When Death appeared in front of Maria, the vampires within the room immediately recognized the Dark God and quickly bowed down to him in reverence.
Ash was kneeling next to Carmilla and whispered quietly into her ear, “Now do you believe me that Her Highness has gained the greatest of favors from the Death God?”
“I already believed you but it wasn’t like I knew that her favor with the Death God was to the point where he would send an incarnation of himself to appear directly before her...and look, she isn’t even kneeling down to him!”
“And yet she’s not being punished. This is how greatly the Death God favors her.”
“...”
“I told you it was the right decision to willingly serve her.”
“...The continent will experience some major changes.”
“Definitely.”
The two ended their quiet discussion and focused on the conversation between their Queen and the Death God.
“My Child, it is time.”
“Time for what, exactly?” Maria quickly questioned. She didn’t know what Death was talking about since he had just suddenly appeared and mysteriously said it was time.
“Did I finish my quest or something?”
“No, my Child, but you have begun your ascension ahead of time so I will have to take you with me now.”
Maria frowned and quickly spoke up, “But I haven’t completed my conquest here!”
“Yes, but you must come with me now, Child. Before the Order of the ‘Most High’ comes and tries to hinder your growth.”
“...Will it be long?”
“It all depends on you, Child. Now come.”
Maria released a breath and turned to Ash and Carmilla, “Dukes, step forward!”
The Duke and the Duchess quickly stood up and walked over to her again before kneeling down.
“Yes, Your Highness?” Ash asked.
“You already heard Death. I have no choice to go now or else some weird people will come and pester me. When I’m gone, I’ll be leaving the Dire in your capable hands, Duke Garm and Duchess Bathory.”
“It will be my honor, Your Majesty,” The two vampires said in unison.
“I’m really sorry, Duchess Bathory. I was hoping to get to know you a little better but after only just arriving, I have to leave and dump all my duties onto you and your husband.”
“That is quite alright, Your Majesty,” Carmilla hastily said.
Before she wasn’t all too convinced by Maria, but after seeing Death’s Incarnation appear before her just to personally escort her away, Carmilla was entirely convinced of Maria’s status, power, and potential.
“I hope we can have a proper chat the next time we meet.”
Maria stood up from her throne and walked over to Death’s Incarnation.
“Alright, let’s get going then.”
“...”
Death’s Incarnation didn’t say anything and only waved his black cloak around Maria. The two vampires watched in reverence how their Queen disappeared before the Incarnation pointed two bony fingers at them.
“?”
They had a puzzled look on their faces but suddenly, a flash of black light shot out from the finger and penetrated the two’s forehead.
“This is a blessing I bestow upon you two in the name of my Champion.”
Subordinate Carmilla Bathory and Champion Ash Garm have received [Death’s Ordinance] and have both acquired the passive ability: [Sanguine Aura]! Skill Name: Sanguine Aura Lv. Max Rank: Unknown Description: A bloody aura that enhances all friendly vampires and nightstalkers within 50 meters around the user. Passive Skill
Effect 1: 10% increase to all attributes
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Effect 2: 100% Movement Speed Increase while in Bat form or Shadow form.
Effect 3: All Vampire and Nightstalker-related Skills have a 15% increase in effectiveness, range, and damage
Note: Similar Aura skills do NOT stack.
After giving them the blessing, Death’s Incarnation began dissipating into nothingness.
“Do not disappoint my Champion.”
*****
On a sub-planet called Irchol, a black portal suddenly materialized within a marsh and Maria slowly floated out of it. She gently landed on the ground before looking around.
The place she arrived at appeared quite desolate and the temperature around her was constantly fluctuating wildly.
“Where is this?”
*DING*
Quest: Death’s Sacrifice Rank: Unranked Ascension Quest Description: The planet, Irchol, will soon face a Category-4 Apocalyptic Event. Since the planet’s demise is already underway, Death wants you to offer up the lives of every living being on the planet to him ahead of time. It is Death’s mercy to give these people a swift and painless death than to let them continue on living a meaningless existence that would just end in death all the same. Main Objective: Planetary Destruction - Destroy all Higher Life Forms on the planet and present them to Death Time Limit: Unknown Rewards: Race Awakening: [Dark Bloodline], Material: [Calamity Upgrade Stone], Skill Book: [Unholy] Failure: Level: -10, Login Penalty: 3 Days
“...What?”
*DING*
System notification! Additional information has been unlocked: Apocalyptic Events
Apocalyptic Events Category 1 - Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions, Plague
Category 2 - Apocalypses: Zombie Apocalypse, Alien Apocalypse, Monster Apocalypse, Nuclear Apocalypse
Category 3 - Planet Ending Disasters: “The Flood”, Ice Age, Solar Flare, Meteors
Category 4 - Planet Destroying Disasters: Planetary Collision, Satellite Collision, Blackhole, Supernova
When Maria read up until the last one and looked back at the Quest Menu, she nearly cursed out in anger, “What the f―”
She quickly calmed herself down and looked up at the sky to see any signs of the Category-4 Apocalyptic Event.
“Ah...there it is…”
Maria saw streaks of light in the sky despite it still being daytime. It looked like a meteor shower but seeing planet Irchol’s moon slowly but surely approaching the planet, she knew what was happening.
“So...this planet is supposed to be destroyed once the moon crashes down onto it…”
After taking a good look at the Category-4 Apocalyptic Event, Maria started walking in some random direction while thinking out loud, “This planet’s about to die… and Death just sent me over here…”
“A moon, falling onto a planet that I’m currently on.”
“...I’m going to kill that god.”
“Why the hell did you force me onto this planet!”
“Are you freaking stupid?!”
Maria began shouting out her long monologue on how stupid and unreasonable her current situation was. She had no way off the planet besides completing the quest and if she didn’t complete the quest, she would die.
Although it was only a game, Maria was certain that this quest’s idea of dropping a moon on her head if she failed would definitely give her nightmares and trauma on top of the penalties she would receive from failing it.
“Gaaahhhh!!! Dammiiiitttt!!!”
Maria began pulling at her hair as she realized that she might really die this time. The first time she nearly died was very traumatic so Maria made it a mission for her to never experience that ever again, and she was doing very well so far since she had never even come close to dying―not once―since her first encounter with those evil wolves.
Now, she was facing a quest that could literally kill her 100 times over if she failed it and all of it was caused by the very NPC god she served and received immense favor from.
“If I ever meet you in person Death, I’m going to shove my foot so far up your ass that―Ohhhh, I’m so mad right now!”
Maria was upset and she began stomping on the ground. She even took out her Calamity and began swinging it around in frustration, cutting down the vegetation and desecrating the ground around her.
After she calmed down, Maria took a deep breath and read the quest description once again.
“Okay, all I need to do is kill everything on this planet to finish the quest.”
Maria took to the skies and quickly looked around. Everywhere around her was but a vast expanse of marshes and forests.
“That damned god! He put me in the middle of nowhere! What the hell!”
Maria cursed once more at her patron god and quickly began flying in a random direction.
“Okay, I have a hunch that civilization or whatever is over in this direction.”
While she was flying, Maria had her [Gehenna’s Eye] activated and she cut down every monster she saw. She made use of all her skills to do this but Maria didn’t know that when the quest referred to all ‘Higher Life Forms’ they only meant the sentient ones that were capable of thought, development, progress, and had a sense of self, unlike the planet’s monsters or animals.
“Argh, this is going to take forever!”