I guess I wasn’t really expecting anything, so I didn’t feel any betrayal.
I mean, it’s only natural for a bunch of idiots to act like idiots, right? Right now, what mattered more than that was figuring out how to overcome the immediate physical threat in front of me.
And in the next moment, the reason I could dodge the first surprise attack was partly due to instinct.
While I was keeping an eye on the two trackers that had appeared next to Plona, a chilling sensation crept up my back, and as I turned, I narrowly dodged a dagger swung by a third one appearing from the other side.
“Something’s definitely off.”
There was no scent of blood, and the presence was too faint. Even compared to Plona, it was clearly different.
Plona was a case similar to Hexion in that she could suppress her presence purely with her own skills. Although Plona’s abilities were overwhelming enough to make Hexion look like a joke, the essence was the same.
But the three newly appeared trackers were different.
They were so restrained that I didn’t even feel the slightest sense of threat, and unlike Plona, who, while not giving off a smell, was not completely devoid of presence, these guys were utterly scentless.
This was the discomfort I felt earlier.
Just like the visible scene unfolded into a panorama as I turned my gaze, the same should apply to smell. As living creatures, a perfect lack of odor is impossible.
Yet these guys didn’t just have faint smells; it was as if their presence had been completely ripped away.
They should definitely be there, but with no smell or any sign, it created a bizarre sense of unease, like a hole punctured through the forest scent carried by the wind.
If Plona hadn’t shown any sign of agitation just before, and if it weren’t for the lack of scent with vampires, I wouldn’t have noticed their presence until they revealed themselves.
But there was no time to think about the identity of my opponents. As soon as the ambush failed, the other two trackers showed no hesitation and revealed their hostility.
Swoosh!
I instinctively deflected the daggers that came rushing at me in an instant.
The knife collided with the shadow wrapped around my fingertips. Normally, I would have pushed through with force, but the indescribable foreboding compelled me to retreat.
As expected, the dagger glimmered, and my shadow began to disperse. The dagger easily pierced my skin and cut across my hand.
I quickly figured out what was going on this time.
Holy magic. A light-based magic exclusively used by humans—specifically monopolized by the Luminous Church—and a weakness of vampires. It was my first time seeing it directly, but considering they were affiliated with the church, that was the only answer.
Still, while holy magic nullified my dark magic, it didn’t directly cause harm. Thanks to my quick retreat, I managed to brush off the adversary’s pressure with minimal loss.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t engaged in a sacred one-on-one duel right now. By the time I realized it all, I was already completely surrounded by all the trackers except Plona.
“Fast.”
Even if I ignored the fact that my opponents couldn’t properly utilize their tracking through smell, their movements were comparable to or even better than Hexion’s.
And on top of that, being outnumbered, victory seemed practically impossible.
However, just because the odds were slim didn’t mean I would willingly offer my neck. And to seize the momentum, I had to avoid getting completely dominated even at the expense of some immediate losses.
“Let’s protect the heart and neck and just concede everywhere else.”
I switched my fighting policy to prioritizing interception while keeping my injuries minimal, as long as I remained mobile enough to avoid going down.
The blades dug into my body.
Small and large cuts formed on my arms, thighs, sides, and shoulders.
It didn’t matter. The opponents were unable to deliver an insurmountable threat.
Unlike me, the humans, who couldn’t sacrifice parts of their bodies, cautiously withdrew, and the cuts remaining on me gradually vanished.
This type of exchange repeated several times.
Thanks to having drunk Hexion’s blood, my body felt sharper and more powerful than usual. But still, my limits were clear.
I had to admit it. As I was now, I had no way to fight on par with multiple trackers.
Due to some unknown method, they had erased any scent, forcing me to rely solely on sight and intuition for my responses, while my dark magic was almost completely sealed off by holy magic.
Facing three of the strongest humans I had ever fought under such restrictions made me feel fortunate to still be alive.
With each repetitive fight, the wounds consistently increased.
Though my wounds were still healing rapidly, the humans’ blades sank deeper and closer to vital spots.
“Stop it! Please!!”
Geez, with Plona yelling beside me, it felt like my hearing was being drowned out, and my face involuntarily scrunched up in annoyance.
If it was intentional, it would be a rather effective strategy, but since she was still only observing and hadn’t directly joined the fray, it wasn’t the worst situation for me.
Of course, once Plona joined the fray, the balance, which was precariously maintained at the cost of narrow losses, would surely tilt, but that didn’t give me a reason to give up. I had to think of the optimal way to navigate through the current situation.
At this rate, whether Plona joined or not, defeat was inevitable.
Even if I managed to keep my heart intact, my regenerative abilities weren’t limitless, and eventually, the end would come. But in the current situation, worrying about the depletion of my regeneration felt foolish, as the enemies’ attacks were becoming sharper and sharper.
I could feel my opponents growing more accustomed to facing me.
Like a hunter who enjoys cornering their prey, the ones pursuing me were steadily gaining an upper hand without being reckless.
If this continued, it would be clear that they would pierce my heart faster than my regeneration would reach its limits.
Think. How can I turn the tables?
Simply getting stronger or faster was of no use. I was already pushing my body to its limits, pushing through with everything I had.
Am I supposed to try harder and overcome my current limits? In terms of resolving the situation, that’s no different than placing a cup of water and praying for it to fill up.
What I needed now wasn’t the potential of the future or some shabby mental fortitude; it was the power to overcome the present crisis.
Currently, any meaningful enhancement of my physical capabilities was beyond what I could achieve on my own.
Most of my dark magic was nullified by holy magic, and trying to engage all three skilled opponents simultaneously in pure skill was unrealistic.
“Indeed, I must somehow regain my sensing ability.”
I selected what I deemed necessary and reasonably feasible through elimination.
If I couldn’t keep up with their movements with my current actions, I would have to act in advance.
Though I had the support of instincts and intuition, those remained variables I couldn’t control. With my sense of smell gone, relying solely on sight and sound to respond was causing me to lag at least a beat behind compared to usual.
The ability to erase the smell of blood so unbelievably well was probably due to some form of magic or similar tool.
The Luminous Kingdom folks were likely adept in dealing with vampires, so there was no way they would bring along anything too rudimentary that I could just easily think of countering on the spot.
I needed a different means—something they wouldn’t imagine, a surprising tool.
It might sound too obvious to say, but the methods I could have imagined were likely well-predicted by them as well. Therefore, using dark magic, which had a high probability of being comprehensively blocked no matter how I attempted to use it, should be unlikely.
Then, what about other types of magic?
The Progenitor of Vampires is the embodiment of the dark spirit. Originally, dark magic would require a rather troublesome calculation to use, but I can freely wield it without going through that process—only by my will, I can control the dark spirit.
In other words, I wouldn’t receive such benefits from magic outside of the dark category. Considering I had never learned any other magic and that human beings who became vampires lose their aptitude for magic outside of darkness, it was clear that the progenitor couldn’t use magic from other categories either.
“……Wait. There is one I can use.”
A sudden realization hit me.
Yes, I had it. The one exception for the Progenitor of Vampires, who could use something other than dark magic.
“Blood Magic.”
The unique magic of the Progenitor that manipulates blood. The one and only magic in the world that only the Progenitor can use, and even their kin cannot inherit.
I didn’t know much about Blood Magic. Martini, who had taught me dark magic, had said that was something she couldn’t tell me about.
If it’s magic that manipulates blood, could I possibly sense the opponent’s blood itself?
If that’s possible, I could gain a tremendous advantage.
Unlike sensing the strength of the opponent merely through an output in the form of blood scent within the realm of my perception, if I can feel the very existence of their blood, then as long as they are living beings, my ability to determine their location and movements could even surpass the means of smell.
“But how?”
I only knew of Blood Magic’s existence; I had never used it before.
I don’t know how to use it or whether I even have the conditions to use it.
Yet, Martini assured me that when the time came, I would be able to use Blood Magic on my own. She wouldn’t surely claim something impossible could happen.
The duel against Kanak sprang to mind.
The sensation of blood boiling. That feeling that was almost omnipotent echoed in my thoughts.
Looking back, something was off. During the fight with Kanak, I could clearly grasp not only the sound of his heartbeat but also the contraction and relaxation of his muscles, and the flow of blood coursing through his veins.
At that moment, I had thought it was simply because I had grown stronger, but logically speaking, there was no way I could know the flow of blood just by seeing or smelling.
A sudden glimmer of realization flashed in my mind.
Martini believed I could wield Blood Magic only after I had become significantly stronger.
But the preparation had already been in place.
And if there is a possibility, I must achieve it now.
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