**Chapter 3: Bloodlust②**
The power that had already been waning was now plummeting like a boulder rolling down a slope.
The speed of this decline was far faster than I had anticipated from the changes in my Status over the past ten days. Perhaps the blood of Senri that I had absorbed was completely depleted.
The physical abilities of a Vampire are otherworldly. Thus, I could still manage to walk through the night, but in a real battle, the difference from my previous self would become painfully clear.
If I were to fight against the me who had just consumed Senri’s blood, I would be overwhelmed in the blink of an eye.
My words had dwindled. My consciousness was fading. Above all, I was starving.
Despite having eaten more than enough, it seemed that for a Vampire, regular food was an inadequate substitute for blood.
Bloodlust resembled hunger, yet was distinct from it. My body felt hot, and my mind was clouded. It was as if my soul was being set ablaze, and I found my gaze drawn to Senri’s every movement.
Since that moment, Senri had not made any overt advances. Yet, the dull silver sheen of her hair, her flawless white skin, and her somewhat melancholic purple eyes were maddeningly precious to me now. If Bloodlust could be filled by sexual desire and appetite, then the feelings I harbored for Senri were likely a fusion of those two.
In both fiction and reality, the notion of a “good Vampire” is nearly nonexistent. The unquenchable thirst that remains, even after consuming flesh, drinking water, or draining beast blood, along with the gradual loss of strength, surely transforms Vampires into terrifying monsters. It is indeed a “curse.” The sensation of approaching oblivion was something even I, who had once tasted a similar fate in a previous life, found almost unbearable.
If I asked Senri, she might have shared a little of her blood with me. However, I was half stubborn. I had no idea how to gain her complete trust. All I could do was prolong the inevitable.
The first thing I stopped doing was talking. I minimized my conversations with Senri, burying myself in thought to resist the unending thirst.
I was accustomed to loneliness. There were countless thoughts to ponder.
How would I survive from now on? How could I earn Senri’s trust? What could I do to quickly gain the strength to resist external threats? How could I acquire the ability to hide in the shadows, which I had lost after skipping the mutation to become a “Dark Stalker”? How much time did I have until my next mutation? And how could I find allies?
A Vampire cannot cross flowing water. While it does not lead to their demise, they lose their strength and special abilities entirely when on water. This is why Vampires rarely appear on islands, and developed cities often have artificial rivers surrounding them. I needed to carefully consider a base of operations while the influence of being a lower-ranked Vampire still allowed me some leeway.
Finding allies necessary for operating within human society was also a challenge. I had no friends. However, Senri’s companions were even less trustworthy.
There were only two possibilities.
One was the “Gravekeeper,” a collaborator of a Lord far more terrifying than a mere lower-ranked Vampire like myself. Perhaps he might help me. I had met him twice, making him the most likely candidate. However, the Gravekeeper, who dealt in illegal trades, was originally an enemy of Senri and Sylph. Even if I could convince him, he was a merchant. The Lord had provided him with suitable compensation, allowing me to procure resources, but I could not offer him a reward commensurate with the risk he would take. Moreover, the biggest problem was that I had no idea where he was. He might be in the city of Enegai, but I couldn’t just waltz in there. He might already be captured.
The second possibility was my family from my previous life. Though small, my home belonged to a lower noble family with a title. Thus, even though I was afflicted by a strange illness, I did not die immediately and received regular treatment. They likely had enough wealth to support a Knight and an Adept.
The issue was that I had no idea how my family viewed me, bedridden as I was.
As I sank deeper into my endless thoughts, I mechanically moved my feet.
The unique black cleaver, a legacy of the Lord that had not been taken by the Knights of the End as it lay on the ground, proved useful. The heavy cleaver could crack the skulls of carnivorous beasts with minimal movement. By not using my special abilities, I could slightly mitigate the decline in my strength.
Occasionally, beasts I had overlooked due to my inattentiveness would attack, but Senri was a more skilled warrior than I. There was no problem.
After nearly two weeks, we successfully emerged from the dense forest. By that time, my Bloodlust was nearing its limit.
—
Anxiety and hunger, the primal urges of a beast, were transforming me into a monster. My body felt as if it were no longer my own.
Beyond the forest lay an endless expanse of grassland, stretching to the horizon.
I shook my head, trying to dispel my feverish thoughts, and squinted.
Compared to the forest, there was nothing to block the sunlight. I had hoped that something would change once I emerged from the woods, but the situation did not appear to be improving.
In the sky, I could see a moon that was a quarter of its full size. Each day, it shrank further. This was one reason I was still able to endure the impulses.
Vampires gain strength during the full moon. It is said that they often hunt on full moon nights. Increased power means heightened emotions, and Bloodlust likely intensifies as well.
I didn’t know what to do. I felt utterly lost.
As I gazed at the open grassland, devoid of obstacles, I felt insignificantly small.
*“End, if you continue like this— you will die.”*
Suddenly, the remnants of a voice echoed, speaking of the futility of my situation. I was not surprised by the shadow that appeared before me; I had already lost the capacity for shock.
A phantom of the Lord, looking down at me with an expression of disbelief, had appeared without my noticing.
Since Senri, standing behind me, seemed unaware, it was likely a complete hallucination.
*“Your power is diminishing to an alarming degree. I must commend your ability to withstand the impulses for so long.”*
“Shut up…”
*“This resistance is futile. You are a demon; to live, you must drink blood. It seems you have yet to realize why I kept a female slave by my side.”*
“? End… Is that okay…?”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to drink. The reason I refrained from doing so was my own weakness. Even now, I could not fully trust Senri. To be precise, I did not trust myself to trust Senri. I needed to be cautious. Perhaps my tendency to wait until situations became dire before taking action was a bad habit of mine.
*“The more blood a Vampire consumes, the stronger they become. End, that girl there has the finest blood. If you manage to drain it all, you can ascend as a lower-ranked Vampire— to unimaginable heights. You can either flee, fight, or whatever else you wish.”*
“…”
*“Afterward, you can hide somewhere and drain the blood of some unfortunate soul who happens to pass by. Your enemies— those who could kill you— are extremely few.”*
That was indeed a useful option. However, I wondered if Senri would allow such an act of madness. Depending on how I approached it, there was a possibility it could work.
But that would make me no different from any other Vampire. And ordinary Vampires are destined to be eradicated in due time.
To survive in this enemy-ridden world, I needed some sort of strategy. If I were a Lord, perhaps that method would have worked. Lords possess knowledge, experience, and even necromancy. They likely have connections as well. But I had none of those.
*“A remarkable will, vessel. To endure the sun’s punishment, to withstand Bloodlust, and even in a half-dead state, my will cannot encroach upon you…”*
The Lord’s scrutinizing gaze was fixed upon me. He whispered to me. For a hallucination, his voice and form were surprisingly clear.
*“End, accept me. My soul resides within you— bring me forth. Then, this crisis shall be easily overcome.”*
It was a demon’s whisper. Was this truly a hallucination, or as the Lord claimed, was the consciousness of Holos Carmen still lingering within me?
Regardless, my answer was singular: go away.
I could survive on my own.
“End… you look terrible. Once… we should head back to the forest. Dawn is approaching. It would be best to wait until tomorrow to venture outside.”
“Ah… I understand. Ah… I get it. I know without you telling me!”
In response to Senri’s words, I answered almost reflexively, without thinking. Before I realized it, the Lord’s phantom had vanished. I was pulled along, urging my unsteady body to follow.
“…I’m sorry, but I can’t let you out like this…”
I faintly heard Senri’s apology. But it mattered little to me. I didn’t even have the capacity to comprehend her words.
The silver hair before me swayed gently. Warm, white fingertips brushed against my hand. Just before stepping into the forest, I sensed the presence of water nearby. She must intend to return there.
Surely, in this moment, my eyes are bloodshot.
“Devour, End. Once, you tasted blood. You have no choice. For a monster like you, a future without enemies is impossible.”
Though his form remains hidden, the Lord’s words reverberate in my mind.
I press my left hand against my head, but the urge within me refuses to subside.
No… I can’t hold on any longer. At this rate, I will end up killing her.
Taking a small breath, I plunged my fangs deep into the flesh before me, driven by my own will.