Caleb proved that he could be helpful in the fight against Bozem. I had never seen someone react in a situation like that before. His ability to read a fight was even more significant than mine. I fear that I may hold him back at this rate. Bozem was Cornelius's right-hand servant. He turned his loyal thrall into an abomination.

"What should I expect to face regarding this, Cornelius? Anything at all to prepare?" Caleb spoke in a simple tone. I looked at him to see anxiety well behind his eyes. His concern after being thrown into such a nightmare isn't easy to have a brave face.

"He is an alchemist, or I guess he was. He was a low-born noble who poisoned his entire family to inherit their riches to further the science he called 'medicine.' It was a front for his vile experiments on people to create living weapons that he could profit from. His studies were correct, but the method he used for his constructs left them still alive with consciousness. Each of his experiments would kill themselves or die from shock upon discovering their current fate. He struggled for years to continue his research, selling the organs of his victims or poisoning people of wealthy status. When he was finally caught, he poisoned himself to the brink of death. Escaping by faking his death, he was saved by the Vampire Lord who gave him his fangs. With his promise to provide financial and research notes to the Vampire Lord, he would gain immortality and a steady supply of materials for his work." My lips paused momentarily, emotions flooded my heart, and I collected myself in the meantime.

"Then he was able to perfect his constructs because of his newfound power and vampirism?" Caleb asks the right question. I silently nod.

"Being revived with necromancy, Cornelius was able to create his constructs by injecting them with vampire cells, his own blood, to create living puppets that he could command with his will alone."

"Didn't you help him with the victims? Why couldn't you stop him? You let innocent people die!" Of course, even if he is a child, Caleb isn't an idiot. But my mission to learn everything I could to achieve my goal and get close enough to strike Cornelius was all I thought about...

"You're right; I helped him under the guise of a doctor. I pleaded to him about his former profession to gain his interest. I am sure he was using me to get him live subjects from the clinic I had created in town, however, I protected those with my sigils in the clinic. I spent sleepless nights finding brigands and bandits as fodder."

"You gave him bandits?" Caleb drops his hands to his side. He studies my face to discern the truth of my words. "You still fueled his nightmarish ambitions. Even if these people deserved to be punished for their crimes, this was beyond anything they deserved."

"Don't think I don't understand how that is. Even if I did give him the scum of the earth, there were still plenty of regular people who still wound up in his mansion, which he had his servants disable and take into the underground for his experiments. I made sure to poison all of the refugees before they succumbed to his cruel devices. I gave them death when it matters most so they wouldn't feel any pain."

"You couldn't save them?" His hands grip my coat, and he pushes me to the wall. His strength when he gets upset changes. His grip and force gave me a good shake. I lifted his hand off my coat and let out a sigh.

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"If I got caught, trying to let them escape would ruin everything I had gotten this far. But he had his suspicions about me from the beginning. Two of my assistants in the clinic were his thralls. You met them and saw what they were capable of. They would have killed my staff and any patient with all their might before scuttering away in the night along with their master. Don't worry; I plan to atone for my actions and for allowing innocent lives to be used in cruel experiments. However, it is more important we kill and rid ourselves of Cornelius."

Slumping back, Caleb rests his head against the elevator with a light expression. "The very least we can do is avenge them. I need you to help me eradicate this plague from our world. I hate these monsters; I despise them, and it is my job to make sure they feel the fallen wrath of those slain."

"Well said. We're almost at the end. Stay ready!" The cracks within my knuckles echo in the dark chamber. Torches emit blue flames in the dark cellar beneath the mansion. The chemical mix of oils and science to create a flame that lasts for years. Cornelius never ceased his research in any science.

"Have you been down here, Rys?"

"If I had, I would have killed Cornelius when I had the chance. No, I was always looking for a way to get into his lair, but they were crafty in hiding the entrance. Expect the worst."

Caleb stood by my side as sounds of laughter and machines echoed throughout the path. I extend my wires and wrap my hands.

"No no no... This isn't good enough! More essence, and this one is complete!" His voice was sickly but also dignified—the prideful tone of a dangerous madman. Cornelius was finally within my reach...

"CORNELIUS!" I roared his name with burning hatred. Caleb glanced in my direction briefly before returning his stance.

Standing over an operating table with a large corpse loosely piled onto it was the man of the hour. His greasy, long ponytail with a silver adornment wrapped around it swayed with his whole body. Hands deep and bloody inside the stomach of his latest victim.

"My work is just perfect in every way..." Hysterical in his own madness, the creature rips his hands away from the body and licks the blood with glee. A soft moan of grotesque pleasure escapes his lips. "Are you ready to be my masterpiece...Rys...?"

"Your vile games and creations end today. All of your servants and constructs have been disposed of. Nothing left to stop me from ripping you apart. I'll erase you from the very existence of this world!"

"Blah blah! You finally talk more than a few words and you never shut up... Grr!! This won't do...no, not at all. Master needs more to complete his own creation... After the last failure, he surely wants something excellent."

"Before I kill you, tell me where your Master is!" Extending my wires from my fingers, I swing them around his neck. My fingers tug back to slice into his flesh, and a sprout of blood runs along his neck. Cornelius doesn't respond to the pain, but his eyes slowly droop low, and his gaze meets his mind.

"Don't think that will be enough to rid me completely. These wires are nothing but playful strings to me!" With the flick of his hand, his claws slice through each of the wires with no resistance.

"He's strong!" Caleb shouts.

"Don't let his Vampire strength fool you into thinking we can't win. Just focus on keeping him in place so I can-"

"Oh, don't worry about that; I know what ticks you off, Rys..." I blinked only for a moment, but Cornelius appeared behind us—his hand on each of our shoulders. A sudden chill flows through our bodies as Cornelius uses his Chill Touch upon us. Caleb groans in pain as the feeling of our muscles cramping up from the rapid decline of internal temperature in our bodies.

"W-What..." My lips quiver from the cold, and I try to move my hands to attack. My fingers have begun to stiffen due to his ability. I can't move... His face gets close to both of ours.

"Now... Who shall be first to be my next masterpiece?"