𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬
“Here, give it a try.”
ㅤ
As I unsheathed the black sword Kurotenmaru that Dwerk-san had tossed to me, I noticed a new blade tinged with red in places, as though it was eroding the original jet-black blade.
ㅤ
“As per your request, I’ve enhanced it using materials from the Four Heavenly Kings. Test its strength by swinging it yourself.”
“. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Swinging the new Kurotenmaru silently toward the outside of the barrier, a burst of black flame from the blade incinerated the rain of blood.
It seems the inherent darkness of Kurotenmaru has mingled with the flames of Dragburn.
Moreover, its power has increased exponentially.
Truly worthy of the God of War.
Excellent work, timing included.
With this,
ㅤ
“Thank you, Dwerk-san. I think I can fight now.”
“Alright. I’ll head back and sleep then. The other one will have to wait until I wake up.”
ㅤ
Saying that, without uttering a word of encouragement, Dwerk-san left at his own pace, leaving behind only the results of his work.
He didn’t seem to care about the village’s crisis at all.
One could say he are thick-skinned, or rather, a person who truly has nothing on his mind except for his craft.
ㅤ
“Alright.”
ㅤ
I can’t afford to lose now, for the sake of compensating him for his work.
If I lose, the village is doomed, and Dwerk-san will die without receiving his payment.
It wouldn’t be fair to skip out on payment after receiving such quality work.
ㅤ
“Let’s go.”
ㅤ
With that, I brandished my returned companion and leapt outside the barrier.
A downpour of dark blue blood rained down upon me all at once.
Judging from the gouged bodies of the golems outside the barrier (excluding the Iron Dwarves), this rain could easily pierce through me.
My choices are either to die or let his blood infiltrate my body and be controlled.
ㅤ
“Fourth Strike Deformation━『Dark Moon Dance』!”
ㅤ
To prevent that, I swung Kurotenmaru just before stepping out of the barrier.
I imagined the dance of its original owner, Sword Saint Shizuka.
Mimicking the moves of that former great hero, I released strikes in all directions while running.
Continuously slashing and dancing.
By doing this, the black flames spewing from Kurotenmaru formed a dome around me, acting as a shield from the rain of blood until the flames dissipated.
A barrier of black flame that destroys with darkness and incinerates with heat.
I already confirmed earlier that this meager rain can’t pierce it!
ㅤ
“Huh?! That abominable flame. . . . . .is it the power of that muscle-brained lizard?!
But don’t think you can burn up a vampire’s blood with such a feeble fire!”
ㅤ
Vampneel directed both of his hands toward me.
Blood gathered at the tips of his palms, and the surrounding rain of blood also began to converge there.
A large-scale attack using an immense amount of blood was launched.
ㅤ
“Disappear! 『Vampire Luminance』!”
ㅤ
It was the greatest technique I had ever seen.
A supercharged blood cannon, reminiscent of a dragon’s breath, much stronger than the flash he’d shown before.
I don’t think I can evaporate this massive amount of blood with Kurotenmaru’s black flames.
While Dragburn could have done it when alive, only a part of his power has been inherited by Kurotenmaru.
Annoyingly, Vampneel is right; it’s merely a vestige of power.
ㅤ
But!
ㅤ
“Third Strike━『Slashing Sweep』!”
ㅤ
If I can’t defend with Kurotenmaru, then I’ll simply use my own techniques to fend off the attack.
It’s just doing what I’ve always done.
Against the thick flash of light, I maintained the momentum of my dance, slashing upwards to tear apart the weaknesses in this attack.
The flash, which was like a lump of blood, lost its shape due to these flaws and could not withstand its own advancing energy, bursting apart under my slash.
ㅤ
However, what sets this apart from dragon’s breath is that it doesn’t end there.
The blood constituting the shattered flash wriggled, transformed beneath the soaked ground, and instantaneously turned into giant spikes.
A two-step attack.
It’s a well-thought-out technique.
ㅤ
Even so, I saw it coming.
I was well aware that this technique is different from ordinary magic or dragon’s breath, and that the blood moves at his will.
I wouldn’t let my guard down just because I sliced through it.
ㅤ
As the blood beneath my feet solidified into spikes, I leapt up, receiving it with the sturdy soles of my Storm Leg Armor.
I activated Rapid Current, using the momentum from the spikes pushing up from beneath the ground.
While holding Kurotenmaru above me like an umbrella, I leapt straight into the air where he had positioned himself.
ㅤ
“W, What?!”
ㅤ
Vampneel, who must have had confidence in his two-step attack, let out a voice of dismay when it was turned against him.
Not missing that opportunity, I aimed Kurotenmaru skyward for a single stroke.
The flying slash of black flames, Fourth Strike 『Dark Moon』.
With the added power of Dragburn, an incomparably gigantic slash formed, vaporizing the rain of blood in its trajectory and engulfing Vampneel himself.
ㅤ
A direct hit.
Moreover, this technique is not something that can be deflected by turning into mist.
If he turns to mist, the misty parts will all burn away.
This is the weakness of mist transformation.
Although it’s invincible against pure physical attacks, against magical attacks like Explosive Sphere or these black flames, it actually lowers the defense.
That’s why Auntie Elle said that few vampires use mist transformation.
ㅤ
However,
ㅤ
“Don’t underestimate me!”
ㅤ
Vampneel, who should have been burned by black flames, is perfectly fine.
If you exploit the weakness of vaporization, defeating them shouldn’t be a problem.
In simple terms, if you can’t just turn into mist to evade, you can endure with the resilience of your natural physical body without turning into mist.
Against attacks on my level, it’s quite an easy feat.
The body of Vampneel, burned by black flames, has only suffered damage to the extent of charring the outer layer.
Even those injuries heal instantly from the core of the body.
ㅤ
“I told you, you can’t—Wha. . . . . .?!”
ㅤ
Just as Vampneel, who had resisted the black flames, noticed an object flying towards him.
It’s a sphere I threw from my Magic bag.
A third trick.
The same tactic yet again.
But if the timing is right, it’s still an effective move.
Hence, Vampneel tries to deal with it with a panicked face and. . . . . .
ㅤ
“What?!”
ㅤ
He fails.
Why?
Because what exploded this time wasn’t a bomb, but a flash so bright you can’t keep your eyes open.
What I had thrown this time was not an Explosive Sphere, but a very similar Magic item, a Flash Sphere.
It’s a cheap trick inferior to even a third-rate magician, but if it works, anything goes.
Rather, I think of such small tactics as one of the advantages you get because you’re a weakling who seldom gets a chance to hone your skills against stronger opponents.
ㅤ
An unparalleled opportunity created using the wisdom of such a weakling.
In an instant, he covered his dazzled eyes with both hands, and just after unleashing a powerful technique, he found himself vulnerable to a sudden attack at this moment.
Nevertheless, there was a certain composure in his demeanor, even as he appeared anxious.
The reason for this is probably because he believes I haven’t yet figured out the mechanism that prevents me from killing him even if I were to pierce his heart.
ㅤ
I pierce through such arrogance with a flash enveloped in black flames.
ㅤ
“『Dark Moon』!”
ㅤ
With the acceleration of Rapid Current, I gained enough speed to reach the sky with a jump.
Kurotenmaru, carrying all of that momentum, pierced through burned skin, threaded through the gaps in bones, and pierced through the muscle armor, stabbing into Vampneel’s chest.
The blade pierced the right chest.
A place that should originally contain the heart, shifted one fist’s width to the side.
Vampneel, whose chest was destroyed to an irreparable extent by this thrust and black flames, began to suffer in an unprecedented and extraordinary manner.
ㅤ
“Gah?! Cough?!”
ㅤ
Vampneel coughs violently, spitting out a large amount of blood from his mouth.
However, he cannot manipulate the blood at will.
Rather, even the massive clot of blood that had been raining down from the sky begins to lose its control, starting to disperse and fall to the ground.
ㅤ
Seeing this, I pull Kurotenmaru from Vampneel’s chest and accelerate toward the ground using the power of my Storm Leg Armor.
I land inside Rin’s barrier, avoiding the cascade of blood pouring from the sky.
I hear a voice nearby saying “Hogya?!”—probably Imina-san—but it’s probably fine.
ㅤ
So, when all the blood has finally fallen and the moonlight returns to the sky,
A little distance from the still-fighting monsters, golems, and Imina-san, Vampneel lies on the ground, having fallen from the sky.
ㅤ
“Ridiculous. . . . . .?! Why. . . . . .?! Why has this happened?!”
ㅤ
Vampneel mumbles to himself in a barely audible voice.
I cautiously approach him, never letting my guard down.
To make sure I deliver the final blow.
ㅤ
“You. . . . . .you, you, you!! Why?! How did you know where my heart is?!”
ㅤ
Just when it seemed that way, Vampneel suddenly shouted at me loudly.
However, his attempts to move were futile. His trembling arms couldn’t lift his body, and he fell back onto the ground, now stained with his own blood.
Gradually, that body, much like Rest, who had been turned into a vampire, crumbled into ashes.
It appeared that Vampneel was weakening to the point where it seemed he couldn’t do anything anymore.
And rightfully so.
After all, his heart, the vampire’s weakness, had been completely destroyed.
ㅤ
“How did I find out where your heart is, huh?”
ㅤ
I owe him no answer.
So, I’ll just think about the real answer in my mind.
First of all, the reason I couldn’t kill him when I first cut his heart.
It was because he kept moving his heart within his body.
I realized this because each time I wounded him, the healing began at different places.
ㅤ
I have no experience fighting progenitor vampires, but I have fought monsters with regenerative abilities similar to vampires.
Such monsters usually have a core inside their bodies—akin to a vampire’s heart—that must be destroyed, and the damage they sustain mostly heals around this core.
With such hints, it was easy to figure out.
ㅤ
Still, finding his ever-moving heart within his body was a hassle. That’s why I unleashed a slash of black flame that swallowed Vampneel.
The flame only caused superficial burns, but it was enough to reveal the location of his heart as it healed.
I even factored in the movement of his heart from his body’s center to his chest to shield himself from my faux Explosive Sphere.
ㅤ
“Impossible. . . . . .! Impossible. . . . . .!
I’m going to die? Me, the supreme progenitor vampire, will be hunted down and killed by an inferior being without divine protection?
That can’t be! It shouldn’t be!”
ㅤ
Vampneel continues to scream, unwilling to accept his defeat.
Seeing this,
ㅤ
“You’re weak.”
ㅤ
The words just slip out.
I was planning to finish him off in silence, but my thoughts inadvertently poured out.
ㅤ
“What did you say. . . . . .?!”
ㅤ
While grinding his crumbling fangs, Vampneel glares at me with a furious expression.
But it doesn’t scare me.
Compared to Dragburn, who even in the brink of death exuded an aura of strength, Vampneel now seems pitifully small.
ㅤ
Indeed, his power was immense.
Even accounting for the worst compatibility, he was incomparably stronger than any average demon.
Blood manipulation, mist transformation, regenerative and flight abilities, enslaving humans and monsters, and even a novel technique of moving his heart within his body.
He was undeniably a formidable enemy, making the most of his vampiric abilities.
ㅤ
However, the result is that he, by himself, has been pushed to the brink of defeat.
Even with his crucial vampire abilities, he was using them skillfully, but that’s about it.
The ease with which his heart’s location was pinpointed, the fact that he couldn’t use mistification on the spot when his face was kicked – all of this shows a level of proficiency that can only be described as superficial, and it would be an exaggeration to say that he wasn’t using them effectively.
ㅤ
On top of that, he shows a careless mentality, getting carried away and leaving himself open, or becoming irrationally angry.
In the end, he screams in denial of reality, revealing a fragile heart.
Compared to Dragburn, who was finally subdued by the combined forces of the entire Hero’s Party and nearly all of Elf Village’s warriors, he simply pales.
Efforts to overcome his weaknesses are visible, but they mean nothing if they are merely superficial.
ㅤ
He relies on his inherent strength, stops making effort after gaining some unmastered power and meeting someone stronger, and only knows how to look down on those weaker than himself, a foolish person filled with arrogance and laziness.
That’s the impression I got from Vampneel.
It’s almost sad to think that this small fry is the one after Rest.
ㅤ
“What did you just say?! Take it back! I am the supreme True Progenitor Vampire! I’m of the former Demon King’s lineage, you know?!”
“Ah, that too, Vampneel.”
ㅤ
I’ve thought this from the beginning.
ㅤ
“When you praise yourself, you use words like ‘I belong to the supreme race,’ ‘I’m from the bloodline of the previous Demon King,’ and boast about your lineage.
You didn’t have a single word to boast about yourself.”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
Vampneel is taken aback.
Was I spot-on, or did he just realize it now?
. . . . . .Even if I get closer, his last struggle will be more than I can handle. Better to stay cautious at this distance and shake him up with some words.
ㅤ
“You are weak. So weak that you’re unfit for your position among the Four Heavenly Kings. You’ve known this all along, haven’t you?”
“Grrrr!!!”
ㅤ
Vampneel’s face distorts into something demonic.
He tries to attack me in his anger, but his raised arm turns to ash and crumbles.
Cracks form all over his body.
His end is near.
ㅤ
But,
ㅤ
“. . . . . . . . . . . .Heh.”
ㅤ
Vampneel, in his dying moment,
ㅤ
“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
ㅤ
Laughs like a madman.
This isn’t a smile of admiration for the one who defeated him, like Dragburn.
It’s a laugh of resignation, as if everything has become meaningless, a laugh of ruin.
ㅤ
“Fine, I’ll admit it! I’ll admit it, you inferior race! This battle, I’ve lost!
But this isn’t your win either! You can’t beat Asgard, which has gained the upper hand through my schemes!
Besides, I still have a trump card! I’ll use my last strength to unleash it and wreak havoc!
I’m definitely finished, but you all are too!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
ㅤ
Vampneel keeps laughing with his decaying body.
Watching him, I thought,
ㅤ
“Leaving it to others till the very end, huh.”
ㅤ
The moment Vampneel heard my mutter, his laughter abruptly stopped.
Demons don’t usually form groups.
They might be controlled by an overwhelmingly powerful Demon King, but they don’t willingly team up with their own kind.
Naturally, leaving things to others is out of the question.
If he’s a demon, then he has thrown away even the last shred of demonic pride.
ㅤ
“I hate demons, but even I have to say—maybe you’re not even fit to be called a demon.”
“GRRRRR!!!”
ㅤ
It seems my candid thoughts came across as the ultimate insult to this guy.
Vampneel reached out his remaining arm towards me with the most desperate look of rage he’s ever had. . . . . .and then crumbled into ash and died before he could say another word.
Unlike Dragburn, there was neither dignity nor pride; it was a truly disgraceful end.
ㅤ
“I’ve taken my revenge, Rest.”
ㅤ
In the night of the Celestial Mountains, words of mourning dissolve into the air.
One battle has come to a conclusion, and yet another corner of the Four Heavenly Kings has fallen.
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