Inter-Kingdom Tournament (10) Artificial Power
Up above in the Monarch's chamber, King Manik was looking down at the stage with worry. He did not expect the vampire to resort to this kind of method. There was a reason why vampires reign supreme after the war and became the top of the food chain, excluding the dragonians.
On top of their superior physique, and their seemingly immortal lifespan, vampires are able to drink the lifeblood of other races and species to gain their racial characteristics temporarily. After centuries of research and development, the vampires have managed to enhance the blood they drink to make the power stay longer in their bodies. They have also came up with a method to enhance the blood properties to make it stronger.
**
[Name: Evagoras Nox Tepes] (Forest Troll Blood)
[Race: True Vampire]
[Age: 20]
[Advanced Warrior]
[Heavy Axe Art - Imperial Style]
[8th Circle - Supreme]
[Magic: Blood, Lightning]
[Ability: Telekinesis, Hypnosis, Flight]
**
'Troll blood huh...'
Before his very eyes, Evagoras' skin grew a shade darker and his height increased by a few inches. Known for their high vitality, strength and insane regeneration ability, the forest troll blood is one of the most popular blood sold on the black market.
Still holding on to the great axe, Eric held it tight and was going to attack him when Evagoras laughed manically.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! This feeling, I can feel it coursing through my veins, invigorating me with overwhelming POWER!" He smashed his fist against this palm, creating a small shockwave.
"Oh, shiver me timbers, whatever am I gonna do now?" Eric threw his hands up sarcastically.
WHAAAMMMMMP!
Suddenly appearing in front of Eric, he threw a massive upper hook, sending him flying into the air. He then flew up and and clenched both his fist together, pounding him back into the ground. With the adrenaline pumping and momentum keeping him going, he left Eric with no room to breathe.
"Where did all that big talk go huh? Feeling scared now you worm?" Evagoras said as he was about to deliver a kick to Eric's face.
Spitting out a glob of blood, Eric activated
"I let you have your fun, but don't go too far now."
Getting up to his feet, he crushed the foot in his hand and tore it off his ankle.
Losing his balance, Evagoras let out a painful scream and made a grab at Eric. Dodging the swipe, Eric severed the arm with the axe in one swift motion.
A surge of new energy came rushing into his body, but at the same time a red haze covered his vision. Wondering where the source of energy was coming from, Eric looked down and found the axe glowing with red light.
The vampiric gem embedded in the axe brought up an intense feeling of bloodlust within him. The more he used it, the more he was going to be affected by it. Feeling disgusted by that fact, he threw the axe towards Evagoras at full force.
Despite being at close proximity to him, Evagoras managed to swivel his head in time, causing the axe to land on his shoulder, causing him to stagger backwards. He took out the axe and tried to use it, but Eric was not having it.
"If I can't use the axe, neither can you. Gravity times 100." Eric directed all the gravity force on the axe.
Due to the sudden gravitational pull, both of Evagoras' arms which was holding the axe slide off their sockets like cheese being stretched. His eyes went white from the sudden wave of pain that hit him a moment later.
Cladding his hands with lightning and feet with fire, Eric proceeded to go all out on him. Every step he took, the ground burned with fire, every strike he landed, the heavens resonated with fury.
When Evagoras regrew his arms, he managed to block some blows and return a few.
"You tenacious bastard, just how far do I have to go to bring you down." Eric said as he rained down blows. Every punch he landed created fist-sized holes in his body, but it all regenerated in an instant. Eric knew he did not have much time left before his ability wore off and he would no longer match him in strength. During that period of time, he had to finish him off.
"Never." Evagoras replied with venom.
His eyes radiated red as he used the full force of his hypnosis on Eric. Thinking it worked, he smiled and was about to retaliate when Eric's eyes turned blue. Seeing those eyes, his instincts screamed at him to run away, but his legs had stopped working. Evagoras started to involuntarily tremble non-stop.
"Curb your arrogance, little vampire. You dare use those parlor tricks on me? Let me ingrain into you the meaning of true fear."
Unleashing the full force of his weakened dragon aura plus the power of the evil eye, Evagoras' heart stopped beating for a full 5 seconds. His body was now running purely on fear.
Out of the corner of his mind, Eric felt an intense killing intent directed at him. Ignoring it for now, he concentrated his attention on the match.
"You have strong regeneration eh? Try this." Eric grinned evilly.
Opening Evagoras' mouth, Eric shoved down a white-hot ball of fire down his throat. Releasing him from the dragon aura, Evagoras' staggered back and fell to the ground while clutching his throat.
"Now then..." Eric muttered to himself.
Taking out the vial of poison that his sensei gave him to kill Evagoras, Eric secretly crushed it and slathered the poison on his hand. The broken pieces of glass were then absorbed back into his storage ring.
By now, the ball of fire should be burning him inside out. From the expression Evagoras was showing, he looked like he was experiencing hell and was on the verge of passing out.
"Hey, don't go sleeping on me now."
Squatting down next to him, Eric slapped him a few times.
"You know what's the bad thing about regeneration?" Eric whispered next to him. "It is that the pain never stops. But due to my great mercy, i'll allow it to end. You can thank me later, if you ever will..."
Sharpening his nails with lightning, Eric was in motion to finish him, but then he heard a sound from Evagoras.
"..."
"What's that?" Eric asked as he brought his face close to him.
"F...fuck you. Crims-son L-lighting."
Using a last-ditch effort, he used his most powerful combined magic of blood and lightning. Pouring every last drop of his mana and strength into this final move, he raised his hand and gathered red lighting into it. Giving Eric little chance to react, Evagoras' tried to pierce his chest but was denied by his armor.
There was one function in his armor that Eric had not used until now. That was the ability to turn invincible for one second. Eric looked at Evagoras' hand which was destroyed by his own power then turned to him.
"Ah... That could've actually hurt me. Well too bad, you had your chance." As all strength left Evagoras' body, Eric raised his hand into a claw shape and prepared to end it.
"STOP!"
A commanding voice bellowed throughout the entire colosseum. Even though it was not directed at them, everyone instinctively stopped that they were doing. Bright golden light erupted from the skies as the Vampire Emperor descended. His face was one of rage and anger.
"THE MATCH HAS ENDED, LEAVE THE STAGE." The Emperor's voice boomed out.
"Who decided that?" Eric asked. With the other free hand, he cast
"IF YOU DO NOT UNHAND MY SON RIGHT NOW, YOU WILL FACE MY WRATH." The pressure that the Emperor gave off was crushing everyone in the colosseum, even Eric was feeling it. But despite all that, Eric did not give in to his order as he defiantly looked back at the Emperor.
Standing on the world stage like this tournament, Eric knew that there were a lot of power hungry and greedy fools wanting to use him for their own agenda.
Killing the Emperor's son on this stage was like sentencing himself to death, not that he was planning it. He knew his own worth and knows 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 person will most definitely not allow him to die here. It was a calculated risk that he was willing to take.
The colosseum became dead silent as they watched Eric's next move.
"Try me."
Like an action movie scene, everyone watched as Eric's claws penetrated through the air in slow motion. And they all had one thought in mind.
'Oh shit.'