54 CHAPTER XXIV: Curses ③ (1/2)

He jumps off the roof. The vampire's sturdy arms were torn apart by the force of gravity, and he struck the ”Light Eater”. Arbatos took it head-on with his right arm.

The jet-black blade bites into the dark fur, and the shredded hair falls. Albatross' eyes glinted.

But the ...... blade went no further. He exerted so much force that the bones in his arms broke and his flesh creaked and crumbled, yet ...... there was almost no damage. What a sturdy body.

But the pain was still there, and Arbatos shook himself. When I landed on the ground, I quickly dropped to my haunches and slid around to my blind spot.

Perhaps because of the Dark Stalker ability, Albatross's reaction was delayed compared to earlier.

I'm not making much noise now. Maybe I don't even smell. Perhaps it was triggered by an instinct that sensed danger, and the ability to ”hide” gave me a high level of concealment, even though I had no pure offensive power.

But it would not last long. The black skin is slowly returning to its original color.

The game must be decided quickly. The tail snapped like a whip and attacked me, but I caught it with the Light Eater. It's an insane force. I hold on, but it pushes me back several meters.

It's too strong. How can I kill this monster? I didn't think that even ......'s ”Light Eater” could do so little damage.

My dryness was nearing its limit. Apparently, it was using up a lot of power to use ”Hiding Shadow”. It seems that the blood of Arbatos that he licked has run out.

The opponent's movements have not slowed down at all compared to the beginning. In fact, it's even getting more intense.

I'm not fatigued either, but damage is accumulating. My body is being damaged by the recoil of my attacks, as well as by the attacks I failed to avoid. Time is on their side.

There is an overwhelming lack of ...... attack power.

How many more times can you give it your all? ...... Search for an opening while desperately avoiding the attack.

Find a way to win. The only way you can do any significant damage is to--yes. The only way you can do significant damage is to use the momentum of your opponent's attack.

I knew Arbatos's attack pattern from my previous moves.

After swinging her front leg down from above, she would aim to follow up with a bite at a high rate.

The reason she doesn't show her head first is to reduce the gap ......, but that's where you should aim. In order to defeat Arbatos, you need to deal deep damage to his vital points with a single blow.

Arbatos is strong. Even though he is a wild man, his attacks are not just forceful. But it must be done.

He swings his machete with all his might at the jaws that are sent out at high speed.

Will that be enough to kill it?　I don't know. But it has to be done. The path of retreat is already blocked.

Step back and evade the blow with your paw. Evade and then step hard. Slice through the protruding jaws. Even if he feels uncomfortable in the process, he will not be able to stop his momentum.

Arbatross must be a little careless now. The weapon I took the trouble to hide and sneak in with didn't work.

Heat consumes my thoughts. My instincts demand battle, blood. I make up my mind.

He used his ”Hiding Shadow” to evade Arbatross's continuous attacks with all his might, and endured.

Oh, I want blood. Sweet blood.

In his golden eyes, he sees a monster with eyes that glow crimson like blood.

His head was no longer spinning. He continued to fight, half on instinct. Blood flies. Not spilled blood, my blood.

I'm fading. I'll survive. I'm going to survive, no matter what.

And the moment Arbatos raises his right foreleg, my consciousness awakens, and half-reflexively I step back to avoid the first blow. The ground shakes, but strangely my center of gravity remains stable.

Then, I put all my strength into my right hand holding the machete and stepped hard and selflessly.

You nonsense!　Don't you dare suck my blood!

The reprimand that suddenly rang out stopped me in my tracks.

In front of me, a claw swings down at extremely close range. It's Arbatos' left foreleg.

The unstoppable machete slammed into the middle of his pillar-like leg.

It was a trap. If he hadn't stopped, he would have been crushed from above.

The counter-swinging blade dug into Arbatos's left foreleg, piercing the fur and stopping halfway when it hit a hard touch. A bone!

He tried to pull it back with all his might, but the muscles were holding him back.

I felt unsteady. I felt as if my feet were not on the ground.

A moment later, my thoughts accelerated, and Arbatos' movements slowed. Before I knew it, the vision of Lord standing beside me whispered.

You're still a Lesser!　Do you understand that?　I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.

Only bloodsucking ....... I'm not sure what you're talking about.

That's right. I don't have the power to turn into a wolf or a bat or a mist that vampires have. I don't have the eyes to charm others or the ability to create a family.

I am a vampire chrysalis. The only thing I have as a vampire is the ability to suck blood.

But you can?　Not even light-eating can penetrate its fur. In the first place, what chance does a beast that moves this fast have to bite?　What's the point of sucking its blood?　Even the promise I made to Senri...

All sorts of words and hesitations came and went in my mind. The golden eyes are looking down at me.

But the next moment, my two canine teeth were extended and sharpened.

The ability of a ghoul. Something I rarely used-- ”sharp fangs”.

I let go of the machete that had stopped halfway down and kicked the ground as hard as I could. The target is the neck.

Passing by the pillar-like paws, he ducked under the chin and pounced. Arbatross did nothing as I came at him recklessly and without thought.

However, the moment he saw my outstretched fangs, I saw his pupils narrow in agitation.

Enter my bosom. From up close, Albatross is like a black wall.

I grabbed a handful of bristly hairs and stuck to it, and half-heartedly opened my mouth to the max and plunged my fangs into its huge neck.

The fangs easily penetrated the fur, which hadn't faltered even when I swung the machete. Finally realizing what had happened, Arbatos twisted and began to flail wildly. My fangs should be nothing compared to its huge body, but it's a tremendous rampage.

His paws collide with my body. But it's too late. It's impossible for a dog's body to fight back when it's this close.

--And I relive the life of Arbatross.

Lord's excited and crazy laughter echoed in my brain.

”Yes!　There is no such thing as a werewolf or an evil eye!　The essence of a vampire lies in bloodsucking!

It was different from the bloodsucking on Senri. The blood that flowed into her was as hot as fire and as dull as night.

My heart beats wildly. The strange sensation of his body and soul being transformed almost made him let go of his hand, but he managed to keep his fingers strong and hold on.

The voice of the evil and ambitious mage echoed out.

This is the end of my long research, and it surpasses all kings.

A black power pervades me. My body convulses. It's not just blood that I'm sucking now.

The huge neck of Arbatos that I'm holding trembles and obviously shrinks.

It's a curse. I'm now sucking the root of Arbatos' transformation!

I'm at the mercy of images that I've never experienced before, churning through my brain like a muddy stream.

But even in such a state, the fangs that have been thrust into me will not let go. The amount of blood flowing down my throat is the same. I've already been through something similar. When I absorbed the Lord's soul .......

It flows in. The curse, the memory of Arbatross.

I've never heard of a curse being absorbed. The Ancestor. Special abilities. Is this the power designed by the mortal mage, Holos Kamen?