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Chapter 267: Died Brightly... (Bonus Chapter)
[Ding! Your trade request has been approved!]
[Trade Conditions]: "Cursed Gear: Shikama Dji," "Right to Use Body Once"
[Ding! Confirm the trade?]
" "
Neither of those trade conditions surprised Shinoa. But the reality of putting her own body's "usage rights" on the line made her hesitate for a moment.
Yet with Crowley's footsteps closing in on her, she had no choice but to decide. Biting her lip, she agreed.
[Ding! Trade has begun!]
[Trade Partner]: Shinoa
[Trade Content]: Eliminate the vampires invading the school
[Trade Conditions]: "Cursed Gear: Shikama Dji," "Right to Use Body Once"
[Duration]: 24 hours
Rei Ao sighed. "Mai, looks like you'll have to head back on your own."
Mai curled her lip. She reached out and gave a forceful squeeze to his most critical area, then snarled, "Seems you're really raring to go," and turned to leave. She left Rei Ao with a wry smile, and that movewhile it didn't hurt himcertainly carried potent "insult value."
Ever since Mai discovered the business about Ai, her mood had been foul. She simply couldn't wrap her mind around sharing the same future with that person. Such a picture was unthinkable. Rei Ao understood; he'd let her sulk for now. Later, he would have to "comfort" Mai properly.
Before going to Shinoa's world, he sent a brief message into the group chat of Akame's world:
Rei Ao: "@everyone with some free time in the Night Raid group, come with me."
Akame: "Sure."
Kurome: "Mm."
Leone: "Oh-ho, a chance to take the field?"
Mine: "Why are all of you so eager?"
Sheele: "Mine, you've already geared up"
Chelsea: "Anyone not free? Probably just Esdeath and Najenda"
Najenda: "Things are stable right nowI can spare some time."
Esdeath: "Ah, leaving the army alone for a bit won't cause any chaos."
Esdeath was as confident as ever.
Rei Ao: "All right, everyone can come."
After sending the cross-world summons, he arrived first in Shinoa's world.
Crowley stood before Shinoa.
"Eek!!!"
Shinoa's attempt to swing her scythe was halted by Crowley's single hand. Exhausted as she was, she posed no real threat. Crowley's eyes glinted red.
"Before I turn you into a vampire to become my servant, do you have any final words?"
" "
Shinoa lowered her gaze, silent.
"Tch, how troublesome humans can be," Crowley muttered. He didn't like seeing stubborn defiance. He bared his fangs and leaned toward the helpless Shinoa.
At that moment, Shinoa lifted her head, looking not at Crowley but behind him. She curved her bloodstained lips into a faint smirk.
"Did you know?"
"Huh?"
The abrupt question made Crowley pause. What was Shinoa planning, cornered like this?
"You're about to die."
Her voice was low.
"!!!"
Crowley's vampire pupils constricted sharply.
Although vampires rarely felt extremes of heat or cold, he was drenched in cold sweat. Because a hand, silent and terrifying, had been laid on his shoulder. Without turning around, every cell in Crowley's body trembled.
Behind him stoodsomeone unspeakably dangerous.
"'About to die'that's an apt description," said a voice. "So then, Mr. Vampire Seventh Progenitor, how exactly will you meet your end?"
"!!!"
Crowley's mind reeled. This stranger even knew his true rank?! The "Thirteenth Progenitor" was just a name he used outwardly, but behind the scenes, his power rivaled a "Seventh Progenitor."
"Damn it!"
Ensnared by terror, Crowley forced himself to break free mentally. He didn't know who this unbelievably fearsome figure behind him was, but his immediate goal was clear: escape.
He locked eyes on Shinoa. A hostage! If he could seize her, maybe he'd have a chance of survival.
Grasping at that final straw, Crowley stretched his pale hand toward Shinoa, hoping to snatch her. But from behind him, Rei Ao gave a cool laugh.
Just before Crowley's hand could reach Shinoa
Fwoosh!
A tiny flame appeared at his fingertips.
"?"
Bewildered, Crowley stared at that small, dazzling spark. To his horror, it began consuming him, starting from his fingertips and racing onward under his wide-eyed gaze.
"Why"
He didn't even finish the word before his whole body was engulfed. A brilliant blaze flared, brighter than a sunset, although it lasted only a moment. When the flames died away, nothing remained.
"Passing on in such a radiant way is almost too good for you," Rei Ao remarked on Crowley's fate. Then he extended a hand toward Shinoa, who'd collapsed to her knees.
"Get up."
Shinoa calmly took his hand and stood. She looked a mess of blood and wounds. Rei Ao said, "You got yourself pretty banged up. If you'd fully mastered Shikama Dji's power, you wouldn't be in this state."
" "
Shinoa knew that, too, but with her current strength, fully controlling Shikama Dji was easier said than donethat power from the First Progenitor was immense.
"Cough, cough"
She hacked up blood painfully, clearly suffering severe injuries inside and out.
"You want me to heal you?" Rei Ao asked.
"No need It's not so"
She hadn't finished refusing when a golden light bathed her body. Instantly, the pain vanished. She felt lighter, her bleeding wounds visibly closing up. Surprised, she turned to Rei Ao, who simply shrugged:
"Don't forget, after this, I'll be collecting my payment. You don't expect me to 'conquer' a body that's all torn up, do you? I'm not into that whole 'bathing in blood' kink."
" "
His logic was oddly specific, but she couldn't really disagree.
Just then, a figure appeared: Akame, Kurome, Esdeath, and the others. Rei Ao glanced at them, sounding satisfied:
"Looks like you haven't been slacking. I'm pleased."
Besides Akame, Najenda, and Esdeathwho were exceptionally strongthe others had reached around Level 10. Though that might not sound high, combined with their Teigus, they could wield far greater combat strength.
~~~
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Chapter 268: Something Interesting... (Bonus Chapter)
"Lord Crowley!!!"
Akame and the others had just arrived when two uninvited figures rushed forward: both were womenone had short blue-violet hair, the other golden wavy locks. Their eyes were blood-red, revealing sharp fangs. Clearly not human.
[Name]: Chess Belle
[Level]: 20
[Ability]: "Vampire Progenitor"
[Name]: Horn Skuld
[Level]: 20
[Ability]: "Vampire Progenitor"
Not just vampires, but vampire progenitors. If Rei Ao recalled correctly, they were both "17th Progenitors," subordinates of CrowleyChess and Hornvampires turned by Crowley, who passionately loved and idolized him, the typical lackey roles infatuated with him.
"It was you who killed Lord Crowley! I'll kill you!!!"
Both women, faces twisted with rage, charged at Rei Ao.
"Tch."
Esdeath moved to strike them down.
"Don't."
But Rei Ao stopped her. He simply stood in place, watching them accelerate with their inhuman speed.
Smack!
At the sound of a single snap of Rei Ao's fingers, snapthe women froze in midair, only a short distance away.
"They're vampires," Shinoa warned, guessing Rei Ao's intentions.
"I know," he replied serenely. He certainly had no interest in those "things" once someone else had used them.
"Kurome, kill them," he commanded.
"!!!"
Kurome's eyes gleamed, immediately understanding Rei Ao's purpose. She produced her Teigu, March of the Dead: Yatsufusa.
Without hesitation, shing!!!
Yatsufusa skewered each woman through the heart.
A moment later, Rei Ao canceled his Time & Causality Interference. Thumpthe two vampires, coughing blood, collapsed heavily onto the ground. Their eyes dimmed, filled with confusion and unwillingness, and they died in resentment soon after.
"Rise." Kurome's voice was cold.
" "
Their corpses slowly stood, walking blankly to stand before Kurome. She looked delighted. "Rei Ao-nii, I really like these two puppets."
Indeed, these new corpses were stronger than any other "puppet" she'd possessed. So she tossed out some older, weaker corpses.
"As long as you like them."
To Rei Ao, they were only Level 20trash by his standardsbut they'd still be a not-insignificant help as Kurome's puppets.
Akame walked up. "Rei Ao, what do we do?"
"Now, go rid the entire school of any more vampires," he instructed. He had brought them for that reason: ex-professional killers who could handle the cleanup swiftly.
"Esdeath, just play around for now. Later, I'll take you somewhere more entertaining."
At her current Level 36, ordinary vampires couldn't survive even a second. Esdeath's eyes shone. "Oh? I look forward to it." She and the others parted ways, dispersing through the school in different directions.
"I can still fight," Shinoa insisted, raising Shikama Dji. But Rei Ao had other ideas for her.
"Let's go watch a show," he suggested, glancing with interest in a certain direction.
Elsewhere on campus
"Ferid, you damn bastard!!!"
A black-haired boy covered in bloodYichir Hyakuyaroared in fury, his face twisted. Both eyes glowed red, like a vampire's, though in his case it was only because of his boiling rage.
He was glaring at a man standing before him, hatred blazing:
"Ferid Bathory!!!"
Yichir's limbs had been impaled by iron bars, anchoring him to the ground so he couldn't move. All he could do was glare, blood leaking from his lips as he growled with ferocious hatred. He would never forget this vile, scheming, despicable vampire, the one who had deceived him and his "family"the one who slaughtered them all before his eyesand the last who forced Mikaela to sacrifice himself: Ferid Bathory.
"Aha, Yuu-kunnever expected you to be this enticing when we met again~" drawled the man with a disturbingly smooth, feminine-sounding voice, despite being male. He had silver hair, a refined suit, pale skin, and red eyesa quintessential "noble vampire."
"Ferid!!!"
Yichir's voice was hoarse with hatred, pinned by metal rods. "I'll kill you I swear!"
"Hah, Yuu-kun's memories of me are quite heartwarming." Ferid stepped closer, raising Yichir's chin with a white-gloved hand, ogling him with a sinister enjoyment. It was as if Yuu's agony and hatred amused him. But even that bored him eventually. With a nasty smile, Ferid narrowed his eyes:
"Yuu-kun, do you know how Mikaela's doing these days?"
"What?!" Yichir stiffened at the familiar name, eyes wild. "Mika He's alive?"
He'd believed Mikaela to be dead, so the hope sparked in him for a moment. But Ferid's grin deepened.
"Ah, that kid became quite the prized blood bag for the nobles."
"!!!"
For an instant, Yuu felt reliefMikaela still livedonly for it to be consumed by crushing rage.
"Damn you vampires! I'll kill every last one of you!!!"
Ferid giggled. "Heheh, Yuu-kun, your anger's still not quite tasty enough." Then he leaned in conspiratorially. "By the way, I was lying just now. Mikaela died the same day you fleddrained bone-dry by a pack of vampires."
"Whwhat"
In a heartbeat, Yichir's heart seemed to stop; his eyes glazed. Ferid went on:
"Ah yes, poor Mika-chan was pinned down, blood guzzled by half a dozen vamps those pale lips of his kept calling your name, right until the end. Tsk, tsk, your bond was rather enviable."
Far from calming him, Ferid's reminiscing only fueled Yichir's transformation. The revelation Mikaela was dead covered him like a permanent dark haze grief, fury, hatred, loathing, all assaulted his brain.
"Kill!!!"
He had only one thought left: to kill the bastard before him. His eyes darkened with blackish substance creeping in; something in his back seemed ready to burst out.
"Huh?" Ferid sensed a shift. The air around them took on a strange, salty tangsomething likesalt.
~~~
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Chapter 269: Cage Fight!
Stella: "@Rei Ao, @Shinoa, did you two run into something again? Vampires?"
Megumi Katou: "Vampires a kind of monster that drinks human blood, right?"
Mikoto Misaka: "Are vampires even real?"
Rei Ao: "Not sure about other worlds, but your world does indeed have them."
Mikoto Misaka: "??? Wha?!"
"Pffft!!!"
Mikoto Misaka spat out a mouthful of water.
"Onee-sama, what's the matter?"
Kuroko Shirai immediately handed her some tissues.
"Cough, cough"
Once Mikoto finished coughing, she asked Kuroko with a strange look, "Kuroko, are vampires real?"
"Huh?"
Kuroko blinked. Then she laughed. "Onee-sama, what are you talking about? This is an age ruled by science."
""
Mikoto of course understood their world focused on science. But Rei Ao's words made her question that.
Frieren: "What do vampires look like?"
Shiba Miyuki: "I'm curious as well about these legendary creatures."
Miko Yotsuya: "Uhis nobody scared? At the mere mention of either evil spirits or vampires, I get the shivers. If I could avoid them, I would."
Tohru: "Mehvampires? They're not worth worrying about."
Rei Ao: "Let me show you."
[Ding! Rei Ao has started a livestream!]
Everyone in the chat hopped into the stream. On screen they saw two men facing each other rather "cordially."
Stella: "Which one's the vampire?"
Saeko Busujima: "Probably the white-haired onepale skin, red eyes, and pointy ears."
Sui: "Wait, an elf can have those features too But that black-haired one seems off. His eyes went pitch-black, and something's about to burst from his back. Is he turning into a monster or something?"
Rei Ao: "He really is."
Rei Ao had brought Shinoa to a rooftop to see Yichir Hyakuya undergoing a bizarre transformation.
"Riiiip!!!"
Black matter tore through Yichir's clothing, bursting from within.
"Huh?"
Ferid, shocked, quickly sprang backward.
They saw Yichir wrench free from the rods speared through his limbs into the ground. His clothes were tattered, and he stood up unsteadily.
By now, Yichir no longer looked humanhis sclera had vanished, leaving only pitch-black eyes with gold irises. And most strikingly, something huge, like a gnarled black branch, jutted upward from his back, dripping with black fluid.
"What is that?"
Shinoa asked in surprise, speaking aloud. Her first thought was that maybe a botched demon-gear contract had turned him into a demon. But Yichir had no demon gear on him at all.
