Chapter 147 - Devil Spirit
With the sealing of the room, the nobles were gathered, partying without even knowing their food was poisoned. Vlad took the young knight with him on the third floor.
The young knight carefully watched Vlad's movements and was always shocked by how simplistic his movements were.
"Keep up with me, Argash, otherwise you will get away from my suppression range, and your presence will be felt by Lacilet, and believe me, I'll rather fight with only one person, not his entire entourage."
Hearing Vlad's serious voice and looking around himself, noticing some blood on the floor that he was stepping on, he replied back while hurting next to Vlad.
"I understand, Lord. That blood we are stepping in is the one hiding our presence?"
"It doesn't hide your presence fully, just your movements that can be felt by someone with trained senses, a haki user or devil fruit user."
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Argash barely understood what Vlad explained to him and soon could see that the third floor was covered in blood from which a disturbance was happening.
Turning his eyes at Vlad, he saw his expression change a bit, turning pained, but it didn't affect him from his following action.
Extending his hand forward as he walked, Argash could see an opening being made inside this blood structure, that he followed suit.
When already inside the [Blood World], he saw someone in the shape of Drevon who was in his hybrid form. His tiger features and large body were visible to him, and with a heavy hand strike, he saw the [Blood Clone] being sent crashing to the wall he just arrived from.
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"So you finally arrived in front of me, Blood. Have you had enough of playing and finally decided to come up?" asked the Tigerman staring at Vlad and Argash with his massive build, while behind him were a group of knights who were bloody and started gathering around Drevon.
After he said that to Vlad, he asked Argash with some hatred in his eyes.
"Argash, have you betrayed Duke Lacilet?"
The young knight felt without words, but he still retorted back after some seconds.
"Drevon, what do you mean I betrayed that traitor Lacilet when he only fed us with lies about the real situation of the kingdom? Did you know that it was him who started all this conflict between the Royal House and the nobles?"
The tiger man hearing that looked dead cold at Argash, and with a clenching fist, he unleashed a solid strike that was flying straight for the young knight's face.
'I can't dodge that. I am done for.' thought Argash when seeing this strong strike flying straight for his head.
"This is what happens to the traitors of His Grace. He who welcomed you with open arms, have spit to his kindness."
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Argash heard that, but his entire self could only think of how to dodge the strike. Yet before he could even move his body, Vlad arrived in front of him, and with a swift sword strike, he destroyed that attack.
"Keep your focus all the time, young man. You almost got yourself killed by this brainwashed fool."
"Thank you, Lord. I didn't expect him to attack so rapidly after only some questions." said Argash with a bitter tone while staring at Drevon and the rest of the knights who began cursing him for being a traitor.
"Argash, you traitor, how can you walk around Blood and even call him Lord! You deserve to die for this."
"After we end Blood, we will target all your family and end your entire existence from Kaysang."
Argash, who heard all those hateful comments, started to turn into his hybrid Coyote form and slowly shift his gaze, turning into a madder one.
"Calm down, kid. No one will target your family. In fact, it will be those rats that will die." reminded Vlad to Argash in a calm tone as he tapped on his head.
After hearing Vlad assuring tone, the young knight morphed back into his human form and looked up at the crimson armored Vlad, who began walking forward.
With each step he was taking, the pressure around the [Blood World] intensified and he felt repulsed back by an invisible power. He managed to anchor himself and not be pushed down only after he morphed his legs into one of a coyote.
He saw Vlad's steps create a waver on the bloody floor, and as he was walking forward, he heard him say to Drevon.
"Tigerman, your reaction tells me you know everything that Lacilet has done to my family."
"You will not get any information from me, you cursed bastard. You Vermilions don't deserve to rule this kingdom. Every story about you guys has been a lie. What peaceful rule? What is equality among people? You cursed bastards for hundreds of years, only focused on your own. It was His Grace that raised me up from my lowest point. He offered me a new life while you. Vermilions couldn't even help the non-privileged people."
As he said that, Drevon charged at Vlad and unleashed a series of jabs at him, all targeting his face. Yet, the moment he started to attack Vlad, he noticed his cold gaze and the blood that began to gush out from his face and morph into a helmet.
When he did his initial jabs taken in by Vlad, he saw the sword in his hand suddenly move weirdly for his chest.
Stepping back from that sword strike, Drevon later saw Vlad move with speed comparable to his top speed toward himself.
He took a defensive stance to counter the sword strikes, but Vlad moved differently from his expectations, and instead of making a sword attack, he quickly unleashed a kick that had him crash on a wall of the crimson cage.
Staring at Drevon, who held his bruised stomach and also wiping his blood from his mouth, he later said with a fake heartbroken tone.
"Oww, what tragic story you have shared with me. It almost brought me to tears, but what you peasants don't understand is that you aren't the only one living in this kingdom. A monarch has a responsibility that you idiots can't even comprehend. Yet look at you whining about your "hardship". Do you think you are alone who went through hardship in this life? Bah, foolish peasant."
"Laugh all you want, you privileged bastard, but you will fail in winning against His Grace." said Drevon after he got on his feet.
Vlad just shook his head and intensified the pressure of the [Blood World] before saying something to Argash.
"Argash, hold yourself tight on something because I will no longer go easy on this traitor. Listening to his crap already annoys me. See, this is what happens to people who have no chance of being saved. They fully know the truth and the darkness that comes with it and still embrace it, without thinking it wrong."
"Understood, Lord." replied Argash turning into his hybrid form and bracing for what was to come.
When he finished transforming, he suddenly felt the invisible pressure that was something bearable for him turn into an abyssal zone where he could barely stand on his feet.
'What is this?? Is this one of his abilities? This means he didn't even fight against me seriously.'
The knights started dropping all on the ground when the intangible will coming from Vlad in the shape of a dark-crimson colored shockwave, yelling at this weird pressure washing over them.
Some screamed in pain when they tried to get up. Others found their bones cracking when trying to get back on their feet.
Drevon also felt the pressure wash over him, but he still kept his body steady, thinking to himself.
'This feels like Yanosh's powers. If you think you can win against me with only this much, you are wrong.'
Nevertheless, he felt another strong pressuring wave coming from Vlad that pressured him to drop to his knees. Looking at the knights that were still alive, he saw that all of them went unconscious.
Argash, who felt his consciousness falter, stared at the knights who collapsed on the floor and were convulsing while later turning his gaze on Vlad, who was moving step by step at Drevon.
He could see from his body how the atmosphere seemed to collapse from the pressure released by his body.
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"Come, get up. Aren't you going to give your life for your master? Fight back. Respond back to my will at least!" yelled Vlad with a powerful voice that pushed the Tigerman back some steps.
Drevon pushed back, roared back at Vlad, and morphing to a gigantic tiger form, he charged at the fightback.
As he charged forward and kept approaching closer and closer to Vlad, he allowed his predatory senses to back off and retreat. However, he ignored them, understanding that he had no place to hide here.
"[Flashing Claw]"
Roared the Tigerman after he got in range to attack Vlad in the melee range. His strike looked powerful, yet the moment his attack got close to Vlad, from his armour, a [Blood Aegis] was formed, blocking most of the force in the attack.
However, with another strike, he crashed that shield. After that, he morphed into his hybrid form and sent a series of kicks that made Vlad step back whenever he was hit.
Feeling the adrenaline in his body, Drevon morphed back into his full tiger form and roared to Vlad while jumping in the air.
"[Crashing Bite]"
Drevon showed his sharp teeth to Vlad while in the air, gnashing at his crimson armour once he got in range in an attempt to remove him from his main defense.
The crimson plates started flying off Vlad's plate armour, revealing some of his noble clothes.
"Without that armour of yours, I shall see how you can stop me."
After saying that, he morphed back into his hybrid form, and using his claws like a sword, he moved to strike at Vlad's opened chest, straight for his beating heart.
"LORD, WATCH OUT!"
Vlad's face changed to a smile in the face of this Tigerman, and Drevon could see right in his eyes how the crimson armour began to reform itself back.
He still didn't back down and choose to fully commit to his strike.
"YOU SHALL DIE, BASTARD! WITH OR WITHOUT THE ARMOUR, YOU CAN'T BLOCK THIS STRIKE." [TIGER'S GLORY]!"
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At that moment, Vlad's smiling face shifted into something darker, while he also said to the Tigerman who was seeing himself victorious.
"Fascinating devil fruit power. I think if I should study zoan users more in detail and continue Grandmaster Leonard studies concerning devil fruit user bodies."
Ending saying that, Vlad brought Nemesis covered in multiple layers of solidified blood, and with a cold gaze that observed every move of the Tigerman, he finally acted and blocked that hand attack.
Drevon eyes looked shocked when he made contact with Nemesis. He pushed his strength into the sword with the hope it would break, but Vlad's hand didn't even budge as he blocked that strike.
After he blocked the attack, he sent a leg kick that pushed Drevon back, and following along with his sword standing low, a mark of the [Fool's Guard].
"There are also other theories of the Grandmaster, talking about how one could modify the traits of the devil power by shifting the structure of the matter of life. I don't know what that is, but I will find it for sure. I will have so many criminals in my hands that I simply don't luck pigs for slaughter." remarked Vlad with a sinister voice as he moved after Drevon.
The Tigerman, after being sent back by Vlad, regrouped himself and struck again with his fist.
However, once he sent his fist at Vlad, he failed to notice him in his sight. Using his predatory instincts that constantly alerted him to back off, he noticed activity at his back.
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Argash, who was watching the fight, saw how from Vlad large amounts of black smoke enveloped him and later disappeared from where he was standing and appeared at Drevon's back slashing at his back.
"By the sea witch. This guy is stronger than I could even imagine. To think we tried to fight against him. So laughable. Just look at him toying with Drevon, who is one of Lacilet's trusted knights." ended the young knight, saying to himself as he watched Vlad slash Drevon's back.
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"ARGHHH!" screamed Drevon in pain after having his back heavily wounded.
His eyes turned red from the pain and madness inside of him, and turning himself, he lashed his hands at Vlad's throat, successfully grabbing hold of him by the throat.
Yet the instant he did that, from his large hand's thorns started to withdraw one by one coming from Vlad's neck.
Gazing coldly at Drevon, Vlad later pierced the distracted man with his blade, right in his stomach. Still, the Tigerman didn't give up putting more pressure on his grasp on Vlad's throat, which made the latter feel the incoming force.
The blood exoskeleton that he formed around his throat that kept attacking Drevon started breaking slowly.
Vlad's eyes started to shift in color, turning into an abyssal black, and when that happens, he began stabbing Nemesis in the Tigerman stomach.
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"HAHA, I GOT YOU CURSED MONSTER. THIS IS YOUR TURN TO SUFFER!"
Saying that, Drevon brought his head closer to Vlad as it morphed into a tiger's face, and with a bloody mouth, he gnashed at Vlad's throat.
However, the moment he did that, Vlad, who was gazing coldly with his abyssal eyes, said coldly to Drevon.
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"It seems my body still has its limits. The exoskeleton inspired by the insects still has flaws that need to be addressed. Do you want to bite my head off? You who can't even use his own spirit?"
Then, as if everything was a joke to him, and all of Drevons progress in harming him was made with his own accord, Nemesis slashes the hands holding his throat, cutting them clean.
He later slashes at his torso, not giving Drevon time to react, cleanly bisecting him in half.
"Peasant, I was only testing my own new creations. Now, what should I do with you? Kill or let you be my guinea pig?" asked Vlad, coldly staring at Drevon, who dropped on the ground with his organs starting to spew out once his lower body was cleaved.
The only response he got from the Tigerman, who slowly reverted to his human form, was an agonizing scream.
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Argash, who felt the pressure around him drop down, trembled in fear when he saw how simply Vlad dealt with Drevon, who he thought was a strong person in his own rights.
"Hello, I am talking to you, Tigerman. Do you want to die now or be my pig?"
Drevon could barely think straight but only said to Vlad in a hateful tone.
"Kill me, you bastard! Give me an honorable death!"
The moment Vlad heard that he remembered how he died, which made him laugh sarcastically.
"Haha, even I, Vlad Dracula, couldn't get an honorable death, one in battle, yet you want one? Who are you to demand such respect? Were you a ruler of a country like me? Commanded the respect of thousands after winning against an unbeatable adversary? However, I will not be like them. I am not such a monster, not yet."
Saying that, after stopping laughing, his eyes glowed with a dark light that scared the young knight watching from a distance, shitless.
Argash could see Vlad walk toward Drevon with a casual grasp on his slender longsword and later see him decapitate his former ally with a swift cut.
"You better tell my greetings to that guy watching."
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Then in a moment of silence, Argash could see Vlad look at Drevon's dead body rather closely, inspecting him for any change with eyes turning crimson, shining brightly.
'What is he doing now? Didn't he end him?'
It was only seconds later that Argash dropped again on the ground with an increased pressure running over him and around the bodies of the knights that turned motionless, dead from suffering Vlad's willpower.
Still, with his eyes on Vlad, the young man saw him slash with his sword in the air with a strike that shook this blood prison.
'Man, are you crazy?! What was that for?' thought to himself Argash, without having an explanation to what shenanigans Vlad was pulling.
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Meanwhile, Vlad, who was scrutinizing Devon's body, suddenly noticed an obscure figure shrouded by intense willpower exiting the dead body.
'Could it be? What the grandmaster has speculated? I need to catch it and research it!' said Vlad to himself, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki to slow down the escaping obscure being.
Once his willpower made contact with that being, it seemed like he got it infuriated and later fight back, sending a shockwave back at him.
Not expecting this, Vlad, who was by now holding Nemesis tightly, unleashed a strong strike that clashed with the shockwave.
Vlad was pushed back some steps back and stared at where that obscure being was, failing to see any signs of it.
"Impressive. To think there could exist such strong beings. A devil spirit? They don't seem like Khorne at all, feeling almost primal to me."
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Turning to Argash, he said to the young man.
"Let's move kid, we still have one more person to fight before going for the head."
"Lord, what just happened that you used that strong sword strike?" asked the young knight after getting to Vlad.
"Don't bother with it. You are still too weak to know such advanced concepts. Keep your innocence while you can, and who knows if you master your devil fruit, you might see further ahead than normal people."
'Stop hiding in mysterious talk. Just tell me what happened without spinning words. Hah, whatever. Good that I didn't die at your hands.'
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Vlad began cleaning up the mess of the [Blood World] and seal off the cadavers of the knights using his blood powers by forming a small cube where all the bodies of the knights were placed.
"Once my people get to the palace, they will clean all the dead bodies. I don't have time to disintegrate their bodies."
"You can even do that?"
Turning his cold eyes at Argash, he sighed, and after that, he replied with.
"You know Argash, the human body is mostly formed of celestial matter. You can call it biological matter for an easy understanding. Once you start depleting a body of a small part of that matter, let's say oxygen since it is the easiest example, those bodies will start decomposing, losing matter."
"They will turn like dead bodies, with that pungent smell? But why do they smell, do you know?"
"Quite a curious kid. I know the answer since I studied the process. But do you really want to know?"
'Do I really want to know? I mean, I probably wouldn't even understand it.'
"Sure, it isn't that bad, right?" asked Argash with some curiosity.
Vlad just chuckled and said to the young man. "There are lots of small things inside of you that feed on your body. They are so small that you can't view them without a device that amplifies your vision. Those small things eat at your body, turning it into a frail mummy-like body, and later comes the interesting part. Lots of maggots will eat you after until you turn into a skeleton."
Argash's face turned pale and even disgusted hearing Vlad's explanation, and stealing a gaze at him, he asked timidly.
"Sir, are you by chance one of those alchemists or necromancers?"
"No, if I were to go by Faust's new branch, you could call me a scientist. Someone above all those mentioned occupations you mentioned or could think of. I am also a surgeon and artist."
"Really, are you a painter? I have a friend who is an artist. But what is a surgeon?"
"Huh, I might tell you later. But not now. It is time I take care of the last person."
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As they got to the fourth floor and walked the hallway sealed by the [Blood World], entering the prison, Vlad and Argash could see Yanosh stand on the floor in a meditative stance on the floor that had a circular opening around his body, with blood constantly being pushed aside by an intangible pressure.
"Prince Vermilion, you finally arrived. If you are looking for your puppet, it got obliterated by my power." greeted Yanosh, slowly getting up on his feet.
There were visible effects of his fight with the [Blood Puppet]. All of his moves were conserving energy.
Yanosh seemed visibly ready for a fight, but Argash's appearance changed his expression a bit.
"Argash, I never expected you to change sides. Do you know what this means, right?"
"Lord Yanosh, after listening to Prince Vlad, I am siding with the royal family in this fight. Duke Lacilet is the traitor who created this separation between the side controlled by the Prince and the traitorous nobles who are siding with Lacilet." replied the young knight standing next to Vlad, who looked calmly at Yanosh and the knights who gave him hatefully glares.
Yanosh sighed when hearing the young knight and said something that even took Vlad by surprise.
"I know, young Argash. But what could we have done at that time? You, young one, don't know about the power supporting Lacilet from the shadows, but I know. Compared to you, young one, I am a Baron. I have my reasons to ally with Lacilet.
However, I will not hide now that this place is sealed from outside ears. I was never Lacilet's man but simply joined his side to protect my family and fief from the force of those powerful people lurking in his shadow."
