**Chapter 17: The Battle of the Ancient Castle III**
Power surged within me. I finally understood why Alba Tos had been so wild in his actions. With this strength, it was far more effective to surrender to the primal instincts that welled up from the depths of my soul than to resort to tricks.
While the Vampire’s weaknesses remained, I had to be cautious; however, my opponent was also a Vampire. They likely weren’t prepared for this. In a straightforward battle without tricks, I had received Senri’s endorsement: “In terms of raw power, you already surpass an average Vampire.”
It seemed that the abilities gained from mutation by lower-ranked Vampires were unique powers, while their physical capabilities didn’t differ significantly. After all, if one could gain such a variety of abilities from a single mutation, it would be unfair if their base abilities were significantly enhanced as well.
The Werewolves spread out, surrounding me. The perspective of my transformed state differed slightly from that of a human, but even if they were in my blind spots, I could sense their presence through their scent. Perhaps this was how Alba Tos and Rainer felt when they fought against me.
I roared at the Seablue floating high in the sky. With my current physical abilities, I could reach it easily; however, for me, who had no means to maneuver in midair, that would be a foolish move.
I stood tall on my hind legs and stretched out my front paws—as if to leap at the Seablue—but instead, I pounced on the nearest Werewolf.
The Werewolf, startled, tried to brace for the impact, but I crushed it without hesitation. Its claws scraped against me, but they couldn’t leave a mark. Furthermore, while Werewolves could only be harmed by silver weapons, perhaps due to the sorrow of being a Familiar Deceased, they could still be affected by attacks from Vampires.
“N/A… Surround it, N/A! Restrain it from all sides, N/A!”
The Seablue issued the command. They were underestimating me. Even if they attacked all at once from all directions, it was not a matter of numbers.
To begin with, the Seablue itself was holding back against a Werewolf of slightly enhanced strength, so how could it hope to take me down? If I were in their position, I could devise countless strategies, but all I could do was laugh.
The Werewolves charged at me, their impatience evident. I shook off their powerful strikes, sending them flying. I couldn’t wield a sword in this form, but I had claws. And there was no reason for me to hold back.
Once I dealt with the Seablue’s subordinates, it would be over. If there were no interruptions, I had Senri waiting in the wings, so there was no chance of defeat. The more I killed, the easier it would become. Creating more Werewolves would be manageable as long as there were Vampires with abilities, but mastering the curse they had received would require training.
“N/A… Crap, N/A!”
Realizing the disadvantage, perhaps sensing my thoughts, the Seablue spat out in frustration.
And then—blood rained down.
This was not a metaphor; it was rain made of blood. Each drop, shot forth with vigor, fell like bullets, leaving no room for evasion. The remaining outer walls of the ancient castle crumbled under the onslaught of blood. The Werewolves clinging to me were struck by the barrage and were violently thrown back. It was truly the act of a monster.
I had heard that high-powered area-of-effect attack spells required multiple Mages to cooperate and take time to cast. In that sense, the Seablue, capable of unleashing such a powerful attack that could obliterate sturdy Werewolves almost instantaneously, was deserving of the title “One Against a Thousand.”
However, my physical body in this form was considerably sturdier than that of the Werewolves or the castle walls. The rain of blood ceased. I lifted my head and deliberately looked at the Seablue.
“What did you do…?”
“Ugh, N/A… you wretched ‘Ancestor’…”
There was a heavy shock. Some of the blood bullets had embedded themselves into my flesh. But that was all. The wounds had already healed. The few Werewolves that had barely survived the blood rain retreated, their alertness heightened.
The Seablue’s complexion was noticeably less composed than a moment ago. Though its fighting spirit remained, it could not hide its exhaustion.
Why was it so fatigued when we had barely fought? I slowly pondered this question as I gazed at the puddles of blood on the ground. I see…
“The blood you shot out—can’t you move it?”
“N/A…”
“You’re running low on blood, aren’t you? This is—your blood.”
Rather than being immobile, it was more accurate to say there was some condition preventing its movement. I couldn’t cast “Sharp Claw” on the severed claws of my own arm. The exhaustion on the Seablue’s face was likely due to having used up most of its blood.
“A flawed ability… or rather, a poor application of it.”
If it had a defect, it should have been used without detaching from the body. While the rain of blood was optimal for killing large numbers of humans, it lacked the power to kill a monster like Rainer. This woman—she has probably never fought a life-or-death battle.
The Seablue’s eyes narrowed, revealing its sharp fangs as it clenched its jaw. I sighed and said, almost incredulously, “Is this all you can do…? At this rate, the ‘King of Stakes’ is nothing special either. I’ll let you off this time; you can go home.”
“N/A… That’s an obvious provocation, N/A!”
I felt embarrassed as I realized how blatant my taunt was, but the Seablue, instead of retaliating, released its blood wings and landed on the ground.
Why now…? It knew I was provoking it.
Caught off guard by its unexpected action, I was suddenly aware that the mutation had begun.
The Seablue’s slender arms swelled, and its jaw elongated. Silver fur, different from mine, sprouted, crackling with sound. Alba Tos had always appeared before me in the form of a black dog. This was my first time witnessing a mutation, and it was—somewhat unsettling.
The powerful limbs crushed the pockmarked ground. The Seablue had transformed into a magnificent silver wolf. Standing over three meters tall, its uniquely crimson eyes gazed up at me.
“Very well. I shall show you the true form of a Vampire.”
“Wolves and dogs… the wolf looks stronger.”
It exhaled a breath mixed with cursed flames, letting out a growl. Senri had said that a Vampire transformed into a wolf would increase its combat power. This transformation likely enhanced its tracking abilities. In that regard, I was at a disadvantage.
“Well, that is only if they were the same size.”
The wolf that the Seablue had transformed into was massive, but compared to me, it was only half my size. She didn’t understand. Larger beings were generally stronger than smaller ones. That was why I had struggled so much until now.
The Seablue lunged at me, baring its fangs. I countered with a powerful strike from my front paw.
—
The air trembled. Under the radiant full moon, two colossal beasts clashed violently.
Observing from a distance, Senri wore a complex expression.
End, transformed into a black dog, was overwhelming the silver wolf. The silver wolf was certainly not weak, but the difference in physique was too great. It was said that the size of a transformed Vampire was proportional to its power. This indicated that End-Balon’s base abilities already surpassed those of the Familiar of the “King of Stakes.” Though the previous exchange had already worn the opponent down, it was likely that they were still not fighting at full strength. Yet, for End to reach such a level in just a few months since the transformation was anything but normal.
Strong. Too strong. While End didn’t yet possess Vampire abilities, it wasn’t a formidable opponent for an Eclipse Knight. However, once it gained the powerful abilities of a Vampire, it would undergo a dramatic transformation.
Senri trusted End, but if my blood had granted End such power—what a strange feeling that was.
End had hardly changed since the moment we met. In fact, it seemed to have relaxed a bit more.
This was likely—elemental. He had always possessed talent as a warrior. The frail physical body that had once been a hindrance had vanished, and through numerous experiences, it had blossomed.
Great power often attracts monsters. Since that power had been revealed to a major force, living peacefully would become increasingly difficult. It was impossible to seek refuge in the Order of the Final Knights. No matter what happened, the Order of the Final Knights would not tolerate Vampires.
Senri had no idea how much tranquility the “Crystal of Night” would bring to that Vampire.
Claws dug deep into its physical body, and the Seablue let out a terrifying roar. Yet, End remained vigilant. The glossy, dark-colored dog wasted no time, relentlessly biting at the thrown wolf.
It intended to finish with a series of attacks. However, killing it would be impossible. Even with multiple Eclipse Knights, taking down a Vampire of that caliber without prior preparation would be challenging. Moreover, the opponent was aware that Senri was on End’s side. I couldn’t believe they would be foolish enough to approach without any preparations.
Even if they managed to obliterate the wolf’s physical body, it would likely revive in a state of calm. Experienced Vampires were almost immortal.
The Anadoro had already been mostly eradicated by End. The chances of mercenaries falling under the influence of dark forces were low.
I proceeded cautiously, ready to intervene at any moment should the situation turn dire.
The ground was littered with countless bones. Most of the undead were created by the necromancer. While it was not common for new undead to be formed from the remains of others, the sheer number here could not be ignored. They would need to be purified afterward.
A cold wind brushed against Senri’s cheek. It seemed it would take a little longer for the pervasive presence of the undead to dissipate.
At that moment, Senri’s gaze caught sight of a knight lurking in the shadow of the castle wall. Clad in ominous black armor, the knight was a fearsome sight. In its right hand, it wielded a pulsating sword clearly imbued with a powerful curse. And in its left arm—
“A Headless Knight (Dullahan)…”
The desiccated head cradled in its left arm turned to look at Senri. Its eye sockets, reminiscent of an abyss, were unsettling in a way distinct from a vampire.
The Dullahan was a symbol of death among the undead. Though it possessed few nuisance abilities, its pure combat prowess surpassed even that of a vampire. At this level, the ‘Light of Liberation (Soul-LiLiース)’ would not be enough to obliterate it, and there were times when an Eclipse Knight could be slain.
Considering the tendencies of the undead that had attacked thus far, it was undoubtedly a trump card of the raiders. The black lips of the severed head twisted slightly. The sword was now pointed directly at Senri.
This cursed sword, which drained the life of its wielder as a price for its power, was the strongest weapon for the undead. Observing its refined movements, Senri drew his holy silver sword without a flicker of emotion.
A warm wind blew. The Dullahan advanced with the quiet swiftness of the wind. Senri gently deflected the descending blade with his sword. He understood well that engaging in a battle of strength was unnecessary; the disparity in power was clear even before their blades clashed.
The massive figure lunged. In that instant, Senri’s sword struck, sending the left arm flying. The severed head soared through the air. He refrained from unnecessary attacks, aiming to kill before the opponent could adapt.
With a single breath, the third strike pierced the cross-section of the helmeted head.
And that was the end.
The remaining body convulsed, knelt, and collapsed to the ground. Even with its superior durability and regeneration abilities, being struck at its weakness by the holy silver sword rendered it meaningless.
Almost simultaneously, Seーブル let out a particularly loud roar. The massive End crushed its head with a force nearly double its size.
Though vampires possess immortality, their heads and hearts are as vulnerable as those of humans. Crushing them creates a clear opening for regeneration.
From that point on, End’s movements were terrifyingly swift in Senri’s eyes. She shed her mutation and instantly reverted to her human form, extending her clawed fingers to pierce the chest of the fallen silver wolf without a moment’s hesitation.
The silver wolf convulsed. End intended to extract the heart, the symbol of vampire power. Removing the heart would drastically reduce its regeneration ability and impose limitations on its powers.
However, End’s expression suddenly changed. A clear panic crossed her face as she withdrew her hand and stabbed into a slightly misaligned spot. After checking several times, she muttered in disbelief.
“Impossible… this can’t be happening.”
At that moment, Senri stepped forward. The presence of Seーブル, who had been battered by End, was on the verge of vanishing. It was a fragility that was hard to believe for a creature of immortality. End looked at Senri with pleading eyes.
“Senri… my heart… it’s gone. It’s really gone!”
“…There’s a way to do that. You’ve hidden your heart.”
You had extracted only the heart and stored it in a coffin. While this would significantly diminish your power, it would allow you to avoid death in a pinch. The crushed head of Seーブル slowly began to recover. Without a heart, it was likely that its strength had already run dry.
The regenerated eyes glared at End and Senri, speaking with venomous disdain.
“I never imagined you would grow this strong… I underestimated you.”
“Hiding your heart is cowardly! Are all undead and necromancers nothing but cowards?”
“Why, with such power, do you align yourself with the enemy, the ‘Eclipse Knight’…?”
The words dripped with genuine frustration. It seemed she no longer had the strength to transform into a bat and escape. There was no doubt that End’s power had drained her to this point. Even if she had the strength to transform and flee, Senri would never let her escape.
“I’ve seen the methods of the ‘Ancestor’. I won’t let my guard down next time. Next time, I’ll take only your head.”
“P-please, don’t! I’m already weak! Just leave me be! I only want to live in peace!”
End said this with a face that looked ready to break into tears, collapsing right there on the spot. A slight smile appeared at the corner of Seーブル’s mouth. In that instant, End extended her fangs and plunged them into the silver wolf’s neck.