Chapter 209 Chapter 46.3 - Hunting the Hunter
In front of a foe that is lethal to one, what could be the biggest mistake that one can make?
Though many things could be counted, there is one specific thing that is the most important.
'Keeping your calm.'
A calm mind and coldness bring the best results when a plan is made. Those who operate with their emotions are unstable beings and can never climb the ranks of power.
There was a reason why this count needed to seal himself under the ground. It was because he couldn't control his urges and attacked his servants, revealing to the world that he was an enemy.
If he was able to control himself and utilize the power his position held, he would be one of the most dangerous beings in this world.
But he couldn't.
Therefore, I knew for a fact that this vampire before me wasn't someone who was coolheaded, and I was going to use this to my advantage.
"Enough of these games," the vampire roared, the sound reverberating through the chamber. Its demonic presence was overwhelming, but I focused on the task at hand, maintaining the cold composure that had served me well thus far.
WROOM!
The chamber was charged with an ominous energy as the vampire prepared to unleash a devastating attack.
'It is the AOE attack.'
I could sense the gathering power of its blood magic, an area of effect assault that could easily obliterate anything in its vicinity.
However, I had already calculated the trajectory and timing of the impending attack.
Dash. I activated my skill, feeling the surge of energy propelling through my body.
SWOOSH! As the first surge of dark energy emanated from the vampire, I propelled myself with a swift and calculated movement, evading the oncoming onslaught.
The air crackled with the unleashed power, but I had positioned myself strategically, remaining just outside the range of the impending blood magic.
The vampire's attack surged through the chamber, leaving destruction in its wake. Shadows writhed, and the very air seemed tainted by the malevolent force.
But I, having anticipated the move, emerged unscathed from the area of effect. Of course, now that its attack was missed, it wasn't going to stop.
SWOOSH! CRASH! SWOOSH! CRASH!
This time, following the initial attack, countless different blood spears attacked all around the place, in the direction of where I was staying.
'I guess he can finally sense me fully, now.'
If, at first, he was trying to play with me, now he was more serious, and I knew my stealth wouldn't be enough at this point.
I immediately turned Celestalith to its chakram form and started evading the attacks as best as I could and deflected the remaining ones.
The vampire, fueled by frustration and a newfound determination, unleashed a relentless assault. I could feel the malicious intent behind each spear, a manifestation of the vampire's anger and desire for retribution.
SWOOSH! CRASH! SWOOSH! CRASH!
The air resonated with the clash of Celestalith deflecting the blood spears. Each movement was a calculated dance, a weaving of skill and instinct to avoid the lethal projectiles.
The chakram form of Celestalith proved invaluable, its razor-sharp edges deflecting the incoming attacks with precision.
The vampire, undeterred by the initial evasion, continued its onslaught without giving me a moment's respite. Shadows enveloped the chamber as the demonic being moved with unnatural speed, closing the distance between us instantly.
"Heh, you're not as elusive as you think," the vampire hissed, its voice a guttural growl that echoed through the chaos. The crimson glow of its eyes intensified, revealing an unyielding determination to crush its elusive prey.
SWOOSH!
He immediately dashed to me with an insane amount of speed.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
I threw my chakrams to his face, but he deflected all of them with a smooth precision.
"Pointless." He shouted, a smirk playing on his lips.
CLANK!
The sound of our clash echoed in the dim chamber as the vampire's claws met Celestalith's deflection. The force behind the strike sent a jolt through my arms, and I could feel the strain as I fought to hold my ground against the relentless assault.
The reason even this clash was possible was thanks to Sylvie's buff. Of course, I already had a plan in my mind, but after getting buff to my stats, I tempered it a little and went with a less risky approach.
"You're more resilient than I expected," the vampire growled, its eyes narrowing with a mix of frustration and amusement. The crimson glow intensified as it pushed harder, aiming to break through my defenses.
I gritted my teeth, my focus unwavering as I continued to block the vampire's attacks. Each clash sent sparks flying, a chaotic dance of supernatural power and sheer determination.
'Just a little more.'
But I could sense the cracks forming in my defense, the strain of holding back the powerful strikes taking a toll.
'Now.'
As his claws aimed right at my face, I activated my Dash.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
I managed to create some distance by swiftly evading, summoning Celestalith back to my hands. The chakrams, now infused with a faint gray glow, awaited my command.
The vampire, unbothered, closed the distance once again with a burst of inhuman speed.
I hurled the chakrams with precision, aiming for vulnerable points, but the vampire deflected them effortlessly.
"Pathetic…To think I had been struggling against a low-born like you."
His cold crimson eyes looked at me with a clear annoyance as the pressure enveloped me. It was his bloodlust, and now that was directed to me.
Celestalith glowed with a faint gray light, signaling the enhanced power it now held. But this time, the vampire had a different plan.
Instead of relying solely on its physical prowess, the vampire began chanting an incantation. Dark energy gathered around its outstretched hand, forming ethereal chains that seemed to materialize from the very shadows themselves.
'He is using it.'
I recognized what he was doing.
[Bind of Lord.] The vampire mumbled as the chains shot forward, wrapping around me with an abnormal l force.
My movements were restricted, and I found myself ensnared in the magical binds. The vampire's eyes gleamed with triumph as it closed in, confident in its ability to control the course of our confrontation.
"Your little tricks won't save you now," the vampire sneered, the chains tightening their grip. I struggled against the magical restraint, but it was futile.
With a predatory grace, the vampire approached, claws gleaming ominously.
STAB! The next moment happened in a blur as it drove its claws into my chest. The searing pain was immediate, and I gasped, feeling the otherworldly chill of the vampire's touch.
"Burgk-"
Blood fell to the ground from my mouth as a response.
"How does it feel?" the vampire taunted, a sinister satisfaction in its voice as its claws remained embedded in my chest.
"Kurghk-!"
I grimaced, blood spilling from my mouth in response to the excruciating pain.
As the vampire relished its dominance, turning its claws within my abdomen, I felt a surge of agony coursing through me.
However, it was now too late.
'Now.' -Was too late for him to react, as his claws were embedded in my chest.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! Suddenly, countless daggers scattered around the place, once motionless on the ground, came to life, soaring through the air with uncanny speed.
The grey mana trails followed them like ethereal threads, connecting them to the vampire that had just been reveling in its triumph.
"You!"
The vampire's eyes widened in surprise as the daggers closed in, each one guided by the invisible mana threads.
The element of surprise was on my side, and I seized the opportunity to turn the tables. The vampire, momentarily caught off guard, struggled against the sudden onslaught of enchanted daggers.
"Let go of me!"
In a desperate attempt to evade the relentless assault, the vampire attempted to retreat, but I wasn't going to let him go.
'Black Nebula.'
Changing the form of Celestalith to the black one, I immediately activated its energy and directed it to the Vampire.
"Urghk!"
The gravity around him was increased, with his claws piercing my chest. He no longer had the chance to escape from my grasp.
"No escape," I hissed, no longer being able to keep my composure. "Now, it's my turn," I declared, a hint of satisfaction in my voice.
STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB! The ethereal daggers, guided by the invisible threads of grey mana, relentlessly stabbed into the vampire's form. Each strike was precise and calculated, a dance of supernatural blades fueled by the desire for retribution.
STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB!
The vampire howled in pain as the enchanted daggers pierced through its immortal flesh. The blades, imbued with anti-vampire oil, disrupted the usual regenerative properties of the vampire's blood, intensifying the agony.
"AHHHHH!"
The once-proud creature of the night wailed, its cries distorted by the torment inflicted upon it. The chamber, once filled with the vampire's triumphant laughter, now resonated with the anguished screams that tore through the air.
"YOU!"
The vampire's crimson eyes, once ablaze with arrogance and fury, now reflected a profound sense of suffering while being wide open as if he had realized something.
"WHY ARE YOU HERE!"
His eyes looking at me were now filled with horror as if it had seen something it wasn't supposed to be. He shouted and screamed, but the oil was taking its effect.
"Urghk-!"
Of course, I was still injured at the same time. However, it wasn't as fatal as it looked.
'Sylvie's blessing, huh?'
GULP!
I gulped a mana potion and a healing potion at the same time and started feeling the energy returning to me.
The wound on my chest also slowly started healing.
"RAAAA!"
The vampire's scream of agony reverberated through the chamber, a guttural cry that echoed the torment coursing through its tattered form.
'Now, you will use your desperation trick.'
I thought. And just to prove that I was right, the vampire, realizing the futility of enduring the barrage of enchanted daggers, made a desperate decision.
In a swift and calculated motion, the creature transformed into a billowing black mist, dissipating into the shadows to evade my onslaught.
Everything in this world fears death.
This is what I had learned from killing countless monsters.
At first, they attacked, trying to kill. But when they realized they were in front of an enemy, they couldn't beat no matter what, they abandoned their comrades and tried to escape.
It is the natural instinct of any living being.
No matter how prideful they are, once you rip them from their 'mighty shells,' the only thing that remains is the same essence.
And the ones that have the biggest fear are always the ones that act all highest and mightiest.
The mist slithered through the chamber, avoiding the lingering echoes of our recent confrontation. It moved with an almost serpentine grace, drawn towards the concealed sanctuary where the vampire had hidden the life essence of its victims.
I could easily follow where it went since I had already marked him with green tendrils from the start.
In the dimly lit chamber, the vampire reached the morbid display, a place where crimson stains marked the end of countless lives. The bloodthirsty creature, now desperate for rejuvenation, began to feed from the preserved vitae of its previous victims.
"Give me blood, give me blood…."
He probably went into a frenzy like that. After all, a vampire's biggest fear is dying.
"RAAAAAAA!"
However, little did he know that even the resource he desperately sought was something I had already anticipated.
As his screams echoed in my ears like a lullaby, I stood from where I was and approached the vampire.
"How does it feel to be hunted, the little creature of the night?"
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m