บท 44: Human or Monster it doesn't change!
Nikolai felt like the world began to slow, his movements dancing under a strobe light. Yet his mind raced at full speed, considering all the possibilities of surviving this attack.
'It's always been like this. The rich and powerful, with their inflated egos and superior chances allowing them to stop on those of us who are powerless and lack everything.'
His eyes flicked across the wide array of blood spears, the mocking smile on Louis' face and the man behind him.
'Alister never planned to let me survive or win in the first place, though I cannot blame him. He wants to marry Selene, though I guess if we compared reasons we would never agree.'
"To you, she is something to boost your prestige and blood of your family. I won't judge or insult you, that's fine but... come on."
Nikolai's lips curled into a wicked grin, his sharp fangs on display as he pushed out his left hand and bit down.
When he awakened this arm to its current state, Nikolai began to feel a strange feeling. It was something he never felt before, and he honestly doubted himself. If not for Eliza, he might never have adapted so quickly.
This feeling was akin to the aura used in light novels or mana used by mages.
Through his veins, there was a strange fluid that flowed within his bloodstream–maybe because he was a hybrid.
There were two fresh streams: one blue, almost silver, and the other dark red. If he concentrated on the red stream, it would cause his two blood arts to become more accurate and stronger as if empowering his blood magic with blood energy.
Then, the blue stream would cause his body to become empowered. This stream was likely related to his werewolf bloodline, and he wondered if the reason he could feel this was because of his special blood art that could see the world around him in depth.
[You are correct. Though even your mother couldn't sense the flow until she reached her late 200s!]
Nikolai didn't care what the others called it because he was searching for the best way for him to envision it clearly.
'Ah... let's just call it what I want.'
His body lowered, bending his knees slightly, while his right hand pressed against the ground. Nikolai continued to gather the potent streams of blood that formed inside his heart before spreading to his body.
Although, at this level, he didn't have that much blood, when gathered together, it formed a small blood-red oval and silver oval around the size of a quail's egg inside his left and right palm.
From the moment he discovered this strange phenomenon, he would practise this action constantly, whether being insulted in the dining room, spending time with Nikita or even while he helped Anya awaken.
'I can roughly estimate how much of each I will have visually now...'
[You're a monster... No one could use this ability in such a way before! We use a device to measure the amount a person can use at once. How can you use everything and not collapse or suffer intense agony?]
The shocked voice of Eliza didn't affect him because the huge amount of spears were now less than five seconds from killing him.
'Red...energy....blue energy....'
[.....]
Nikolai shook his head while collecting all the crimson fluid that, when viewed using his blood arts, looked like a sparkling red ball because of the small crystal shards within the blood.
'Vermilion Essence...'
As if reacting to his mind's vision, the Vermilion Essence instantly flowed to his palm, forming a large orb that crackled with a bloody aura enveloping his hand.
'Then this one shall be Celestial Aura because it envelops my entire body like an aura field!'
The thing that shocked Eliza more was how he already knew that his vampiric bloodline wasn't for boosting his physical body but for empowering his blood arts and spells. In contrast, the werewolf blood could only boost his physical defence and offence.
Like before, the moment his mind became focused and chose a name for him, and only him, the image of the blue blood evolved and turned silver like moonlight inside his body, and the small quail egg that now resembled a moon exploded, filling his entire body with the celestial aura.
[Fufu, you are confident of winning, aren't you?]
Nikolai didn't respond because his muscles were writhing and contracting, his entire body filled with a buzz like drinking six shots and a bottle of whiskey.
[I'm sorry... my power is almost...]
'Release it, lets fight! Eliza!'
With his Celestial Aura empowering his body, his skin shone a faint silver while his Vermilion essence glowed brightly in his left hand.
"DOWN!"
Nikolai's roar filled the entire room as his legs extended, shooting towards Louis, the bloody spears that were going to hit him suddenly slamming into the ground while others shot outwards, deflecting more.
His second blood art didn't give him an offensive skill.
BUT!
It gave him the power to alter and control blood arts within a certain distance and power around his body in a five-metre-wide dome around his body!
"I call it, Bloody Veil!"
"You think you can beat me in close combat, cowardly mage?!"
He could tell the moment that Louis realised Nikolai could change the trajectory of his spears. He might try something different.
Nevertheless, Nikolai didn't care, as his right arm tore through the air from below Louis' jaw, causing the man to lean back and create some distance.
"You have no right to insult me! I am a Trueblood!"
Louis' skin became pale as he swung both his hands, a single spear used as a weapon against Nikolai, who just grinned as he altered the trajectory of the spear so that it didn't even touch him.
'You think I'll just stand here, cowering?'
"I'll show you a true mage's power! You are not even worth killing!"
However, his face smashed against the wall, Nikolai's knee on level with the shorter male, a loud crunch sounding from the blow, before his right fist collided with his ribs.
"Do you understand now?"
With a sudden push, Nikolai sent Louis tumbling to the ground, the blond's face and clothes drenched in blood and sweat that sprayed from Louis' broken nose and cut lips.
"Haha... I admit... I underestimated you but you should know that you can't escape. My master has an army behind him. You are just a servant, a little bastard that has the arrogance to challenge the likes of our family!"
'That's it?'
Nikolai didn't care for bullshit like this—he looked towards the new Faust heir and smirked. His left hand pulled up to Louis, who struggled and screamed.
However, the moment he was about to say the word surrender, Nikolai smashed his jaw with his knee, causing his teeth to shatter while his chin cracked, the sound like a branch breaking.
"The match is ove--" Alister Faust tried to call the match. Regardless of that fact... Nikolai's right claw penetrated the chest of the squire and crushed his heart before the vampire could finish.
[Strength: 56 (+5), Dexterity: 42 (+3), Agility 48 (+3)]
[Intellect: 45 (+10), Wisdom 43 (+4)]
The moment he felt the notification come, he also realised that his two different energies grew slightly, with the Vermilion Essence growing the most, while his Celestial Aura grew less overall.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
A bellowing shout sounded while Nikolai leapt backwards, his body rushing towards the place Nikita and Selene sat, his eyes constantly checking the crowd and places where he could escape with the least amount of damage.
"I will kill you, filthy mutt!"
"Oh really? You'll kill him now, will you?" A haughty yet beautiful voice sounded.
Then a charming woman in a lovely dress hopped down onto the Arena floor, her golden hair like a goddess, as she stood beside Nikolai and looked towards Alister Faust with a sly grin.
"Do you think you can kill this Selene Aria Tepe's S--"
'Why be so boring, a squire won't make this man shut up. Foolish princess, let's break his little ego and heart!'
"Mmnph?!"
However, before she could call him a squire, Nikolai gave an amused smirk to the vampire, challenging them and then kissed Selene's lips. Her crimson eyes glared at him as she felt his tongue invade her lips, unable to do anything but squeal as she was surprised.
If only he remembered at that moment that not only were Ryan and Anya watching, but as well... Nikita saw the kiss clearly, and her lovely dress became crumpled as she witnessed something that should have never happened.
"N....Nikolai?" Her trembling voice sounded as she began to walk towards the arena.
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