Chapter 122: Opening of the Ritual
Victor was still observing the upper level of the arena when he noticed movement near the main throne. Initially, he didn’t pay much attention. Blood Kings, nobles, and important figures constantly approached the elevated area, trying to speak with Kayn Valentine or simply demonstrate political respect before the Destroyers present.
Then he saw Rakshasa.
And honestly...
That alone was strange.
Rakshasa didn’t seem like someone who would appear publicly at social events of that kind. The woman practically lived isolated in her own castle, threatening to exterminate anyone who bothered her. Seeing her near other people was already unusual.
But that wasn’t the problem.
The problem was the way she was acting.
Victor slowly narrowed his eyes as he observed the scene from a distance.
Rakshasa was... calm.
Not just calm.
She seemed genuinely comfortable.
That alone seemed wrong.
The woman approached the seat where Yu Jin-Cheon was sitting, and unlike the monstrous creature that threatened to massacre entire families with a smile, at that moment she seemed almost normal as she spoke to him.
Then the Celestial Demon simply raised his hand.
And ruffled her hair.
Victor remained in absolute silence, watching this.
Because the next reaction was even worse.
Rakshasa complained.
Not in a murderous way.
Not releasing a demonic aura.
She literally pushed his hand away like a daughter annoyed with her own father.
Victor felt an immediate existential discomfort observing that scene.
Because it completely destroyed the mental image he had of her.
The worst part came right after.
Yu Jin-Cheon began to laugh.
Not a monstrous or threatening laugh.
It was a genuinely amused laugh of a father seeing his daughter sulking.
Even from that distance, Victor could hear parts of the conversation thanks to his absurdly amplified vampiric senses.
"I was really curious," Yu Jin-Cheon commented calmly while observing the arena below. "You’ve lived in isolation for so long that I honestly started to think you’d die alone in that frozen castle."
Rakshasa immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Father."
"And then suddenly I find out that my daughter personally left home because of a boy." The Celestial Demon seemed genuinely amused by this. "Of course I would come to watch."
Victor felt a headache slowly starting.
Rakshasa crossed her arms, clearly irritated.
"I didn’t leave because of him."
"Of course." Yu Jin-Cheon nodded calmly, not believing it for a second. "My daughter threatening entire families, interfering in political bets, and personally observing an Ascension Ritual has absolutely nothing to do with a boy."
Rakshasa’s silence answered everything on its own.
Yu Jin-Cheon sighed dramatically.
"Honestly, I’m glad." His tone lost some of its playfulness at that moment. "Your life is absurdly lonely. When I heard that someone finally managed to pique your interest... I became curious about what kind of creature would be capable of that."
Victor immediately turned his face away.
No.
Not at all.
This was going too far.
He didn’t need to keep listening to that conversation.
Especially since an extremely unpleasant conclusion had just naturally dawned on him.
The Celestial Demon was interested in him.
And honestly...
That was probably one of the worst kinds of attention one could possibly receive in that world.
Victor simply put his hands in his pockets and began to calmly walk away from the main area of the arena while completely ignoring the continuation of the conversation above.
He sincerely preferred to face another massacre than to continue listening to Rakshasa act like a normal daughter around her father.
Victor continued walking calmly among the thousands of participants scattered around the arena, deliberately ignoring Yu Jin-Cheon’s presence atop the structure. Honestly, that was already enough trouble for the future. In the present, there were more important matters.
How to survive the Ritual without letting Jake Valentine turn half of the current generation into mincemeat.
The atmosphere in the arena remained heavy despite all the aristocratic grandeur surrounding it. The more participants reached the center of the structure, the greater the natural tension became among the young vampires. Some discreetly released auras, trying to intimidate nearby competitors, while others analyzed potential threats with exaggerated attention.
Then—
BOOOOM.
The sound of a huge drum echoed throughout the entire arena.
The vibration was strong enough to interrupt virtually all conversations simultaneously. The thousands of participants immediately turned their attention to the enormous central platform where several vampire judges and officials were already positioned.
"ATTENTION!"
The male voice echoed, amplified by blood magic, throughout the colossal structure.
Victor slowly shifted his gaze forward.
In the center of the arena stood a gigantic structure made of extremely dense black stone. It literally looked like a monolithic wall placed vertically in the middle of the main platform. Ancient symbols were engraved all over its surface, while enormous metal chains fastened the structure directly to the arena floor.
This was clearly no ordinary wall.
The man responsible for the announcement stood before it, wearing formal Valentine Family robes. His aura was absurdly heavy compared to the ordinary participants, probably some veteran vampire responsible for overseeing part of the Ritual.
"We’re going to change the rules a bit this year."
The comment immediately created murmurs throughout the arena.
Victor narrowed his eyes slightly.
Changing the rules before the Ritual usually meant trouble.
"Before the official start of the Ascension," the man continued calmly, "we will analyze the initial offensive potential of the participants."
He then pointed directly to the enormous black wall behind him.
"This structure was created using condensed blood ore mixed with the bones of ancient demonic beasts. Its resistance surpasses most modern military barriers used by the great families."
The man paused briefly before concluding:
"You need to leave a mark on it."
The silence that followed was immediately tense.
Because that alone would eliminate an absurd number of participants.
Victor calmly observed the gigantic wall while the murmurs grew louder around the arena. Many of the vampires present clearly already seemed nervous just looking at the monstrous structure.
Then the man spoke again. "All participants capable of leaving a mark will immediately receive a drop of Carmilla Valentine’s blood before the Ritual begins."
That erupted into violent murmurs throughout the arena.
Even several Blood Kings observing from the upper levels seemed more attentive at that moment.
Victor slowly narrowed his eyes.
"...Not one..." he murmured softly as he watched the wall. "...but two?"
Because that changed everything.
A drop of Carmilla Valentine’s blood was already considered an absurd treasure within the Valentine Family. The blood of an ancestor of that category possessed monstrous properties for vampiric evolution.
Giving a drop before the Ritual was already extremely unusual.
But then the judge calmly concluded:
"And another will be given after the Ritual is completed to those who survive."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Even nervous participants were now staring at the wall with evident greed.
Because this was no longer just an Ascension Ritual.
Now there was a reward large enough to drive practically any vampire of the new generation insane.
Victor simply sighed internally.
Edgar was truly desperate to ensure the massacre happened.
As he thought this, the man on the platform raised his voice again:
"Participant number one..."
The entire room seemed to instantly become more attentive.
"Jake Valentine!"
The murmurs subsided.
Some participants instinctively looked away.
Others were clearly tense.
Even among thousands of young vampires gathered in that place, Jake already possessed a certain notoriety. Not for refined talent, absurd technique, or strategic genius.
But because there was something wrong with him.
Something that made other vampires naturally feel uncomfortable.
Victor knew this better than anyone present in that arena.
Because in that timeline that no longer existed...
Jake Valentine had turned the Ascension Ritual into a slaughterhouse.
And honestly, looking at him now, Victor could perfectly understand how that happened.
By coincidence—or perhaps bad luck—Jake walked right past Victor as he headed towards the main platform.
The two stood close for a few seconds.
But that was enough.
Jake turned his face slightly as he walked.
His eyes met Victor’s.
And immediately a strange expression appeared.
Not recognition.
Not anger.
It was something closer to instinctive irritation.
Like a beast perceiving another dangerous creature near its territory.
Victor held the gaze calmly without showing any reaction.
Jake continued staring at him for another two silent seconds before finally looking away and continuing to walk towards the gigantic wall.
The narrator of that story perfectly understood the reason for that look.
Jake probably didn’t even consciously understand what he felt.
But monsters naturally perceived monsters.
The arena fell silent as he slowly climbed the steps of the central platform.
Jake Valentine was tall by vampire standards, possessed partially messy dark hair, and an absurdly solid physique for someone of the new generation. Unlike many noble vampires who tried to appear refined or aristocratic, Jake simply looked like someone built for violence.
He stood before the colossal black wall.
The judge merely gestured, allowing the attack.
Jake then took a deep breath.
And got into position.
Victor watched intently.
Because unlike the other participants...
He knew exactly what was hidden in that body.
Jake’s posture didn’t seem refined.
It didn’t seem elegant.
There was no beautiful technique or sophisticated control.
But there was an absurd pressure concentrated in his entire body at that moment.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOM.
The attack hit the wall.
The sound was so violent that part of the entire arena trembled.
A shockwave swept through the central platform as black fragments exploded from the colossal structure in all directions.
Several participants’ eyes widened immediately.
Because Jake didn’t just leave a mark.
He opened a crater.
A deep depression sank directly into the absurdly resistant black wall, cracks spreading around the point of impact like violent webs.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Even some Blood Kings observing from the upper levels seemed more attentive at that moment.
Jake slowly lowered his arm.
Expressionless.
Without pride.
As if it were nothing.
Victor observed the crater in absolute silence.
And honestly...
This was only the beginning.
