Back in the real world, Lilith was not surprised when she heard about Adam's reckless plan. She had already summarized that he had inherited Cain's true curse. Which would mean that he was a true immortal being like his father.
The moment she saw him move stealthily, she hesitated slightly at his reckless action but in the end, decided to not stop him. Even though she might lose the occasion to steal Asmodeus's Authority, just making sure he didn't come to earth and become stronger was enough for her in itself.
This weird contradiction between her feelings and rationality of it all caused a lapse in judgment and she had forgotten one small thing.
Devils were cunning bastards who always had one trick or two hidden up their sleeves. It was ironic that a being as old as time herself could make such a mistake but she did and she would curse herself endlessly for that.
The moment the boy touched the body of the Cursed Womb, a flash covered the two before a shadow started to spread from her body to his.
"Adam!"
A cry came not from her but from behind, an aura of frost and a scent she recognized all too well followed the desperate cry of the girl. It was then followed by a howl as a huge wolf barreled through the hallway and entered the room with her fangs bared.
Next to the wolf was a silver-haired woman clad in a white and black kimono and the ethereal girl was holding a sword in her hand, giving off an aura that could easily make one suffocate with its intensity.
Everything started to change so fast and the situation became progressively so complicated that the ones involved were unable to register and process this situation.
The vampire, after seeing that Adam was paralyzed, lunged at him in order to end this situation once and for all but was promptly swatted away by the wolf's paws.
Lilith immediately rushed toward the body of the Cursed Womb. She wanted to know what happened to Adam after that eerie flash of light. Death of the body was nothing but if his soul was to be corrupted then, Eve would have her skin. She did not wish to make the usually demure women angry. She could be quite scary if she wanted to.
As for the Silver-haired girl… She simply unsheathed her sword and a terrifying sword aura rushed out into the surroundings.
Thunder rumbled and a clash ensued.
—-
Richard could feel the hold he had on his sanity crumble a little more every second. He was already on borrowed time and the situation was going worse as more people came.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why are so many bastards coming one after another!? Where is the Director!?'
If he did not fight the director to show his might and obtain accurate data, even more useless sacrifices would be necessary in the future. He couldn't have that. He really couldn't have that.
Those blasphemous bastards were stopping him from realizing the glorious purpose that was to bring humanity to a new age of glory and power.
"Bastard!"
Richard roared and his form soon changed, becoming more compact and faster than ever before. He rushed at the wolf, ready to tear the blasphemous shapeshifter apart but was forced to stop in his tracks when he felt a huge wave of power coming at him from the side.
"Argh!!"
He blocked the attack coming at him but it was not without a price. He screamed as the power of thunder and lightning seeped into his body, burning him down from within.
'A Divine Weapon!'
He cursed endlessly in his mind. Even though it was only a sealed divine weapon, it was still not something he could afford to mess with in his current body and limited capabilities.
"You… You are an executor."
"I am the Lightning Blade."
Richard cursed again and again after being informed of that fact. A titled Executor.
This was not in the information he received. The girl that followed the Director was supposed to just be a member of a branch family and a disciple of the Director. How could a branch family member receive one of the most prestigious titles among the executors? It was simply unbelievable for the man.
He also looked at the giant white wolf. The power to manipulate the elements. Those eerie and bloodthirsty red eyes. This was without a doubt an alpha. One who was comparable to a Vampire Ancestor.
He didn't know why this one here seemed to be so weak, however. But it did not change his current situation.
He could only have been able to fight them all at his peak. Not in his current deteriorated state.
"You are getting distracted, monster."
His instincts flared with alarm signals as he nearly had no time to react as he moved slightly away to dodge a dangerous blow. Pain registered once again when he felt the blade of the sword dig into his flesh and leave a long gash that spanned from his collarbone to his hips.
Had he been a little bit slower, he would have lost his head completely.
What followed was a series of clashes against the expressionless girl. But no matter what he did, Richard felt like he was slowly being cornered like a rat with her exquisite techniques and the aura of her sealed Divine Weapon.
'How the hell is this girl even human!?'
He was in utter disbelief of this phenomenon. She was not overpowering him, no. She was a little faster than him but not by much either. No matter how one looked at him, he was superior to her in almost all stats throughout the board.
But… But…
He could not see the trajectory of her attacks. Could not fight the strength behind her slashes. Every time he tried to use his blood manipulation arts, she would interrupt him at the exact moment.
It was like a dance. It was a form of art. There was a deadly beauty that could be found in all her movements. Rendering him completely helpless and unable to bring his full power.
He then realized a very simple truth.
The difference in stats between them was almost negligible but he was still superior. He had the power of an Elder Vampire and she was nothing but a human.
This means only one thing…The difference in skills was like the difference between heaven and earth.
He did not know what kind of training a young girl like her must have received but this went beyond what he could perceive with his mind. How could a human be so powerful was truly beyond him…
'Fuck!'
Whoosh~
He moved away from her slash but he miscalculated a vital element. He just realized that his body was covered in frost. He had been so focused on the silver-haired girl that he had ignored the obvious second monster that was prowling in the dark.
Looking in the direction of the wolf, he could see a malevolent expression filled with glee and malice stretch her jaws into a maniacal grin. Unknowingly, his sense had dulled too much for him to perceive her attacks.
The Lightning Blade did not miss this occasion and with a flick of her sword, blood splashed and his deformed arm soared in the sky, cleanly severed.
Richard held his scream. The pain was out of this world. The power of Lightning had always been very effective against the creatures of the night and this was showing in this fight against this monstrous girl.
His hair stood erect and he immediately covered his body with a blood cocoon as a sort of last-ditch defensive move. This action saved him great trouble as he felt a tremendous force swat him on the ground like he was a mere fly.
The claws and fangs of werewolves were deadly weapons and while they normally could not hurt a vampire permanently, things became different when elemental manipulation was involved in the mix.
He could feel the cold slip inside his blood cocoon, slowly freezing it and making it more brittle.
At any time now, the cocoon would be broken and he would face the onslaught of that crazy swordswoman and the monstrous alpha wolf.
'What are my chances of survival?'
If things did not change, then none. He would simply die like this. Like a sinner. Having accomplished nothing but senseless murder and brutal hysterical atrocities against the very humans he sought to save.
'Ugh.'
The wounds he was inflicted with wiggled, his flesh was trying to heal but the energy of the blade made it impossible for it to heal instantly. Not even silver could do something like this. He could not regenerate his arm or any wounds. He was slowly growing weaker.
He realized it then in his bones—
'Ah…Am I going to die? Like this?'
But this did not register in his mind anymore. He had caused the death and suffering of so many people already. He had committed acts so vile that he knew that hell was the inevitable destination for him after his death.
He did not fear death. Neither did he fear his inevitable outcome in the afterlife. The very concept of fear was discarded by him the moment he went to the operation table to get himself turned into the abominable monster that he now was.
There was just one thing left. A primal fear that he was unable to discard. What he truly feared now was a meaningless death without accomplishing anything.
Crack~
The sound of the blood cocoon reminded him of his progressively shattering reality and the dreams he held for the future of humanity. His time was limited. He had to make a decision right here and now.
'I have no other choice.'
It was sad that he could not fight a true Director, but a Titled Executioner with a Divine Weapon and an Alpha would make for more than sufficient foes to serve his purpose.
"Doctor… You can hear me right? Or whatever method you used to keep a tab on me."
He chuckled, "I will hold my part of the bargain. I might not be able to show my prowess to the world, but you will see… We are not failures… We are not mistakes… We will be the trailblazers for humanity's next evolution… As such— Please. Please. keep your promise"
He fumbled in his pocket and took out the last syringe. The moment the Cocoon was about to give in, he finally got rid of all hesitation and injected himself with the drug.
He felt like euphoria coursed through his vein.
He would show it. He would show it to them all.
Those were the last thoughts in his mind as insanity and violence overrun his mind, robbing him of his last dregs of humanity.
(AN; The arc is reaching the climax and the end approaches. I hope you liked it until now and will like the end even more)