Chapter 72: A Challenge?!

— To the young warrior who holds the blood of Báthory

Please accept this gift from an old man who has too much money and time on his hands—as I saw something nostalgic today, I would ask if you might meet me for a meal in the future.

Do not worry. This old man shall never force you and will await your future battles in the arena.

This key is to a spare VIP room that was bought for someone who passed away before she could use it, and since I am offering to sponsor you in your efforts to become the 'King of the Arena', I hope you will accept my gift.

If you accept my offer, please add my identification code to your card so we can get in touch in the future.

With great respect and expectation

Alphonse Veran Báthory

***

After reading the letter, Nikolai's hands became damp. A cold sweat formed because he recognised the name and felt emotions sweep over him.

'Mother's father?'

[Ah~ that old man really bought the VIP room... It was only a joke, he's so stubborn!]

From the soft yet playful voice of Eliza complaining, Nikolai knew that this wasn't a fake letter and the room of the person who passed likely meant it was his mother's. He didn't believe this was a coincidence for a second.

'He's realised who I am from one fight, hasn't he?'

[Of course, my father is talented at divination. His blood art cannot tell him specifics, but... He could always find me when I snuck out and dated your father.]

'You dated my father?'

[A-Ah?! I mean your mother.... your mother, of course...]

'Hmm, what things would it tell him?'

[Say he asked the gods about his day. It would be something like this: 'Jhin Clan Arena, Longing, earnest wish. Lost now found!' This is what it might have told him if he performed it this morning.]

'I see--'

Before he could continue speaking with his mother, Selene's hand grasped his wrist with significant force.

He looked up only to notice the beautiful vampire looking at him with gentle eyes, those ruby-coloured gemstones watching him with concern and curiosity.

"Nikolai, are you alright? You've been staring at that letter with the strangest face...."

"Well... I think that my grandfather sent me these things, but I am not sure."

"Hueh?! How, grandfather, as in Volkov?!"

"No... Báthory..."

****

After a short time of speaking with Selene, the pair visited the room. She believed that if it was truly his maternal grandfather, then maybe it might be worth meeting, not only because of the family but because a sponsor helped in the arena.

'Was I even serious about becoming the king... Though it makes me feel excited to think about that future, my blood is boiling...'

"It seems we are here... Wow, VIP room 9." Selene's eyes sparkled because she didn't have a VIP room, but what made him a little nervous was that two people could be linked to the room after ownership was confirmed.

'I already gave Selene the ability to use the room at any time. Was it too sudden? Maybe I should also add Nikita to the room. Then nobody else can try and force me to do so.'

He was thinking these kinds of thoughts while the pair finally opened the door.

Nikolai and Selene were offered a private waiting room for the arena fights along with the gift. The moment they entered, the main room filled with a scent of jasmine and lavender, while the corridor smelt of cedarwood and vanilla.

'It's such a soft yet warming scent...' Nikolai thought to himself because it didn't make his nose hurt but removed any scents that might be unpleasant. Since becoming a werewolf, he struggled with many things he used to love because of their strong flavours and scents that overwhelmed his enhanced senses.

"I am going to take some time to get cleaned up. Is that alright?"

Selene peeked from her private room. This VIP box was now registered in Nikolai's name because of that mysterious stranger. However, he knew it was because of him being from the Báthory clan's direct lineage.

"It's fine. I'll watch some of the arena matches or something..."

"Don't peek... okay?"

"I won't! What kind of pervert do you take me for?"

"A big one! Hmph.... good, don't leave without me."

Nikolai watched as Selene closed the door to the second bedroom. The VIP room comprised a lounge, kitchen, bathroom, main room and two sub rooms all with an en suite bathroom. It was likely this room cost millions, if not more. Sёarch* The NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Not only that, but you could teleport to anywhere in the Arena from this VIP room. It was closer to an apartment than a simple watching booth. He could also register to fight and keep himself hidden from prying eyes.

'Should I try calling Nikita? This room has a special service, and the calls are free.'

After going into his private room and locking the door, he removed his shirt, placed his phone into the special slot, and then began calling Nikita's number. However, the moment it started to dial, he noticed an enormous screen appeared, like a virtual reality video game and within two bleeps, Nikita picked up the phone and appeared on the other side of the screen... in the bath.

"Ah~ Nikolai, I'm in the bath, so you're on speaker, hehe. Did you miss me even though you ran off with that damn leech?"

"Why the hell are you naked, and why is your bath on the other side of the phone!"

"Eh? N-Nikolai... did you get a new phone?" The voice of Nikita trembled as she looked up, and her eyes came into contact with his, the image on her screen showing the shirtless Nikolai in only his boxers, causing her to turn bright red and cover her face. Yet in doing so, the soft marshmallows she hid slipped into view, causing Nikolai's twin hearts to race.

"Ah! I forgot that my new phone was from the Nexus. Please turn off the video!"

'Hehe, this is a new thing. It's like the next version of holograms and can feel super realistic.'

"But I like what I see, Nikita. How about we keep it on?" Nikolai's eyes shone with a rather ferocious light—after what happened in her bedroom, his interest in the opposite sex increased.

"Nikita... don't you remember what happened last time? I'm not stopping myself anymore, so let's not pretend or hide things."

"A-Ah?! Don't say those things. I can't say no to you... and it makes me feel strange hearing your sexy voice while in the bath!"

"Oh, I know... so let's keep it a secret."

"Hmm... Mhmm."

As soon as he saw her nod, a wild beast appeared behind Nikolai's eyes. He enjoyed the sight. However, since the cute Nikita was rare, he didn't want to push it too far. Rather, watching her push the bubbles over her chest and crotch was a lovely scene.

"What are you hiding?"

"N-Nothing..."

"Nikita... are you sure."

"Waah, don't ask such a thing. How could you see anything."

"I see a few tufts of white hair."

"I'll beat you..." Nikita pouted before turning away, but her feet were swaying in the massive bath she was enjoying. The water was so clear and clean, and Nikita's body was flushed pink and glistened with a soft orange glow from the candles around the room.

"Hey, so why did you call me anyway, Nikolai?"

"Hmm... well, I won my first arena fight today, and somehow it seems my maternal grandfather found me... haha."

"Ah~ that stupid old man. He has a really annoying ability. When my mom and dad were dating, he used a similar method to catch them because my grandmother didn't like them dating."

"Ehh... Sounds like what he did to my dad, too."

"Ahh... he isn't a bad person though Nikolai... That old man is just stubborn and kept saying that he would never let me marry his grandson! Stupid divination~ hehe, but now it's too late. The smelly old man will never have a chance to stop me!"

"Why do you dislike my grandfather?" Nikolai leaned back on the black sofa in his room, watching as Nikita washed herself while chatting away. It wasn't completely lewd, but he felt this version of Nikita didn't hide her embarrassment or emotions.

"Tsk... he kept coming to our home for years, shouting at me and my dad, saying that he would never accept the divination that I would become a bride of the Báthory clan, stupid old man, my mother threw a rock at him, and he stopped coming."

"..."

Somehow, the more he listened to Nikita, it felt like his grandfather was quite the poor old man, called smelly and old and then assaulted with a rock.

'He seems more pitiful than me... I didn't even get to meet him, and my dad didn't tell me about my mother's side of the family for a long time. So this is probably my chance to learn about a young mother before she met dad.'

[Eh... why do you want to know that? Isn't it embarrassing for your mother?]

While Nikita ignored Nikolai's silence, she began to babble about her day, telling Nikolai how she wanted to visit the nexus with him next time and see him fight in the arena.

"It sounds like you can't come tonight."

"No, I can't since we made a promise. Today is Selene's day I will wait."

"I see—well, let's enjoy the places Nikita wants to go next time, no matter where you want to go."

"Nn~ I am going to get out of the bath now, so I am cutting the call... since you wanted to see... here!"

As she hung up the phone, Nikita stood from the water and showed her silky skin and smooth body, without bubbles that obscured the view, and Nikolai couldn't help but laugh, wondering why such a shy person was so honest with him.

'Maybe I should send her a text and let her know I am grateful for the wonderful sight.'

Bzzzt!

Before he realised it, his phone vibrated with two messages, one from Nikita and the other from the Arena's official mail network.

"Hmmm?"

[From Nikita (Cute Lover)]

I hope you enjoyed~

Because I am sleepy, I might not reply! Goodnight~

I love you

—

[From Nexus Corp (Arena Branch)]

You have received a challenge from the Faust Family Warrior, sponsored by Alistair Faust!

Reward: 3000 Nexus Coins

Reward: 1 Bone Tempering Injection

Victory Reward: 1 Muscle Replacement Bath

—

'What's Muscle replacement bath...?'

[!!!]

[It's what you need!]

'Huh, why?'

[Normally, all supernaturals will awaken by their third birthday. You awakened late, meaning you are far behind your peers, and normally, no matter how hard you train, they will always have that advantage.]

[However, the Bone Tempering Injection added to a Muscle Replacement Bath would remove that advantage from those who awakened in their childhood. It would make your body as if you awakened at ten, not twenty-five, so you will only be seven years behind them.]

'...'

[Although both processes will be agonising, and these are likely to be high-purity items, making their effects stronger depending on how much of the medicine and mixture you can absorb and utilise...]

'Wouldn't everyone use these items then? Since it means you'd get stronger... I don't see why those who awakened at three years old wouldn't take them to make it as if they awakened in the womb.'

[Because these items would only cause them to gain minimal benefits... The closer you get to the optimum age, the less effect these items have. They aren't mystical elixirs that will make you all-powerful but tonics and treatments to remove the impurities from your life as a human... ]

[A two-year-old has nearly zero impurities, the same for a one-year-old. It isn't till a human begins to eat normal food that they gather impurities.]

'I see... Is this usable by normal humans, too?'

[Yes, normal humans would use these to break the limit of an adult body. Those who started learning martial arts late can adjust their bones and become flexible enough to correct their bodies no matter their age with these two medicines.]

Nikolai nodded, leaning back and took a deep breath because he saw the opponent. It meant that they knew who he was and that his name would spread before he planned.

However, if these rewards could allow him to reach the starting line of others, or at least bridge the gap between him and Selene and Nikita... He wouldn't step back.

'Then I'll accept their challenge!'