The Undead King of the Palace of Darkness

“I shall put a wedge on you. I will not harm you, but―― this is a blood contract. My blood will stay inside your body and kill you, depending on the situation. There are no ways to resist it.”

There’s no mistaking it. This is an anti-vampire ability.

Curses and magic don’t work on vampires. But this is not that kind of ability. It’s also different from the absolute obedience the Lord put me under.

Sable’s ability is most likely the manipulation of blood. Just like how she restrained Rainel… If she moves blood and uses it to crush my heart and brain, it will be fatal. That’s why I can’t go against her. This contract is way too violent.

The ball of blood is approaching,

I can’t run away. I can only kill her. But Sable has her guard up. If I focus all my power, I should be able to move my body a little, but counterattack probably wouldn’t work. She’s already expecting it.

The ball of blood changes its form and sharpens like a needle. Its tip approaches my head.

The alarm bells in my head are torturing me. My hands, my arms, my shoulders are trembling. Breathing becomes harder. I open my lips that are the only things that can move right now with no idea of what to do.

And, with my blank mind, I shout desperately.

“O dead, prostrate thyself”

“Kh?!”

Sable’s face distorts in astonishment. Her blood needle suddenly stops.

My voice is hoarse. The words I half-consciously blurted out weren’t said in the language I was familiar with, but strangely enough, I understood them.

My hands are trembling. This is not because I’m tired. It’s the fear. But this is not the fear towards Sable.

Right now―― I am afraid of my own self.

“I am the one who defies the underworld, the King of the Dead. The ruler of the dark realm. Rejoice. Bow thy head and transform into my servant.”

“I-impossible… this is… Necromancy. Y-you’re…”

Confidence had already disappeared from Sable’s face.

The blood needle melted down and Sable agilely retreated a few meters back, as if running away. Her pale appearance turned even paler, and her fingertips quivered slightly. Only her blood-red lips remained as vivid as before.

“I-i-i-imposs…ible. You’re… no, you are―― not a mere vampire. ‘The King of the Dead’! No way, the new vampire. King of the Dead?… ”

It was repelled. I can feel it.

The magic of ‘subservience’ didn’t work. It was repelled by the resistance of vampires. But it wouldn’t be weird even if it worked. I felt that I touched the origin of Sable’s curse, its heart.

This is… the power of the Lord. It’s the power Horus Carmon attained over many years.

The Lord hasn’t come out, but he’s certainly living inside me.

It’s horrifying. It’s also different from the everyday magic I learned over many days. Is this the power of dark magic?

She should have been aware that she resisted successfully, but Sable’s trembling doesn’t stop. Her pupils are completely dilated.

The female vampire in front of me is currently at the mercy of the fear that’s even surpassing her urge to kill.

“That power… are you a… newborn? I must report… to my Lord… ”

“Stop thy feet.”

“Kh?!”

Sable, who starts running, is stopped in her tracks by my words and almost falls forward.

Should I call this an ‘incantation’? Necromancers control the dead. With the mana of a vampire, it’s possible to do this even if the other person isn’t their creation.

I was only able to stop her for a second, but that was enough.

Sable, who was about to start running away again, was attacked by the silver flash.

It was Rainel’s claw. Perhaps she ended up releasing the blood restraints from agitation. The side slash from the Gamelyon cuts Sable diagonally from her shoulder.

A small scream resounds. Sable’s slender body is split into half and falls on the floor.

Rainel, who was pierced by blood stakes, was truly on the verge of death. His eyes were clouded, and I could see how he’s losing vitality.

Yet, he’s still standing. His eyes are firmly piercing through Sable, who’s collapsed on the floor.

Clots of blood overflow from Rainel’s mouth and his giant body collapses. All signs of life disappear from him.

Bravo. We couldn’t exchange words at the end but he had an admirable end.

“Tsk… You just don’t know when to die… I’m not done. Not yet!”

Sable propped herself up on her hands and got up. Threads of blood stretched out soundlessly, stitching up her torso that was separated from her lower half. That ability is too convenient. I want it too.

White smoke rose from her wound. However, while Rainel’s attack did indeed damage her, her power mostly hadn’t decreased.

I’m also a vampire so I know. The characteristic of holy silver is that it inflicts an injury that cannot be healed, but it cannot directly decrease the blood power.

Who would have thought that I would find the strong invulnerability of vampires troublesome? I instantly put power in my words.

“Submit.”

“Guukh… It won’t, work anymore. It won’t work anymore, End Baron. If I’m prepared, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Still pale, Sable smiles faintly.

Shit… she builds up tolerance too fast. Looks like Sable is quite high-skilled. According to Senri, vampires are weak to pain, but she hasn’t been weakened even though she was split in half just a second ago.

That being said, it looks like I managed to buy enough time.

Hesitation flashes across Sable’s eyes. She’s probably thinking if it’s better to kidnap me or to run away. That hesitation will be the end of her.

“Kh?!”

White light cut Sable’s body from the side diagonally. The pure light that makes my body tremble, gives me a mysterious feeling of comfort.

Stepping over the rubble, the holy knight arrives. A familiar white traveling outfit. A nostalgic smell. The silver sword is shining, reflecting the moonlight.

“I’m sorry, End… I’m late.”

“No… it’s fine. I just… got here… too…”

Senri, who I saw for the first time in a while, was still as beautiful. Is her face slightly tired because she had to pass through the Demon King’s army? However, her clothes are impeccable, not a drop of blood on them.

As Senri ran up to where I was collapsed, she glared at the person she had just slashed.

She’s perfect. Beautiful and terrifying. Dell was strong, but the girl in front of me is on another level.

“No way… A Death… Knight?!”

Sable’s face distorts with astonishment.

Having been hit with the holy light, Sable’s body has already mostly disappeared. The lower half of her body that she was somewhat holding on to with her blood threads, disappeared and her upper body also only remained until her chest. In that condition, she wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Sable glared at Senri and at the time checked on me behind her back.

“????! Why is a Death Knight siding with an Ancestor?!”

“… End is different from you.”

“Kuh…”

The pillar of blood rotates violently, sending countless needles flying. Senri blocks those needles with a wall of light.

The moment blood needles touch the light, they disappear, as if they never existed. Even if Senri has an upper hand because of the compatibility, she’s too overpowering.

Small amount of blood flows from Sable’s lips. Did she bite herself?

And, Sable says, as if spitting out the words. Her voice is full of strong resentment.

“… So, this is it… damn you, Death Knight…”

Senri didn’t move. It’s because I’m here. She can’t move because she wants to protect me from the blood needles.

But the match has already been decided. Throwing blood needles also needs power. All Senri has to do is wait for that power to run out.

Blood red eyes turn towards me, as I’m kneeling on the ground. Her tongue licks the blood flowing from her mouth.

“Let us meet again, End Baron. But as allies next time.

It’s pathetic but I can finally say this while hiding behind Senri. I compose my breathing and glare at the female vampire.

“I refuse. I’m fine with the way things are right now.

To start with, Sable has no means of escape.

The barrage of blood needles stops. Senri doesn’t run out. She keeps standing in front of me as if protecting me.

With an almost mocking smile on her face, Sable mocks.

“Vampires cannot live with humans.”

The pillar of blood suddenly turns black. Sable’s remaining body abruptly expands and blows up. But, it’s not a suicide.

The next moment, both the pillar and Sable’s lower half of the body turn into countless bats. The colony of bats gives out a cry and disperses in all directions. Eventually, there is not even a single article of Sable’s clothes left.

Senri sighs slightly and focuses her power on her sword. She glances at me.

There is strong regret in her eyes. It makes me want to drink her blood.

“End, I’m sorry.”

“I missed you.”

“Right…. Me too.”

And Senri grandly thrusts her sword forward, releasing power towards the moon.

“《Photon Delete》”

The light erases the group of bats in the sky and disperses in all directions.

A band of light is shining in the sky. As I burn this beautiful scenery in my brain, I completely let go of my consciousness.