Ryo's instincts heightened as his Enemy Detection alert sounded. 9 kilometers forward were enemies. He didn't bat an eyelash. He was set: he was going to deal with this alone. The power of his new talents surged through him as he leapt into his Paradox Physique, amplifying his velocity with an unearthly speed kick. He darted past Selena and Seyra, zooming toward harm.
As Ryo closed the distance, his heartbeat quickened. When he arrived at the location, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, in front of him, stood seven figures. They were human—at least, they appeared to be—but their presence radiated something dark, something wrong. Ryo could sense danger, but the situation wasn't clear.
Before he was able to dissect further, one of the figures raised their hand and started chanting. In a split second, the air distorted as a pack of wolves, apes, and humanoid pigs appeared about them. Ryo was able to sense his pulse racing—the wolves, he knew. He had battled them previously. And every single time, he had died.
Instinctively, he triggered Blood Manipulation, and a long, broad katana constructed of whole blood appeared in his hand. The vision of the blade brought a feeling of familiarity, and the feel of it was right, as though he had been expecting this moment.
The fight started.
The monsters attacked him ferociously, their claws and fangs open. Ryo's katana easily cut through the first wave, but there were more to follow. The wolves attacked fast, the apes were powerful, and the humanoid pigs were relentless. Ryo was hurt numerous times, but he instantly healed each time thanks to his Infinite Regeneration. His bloodlust grew as his Blood Rampage ability kicked in, making him stronger.
He battled for what seemed like hours, though it was but 7-8 minutes before the final of the monsters fell to the floor. Ryo panted there, smeared with blood—his and that of the beasts he'd killed.
But before he even had time to process the consequences, the summoner—the cause of all this destruction—brandished their hand once more. He was going to summon again. Ryo's gaze grew cold. He couldn't let that occur. In a moment of instinct, he employed Water Cutter, a spell he'd just learned, to intercept the magic of the summoner.
A burst of water hurtled towards the summoner, but something was off. The attack was too accurate, too powerful. The water cut through the air, splitting the summoner in two. The blood splattered in all directions, and Ryo stood there, his eyes wide with shock at what had just occurred.
"I. I didn't mean to do that," Ryo said under his breath, his heart pounding.
He quickly defeated the last of the enemies, ensuring they wouldn't be getting up again. Taking a breath, he heard the rumble of a carriage drawing near. It came rolling up beside him, and from it stepped Selena and Seyra.
Selena's keen eyes swept across the battlefield, then rested on the severed body of the summoner. Her expression became somber. "One of them. One of a noble family, I believe," she replied in a calm, detached voice. "They must have done something with some kind of artifact to call up those beasts."
Ryo, shaken still, turned to her. "That's. that's the guy I killed by accident?"
Selena nodded. "Yes. The nobles possess powerful artifacts. They've used them for themselves before."
Seyra scowled, glancing at the monsters lying about on the ground. "Appears they were experimenting with something. This wasn't a random fight."
As Ryo was thinking about what had occurred, a notification appeared in his mind:
New Vampiric Ability Unlocked.
Ryo glanced at his status window, feeling a strange rush of excitement.
Ability Name: Sanguine Predation
Description:
A special vampiric ability that enables Ryo to take in and incorporate abilities or characteristics of monsters he slays. The effectiveness is based on the power of the defeated monster and Ryo's compatibility with the taken trait. Absorbed abilities over time can develop or combine with his current powers, forming hybrid skills.
Effects:
Gains a random ability or trait from defeated monsters.Stronger monsters have more powerful abilities but take longer to assimilate.Passive traits (such as resistance or regeneration) are less difficult to assimilate than active abilities (such as magic or elemental skills).Can combine absorbed traits with currently held abilities to form new, distinct skills.
Condition for Activation:
Ryo needs to utilize a vampire-based power or a power combined with his vampire abilities when putting the creature down for good. If a creature is destroyed without the use of such an ability, Sanguine Predation will not trigger.
Restrictions:
Can't absorb characteristics from beings of the same or higher rank unless requirements are met. Excessive use of absorption can lead to temporary instability within his body, forcing him to have adaptation time. Certain powers might be latent until specific requirements are met.
Ryo gazed at the explanation, his mind in shock. Absorb powers from monsters? That's. crazy. It fit, though. The monsters he had slain had been powerful, and the powers he had received from them had been different—stronger, more refined. But he didn't know how far this power could be pushed.
"I always thought vampires fed on blood to make people like them," Ryo said aloud. "But here, everything's reversed. Absorbing powers. That's."
Seyra, standing there, regarded him with comprehension. "Vampires are much more versatile than you realize. Some of us have abilities that enable us to augment ourselves by taking in energy or characteristics. It's something we do."
"Guess I'm still discovering what that really is," Ryo said, sighing and massaging the back of his neck. He felt the burden of his new abilities bear down on him. "I've got so much to learn."
Selena, who had not said a word for a moment, spoke at last. "We need to move. The border's close by."
Ryo nodded, and they followed the others on the way to the teleportation monument on the horizon. They stopped there to shift into proper clothing for the human realm. Then they came to the shimmering monument and stood ready to utilize it for the next part of their journey.
Ryo, whose mind was still catching up on everything that had transpired, suddenly interrupted, his own mind finally catching up with the strange series of events. "Wait. I don't know how I got here. How did I even get to the academy?"
Selena smiled weakly, her eyes glinting with amusement. "The invitation letter you received contained a teleportation function. It's how we managed to arrive at the academy."
Ryo blinked, attempting still to wrap his head around it. "That's. a thing? You can teleport using an invitation letter?"
Selena's eyes softened, though she didn't respond. She instead gestured towards the monument, which now shone a more intense blue. "It's more prevalent than you realize. You'll become accustomed to it."
Ryo nodded blankly. With the blue light surrounding them, the world just melted for a second. When Ryo blinked open his eyes once again, he was standing in front of those same seven foes. He gaped in shock.
"What the.?" he breathed
Author's Note:
Hi guys, thanks for reading! Chapter 22 was a intense one, wasn't it? Ryo's newly gained powers are really beginning to show their potential, and it's great to see how he's adjusting to his abilities, such as the new Sanguine Predation. It's evident that he's still discovering the full extent of what he can do, and things are certainly getting more complicated.
The battle scenes were fun to write, and especially the surprise accident with the summoner. I hope you had fun with the mayhem of the monster fight and its repercussions. And, yes, something is amiss with that teleportation monument. let's just say things are not what they appear to be.
I'm interested to know how you all believe Ryo will cope with these new issues. Will he master his skills? Will he ever catch a break? Keep reading to find out in the next chapter!
As ever, your comments are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to leave a comment or suggest what you'd like to see next.
Thank you for your support and happy reading!