Chapter 298: Romania (2) |
Crash—! Bang—!
A middle-aged man with mousy brown hair bustled about, preparing something.
Noises echoed through the cluttered space, filled with various junk and unidentified objects.
“Ah! It’s already started!”
But his movements didn’t last long.
The middle-aged man, Doctor, spotted a scene projected onto one of the walls, a holographic image of a forest, and threw down the objects in his hand, rushing towards it.
“Ooh ho ho! I can’t miss this. It’s not as good as being there in person, but real-world data is also important! This is exciting!”
He plopped down on the sofa in front of the hologram, rubbing his hands together excitedly, his eyes gleaming.
A manic grin spread across his face, his anticipation palpable.
As soon as the long-awaited target’s intrusion was detected,
He had unleashed his prepared traps, successfully cornering his prey.
Strictly speaking, it was a trap designed to succeed no matter what.
Phantom would have come to Bucharest eventually.
After all, he knew the target’s objective. The outcome was already decided.
The easiest approach would have been to wait for him to enter the city… but judging by his previous actions, that would have been too optimistic.
“Kuh! But it wasn’t a waste of effort! It worked!”
So, he had cast a wide net, covering the entire surrounding area.
To ensure he didn’t miss his target, no matter where he tried to escape.
Of course, there had been some losses, both material and intangible, in the process… but they were insignificant compared to the importance of this operation.
“Now then, shall we enjoy the show? And check the sample’s freshness!”
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. The experiment was ready to begin as soon as the target arrived.
He had been too excited to sit still, but there was nothing more for him to do now.
“Come on, Phantom! Show me your limitless potential! The key to achieving the ultimate evolution! The hidden truth of this world!”
Crunch, crunch—
Doctor shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth, then grabbed a glass of cola.
He was a meticulous planner, and he had already made thorough preparations for his viewing pleasure.
Popcorn, nachos, cheese, cola… and a tub of mint chocolate ice cream, kept perfectly frozen by his special magic tool, ‘The Never-Melting Ice Cream Container’, were neatly arranged on the table before him.
“Oooh? Is it starting? Is it starting? Let’s go—!”
And so, with a single, carefree spectator added to the mix,
The situation in the forest was rapidly escalating.
__________________
Heinz, who had been locked in a silent confrontation with the Duke, tilted his head slightly.
‘Indeed.’
The Duke’s reputation as the ‘Strongest in Europe’ wasn’t unfounded. The aura emanating from him was incredibly dense, far surpassing anything Heinz had encountered before.
Even Heinz, who had become a transcendent being through unconventional means, couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.
‘Well, I’m not the only one with special abilities. He must have also reached his current level through some… unusual method.’
And unlike him, a relative newcomer, the Duke was a seasoned veteran.
But that didn’t mean he would lose.
He would eventually emerge victorious, even if it was a difficult fight.
…Though it seemed like the Duke was thinking the same thing.
‘The problem is… the playing field isn’t level.’
Heinz scanned the surroundings, his senses heightened, a frown creasing his brow.
This was… excessive.
The barrier surrounding them was a complex and layered structure, its functions difficult to discern at a glance.
And strange magic tools, emanating powerful auras, were placed strategically throughout the area.
‘And them as well.’
Transcendent-level awakened individuals, presumably members of Heaven’s Turn Society’s European branch.
Only three were visible, but he knew there were more.
They were simply the front-line combatants, the ones sent to engage him first.
‘There’s also the sniper and the eye monster. Judging by the flow of magic power, there’s at least one more mage… And someone’s hiding nearby. An assassin?’
And the vampires accompanying the Duke weren't ordinary either.
About twenty of them, each with a True Blood level aura.
Most of them seemed to have reached their current level through unconventional means, like the Tyrant of France… but considering that Hybrid, which had absorbed most of Auterica’s vampires, only had fifteen True Bloods, it was still a formidable force.
‘I guess I should consider the fact that vampires used to be a marginalized race, like Lycanthropes, hiding in the shadows.’
Heinz’s thoughts became chaotic.
He could always escape with ‘Dismissal’, since he was an avatar.
But…
“You seem troubled. I can hear your thoughts from here.”
At that moment, the Duke, who had been silently assessing him, spoke, a mocking tone in his voice.
He seemed annoyed that Heinz wasn’t as easy to deal with as he had expected.
“Let me ease your burden.”
And as soon as he finished speaking,
Swish— Boom—!
A powerful explosion erupted between them.
The Duke, wielding a blood-red spear over three meters long, relentlessly pressed his attack, while Heinz slowly retreated, deflecting each blow.
The air crackled and distorted from the repeated impacts, shockwaves rippling outwards.
‘He’s strong.’
Heinz’s brow twitched as he focused on defending and counterattacking, his senses heightened.
He wasn’t retreating intentionally.
He had to be mindful of his surroundings, unlike his opponent, who could focus solely on the fight.
‘His attacks are heavy. Excessively so.’
It wasn't just a matter of level.
Just as one couldn’t unleash their full power with every attack, there was a rhythm and flow to combat, an efficient way to exert force.
But the Duke was ignoring all of that, unleashing a barrage of full-powered attacks as if they were mere jabs.
‘And he doesn’t seem to be tiring. …Is it a similar ability to Isea’s?’
It reminded him of Isea, who could casually unleash high-level magic thanks to her near-infinite magic power.
A relentless barrage of attacks, fueled by overwhelming energy, almost to the point of being inefficient.
‘Let’s see what he’s got.’
Heinz prepared to counterattack, waiting for an opening.
And as the Duke’s eyebrows twitched, as if sensing something—.
Kaboom—!
…Heinz was thrown back by a powerful blow, a deafening roar echoing through the air.
He skidded across the ground, leaving two long furrows in his wake, and barely managed to stop himself.
But the Duke, still standing firm, didn’t pursue his attack. He simply looked down at his body.
A large hole, its edges ragged, gaped in his side, revealing his internal organs.
“…You’re not just fast. You’re skipping steps. I almost lost my heart.”
But despite his words, his expression remained calm.
And as if to prove his point, the wound on his side began to close, the flesh knitting itself back together until it was completely healed.
It must have consumed a considerable amount of energy to regenerate from a wound inflicted by Heinz, a transcendent being… but he didn’t seem to care.
“Hmm, Phantom, was it? Which dimension are you from? …No, it doesn’t matter. We have plenty of time.”
He recovered instantly and, planting his blood-red spear in the ground, spoke casually.
As if to show that such an attack was nothing to him.
“Hmm.”
Heinz’s eyes narrowed.
Contrary to the Duke’s intentions, he had gained a certain level of understanding through that exchange.
‘I’m starting to get a feel for him.’
The Duke was definitely the strongest he had encountered on Earth so far, excluding the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society.
He might even be able to put up a decent fight against Hans.
But—.
‘Good. This should be easy.’
Heinz licked his lips, his thirst growing stronger.
In the early stages of his “Hybrid Evolution”, after devouring the Blood Alliance’s hardliners, he had gained a passive ability.
The ability to partially ignore the hostile abilities of other vampires and exert an instinctive pressure on them as a predator.
It had been an incredibly useful ability, allowing him to gain the upper hand in his subsequent battles.
‘And it’s no different now.’
Their levels might be similar, but Heinz was the Duke’s natural enemy.
It was all about Karma.
He was the nemesis of all vampires.
Heinz the Second was a ‘kin-slayer’, growing stronger by devouring his own kind.
But things didn't always go his way.
“Your Grace, may we join you?”
“…We know you’ll win, but we can’t just stand here and watch.”
“Hahaha! Let’s finish this quickly and interrogate him! Doctor must be waiting impatiently!”
As the Duke, who had taken the initiative, was injured, the others who had been observing from a distance began to stir.
They had also reached a high level, and they must have deemed it necessary to intervene.
“…Tsk, very well. It can’t be helped if we want to capture him alive.”
And the Duke, having felt something amiss during their last exchange, reluctantly agreed.
Now, Heinz had to face them all.
‘It’s a shame. If I had a little more time, a small opening… I could have finished him off.’
Heinz licked his lips, sensing the approaching auras, a predatory glint in his eyes.
Should he just retreat?
Give up on the feast that was almost within his grasp?
‘…No way.’
It was too tempting.
He didn't know when such an opportunity would come again, and he needed more power.
‘If there’s no time, I’ll make time.’
If he lacked the power, he would simply acquire more.
He had the means to do so.
He quickly narrowed down his options amidst the barrage of attacks.
‘Hans and Heinrich are out.’
He didn’t want to summon the avatars who had been active in Korea.
He had also been operating in Korea, so he couldn't risk revealing their connection too blatantly.
‘Then that leaves…’
Harley, the Ultimate Evolved Lifeform, and Harris, the High Elf spirit archer.
Which one would be more effective…?
Crackle—!
His thoughts were interrupted.
A sniper attack tore through the air.
Blink, blink— Blink, blink—
Hundreds of eyes, materializing from the surroundings, stared at him, winking ominously.
Wooong—!
Beams of light, like a torrential downpour, rained down from the sky, relentlessly bombarding him.
Swish—
An assassin emerged from the shadows, launching a surprise attack, and a flurry of swords, hammers, and fists followed.
An unknown energy clung to his limbs, weighing him down, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated.
“This is… unpleasant. I can handle this alone, but Doctor asked for him alive. Let’s end this quickly.”
And with the Duke and his vampires joining the fray…
‘This isn't going to work.’
Heinz, struggling to hold his own amidst the chaotic onslaught, finally made a decision.
And…
At that moment.
The wind shifted.
“Hmm?”
“Wait, what’s this?”
They were all master-level experts, their senses sharp. They immediately reacted to the subtle change.
The space trembled.
The energy fluctuated.
The tide turned.
“Intruders!”
“How did they get past the barrier…!”
———!
Before they could finish their surprised exclamations, dozens of streaks of light, silent and swift, shot through the air.
But they weren’t aimed at the center of the battlefield.
They were headed towards the outskirts of the forest, far from the main conflict.
Koooong—!
A distant shockwave.
And then, the sniper attacks stopped.
The hundreds of eyes vanished.
And the magic circle in the sky dissipated.
“Who dares…!”
“Calm down! Find them first!”
“I’ll deal with Phantom! Dracul, spread out and search!”
Heaven’s Turn Society, momentarily disoriented, quickly regrouped and began their counterattack.
But.
That wasn’t the end of the unexpected events.
Crackle—!
A dark figure suddenly fell from a tree.
Its right arm and right leg were missing.
The assassin, dressed in black, writhed silently on the ground, then stopped moving.
And then.
Koooong—!
As he vanished in a puff of smoke, a massive figure landed heavily on top of him, something clutched in both hands.
“Khahaha!”
Crunch!
With a savage laugh, the giant crushed the heads of the two vampires he had been holding.
Their skulls shattered like rotten fruit, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere.
“…What the… Who is that?”
“There was another one?!”
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the newcomer, his overwhelming presence demanding their attention.
A towering figure, over two meters tall, his massive body covered in intricate tattoos, his muscles bulging with otherworldly power.
He was the very embodiment of violence, as if the concept itself had taken human form.
‘Might as well do it properly.’
And amidst the chaos,
Heinz, finally having a moment to breathe, licked his lips, a predatory glint in his eyes.
He had two choices.
‘I’ll summon both of them.’
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