Cassandra spoke, but Strax simply ignored her and stared at Scarlet.
Her smile shifted into a highly satisfied grin, and then she removed her hand from Strax's face, looking at a spot in the room...
"COME HERE!" She shouted loud enough for the entire room to shake.
The voice echoed throughout the mansion, and soon another red-haired woman appeared running, completely exhausted.
"S-S-S-Sorry, mother..." she said, sounding out of breath as she placed her hands on her knees, as if she had just run the hardest marathon of her life. And mind you, she was a vampire! She shouldn't be getting tired like this!
The girl had long red hair like the others, a curvaceous body, and she was only wearing a towel while squeezing it around her chest, which was starting to rival her mother's.
"I'm here!" she said, placing her hand on her head like a soldier ready for orders (0-0)7.
"You took too long. You need to train more," Scarlet said, glancing at Strax, trying to see his reaction to her daughter like this... carefree, but Strax didn't react at all... at least, she thought he didn't...
'What the hell! Why did I walk into a nest of gorgeous redheads! I'm going to die if my wives find out!' he screamed internally.
"She's my youngest adopted daughter, as you've probably noticed. Her name is Daniela," Scarlet explained.
"Hello, strange! Nice to meet you!" Daniela said, flashing a silly grin and maintaining the soldier-like stance.
"Nice to meet you, I guess..." Strax replied in a neutral tone. 'Stay strong! You can do this!!' he roared internally before...
[Conquer the Affection of Scarlet Vermilion's Daughters – Reward: 100 levels]
[Conquer the Affection of the Devastator, Scarlet Vermilion – Reward: 100 levels]
'200 levels?!!!! This is basically... HOLY SHIT! DOES THIS MAKE ME 2x STRONGER??? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SYSTEM?!' he shouted internally, shocked.
'Stay strong my ass!' Strax quickly thought.
"First... what do you know?" Scarlet asked, looking at him. "Huh? Oh, yes," he mumbled and with one hand, he opened the Black Fire Manipulation, and with the other, the Glacial Ice Manipulation.
Enjoy new tales from mvl
"First, let's go with fire," Daniela said with a mischievous smile. "Close your eyes. Imagine the heat building up in your hands. Feel the energy of the black fire. Don't try to force it. Just feel."
Strax closed his eyes and tried to follow her instructions. He could feel the heat in his palms, the black fire slowly forming. But as the flame began to take shape, he felt the pressure from the System, the expectation that he could control it with mastery. It wasn't simple. The power he was manipulating was... chaotic.
"This isn't just about fire, Strax," Daniela said, her voice still calm but tinged with urgency. "You need to understand that black fire is a manifestation of chaos. It feeds on your frustration and anxiety. If you can't control your own emotions, the fire will consume you."
Strax felt his mind stir. He didn't want to be consumed, but he was starting to understand what Daniela meant. The fire wasn't just physical; it was an extension of his emotions, his internal instability. He needed to calm down, control himself, and that required more than just physical mastery.
"Focus!" Daniela shouted, seeing Strax hesitate. "Don't let the fire take over. Master it, or it will master you!"
The command was direct, and without hesitation, Strax refocused. At first, the fire stirred in his hands, threatening to escape at any moment. But with renewed effort, he felt the energy begin to settle. Slowly, the flame stabilized. It wasn't perfect, but it was controlled. He managed.
"Good," Daniela said, appearing satisfied. "Now, the ice."
Strax opened his eyes and looked at his hand still surrounded by a faint flame. He knew the ice would be an even greater challenge. The glacial ice wasn't just cold; it was relentless, heavy, and always seemed to have complete control over anyone who wielded it.
"With the ice, you can't rush," Daniela explained. "You need patience. The ice won't form the same way the fire does. It requires precision."
Strax nodded, trying to push the feeling of heat aside. He extended his other hand and focused on the cold. It was as if his mind was torn between two opposing forces, and he had to somehow balance them. Slowly, he felt the ice begin to form in his hand, cold and solid. It wasn't large, but it was there.
"Now, combine the two," Daniela said with a soft laugh. "Think you can manage?"
Strax looked at her, feeling the weight of the challenge. He had already manipulated both elements, but never at the same time. Bringing fire and ice into harmony seemed like an impossible task.
He focused. The black flame danced in his palm while the ice began to form in the other. The sensation of each energy was different, but the goal was the same: mastery.
At first, the flame wavered as the ice started to form, but Strax managed to force a balance, the flame weakening as the ice expanded, until both elements were present in a stable form. It was a combination of heat and cold, a dance of opposites, but Strax had finally succeeded.
"Interesting," Scarlet said, watching Strax's progress with a discerning look. "You're not a complete disaster, Strax. But you've still got a lot to learn. Don't fool yourself into thinking you've got it all figured out. True control comes when you can manipulate both fire and ice without losing focus."
Strax, breathless but satisfied, looked at Scarlet. "I know," he replied, confidence beginning to grow inside him. He was no longer uncertain about his abilities. He knew he had a long way to go, but this first step... he had taken it.
"Now, keep practicing," Scarlet said, turning to Daniela. "Let's see how far he can go."
[You have entered the Inferno - Your Training Begins]