[The seventh pupil ring is completely saturated. Its level can finally be increased.]
Kurogai exhaled slowly, his voice calm but edged with anticipation. "It wasn't easy, but I finally reached perfection."
The advancement of each pupil ring was crucial to him. This time, his progress had been remarkably fast. Normally, evolving a pupil ring consumed years of effort and energy. Yet the seventh had reached completion in just a few days, only delayed because he'd waited for Dracula to awaken. Otherwise, he would have finished even sooner.
But that didn't matter now. What mattered was that Kurogai had finally perfected another pupil ring—an achievement worth every moment of struggle.
"Seventh pupil ring, ascend."
Without hesitation, Kurogai gave the command to his Ultimate Pupil. A warm surge of energy rose from deep within, flowing into his eyes. They shimmered with ethereal light, shifting in hue and intensity until he finally opened them again—revealing eyes transformed by power itself.
"This… I can distort concepts?" he murmured, stunned. "But the cost… it's not small."
He could feel it now—Distorted Concept, the ability to twist reality's fundamental rules. A terrifying power, one that touched the very essence of existence itself. But it came with a price. Using it would drain him deeply, not enough to kill him, but enough to leave him severely weakened. It wasn't something he could afford to use lightly.
As Kurogai studied the power thrumming in his eyes, the Ultimate Pupil's mark appeared faintly on his forehead, pulsing with divine fire.
"It's beginning," he said quietly. "The Ultimate Pupil is changing."
Seven divine flames flickered to life, intertwining with the others he had already kindled. Light rippled through his body as divine energy filled him, reshaping his essence. When the light finally dimmed, the change was complete.
"Twelve pupil rings… seven now open," he whispered. "Five fully perfected. The Eye of Geass and the Clock of Time remain unfinished, but they're close. Very close."
Just then, a faint groan broke his concentration. Dracula was stirring, his crimson eyes flickering open. When his gaze met Kurogai's transformed presence, his entire body stiffened.
"Why… why do I feel like I'm facing a god?" Dracula muttered, awe and fear blending in his voice.
"Dracula," Kurogai said evenly, "you should already understand the gap between us. I'll give you a choice—become my subordinate, or stay here forever."
After a long silence, Dracula lowered his head. "...I agree."
It wasn't cowardice, but instinct. The strength before him was something beyond comprehension—something divine. Serving such power was not shameful; it was survival. In their world, strength was truth.
"You've made the right choice," Kurogai replied. "I require little of you. When I summon you, you will come. Beyond that, you're free. But remember—what happens here, stays with you."
He raised a hand, magic surging through his veins as a complex sigil formed beneath Dracula's feet. The vampire did not resist as the seal bound them together—a contract of loyalty and silence.
"Good. You may go."
Dracula nodded and vanished into the shadows without another word. His eyes briefly flicked toward Danica Talos, the woman who had led Kurogai here, but he said nothing. She was clearly under Kurogai's protection now.
Kurogai watched the vampire disappear before glancing at Danica. "You can return to New York. I'll handle things here."
Before leaving, he ensured the remaining vampires were dealt with—leaving no loose ends. As the dust settled, a familiar pulse of energy brushed against his senses. His eyes narrowed.
"That's Wanda's magic," he said, recognizing the signature instantly. "From Kamar-Taj."
His expression hardened. Wanda wouldn't reach out unless something serious had happened. Without wasting another second, Kurogai opened a shimmering portal in the air and stepped through, the desert fading behind him as he vanished into the light.