Chapter 9

Dr. Alexander Harken's lab was a scene of organized chaos. Beakers bubbled with volatile mixtures, and the walls were covered with complex diagrams and equations. After the whole business with Big Overlord Dariri, Alexander was more determined than ever to ascend the vampire ranks. But how could he create Highborn blood without ever having seen it? He realized he had two options: kill a Highborn vampire and take their blood, or attempt to synthesize it himself. Given the rumors that Dariri was a Highborn, Alexander decided to kill him and obtain his blood.

### The Plan

Alexander meticulously prepared for the confrontation. He spread rumors on the Dark Web about possessing a rare artifact that could enhance vampire abilities. He knew this would draw Dariri out. The chosen meeting place was an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Oasis, which Alexander rigged with traps and armed with his latest chemical weapons.

### The Bait

Dariri took the bait. Within days, Alexander received a message demanding a meeting. The night of the confrontation was tense. The warehouse, lit only by flickering streetlights, was filled with shadows. Alexander waited, his senses heightened and his muscles coiled like springs.

### The Confrontation

Dariri entered the warehouse with the confidence of a predator. "Show yourself, Harken," he called, his voice echoing through the space.

Alexander stepped out from the shadows, his eyes fixed on Dariri. "If you want the artifact, you'll have to fight me for it."

Dariri laughed, a deep, chilling sound. "You think you can challenge me? I'll enjoy tearing you apart."

### The Fight

The fight erupted in a blur of motion. Dariri lunged with incredible speed, his claws aiming for Alexander's throat. Alexander dodged and countered, throwing a vial of his latest chemical mixture. Dariri swatted it away, but it exploded into a cloud of silver-laced gas, making him recoil in pain.

"You'll need more than that to stop me," Dariri snarled. He raised his hand, and a bolt of dark energy shot towards Alexander. The raw power behind the attack was staggering. Alexander barely dodged in time, realizing he was up against a Highborn's unique power.

Adjusting his strategy, Alexander used his vampiric speed to weave around Dariri, landing precise, powerful blows. He mixed martial arts with his vampire abilities, each move designed to exploit Dariri's weaknesses. But Dariri countered with equal ferocity, his attacks relentless.

"You talk too much, Dariri," Alexander taunted, delivering a punch that sent Dariri crashing into a wall. "Maybe if you focused more on fighting, you wouldn't be getting your ass kicked."

Dariri growled, eyes blazing with fury. "I'll kill you, Harken!" With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, claws slashing.

Alexander barely managed to dodge, feeling the claws graze his arm. The pain fueled his resolve. He grabbed a syringe filled with a potent mixture of nitro gamma radiation and Witch's Tongue and plunged it into Dariri's neck.

Dariri screamed in agony as the chemicals coursed through his veins, his body convulsing. Alexander seized the opportunity, launching a flurry of kicks and punches. Each blow drove Dariri further into submission.

### The Revelation

As Dariri weakened, Alexander felt something shift within him. A sudden, intense understanding blossomed in his mind. He was tapping into the first level of the Blood Emperor technique. He could feel the blood around him, sense its flow and control it.

With newfound power, Alexander concentrated, using the Blood Emperor ability to manipulate Dariri's blood. Dariri's eyes widened in shock and horror as his own blood betrayed him, constricting and immobilizing him.

"This... can't be..." Dariri gasped, his strength fading.

Alexander stood over him, a victorious glint in his eyes. "You underestimated me, Dariri. That was your biggest mistake." With a final, decisive blow, he ended Dariri's life.

### Aftermath

Dariri's body crumbled to the ground, and Alexander carefully collected the Highborn blood. This was the key to his advancement. He returned to his lab, his mind racing with possibilities.

Back in the lab, Alexander began synthesizing a serum using Dariri's blood. The process was painful, but he welcomed it. As the serum coursed through his veins, he felt himself changing, his body adapting.

Dr. Alexander Harken was no longer just a fledgling vampire. He was on the path to becoming something much greater. The journey ahead was dangerous, but he relished the challenge. Nothing would stand in his way. He had set his sights on the top, and he wouldn't stop until he achieved his goals.