54 CHAPTER XXIV: Curses ③




 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?

 There was no answer. The laughter that had echoed deafeningly earlier was gone.

 A cry like a scream came from the throat of Arbatos. The huge neck looked up to the sky, the limbs that had been like pillars, and the body that had been as huge as a cart trembled, shrinking like a balloon out of air. He thrusts his fangs firmly, so as not to let go.

 The black fur shrinks and the skin turns white and smooth. It shrinks its long fangs, and continues to sip blood with its fangs, taking it easy so as not to bite through the flesh.

 Finally, when the black power in the blood was gone, I released the body I had been holding and restraining, and raised my head.

 I was already at my limit. My feet wobbled, and I held my head against the tremendous dizziness. The beating of my heart has not subsided at all.
 Apparently, the "Carth Steel" was too much for me.

 But I did it. I did it. I'm out of this jam.



 I was released, and slumped down in front of me was Arbatos, who was standing next to Kainushi. His naked body was white and petite, not unlike the being who had beaten me so severely.
 The contrast with the huge dog I had just seen was tremendous. No one who hadn't seen her would believe her if she said she could turn into a dog.

 Her eyes widened in shock, and she looked down at her hairless palms as if she were looking at something incredible.


 We can win. I'm a little out of shape, but I can't lose now.
 Perhaps Arbatos no longer has power. That mighty power probably comes from a curse. What you see before you is a mere mortal with no fighting ability.
 And he doesn't have a weapon.


 He scolded his body that was about to fall, straightened his back, and looked down at Arbatos.

 Suck it up. That's what happens when you try to kill me.

 I broke my promise to Senri and sucked his blood, but Albatross was a dog, not a man, so he was an exception.
 Under my gaze, Arbatross stood up and took a step back. The expression on his face did not have the murderous intent that he had shown me earlier, but was pale, perhaps because he had sucked blood.


 I'm sorry, but you're going to die ....... They saw my power. You don't know what will happen if the vampire hunters find out about this.
 Maybe they'll come after me in ranks. I'm not as naive as Senri. I'm not naive enough to forgive someone who's trying to kill me.


 I took a step closer, smiled to disguise my bad mood, and used the power I had just taken from Arbatos.
 Instinctively, I knew how to use it. His heart thumped hard, and his skeleton and body deformed noisily.
 The expression on Albatross' face twisted in astonishment. In the blink of an eye, his perspective--


 --shrinking.




"?

 The rags he was wearing became too big and fell over his head. I shook my head in panic and crawled out of the tattered rags.

 Big. Arbatross, standing there, is big. He's like a giant. No, no. I know. My side is ...... shrinking.

 I move my head and look behind me. I see a bushy white tail, distinctly different from the one that Arbatross transformed into.


"............Kuhn.


 I lifted my right hand and looked down, and saw a puffy paw and a claw about an inch long. The fur was so long. And it's ...... bushy. ....... The fur on her belly is also bushy.
 This ...... could be a small ...... pet dog. I'm not sure what to make of this.

 I'm not sure what to make of this. He picked up the Light Eater that had fallen beside him with both hands and looked down at me.

 What I saw in his eyes was neither murderous nor warlike intent. Without any emotion in his eyes, Arbatos swung his machete at me with all his might.


 What? Wait a minute, how do I get back to this?


 I try to go back, but I don't know how.

 I wonder if his strength has decreased, and he's wobbling after raising the machete, but he's still able to beat me now.

 And what's more, ...... the sky is starting to lighten. I should have killed him quickly in human form.
 You'll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes.

"Kyaun!

 Even her cry was high-pitched. As I was backing away, desperately threatening and restraining Arbatos who was aiming at me while wobbling, my body suddenly floated in the air.
 A smell I remembered. It was Senri. Senri had flown in on his light wings and picked me up.

 Senri was a wreck. His cloak was dirty everywhere and his skin was blackened with soot. But there didn't seem to be any serious damage.

"End ......, are you okay?

"Yankeeeeeeeee!

I'm late. I know ...... what happened.

 The God of salvation was there.

 In the faint light of day, my body ached. Smoke was rising from the tip of my tail.
 I picked up my clothes that had fallen to the ground and Senri wrapped me up in them. Even though it's to keep me out of the sun, it's not very nice.
 I want to complain, but as a naive puppy, I can't say anything.

 In the darkness, all I could hear was Senri's quiet voice.


"............ Don't come after us anymore.


 ...... You're not going to let them get away with it? It is too lenient a response. But at the same time, I knew it.


 The vampire hunters were not her enemy. That's why I wanted to get rid of Arbatos before Senri came back.


 But ...... is fine. I don't want much. I took Arbatos' power. I'm safe, Senri is safe, that's all that matters.
 I don't know what happened to Kainushi, but even if she's alive, she's not reckless enough to challenge us alone.

 It's not the best outcome, but it's a better one. The only thing to think about now is how to get back from the dog.
 I'm in a tight spot, but this is one of those times when I can't even get a load.

 Plus, I'm getting an additional strong sleepiness. I know I shouldn't be sleeping right now, but it's time for vampires to sleep.
 Senri rushes out. I can tell by the vibrations that shake her body.

"Kyaun.

"...... I'm leaving the city. Your father will be in trouble if you stay here.

Kya-kya-kya.

It's okay. You can't press charges against the ...... aristocracy without proof.

Yippee.

End. I'll take care of everything.

 Senri's voice was firm and firm.
 Even though I couldn't understand her, I could feel my nerves easing.
 I relaxed and closed my eyelids in the darkness. A strong and comfortable drowsiness comes over me.

 I believe in Senri. Sometimes it's not so bad to be held .......