Chapter 22: Corrosion③
Chapter Three
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Chapter 22: Corrosion③
At first, there was just one strange lion.
The first scene etched in Memory was of a lifeless spiritual peak and the sight of itself roaring at its summit.
The powerful dragon Blood coursing through its veins made Rainel “solitary.” By the time it became self-aware, there was no one around except for prey. It took some time for Rainel to learn that lions were originally creatures that formed packs.
The catalyst for change was a magic King that intruded upon Rainel’s territory.
Perhaps it was one of the weakest among magic Kings. Rainel bit and killed that magic King, who sought to invade its territory and destroy it. Thus, Rainel became the new magic King. A magic King is one who commands beings that are not of the human realm. Powerless magic beings gather under those who possess strength.
What is necessary is overwhelming power. For Rainel, born a King, forming a pack was almost instinctual, and before long, the magic King Rainel rose to become a formidable force.
Now that it had grown into a large group, merely defending its territory would not sustain the pack. The pack had become so vast that Rainel alone could not oversee it. Next, it needed to establish a nation. The conquest of the fortress city, RoN/Aburg, would be the first step.
However, more than that, Rainel sought battles against strong foes.
Dragons grow more powerful the longer they live. As Rainel aged, inheriting that Blood, it continued to grow stronger. It had been a long time since it experienced a battle at full strength. When was the last time it had a bloody fight? Was it when it defeated the powerful phantom beast, the man-eating Hebram, or when it faced Oliver? Yet even then, Rainel had not sustained serious injuries.
Before long, there were no challengers left. Even the End-Knight stationed in RoN/Aburg could not reach Rainel.
If things continued like this, even if its power increased, its soul would rot.
That Vampire was a refreshing change. It was splendid. Rainel had defeated the gluttonous man-eater in NaN/Aba-2. Its strength, will, and even growth potential were exceptional. And those eyes, shining like Blood—those eyes were reminiscent of the formidable opponents that had once faced Rainel. Now, it was still weaker than Rainel. However, it was only a matter of time before that man would undoubtedly challenge Rainel.
The magic King with AdN/Aro as a subordinate was said to be targeted by the End-Knight. But that was fine. Rainel was a King. It stood at the pinnacle of those who are connected to magic. Therefore, in the name of that power and pride, it must accept all challenges.
With End-BaRoN/A, the conquest of RoN/Aburg would not take long. As its influence grew, stronger foes, human hordes, and other magic Kings would challenge Rainel. Just thinking about it made Blood surge and flesh dance. The instincts for battle that had begun to wither were invigorated.
The time had come. Although the disruption of supply lines had failed, something far greater had been obtained. The army of magic King Rainel could not afford to stagnate. Tomorrow, it would crush RoN/Aburg. It would destroy that bothersome wall, ravage the city, and advance beyond.
In the rugged castle located on the mountainside, as Rainel suppressed its emotions heightened by the cold night air, a shadowy figure appeared, blending into the darkness.
There was no presence. No scent, no sound, nothing. Rainel let out a low growl at the small figure cloaked in crimson.
The figure was a guest. It appeared human but was not human. A suffocating scent of Blood suddenly washed over Rainel. Its skin was sickly pale, devoid of any vitality. Its hair was as red as Blood, glistening as if wet.
With androgynous features, Rainel could not discern the age or gender of the figure, but there was a feminine scent, masked by the overpowering stench of death and Blood.
A Vampire—perhaps that was what such a being was.
The woman was a messenger from another magic King. She was a Familiar of the “King of Stakes,” a force known for its Special strength among the many magic Kings. That King’s faction was composed of the abominable AdN/Aro.
Although there was no cooperative relationship with magic King Rainel, there was also no antagonism. That King’s territory was far removed.
The Familiar had been dispatched for reconnaissance and possibly to forge an alliance.
The woman slightly parted her lips. Her voice, which had been emotionless since arriving under Rainel’s command, now trembled just a little.
“There is no doubt… a Vampire… and moreover, a True Vampire. I never imagined that one who belongs to none of the factions still existed…”
“There are plenty under your King, Seーブル.”
Rainel was not the only one who had witnessed the duel with the man-eater. Someone who had shown no interest in the powerful phantom beast, Matikora, was now trembling with excitement. Originally, they had come to confirm the Werewolf—Oliver—created by a faction of Vampires, but that purpose seemed to have vanished from their mind.
“Magic King Rainel, I shall offer you a portion of my army. Ten Werewolves of the fourth rank, and two hundred of the fifth and sixth ranks.”
“What is the price?”
Rainel already knew the answer, but it let out a small sound of amusement and asked. The Vampire named Seーブル answered immediately, her eyes quietly shining.
“In exchange… I want that Vampire.”
Rainel slightly rose. The sharp holy silver Claw scraped against the floor.
Indeed, Werewolves are powerful. They are strong and few in number. With an army of two hundred capable of transforming into humans, the conquest of RoN/Aburg would be a breeze.
However, this was out of the question. Rainel had no intention of negotiating in the first place. Allowing someone to step into its territory was not for the purpose of offering up someone it favored.
It looked down at the shadow, much smaller in comparison.
“Be gone before my Claw pierces your flesh.”
“How foolish… a mere beast.”
As Seーブル clicked her tongue, Rainel swung its foreleg down. The specially crafted Vampire’s Weakness—silver claw—sliced through her body diagonally before she could even evade, piercing through the castle floor. The entire castle trembled under the might of the lion that bore the Blood of a dragon.
However, there was no resistance. Seーブル, who had surely been cut, was now several meters away, near the window. Not a single scratch marred her slender body or her cloak.
The powers of a Vampire are unfathomable. Under Rainel’s light, Seーブル’s complexion showed no change. Despite the thick scent of Blood surrounding her, there was presumably no Blood flowing within her body.
“You will regret turning down this negotiation.”
“…Let’s see you try.”
Seーブル’s expression twisted violently. Almost simultaneously, her body burst apart. In the darkness, a high-pitched squeal escaped as countless bats took flight. The dense swarm, nearly colliding with one another, rushed out of the window as if competing. Nothing remained behind.
“What a clever trick. I shall devour you whole eventually.”
Rainel could pursue, but the opponent lacked the will to fight thoroughly. If it chased, they would only continue to flee. That would be quite the letdown.
Now was not the time to be concerned with a single Vampire outside.
Standing tall, magic King Rainel let out a resounding roar. The air trembled, the castle shook, and the entire army stationed on the mountainside resonated with its voice. In response, a roar echoed back.
Now, the time had come. Sharpen your Claws and hone your Fangs. Show the humans and the minions of the “King of Stakes” the might of Rainel’s army.
§ § §
It was easy to blend into the darkness. No one noticed me, nor did they seem to sense my presence.
The power of “Shadow Veil” seemed to not only erase sound and scent but also provided a visual concealment effect. By pouring more Blood into it, I could deceive the keen senses of magic beasts and move like a shadow. It wouldn’t last long, but for now, it was sufficient.
My head was hot. I could feel my instincts for battle surging. Perhaps I had drunk too much Blood, or maybe the stress had been building recently.
If it were just a matter of mood, that would be fine, but I had to avoid my consciousness being drawn towards the Vampire. It would be acceptable during battle, but once everything was over, I needed to return to normal.
For the moment, there was no one among the magic King’s army who seemed capable of defeating me. They were numerous, but that held little significance for a Vampire.
The ones to watch out for were still the magic King Rainel and the man-eater. Oliver also seemed formidable in terms of abilities, but he was unstable enough that he might switch sides depending on the situation. Not that I needed him.
The real issue was Rainel. Its physical prowess was likely stronger than that of Alba, and on top of that, I had never seen it in battle, so its true strength remained a mystery.
To kill that lion-dragon, cooperation was essential. I needed the power to pierce through that fur and inflict wounds.
The lair of the man-eater was near the castle, in a cave on the mountainside. Two Oni guards stood at the large, clumsy wooden door, wearing expressions of annoyance.
The door was clearly a hastily constructed object. It was merely a collection of mismatched wooden planks, leaving numerous gaps that rendered it ineffective as a barrier. From those crevices, a strong scent of caution seeped through the air.
This door was undoubtedly a desperate strategy. Vampires cannot enter a person’s home unless invited. Perhaps the vampire had realized that the cave where it usually resided did not meet the conditions of a proper dwelling and had hurriedly installed this door. And it seemed that plan had succeeded; my instincts whispered that I should not enter that house.
Indeed, that creature—the Demon King, whom I presumed was called Hebram—was a cunning beast.
The guards likely weren’t stationed here regularly. The expressions of the Oni people were marked with clear discontent.
It seems I am considerably disliked… Could it be that they think I might ambush them in revenge? I hid in the shadows of the trees, licking my lips as I began to devise a strategy for how to request their cooperation.