My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness

Dawn broke.

As if nothing had happened during the night, Paris, the heart of France, began its usual bustling day.

Citizens went about their daily routines, studying, working, and taking care of their families.

But beneath that ordinary surface, the city's underbelly, which had been awake all night, was far from peaceful.

Those who couldn't sleep due to the previous night's incidents were still busily moving about.

“What’s the situation?”

“We haven’t received any further reports since the Nanterre incident three hours ago. This brings the total number of destroyed Thermidor branches to five, including the initial Versailles branch.”

“Five? Five branches were destroyed in a single night?”

The Director of the Paranormal Security Bureau, the agency responsible for managing awakened individuals in France, let out a disbelieving chuckle at his subordinate’s report.

They practically ruled the Milieu, France’s underworld, their influence extending to every corner of the country's criminal networks, directly or indirectly.

They were a powerful and dangerous group, even the government hesitated to cross them.

And the one who had elevated a mere criminal organization to such a position…

“The Tyrant won’t stay quiet.”

…was Thermidor’s leader and the ruler of the Milieu, the Tyrant.

“If he starts rampaging, we’ll be in serious trouble. He doesn’t think this was our doing, does he? We’re not ready yet…”

It might seem strange for a government agency to be concerned about a criminal organization, but their situation wasn’t that simple.

‘He’s not just a person, he’s a weapon of mass destruction.’

A handful of incredibly powerful individuals, possessing abilities that defied human comprehension.

And the most troublesome among them were those like the Tyrant, difficult to confront directly.

‘If he decides to target government officials and other high-profile figures, the entire country could be paralyzed.’

If he focused on stealth and assassination, even recruiting transcendent-level awakened individuals wouldn’t be enough to counter him.

And even if they managed to eliminate him, the cost would be devastating.

That’s why the government only intervened when Thermidor crossed a certain line, resorting to extreme measures.

After all, self-preservation was a universal instinct.

Most countries with powerful villainous factions were in a similar predicament.

“We haven’t detected any unusual activity yet. They’re probably waiting for more information before making a move.”

“…That’s a relief. Have we identified him? To pull off something like this alone, he must be extraordinary.”

He felt a pang of shame, being relieved by the inaction of a villain… but he couldn’t help it.

His priority was identifying the perpetrator.

They needed to know who he was before they could formulate a plan.

“Fluent French, over 180 centimeters tall, aristocratic and imposing demeanor, a handsome man with black hair and red eyes, wearing a white opera mask…”

Thanks to the numerous eyewitness accounts and survivor testimonies they had gathered overnight, they had a detailed description of the suspect.

Of course, identifying him based on such fragmented information wasn’t easy, but—

“We contacted the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), and they’ve identified a likely candidate.”

—They had managed to narrow it down to a single, highly probable suspect.

The French intelligence agency, already monitoring international activities, had provided them with an immediate response.

“He’s known as Phantom.”

“…Phantom? With that mask and everything… Is it really the Phantom of the Opera?”

“Yes. And according to their intel, he’s the leader of a vampire clan that recently took over Korea’s underworld.”

“A vampire? What’s someone like him doing here?”

Several images appeared on the screen, projected from the office projector.

From grainy CCTV captures to high-quality photos that looked like magazine spreads.

And the last image, displayed prominently, was the infamous “Phantom’s legendary photo” that had gone viral online.

“…He’s certainly… striking. Even with the mask.”

“We’ve already cross-referenced it with eyewitness accounts. We haven’t made an official announcement yet, but we’re almost certain it’s him.”

“A Korean vampire, you say? It’s strange. Why would someone from the other side of the world come all the way here? It’s too far for a simple territory expansion.”

The Director frowned, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

He didn’t know much about Korea. He had only encountered it a few times while handling international affairs.

‘I heard there weren't any noteworthy figures there besides Lightning Empress and Hahoe Mask…’

It seemed that information was outdated.

He had been too focused on domestic incidents to keep up with international news. It seemed he would have to pay more attention to overseas events.

As the Paranormal Security Bureau formulated their response, prioritizing observation and rapid reaction to any potential threats,

At the same time, in another part of Paris,

“…A Korean vampire. So that’s him.”

Someone else was looking at the same photo, a strange glint in his eyes.

A darkened room, its windows covered with thick curtains, blocking out the bright morning sun. Only the faint glow of the monitor illuminated the space.

“…He actually came here. What’s he planning?”

A figure, shrouded in shadows, muttered softly.

But his reaction wasn’t as passive as the government agency.

‘I can’t just ignore this.’

He didn’t know why Phantom had come to France, but it was a blatant provocation.

A challenge, delivered publicly.

Several of his bases had been destroyed, and many of his subordinates killed. He couldn’t let this stand. If he didn’t retaliate decisively, Thermidor’s reputation would be irreparably damaged.

He had to eliminate the culprit and reassert his authority.

‘He seems capable. Maybe I should recruit him. That would more than compensate for our losses… And I’m tired of that Romanian bastard.’

He frowned, recalling his troublesome neighbor who had been trying to encroach on his territory.

That greedy vampire had already taken over most of Eastern Europe’s underworld and was constantly looking for opportunities to expand his influence.

With Thermidor weakened, he would surely try to exploit the situation.

‘I’ll finish this quickly and regroup.’

The figure, hidden within the shadows, slowly rose from his chair.

And in a low, languid voice, he spoke.

[“Find him.”]

His words, imbued with a strange power, echoed through the room.

And the shadows within responded, writhing and shifting.

[“And bring him to me.”]

Tell me where he is.

The shadows surged, spreading outwards like ink in water, seeping into every corner of the room, then through the windows, the door, and the hallways, flowing out of the building and into the city.

They spread endlessly, merging with the shadows of Paris, reaching even the surrounding suburbs, forming a vast, interconnected network.

Despite its delicate and meticulous nature, its effective range extended for over twenty kilometers.

An ability that used the natural phenomenon of shadows, making it almost impossible to detect.

That was his power.

Thermidor’s Tyrant’s unique skill, 「Lord of Shadows」.

And that skill, which he had poured most of his Karma into enhancing,

“…Found him.”

…didn’t disappoint.

____________________

A forested park in Versailles, southwest of Paris.

Heinz the Second, standing silently amidst the trees, spoke softly.

“You’ve arrived.”

It seemed like a meaningless mumble, with no one around…

“Hmm, I thought something was off. So you were waiting?”

“I figured you’d show up eventually.”

“Your instincts are sharp.”

…But a figure, cloaked in shadows, materialized from the ground behind him, replying casually.

Heinz, having barely detected his presence thanks to his heightened senses and 「Insight」, looked at him with a renewed sense of interest.

‘A specialist who focused solely on his unique skill. Definitely level 9, but his blood factor count is incredibly low. I didn’t know that was possible.’

He recalled his conversation with Gamma, a member of the Blood Alliance’s hardliners, shortly after arriving in Korea.

Gamma had explained the level system used to classify the various vampires from different dimensions who had gathered on Earth.

They were all grouped together because of their shared need for blood, but they were so different that they could hardly be considered the same species.

Like chimpanzees and orangutans, both primates, but distinct.

‘So they created a level system based on blood factor concentration and quantity.’

It had been a necessary measure in the absence of a clear standard.

After all, a higher concentration and greater quantity of blood factor meant a stronger vampire.

But it wasn't an absolute measure of strength.

‘It’s obvious, when you think about it.’

Heinz might have maximized his power through active blood consumption and 「Hybrid Evolution」, but a vampire’s strength wasn’t solely determined by their blood factor.

Every awakened individual had a unique skill, and even those without one could reach a high level through other means.

A lowly Fledgling could become an Archmage through diligent training, and a Sword Master could be turned into a vampire through some unfortunate circumstance.

Heinz could clearly see that now, facing the Tyrant.

His blood factor count was barely True Blood level, yet his aura exuded the power of a transcendent being.

‘I guess it’s almost impossible to transcend purely as a vampire without resorting to… unconventional methods.’

Like Alpha, who had gone mad trying to forcibly increase his blood factor concentration.

And it seemed the Tyrant, the shadowy figure before him, had reached a similar conclusion.

“What…? You… How can you have such an overwhelming blood magic power…?”

But his reaction was the opposite of Heinz’s.

“It’s impossible to refine blood factors to that level in just a few decades…!”

After a brief exchange, they had been silently assessing each other.

And the Tyrant, finally breaking the silence, muttered in disbelief.

His 「Existence Denial」, even at this close range, wasn’t completely effective against a transcendent being.

“Do we need to talk?”

Heinz, having also been waiting for an opening, swiftly responded.

And as the Tyrant faltered, he unleashed his prepared spell.

Wooong—!

A blood-red barrier, materialized instantly through 「Blood Mystery」, thanks to the causality manipulation of 「Rapid Acceleration」.

The Tyrant, sensing the threat, reacted immediately.

His body erupted with shadows, like a porcupine raising its quills.

“Let’s end this quickly. I have a long way to go.”

“Ha! You think a few parlor tricks will work on me?”

“We’ll see about that.”

Heinz, feeling the burning thirst of 「Bloodline Craving」, materialized a long, blood-red blade in one hand and a swirling crimson storm in the other.

“Are they really just… tricks?”

After all, he wasn’t just a vampire with a large blood capacity.

He had ascended through blood consumption and 「Hybrid Evolution」, absorbing the Karma of his victims.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!