, he would have tried to y things off or make her feel as if she wouldn''t have to worry, but taking that sort of attitude in the current situation was impossible. His younger sister was old enough to know of the risks and impacts of each choices made. "Any normal person would die." "Then... Why? Why does it have to be you? Why do you have to keep risking your life? Why can''t it be the Butler or Anastasia or-" Xavier interrupted Viera as he suddenly patted her on the head. "Because I''m not normal." "But still... Beating a queen is-" She mumbled narrowing her eyes. "Don''t worry, I have a n. One that only I can pull off." Said Xavier. Viera''s ears twitched. "A n?" She asked, looking up at him. "What n?" Xavier didn''t respond to her question, he simply smiled. If the n were to be discovered by anyone, Xavier knew it''d be game over. Because the n involved making use of his rewind ability. If people find out about it, it''d be the end for all of them. Viera''s expression slowly shifted into a saddened one as she understood where her brother wasing from. Although it did make her all the more curious. "Ah and you''re misunderstanding something... I''m not heading straight for the queen. I''ll climb up the socialdder devouring them until I''m near her level." Said Xavier with a grin. Besides even if he wanted to head straight for her, he didn''t know where to start. Anastasia was unlikely to tell him about the location either, the butler might''ve however. Either way just barging into the pce would have been stupid. Although Xavier was curious about how he''d fare if he were to face her at his current level. ''Should I just head straight for the pce just to see how powerful she is? I''ll die but I''ll at least get a sense of her strength... Problem is if I don''t die and end up losing consciousness. The risk is too big.'' "I get it... But I''m still worried... I-I''m going with you to watch over-" "No." Xavier instantly replied shooting her down. There wasn''t even a hint of hesitation in his word, instant rejection. "A-Ah... But-" "Viera." Xavier called out coldly. "You don''t need me to tell you, do you?" "You''ll only slow me down if youe." The dark harsh truth sailed out of Xavier''s mouth without any remorse. A saddened and pained look loomed over Viera''s face before she lowered her head to hide her expression. ''I may have been too harsh but she needs to know this... Last thing I want is for her to follow in my steps.'' "This isn''t a game, you''ll die for real." Added Xavier. Viera''s body began to tremble as she clenched her fists. "Fine..." Without looking up at her brother, she turned around and walked away. Although he wasn''t able to see what sort of expression she''d made, it was clear as day to him that she was angry. Xavier averted his eyes away from her towards the ground with a look of regret. After facepalming himself he turned and walked in the opposite direction. - - - *Step* *Step* *Step* Xavier''s quiet steps echoed across the quiet hallway. He ignored the servants nces of fear yet admiration as they carried out their tasks round him, and sorted out his thoughts. Eventually he came to a stop in front of tworge doors which lead into a room. Xavier stared at it for a few seconds, for it wasn''t just any room. It was Sangrea''s. 104 Chapter 104 Assuming that sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit 105 Chapter 105 Xavier The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit 106 Chapter 106 Trigger Xavier The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit 107 Chapter 107 Assuming that the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Taword ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The room where she''d Once the problem with the servants were sorted. Sangrea quickly went over to the room where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. where she''d set up her [Shadow Domain.] Xavier stared at it from outside with a look of admiration. Although from Sangrea''s perspective, it looked like his usual carefree face. *Tap* *Tap* "It''s hard." Said Xavier. At the mentioning of the word ''hard'' Sangrea''s mind instantly recalled his hard bulge. She turned bright red at the thought. And in that moment she was distracted- [Lightning Maniption Level 1: Lightning Burst] Xavier swung a fist overflowing with electricity towards the domain''s wall. *BZZZT!* *VWOOM!* The moment his fist connected, his eyes widened as in that very same instant- The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. The domain''s wall reacted with an overwhelming force. 108 Chapter 108 "S-Stop teasing me..." She muttered as if asking him to take to step further. That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Viera''s figure emerged from down the hall. Sangrea reacted quickly, nudging Xavier to let go of her, but Xavier didn''tply. He continued to hold on and instead turned over to his sister who was staring at them with a flustered look. ''The hell is up with this timing?'' Xavier wondered as he stared at her. "Sister? What''s up?" Xavier asked with a look that suggested that he was busy. Viera got the message, the situation spoke for itself. Although she couldn''t tell because the dress was covering it, she could make out that her older brother was holding Sangrea up by the butt. The fact that they were heading into an empty room only reinforced her idea of what was going to happen. "L-Looks like I''m interrupting.." Viera muttered. "Yeah, pretty much." Xavier responded. "So, how can I help?" Viera stared at the two for a few seconds without responding. Her flustered expression slowly shifted into a saddened one before she replied. "You and Sangrea had suddenly disappeared so we were worried something had happened..." Xavier gave a pat on Sangrea''s head whilst still holding her up with his other arm. "We''re here. Don''t worry about us. Is that all?" Viera hesitantly nodded. "Alright, you''re drenched in sweat from training. Go take a shower and get some rest." Said Xavier. Sangrea shyly waved over at Viera as Xavier opened the door. Viera watched as the two went into the room. Right before the door closed however, she quickly spoke up. "Mum copsed again..." The moment she said that, Xavier retraced his steps backwards before putting Sangrea down on the floor. "How''s her condition?" Xavier asked as he turned to her. ''...'' "I don''t know... She''s not waking up..." Viera responded. "Which room?" Xavier asked once again, this time whilst standing right before her. "Anastasia''s-" Before she''d even finished the sentence, Xavier''s figure vanished from the hallway. Leaving only her and Sangrea behind. "I hope she turns out to be okay." Said Sangrea nervously. "...Yeah." Viera responded as she stared at her with narrowed eyes. When their eyes met, a confused look appeared on Sangera''s face. "Um... Are you mad at me for something?" Sangrea asked. Viera averted her eyes before turning away from Sangrea. "D... Don''t steal my brother from me..." She muttered as tears formed in her eyes. Those were herst words before walking away. Sangrea who was shocked by those words, could say nothing as she watched her walk away. "..." - REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. 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REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. AY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. 109 Chapter 109 Dont That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Viera''s figure emerged from down the hall. Sangrea reacted quickly, nudging Xavier to let go of her, but Xavier didn''tply. He continued to hold on and instead turned over to his sister who was staring at them with a flustered look. ''The hell is up with this timing?'' Xavier wondered as he stared at her. "Sister? What''s up?" Xavier asked with a look that suggested that he was busy. Viera got the message, the situation spoke for itself. Although she couldn''t tell because the dress was covering it, she could make out that her older brother was holding Sangrea up by the butt. The fact that they were heading into an empty room only reinforced her idea of what was going to happen. "L-Looks like I''m interrupting.." Viera muttered. "Yeah, pretty much." Xavier responded. "So, how can I help?" Viera stared at the two for a few seconds without responding. Her flustered expression slowly shifted into a saddened one before she replied. "You and Sangrea had suddenly disappeared so we were worried something had happened..." Xavier gave a pat on Sangrea''s head whilst still holding her up with his other arm. "We''re here. Don''t worry about us. Is that all?" Viera hesitantly nodded. "Alright, you''re drenched in sweat from training. Go take a shower and get some rest." Said Xavier. Sangrea shyly waved over at Viera as Xavier opened the door. Viera watched as the two went into the room. Right before the door closed however, she quickly spoke up. "Mum copsed again..." The moment she said that, Xavier retraced his steps backwards before putting Sangrea down on the floor. "How''s her condition?" Xavier asked as he turned to her. ''...'' "I don''t know... She''s not waking up..." Viera responded. "Which room?" Xavier asked once again, this time whilst standing right before her. "Anastasia''s-" Before she''d even finished the sentence, Xavier''s figure vanished from the hallway. Leaving only her and Sangrea behind. "I hope she turns out to be okay." Said Sangrea nervously. "...Yeah." Viera responded as she stared at her with narrowed eyes. When their eyes met, a confused look appeared on Sangera''s face. "Um... Are you mad at me for something?" Sangrea asked. Viera averted her eyes before turning away from Sangrea. "D... Don''t steal my brother from me..." She muttered as tears formed in her eyes. Those were herst words before walking away. Sangrea who was shocked by those words, could say nothing as she watched her walk away. "..." - REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. 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REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. AY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. REST OF THE CHAPTER WILL BE UPLOADED LATER TODAY. 110 Chapter 110 Da That was Xavier''s That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie final straw- *Fwoosh!* That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Vie 111 Chapter 111 "S-Stop teasing me..." She muttered as if asking him to take to step further. That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Viera''s figure emerged from down the hall. Sangrea reacted quickly, nudging Xavier to let go of her, but Xavier didn''tply. He continued to hold on and instead turned over to his sister who was staring at them with a flustered look. ''The hell is up with this timing?'' Xavier wondered as he stared at her. "Sister? What''s up?" Xavier asked with a look that suggested that he was busy. Viera got the message, the situation spoke for itself. Although she couldn''t tell because the dress was covering it, she could make out that her older brother was holding Sangrea up by the butt. The fact that they were heading into an empty room only reinforced her idea of what was going to happen. "L-Looks like I''m interrupting.." Viera muttered. "Yeah, pretty much." Xavier responded. "So, how can I help?" Viera stared at the two for a few seconds without responding. Her flustered expression slowly shifted into a saddened one before she replied. "You and Sangrea had suddenly disappeared so we were worried something had happened..." Xavier gave a pat on Sangrea''s head whilst still holding her up with his other arm. "We''re here. Don''t worry about us. Is that all?" Viera hesitantly nodded. "Alright, you''re drenched in sweat from training. Go take a shower and get some rest." Said Xavier. Sangrea shyly waved over at Viera as Xavier opened the door. Viera watched as the two went into the room. Right before the door closed however, she quickly spoke up. "Mum copsed again..." The moment she said that, Xavier retraced his steps backwards before putting Sangrea down on the floor. "How''s her condition?" Xavier asked as he turned to her. ''...'' "I don''t know... She''s not waking up..." Viera responded. "Which room?" Xavier asked once again, this time whilst standing right before her. "Anastasia''s-" Before she''d even finished the sentence, Xavier''s figure vanished from the hallway. Leaving only her and Sangrea behind. "I hope she turns out to be okay." Said Sangrea nervously. "...Yeah." Viera responded as she stared at her with narrowed eyes. When their eyes met, a confused look appeared on Sangera''s face. "Um... Are you mad at me for something?" Sangrea asked. Viera averted her eyes before turning away from Sangrea. "D... Don''t steal my brother from me..." She muttered as tears formed in her eyes. Those were herst words before walking away. Sangrea who was shocked by those words, could say nothing as she watched her walk away. "..." - - - Inside of Anastasia''s room, ine rested on her bed. Her eyes were shut, she was fast asleep, yet a pained expression could be seen on her face. Beside her was Anastasia and the Head butler. Anastasia had cut open a small wound on her arm and from it, pheromones were being released. [Pheromone maniption: Rxation.] Many pink chemicals were flowing out of Anastasia''s wound out into the air. ine''s pained expression was slowly turning into a more rxed one. However- "She''s burning up..." Said Anastasia as she ced her palm over on ine''s forehead. The butler ced a moderately cold wet towel over her face, leaving a gap for her to breathe. He then proceeded to go other to the kitchen section of Anastasia''s room where he was brewing his tea. Upon grabbing the tea cup however- his attention turned towards the entrance. *Fwoosh!* Xavier''s figure appeared a split secondter by the door, his eyes carried a hint of worry as he rushed over to his mother. "What happened?" Xavier asked, as he stopped by the bedside. The head butler walked over with the tea cup before stopping beside Xavier and responding. "She overdid it again." Xavier looked over to the butler with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" "She''s been overdoing it with her training. She''s been exhausting all of her energy time and time again in an attempt to improve her control." The butler adjusted his sses. "What she''s experiencing right now is the after effect of draining yourself time and time again without much rest-" Right as the butler finished his sentence, Xavier grabbed him by his neck and mmed him against the wall. "Why would you push her to this point!?" Xavier roared, veins bulging out of his arm as he red at the butler before him. The butler stared at Xavier through his sses with his dark red cold eyes before recalling a memory. -Memory *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* ine''s drenched figure suddenly copsed in the middle of the training chamber. A few seconds after however, she could be seen slowly getting back up. The butler watched as she staggered forward before bncing herself and continuing with her training. A bright glow was pulsating from her heart out into the surroundings. The air once again felt lighter and warmer and both the Butler and Viera who was also training could feel themselves being empowered. *Thud* A few seconds after, ine''s figure copsed again. Viera who was focused on her training didn''t notice, but the butler had witnessed this happen for the sixth time. "..." As ine struggled to get back up, the Butler who''d been watching them train, approached her. "Why don''t you stop to rest? You''ve already reached your limit. Isn''t that enough for today?" The Head butler asked as he adjusted his sses. "...Ha... Huff... Sorry... Let me catch my breath first..." Said ine as she slowly looked up at him. After tries, ine finally managed to get her breathing under control. Her chest was in a lot of pain, but she didn''t care. "Mr butler... Have you ever had kids?" She asked. "..." The butler wasn''t sure whether or not to respond to the question at first. Before he could give a reply, ine continued- "I''m not sure how to exin it but... They mean the world to me. The world is changing and with the strength I have right now, there''s no way I''ll be able to protect them." "That''s why... No matter what happens to me... No matter what it takes... I''ll continue to push myself to grow stronger... Strong enough to keep them safe... That''s all there is to it." After hearing her words, the butler had nothing to say. Rather, he didn''t know what to say. ''Motherly instinct... You humans continue to impress me in more ways than one...'' "Are you saying you would give your life away, if it meant keeping them safe?" Head Butler asked. Viera who heard this, tilted her head to the side with a confused look on her face. "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, I would." She added with a bright smile. The butler adjusted his sses before slowly turning away. "I hope you refrain from telling the young man that. There''s nothing he''d want more than for you to live." "Haha, there''s no need for him to worry about that, I don''t n on kicking the bucket until I''m an old grannie." The butler smiled at her response. "That eases my worries." He responded. -Memory end The continued to stare at Xavier, his cold eyes gazing at the re of the young man before him. "Why I let her push herself to this point?" The Butler asked as he grabbed Xavier''s arm. "It''s so that she can live." Xavier loosened his grip at the Butler''s words, and the butler swiped his arm away. "Now if I may continue." Said the Butler as he showed Xavier the tea cup. "This tea was made with a special type of leaf, it has energy revitalising properties. Xavier narrowed his eyes before averting them. "I''m sorry... I lost my cool." The Butler nodded, understanding where he wasing from before walking over to the bed and slowly pouring the tea onto the centre of ine''s body. Xavier watched as the bright orange liquid flowed onto her. Although the tea was hot, the liquid didn''t cause any burns and was absorbed without issue into her stomach. The entire process was mind-blowing to witness and what came after was even more unbelievable. 112 Chapter 112 Assuming that sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit Thump Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The sound of two hearts beating with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit with excitement echoed throughout Xavier and Sophie''s ears as they stared at the mechanical cube before them. "J-Just one more piece..." Xavier muttered. The cube was 99%pleted, just one more pierce needed to be moved in order for it to fully unlock. "D-Do you want to move the final piece?" Sophie asked. Xavier nervously shook his head. "N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit N-No, you can do it..." It was strange, despite having little to no interest in the cube at the start, now that the puzzle was almostplete, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelming joy. Sophie nervously nodded before grabbing onto the piece with her soft, slim fingers. Once she grabbed a hold of it- *Clink!* She pulled it and just like that, wit 113 Chapter 113 "S-Stop teasing me..." She muttered as if asking him to take to step further. That was Xavier''s final straw- *Fwoosh!* Suddenly, he lifted Sangrea up into the air, holding her up by her ass. The sudden motion however had caused Xavier''s finger to brush past the bottom of her panties. Xavier was surprised by how wet it was, he rubbed his finger there a few times and watched as Sangrea tightened her grasp over him. She wasn''t making any sounds and he couldn''t see her expression since she wasn''t letting go of the hug. Even so, he could tell that she was enjoying it. "Let''s go." Xavier whispered before carrying her over to the room in front of them. Sangrea silently nodded. She slowly looked down the hall both sides as they walked. There was no one around just as she''d hoped, "Aren''t I heavy in this form?" Sangrea asked shyly. "Not at all." Xavier replied as he squeezed her ass one more time. "Sto... Okay..." She responded before quickly kissing his neck. No other words were exchanged between them until they''d reached the room. Xavier excitedly stretched his arm out towards the door to open it, but the moment he grabbed the handle- "Honestly... Where is he?" Viera''s voice echoed down the halls. Sangrea and Xavier both shivered as Viera''s figure emerged from down the hall. Sangrea reacted quickly, nudging Xavier to let go of her, but Xavier didn''tply. He continued to hold on and instead turned over to his sister who was staring at them with a flustered look. ''The hell is up with this timing?'' Xavier wondered as he stared at her. "Sister? What''s up?" Xavier asked with a look that suggested that he was busy. Viera got the message, the situation spoke for itself. Although she couldn''t tell because the dress was covering it, she could make out that her older brother was holding Sangrea up by the butt. The fact that they were heading into an empty room only reinforced her idea of what was going to happen. "L-Looks like I''m interrupting.." Viera muttered. "Yeah, pretty much." Xavier responded. "So, how can I help?" Viera stared at the two for a few seconds without responding. Her flustered expression slowly shifted into a saddened one before she replied. "You and Sangrea had suddenly disappeared so we were worried something had happened..." Xavier gave a pat on Sangrea''s head whilst still holding her up with his other arm. "We''re here. Don''t worry about us. Is that all?" Viera hesitantly nodded. "Alright, you''re drenched in sweat from training. Go take a shower and get some rest." Said Xavier. Sangrea shyly waved over at Viera as Xavier opened the door. Viera watched as the two went into the room. Right before the door closed however, she quickly spoke up. "Mum copsed again..." The moment she said that, Xavier retraced his steps backwards before putting Sangrea down on the floor. "How''s her condition?" Xavier asked as he turned to her. ''...'' "I don''t know... She''s not waking up..." Viera responded. "Which room?" Xavier asked once again, this time whilst standing right before her. "Anastasia''s-" Before she''d even finished the sentence, Xavier''s figure vanished from the hallway. Leaving only her and Sangrea behind. "I hope she turns out to be okay." Said Sangrea nervously. "...Yeah." Viera responded as she stared at her with narrowed eyes. When their eyes met, a confused look appeared on Sangera''s face. "Um... Are you mad at me for something?" Sangrea asked. Viera averted her eyes before turning away from Sangrea. "D... Don''t steal my brother from me..." She muttered as tears formed in her eyes. Those were herst words before walking away. Sangrea who was shocked by those words, could say nothing as she watched her walk away. "..." - - - Inside of Anastasia''s room, ine rested on her bed. Her eyes were shut, she was fast asleep, yet a pained expression could be seen on her face. Beside her was Anastasia and the Head butler. Anastasia had cut open a small wound on her arm and from it, pheromones were being released. [Pheromone maniption: Rxation.] Many pink chemicals were flowing out of Anastasia''s wound out into the air. ine''s pained expression was slowly turning into a more rxed one. However- "She''s burning up..." Said Anastasia as she ced her palm over on ine''s forehead. The butler ced a moderately cold wet towel over her face, leaving a gap for her to breathe. He then proceeded to go other to the kitchen section of Anastasia''s room where he was brewing his tea. Upon grabbing the tea cup however- his attention turned towards the entrance. *Fwoosh!* Xavier''s figure appeared a split secondter by the door, his eyes carried a hint of worry as he rushed over to his mother. "What happened?" Xavier asked, as he stopped by the bedside. The head butler walked over with the tea cup before stopping beside Xavier and responding. "She overdid it again." Xavier looked over to the butler with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" "She''s been overdoing it with her training. She''s been exhausting all of her energy time and time again in an attempt to improve her control." The butler adjusted his sses. "What she''s experiencing right now is the after effect of draining yourself time and time again without much rest-" Right as the butler finished his sentence, Xavier grabbed him by his neck and mmed him against the wall. "Why would you push her to this point!?" Xavier roared, veins bulging out of his arm as he red at the butler before him. The butler stared at Xavier through his sses with his dark red cold eyes before recalling a memory. -Memory *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* ine''s drenched figure suddenly copsed in the middle of the training chamber. A few seconds after however, she could be seen slowly getting back up. The butler watched as she staggered forward before bncing herself and continuing with her training. A bright glow was pulsating from her heart out into the surroundings. The air once again felt lighter and warmer and both the Butler and Viera who was also training could feel themselves being empowered. *Thud* A few seconds after, ine''s figure copsed again. Viera who was focused on her training didn''t notice, but the butler had witnessed this happen for the sixth time. "..." As ine struggled to get back up, the Butler who''d been watching them train, approached her. "Why don''t you stop to rest? You''ve already reached your limit. Isn''t that enough for today?" The Head butler asked as he adjusted his sses. "...Ha... Huff... Sorry... Let me catch my breath first..." Said ine as she slowly looked up at him. After tries, ine finally managed to get her breathing under control. Her chest was in a lot of pain, but she didn''t care. "Mr butler... Have you ever had kids?" She asked. "..." The butler wasn''t sure whether or not to respond to the question at first. Before he could give a reply, ine continued- "I''m not sure how to exin it but... They mean the world to me. The world is changing and with the strength I have right now, there''s no way I''ll be able to protect them." "That''s why... No matter what happens to me... No matter what it takes... I''ll continue to push myself to grow stronger... Strong enough to keep them safe... That''s all there is to it." After hearing her words, the butler had nothing to say. Rather, he didn''t know what to say. ''Motherly instinct... You humans continue to impress me in more ways than one...'' "Are you saying you would give your life away, if it meant keeping them safe?" Head Butler asked. Viera who heard this, tilted her head to the side with a confused look on her face. "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, I would." She added with a bright smile. The butler adjusted his sses before slowly turning away. "I hope you refrain from telling the young man that. There''s nothing he''d want more than for you to live." "Haha, there''s no need for him to worry about that, I don''t n on kicking the bucket until I''m an old grannie." The butler smiled at her response. "That eases my worries." He responded. -Memory end The continued to stare at Xavier, his cold eyes gazing at the re of the young man before him. "Why I let her push herself to this point?" The Butler asked as he grabbed Xavier''s arm. "It''s so that she can live." Xavier loosened his grip at the Butler''s words, and the butler swiped his arm away. "Now if I may continue." Said the Butler as he showed Xavier the tea cup. "This tea was made with a special type of leaf, it has energy revitalising properties. Xavier narrowed his eyes before averting them. "I''m sorry... I lost my cool." The Butler nodded, understanding where he wasing from before walking over to the bed and slowly pouring the tea onto the centre of ine''s body. Xavier watched as the bright orange liquid flowed onto her. Although the tea was hot, the liquid didn''t cause any burns and was absorbed without issue into her stomach. The entire process was mind-blowing to witness and what came after was even more unbelievable. Chapter 114 Hiatus Xavier walked by the door the Sangrea''s room staring at it for a few seconds before averting his eyes from it and onto the metallic cube which he was holding. ''...I still haven''t figured out the next step.'' He thought to himself The puzzle had been solved yet it was still unresponsive. Xavier could tell it was missing some sort of trigger, but just what was it? ''I can head out without it... But this is an ancient relic. I have a feeling it''ll be useful.'' [Ancient Relic] [Cube Of Infinity.] [Insert name] was the only shot Xavier had at figuring out the next step, unfortunately for him she was probably still asleep from overworking herself trying to figure this out. Xavier stopped by the mansion''s window and nced outside it. The dark clouds were still present, the rain was still pouring. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the garden''s puddles were joining together. The water level was rising. ''At this rate it won''t be long until there''s a flood... I''ll need to stock up on more supplies while I''m out.'' Xavier''s eyes returned over to the room, he gazed at it intensely. Sangrea had been waiting for him in that room, she probably hadn''t yet left. As he recalled their ns for the night, his expression grew slightly flustered. ''I was nning on leaving now but... Based on the fact that [insert name] is still resting, it''s better to wait it out till tomorrow. I''m going to need her to execute my n, after all.'' ''Tomorrow is the right time... There''s no need to rush. I''ll get some rest today and leave by tomorrow.'' Xavier walked staring at the grand artistic patterns on the door as he grabbed the handle. ''That''s right, I still have something to do before I leave.'' He thought to himself. Quietly, Xavier turned the handle and pushed the door open. "..." Upon entering the first thing he noticed was the sweet fragrance permeating throughout the air, a strong scent of fresh roses. The lights were off, but he could see clearly through his vampire sight. The room was just like how he''d remembered it,rge with the giant king bed by the end. Xavier slowly approached the bed staring at the figureying on it. It was Sangrea who was fast asleep, or at least that''s what it seemed like. Xavier could tell she was faking her sleep as her brows twitched with every step he took towards her. Her acting was horrible, but Xavier decided to y along. "Looks like she''s already asleep..." He muttered as his eyes fell on the clothes she was wearing. She''d changed from a dark dress to a dark night gown making her all the more enticing. It''s ============= Xavier awoke in the following morning with the Sangrea fast asleep beside him. She had a satisfied look on her face A slight smile grew on his face as he stared at her cute expressions. The smile quickly faded however, as he remembered what he''d nned on doing upon waking up. "Well then... I guess it''s time." He muttered as a dark, cold expression grew over his face. Slowly he got up from the bed, picking up his clothes from the floor in the process. Piece by piece, he began to dress himself whilst thinking of the best way to leave without rming everyone. Xavier originally nned to leave by himself, but after calming down and thinking things over, he realised that wasn''t the way to go about things. Xavier stared at his reflection as he plopped his head out through the cor of his T-shirt. "I''m taking Sangrea & Sylvia, they''ll be somewhat useful =============== Xavier stood by the door the Sangrea''s room staring at it for a few seconds before averting his eyes from it and onto the metallic cube which he was holding. ''...I still haven''t figured out the next step.'' He thought to himself The puzzle had been solved yet it was still unresponsive. Xavier could tell it was missing some sort of trigger, but just what was it? ''I can head out without it... But this is an ancient relic. I have a feeling it''ll be useful.'' [Ancient Relic] [Cube Of Infinity.] [Insert name] was the only shot Xavier had at figuring out the next step, unfortunately for him she was probably still asleep from overworking herself trying to figure this out. Xavier stopped by the mansion''s window and nced outside it. The dark clouds were still present, the rain was still pouring. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the garden''s puddles were joining together. The water level was rising. ''At this rate it won''t be long until there''s a flood... I''ll need to stock up on more supplies while I''m out.'' Xavier''s eyes returned over to the room, he gazed at it intensely. Sangrea had been waiting for him in that room, she probably hadn''t yet left. As he recalled their ns for the night, his expression grew slightly flustered. ''I was nning on leaving now but... Based on the fact that [insert name] is still resting, it''s better to wait it out till tomorrow. I''m going to need her to execute my n, after all.'' ''Tomorrow is the right time... There''s no need to rush. I''ll get some rest today and leave by tomorrow.'' Xavier walked staring at the grand artistic patterns on the door as he grabbed the handle. ''That''s right, I still have something to do before I leave.'' He thought to himself. Quietly, Xavier turned the handle and pushed the door open. "..." Upon entering the first thing he noticed was the sweet fragrance permeating throughout the air, a strong scent of fresh roses. The lights were off, but he could see clearly through his vampire sight. The room w The puzzle had been solved yet it was still unresponsive. Xavier could tell it was missing some sort of trigger, but just what was it? ''I can head out without it... But this is an ancient relic. I have a feeling it''ll be useful.'' [Ancient Relic] [Cube Of Infinity.] [Insert name] was the only shot Xavier had at figuring out the next step, unfortunately for him she was probably still asleep from overworking herself trying to figure this out. Xavier stopped by the mansion''s window and nced outside it. The dark clouds were still present, the rain was still pouring. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the garden''s puddles were joining together. The water level was rising. ''At this rate it won''t be long until there''s a flood... I''ll need to stock up on more supplies while I''m out.'' Xavier''s eyes returned over to the room, he gazed at it intensely. Sangrea had been waiting for him in that room, she probably hadn''t yet left. As he recalled their ns for the night, his expression grew slightly flustered. ''I was nning on leaving now but... Based on the fact that [insert name] is still resting, it''s better to wait it out till tomorrow. I''m going to need her to execute my n, after all.'' ''Tomorrow is the right time... There''s no need to rush. I''ll get some rest today and leave by tomorrow.'' Xavier walked staring at the grand artistic patterns on the door as he grabbed the handle. ''That''s right, I still have something to do before I leave.'' He thought to himself. Quietly, Xavier turned the handle and pushed the door open. "..." Upon entering the first thing he noticed was the sweet fragrance permeating throughout the air, a strong scent of fresh roses. The lights were off, but he could see clearly through his vampire sight. The room was just like how he''d remembered it,rge with the giant king bed by the end. Xavier slowly approached the bed staring at the figureying on it. It was Sangrea who was fast asleep, or at least that''s what it seemed like. Xavier could tell she was faking her sleep as her brows twitched with every step he took towards her. Her acting was horrible, but Xavier decided to y along. "Looks like she''s already asleep..." He muttered as his eyes fell on the clothes she was wearing. She''d changed from a dark dress to a dark night gown making her all the more enticing. It''s ============= Xavier awoke in the following morning with the Sangrea fast asleep beside him. She had a satisfied look on her face A slight smile grew on his face as he stared at her cute expressions. The smile quickly faded however, as he remembered what he''d nned on doing upon waking up. "Well then... I guess it''s time." He muttered as a dark, cold expression grew over his face. Slowly he got up from the bed, picking up his clothes from the floor in the process. Piece by piece, he began to dress himself whilst thinking of the best way to leave without rming everyone. Xavier originally nned to leave by himself, but after calming down and thinking things over, he realised that wasn''t the way to go about things. Xavier stared at his reflection as he plopped his head out through the cor of his T-shirt. "I''m taking Sangrea & Sylvia, they''ll be somewhat useful The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!