Second World

”How do you know a rune technique?” Aubelard asked.

”The memory of my blood lineage,” Arlcard answered. ”The lineage which you admired enough to turn me into your kind. Now you will reap what you had sown!”

The runes around Arlcard sipped into his body as he turned into a black shadow. The shadow turned into a giant sword and zoomed towards Aubelard. Aubelard dodged to the side, but the shadow followed. It stabbed into Aubelard and disappeared inside him.

Aubelard was motionless briefly before numerous sharp shadows stabbed out of his body. He screamed in pain as one sharp shadow erupted after another. These sharp shadows made a turn in the air and stabbed right back into his body, the cycle repeated endless time. His HP which had been largely recovered went back down again rapidly.

Jack watched the scene in fascination. That skill was terrifying. Aubelard was helpless while his inside was being ravaged.

When the skill ended, Aubelardʼs life was already around 10%. The shadow that had ravaged him came out and solidified behind Aubelard. The shadow turned into Arlcard who bit into Aubelardʼs neck from behind. Aubelard was not affected by the bite sedative effect. Yet, he couldnʼt get Arlcard off his back. Arlcard sucked the older vampireʼs blood without ceremony, reducing Aubelardʼs HP even further.

While Arlcard was sucking, several threads of reddish energy were seen coming out of Aubelard and entering Arlcard.

Everyone was fascinated by what they saw that no one sent any attack to Aubelard to finish him. The threads of red energy were getting thicker. Suddenly Arlcard released Aubelard and made another howl. The red energy swirled around his head. He fell to the ground while clutching his head.

”What happens to him?” Jack asked Peniel.

”He shouldnʼt have sucked a much older vampireʼs blood so recklessly. The blood is too potent. His body should be struggling to adjust against that excessive power.”

Aubelard looked back at Arlcard who was defenseless on the ground. This was the perfect time for him to deal with his traitorous son. He readied his demon claw to strike, but a fleeting shadow went past him and Arlcard was gone.

Aubelard looked over and saw Jack holding Arlcard by Jonathanʼs side. Jack had used Shooting Dash to pull Arlcard away.

Aubelard felt a stab at his back. Before he could react, a torrent of light pierced in all directions from the point of impact, causing large damage. Aubelard whirled and saw Ephiltes behind him.

”All you abhorred vermins, I will destroy you all!” His two hands caused multiple shadows as they clawed at Ephiltes.

Ephiltes didnʼt back away. Victory was too close. He only needed to deal a few more hits on this vampire who had one foot in the grave. His sword created innumerous sword-light that clashed with Aubelardʼs claws. Ephiltes were getting pushed and suffered more damage, but Aubelard was having his health chipped as well.

While the two were clashing. They suddenly felt pressure from one side. They turned and saw whatʼs heading to them were twenty balls of raw lightning energy.

Ephiltes reacted faster as he saw Jackʼs Lightning God Barrage first, his body turned into light and sped away. Aubelard was slower as his back was facing Jack, when he looked back and realized the danger, the balls were already close. Additionally, several crimson chains came out from underneath and hindered him from moving.

He broke the chains in an instant, but that one instant was enough for the twenty balls to arrive upon him. The twenty balls detonated with devastating force.

Jack had activated his Storm Breakerʼs Overlimit as well as other buff skills to maximize his damage. Aubelardʼs HP was only a little bit above 20,000 at the time. Even if Aubelard had very high defense and resistance, he shouldnʼt be able to survive this full-powered divine skill. Not to mention the vampire was still in a weakened condition.

Jack had summoned his Runestone of Luck when the Lightning God Barrage hit. He was hoping at first that Ephiltes would get hit as well. That Knight Captainʼs HP was also low already, but unfortunately, the guy was not that careless despite having an intense battle with Aubelard.

When the dust settle, Aubelard was still standing there.

ʼIt fails…?!ʼ Jack exclaimed inside. He was ready to bolt again.

But Aubelard was not moving. His facial expression was blank. He then slowly fell to the ground.

”Oh, right. He is a native,” Jack muttered. For a minute there he thought that Aubelardʼs body disintegrated upon death like monsters.

Jack checked again the vampireʼs HP to make sure. It was zero. He exhaled a relief breath.

”Kill-steal success!” He exclaimed. When he was about to head over to check what Aubelard had dropped, he suddenly felt an incoming danger from behind.

”Look out!” Jack heard Jonathanʼs warning shout.

Jack didnʼt even manage to turn around when a penetrating light pierced out from his chest. After the light dissipated, he saw a blade protruding out from his chest. He recognized the blade. It was the blade of Ephiltesʼ sword.

That one stab had taken away almost half of his 3740 HP. But then a series of sword-light radiated from the sword, causing damage after damage. Jack recognized this skill as one Ephiltes had used on Aubelard as well.

Jack was helpless as his HP fell to zero.

Ephiltes pulled his sword out and let Jackʼs body fell.

”You fiend!” Jonathan exclaimed with rage. His halberd headed to Ephiltesʼ back, but Ephiltes turned and easily fended off the attack.

Ephiltes laughed. ”Even if I am low on health already, I can still easily defeat you,” he said to Jonathan. He then glanced at Arlcard, the vampire was still struggling with the red energy. He wondered if he should use this chance to eliminate this vampire as well. This place seemed to have many treasures. He would be able to loot this place more freely if everyone here perished.

Jonathan activated his earth hammer. He was about to head over when he paused.

Ephiltes saw that pause and thought that it was because his opponent realized that he would surely lose. Perhaps his opponent was thinking of running away now. But when Ephiltes saw where his opponent was staring, he was confused. Because Jonathan seemed to be staring behind him.

Right at the moment, he felt an infinite amount of slashes hitting his body. The damages he felt were piercing. It was raw energy that felt chaotic.

His HP dropped a significant amount as he staggered forward. He stumbled as he reeled around and saw Jack standing there.

”How…?!”

He didnʼt manage to ask a second time because he felt a strong force smashing his head. He was slammed to the ground. Still dizzy from the severe impact, he looked up and saw Jonathan lifting his earth hammer up high.

He heard Jonathan say, ”This is the end of your pathetic treacherous life!”

The earth hammer then came down to his head again.

*SPLAT*

Jack jumped from the scene. Ephiltesʼ head had been crushed flat by Jonathanʼs merciless hammer. His brain matter scattered around the floor. Jack knew Ephiltesʼ HP was low already, he just didnʼt expect there would be such a fatality from the killing blow. But then he remembered then such a thing also happened to Sidney and several of the monsters he had defeated in the past.

”How did you survive?” Jonathan asked. He came over and studied Jack, making sure he was truly still alive.

Jack appreciated the concern. Jack pointed to Peniel. ”She had a spell that called Second Life. I have her cast just before I used the move to kill Aubelard. The skill allowed me to come back to life within three minutes after the spell was cast.”

”Cast it before? Did you mean that you have expected Ephiltes to turn on you once the battle is over?” Jonathan asked.

”Of course,” Jack replied. ”The dude turned on Sidney even when the battle is still ongoing. What do you think he will do to his last remaining competitor once the battle is over?”

Jack knew if he fought squarely against Ephiltes, he would have no chance of winning. He was hoping to ambush Ephiltes when the knight captain thought he had won. Jonathan had been helpful as he caused Ephiltes to turn his back to Jack, allowing Jack to return the back assault Ephiltes had given him.

Storm Breakerʼs Overlimit state was still active, so Jack unleashed his forty-eight burst slashes. The combo multiplier further improved the Chaos damage by Storm Breaker, dealing massive damage despite his opponentʼs much higher level. Luckily Ephiltesʼ HP was also already low after the fight with Aubelard, hence Jonathan only needed another two good strikes to finish the treacherous knight-captain.

The two looked around. Five had waited together in the room above, only two survived. Jonathan walked over to Harkerʼs body. Jack felt sorry for the soldier.

Jack then looked at Arlcard. The vampire had recovered. There was no longer any red energy affecting him.. The vampire was currently looking at Jack with a strange stare.

😉