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Vlad's lips curved in a smug smile. "Ah… my dear old friend. Been a long time."
The bat thrashed violently, trying to break free, but the cage's systems roared to life.
Bzzzzzt!
Electric current surged through its small, frail body. Devices hooked to its wings began extracting a ghostly green energy.
When the energy was drained, the bat slumped, trembling and weak.
Vlad's smile widened. He strolled to the machine, retrieved a tiny glass vial filled with the concentrated green liquid, and gazed at it like fine wine.
He popped the cap and downed it in one gulp.
"Mmm… exquisite. This feeling—this power flowing through me. A hundred years, and I've never stopped craving it."
Before their eyes, the gaping wound on his arm began closing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within seconds, it was gone entirely.
The vampires behind Monika were stunned. Pure, undiluted energy—enough to evolve a vampire into an Ascendant—taken straight without dilution or machinery. Even someone like Monika had only ever received it heavily watered down and machine-assisted.
This Count was terrifying.
In the cage, the bat leaned against the bars, its amber eyes burning with hatred. It wanted to rip him apart.
Vlad, pleased with his restored body, set the vial down and looked at it fondly. "One hundred years, old friend. Did you miss me?"
The bat twitched but stayed silent.
Vlad snapped his fingers, releasing the chains around its mouth.
"You bastard! Filthy thief! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all—"
The insults poured out like venom, a century of rage spilling over.
Vlad only laughed, which made the bat angrier. Realizing it was being mocked, the bat cut itself off and went silent, shutting its eyes.
"What's this? Out of curses already?" Vlad prodded.
The bat ignored him.
Vlad's smile vanished. He slammed a hand against the cage. "Look at me, you little wretch! After all these years, you still won't bow?"
Still no reaction.
Snarling, Vlad reached out, crushing the cage with an invisible force. An unseen giant hand gripped the bat, squeezing until it looked ready to pop.
"A century, both of us trapped—me in the ground, you in my trap. Why? Why won't you serve me?!"
Flames engulfed the bat's body, the heat and crushing force wringing pain from it.
It forced its eyes open, a mocking smile breaking through the agony.
"I only bow… to the true King."
"You little shit! Die!"
The pressure exploded, slamming the bat to the ground. It lay still.
"Dead?!"
Monika and the others stared in shock. Killing the creature that provided the raw material for glorious evolution? Unthinkable.
Vlad snorted. "He's not dead. Lock him back up, then hit him with the strongest current you've got. Make him suffer."
He turned and strode away.
The castle's halls were lined with priceless rugs and rare paintings, luxury dripping from every stone. Monika and the Alanka group followed behind him in silence.
"Oh, by the way—where's Q now? Which lord has them?"
"Lord Feis had Q, Count… but after his death, Q disappeared."
Monika kept the truth to himself. If Vlad knew Q had been stolen, he might kill him on the spot.
"Missing?" Vlad didn't seem surprised.
"Heh. Again? Which generation are we at now?"
"Seventh, Count."
They stopped before Vlad's bedchamber. With a gesture, he summoned a crown from within—delicate, feminine in design. He tossed it to Monika.
"Take it. It'll lead you to Q. Bring them back. A century's long enough—it's time for the final evolution."
Monika clutched the crown like it was priceless treasure.
"Now go. I've just woken up and need to recover. Until I emerge, no one disturbs me."
The heavy doors slammed shut behind him.
"Safe journey, Count," the vampires murmured, bowing.
Monika, however, was already wearing a very different expression.
"Alright, this room's soundproof. He can't hear us."
At Monika's words, everyone finally relaxed.
She toyed with the laurel crown in her hands, a sly grin curling at her lips.
"Heh… Bishop was right. That old fossil really does have a way to track Q. With this, all we need to do is find Q—and the Aranka family will finally become true bloods."
Smiles spread across the group, and they shouted in unison:
"Long live the clan leader!"
"....."