Paris suburbs, as dusk began to settle.
Bastien, a diligent young vampire, stepped out for his usual evening patrol, completely unaware of the unexpected encounter that awaited him.
He was a member of Thermidor, France’s largest vampire organization, which controlled the nightlife of Paris and other major cities.
‘What the—?! How dare you try something like this here? Especially at night?!’
Paris, the capital of France, was a global metropolis, a hub of power and wealth. Naturally, Thermidor had invested heavily in securing their control over the city.
Even Bastien, a level 5 vampire capable of holding a mid-level position in other regions, was assigned to routine patrol duty here.
‘He must be insane. And overconfident. Even if I die, you won’t get away with this.’
His body suddenly froze, paralyzed.
As a cold hand tightened around his neck, he realized his impending demise and muttered a silent curse.
And then, he realized he had made a grave mistake.‘Huh?’
A surge of energy, like a tidal wave, flowed into him from the hand gripping his neck.
Before he could even react, an overwhelming presence shattered his thoughts, and a hidden truth, a glimpse of the attacker’s true nature, was forcibly imprinted into his mind.
‘This is…!’
His breath hitched, his lungs constricting.
It was an awe-inspiring, terrifying revelation.
Impossibly high and distant.
Vast and boundless.
Immense and wondrous.
Deep and chilling.
His paralysis wasn’t caused by any special technique.
It was his instincts, overwhelmed by the sheer difference in their levels, screaming in terror.
His limbs trembled uncontrollably.
‘At least level 7…? 8? No, this is beyond my comprehension.’
The strongest vampire Bastien had encountered was a level 7 executive of Thermidor.
He had been frozen in fear, his body stiff, until the executive had moved away.
‘This is… even stronger. Lord-level?’
Compared to now, that encounter had been a leisurely stroll in the park.
There was no comparison.
But he couldn’t dwell on such thoughts.
Crack— Pop!
The blood that had entered his body was transforming him, reshaping his very foundation.
‘This… This is… possible?’
It was an evolutionary revolution.
His limits shattered, his horizons expanded, his potential unlocked.
A surge of power, a sense of omnipotence, washed over him. He could take on dozens of his former self.
Of course, it was just a hormonal surge, a side effect of the transformation, but he was too overwhelmed to care.
Consumed by awe, a sense of belonging, and unwavering loyalty, Bastien prostrated himself, his forehead pressed against the ground, and swore allegiance.
“Command me! I, Bastien Dubois, will dedicate myself to Phantom’s quest for Christine!”
“…”
He seemed to be delirious, his words nonsensical, driven by the overwhelming presence.
Heinz stared at the back of his head, his expression unreadable.
____________________
‘He took it seriously.’
Heinz frowned, looking down at the vampire prostrating himself before him.
He had just made a slip of the tongue, a harmless joke…
But Bastien’s enthusiastic cooperation was a welcome development.
He had been practically worshipping Heinz, answering his questions with zeal and revealing everything he knew.
Like a devout fanatic.
It was clearly not a normal reaction.
‘It must be the “Charm” skill. I didn’t expect it to be this effective.’
Even 「Refined Blood Essence」, used for subjugation, didn’t have this level of mind control.
The vast difference in their levels must have amplified the effect.
Regardless of the cause, it made things easier for him.
‘This will save me a lot of time.’
His knowledge of France was limited to what he had gathered online.
A local’s cooperation was essential for efficient operation and information gathering.
And subjugating a level 5 vampire wouldn't deplete his 「Refined Blood Essence」 reserves. It was a worthwhile investment.
‘Consuming him wouldn't even be a proper snack.’
Heinz the Second, a transcendent Sacred Blood, needed the blood of at least a True Blood, a level 8 vampire, to further enhance his bloodline and break through his current limitations.
And even that was just the bare minimum. He would need the blood of multiple Sacred Bloods for a proper breakthrough.
‘There’s only one Sacred Blood… level 9… in France right now.’
His gaze shifted towards the direction where 「Bloodline Craving」 was pulling him.
But unlike before, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact location. The target’s level was too high, its presence too faint.
He suppressed the urge, the growing thirst, and calmly assessed the situation.
‘I can’t just barge in.’
This was enemy territory, a foreign country.
He didn’t know what kind of traps they had prepared, and a reckless move might attract unwanted attention from the government, like in Japan.
‘I need to stir things up a bit.’
And so, with Bastien’s help, he began his preparations.
A little pre-hunt… groundwork.
____________________
Murmur—
“This wine has a lovely aroma. Excellent taste.”
“Indeed. It’s hard to find, but worth the effort.”
“Nadia-nim, there’s something I’d like to…”
One of Thermidor’s bases, located in Versailles, near Paris.
A lavish party was in full swing.
“What a mess.”
A cold voice, barely a whisper, cut through the festive atmosphere.
It was so quiet that it would have been lost in the noise…
“Hmm?”
“…Who said that?”
…But the vampires in the room weren’t ordinary.
They were sensitive to such discordant sounds.
The relaxed atmosphere instantly turned tense.
They activated their auras, their eyes scanning the room, and quickly found the source of the disturbance.
An uninvited guest, standing casually among them.
“Who are you?!”
“How did you get in here? When?!”
Alarmed shouts echoed through the room, and their auras, sharp and hostile, filled the air.
But the intruder, Heinz the Second, wearing a white opera mask, simply observed them with a calm, impassive expression.
A massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling, tableware made of precious metals, exquisite works of art…
And in the midst of that opulence, a group of young boys and girls huddled together, their bodies trembling.
The contrast was jarring. The blood in their silver goblets, and the blood splattered decoratively around the room, added to the unsettling atmosphere.
‘…I should have come sooner.’
Heinz clicked his tongue, looking at the vampires feasting on the victims’ blood.
They had already surrounded him, their auras blazing, ready to attack.
“The communication lines are down!”
“What? Since when…?”
Except for contacting the outside world.
He hadn’t revealed his presence intentionally.
“I don’t have time for this. Let’s end this quickly.”
It was all part of his plan.
Snap—
A soft snap of his fingers.
And 「Blood Mystery」 activated.
The blood splattered around the room, and the blood in their goblets, transformed into a thick, crimson mist, engulfing them.
“A blood magic barrier!”
“Stay together! Prepare to counter…!”
But what followed wasn’t a battle.
It was a massacre.
Heinz, sensing the resentment of the victims clinging to the spilled blood, grasped a thread of causality.
And as he willed it,
…It happened.
Crash!
The chandelier, severed from its chain, plummeted to the floor, shattering into countless fragments.
Rip—!
Tear—
A series of gruesome sounds echoed through the room.
“Gah!”
“Gurgle…”
Crimson blood, like rose petals, scattered through the air, mingling with the blood-red mist.
It was an attack that transcended their perception, impossible to defend against or evade.
And their meager regenerative abilities were useless against his overwhelming power.
“Ugh!”
But not everyone was instantly eliminated.
The strongest in Thermidor’s Versailles branch.
Nadia, a level 7 executive, who had been calmly directing the others, clutched her severed left arm and attempted to escape.
‘What the—?! Level 9? He’s level 9?! This is impossible!’
An attack that transcended her comprehension, a power she couldn’t resist.
She gritted her teeth, leaving her fallen comrades behind.
‘An opera mask… Who is he? Where did he come from? Italy? Germany? Not Romania, surely?’
Level 9 vampires were rare.
Even in Europe, where vampires were most powerful, there were only a handful.
And she didn’t recognize him.
‘Could he be from another continent? America? Asia? …Wait, I’ve heard something similar…’
But her thoughts were interrupted.
Thump, thump—
Heinz, having emerged from the blood mist, stood before her.
“You seem troubled.”
Nadia stopped, her heart sinking.
Normally, she could escape this mansion in the blink of an eye.
But for some reason, she was still trapped within the crimson mist.
“…Who are you? What is your purpose…!”
“The others were… disappointing.”
Her desperate question was cut short by a calm, almost bored, voice.
“But you… seem… nutritious.”
As he spoke, a red tongue flicked out from beneath his mask, then disappeared.
His words and actions, hinting at a taboo act, made her eyes widen in horror.
“…Don’t tell me…!”
“Shh.”
But it was too late.
The crimson mist thickened, engulfing her.
《New blood factor acquired. Due to the influence of the special skill “Hybrid Evolution”…》
And after a moment of unnatural silence,
Only one remained.
____________________
Among the victims brought to the mansion for the feast, only a dozen or so were still alive when Heinz arrived.
All of them were young boys and girls, barely adults.
“Ugh.”
“Mmm…”
Those who had been noisy or defiant had already been consumed, so the survivors, having learned their lesson, huddled together, desperately trying to suppress their fear.
The thick, blood-red mist that filled the room made it impossible to see what was happening.
The mist also had a protective effect, preventing them from being harmed… but they didn’t know that.
‘Please, please…’
‘Mommy…’
But one thing was certain.
They would rather be saved by the masked stranger than devoured by the monsters who had brought them here.
They prayed silently, their bodies trembling.
And after what felt like an eternity,
The blood-red mist began to dissipate.
And finally, the scene before them came into view.
A spacious party hall, devoid of both vampires and blood.
“Huh?”
“There’s… no one here?”
An eerie silence filled the empty room.
They looked around, searching for the masked stranger, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Only the shattered chandelier, lying on the floor, drew their attention.
After a moment of hesitation, they cautiously approached the open door, and then, one by one, they rushed out.
‘The police are nearby. This should be enough. Now, to the next target.’
Phantom’s surprise visit wasn’t limited to the Versailles branch.
Saint-Denis, Créteil…
He systematically attacked Thermidor’s bases in the cities surrounding Paris.
Such a series of incidents, even if they occurred in the shadows, couldn’t be kept secret forever.
Especially with the survivors spreading the news.
And those connected to Thermidor could clearly understand the message behind those attacks.
It was a blatant provocation.
A challenge, daring them to come out of hiding.
-I am here.
A confident declaration, a taunt.
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