Battle of Wills

153 Battle of Wills

A chilly autumn breeze rustled the treetops at the ancient forest's edge, their leaves a riot of fiery hues—crimson, gold, and rust—dancing against the sapphire sky.

In the distance, the majestic city wall's outline shimmered faintly against the horizon.

I stood with crossed arms, leaning against the bloodsteed as I gazed at the distant skyline.

This was General Grant's mount—a crimson steed recognizable to many in Cascadia—specifically sent to take me back to Seattle.

I patted the horse. "Go back."

I had now passed the stage where I needed to use General Grant's banner as leverage. There was no need to make such a grand display anymore.

The crimson steed bowed its head gently, then shot up like a streak of light, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

… …

Passing through the grand city gate, I walked on the streets of Seattle. After visiting other cities, I appreciated what made this city unique. Unlike anywhere else, it housed the H.A.R.M. headquarters, four first-rate powers, as well as countless martial arts schools and factions of varying sizes.

Seattle's citizens carried themselves with unmatched confidence and security. The city throbbed with vitality, its streets alive with smiling faces and bustling crowds.

Naturally, a dark-clad figure like myself could slip unnoticed through the throng.

I traversed the vast city, taking in its vibrant energy. Despite getting lost a few times—I knew little of the streets—my aura-observing technique eventually guided me to the H.A.R.M. headquarters.

Night had fallen, and the unlit rows of houses suggested fewer agents remained compared to when I had departed.

I slowly walked back to my residence.

I had left this house for nearly two months, yet it seemed as if I had just stepped out moments before. Not a speck of dust settled on the dark mahogany furniture. The air was crisp and clean, devoid of the musty odor of a long-vacant dwelling. A vase of vibrant lilies graced the coffee table, their fragrant blooms a testament to their recent arrival. Even the fruit bowl in the kitchen held a colorful assortment of fresh produce – ripe peaches, deep purple plums, and a bunch of bananas just beginning to ripen.

Did Max Vierkant hire someone to clean my house? Or was his grandmother behind all this?

I didn't dwell on the matter. Having lived in this house for only a few days, it contained little of my personal belongings—all my valuables were safely stored in my silver bell.

More pressing matters occupied my thoughts. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I carefully reviewed my recent encounter with Moonfeather.

Even my most reliable asset—my physically refined body—seemed fragile in front of a true harmonizing vampire lord.

Had it not been for the red feather's healing power, the snowl owl's wing strikes would have pulverized me completely.

Moreover, Moonfeather was constantly worried about Aisha Patani's arrival, while I had a sense of security—the Whispering Gale technique meant I could escape if needed at any moment. I also wielded the Sun-Shattering Bow. These factors gave me a completely different mindset from Moonfeather's.

Despite these advantages, achieving victory proved incredibly difficult. One could accurately describe it as a narrow win, secured only through sheer exhaustion.

When I killed Karim Shaheen—a Leviasaur posing as a chivalric swordsman—General Grant concealed the information, leading the Pacific Leviasaurs to believe it was his doing.

This time, however, the Ascendant Vampire King had escaped. News of Moonfeather's death would inevitably spread, and I wondered how the credit would be divided between Aisha Patani and me.

I had previously used H.A.R.M.'s reputation as a shield while developing my abilities.

Yet in a short time, I had transformed from someone seeking shelter to one of the "tiles" on H.A.R.M.'s protective roof, shielding others from the storm.

With each vampire I slayed, this tendency would only amplify—until eventually, my name could end up on their list of ambush targets just like Aisha's.

To avoid this fate, the best strategy would be to eliminate them all before they could mobilize.

However, my current strength was nowhere near sufficient for such a task.

… …

I calmed my mind and turned my attention to the panel.

The three Leviasaur Lords had brought me a total harvest of over 4,600 years. Adding the 3,436 years from Moonfeather, it was definitely enough to break through to the sixth transformation of Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection, and there should be some left over.

As the Golden Eagle's consciousness was completely erased.

I took out the radiant Moonfeather's crystal core from the silver bell. It was flawless, perfect like a great work of art.

Such a precious item was probably rare even in the entire Cascadia.

I put it in my mouth. Surprisingly, I didn't feel any fishy smell, but rather like I had tasted a rich and potent natural elixir. This was a completely different feeling from before.

Noticing the Vampire Devouring External Crystal stirring restlessly within me, I used my suppressive power to give it a metaphorical slap.

I also prepared three Leviasaur cores in case of emergency, and then looked back at the panel.

The same prompts as before quickly flashed by.

Hundreds of years of lifespan flowed away like water.

I slowly furrowed my brows. I silently raised my arm. The next moment, cracks suddenly appeared on my skin. Solid demonic energy began to spread around me, and a white light emerged, barely managing to repair the damage.

"Whew."

I calmed my mind and turned my attention back to the panel.

[Year 2920, you suddenly realize your body after the fifth cycle of Sanguine Resurrection is not strong enough to contain a harmonizing great vampire. Unfortunately, there is no turning back at this moment—you decisively use both your life essence and the Azure Emperor's red feather ability. With their combined healing power, you finally stabilize your collapsing body.]

Is the gap in demonic power between a fully crystallized vampire and a harmonizing one truly this vast?

I took my mind off the panel, closed my eyes, and carefully monitored the changes in my body.

If I were more cautious, I should have waited until after my sixth transformation to capture harmonizing vampires into my body—only after becoming a Master of the Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection technique.

Once I confirmed that the white light and red glow could sufficiently counter my body's damage, I persevered through the excruciating pain. Whenever it became unbearable, I would distract myself by reading the panel's description of my suffering.

Knowing the panel showed this same pain lasting for thousands of years made my current suffering seem much more bearable.

Just as I thought I could safely complete this transformation, a white mist rose in front of my eyes. The illusion magic that had once attacked from the outside now struck directly from within.

And it caught me at my weakest moment. I immediately felt an intense heat coursing through my body. My manhood sprang forth instantly, straining against my pants, and my entire being felt ready to burst. My skin seemed unable to contain the pressure building within.

Rose Hightower materialized before me, reclining on a smooth rock. She arched her back, unfastening her bra, her long, elegant legs gracefully kicking away her undergarments.

I tore off my clothes, ready to lunge at her. But she turned away and dove into the lake beside her.

When she emerged again, Albany Laurent was behind her, one arm wrapped around her, hand cupping her breast. They bobbed in the water—Laurent smiling wantonly while Rose moaned with pleasure.

Consumed by jealousy, I retrieved the Sun-Shattering Bow. But Laurent simply reached his other arm out of the water—the bow suddenly flew into his hand. In the next moment, he released Rose, raised the bow, and pointed it at me.

I wanted to dodge, even tried to jump into the water, but I couldn't move an inch. Excruciating pain coursed through every cell of my body while Moonfeather struggled to escape.

These are all just illusions. I steadied my mind. Albany Laurent disappeared. But the next moment, a large, hairy ape reached out with its long arms and lifted Rose from the lake.

With a savage roar, it raised its member high in the air, flaunting its massive size, taunting at me. Then it violently shoved itself into Rose's mouth.

I shuddered with uncontrollable rage. My skin fractured as blood drained from my mouth, nose, eyes, and every other opening in my body.

Suddenly, I felt a soft, cold touch to my tip. Looking down, I saw Aisha Patani kneeling before me, her hands caressing me with slow, deliberate movements.

She wore a beautiful Lehenga Choli, its intricate embroidery spreading across the floor in rich red and yellow like vibrant tropical flowers. Her elegant neck, bare shoulders and chest flowed into a plunging neckline that descended deep into her dress, offering an enticing view from up above. My sweat and blood trickled down her porcelain skin like crimson pearls on fresh snow.

Her hands felt freezing cold, soothing my nerves. Even her mouth was like soft ice, drew the heat from my entire body. I calmed down instantly, and the vision of Rose and the ape vanished.

The panel continued flashing with messages as my absorbed lifespan dwindled rapidly.

[Year 3830, it becomes a battle of wills, a war of attrition—Moonfeather's mental power against yours. Without the woman's cooling touch to soothe you, you would have succumbed, falling into oblivion as the cunning vampire's consciousness seize control of your body. You summon all vampiric strength from your first five transformations, your face contorting with fierce determination.]

Slurping sounds filled the room, as Patani working hard on me. "Aisha, that feels so good," I groaned. It felt incredibly real, yet part of me knew this was just another illusion—Moonfeather playing with my desires. However, the memory of touching the ice sword in the mountaintop church had left an indelible mark, and its cold, calming effect soothed my mind.

Just when I thought I was winning the battle of wills, I felt a convulsion inside my sea of essence. The Melting Sun Furnace trembled violently as the Vampire Devouring External Crystal burst with vampiric power.

A crimson mist clouded my eyes. I pulled Aisha Patani up, tore her beautiful dress, and threw her onto the bed.