Genji stored away the blood diamond and headed back. He would need to give the violators a few days to regroup before harvesting them again.
"Night Stalker, I got a letter from HQ with your name," the attendant waved at him as he walked through the door.
Over the past month, the two of them had become quite acquainted as they were both workaholics. Once Genji approached the desk, the man handed him a brown parchment leather. Genji unfolded the animal skin to reveal a set of rough ink handwriting.
"Night Stalker Enigma. I hope this letter finds you well. After everything you've done, the HQ hopes to provide you with a special weapon that would help you against your foes. Please come to Bogera town to receive it. - Valant"
The letter was short and to the point, a prevalent style among many hunters. Genji asked for a detailed map and located the town. It was hard to miss considering the big blue crossbow marking, which made it stand out more than the core town he was in.
"What's with the unique marking in Bogera?" Genji asked the attendant.
"Oh, Bogera? That's one of the six principal towns. Just like how the smaller towns in our area reported to us, we reported to Bogera when things got tough. That place was full of high-ranked hunters, so we could easily get help."
Genji thanked him for the explanation and decided to check out the town. With plenty of time on his hands, a couple of days' worth of travel was inconsequential.
Five days later, Genji reached a city with 4-meter-tall stone walls. This was a prosperous place, as close to a well-developed city as possible given the circumstances. Guards on the wall vigilantly eyed the travelers with crossbows in their hands, ready to load them at a moment's notice.
The roads inside the walls were paved and wide, allowing many people to walk side by side. Some people rode mules that lugged their supplies, though most walked. There were no carriages in sight, which didn't surprise him.
Most people in this world were farmers, so they had no use for something so fancy and wasteful. If they had the money, they might as well stock up on more food for unexpected circumstances. One could never predict what might happen.
The hunter's building in this town was better adorned, resembling a modern bar rather than a medieval one. Genji found an empty counter and handed the parchment to the clerk.
"Can you tell me where I can get this?"
The clerk scanned the contents and excused herself to find her superiors. She recognized the branch manager's name, so she needed to report it. Although it was unlikely that the guest had forged this, she must follow the procedures. A few minutes later, she returned with a middle-aged man wearing a gold tag around his neck.
[Gold Hunter Valant]
Health: 13,900/13,900
Energy: 120/120
Con: 29
Str: 30
Dex: 27
Int: 12
Spc: 2
Skills:
- Boss (passive): + 11,000 health
- Strong Will (passive): High resistance to mental fluctuations
- Desperate Counterattack (active): The lower the health, the higher the damage. Only available when below 20% health.
No further skills can be read.
Genji knew this was the person when he saw the name.
"Night Stalker?" Valant asked, receiving a nod in response.
"If you could follow me then," he continued, leading Genji to a dusty storage room. After looking around for a few seconds, Valant removed the lid of a wooden crate and handed a small jug of viscous silver liquid to him. Genji took it and felt his arm sink under its weight. Whatever this was, it was denser than usual liquids.
"That's condensed silverbane, a solution many times stronger than the normal stuff hunters work with. In fact, it is so toxic that humans would die if even a little gets into their bloodstream. Be careful with it."
Genji understood what Valant meant. Since it was toxic to humans, how bad must it have been for vampires? Granted, vampires possessed a stronger vitality, but this would still deal heavy damage to them. That's what the silver solutions were created to do, after all.
"Thanks. I will."
"You'd better. HQ doesn't produce much of this, so any wastage will not tolerated."
With this, Genji obtained another weapon to help his endeavors, making this a worthwhile trip. It's not every day that such a good thing came to him.
After they got far enough from the town, Genji stopped Bruce. The nightbane looked at him in confusion, but Genji said nothing and led Bruce to set up camp. Seeing him start a fire, Bruce went off to hunt something for the both of them.
He had developed quite a liking for roast meat in the past month. As for feeding on blood, Bruce didn't even consider it. Bruce wasn't a barbarian anymore after Genji enlightened him on the ways of tasty meals.
At least that's what Bruce liked to think, but the real reason was that he got tired of all the vampire blood Genji fed him. The meat might not provide much nutrition, but at least it was a break from the foul blood of those bloodsuckers.
Once Bruce left, Genji pulled out [Jaguar] and the condensed silverbane he had just received. Since the liquid was like a poison, his grey saber would be the perfect medium for it. As for why he had waited until now to apply this, it had to do with the hunters.
Genji had a feeling the hunters wouldn't be happy if they found him applying the solution right away. It was a rare commodity, and this guy was wasting it like that? No matter how Genji explained it, his impression with the group would drop.
Genji twisted the lid off the ceramic container and carefully coated [Jaguar], ensuring every inch was covered. After the entire jug was absorbed, the saber flashed a silver light. Genji covered his eyes since it had been so long since they had seen such light that they were now unaccustomed to it.
When the light dimmed, Genji couldn't help but marvel at his saber, now adorned with a silver sheen.
[Saber of Infection, Jaguar]
Rarity: Legendary
Damage: 36 (up 4)
Durability: 146/190 (up 20)
Prerequisites: 15 str, 15 con (up 3 in each)
Effects:
1. Infection (passive): All external status effects caused by the saber will trigger twice as often (Poison that deals damage every 2 seconds will trigger every 1 second.)
2. Fatal Wound (passive): A single scratch was all you needed to apply the effects.
3. Assimilation (passive): This sword could devour other negative status effects to grow. (Triggered Once)
Description: After Nightmare Enigma dipped this blade in his deadly poisons, a quality change finally occurred.
The description said it all. The change was a small one, but it was better than nothing. Most importantly, Genji saw hope in strengthening this unusual weapon for future uses. It was going to be a costly endeavor, but it was a start.
"I think I gave them enough time by now," Genji muttered as Bruce came back with a rabbit. After they finished eating, Genji took out his fox badge again to track his prey.
----------------------------------------
What the hell?!? Why is a champion here?" A robed member screamed in desperation as he fled. His right hand clamped the stump that was previously his other arm.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Behind him, several wounded figures followed, trying to escape the hidden pursuer who had ambushed them. Judging by how they hadn't even caught a glimpse of this figure, they knew they were up against someone capable. Particularly a champion who focused on stealth, as there was no other explanation.
These violators had heard of the champions' fearsomeness, but they had never thought they would be unlucky enough to actually encounter one. Who would, when they were in such a dangerous world?
As they ran, a flash of silver swept past them, cutting down an unwounded figure. The group came to an instant stop as they briefly caught sight of a figure cloaked in pure darkness. Genji slowly walked toward them, pressuring them with each step.
These violators matched his pace, retreating in cold sweat. Fear built up like a swollen volcano and eventually exploded. Everyone launched their attacks haphazardly and fled in chaos.
Genji allowed the magic attacks to wash over him as Solid Core activated, saving him from major harm. Once the smoke faded, he leisurely strolled after them. Right now, he wanted to instill fear in their minds so they wouldn't pay attention to how they were still alive.
With their current powers, they should have died multiple times already if Genji hadn't held back. The reason for this was that Genji wanted to set up more bait. When they got wounded, Genji injected the tracking solutions into them, turning them into markers to replace the ones that had died prior.
As long as they stupidly grouped up with more violators, Genji could continue hunting them down. He had already annihilated multiple groups like this, so he had reason to believe there were more of them. Now he just needed to let a few escape on dumb "luck" before his plan was set. Yet while this was happening, something unexpected disrupted his plans.
As the group fled like chickens with their heads cut off, they encountered a large bat flying above. Seeing their grievous conditions, a glint of mischief flashed through its eyes as it dived down at them.
Out of nowhere, two of their teammates suddenly disappeared in a flash of darkness. At first, the violators thought it was the champion, but the screams of fear from above dispelled that thought. Looking up instinctively, they saw a giant bat tear apart their teammates before dropping the remains.
But what horrified them was how the blood drained from the bodies, leaving husks of their former selves. This blood then swirled around the bat like a whirlpool, forming a morbid accessory.
*KAAAEEEEEE*
The bat unleashed a high-pitched scream, rupturing the eardrums of the violators below and disorienting them. Blood trickled out of their ear canals as the bat dived again, killing another two in a similar fashion. When they realized their predicament, they had lost another two people, bringing their casualties to six.
"Scatter!" One person yelled and ran off on his own.
The others knew that staying together would only lead to their deaths and followed suit. At least this way, they might have a chance of survival. As for who survives, that would have to be left up to chance. It's like a game of Russian roulette.
At least, that's what they thought until the bat dived downward, crashing into the ground with tremendous impact. Then the wings folded inward, and the fur receded. The warped facial features faded, and a lavishly dressed man with red eyes and fangs replaced the creature.
"Do you think you can escape?" He asked no one in particular as the violators exploded into a mist of blood. Then these sanguine particles gathered and merged into the vampire's body, healing the wounds he sustained on his rough landing.
"How delicious. Despair always tastes the best when the meals are strong. Don't you think so?" He asked Genji as he approached the area.
"They were my prey," Genji replied, clenching the handle of [Jaguar].
"So? Prey belongs to the capable. If you couldn't hunt them, then it only means you're not worthy."
"Whatever. Now that we've met, only one of us can leave alive."
[Marquis Reed]
Health: 14,100/14,100
Blood Energy: 1,122/600
Con: 31
Str: 32
Dex: 31
Int: 30
Spc: 23
Skills:
- Boss: + 11,000 hp
- Other generic vampire skills
- Bat Transformation (active): Change into a giant bat that allows flight, but weakens blood arts by 40%. Available to all bosses.
No further skills can be read
Seeing these powerful stats, Genji instantly activated Berserk from his Tyrant Shoulder Guards, providing him a +5 boost to both his strength and constitution. With this, Genji's physical stats matched Reed's, which gave him a fighting chance.
A huge wave of strength coursed through his muscles, hammering him with a euphoric feeling. Genji took a deep breath, flashstepped, and appeared beside Reed, cleaving downward with [Jaguar].
The newly upgraded saber amputated Reed's arm, causing the surrounding flesh to char from the silverbane. Reed winced in pain as an abnormal amount of blood spurted out of the wound. Then the blood from the violators also swirled around him, transforming into blades and slicing at Genji.
Genji twisted his body in a peculiar way to dodge and closed in for another attack. In response, Reed curled his fingers into a claw and burst out with an intense ripple of blood energy. Swiping diagonally, a sonic boom followed, and a vacuum blade ripped Genji's sleeve. A patch of mangled skin twisted around his bones, surprising Genji with the unexpected attack.
Reed capitalized on his brief pause to contort his body for another swipe. This time, it was aimed directly at Genji, leaving him with no room to dodge. Anticipating this, Genji quickly retreated using Flashstep, giving the vampire time to recover from his crippling injury.
A chain of blood attached to the airborne arm and yanked it ferociously back to its original position. Then, in the blink of an eye, the nerves reconnected, healing the injury as if it never existed.
Reed then vaulted off the ground, propelling himself in front of Genji as he stabilized himself. His fingertips glowed crimson red, elongating and reinforcing into deadly claws.
Genji hurried to parry this sudden strike, resulting in his unsteady arms being flung aside. A second claw came down with a bloody glow, indicating Reed had charged up another blood swipe.
A determined glint flashed in Genji's eyes as a quantum barrier formed around him to block the attack. Genji, however, didn't spare the attack a glance, allowing it to glide through his chest and out of his hip. The wound healed instantly despite the burning effect, as Reed arced his claw back for a powerful counterattack.
A dark, bloody mist gathered around his palm as it came at the sturdy barrier. Upon contact, everything stopped briefly before a shattering sound burst around Genji, sending him flying into a mountain with the aftershock. Five deep gouges appeared on his chest, exposing shattered ribs and damaged organs.
A geyser of blood spurted through his clenched teeth as Genji slammed into the rocks behind him. Genji quickly stabilized himself and pulled himself from his rocky encasement before Reed could surprise him with any more attacks.
Then a healing gel bomb and three colorful needles appeared in his hand. He squeezed the gel over his wounds, causing them to scab over. With the motion, Genji flicked his hand down, sending the needles into his thigh. Some potion was wasted due to this, but the trade-off was worthwhile.
These needles he had just inserted were solidified potions with sharp points. The idea was that they would slowly dissolve during combat, infusing his body with their effects. While they were on the weaker end, they more than made up for it in ease of use.
Genji had created these needles for worlds that restricted technology and sealed his high-tech injection syringes. That way, he always had something he could conveniently use.
Genji walked toward Reed, prepared for a second round of exchanges. More swirls of blood hovered around Reed as he charged up his energy. Then both of them sprinted at each other, unleashing a flurry of attacks.
Flashes of silver twirled through the air as Genji attempted to parry everything. Dodging was not an option given how blood arts flowed. Between exchanges, [Curse Bearer] manifested and unleashed a large ball of curses that forced Reed to dodge.
Genji capitalized on this, taking a step forward and cleaving upward with a small shadow flame. Reed quickly tilted his head, losing half of his face as he clawed down at Genji's shoulder.
A dagger appeared in the attack trajectory, blocking the strike, but his palm ripped from the impact. Then a second claw came down on the arm holding [Jaguar], mangling and snapping it.
Genji quickly retreated and switched the saber to his remaining arm, doing his best to fend off the relentless attacks. After enduring countless wounds, Genji finally had the chance to counterattack, halting the barrage.
A surge of energy coursed through his body as Solid Core activated, locking his torn body in place and stopping his bleeding. Then he unleashed his speed-boosting skills, trying to overwhelm Reed.
He had waited until now to use them because his body couldn't bear the strain. The buffs from his shoulder guard had already burdened his body immensely so any more could be damaging. Plus, against vampires, speed was sub-optimal since they could control blood to block faster than their bodies could move.
Crystalized flesh tore apart from his movements as he displayed everything he knew about one-handed swordsmanship. Injuries were traded, but Genji ended up worse off since Reed could regenerate.
An intense shadow flame covered his weapon as Genji prepared for one final exchange. Reed sensed this and started condensing his remaining energy around his hands, forming a large energy coating.
Then they charged again, each doing their best to finish the other. As Reed's claw came down, he noticed that Genji wasn't moving to dodge. Genji's intentions were clear: he would do his best to drag Reed down with him if he insisted on continuing.
'Haven't you learned by now? Trading injuries will only lead to your death,' Reed thought.
Reed was confident that he could survive this exchange. After all, the attack wasn't even aimed at his head, a semi-weakness of vampires!
Yet before Reed could rejoice any further, the crystallized energy in [Jaguar] broke down, supplying Genji with another surge of it. Then three elusive shadows separated from Genji, all going their own ways to surround Reed.
Dance of Death
Reed knew something was wrong when his claws tore through Genji without resistance. No, this wasn't Genji, but an afterimage he left behind when he swapped locations with one of his shadows.
Reed sensed a wave of danger from his left where two figures had maneuvered. Out of instinct, he swiped hard before his first attack finished. To his dismay, his attack only caused him to turn his back to the last shadow. Suddenly, a silver gleam cut under his view, sending his perspective ascending into the air.
"Has his blade always been so sudden?" Reed wondered to himself as his view crumbled into darkness and the upper part of his head scattered into ash.
[You have slain: Marquis Reed]
[You have obtained: 24,369 coins, 23 max energy, and Marquis Origin Blood]
[Marquis Origin Blood]
Rating: Epic
Effect: Upon use, 10% chance to convert your race into a Marquis level vampire, 30% for Count, 55% for Baron, 4% for normal vampire, and 1% for unknown mutations.
Note: When changing into a vampire, blood energy will replace your energy and you will take on all traits of a vampire. This includes a thirst for human blood, removing your fatal points (brain and heart), and being restrained by holy attributes.
Description: A blood condensed from the essence of a Marquis-level vampire slain by Enigma. Consider carefully before use.
Genji didn't even get a chance to read these notifications before he collapsed from motion sickness and his injuries. His mind was not accustomed to such rapid teleportations that he had just performed. It was a good thing he mentally rehearsed everything beforehand or he would have missed this opportunity.
After his symptoms receded, Genji pulled out a bottle of adapting healing potion and chugged its bitter contents. With this surge of vitality, his wounds stabilized and slowly repaired themselves. Once recovered enough to walk, he picked himself up from the ground and found a safe place to hide.
As for using this vampire's blood, Genji never considered it. While losing his fatal weaknesses was attractive, the drawbacks outweighed the gains, especially considering that it would replace the shadow energy that he had worked so hard to develop.
However, this consideration only applied to him, since others might not have an energy-related talent, making this a hot commodity. Whatever the case, Genji came out on top in this deadly encounter.