Chapter 74: Dracula vs Lunarian Round 2 (1)
Everything since Vlad's defeat and capture moved ever so slowly, with the newly formed party having to struggle with an extensive tunnel system filled with various puppets controlled by the abomination in the Altar Chamber.
Among the members of this unusual group the one who could be considered the MVP was the young Lunarian, Dalyon. For the entire journey since the fight with Count Reverscar, he would make sure to do quick work of the various puppets sent by the abomination lurking deep inside this Underground Cavern.
However, it wasn't as if he did all the job, since everyone would attempt to fight back, with except to Bonney who was in deep conflict with regard to the usage of her devil fruit powers, and in those moments the one who would cheer her up would be the Count who experienced first-hand the effects of being controlled by the abomination.
His abilities were far lacking compared to when he fought against Dalyon, which disappointed the young Lunarian who on his way deeper in the Cavern figured out that the source of the Haki in him came from the mysterious being watching each of their movements from the shadow, or was it that case?
There was a weird pattern in the attacks of the puppets in different intervals since they started advancing deeper in the Tunnel, the puppets would slow down and afterward return back to their proper functions.
"This shift in behavior on those puppets is strange … Fairy, do you have any thoughts about this?" asked Dalyon, the only person who he talked with in this entire group while keeping a fair distance from them.
"You are right, the behavior is strange, unlike what happened when we entered the chamber and had to fight Count and his people. It is as if, the being controlling those people is losing its focus."
"Mhm, I was also thinking about that. It makes me think he looks down on me, but I can't wait to burn whoever thinks is so great while lurking in the shadows."
Advancing forward in this extensive chamber system, having to climb down on narrow stairs all filled with traps, the perfect time killers, since it required a lot of careful manoeuvring around it, but once they would get down to another level a new group of puppets would welcome them.
"Get lost you stupid puppets. You are just wasting my breath for nothing."
Similarly to all the fights the group experienced, the puppets would show signs of full control and then slowly lose it, as if something far more important appeared in the meantime, and it was this difference that allowed the group to advance further in the Underground Cavern.
"Does anyone know what the time is? How long has it been since starting advancing?" asked Eleine who was carrying a decent-sized backpack, glancing around herself being able to see without needing a torch, having the perfect lamp meters away.
"... 18 hours and 36 minutes, still counting." replied Dalyon to Eleine in an annoyed tone.
"I say … we take a break. If we continue like this, we'll just get exhausted and become easy targets for this thing lurking in the shadows." suggested Eleine who could feel the tiredness encroaching on her body, from climbing Yehimal Mountain to fighting the puppets and continued advancing on a foreigner terrain which kept her always on her toes.
"Are you aware that if we become stationary targets it will be the perfect chance to invite some of those puppets to strike us down? I decline, I'll rather sleep after I see this creature controlling everything from the shadows dead."
"I am aware of everything you've said, but unlike you, I am a human. I have my own needs, and sleep is a priority. Besides, how do you think such a body is maintained?"
Giving Eleine an angry look, the Lunarian shifted his gaze at the pink-haired girl who too looked tired, and next at Titania who had a pondering expression filled with worry and doubts.
"I will go with anything the ladies want." commented Count Reverscar, noticing that Dalyon gave him a look as if trying to find some common ground with a man, before turning around to go watch the large chamber.
"Fine, but we'll only rest for 4 hours at most, before taking it off. I'll be on the watch, so if the monsters start appearing, alert me."
"Don't wander too deep, and stay in our range. Otherwise, you might get tricked again by that thing, and there will be no one to rescue you." added Eleine who placed her backpack on the cold ground, shifting her expression in a slightly worried one when noticing Titania's worried expression.
Titania, Eleine, and even Bonney were worrying about Vlad since they haven't managed to reach the location he was at in the past, a unique Chamber at one of the lowest levels of this Underground Cavern, which had a dreadful aura,
a sensation as if one was transported in the Colosseum Battle Arena, where the dead bodies of the Royal Guards still remained on the ground, to greet future guests.
Not having a choice but to rest, the girls prepared their camp inside one of the Chambers, and along with the supplies she still had on her, it made it easier for them to attempt to relax, at least bodywise.
At some point, even Dalyon returned from his patrol unable to resist the temptation of food, and like this, he too slacked from his "Watch".
Nonetheless, they weren't disturbed by anyone, as if it was okay if they were wasting their time, and with 5 hours spent inside the camp, the party started moving forward, continued on their fight against the frozen puppets where all sort of people, from ones who looked like bandits to pirates or civilians, stood in front of them blocking their passage.
Days passed inside this Underground Cavern, and it didn't sit well for Dalyon who felt he was wasting his time, while the girls were beginning to stress themselves about the possibility that something might happen to Vlad.
"We haven't heard anything from that thing in the shadows, and also there wasn't someone strong like mister Count here to try and kill us. It has been only those annoying people with ugly faces who were only good at killing time." remarked Eleine moving behind Dalyon inside a narrow passage after clearing out a large chamber.
"Woman, that should be that being's intent to kill time, exhaust us, and when we are at our weakest to strike us down." replied the young Lunarian who was the beacon of light inside this dark place.
"What happened to Vlad? It's been five days since we've been on this journey." asked Bonney who was in the center of the ground, with Count Reverscar keeping on the backline.
"Why even bother asking, isn't it obvious? That arrogant, crazy lowborn hit the bucket. His body is probably already eaten by those murder bugs for all I care." commented Dalyon, clearly not showing signs to care much about Vlad, but a young woman with autumn leaf hair standing on Eleine's shoulder couldn't help but frown a bit, telling the young Lunarian to shut up.
"Keep quiet about things you don't know. Vlad would never die in such a place. He promised me that both of us will achieve our dreams."
"..."
Not wanting to waste his time in quarelling with those women, he turned quiet while traversing the narrow passage, which took the group on to a set of steps leading down, and while reaching the end of the steps entering into another narrow passage, a chilling energy started spreading around each member.
"Tch, once again I got to face those annoying puppets. At least if they were stronger like the blonde guy…" suggested Dalyon, and as he talked out loud, from nowhere a laugh started spreading, stopping the group's advance.
"Young Lunarian, you sure are an image of your ancestors. All of them were arrogant fools, and do you want to know something?"
"Show yourself, you coward! Don't go about talking nonsense, if you think you can waste my time like this."
"Waste time? Hahaha, not at all, I was just preoccupied with something, and barely cared about you ants. You Lunarians, always going about how others are cowards, and you are mighty and proud, full of arrogance.
KUHEHAHA, yet it was this arrogance of your people which led to the destruction of your so-called "Ancient Kingdom" or what was it called in that time? Nakrowa?"
The atmosphere in the cavern turned frigid in an instant, especially when Dalyon seemed to be in a confused state.
"You? Who are you? How do you know about such things?"
"Me? Nobody. I am nobody."
"Hah, nobody? So be it, once I get to your throat, you'll tell me everything."
"KUHEHAHA, then go ahead, young Lunarian. Move forward, an acquaintance of yours wants to meet you."
The androgynous voice of the abomination spread around in this dark passage, and Dalyon who entered into a hot-headed state turned at the girls telling them.
"I don't know who this thing is referring to, but it sounds as if it wants to fight us seriously. So, stay out of my way, if someone strong appears. I will burn this entire place to the ground if it requires, just so I get my answers."
Titania remained quiet, but for some reason, a name mentioned by the androgynous voice sounded rather familiar to herself, and it made her murmur it. "Nakrowa … where have I heard of this name?"
"Titania? What's wrong? Once again getting some bad feelings about this future encounter?" asked Eleine following after Dalyon along with Bonney and Reverscar.
"No … not yet."
It was only when she approached what looked to be a Colosseum Arena where many dead bodies were left to greet them, that all her body received goosebumps, making her watch around herself, only to notice on the ceiling a large crimson eye watching from above them remaining quiet.
From the sides of the arena, 10 Royal Guards watched in dead silence while a large elder man about 286 cm holding a spiked club covered into an Icy Armor, extruding a huge pressure about himself stood beside a large throne made from dead bodies.
Bonney found the large man for some reason familiar, and Reverscar began trembling when watching this man, yet he couldn't tell the pink-haired girl about the identity of this elder man because she also entered into a state of shock.
Similarly, Eleine who moved her black eyes on the throne made of frozen dead bodies, noticed that a man with long black hair stood on the throne motionless, covered in an Icy Armor, watching the newly arrived with a cold, emotionless expression.
"T-Titania, are you seeing what I think we are seeing?" asked Eleine, who could feel her heartbeat slowing down.
"... My feelings were always right, that monster managed to capture Vlad and turn him into one of his puppets."
There were visible changes to Vlad beside his hair which looked darker and denser, his body also looked larger than ever, fitting perfectly on the large throne chair, while his muscles remained in the same state, only that they looked a lot more compact.
"Kuhehaha, those emotions I can taste in the air. I love it.
Now, since I don't want to play too much with you ants, except for the Fairy and Lunarian.
My Champion, bring fear on them, that even in death they will fear you."
Not long after the words of the abomination, Vlad who watched everyone from the throne didn't budge, as if it wasn't listening to the commands of the abomination, but even in this case, the large elderly man along with the Royal Guards initiated the fight.
Dalyon who was eying Vlad noticing all the changes, remembered what the abomination said with regard to the "acquaintance" and it wasn't wrong, in fact he wanted to resume Round 2 of their fight, only a person stood in his way, in the King of Sorbet, or how the abomination introduced him to Vlad, Taelar Cormac.
In the same type of strategy, Dalyon used his <Festival of Flames> to weaken the Icy Armor on the bodies of the puppets controlled by the abomination, which made the watching crimson eye to have its pupil dilated showing signs of anger.
"I have a puppet that I require far more energy to control, while the rest are disposable against the Lunarian. However, if I get my hands on the Lunarian, it will be the perfect gift for the Master, exactly as he planned.
For the Plan to succeed we need a Lunarian to open our way into Nakrowa."
King Taelar Cormac initially was keeping up with Dalyon's swift piercing attacks, even being a match for the young Lunarian in terms of Armament Haki or Observation, but as minutes passed the initial power outburst was dying down.
With the Royal Guards simultaneously charging at Dalyon to pin him down, it created the best chance for the large man to crush the lunarian under the spiked club.
"I AM TIRED OF THE SAME TACTICS!! Flaming King's Wrath!"
A large flaming spear moved with murderous intent at the elderly man moving straight for his heart, which panicked Count Reverscar, making him to shout at Dalyon.
"Don't kill him! He is an important person of the Sorbet Kingdom! It's his MAJESTY THE KING!"
Hearing that, it didn't change anything for Dalyon who attacked with all his strength, but for the pink-haired girl this revelation made her stop attacking the Royal Guards.
"... You fucking humans are annoying. Don't kill that, stop that. … If I leave you to die on your own, you would still find ways to complaining." remarked Dalyon with an angry tone, but his attack was fully committed without a method of breaking it.
Meanwhile, Vlad who watched the fight being staged in front of his abyssal eyes, giving the impression he could see everything had a cold smirk on his face as he focused on Dalyon, before he frowned.
Then as the Flaming King's Wrath was about to hit the chest of the large man, Vlad rose up, and vanished from the throne chair stopping the flaming attack using his black sword that was left in its default form.
"Now, I will show you what a perfect specimen can achieve if guided the right way." said the androgynous voice, before Vlad kicked the large man on his stomach sending him flying, hitting the walls of the Arena.
Since Vlad moved, the shock on the girl's faces couldn't be removed, and there was more to come especially when Vlad placed his eyes on the Royal Guards, doing a spinning attack that released a crimson-red shockwave that cleaved those men in halves starting from their waistline.
"DROP TO THE GROUND!" screamed Titania who sensed how powerful this attack was to be able to kill the Royal Guards in one attack.
Receiving their warnings from Titania, the group with the exception of Dalyon dropped to the ground to avoid this devastating attack.
*Clap* *Clap*
Vlad, who stood at 224 cm being equal in height to the young Lunarian, started doing a slow clap in an emotionless manner.
"Such explosive power. I wasn't expecting such great results from the experiments." commented the crimson-eye from where he was located watching over the entire Arena, while controlling Vlad using its own will.
.
"You found it impressive being able to kill some vermin? Well, I am not impressed."
"Festival of Flames."
From his body a flame tornado moved to engulf Vlad with the same tactic he was taught by this man to do against the "frozen undead" only that time, he was matched against an enemy who could fight against such tactics.
Vlad did a swift vertical slash with the black sword carving out a section of the flaming tornado which avoided him altogether.
"It seems you've gotten stronger since the last time we've seen each other. But you've dropped lower than I expected, to even receive the help of a monstrous dark being to gain power. At what cost? Becoming its puppet?"
"Why even bother talking with a puppet? You can't even hear me."
"Hah, such hurtful words, young Lunarian. My champion must be hurt a lot inside, hearing those words. But, what could I expect from a child? It shows how you didn't learn any lessons from the long millennium of suffering your people had against the humans."
With the abomination talking, Vlad once again moved like a phantom and appeared in front of Dalyon with such a speed that it even shocked him, and before he could use any Armament Haki to protect his body, Vlad sent a straight left on his face getting himself blasted away, crashing into the wall of the Arena.
Jumping on the air so high that he approached the crimson eye, he moved his black sword into a Wrath Guard, taking his sword at his back, and with a swift and menacing slash a large crimson-red sword wave was sent off by the black sword toward Dalyon who bounced back from the punch.
"Hmph, ridiculous."
Extending his black wings, Dalyon took off to the skies and with two flaming spears forming into his hands he charged at Vlad who was descending to the ground, throwing a spear at the position he foresaw his enemy would reach in seconds time. Yet his plan broke when Vlad kicked hard while in the air pushing himself in his direction, in a sense beginning to fly.
Kicking the air again, he swung his sword again while Dalyon used his Spear covered in Armament Haki to block, and expecting for him to overpower Vlad in strength when the clash ensued, he saw Vlad abandon his two-handed hold of the longsword, and with his left hand grabbing hold of the young Lunarian right arm.
Sensing that he was in danger, he disengaged from the clash, which made the sinister laughs of the crimson-eye spread around the entire Arena.
"You look quite disturbed, Lunarian. Could it be? … You started realizing that you are outmatched by my Champion?"
"Shut up, monster. Once I take off that Icy Armor from that guy's body, he will be just like the rest of the people you've thrown at me. Do you want a spoiler? All of them are dead, with the exception of a lucky one."
"Kuhehaha, a good comeback, but do you want to hear the reality?"
"Huh?"
"All of those worms I've sent in your direction were disposable material that I didn't even bother enhancing. On the other hand, as you can see the old King has been imbued with enormous strength but it's limited by size and age, while my Blood Dragon is a perfect specimen, especially after my work has been completed successfully."
"So what about it? You think I can't kill that Dracul guy? I managed to beat the shit out of him, when he arrived at the Temple, beating him again would be a cakewalk."
*Laugh* "Amusing. To think I would see another Lunarian and for the young one to be so … identical. You might even be his inheritor, which is even more amusing. Well, enough with melancholy, I can't have my Champion not test all of his abilities."
Vlad who remained stationary as the abomination was taunting Dalyon finally took action and again using a speed akin to a Ghost reached inside the young Lunarian's inner range, executing a diagonal slash, followed by a horizontal slash all blocked by Dalyon who glared into Vlad's abyssal eyes which showed no emotion.
With the swordsman beginning his offense Dalyon realized that they were no longer so far away in strength, but he had an Ace card that Vlad clearly didn't show to possess, Armament Haki, and while blocking a vertical slash using the black-coated armor he sent a kick on his midsection, getting some distance.
After regaining some freedom of movement, he advanced with a speed similar to Vlad's disappearing from the sight of untrained eyes, and instead of using his spear, he struck using a combination of punches all covered in his flames and Armament Haki.
Still, he found a hard resistance to his attacks when he pummeled Vlad, and taking a closer look at his target, all the spots he was attacking got covered into a dark coating brimming with a crimson-red aura.
"That's all?" asked the androgynous voice, as it hold a chuckle before Vlad punched Dalyon in his face with his hands covered in Armament Haki.
"Argh … How … is he able to use Armament? It should be you … monster."
"What if it's me? Maybe it isn't me? Are you able to do something to stop it?"
Dalyon got up from where he landed touching his face, where his lower lip started bleeding, and with an angry face, the flames around his body started burning brighter as if he was consumed by rage.
"Yes, black crow … Get consumed by emotions. You'll become an easier target for me and my Blood Dragon."
Charging at Vlad with his body ignited that it even affected the battle of the girls and Count Reverscar against King Taelar Cormac, which made Titania who was coordinating this fight against the large man to shift her attention on Dalyon and Vlad's fight.
The pain inside her golden eyes could be read by anyone, especially when she saw Vlad in that form, which reminded her of a memory she received when entering this cavern.
"TITANIA, What not? GIRL! ARE YOU LISTENING?" shouted Eleine who sensed that her guide was "malfunctioning", risking on getting herself hit by this humongous man.
"Ahhhh, yes, sorry. There's no change in strategy for now. Just continue along with the Count to weaken the Icy Armor. Afterwards, it will be Bonney's turn to shine."
