Ch. 141
Wipeout (3)
'That startled me.'
Ian clicked his tongue as he fiddled with the Eye of the Sun.
'The Cultists of Greed always carried these outrageous artifacts even in my past life.'
An artifact so powerful that it could instantly suppress four powerful ancient vampires.
Still, thanks to it, Vladiark managed to feast.
'And I got a good artifact.'
Ian put the Eye of the Sun into his subspace.
'But I got burned a bit.'
Looking at his palm, the gauntlet was completely melted and fused to the skin.
In fact, it was a pretty serious burn—calling it 'a bit' was putting it mildly.
He could still hear the sizzling sound coming from his palm.
'Just a minor burn, really.'
Still, it wasn't a big deal.
All he needed was to cool it down with water and ice attribute aura, and heal it using potions and Authority of Projection to manifest his regenerative power.
—Srrrk!
As Ian used the Authority of Projection, his palm instantly grew new skin as if it had never been burned, the pus drained, and fresh calluses formed, returning it to the sturdy hand of a warrior.
'The demonic humans will probably come soon.'
It seemed there were no more traps, but there was no way those bastards would just stand by and let Ian and the blood kin escape like this.
If Ian and the blood kin got out, the demonic humans would lose the Eye of the Sun, the demonic energy equivalent to three Grandmasters, and Noxcar all at once.
'The Cultists of Greed didn't get that name for nothing. I bet their eyes are turned inside out by now.'
They would definitely rush in as a group soon to stop the escape by any means necessary.
'Scarlet and... Are the blood kin alright?'
Ian first checked Scarlet, who was collapsed nearest to him.
"Uh, ugh... Ian..."
"It's okay. I'll stay right here."
"Uh... ugh..."
Scarlet's condition was visibly poor.
She had taken a direct hit from the Eye of the Sun, and her whole body was covered in severe burns.
Her body looked like roasted meat, even her scalp had been burned off, and clumps of hair had fallen away.
Normally, such burns would have healed instantly once the Eye of the Sun was deactivated.
But right now, Scarlet was poisoned by sunsteel and silver.
Sunsteel was twisting her blood energy, while silver was rotting her flesh and blocking her regeneration, making recovery impossible.
In time, the poisoning would wear off naturally, but a complete recovery would still take quite a while.
"Ugh, huuu..."
"Ahh... uh..."
Judy and Marcus were in no better shape than Scarlet.
"..."
Morgan, the lowest-ranking vampire, had lost consciousness altogether.
'I'll have to fight alone.'
Ian carefully carried all the blood kin members together to one side to protect them more easily.
'Noxcar... is she alright?'
Noxcar's head was cradled tightly in the arms of the fallen Judy.
'Not so bad.'
Her skin was a bit singed, but thanks to Judy shielding her with her own body, she wasn't greatly damaged.
The pale skin looked just like a corpse, but Ian could still faintly sense the energy of life flowing in her.
'As expected... the blood kin's lord, indeed.'
Despite being decapitated, poisoned by silver and sunsteel, and having almost depleted her blood energy, she was still alive.
He had heard that the lords of vampire clans wouldn't die even if their bodies were ground to mush, and now he was seeing that for himself.
'But her condition isn't good.'
She was still definitely alive, but growing weaker by the minute.
A vampire's powerful vitality came from their blood energy.
Even now, maintaining her life was continuously consuming that energy, and soon it would be completely depleted.
'If I don't get her some blood soon, she'll die.'
If it were possible, Ian would've given her his own blood right away—but now wasn't the time.
He had to fight off the incoming demonic humans.
Noxcar had been starving for blood for so long that if he recklessly gave her his blood, she might devour him right then and there.
Even if he tried to hang on by projecting blood with Authority of Projection, handling Noxcar's abyssal hunger would not be easy.
If he wasn't careful, his aura could be entirely drained before he even faced the demonic humans—a disastrous situation.
'Giving her the blood of the blood kin isn't an option either.'
If the clan's blood were pooled here, it would be enough to restore Noxcar, but right now they were all poisoned by sunsteel and silver—their blood quality was abysmal.
'So in the end...'
There was only one method.
He simply had to wait.
'Until the demonic humans arrive.'
Kill the demonic humans, and feed their blood to Noxcar—problem solved.
Deal with the demonic humans, recover Noxcar.
"I—Ian...!"
Just then, Marcus in the back managed to squeeze out a strained voice, calling Ian.
Ian quickly approached so Marcus wouldn't overexert himself.
"Please, don't push yourself, sir. I'll take full responsibility and lead everyone out."
"... I'm sorry. I made a scene."
"It's fine. I understand."
It had been a bit startling how they had all rushed out of formation when they saw Noxcar, but Ian could understand.
If it had been Sophia or Yuria lying in Noxcar's place, Ian would've lost his mind and dashed out, too.
If someone precious appears on the brink of death, how could anyone react rationally?
It was natural to move instinctively.
And truthfully, Ian was here as a contingency for this kind of variable.
"The demonic humans will rush in soon..."
Marcus panted as he spoke.
"There's no time, Ian. Please... Take my family and escape from here, now!"
"...? What do you mean, sir? What about you?"
Ian blinked at Marcus.
Marcus grabbed Ian by the collar.
"I'll stay behind to hold them off...! Even like this, I can do that much! I beg you...!"
"Ah... no, that won't be necessary."
Ian gently removed Marcus's hand.
"I have a better plan."
"What...? Ugh..."
"I'll just wipe them all out right here. We'll kill them all, heal your wounds with their blood, and then leave."
"Wh—what...!"
Marcus's eyes widened.
"Th-that can't be...! I know you're capable, but... The demonic humans here are not weak! It's absolutely impossible for you to take them all alone!"
"..."
Ian fell silent.
It was understandable that Marcus didn't know.
Even if Ian had shown power surpassing Morgan, no one would imagine he was a swordsman at the absolute peak of Grandmaster.
Just as Ian was thinking about how to reassure Marcus—
"It's already too late, you bats."
Demonic humans appeared, pouring in through the entrance.
"You fools! Instead of fleeing, you just stayed holed up here. Makes the hunt sooo much easier for us!"
Ian looked toward the arrogant voice.
Among the several demonic humans, one man stood out in a luxurious, gold-embroidered robe.
"...!"
Ian recognized the face.
'Archbishop of the Cult of Greed...! Bertolf!'
That bastard was here?
In his previous life, he was a prominent demonic human during the Human-Demon War.
Back then, he had been an late-stage 8th-circle, top-tier great mage whom Ian could never have matched.
'He was devilishly tough to kill.'
Scarlet and many comrades had joined together to kill him.
At the time, Ian had played only a supporting role.
'But now...'
The energy he felt from Bertolf was much weaker than in his past life.
About early 8th-circle, maybe lower.
Compared to his former peak, it was barely a sixth as strong.
And Ian now was over fifteen times stronger than in his own prime, back then.
'Looks easy.'
It was a chance to preemptively kill a tough enemy who would only become more troublesome.
'Lucky me. Jackpot.'
That guy had essentially managed all demonic energy supply for the Cult of Greed in his past life.
If Ian could capture him here and have Judy read his memories using Bloodscent Mind-Reading, he could find out where the Cult was imprisoning Noxcar's blood kin, and the locations of other prisoners of various factions.
'And...'
An archbishop of Greed was a very high-ranking figure in the Cult.
At the top were the seven Deadly Sins Cult Leader.
Right below them were the twenty-one archbishops—top brass in the Cult.
'That means the magic power he holds is very rich.'
He was a perfect sacrifice to send to the magic power extraction facility Aris had given him.
'How should I catch him... Sever his limbs first... Then bind his mana circles with light-attribute aura.'
Just as Ian was devising how to capture Bertolf—
"First, grab that still-standing human brat!"
Bertolf bellowed.
'We have to take him out before the vampires can move!'
He, too, was fully prepared to take down Ian.
—Shshh!
—Pababat!
At Bertolf's command, six bishops split off and charged forward.
Two mages. Four warriors.
Each mage was 7th-circle or higher. Each warrior at least master rank.
Such power could easily annihilate most royal knight orders.
'Oh.'
Ian, however, was completely relaxed as their target.
'Better take these guys, too.'
To Ian now, they were nothing but tasty sacrifices.
Even the 8th-circle liches of the Dirge had been no match for Ian.
A mob of master-level warriors and below-7th-circle mages charging him was like children challenging a champion.
'Using Vladiark might kill them, so...'
—Uwoong!
Ian put Vladiark into subspace and took out the Thunder Emperor Sword, Astrape.
—Srrng!
A weapon switch as fast as the speed of light.
—Kwa-rrung!
At the same time, he dashed like a bolt of lightning.
As if moving alone in a time that had stopped.
—Kwaaa!
He swung golden sword arcs at the four warriors charging in front, cutting off their arms and legs.
—Pajijik!
At the two mages, hiding behind and chanting with magic circles deployed, he fired thick bolts of lightning, shattering their staves and jaws.
—Phasasasa!
At the weaker demonic humans standing dumbfounded nearby, he scattered dozens of golden lightning bolts, instantly destroying their hearts and heads.
—Kwaaang!
—Hududududuk!
All of this took less than an instant.
"K—Aaaagh!"
"Kh—kugh! Khuk!?"
Chunks of demonic human flesh fell, shredded.
The bishops thrashed helplessly on the ground, having lost their limbs and jaws, unable to even process what had happened.
"W-what...!?"
Bertolf's eyes flew wide in horror.
A flash of light, then thunder, and in an instant, this unfolded.
The shocking sight left Bertolf frozen, unable to understand what had happened.
—Kwak!
Ian didn't miss the instant's opening, dashed in like a lightning bolt, and seized Bertolf by the throat.
"K—kegh!?"
Momentarily choking, Bertolf's mouth opened wide in shock.
Ian lifted Bertolf clean off the ground.
"K—kegh! Kugh!"
Dangling above the floor, Bertolf clawed at Ian's hand in agony.
—Chaaak!
With a clean sword strike, Ian chopped off Bertolf's legs.
"K—ke-ga-ga-gak!!!"
The agony of losing both legs was hellish.
But, his throat jammed, Bertolf couldn't even scream properly.
—Chak! Chak!
—Thud. Thunk.
Ian then cleanly severed both of Bertolf's arms.
"Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak!!!"
Now Bertolf could neither chant nor form hand signs nor escape.
The only thing he had left was an insect-like existence filled with magic power.
Truthfully, the moment Bertolf—a Great Mage—allowed this close range without any proper defense against a Grandmaster peak swordsman like Ian, his defeat was already decided.
'Now, then...'
Ian slowly inhaled through his nose.
The scent of the blood pouring from Bertolf's severed limbs.
Unpleasant, but he filled his lungs with it.
[Bloodline Ability: Bloodscent Mind-Reading (血香讀心術) Lv.91]
Judy's bloodline ability, to read memories from the scent of blood.
Time to read the memories of the archbishop of Greed.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
That was anti-climactic, not gonna lie...
The got massacred...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】