Connor stared at the awakened prince and inwardly smiled. Everything had gone exactly as he wanted. On his way here, he had contemplated many things, mainly how to lure the prince to Kulo's nest within the time frame.

After much calculation, he realized it was impossible. No matter how he estimated it, he wouldn't be able to make it, considering it took 23 hours to reach this location from the crossroads. Including the distance Genji had traveled, it was simply impossible despite his top speed surpassing that of the nightbanes.

He simply didn't have the stamina to maintain such speeds, let alone when chased by a deadly adversary. This was why all silver hunters used nightbanes for traveling. Not only did they have decent speed, but they also possessed the stamina to sustain it. In fact, the only reason his nightbane had collapsed so early was that they had been pushed for two days before the separation.

So Connor asked himself, "How can I give myself more time?"

The answer he arrived at was to force the prince to awaken early! Connor could still remember how Macass was summoned and wondered if he could replicate that. That was what led to this moment. Don't underestimate the remaining time. While it would have taken another thirty minutes to gather the blood, Roragen wasn't scheduled to awaken for another few hours.

After all, it wasn't easy to conduct the ritual with such weak blood. But with Connor's motivation, the Dukes had become desperate and had sacrificed four of their own, instantly cutting this countdown short.

'I hope my body can sustain the marathon,' Connor prayed, clueless about the exact limits of his improved physique.

Now that the prince had awakened, there was no need to hold back anymore. His body tensed up, and Connor delivered a devastating strike, finishing the duke who had been stalling him. Then he charged at Roragen, giving him no time to comprehend anything.

A heavy fist smashed through the shield of blood, unfazed by the severe cuts sustained as a backlash. Then a deadly sword pierced Roragen's head, forcing him to tilt aside and dodge. A streak of blood curved along the blade, but it defied the motion and returned to graze, healing instantly.

Connor sensed the dodge and forced his body, trying to pivot the pierce into a slash. His shoulders coiled unnaturally, and his arm arced down, slashing the head like a katana to a melon.

Unfortunately, Roragen was very proficient with regeneration and latched onto the segment before it could become airborne. Then it instantly healed, projecting the scene that Connor's blade had phased right through him. It was so perfectly executed that not even a speck of blood remained on the blade.

Roragen capitalized on this brief period and slashed out, ready to shred Connor into pieces. To his surprise, Connor showed no fear and brought up his arm again to meet his strike. And, to his greater surprise, the arm remained intact and dispelled the force, showcasing their evenly matched strengths.

Feeling the numbness in his arm, Connor jumped back before turning around to run. Roragen frowned at this but chose to understand the situation first.

"What's going on, Heidigger? Why did you awaken me?" he asked the leader of the dukes, ignoring the fact that there were fewer dukes than he last remembered.

"Prince Macass has fallen, sir," the duke replied, causing Roragen's eyes to dilate.

'Brother Macass died? How is that possible? There shouldn't be anyone who can match us?!'

Then he thought back to the human that ambushed him during his awakening. Pairing that with the familiar blood energy fueling his body, Roragen instantly understood what had happened.

'So humans have reached this level of strength. To think they could force a sacrificial ritual from the dukes.'

"Is he the one who killed Macass?"

"We don't know, Prince. Macass's bloodstone shattered a week ago, and we immediately made preparations to awaken you."

"That's fine as well. If I'm not wrong, I sensed Macass's blood inside him. Even if he's not the killer, he must be connected to him. For now, stay and guard the nest while I hunt him down."

"We will obey!"

Then Roragen transformed into a stream of blood and zipped toward the human presence in the distance.

'Did he awaken this strength by consuming Macass's blood? How stupid. No one can wield such strength unless they have his blessings. Trying to do so would only cause his lifespan to run dry. I bet he didn't even notice it and thinks he's special or something.'

Roragen thought as he utilized his signature blood transformation. Roragen had the best blood control among the princes, and as a result, he could abandon the normal bat form and take on this liquid one. Not only was it faster, but he also didn't need to worry about any attacks that came at him.

In a way, he had become one with blood and its liquid properties in this state. But that was not to say this form was perfect. Because he was a stream of blood, he lost access to his entire pool of blood energy. While strange to think about, all vampire blood arts required a flesh medium to unleash.

Roragen had discovered this connection when he first mastered this form, but it was a useless fact since he was the only vampire skilled enough to do this.

Minutes later, Roragen caught up to Connor and transformed back to bombard him with attacks. Rivers of blood weaved between Connor's legs, severing his tendons, only to be healed by his vitality.

Connor stumbled, tripping, and face-planting as his legs gave out from under him. As he was falling, Roragen dived down and swung his arms, using Connor's own blood against him.

Numerous spurts of blood gushed out as Connor sprung to his feet. A flash of metal struck at Roragen, and a blade of blood met the attack. This blood construct, however, had a weird flow, allowing the sword to pass through without resistance.

Connor wondered about this defense but it soon revealed its effect when his weapon slid apart from the point of contact. If fact, the cross-section was so smooth that one could mistake it for a well-polished surface.

Then, before he could react, another blade of blood pierced his chest, obliterating multiple organs. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as he tried to process everything.

At that point, Connor knew he was outmatched. In desperation, he loosened his grip and flung his weapon at Roragen. Then, he kicked off the ground, somersaulting multiple times before making a dash for escape.

Roragen knocked aside the scrap metal and transformed again, continuing the chase. Connor's body slowly repaired his injuries, but it hardly made a difference. His injuries were accumulating rapidly, surpassing his body's ability to regenerate. In fact, it was already surprising that he had survived the exchange since Roragen was no longer holding back.

*Cough, cough*

"Damn. How deadly. Is this what a prince is like? How is Enigma confident in facing him, let alone two of them?" Connor asked as chunks of minced organs and blood spewed from his mouth, disrupting his running.

'Anyway, I might have bigger problems than meeting the deadline,' Connor thought, glancing warily at the stream of blood overhead.

If this was the result after one exchange, he couldn't imagine how it would end in an extended clash. Plus, his body was slowly deteriorating under his full-speed sprint, leaving him weaker than before. Unlike Genji, Connor didn't have any consumables, making all injuries persistent in their hindrances. If he wasn't careful, he might cave to his wounds, ending this plan in its tracks.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Suddenly, Connor's instincts screamed at him in a way he had never experienced before. It was overwhelming, halting his thoughts instantly. Luckily, his body had already reacted to this, diving aside and straining every muscle.

As he fell, a red gleam emanated from his shoulders before bursting out and severing his right arm. Connor hurried to return to his feet and fled with all his might. His remaining arm swung desperately, trying to propel himself faster at any cost. His tongue burned with dryness, and his lungs throbbed with pain.

A metallic taste formed in the back of his throat. His saliva coagulated, sending him into another coughing fit. His legs became numb, and his wounds bled out. His body was breaking down, and it was only accelerating.

'Sorry, Enigma, but I might not make it.'

As Connor contemplated his last moments, a stroke of luck hit him. In the corner of his eye, a thick fog covered a barren forest, making it difficult to sense anything beyond a certain distance. Seeing this, Connor knew it was his only chance to survive and redirected himself.

As Roragen entered the area, annoyance passed through his mind.

'Just delaying the inevitable.'

Then Roragen reverted back to track the faint smell of blood under the musky mist. Approaching the source, he realized it was only a puddle. No matter, it was only a matter of time.

Hours passed like this as Roragen followed Connor's blood trails with no results. Connor was careful enough to constantly switch directions and leave behind red herrings to throw off his pursuer. Using this tactic, he slowly recovered from his injuries while making his way toward Kulo's nest.

It was also fortunate that this mist continued as if there was no end, hindering Roragen enough for Connor to make significant progress. When Connor stepped out of the forest, he burst into a sprint again, hoping to gain enough distance before experiencing another bout of danger.

A few hours later, Roragen finally navigated through the complex web of blood trails and stepped out of this mist. Irritation became very obvious as this game of cat and mouse wore away at his patience.

Transforming again, he bolted in Connor's general direction, eager to end this pointless chase. Connor heard the deafening sonic booms and quickly found cover. In his current state, getting found would result in a swift death.

Roragen stopped above his vicinity and searched for the next clue to track. After minutes of deliberation, he shot off in another direction, giving Connor more time to escape. This series of back and forth continued for some more time before all signs of Connor's cover disappeared into a wide plain.

Seeing this, Connor knew he didn't have the time to take a safer route and detonated with his top speed. Only a few hours remained before the deadline, so he had to make the most of it. If he wanted to arrive on time, he would have to disregard all obstacles and maintain this speed. Luckily, this was easier than expected with the motivation of a certain "supportive" figure from behind.

Connor's mangled body raced across the terrain at speeds he never considered possible. His body had long become numb, and time crawled at a snail's pace, with every moment feeling like an eternity. Thoughts of resignation swelled inside Connor, tempting him like a devil on his shoulder.

"Why are you pushing yourself so hard? Can't you tell your body has exceeded its limits? Wouldn't it be easier to stop and end this?"

This voice made sense, but something else rejected the notion and kept him going. Connor didn't know what this was, but he appreciated it, as he did everything he could to survive Roragen's onslaught.

Roragen had long caught up, but Connor managed to survive for a simple reason: Roragen's transition phases. Every time Roragen caught up, he had to spend a brief moment reforming his body before he could attack. This allowed Connor to minimize the damage and charge unhindered, with a heavy price.

Each time this cycle repeated, Connor lost another portion of his body and inched closer to death. By now, it was unknown if he would collapse the next moment or keep going. Most of his upper body had disappeared, leaving his own flailing intestine behind him.

Roragen had attempted to sever his legs multiple times, but it was as if his body had understood his desires and focused all its regeneration powers there. That was why Roragen focused on his body, trying to smother the last of his life force. To his annoyance, with each body part he carved off, Connor became faster, further decreasing the window of attack.

In fact, Connor was going so fast that sparks of flames ignited on his body from extended friction against the air. At this point, Roragen questioned how he was still alive, as the entire upper body had been reduced to a skeletal figure barely wrapped by singed flesh.

"Could it be that Macass's blood is burning his lifespan to maintain his vitality? But why would it do that? And what good will it do him? The moment he relaxes, he will fall over dead! Just what is motivating him to do this? And does he even realize that he's heading for Kulo's place?"

Then, as if responding to his name, the suffocating pressure in the distance spiked before subsiding. A moment of peace reigned over the area before all hell broke loose with an oppressive, eerie presence. This was the sign of another Prince's awakening, sending distress across the world.

It was a terrifying sensation as Kulo's ritual finished and released his entire aura. The sky quaked, and the world shook, cowering at the newly awakened prince. Of course, these were all figurative, but it didn't change the fact that Connor was heading directly at him.

Roragen wondered if Connor was even conscious at this point or if he was simply moving on instinct. After all, who charges at such a threatening presence when another one is chasing him?

Seconds later, as he had expected, Roragen came upon a paralyzed Connor.

"What's wrong? Finally, couldn't run anymore?" Roragen asked mockingly as he landed behind Connor.

"No. I don't need to run anymore," Connor responded with a hoarse voice and a bloody smile. "DO IT!"

Then a black gel rained down from above, exploding with brutal force and spreading its contents. A dark mist blanketed the area, forcibly entering everyone's bodies with virulent intensity. And at the center of this outbreak, there was Genji with patches of rotting flesh and an insane grin.

"Hahahehahahahe. You actually did it. Then let's go to hell together," Genji cackled despite his horrendous condition.

"Yeah! What better way to end my life?" Connor responded with similar mania as if infected by Genji's mood. "Come, let's all die! Hahahahaha. DIE!"

Connor let out one last laugh before he succumbed to the poison and collapsed. As the light slowly faded from his eyes, something inside him shattered, sending a wave of memories at him.

'I see. So that was who I am. It's a shame I awakened this late, but I'll give you one last helping hand.'

[Child of Fate Connor has perished under your poison. Due to his last will, you have obtained: Injection of Fate - Anderson's Spirit]

[Injection of Fate - Anderson's Spirit]

Rating: Legendary

Effect: Upon use, receive a full recovery and obtain all of Warrior Anderson's strength that he built up over his lifetime for 30 minutes.

"Even better," Genji snickered and injected it.

"Go. End them as she planned," Anderson's voice whispered, reminiscing the memory that led to this moment as his spirit faded.

----------------------------------------

*Huff, huff, huff*

A blue-haired Anderson panted through the pain but refused to release a single whimper. The vampires might have captured his body, but his spirit refused to give in. It was because of this tenacious willpower that the vampires made a game out of who could extract a scream from him first.

It was a cruel game with seemingly no end, but Anderson had no regrets. He had fought a hard battle and lost, so he would accept the consequences. His wife, Marisa, thought the same as well and accompanied him in his torments, enduring countless humiliations without care.

"The only thing I regret is not bringing down more of them back then," he muttered as Marisa was thrown into the cell.

"Then I might have a way," Marisa said as she picked herself up.

"Really? What did you see?" Anderson asked with a hopeful voice, aware of the potency of her prophet abilities.

"A man cloaked in darkness fighting a prince."

"Okay? How does that help our situation?"

"It doesn't. I am certain it's a scene from the future."

"Is that so? Then did he win?" Anderson asked, hopeful to hear a victory.

"No. It was a close fight, but he was too injured at the start. Eventually, he was the first to fall."

"Is that so? I knew those monsters were impossible to overcome," Anderson said dejectedly.

"Let me finish. While he died first, the prince didn't have a good time either. In fact, he died a month later from the poison the person released during their battle. No matter what his clan tried, the poison mutated and rendered their efforts useless. It is an impressive poison that borders on a plague. In fact, I'm certain if a second prince was there, he would have also died from it."

"It's that potent?"

"Yes. I saw how that area turned into a forbidden zone in later years, killing anyone who dared to enter."

"Cool story, but you shouldn't be telling me this to comfort me, right?"

"Of course not, honey. I'm just wondering, what would happen if a second prince was there."

"But that wouldn't happen, right? Even if a second prince was there, could that person have survived long enough for the poison to take effect?"

"Under normal circumstances, no, but what happens if we interfere?"

"Interfere? How? Let's not mention if we're still alive by then, but can we even find him?"

"Anderson, have I ever told you my teacher has a reincarnation skill?"

At Marisa's sudden question, Anderson's eyes widened as he slowly pieced together what she was planning.

"You want to reincarnate into that future?" Anderson asked, disbelief on his face, but Marisa shook her head.

"Not me, but you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. How about it? Do you want to gamble on this?" Marisa asked with a cheeky grin.

"Why not? It's not like I have any better choice."

"Good. Then I'll tell you my plan. Right now, the vampires have fate's blessing, so such a plan won't work. To counter this, I will bait them into crossing the world's will. Before you reincarnate, I want you to provoke them and rile them up. Then, I'll capitalize on it and make them overly paranoid so they'll start a genocide at the slightest threat.

Once that happens, they'll lose fate's favor and become the target for extermination. Hphm, want to rely on fate to oppress me? I'll turn your protective mother into your worst nightmare. That'll teach you to cross me!"

At her rambling, Anderson broke out in a cold sweat. Why are women so vengeful? In fact, he "almost" feels sorry for the vampires.

"Anyways, I'll also try to make you the child of fate to maximize the chances. If you still have your memories, you'll know if the plan succeeded or failed. If not, then oh well. We tried our best."

With that, Marisa set into motion a series of events that changed the future of this world.