"A fragment of the Death Goddess's divine miracle…?"
The moment Kurose Akira learned that slaying the Death Omen Beast in its nighttime form would grant such a reward, his interest was instantly piqued.
And yet, caution followed just as quickly.
He remained deeply wary of the creature's strength.
"Beating a Death Omen Beast won't be easy…" Akira murmured, already running through strategies in his mind. If he had the choice, he would never fight a battle he wasn't confident in winning.
Even if he called in Kanlutia and the others, defeating it would be far from effortless.
Unless he had at least an eighty percent chance of victory, he wouldn't risk it.
"That's simple~"
Mira Aurelia smiled as she offered her suggestion. "The Death Omen Beast draws its power from nocturnal yin energy. Compared to vampires, it fears sunlight even more."
"Fears sunlight?"
Akira's eyes lit up at once.
An idea formed.
"Exactly~" Mira continued. "And this is where your spatial magic comes into play. Its weakness is very obvious—right on its back."
"There's a cyan-blue core there. That's where it gathers yin energy. If you can destroy it, the beast will become completely vulnerable."
"I see…"
Akira nodded thoughtfully. If what Mira said was true, then his odds of victory were indeed promising.
Still, after careful consideration, he concluded that his current team alone couldn't guarantee success.
So, he immediately summoned that nocturnal vampire who spent nearly her entire existence asleep—Kanlutia.
"Hey! Brat! Why did you wake this progenitor up!?"
The moment Kanlutia arrived, she floated arrogantly in midair and snapped at him.
Despite being a night creature, she spent twenty-three out of twenty-four hours sleeping.
If Akira hadn't dragged her out, she'd still be enjoying herself inside her coffin.
"I have a task for you," Akira replied calmly.
"A task? What task?"
Kanlutia muttered, her gaze drifting lazily—until it landed on Petyko.
A faint, barely noticeable smirk curved her lips.
At the same time, Petyko was studying her carefully. She could instantly tell—the girl before her was also a vampire… and the purity of her blood far surpassed her own.
"You are…?"
Petyko stared intently at Kanlutia, awe flickering in her eyes at the familiar yet overwhelming blood aura.
Kanlutia placed her hands on her hips and let out a cold laugh.
"A mere fledgling dares to stand before a Progenitor? Why aren't you kneeling yet?"
Thud!
"Ow!"
Before she could even finish, Akira's fist came down squarely on her head.
"Why did you hit me!?"
"Can you take this seriously for once? This is a critical situation," Akira shot her an annoyed glare. He hadn't summoned her just to show off to her juniors.
"This is a matter of my kind! Stay out of it!" Kanlutia snapped, clutching her head.
"Oh? Say that again?"
"…Tch!"
Under Akira's oppressive presence, she had no choice but to shut up.
"Alright, now that everyone's here, it's time to begin," Akira clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Begin? Aren't we waiting until sunrise?" Azkman asked, confused.
The others were equally puzzled.
"No. We're taking it head-on," Akira said, shaking his head.
"…Head-on?"
Disbelief spread across their faces.
"Yes." He nodded. "Trust me—I'm absolutely certain we can defeat it."
"If you're that confident…" Honglian lifted her flaming greatsword onto her shoulder. "Then I'll risk it with you."
"I appreciate it," Akira replied firmly, "but you and Azkman need to lead the elves out safely. Leave the hunt to us."
"…I see."
Honglian glanced at the others, conflicted.
She wanted to fight alongside him—but her people came first.
"…Got it. I know what to do."
"Good. Be ready," Akira instructed. "The moment we engage, you retreat toward the Elven Kingdom's border."
"Understood!"
The elves quickly began moving.
Just as they left their hiding place, Loserine quietly spoke.
"They carry the scent of death."
"…I noticed."
Akira nodded. One of the elves definitely bore a trace of death energy.
The reason was unclear—but it was something to watch carefully.
Still, now wasn't the time.
"Loserine, keep an eye on that elf," he said.
"…Understood."
Her gaze immediately locked onto the target.
Akira sighed and grabbed her face, turning it forward.
"I said discreetly."
"Oh—right!"
Soon, they reached the broken bridge.
Below it, a raging river cut off retreat.
Fortunately, among the elves was someone capable of wind magic—they could cross the gap.
The only obstacles…
The Death Omen Beast.
And hundreds of skeleton soldiers.
"That's the spot," Honglian said. "Once we cross, we'll reach the border."
"But with that thing guarding it… slipping past is impossible!" an elf protested.
"Just be ready. Wait for my signal," Akira replied, eyes fixed ahead.
The beast was massive—coal-black, resembling a monstrous yak, its shaggy fur dragging across the ground.
On its back…
A cyan-blue crystal pulsed, as though devouring moonlight.
[Death Omen Beast (Epic)]Level: 80 ( ? / 72000 )Race: ?Strength: ? / Agility: ? / Magic: ? / Constitution: ?Growth: 10Trait: [Disciple of the Death Goddess]
"…Level 80."
Akira exhaled slowly.
"Stick to the plan. No improvisation."
"Got it!" Petyko responded.
"Yeah, yeah! Let's get started already, human!" Kanlutia grumbled.
"…Begin!"
—
The moment he gave the command, the battlefield erupted.
Petyko shot forward first, transforming into a streak of crimson light, blood-forged swords orbiting her.
"ROOOAR!"
The beast howled, black matter swirling around it like a collapsing void.
"Shut up already!"
Before the roar even finished—
Kanlutia struck.
A crimson flash lit the sky.
A massive blood spear materialized above—
She stood atop its tip, arms crossed, fangs gleaming under moonlight.
"Die."
The spear fell.
Like divine judgment.
BOOM!
It pierced straight through the beast.
"GRAAAHH!"
The creature shrieked—but moments later, blue light flared from its back as its wounds regenerated.
"That's the core…"
Akira's eyes sharpened.
But skeletons still surrounded it.
"Loserine—go!"
"Understood."
Her soul-wings unfurled, glowing blue.
She entered the battlefield—
And instantly drew every skeleton's attention.
But to her, they were nothing.
She moved like a phantom, her oath-bound blade erasing undead with every strike.
"She's incredible…"
The elves stared in awe.
"Of course," Honglian muttered, watching. "They're his strongest adventurers…"
Her expression grew complicated.
Just a month ago, his guild had been far behind.
Now…
They rivaled their best.
"…Unbelievable."
—
"Die! Die! Die! Hahaha!"
Kanlutia unleashed relentless blood magic, forcing the beast on the defensive.
It couldn't even touch her—only ordering skeleton archers to fire.
Useless.
Completely useless.
As it shifted to evade her attacks—
Akira moved.
Half-dragon form activated.
A streak of red shot toward the beast.
The moment he appeared—
The beast locked onto him.
Ignoring everything else.
Even Kanlutia.
"…It senses the threat."
Akira smiled faintly.
Good.
Fear meant weakness.
"ROOOAR!"
It lunged, jaws like a void.
"Trying to eat me?"
He smirked.
"Too bad."
—He vanished.
The beast froze.
Where—?
Then—
Akira stood atop its back.
On the core.
"It's over."
Golden sunlight erupted from his palm.
The beast panicked, thrashing—
Too late.
CRACK!
Light exploded.
Cracks spread across the core.
The beast howled in agony.
"Move!" Akira shouted.
Honglian led the elves across the bridge.
The beast couldn't stop them—
Its focus was solely on him.
"ROOOOAR!"
Its body swelled.
The core blazed.
Energy condensed—
Burning, violent, catastrophic.
"…Self-destruction?"
Akira frowned.
"You all fall back!"
Loserine and the others retreated.
Akira tried to escape—
—but his spatial jump failed.
"…What?"
Something was sealing his power.
Then—
Mira's voice rang out.
"It's the Law of Death! Damn it—this beast summoned a projection of the Death Goddess!"
—
"Damn it!"
Akira's expression darkened instantly.
The creeping Law of Death devoured the already dim battlefield, plunging everything into deeper darkness.
A pitch-black fog spread outward, swallowing both him and the Death Omen Beast whole.
"Kurose Akira!"
Seeing him being consumed bit by bit, Loserine drew her sword and rushed forward without hesitation.
But before she could take even a step—
Kanlutia stopped her.
"Idiot! Are you trying to die?! That's death mist!" she snapped. "Even with an undead body, you'd be erased in seconds!"
"…"
Loserine said nothing.
She simply glanced back once—
Then charged forward anyway.
"…Tch! Seriously, what a bunch of stubborn idiots!"
Kanlutia clicked her tongue, ruffling her hair in frustration.
Then—
She drove her hand straight through her own chest.
"…What are you—?"
As a fellow vampire, Petyko immediately understood.
She was extracting her essence blood.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Once a vampire removes the essence blood from their heart, they fall into extreme weakness for months.
And yet—
Kanlutia was willing to do it for Akira and Loserine.
That meant only one thing.
She had accepted them as true companions—friends worth living and dying for.
Even in her own guild, there were only a handful she'd do that for.
And yet…
From how those two usually interacted, they didn't even seem that close.
Before Petyko could process it—
She noticed something impossible.
"…Colored blood?"
Her pupils trembled.
Even the noblest vampires possessed crimson blood.
But this…
This shimmering, multicolored essence—
Could it be—
Only one possibility existed.
A Progenitor.
While Petyko stood stunned, Kanlutia had already flicked the droplet toward Loserine.
"Take my blood with you!"
"…Understood."
Loserine caught it.
A faint red glow spread through her soul-body, wrapping around her.
Then—
She plunged into the black mist.
—
Inside the fog—
Akira stared ahead, face tense.
Floating a few meters away…
Was a small figure.
Barely twenty to thirty centimeters tall.
A girl in a black dress.
Long black hair cascading like a waterfall.
Eyes like dark gemstones, glowing with eerie light.
"…The Death Goddess?"
Akira frowned.
"…Yes," Mira said grimly. "Even a projection of her can kill a demigod."
"…Any way out?"
"There are ways. None easy."
"And that beast… it's trying to drag you down with it. Likely under orders."
"…The Undead Monarch."
Akira exhaled.
"…We escape first."
"You'll need your spatial magic—but you must resist the Law of Death while casting an unstable technique."
"…Tch."
He steadied his breathing.
"Just death itself…"
Magic sparks ignited.
He began forming a spatial ring—
Before the goddess could reach him.
But she drifted closer.
Closer.
The pressure intensified.
Pain tore through every cell in his body.
"…Not good!" Mira shouted. "That projection has awareness!"
"…Meaning?"
"If it touches you—you die."
"…!"
Akira's expression hardened.
Then—
A thought flashed.
"…Got it."
His body might fear death.
But—
His tongue didn't.
"…Time to work."
The projection closed in.
At the final instant—
Akira shot out his tongue.
Touch.
Golden light exploded.
The projection froze—
Even recoiling, covering her eyes in fear.
Yet she couldn't escape.
The laws bound her.
She had to approach.
Which meant—
She had to face it.
What followed…
Was a bizarre clash.
Their "battle" entangled.
Equal length.
Equal reach.
A ridiculous stalemate.
"…Salty," Akira muttered.
No immunity to taste, apparently.
Still—
His [Death Tongue] had been trained well.
Against Ivsha's techniques.
Even a goddess projection—
"…Not enough."
"—Mm…!"
The goddess trembled under the assault.
Her form destabilized—
Then began to collapse.
"…Huh?"
Something splashed across Akira's face.
"…Blood?"
Or—
—
"Kurose Akira!"
Loserine burst into the mist—
Only to freeze.
Her glow dimmed.
"…?"
Akira blinked.
He hadn't expected her.
And yet—
She was unharmed.
Why?
Before he could think—
She struck.
A single slash.
Blue light flashed.
The projection—
Shattered.
"…That easy?"
"Not surprising," Mira explained. "It was already drained."
"…And your companion… she's no ordinary one."
"…?"
Before he could ask—
Loserine grabbed his wrist.
"Let's go!"
"…Not yet."
The fog remained.
"We must break the Law of Death."
"…Then what?"
"…Give me a moment."
He focused.
Again.
Again—
Failure.
Sweat rolled down his face.
Damn it…
Then—
Arms wrapped around him.
"…?"
"I saw Ivsha do this," Loserine whispered.
"…Does it help?"
"…It's… a bit hard…"
"…Hard?"
She misunderstood.
Her hand moved—
"Wait—what are you doing?!"
"…You said—"
"Just hug me! That's enough!"
"…Oh."
She complied.
Cool.
Soft.
Like water.
Akira coughed lightly.
Focused.
This time—
The spatial ring formed.
"…It worked!"
He turned, grabbing her.
"We did it!"
She lowered her head slightly.
Shy.
"…Huh."
Unexpected.
"…Let's go."
They stepped through the ring.
—
Back outside—
The elves erupted in relief.
"You're safe!"
"Thank the Mother Tree!"
"…Let's move," Akira said. "The undead army is coming."
Right as he spoke—
A massive force appeared beyond the bridge.
Honglian grinned.
"…So are ours."
Dawn broke across the horizon.
Silhouettes emerged—
Elven warriors.
And at their center—
The Elf Queen,
Seated upon a sacred spirit stag.