Parallel Vol. 5

Chapter 10: Hello There

[Your Guildmate, Crow has Died!]

Every member of Nature's Vanguard received this shocking message at the same time. Crow, their reliable assassin had actually died here. It was such an unbelievable sight that most did not know how to react.

Within one of the channels, a rapidly panting Storm bit her bloodied lips as she glared at a young vampire with crow-like black, beady eyes. Her armor was corroded and broken in many places, revealing burn-like injuries that were struggling to heal.

The vampire gently smiled as he released the desiccated husk that was once Crow. The corpse struck the ground, and then crumpled to dust, leaving nothing but its armor and weapons behind.

The vampire, Duke Castor von Dran, licked his ruby-red lips as he turned to look at Storm. "Hehe, you two must have been close. I have not borne witness to such a noble display of heroic sacrifice in my many centuries. Alas, his efforts will be for naught."

Duke Dran gently raised his finger, and countless blood bats rose from the ground.

Storm warily observed the countless blood bats that had surrounded her in mere moments. However, instead of panicking, she stood her ground and exploded with defying aura. Thick layers of ki hardened her skin, giving it a metallic luster as she activated [Hardening]. This move slowed her down, but it largely boosted her defense.

Duke Dran flicked his fingers, and the blood bats crashed down. Dozens of blood bats exploded before they could reach Storm, as they smashed against a condensed ki-shield. Unfortunately, the ki-shield did not last long under the endless bombardment. Duke Dran's blood reserves was immeasurable, as he drew from the dozens of demons and devils that Storm and Crow killed on their way through the channel. A vampire's blood arts was strongest when facing multiple foes!

Storm groaned as the blood bats crashed into her after breaking through her ki-shield. Within seconds, smoke sizzled as the bats' corrosive blood ate through her armor. Storm desperately did her best to expel the blood with her ki, but there were just too many. As soon as she expelled a pint, several liters of blood splashed back.

After a few moments, the blood even began to melt through her hardened skin. Storm did her best to charge at Duke Dran, but he nimbly laughed and flitted just out of reach while maintaining the bombardment.

'Will I die here?' Storm was no fool. She could tell how this would end if it continued like this. It wasn't that the Duke was stronger than her. In a one vs. one, she would've definitely won nine out of ten times – with the outlier only accounting for divine intervention. Unfortunately, she fell for the stage's trap and provided a vampire with countless fuel for his blood arts.

Faced with her impending doom, Storm only had one thought. 'I must inform Sonic after this. We must isolate the Maggots' Syèl before fighting him.'

"Ugh." Eventually, Storm predictably fell to one knee. Her cracked armor crumbled to the ground as the little that remained of her tower shield slid of her limp hand. Pus and blood leaked from several corroded parts of her body, but the proud warrior's areas remained bright and defiant. She fixed Duke Dran with a terrible glare as she promised, "Don't celebrate too soon. You'll soon die, anyway."

"I shall perish?" Duke Dran chuckled sarcastically, obviously not taking her serious. Right now, he was far too powerful. Nothing could so much as touch hi—

"Hm?" Duke Dran blinked in confusion as he suddenly found himself staring at the jagged, rocky ceiling. "What in the—" The duke's confusion only increased when the world began to spin around him. His eyes widened in shock when he spotted a blue kafu standing next to his headless corpse.