ALL NOVEL Chapter 16 Early Final Battle
Zero stood up from his seated position and unsheathed his katana. He then took his stance and readied himself for battle. He knew from the game that Graham had two weapon skills but used his spells effortlessly. So he couldn't rush in recklessly or he would be bombarded with his hellfire and dark inferno spells. Hellfire is a powerful attack that summons 3or more fireballs that are usually launched forward at the target. Dark inferno shoots 2 large, dark orbs resembling small meteors that burn and concuss. Both are favorite spells used by Dracula and are probably why Graham wrongfully thought himself to be Dracula's reincarnation.
Graham began to levitate in the air as he launched 3 fireballs that flew at an amazing speed straight to Zero. Zero quickly moved to the right and the spell flew past him instantly scorching the ground he was standing on. When Zero looked back at Graham he noticed that Graham had already teleported and he'd lost sight of him. He focused his dhampir senses to locate Graham to only find that meteors falling straight towards him and he moved to dodge the attack but he noticed a bit late and the concussive waveform the impact still knocked him off his feet. Before he could even get up 3 fireballs hit him dead-on.
Zero's skin burned and he felt a level of pain that he had never experienced before. As the fire died out Zero's skin was badly burned and almost falling off. Luckily he had used Zack's soul to increase his ability to heal and his skin began to regrow to the shock of Graham who had thought he had won the battle. "You're a vampire and you want to deny your master from resurrecting?" asked Graham
"A dhampir to be specific." answered Zero as he bought time for his wounds to heal. Graham landed on the ground in front of him with a confused look.
"The only recorded dhampir is Alucard and you look nothing like him. So who are you?" asked Graham
'So he's one of those idiotic bad guys who talk too much.' thought Zero as he pretended to be badly injured to keep Graham's guard down. "Just a random dhampir who wishes to kill you!" said Zero as he launched at Graham who still had his guard down and attacked. He slashed at Graham with his quick-draw style and managed to cut off Graham's right arm. He had aimed for Graham's heart but due to Graham moving his body to try to dodge the attack he only got an arm.
Graham teleported away and disappeared but his scream could still be heard in the barrier. Zero then picked up the arm bit into the wrist of the severed arm and drank the remaining blood that hadn't sprayed from the wound. Drinking the blood boosted his rate of regeneration and now he was fully healed and he tossed the useless arm away. He then focused on his sense of smell and found the stench of blood was strongest behind a building in the west of the shrine.
He then rushed to the area and found a frightened Graham who had used a fireball to cauterize the wound so he wouldn't bleed out. "You have a high pain tolerance, don't you? I'm impressed." said Zero as rushed at Graham.
"Wait I give up you win." said Graham in hopes that the barrier would disappear so that he could escape. However, the barrier was unaffected and Zero was now in front of him. Overcome by fear he teleported again as Zero tried to decapitate him. "Damn this might take a while." sighed Zero
With the stench of burning flesh filling the air Zero could no longer tell where Graham was with his sense of smell. He focused on his hearing knowing how Graham was he would try to cut a deal with me eventually so I just needed to wait. He then walked around with his guard still up expecting a sneak attack or two.
Zero searched the entire area and found no trace of Graham. He knew that Graham had constantly teleported away whenever he got close. "I know you can't keep teleporting forever so why don't you give up? You might live." Said Zero
"You're willing to let me live?" asked Graham who was exhausted from the constant teleporting. He could only do so another 4 or 5 times before all his power would be spent for the next hour. He was desperate because at this rate he would die and his ambition would end here.
"Maybe it depends on how hard you make me work on finding you." responded Zero
As foolish as it might have been he had no choice but to bet on the words of the dhampir. Teleporting in front of Zero he looked weak and his white suit was now covered in blood and dirt. "Looking good." Zero was just mocking him but he no longer had the strength to fight back so he endured the mocking.
"If you let me live I'll serve you." pleaded Graham
"Isn't Dracula a king who bowed to no one? Are you sure you're Dracula?" asked Zero while knowing that this man was not. He had the potential to inherit Dracula's soul but that was all the true vessel was Soma.
"I'm willing to give up my pride and serve you if it means living." Sai Graham
"Okay you can live and serve me." said Zero
Graham then used his dark contract to assure that Zero couldn't kill which Zero didn't mind. The second contract took place and Graham was relieved that he wouldn't die.
"Yes! Whatever you need I will accomplish." said Graham
"Are you sure you can fulfill my orders?" asked Zero
"I promise I will!" said Graham kneeling before Zero
"Okay then your first order is to die." said Zero as he stabbed Graham in the heart. He then proceeded to bite Graham and drain all his blood. As his blood was being drained Graham had a look of fear stuck on his face and he died with that look. When he died the barrier faded and the scenery brightened and then a pitch-black softball-size orb flew out of Graham and Zero used Soul Monarch.
CORRUPTED HUMAN SOUL CONSUMED CHOOSE
ABILITY GAIN: GAIN ABILITIES DARK MAGIC MASTERY AND TELEPORTATION
KNOWLEDGE GAIN: DARK INFERNO, HELLFIRE, AND DARK CONTRACT SPELLS CAN BE GAINED AT THIS TIME BUT WILL GAIN MEMORIES OF THE VICTIM
STAT GAIN: INCREASE STRENGTH: +210, SPEED: +200, MAGIC ENERGY: +5600, VITALITY: +1,500
STRENGTHEN SOUL RANK: UPGRADE SOUL RANK FROM E- TO E+
'ABILITY GAIN'
GAINED SKILLS DARK MAGIC MASTERY AND TELEPORTATION
COMPLETE
Now that was done he needed to clean up this corpse. He then called Hikaru and ordered her to come to the shrine personally with 2 people whom she trusted wouldn't talk. She arrived 50 minutes late with 2 men in black suits carrying some body bags.
"What happened to him?" one of the two men asked
"Be silent and dispose of the body!" yelled Hikaru
They did so in a hurry and put the body in the bag and were about to leave when Zero tossed them the severed arm. Then used some cleaning supplies, cleaned the scorched area, and erased the traces of the battle. After that, they left and only Hikaru and Zero remained.
"You must be curious about what happened. You can ask me if you want." said Zero
"What happened?" asked Hikaru in a low voice
"Well short version I'm a half-vampire and I drank that wizard's blood killing him." said Zero
"Half-vampire? Wizard?" questioned Hikaru
Zero then took about 20 minutes to explain the situation to her. He only told her that Dracula's castle would soon appear and if it wasn't stopped the world would end. He avoided telling her much about himself.
"So can you make me a vampire?" asked Hikaru
"Why? You don't want to be human?" asked Zero
"No I don't mind being human but I feel that humans will be useless in the battle to come in Dracula's castle." answered Hikaru
Zero was honestly shocked by what she said. He had even mentioned that he manipulated her mind and she still was loyal to him. This made him quite happy that he had someone who wanted to fight by his side.
"Thank you but I'll handle this battle personally. If at the end you still want to be a vampire I'll turn you into a dhampir like me." said Zero with a smile