Chapter 124: Death

I am standing only with the help of my force of will. I have taken the position to start moving at any time, but I have absolutely no confidence in being able to move in case of an emergency.

The man in front of me is a true monster. There is no way of knowing what kind of card he has under his sleeve.

Moonlight is illuminating the ruins of the old castle that has turned into a wasteland. The sound of the wind is the only thing I can hear. If I was alone, I would have definitely run away. I've gone through life or death struggles many times until now, but the monster in front of me is different from those. He is the true monster which has survived for many years. The conditions were overwhelmingly in my favor. That's why I was caught in a trap.

It's the opposite of what usually happens. This guy hasn't evolved as much as me, but he's stronger than me. I would have lost if I had gotten off the wrong foot.

I desperately calm myself down. keep my composure.

And —- the sword he was holding in his right hand fell, piercing the ground. The blood pillars that were skewering Jet from all sides lost control and vanished.

However, even after regaining freedom, Jet made no more moves, falling to the ground.

Looks like 'Blood Pain' I got from Sable also has a demerit. I lost too much blood, I'm dizzy and this power was incomplete to start with.

It's most likely because I stole it from a body that didn't have a heart so I could only half-absorb it. It was truly a miracle that I was able to activate that kind of incomplete power in an extreme situation and deal a fatal injury to Jet. But still, a win is a win.

Jet had already lost his powers. The injuries all over his body showed no signs of healing. Evolution already consumes a huge amount of power to start with. Just how much power would be exhausted during reincarnation?

Vampires can't regenerate without blood power. Even I, who became undead while maintaining my memories, would have died in that forest if not for Senri.

The Mirage King had fallen on his back. His blood-red eyes were looking not at me, but at the moon floating up in the sky. His pale lips slowly mouthed.

"Ahh, so thirsty... so this is, thirst, this is, pain, this is, hunger, this is — fear."

There were surprisingly no regrets in his voice. Was his body before the reincarnation, the immortal body, so abhorrent to him?

When I was resurrected as Fleshman, I lost all my desires. But I still had a human mind. But I don't know what would have happened if I had lived like that for long.

External stimuli are surely essential for human beings to live on as humans.

His gaze moved from the moon to me as I was looking down on him.

"I would have never thought, that a day would come, when I would be defeated, by another undead—"

What decided the outcome was the presence of the allies. If Senri and the others hadn't fought first, I'm sure my power wouldn't have reached this King.

I could feel Avicord's end from under the rubble. If he had left his subordinate, this King's end wouldn't be like this. "The King - is solitary."

The Mirage King says with a hoarse voice.

"I am solitary ... my only friend, is my enemy. Young King... the dead leave, nothing behind. But —-you can take it, all."

It was a way of thinking that was too different from the living beings. His trembling fingers pointed at the sword piercing the ground beside him.

People with a life span leave something to their children in anticipation of their eventual death. However, the King of the Dead with no life span has nobody to leave something to.

That's why, surely, the only person who the King of the Dead can leave something to is somebody who brought him down.

There was no resentment in his voice. If I were in his position, I would have at least cursed him, but that in itself is probably the proof that the King in front of me has lived an eternal life. Dawn is near. If I leave him like this, the Mirage King will surely turn into ash after basking in sunlight.

There is no way to let Jet live. This man is too dangerous.

I lift up Jet, who's laying down like the real King of the dead. Our eyes met, but Jet's eyes aren't looking at me anymore.

"I will be — going ahead."

"My long-cherished wish... has been, granted. Ahh, a day will come... when you too will, learn this, joy."

In that moment, I certainly forgot the fear of death that I had been feeling all my life. I unhesitatingly thrust my fangs in his neck. The ancient King. The power of the King, who has lived far longer than my great-grandfather, is flowing into me.

There was hardly any blood left in the dying Jet's body. But I felt the power, the curse, engraved in his body being engraved newly in my body. Thus, the Mirage King, Jet Nuumite Braklion, completely disappeared from this world without uttering a single word of resentment until the very end.

My heart is pounding. Pain runs through my whole body as if it had just remembered to. I stagger but I step firmly on the ground and endure it. I feel like I'm about to lose consciousness. I feel strong heat, hunger, and thirst.

Jet had exhausted all his powers. But he wasn't the only one who was depleted.

Evolution consumes enormous amounts of power. There's nothing left from the blood I received from Senri. I used up all my powers. If I hadn't, I would be the one to lose. It really was close.

Blood — I want to drink blood. Fresh blood, right this instant. I looked at Lufry and the others on the ground. They were completely worn-out. They had exhausted the power of blessing and didn't seem to be conscious either.

Senri had it the worst. I kneel next to her in panic. She's in a worse condition than I thought. She has a heartbeat, but I can tell that her life is fading away. Her life force has been depleted.

She needs treatment as soon as possible. But, I, as an undead, can't use healing magic.

I have to carry her to a human habitat - to 'Dessend'. If I leave her here, she will definitely die. Blood. I need — more blood. I can feel the fire smoldering in the depth of my thoughts try to swallow me up. It's probably an instinct. The instinct of a blood demon, similar to the desire I felt when I first started traveling with Senri in the forest, but dozens of times stronger. The intense instincts of a true vampire would undoubtedly be impossible to endure had I not had previous experience.

I can't hear the Lord's voice anymore. As I reached out my hand, Lufry, who was lying next to her, suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes were out of focus. He was only half-conscious. Although not as bad as Senri's injuries, the wounds Lufry and Neville had received also wouldn't heal in a short period of time.

His shield of blessing is broken too. I can kill him anytime if I wanted to. Lufry spoke up.

"Do you...intend to, drink Senri's blood... you monster?"

"..."

Finishing what he wanted to say, Lufry's consciousness faded away. I averted my gaze.

I'm thinking. I need to think. I can't afford to spare my attention on something as useless as an old feud.

The heat in me is burning my brain. My body can move, but I can't use vampire powers anymore.

I can't drink Senri's blood. Feeding is absorbing one's power. If I drink blood from Senri, who's on the verge of death, I'll definitely kill her. I can't leave her alone either. Senri will die.

But dawn is near. My senses are telling me that my natural enemy is right around the corner. Right now I can't endure the sunlight like I used to.

I desperately make my hazy brain work. There's some distance to 'Dessend'. In addition, I'm surrounded by plains. Even if I somehow manage to get there until dawn, there's nowhere to hide. Not to mention, that town has perfect countermeasures against vampires. There's no way they'll help me even if I bring a wounded person with me.

A moment felt like an eternity.

I don't have time to hesitate for long.

No - I'm not hesitating, but I need to resolve myself.

The solitary king entrusted everything to me and went into eternal slumber. But, assuming there's life after death, what would he think if somebody who defeated him arrived to the same place right after him?

☠☠☠

I remember the old times. The times when I was bedridden and couldn't even move my fingers due to the pain. The body was heavy. Senri's body that I was carrying - Senri's body that I could usually hold up with one arm felt like weighty.

What little blood I had left in my body is dripping down and wetting the ground. Vampire's superhuman strength comes from the power of death. According to the book I read in the past, the power of death doesn't decrease unlike the blessing, but then, what's this heaviness about?

I simply moved my body forward while thinking about silly things like that.

The sensation in my fingertips, the sensation of moving my limbs is gradually disappearing. I can't feel the warmth of what I'm carrying or the feeding urge anymore. I can't afford to feel them.

And of course, I don't feel the fear of death anymore either.

I will let her live. I will save Senri. The obsession I once had towards my own survival had already changed its direction. There should've been monsters in the plains, but luckily they didn't come near. Wild animals instinctively avoid the undead. I'm really glad to be a monster.

Dawn is steadily approaching even when I'm like this. I won't think about going back or hiding anymore. If I fall down, I might not be able to get back up. I take a solid step one at a time, and move forward.

I feel like it's been quite a long time since I've been resurrected as an undead. At least, the amount of my experience is incomparable to when I was alive.

I saw various things. I survived through many fierce battles. There were painful moments too.

However, the memories with Senri are the only ones flashing before my eyes.

Those were good memories. It was the best time. It's because I had Senri that I didn't become the enemy of humanity.

My bones, my flesh is creaking. Sun hasn't risen yet, but it's already morning air. My body is about to turn to ash.

"?! W-what happened?! Are you alright?!"

— And I somehow managed to reach 'Dessend' at the last moment. The town surrounded by deep canals and the flowing water that hates vampires. The guards that were adorned with only a miniscule amount of silver found us worn-out and rushed over. Thank god. With this, Senri will be saved. Her life hasn't disappeared yet. She can't die yet.

I'm being supported. Senri leaves my back. She didn't regain her consciousness until the end.

Darkness fills my eyes. The eyes of a vampire should be able to see through various darkness, but I can't see anything.

For some reason, I feel a strong familiarity with that darkness, instead of fear.

"H-hey?! What happened?!"

I'm being shaken, but it's already too late. My physical sensations disappear. Soon I won't be able to hear anymore too. I don't feel pain.

Perhaps this is what Jet felt at the end too. I forced my unmoving throat to move.

"Two, more, the, castl—"

If this is the true end, if this is the disappearance, then being an undead isn't that bad. I wonder if it's because I'm relieved that Senri's been saved so that I don't feel alone.

Sunlight is coming. My body will disappear. I will turn into ashes.

But I was able to save my precious person. Before I completely lost consciousness, I moved my face muscles and smiled.