Chapter 68: Interrogation

Chapter 68: Interrogation

"So, err What's the occasion again?"

Motohama asked nervously as he was sitting in the middle of the Occult Research Club room. After school that day, Issei handed him an official invitation letter from one Occult Research Club for an interview. Considering how famous the members were, Motohama quickly agreed.

The boy was a tad confused and disappointed at the lack of the Two Great Ladies and the School Mascot in the room, but he did not complain at the sight of Irina and Xenovia together.

"We got the wind of your little test of courage during the summer break, so we want to ask you some questions about The experience, y'know, for Occult Research." Issei easily replied.

"What? Oh, shit, dude. It was freaky, man. Random ghost came out of nowhere and started doing freaking poltergeist things. We thought we were getting Sadako'ed right there!"

Issei blinked at Motohama's reply. It only made him more skeptical of Motohama's condition.

"...Anyways, uh, bear with me as we're about to splutter some latin nonsense."

"What kind of nonsense?" Motohama asked.

Issei silently used [Explosion] as he started the incantation. Irina and Xenovia surrounded Motohama as they spread their angel wings in unison.

Xenovia started the incantation in tandem with Issei.

[Exorcizamus te omnis spiritus immundus, omnes malignitates, omnes insurrectiones infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio, et secta vilis. Ergo, omnes legiones furiales, obtesemur vos... Desinite corruptionem mortalium veneno eterne exitii. Contremisce et fuge, invocatum nomen sanctum tuum et terribile, purgatorii et paradisi creatorem, a unguis mali, libera nos, Domine. Adesto, quaesumus, aurem tuam et tribue nobis virtutem tuam, virtutem sanctam, ut malos percutias et scelestos emundes...]

Motohama blinked at the sight of the angelic wings, though Irina's was red for some reason.

"Whoa, whoa! Wow! Where'd you get those wings?! They look so real!"

Issei and Xenovia were a bit confused that Motohama was unaffected. Was he not possessed? Or was he a doppelganger?

"Hey, I saw Rias' bra over there!" Issei pointed at the door.

"Where?!" Motohama turned to the direction with a drool down his lips.

Issei immediately pulled out a katana.

This katana was designed to react to anything spiritual clinging onto the body of a person. It was a makeshift tool meant to harm any incorporeal being while not hurting the corporeal, courtesy of Yuuto and his hax sword maker tool.

The blade thrusted, the tip flying towards Motohama's back.

However, the boy, with ungodly reaction timing, pivoted one-eighty degrees. He was facing Issei now, Issei staring at his reflection from Motohama's glasses as the latter grabbed the hilt of his sword.

Issei blinked when he saw the glowing red eyes behind his glasses.

The red eyes were a bit intense. Issei could not remember feeling scared to stare into someone's eyes, as if he was gazing into a red abyss of unveiled danger behind the curtain.

Irina and Xenovia were stunned to see Motohama's supernatural reflexes before they pulled out their weapons.

"...I shouldn't be surprised, but I must confess that I did."

Motohama's voice was warped, a deep, otherworldly voice overlapping with Motohama's.

Issei struggled to free his hilt from Motohama's grip, but the pervert was much stronger than he expected.

Then Motohama looked back and stretched an arm at the girls, throwing all of them at the wall, both of them pinned at the wall by a strong, supernatural force.

Issei widened his eyes before he felt a chilling frost.

Gelid rime and frore encased his hands and sword before Motohama backflipped with stupidly astounding acrobatics, landing before the door.

"...But I must abuse your window of confoundment. Until we meet again in our advent." Motohama opened the door and ran out, the supernatural force holding the girls gone as they fell from the wall.

However, as soon as Motohama looked away from the door of the clubroom, he was met with a pair of glowing red eyes. The next moment, he knew no more.

Melting the ice with dragonfire, Issei walked out of the clubroom and nodded at Gasper, who was using his Sacred Gear on their guest.

"Good job, Gasper."

"T-thank you, but somehow he's slowly breaking free! I can't hold him much longer!" Gasper replied as he narrowed his glare.

Motohama's demonic red eyes glowed brighter, staring right into Gasper's eyes. Then his eyes flashed into Gasper's as Gasper yelped, blinking from the sudden brightness.

"Shit!" Issei did not think that making Gasper blink could interrupt his Time-Stopping gaze, though Issei still believed it was more stasis than Time Stop.

Issei immediately thrusted the special sword at Motohama, but the pervert actually dodged his attack and then blasted him back to the door with telekinesis, though Xenovia caught him just in time.

Gasper rubbed his eyes clear, but he yelped when he suddenly levitated to the ceiling, face planted onto the flat surface.

"I am amazed you planned this far on a suspicion." 'Motohama' said as Gasper immediately dispersed into mist, turning into a swarm of bats.

However, all of the bats were slammed down, pressed into the floor face down.

"S-Senpai! I-I can't move!" Gasper squeaked, all of the bats struggling to push their faces off the floor.

Issei and the girls immediately surrounded the possessed Motohama.

"Alright, you have our attention. The only reason you're getting away with this much is-"

"You don't want to hurt this excessively annoying human." 'Motohama' answered.

Issei tilted his head, "Well I guess you got us on that account"

Amusingly enough, 'Motohama' squinted his eyes, "...Which one? The fact you don't want to hurt this human or the fact that he's excessively annoying?"

Issei merely stared at the possessed classmate and replied, "...Yes!"

"Either way, I prefer that I leave this behind me. As I said before, we will meet again." Motohama slowly backed away while maintaining eye contact.

BONK!

However, from the corner where Motohama would have taken turn, something lashed out and collided with the boy's back of the head. His head flinched for a second before his body wobbled and collapsed to the unforgiving floor.

From the same corner, Vali walked out just as he dismissed his Scale Mail.

"Hm I honestly didn't see that one coming." Vali mused at the knocked out boy.

Gasper's bats could pick themselves up and rub their heads before they dispersed into mist and fused back into Gasper's human form.

"D-Did we get him?" Gasper asked.

"Looks like it." Issei and the girls slowly approached the knocked out Motohama.

Everyone was cautious of Motohama considering his alter ego's surprisingly strong powers.

Issei slowly tapped Motohama's head with his foot for a reaction.

"...Issei, is it really possible to knock a possessed human with concussive force?" Irina asked.

"Good question." Issei scratched his head. "Either that or we're not dealing with a ghost at all. Either way"

[Exorcizamus te omnis spiritus immundus, omnes malignitates, omnes insurrectiones infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio, et secta vilis. Ergo, omnes legiones furiales, obtesemur vos... Desinite corruptionem mortalium veneno eterne exitii. Contremisce et fuge, invocatum nomen sanctum tuum et terribile, purgatorii et paradisi creatorem, a unguis mali, libera nos, Domine. Adesto, quaesumus, aurem tuam et tribue nobis virtutem tuam, virtutem sanctam, ut malos percutias et scelestos emundes.]

Issei repeated the rites of exorcism once more on bound Motohama.

Motohama was tied to a chair in silver chains and ropes with several talismans attached, still slumbering.

Rias and Sona joined them when they heard about Motohama being possessed by something unrecorded and dangerous. The Devil girls were surprised that there was no reaction. Whatever was possessing Motohama was shockingly unaffected.

"...Holy water and silver won't work on him. The Latin exorcism rites are useless." Issei took out Chrysaor, the gleaming sword that slew evil, and placed it on Motohama's cheek.

"...Chrysaor isn't even reacting. What the shit are we dealing with?" Issei scratched his head as he returned the Holy Sword back into Boosted Gear.

"...Maybe it is not a spirit?" Xenovia suggested.

"I doubt it. We checked to see if it's a Doppelganger or Youkai. This guy is clearly Motohama, there's no one else in the world that I know that can act like him." Issei scratched his hair, utterly stumped.

"Mind if I ask where you learned the Latin exorcism script?" Irina asked curiously.

"Binged on The Exorcist, Exorcism of Emily Rose and Constantine series after a ghost boy encounter. I even know the Shinto method of exorcism,but apparently, it still won't work on him. It doesn't make sense, there's definitely something else in there spirit-wise. What the hell is this thing?"

Issei scratched his head. He may have studied all things spiritual, but he had never encountered something like this before.

"What should we do? At this rate, we might have to turn him over to the specialists." Rias asked, humming with curiosity.

Issei sighed. He did not want to do this, but they had no choice. He walked up to Motohama and started slapping his cheeks left and right.

"Hey! You there! Wake up! Wake up!'

'Motohama's' eyes fluttered open. He found that he was no longer anywhere within the Old School Building; he noted that the current room was dimly lit, around half of the Occult Research Club room. His eyes danced from Issei, to Rias, to Sona, to Irina and Xenovia, to Vali and Gasper.

He looked down on himself to see his current state.

"...Hmph. And you think this is enough to tickle me?" 'Motohama' taunted the group with a grin.

His grin fell when he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.

Issei stabbed him with Yuuto's sword.

Issei yanked it out.

"...Sweet. No bleeding."

There was no stab wound. It was a sword made to cut the extra passengers specifically.

"...I see. You are more resourceful than I thought." Motohama noted.

"Don't tell me that it didn't hurt you that much." Issei scoffed.

"Oh, I felt it. And it is pathetic. If I were a resident of Malebolge, I would laugh at your feeble attempt at torture." Motohama chuckled condescendingly at Issei.

Issei stabbed Motohama through the chest this time.

The being's red eyes winced at the pain as Issei twisted it in his chest.

"Be careful, boy. Nothing can stop me from rending this annoying human host inside out."

Issei widened his eyes at the threat. He slowly pulled the sword out from Motohama.

"...Alright, so you want to play it this way." Issei inhaled as they were in a stalemate. "...Who are you?" He asked.

"My name isn't something that I will casually share in the presence of filth." 'Motohama' denied.

Issei narrowed his eyes at his insult.

"Not you. Her." 'Motohama' turned to Rias.

"Him." He switched to Vali, gazing at him.

"That one." He turned to Sona.

"You" He turned to Gasper. "...I pity you for choosing to share the blood of the betrayer. Oh, if only Vlad could see his most recent descendant now."

"...What?" Gasper blinked.

"Oh, of course you would not know." 'Motohama' chuckled while nodding his head in understanding. "Your blood is diluted, of course. You'll find out soon enough. It's better this way."

Issei did not need cryptic messages.

"...Alright, then why Motohama?" Issei asked. "Didn't think anyone has the capacity to be in his shoes for how many days?"

"...Months." 'Motohama' seethed. "I only chose the most inconspicuous of them all. I underestimated him, however, in more ways than one."

"Why didn't you kill him or something?" Issei asked.

"We are not savages - we don't kill those that don't deserve it." 'Motohama' answered. "Despite my temperament, I still value my kind's sacred customs. Although this one has a talent for testing the limits of my patience. I would like to leave him myself but alas, I cannot leave through the Veil. The Grim Reapers have it under watch now."

"...What are you?" Issei asked, finally getting somewhere.

"You are in the presence of an ancient demon, young human." 'Motohama' answered.

The word 'Demon' froze everyone still. Gasper yelped when 'Motohama's' demonic red eyes glowed even brighter.

Issei and the others heard much about the demons. They were not as surprised as they should be, as if they expected them to arrive all this time.

Rias and Vali leaked out cold sweats as they gave him their full undivided attention, many questions bubbling in their throats.

Sona gulped, pushing up her glasses, feeling left out.

Irina and Xenovia inhaled and held it in their chests, a burning dark curiosity within them wanting to know more about the world before humans, about Genesis.

The silence between them was palpable. Motohama's smile only grew wider with each second.

"So you know what I am." Motohama read their minds through their expressions.

"...I heard a lot about you all." Issei admitted. "All the shit your kind went through and what your people did to survive.

"...But I thought demons are supposed to be alive with flesh and blood. Why are you a spirit?" Issei asked.

"I am of the Mastema Tribe. My Tribe's ability specializes in the manipulation of souls, in realms beyond the reach of even the Gods of the Dead."

"Manipulation of souls.. Right, that doesn't really explain much. How are you controlling Motohama now?" Issei asked while tilting his head.

"Astral Projection. Your arts only worked on souls that have no ties to the living. I am not evil. Though I do burn with righteous anger."

"...That explains why you're annoyingly invulnerable to exorcism." Issei muttered under his breath.

Rias walked forward and presented herself before the Demon.

"...It is an honor to meet one of our ancestor's race." She bowed. "If you would allow me, my name is-"

"Rias Gremory." 'Motohama' answered for her. "Brother of the 'Ruler of the Underworld,' holder of the accursed title of Betrayer as if it was his greatest pride. Don't assume the political stance before a human vessel, Bastard of Lucifer." 'Motohama' scoffed at her attempt to be courteous.

Rias grimaced in her heart at his verbal assault.

"Hey! That's uncalled for!" Issei called out.

"Your kind is a mistake. Lilith cursed Lucifer and every child he made with her. Oh, how she swore to abort every single one of you once she's freed."

Irina and Gasper clasped their mouths, shocked by the brutal verbal attack.

Rias' features descended into a scowl, unable to hide her features.

"...Dude. What the hell?"

Even when he was holding a grudge, he was never this brutal he thinks. He was not sure if he was like this to Xenovia, even though he would never go so far as to tell her that she was a mistake. Xenovia seemed to sense this as she glanced at Issei.

The demon looked at Issei.

"Did you not know what it means to hold a grudge?"

Issei scowled at the demon as Xenovia winced at the reminder of her past self.

"I get it. But you're taking this shit too far."

"Really? Imagine one of your lovers gaining your trust only to stab you in the back in cold blood. No, to take everything that is yours. The rage you felt is nothing compared to mine. You know nothing of treachery, the scars it leaves. What do you know about war? What it means to lose the world you know and have it turned against you by two mad things wanting to rob you of everything you know? Forced to fight for so many years, to spill so much blood to dye the ocean red? And you think that every word that comes out of my mouth is 'too far?' Isn't that too short-sighted?"

Everyone stared at the Demon, overwhelmed by his response.

Rias looked conflicted, her hands clenched with internal conflict. Issei understood Rias' position, someone that wanted to make amends, but the obstacle before her was beyond her expectations, and drenched in so much blood spilled by both Lucifer and God that she would drown before she could cross to the other side.

"...Why are you here?" Issei decided to move on.

Things were looking bleaker than they hoped for the Devils to reconcile.

"...I am here for many reasons." The demon spoke. "Our return to Gaia it is mandatory. Our oracles warned us of a terrible omen, that a cosmic being will attempt to consume our reality."

Issei and the others knew who he was talking about. The being known as GOD.

"My people are involved in this prophecy. There is still some division on how we should handle our return. Some of us don't want to slaughter all of the Devils, unfortunately. I, along with the other Veterans, share the desire to reclaim what was once ours."

Issei did not like what the demon was saying. It was basically him confessing his internal political struggles with his people, one wanting to let go of the past, the others wanting to claim what was owed.

"I am not alone. My task here is to confirm a suspicion you are special, Son of the Awakened One." 'Motohama' smiled at Issei. "You have no idea how special you are amongst all of the mortals in the world."

Everyone turned to Issei, him the center of attention.

"...'Awakened one'?" Issei repeated with a narrowed look.

"Your father. Saitama is his name, if I'm not mistaken."

Issei blinked.

"Once upon a time, one of our ancestors achieved what your father did in troublesome times." 'Motohama' informed.

"...What?" Issei and everyone did not expect that.

There was someone among the Demons that became just as overpowered, but in a more magical sense.

"He was the one who invented our sorcerous traditions and arts. However, he left our home to explore the universe many years ago. You have no idea how rare your father is, do you? And you, bearing his blood, something more important than that cretin that crowned himself Lord of Heaven and the Betrayer."

'Motohama' paused in silence, letting the children absorb his words.

"...What makes him so special?" Vali asked.

None of them could find the words to vocalize their questions about the demon's ancestor.

"...God has cursed the humans more than once. The Curse of Eden, which sealed the true potential of humanity. And the curse of Babylon, which divided the humans by tongue."

"The Fall of Babel?" Issei muttered.

The demon nodded, "...Do you have a surprising proficiency with multiple languages?"

Issei was a little thrown off by the question, but he decided to humor it, "Other than Japanese. I learned how to speak English, Mandarin, Hindhi, Greek, Norse - with some German, a little Sanskrit, some Italian And I guess recently learned some Latin.``

"It is not because you're a talented linguist. The barriers in your mind that separates the languages are not there. You are capable of reading and speaking 'Adamic.'" 'Motohama' answered.

Issei blinked in confusion, "Adamic? What do you mean, Adamic?"

'Motohama' cackled as he started speaking in another language.

The girls, Gasper, and Vali were confused by his words as he spoke a tongue that not even their auto-translate ability could decipher. To Issei, it was a mix of words and phrases he picked up from multiple languages, French, Chinese, Italian, Latin, English

"...Whoa Uhhh, you're saying that you wish to make a deal with me for Motohama's freedom?"

'Motohama' nodded.

"Ise, you understand him?" Sona asked.

Issei blinked, realizing what he just did, "I. guess so? Wait, what the hell? I don't even recall ever hearing that language!"

'Motohama' laughed condescendingly at the others.

"You fools are still bound by the Curse of Babylon, reincarnated or not. This is the true language of the human race, made by Adam, his special gift being language itself! Something that not even God could replicate! Only those before the time of God with prior knowledge have the capacity to understand this! Or those like you, Issei Hyoudou."

Everyone stared at the Demon, then they turned towards Issei, who was just as baffled as everyone else - before he looked at himself and then at 'Motohama.'

"...Okay, you got my attention. So, what do you want?" Issei asked.

"Let me possess you, and I will let your friend go." 'Motohama' suggested.

Issei stared at him, slightly overwhelmed by his sudden, absurd suggestion.

"I cannot leave without the consequence of being mistaken as a departed spirit to be sent to perdition. You have something in you that can stave off unwanted possession. And I refuse to enter them." 'Motohama' glared at the others, his eyes glowing red with hate.

"As an incentive, I will answer any questions you want. Whatever wisdom you desire, but only if you keep them to yourself."

Issei stared at his possessed classmate, before he finally nodded, "...Alright, I'll bite. So how are we doing this?"

"Ise!"

"You can't be serious!"

"We can't trust him!"

Issei then quickly placated his protesting comrades, "Hey, hey!" He paused once everyone stopped talking, "...I got this. Trust me."

Suddenly, the chains holding him melted away into slag and lava, Motohama brushing the melted metal as the possessed human rose from his seat to everyone's shock.

"...You can do that all this time?" Issei asked.

Vlad waited at the border between the two factions, the dividing plains where two boulders face each other.

Marius was behind him in a butler suit while his new vampire servants and the entourage he was with waited.

The legion he made in Malebolge and the Demons that joined him.

Vlad waited patiently for the others to arrive.

"Sexist female vampires" Another man muttered beside Dracula. His new body reflected his physical stature when he was alive.

He had Greek features, an adonis body and his beard was neatly trimmed after Dracula secured his hold in the Tepes faction.

"Lycaon, don't tell me you're feeling the effects of your new body's hormones now?" Dracula scoffed.

"No, no, I am just a bit curious. The only supernaturals I encountered were the Devils and the woman I tried to make my wife. And her father."

"...And failed when you tried to feed Zeus human flesh." Judas Iscariot, the only apostle who betrayed Jesus, remarked.

"I was a different man that time. We all did bad things." Lycaon remarked as they saw something in the distance. Lycaon sniffed the air.

"I smell horse farts carried in the wind." Lycaon grimaced when the gentle night wind breezed his face.

"Yes. It's unpleasant. Isn't it wonderful?" Dracula smiled.

Lycaon frowned at the vampire's humor as a small legion of horseback riders appeared in the distance approaching them.

While the moon still hung high in the night sky, Dracula waited for the horseback riders to approach them.

The female armor accentuated their figure quite well, steel helmets and chest plates engraved with bat-wings and fangs as their vampiric theme, a crimson red insignia of the Carmilla faction on their chests, a bloody rose resting between the fangs.

"Hmmmmmm."

The Queen of the Carmilla faction was in a peculiar attire.

The one in the front wore white silk as she levitated towards them while her royal guard followed her.

She was like a phantom of the night, her bloody red hair waving behind her. Her dress was quite revealing, her back naked while the front was covered.

It was like a stylized wedding gown, only the long skirt that covered all of the legs were cut down.

"Interesting choice of clothes." Another man whistled, throwing and catching a knife made of Malebolge soul metal.

"Behave yourself, Jack." Dracula waited as the woman of otherworldly beauty appeared before Dracula.

Dracula inhaled the woman's scent as she landed softly on her red heels, the woman now face to face with the new king.

There was a small silence between them as the Queen's blood-red eyes gazed into Dracula's golden pupils.

"...It is an honor to meet one of my descendants. You have Carmilla's eyes. Quite beautiful." Dracula began with a compliment.

The woman's face was stoic.

"...I cannot believe I wasted my time. This is the founder of our race?" Her face showed her disappointment. "And you don't smell like a vampire, yet you somehow swindled the pigs behind you as if you held the sweetest corn."

Behind that beauty, there was a petulant condescending face with the penchant to look down and spit at the world before her, overflowing with delusion.

Dracula's gentlemanly smile remained despite her insult.

"Of course, of course. I had to obtain a new body after all. My original body was reduced to ashes in the wind during my final battle with God and his angels."

"Hmmmm." The woman looked at the rest. "...What are the non-vampires among you then?"

"The legion I made during my time in perdition. Someone manages to break out everyone in hell. I am unsure if the doors there are still flapping in the wind. There is no luxury of choice there."

"...And where is your wife? Carmilla?" She asked.

Dracula's smile slowly fell.

"...She could not withstand the fires, cruelty, and the years in Malebolge." Dracula shook his head. "Those that truly give up hope in Malebolge are doomed to become the very resources we use as weapons when they die."

Dracula took out a weapon, summoning it with a crimson flash.

"She requested that I turn her into this. There was a Hellsmith I turned to help her with that request." Dracula showed her the crimson blade to her, a blood-red katana leaking baleful curse energies.

Her stoic features broke into a shock of disturbance.

"...She requested to be by my side in this form. So that we could be together on the day we rise from perdition on the promised day it is not easy to undo what has been done."

"...How dare you show that sword to me and say that it is your wife. As I thought, all men are vile creatures that deserve to rot in pens, even if you are who you say you are." She scowled at him.

Dracula's face remained stoic, his sadness remained.

"...I had heard about what happened in your domain." Dracula informed.

The Queen's face twitched.

"Your demesne was invaded by humans. Young adolescents armed with sacred artifacts made by the one I curse with all of my spite. I do not know what happened to you or how you manufactured this convenient world-view of yours that suppresses even the most basic common sense, but it should not apply to every woe and used to accuse the opposite sex for the problems of the world. The struggles we face, the hardships, they do not care about gender. And it is too childish to even try." Dracula started to lecture her.

"I am willing to negotiate for your integration under my rule and help me adapt to the faction's current customs. I am against how you treat your men in your domain, however, if what I hear is true."

"Pigs must be disciplined lest they run through your house with soil."

"They are not cattle." Dracula rebuked. "They are your subjects as well. The same goes for the men and women under my service, and I will not tolerate improper behavior towards the opposite sex."

Dracula turned to the other vampires - They flinched and they immediately bowed.

"Aren't you hypocritical for turning your men into dogs?" The Queen accused.

"You claim to be above them yet you are the same as them." Dracula turned to the Queen.

"...What?"

"You are also a pig. Pigs have two genders, male and female. You are no different than them. Do you know how the world outside looks at our kind because of your and the former Tepes Ruler's ineptitude and hedonism? No faction, no pantheon bothers to give our kind a second glance because of how low both of you dragged our kind. You live in your mansions and live out your eternal lives with pleasure and indolence, content with playing 'pretend' that you're above the rest of the world. You can defend yourself and bemoan the victimizing of your gender, but it will not cover your failures as a Queen, accomplishing nothing despite the years."

The Queen stared at Dracula. There were no words in her throat that could refute, only silent rage boiling under her regal face, Dracula undoing his political face.

"We do not have time to play politics." Dracula answered. "My terms are this; your people will abandon your old customs and re-educate your subjects under the modern guidelines. No more will our kind indulge in petty wars, wasting away living our past lives while the world leaves us behind. I will instill true discipline into every Vampire here until the day they could stand proud without my breathing down on their necks."

Her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.

"You dare"

The female knights behind her drew their weapons with scorn on their features.

"I have made my judgment. You are no longer fit to be Queen or Ruler. Do you wish to enact the ancient rite of battle for the right of the True Ruler of Night, Lafana?" Dracula offered.

The Queen, Lafana Carmilla, showed her clenched fangs as she glared at him. And then she banished her rage as her cold, stoic mien returned.

"The Rite of Bloody Ascension. My mother told me about it before. I heard that Dracula made it to determine a worthy heir to succeed his throne."

"None succeeded, unfortunately." Dracula shook his head. "Do you know what the victor must do?"

"Of course. If it means that I could end this farce and put those men into their rightful places, so be it."

Lafana raised her hand.

"Leave us. We will settle this the old way." Lafana didn't argue as her servants sheathed their weapons without question.

Everyone backed away from the two rulers, the founder against his ancestor.

The old striving for the new and the new striving for the old.

The two stepped back until they were at an ideal distance.

"I, Vlad Tepes the III, accept your challenge for the right of the Vampire King."

"I, Lafana Carmilla, will show you what it means to cross House Carmilla."

She took out a bastard sword of bloody crimson as her eyes glowed red.

The vampires already knew the outcome.

Lafana unleashed a banshee warcry as she glided across the grass like a crimson flash, her blade already aiming for his neck.

Out of everyone in Carmilla, she earned her throne through her skills as a swordsman as the fastest and strongest of everyone. She was above her peers, and she was above the men in the Tepes Faction.

She would not lose against a pretender king that declared himself as founder. She would not bow even if he truly was Dracula.

She could see her blade about to sink into his neck flesh, victory within her grasp.

But then there was a sudden pain in her chest as her sword cut only the night air.

She did not see Dracula before her yet there was a curious red below her vision. She heard an odd, yet familiar thumping sound, a beating rhythm

She looked down.

She saw a red beating heart - her red beating heart, held in a hand that tore through her from behind.

"The Rite of Bloody Ascension is also a fight to the death." Dracula added as he pulled Lafana's heart from behind.

Her knights, her noble court, the vampire nobles she brought, they all watched with horror as Dracula looked at them.

Even more so when he bit into her heart and sampled the meat while they watched the body of their Queen fall into the grass.

"...You even taste like Carmilla." Dracula then plunged the heart back into the body as his own blood flowed from his wrist

Blood knit the arteries and veins, the heart pulsing back to life in its home while the flesh and bone regenerated as Dracula stepped aside to let Lafana's subjects watch her

Gasp back to life as she fell on her hands, heaving and coughing blood.

She was panting in fear, hyperventilating, the pain of her heart ripped out still fresh in her mind as she held and looked at her chest.

Her regal etiquette, all manner of pretentious superiority died when she turned to the man that ripped out her heart with genuine fear.

"It is enlightening, yes? Experiencing life flashing in your sight before you perish?" Dracula asked as she fell on her back and backed away from him.

"Y-Y-Y-You! What did you do to me?! Where did you send me?!"Shrieking, she backed away from him with genuine fright, like a child reacting to the dangers of reality outside their crib for the first time.

Dracula slowly shook his head with further disappointment as Lafana's subjects watched her with shock at her reaction.

He inhaled with a silent pause, taking in her panicking features.

"...You must be truly sheltered to react this way. To see death flashing before your eyes before being brought back." He commented. "It is possible to revive those on the brink of death and restore the body with Blood Magic. You are fortunate, for you will not survive a single day without breaking down experiencing the horrors of Hell."

Dracula paused as she looked unsettled, the illusion of her royal grandeur broken to reveal the child that she was.

"Did you know that all vampires that bore my blood are destined for Hell regardless of their karma, destination dictated by decree of God?"

The red-haired woman flinched as she remembered something.

"In those few seconds while your life perished, you were in Malebolge, suffering pain and torment for minutes. If that was enough to break you, do you really think you are worthy?"

She shuddered and hugged her arms, holding her shoulders as she shivered with unexpected fright that her subjects never imagined seeing from her.

"What you experienced was the fires of Purgatory. The air alone torments the soul, and tends to break weak minds."

"Y-Y-You were there? H-How did you-"

"Sheer will and indomitable patience." Dracula answered. "It is what stave off the insanity that threatened to consume me. Now, what is your answer? Do you wish to return back to that place for a day? A year?"

The Vampires of the former Tepes faction watched with astonishment, even Marius enslaved, as Lafana, the stubborn Queen of the Carmilla faction prostrated before Dracula.

Something that they never expected to see in their immortal lifetimes was happening before their eyes, and they still couldn't believe it.

"I submit! The Carmilla faction is now yours please. Please don't send me back there." She cried in the grass, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed pitifully like a broken child.

The sight broke the spirits of her subjects.

Their pride shattered with their Queen their first taste of true despair when she sold out her people like that.

And fear of the man that broke their leader.

Dracula only gazed at them with pity for what they become after years of misrule.

He inhaled.

"Vampires of the Carmilla Faction! Your leader has surrendered your fates to my hand!"

Dracula announced.

"For too long, you have been corrupted by this child's misrule, addicted to decadence and hedonism! You have wasted my sacrifice turning yourselves into pigs playing around in your pens as if you're Gods! This dream you sustained with your arrogance and delusion is over."

The men of the Tepes faction gulped, listening with slight rapture.

"...As your King, it is my duty to drag you out of your cradles and discipline you. Like every unruly child, you will learn to be grateful for my sacrifice. I am no tyrant, I can be reasoned, I can be kind, but I will not hesitate to use terror as my spear if you dare force my hand."

Dracula's form started to melt.

"For too long, you have all lived comfortably damned by God's curse. Your bodies and blood have decayed from your gluttony for crimson life. You who forgot the taste of wine and meat, forced to live in the shadow of the sun."

Bloody wings of muscle and sinew sprouted from his back as more eyes blinked open from Dracula's face as he ascended to his second form.

"I will uplift you all from your hell, by force if I must! Under my rule, you will learn to live without fear of the sun! Fear of God's false light!"

His body exploded in blood as he showed his true vampire form.

Blood and crimson, oily skin glistened under the pale moon, tentacles draped from the back of his skull, his size large and towering over the now horrified women, Lafana trembling with traumatic terror in her eyes as she weeped

Monstrous, piercing fangs sharp as spears shone under the pale moon, twelve eldritch eyes on both halves of his elongated, fiendish head that resembled a horrifying, bloody fusion of dragon and bat as he spread his muscled, chitinous arms tipped with claws so thin, yet thick and sharp that it could cut the air as he roared at the moon.

"No longer will children invade our realm and mock us! Rob us in broad daylight and trample on our pride! I will remind the world why it once feared the name Dracula!"

He let out a horrifying shrieking roar at the moon, the women now remembered the inexplicable blood-curling fear they felt when he did, the terror now magnified a thousand fold.

To be Continued.

Omake: A Quirky Date - Episode 1: Asia Argento

Issei and Asia, for some reason, decided to take their date all the way to Italy - the latter's birth country.

After visiting parks, markets, historical sites and other tourist attractions; the two were sitting inside a restaurant which was recommended by Black.

It was a homely establishment - one which people call 'exotic'.

A peaceful scene with calming bright colors, the scent of vased flowers around the room bringing a unique aromatic experience.

Issei and Asia were trying out the food using Gold's credit card. He should have asked how much Gold has in his deposit, honestly.

"Mmm, the squid ink pasta is good." Issei complimented as he slurped the black-painted noodles and chewed. "Asia. Mmmmm. Think we should come here again?"

The girl just finished savoring the taste of risotto she ordered before replying, "I'd love to!"

Issei smiled at Asia sneakily feeding Rassei in her hair some meat, the serpent cooing with joy.

"How'd you want to end our date? Got somewhere you want to go?"

Asia looked up and pondered.

"Ummmmm. Maybe oh! Maybe we can meet the children in Gold's hotel!"

"The Terra D'oro? Huh, yeah we should greet the little tykes. Need to see if Black didn't corrupt them or something." He joked.

However, Asia's face grew concerned, "Do you think.?"

Issei quickly rectified, "Um, sorry, Asia. I mean Well, at least I know Black won't coerce them into anything they don't like."

To be honest, 'coerce' might have been a strong word, considering how good Black was in persuading Griselda Quarta back then.

"...Yeah, let's go check up on them. Check please." Issei called out to a waitress.

XoX

"...Oh, what the fuck, Black."

"Um Did I do something wrong?" Vincenza asked meekly after hearing Issei's remark, as she was the one who greeted them by the entrance to Terra D'oro.

The chocolate-skinned girl that went through so much was now in a seductive golden uniform of the Terra D'oro at the glass-door entrance.

"...No, no no no. You're actually, you look very fine in that. But, why are you in that uniform?"

The grown-up looking girl smiled sheepishly as she put her arms behind her back, fidgeting shyly, "Um I don't like to leech on your family's hospitality, so I asked Mr. Black for work"

"And You're fine working in. That?" Issei gestured at Vincenza's attire.

"It was Embarrassing at first, but It's nothing really new to me." Vicenza replied with a bitter smile, before her smile turned more genuine, "Besides, Mr. Black and others always make sure of my well-being. For that, I am truly grateful."

"Make sure as in?"

"Mr. Black beats them into a bloody pulp. Sometimes Gold does it if he's around." She smiled.

Issei and Asia were actually relieved at that bit.

"Oh. In that case uhh we're just here to check up on you. Did Black do anything funny to the others under our noses? Like making them not who they really are, kind of funny?"

Issei hoped that he would not corrupt them into chuunis.

Vicenza's mien turned nervous, "Ummm"

"He's here!"

"He's really here!"

On cue, the little tykes ran from down the halls, a swarm of not-Black midgets beelining through the confused crowd.

"Hey, big bro! Can you teach us how to fight?!"

Issei blinked, "...Come again?"

One of the taller boys stepped up with an excited smile.

"Yeah! Show us how you punch that one guy through the ceiling! We want to do the Ora ora!"

Issei was bewildered by that point, "...What?"

One of the kids then fished out a smartphone and showed a video clip to Issei.

[ORAORAORAORAORAORA!]

Issei gawked at the video, already picturing one of the worst disaster scenarios in his head.

"...Black! Or Gold! Where the hell are you?!"

Suddenly, the creature in question suddenly popped out., "You called?"

Issei nearly jumped when Black walked out from behind a vase. Honestly, Issei was a bit terrified how stealthy the bastard was now, more ninja than actual ninja.

A horror-movie ninja.

"Yes! The hell have you been teaching them?!"

"...Uhhhh Funny story."

"We want to be like this 'Jojo!' And punch bad guys hard!" The eyes of the boys were sparkling.

Issei already sees Jojo settling in their eyes.

"Black, didn't we agree not to corrupt them?"

"Whoa, whoa! Not my fault. The little tykes rummaged through the premium TV channels and stuff. Apparently, they found the way of true masculinity themselves." Black raised his hands in mock surrender.

Issei wanted to yell some more, but a tug on his sleeves prompted him to turn towards Asia, who nervously gestured at the children who were still looking at him with hopeful eyes.

In the end, with a sigh of resignation, Issei conceded, "...Whatever, might as well do some damage control here." He then turned to Black, "Mind showing us some space where we can train?"

Thus, the date ended with Issei teaching a bunch of orphans some basic combat, with Asia watching and cheering from the sidelines.

Yeah, not too much action here, but next chapter will have tons of it. If you want to see sooner, go check out my page under name Ahsoei.

Also, i4md347h and I have started a side/spin-off of this story. First chapter will be published soon. Look forward to it. Of course, if you want to see it sooner, it's also available on my . Cheers!