Ocelio’s figure could be seen gliding across the courtyard of the manor.

On his third try to condense a blood key, it was still unstable but the main door of the manor let him in.

Like a hunter tracking his prey, he did not pay attention to any other scent but one.

He no longer used the three steps right above the floor but was now running in the air.

He stood in front of a room, silent and motionless. He had climbed to the third floor in a few seconds and now, he was one door away from the exquisite smell.

His blood-red eyes examined the interior of the room. His nose told him that there was only one scent inside, however, his eyes showed him two living beings.

Dark energy surged from within his body, erasing his presence from the hallway.

The next moment, the door opened from within.

[He escaped?]

A short, blue-haired man appeared confused for a moment. He scanned his surroundings, yet the hallway was empty. The doors of the bedrooms nearby showed no sign of intrusion.

He returned inside the room and was about to close the door when he jumped back in haste.

A hand had come out of nowhere, swiping at his shoulder.

[Dammit!]

The man cursed; a disgusted expression appeared on his face at the drops of blood that had stained his clothes.

[Who are you?!]

He shouted in the direction of the hallway. The door was ajar, but no one stood outside.

His shouts had awakened the young woman sleeping behind him, she peeked at his back while clutching her blanket, only a small head covered in golden hair could be seen from within the bed.

The man glanced behind his back before stepping to the door. His right hand was placed on the short sword by his waist, still in its scabbard.

[Come out little rat, let’s have a bout.]

A few doors within the corridor opened, the dazed occupants stared at blue haired man with quizzical expressions.

[What’s going on sir Epeigeus?]

[An intruder is in your house. Get the miss out of here, I’ll take care of him.]

[Y…yes…]

The tension in the atmosphere awakened all the residents. They were still in their sleeping attire, but the tiredness dissipated from their faces. They ran in haste to the room the short man was guarding.

Without warning, a woman in her forties with brown hair and thick hands threw a punch at his back.

He moved his waist at the last second, drew his sword and stabbed at the opponent behind him.

Yet, as if it was just an illusion, his sword went through the middle-aged woman.

His complexion darkened before he was sent flying in the air, his body collided against the wall and went through it.

Ocelio was standing where the man had just been, the black shroud returned within his body as he swiped his fingers in the air, getting rid of the piece of clothes sticking to his hand.

He walked in a steady pace toward the door of the bedroom, in his sight, he could see figures huddled against the door and a woman emitting a fragrant scent trying to get down from the window with a rope.

When he placed his hand on the door, a silhouette bolted at him from the half-collapsed wall. His sword came slashing at Ocelio’s head.

He smirked with disdain at the slash, but he showed no intent to block it.

The man’s eyes narrowed, right before the sword made contact with his head, it was drawn back. The man stabbed behind him at the figure of another Ocelio attacking him.

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A faint blue aura surrounded his sword, he placed his weight behind the stab, taking a step forward with the sword as it pierced the figure covered in a dark cloak.

The next second, his eyes widened in their sockets. The sword went through the body without any resistance, just when he lost his balance, a loud sound erupted in the hallway.

Ocelio stabbed his fingers on his skull. However, a thin layer of blue aura came out of the man’s body just in time to block the attack.

[What...technique…is this?]

The man wobbled on his feet, he stood in a defensive posture with his back against the wall, his sword raised in front of his chest.

[Just stand to the side or you won’t know how you died.]

Ocelio was still standing in front of the door as if he hadn’t moved at all. A few drops of blood were staining the tip of his fingers but it did not drip down.

[Impossible. This woman belongs to an official of the regional capital. If she dies, I’ll also be dead.]

His red eyes below the hood stared at the man with an indecipherable expression.

[Your master better knows when to give up. Unless he wants to have an enemy…]

While Ocelio was speaking, the man took an opportunity to dash at the window and jump out.

Ocelio followed right after, only to see the man running after a short golden-haired woman. They were about to board a carriage when Ocelio threw a stone at the woman’s arm.

A shriek came out of her mouth before she was dragged to the carriage.

By the time Ocelio ran to the spot, the carriage was driving in full throttle toward the official district with guards swarming towards them.

[I knew I shouldn’t have bothered about him….]

He sighed; his eyes fell on the ground where drops of blood squirmed under his eyes.

[At least, I’ve got a few candies.]

He placed his hand toward the stains on the ground, all the blood drops from the woman’s injury gathered and flew toward his palm, condensing into a liquid sphere.

[Now, if I remember right…well let’s get to the shelter first.]

Multiple footsteps could be heard approaching his position.

A dark aura shrouded his body, allowing him to disappear from the area and make his way to the prosperous district.

After a few minutes of running above the roofs, he made his way to a dark street, a sickening odour of urine emanated from it, yet he jumped down without hesitation.

His hand passed through an oval dark shape as black energy coursed through his arm, regenerating the void power he has consumed earlier.

Meanwhile, his attention shifted to the blood orb in his grasp. His left hand could be seen manipulating the blood within as if he was playing an instrument.

Tendrils of blood followed the twitching of his fingers, turning the sphere smaller in size.

When the void energy no longer entered his body, he devoted all his focus on the blood sphere until it was no bigger than his thumb.

His cheeks turned to a soft pink colour; his eyes grew misty as the blood orb came close to his lips. His tongue extended and gave the orb a lick.

His body twitched in response, his eyes rolled in their sockets, a long moan leaked through the alley, reaching the street.

[So fucking good…Perfect bloodline…I want…]

He gritted his teeth, his fingers squeezed the orb tight.

[No. Get yourself together…Ocelio…that’s not you!]

He limped to a wall, hiding the dark red orb in his pocket. His head stared at the brown crystal on the ceiling.

[It’s my bloodline trying to control me. I’m not like this, this isn’t me…]

He gasped for breath, his fingers were trembling but he remained standing there, alone, for long minutes. Until his body calmed down.

[I am still starving. It requires more. I’m losing my head. What is wrong with me?!]

He jumped to the roof; his tired eyes looked straight ahead, not minding the guards moving on the street.

When he returned to the Warrior’s Association, he landed on the third floor and opened the French window to enter the building.

He climbed down to the 2nd floor and went straight to an isolated apartment. He did not knock on the door but instead used his blood to unlock it.

He moved in the flat with familiarity, heading towards the bedroom.

A figure could be seen already sleeping on it but he did not stop his steps. He took down his cloak and went under the blanket, snuggling against the warmth coming from the sleeping woman.

He pressed his body against her back, his head moved closer to her neck, brushing against her hair.

When her body squirmed in the bed, he moved his arm to hold her waist.

All of sudden, she froze. Her brown eyes opened; a menacing glint shone within them.

[Don’t move, don’t speak. Let me stay, just tonight.]

The alertness dissipated from her face; her lips curved into a smile before her eyes closed.

[Good girl.]

At the whisper near her ears, her body shuddered.

His hand moved to grasp her fingers, his lips left a series of kisses on her tanned skin, then his mouth opened to bit her shoulder.

She trembled in his embrace; each time his tongue came to lick her skin, a soft moan resonated within the room.

A few moments later, her hazy eyes were wide open, rough breaths came out of her mouth as she laid on the bed, her arms spread apart.

Ocelio climbed on top of her body, stealing a deep kiss and biting her tongue before swallowing her saliva soaked in blood.

His fingers wandered through her body, entering beneath her nightgown, only stopping when his thirst was sated.

Unlike usual, he did not meditate to convert the blood.

He lied down beside her and closed his eyes, holding her body in his embrace.

A long silence followed until morning as the two of them fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, within his personal container, below the ocean of blood, the figure of a silver rabbit stood with a smirk on his face.

His eyes glared at the Triple Eyes in the opposite direction. He watched as the golden rays came out to influence the blood surrounding it.

Then the mirth disappeared from his eyes, he raised his head, staring at the top of the ocean.

A few wisps of darkness leaked through the dark barrier around him, floating to the surface and entering the ceiling of the personal container.

A grin could be seen etched on his face as the dark energy continued to sink deeper into the ceiling.