[Raul's POV]
A Noble Vampire...
They are the strongest Vampires that can be sent from the Demon world to this world in normal condition. In terms of power, the Noble Vampire is the third strongest rank among the Vampire species.
There are six rank of Vampires, starting from the weakest: the Lesser Vampire. These are Vampires created from the bite of a True Vampire. Their strength is generally the same as an ordinary human.
Next is the Standard Vampire. A Lesser Vampire can evolve into a Standard Vampire if they receive enough blood. The strength of this Vampire can even rival a Senior Knight.
After that, there is the True Vampire. A Lesser Vampire can only evolve up to this stage. They possess immense physical strength. If one is not careful, a several Veteran Knight or a Senior Inquisitor could be killed fighting this type of Vampire.
Next is the Noble Vampire. From this rank up to the Elder Vampire, they do not require blood to survive. However, a Noble Vampire still cannot go outside while the sun is shining. Unlike the previous Vampires, they possess powerful magic. If one is not careful, a Grand Espada or a Holy Knight could be killed fighting this Vampire.
The next rank is the Ancestral Vampire. They are Vampires who are direct descendants of an Elder Vampire. It takes three or more Grand Espadas or Holy Knights to kill one.
The last and most powerful of the Vampire species is the Elder Vampire. They are the first-generation Vampires born into the world. Only this type of Vampire can withstand sunlight. Their power is equal to the Princes of the Demon King, who will eventually become candidates for the new Demon King. Only a Hero can defeat them.
To be honest, I could defeat a Noble Vampire if I had thorough preparation to kill him. However, this time, I do not have that preparation.
The most troublesome thing about fighting Vampires for me is that they do not have shadows, so I cannot use Shadow Link or Shadow Lock against them.
I then looked at the platinum-haired woman beside me; she was also looking directly at me.
"Ariel, I will need your help to defeat that Vampire," I said to her.
Hearing my words, she smiled softly and said, "Umm, just leave it to me."
Unsheathing my sword, I refocused my attention on the Vampire.
Both of my legs began to glow after I activated Accel magic, and I started running toward the Vampire. However, the winged demon looked calm and did not move at all.
— Bam!
My body was thrown to the side and hit a building; suddenly, I felt something hit me hard just now.
Trying to get up, I saw the Vampire still staying in his place and not having moved at all.
What did he do just now? I have three predictions regarding his ability, but I must observe him more closely this time.
Once again, I dashed toward his location, but suddenly I felt like I was hit by a truck from the front, causing my body to be thrown backward.
"Cough! Cough!"
I spat out the blood that had collected in my mouth. However, I suddenly felt all my wounds heal again.
Looking back, Ariel could be seen stretching her hand toward me. It seemed she had just healed the wounds I recently received.
Alright, the power that Vampire possesses is clear now. It seems this will be a difficult fight if I cannot see his attacks.
"Thank you, Ariel," I said to her.
"No problem," she smiled at me. "I think I know a way for you to fight him properly, but I need a little time to adapt to this new power of mine."
Ahhh... could what Ariel means be the power of the Truth Seeker Eyes?
I ran back toward the building where the Vampire was located. This time, I moved in a zig-zag motion to make it harder for him to target me.
— Bam! Bam!
The street I passed through suddenly shattered; it seemed my guess was correct. He has the Invisible Hand ability.
However, my feet were suddenly lifted; something was pulling my feet into the air.
"Die, trash!" cried the Vampire.
— Buk! Buk! Bam!
My entire body felt pain; I felt as if I were being beaten repeatedly from the front, but I could not see where the attacks were coming from.
And the final attack from him was so hard that I could hear my bones cracking from the impact of the strike. My body was thrown and then went rolling down the street.
"Ughhh... that ability of his is very troublesome."
But suddenly, the wounds I received healed again. It seemed Ariel had healed me once more.
Can you hear me?
Suddenly, I heard Ariel's voice inside my head.
"I can hear you clearly, Ariel," I answered. "Are you using your Telepathy power?"
Exactly. You seem to know a lot about a Saint's power, after all.
Of course, I'm the one who programmed and tested this game I made. Fortunately, she could not read my thoughts.
Alright, that Vampire has eight tentacles connected to his back. That is what has been attacking you this whole time. I can see them because of my ability called Truth Seeker. I will tell you where the tentacles are going to strike.
"Alright, I understand."
Rising back to my feet, I activated Accel and Temper on my sword, then dashed toward the Vampire.
"Your effort is futile, human!" cried the Vampire.
Get ready. Two are heading to your left, one is heading toward the center directly to your body, and the rest will attack from the right side of your body.
After hearing the instructions from Ariel, I immediately slashed my sword twice toward the left side of my body diagonally. A sensation of something being cut was felt by my sword; it seemed I had successfully cut two of his tentacles.
Wasting no time, I immediately jumped to the left side to avoid the other tentacle attacks. A loud sound of impact behind me indicated that I had successfully avoided the remaining six tentacles.
Taking advantage of this situation, I ran again to reach the Vampire.
Be careful, those six tentacles are trying to attack you again. Three from behind—specifically, they will attack from above—and the rest from the right side.
Ariel gave me instructions again.
I immediately lunged to the right and then performed horizontal, vertical, and diagonal slashes. Once again, I felt the sensation of something being cut by my sword, indicating that the three attacking tentacles had been severed.
Hurry and turn around! Ariel warned me.
Turning my body, I slashed my sword three times toward the front and finally succeeded in cutting all the invisible tentacles he possessed.
"How could you know where my tentacles were attacking, human!?" screamed the Vampire, looking irritated.
He then began to flap his wings and flew up into the sky.
"Magma Rain!"
Several magic circles appeared around the Vampire. Those magic circles then fired lava projectiles toward me.
Activating Acceleration magic, I hurried to run to avoid that wide-scale magic attack. The lava rained down on the streets and city buildings, causing a large fire to break out in the area.
"..."
Suddenly, I was surprised by the appearance of the Vampire right in front of me. He then punched my face hard, causing my body to be thrown into the air.
"Ughhh... how could he appear that fast from above just now?" I muttered in wonder.
However, I got the answer to my question when the Vampire suddenly appeared again right above me while I was being thrown into the air.
— Bam!
He kicked my chest hard; I didn't have time to block his attack. My body then hit the wall of a building; my body felt very painful. His strength was greater than the True Vampire I had faced before.
This is strange; why didn't Ariel immediately heal my wounds?
Trying to get up, I saw the Vampire was firing fire magic toward Ariel. The Saint created a Barrier to hold back the heat of the fire from the Vampire's magic.
I hurried to dash toward the Vampire; he turned this way, realizing I was going to attack him.
— Slash!
I performed a horizontal slash aiming for his neck. However, the Vampire was able to stop my slash with his left hand.
"A weak attack!" cried the Vampire.
However, I released my sword, reinforced both of my hands with Temper magic, and launched my favorite attack combo.
"Radical Blow!"
I punched the Vampire's solar plexus; he then hunched over in pain and was forced to stop his fire magic toward Ariel. However, I did not stop there and delivered punch after punch to his body.
— Bam! Bam! Bam!
After I was satisfied with beating him, I launched a punch toward the Vampire's face until he was thrown far and hit the wall of a city building.
"Are you okay, Ariel?" I asked her.
The Saint smiled softly at me and then answered, "Fufufu~ I should be the one asking you that." Her finger pointed at my body, which was covered in wounds. "I will heal you immediately."
However, while my wounds were being healed by Ariel, the Vampire suddenly appeared again right in front of me and then kicked me hard until I was sent flying into the city street.
Spitting blood again, I tried to get up and saw the Vampire was flying toward this direction.
"Ughhh... the Minor Teleportation magic he has is very troublesome," I complained, bracing for the Vampire's next attack.
"Die!"
I avoided the Vampire's punch and then tried to stab his heart. However, he turned and caught my sword with his hand. The Vampire then tried to kick my head with his right leg, but I ducked and then launched a Sweep Kick toward his leg until he tumbled to the ground.
My sword was released from his grip; I then caught my sword and aimed it back at the Vampire's heart. However, the Vampire rolled to avoid my sword thrust.
He then pointed his palm at me.
"Scorching Blast!"
A heatwave was created; I hurried to run away so as not to be hit by his attack, but my right hand and leg appeared blistered from being hit by that magic.
However, a few moments later, my wounds were healed again by Ariel, making me comfortable to fight once more.
I will try to restrain him with my Divine Chain.
"I doubt you can restrain him with the Divine Chain, Ariel," I said, responding to her words. "He has powerful fire magic and heatwaves."
The Vampire flew back and landed on top of a building. It seemed he was going to unleash troublesome magic again.
"Serpent of Hell—Hydra!"
After he said that, a large tentacle—no, a nine-headed snake—emerged from the Vampire's back. The large snake then crawled on the building walls, and the nine heads hissed toward me.
Ughhh... why do I always fight a reptile in this arc!? The first was a dragon, the second was a giant iron snake, and next, I have to face a nine-headed snake!
If I'm not mistaken, the snake's heads will always regenerate when cut. I must behead all its heads quickly before the snake finishes regenerating to be able to kill it.
The nine snakes then opened their mouths; fire magic particles began to collect inside the reptile's mouths.
Activating Accel magic, I began running and jumped onto the city buildings using Axio magic. The nine snake heads then fired fire lasers toward me. I could avoid several shots, but three shots hit my hand and leg, causing me to fall to the city street.
My right leg was severed, and my left hand was roasted like a grilled steak. Extraordinary pain began to be felt due to these wounds.
"Lamentation!"
However, Ariel healed me again. My leg began to regenerate, and my hand began to recover.
"Hydra! You take care of the Saint, and I will kill that human trash!"
It seemed he was starting to get bored seeing me constantly being healed by Ariel. This was bad; Ariel would not be able to heal me if she were attacked by that nine-headed snake.
The Vampire then flew toward me and pulled my collar, taking me to fly with him in the air.
"Let's have fun without that bitch having to heal you, HAHAHA!" said the Vampire, laughing freely.
He then smashed my body against the walls of the city buildings. Pain began to be felt throughout my body again. After he was satisfied dragging me against the building walls, he then threw me into the air and pointed his index finger at me.
"Magma Beam Barrage!"
He fired nine lava lasers toward me. I tried to twist my body to avoid his attack, but two of his magic shots succeeded in piercing my stomach and left shoulder.
— Brak!
I landed imperfectly on the city street due to the wounds I received. Holding my stomach, which had a hole in it, my breathing began to be irregular from holding back the pain caused by the severe wounds I received just now.
Without Ariel's healing magic, it is very difficult to survive the attacks the Vampire unleashes. Not to mention, he also has the ability to fly, so he has the advantage in maneuvering and keeping his distance from me, who can only hurt him with close-range attacks.
Looking toward where Ariel was, the nine-headed snake began to dash toward that woman while firing fire lasers that came out of each of their mouths.
Ariel created a Barrier again to hold back their attack, but the Barrier she had would not last long if attacked continuously like that.
"Ariel, can you hear me?" I asked her. "I have a plan."
I can hear you clearly. Ariel's voice was heard directly in my head because she used her telepathy ability. What is the plan?
"You just stay there and do not run away; when the snake is about to pounce on you, use bright light magic to blind their eyes," I instructed her.
Alright, I trust you.
After hearing Ariel's response, I activated Acceleration magic then ran and jumped onto a building using Axio magic. The Vampire, who was flying in the air, then pointed his index finger at me again.
It's time to use a new attack combo I have practiced all this time. This combo emphasizes the speed and power of the slashes I possess. I then combined Avilar magic to sharpen my sword and Temper magic to strengthen the slash.
"Die, you damn human!"
The Vampire fired nine lava lasers toward me again. However, his shots will not hit me this time.
"Moonlight Sonata," I muttered, starting to say the name of the combo I would use. "Now, Ariel! Use your light magic."
Alright, Eternal Light!
Suddenly, a fairly blinding light was seen where Ariel was and blinded the nine-headed snake. I then activated Shadow Link to Ariel's shadow to avoid the Vampire's attack and appeared right in front of the Saint.
"Dancing in the Night!"
I dashed toward the snake heads that were experiencing the Blind effect and then launched a 10-hit attack combo and slashed all its heads quickly before the monster could regenerate. After my attack combo ended, the nine snake heads fell to the street and then crumbled into ash blown by the wind.
"Lamentation!"
Ariel was finally able to heal the wounds I received from the Vampire. That nocturnal creature was currently in the air looking at us with an irritated expression.
"Hey," Ariel called out to me.
I turned back to look at her. Her purple eyes looked into mine.
"Let's defeat that Demon," said Ariel. "I have a gift for you to be able to defeat that Vampire. Consider this as a repayment because you often saved me when I was in danger."
Huh? A gift? I wonder what Ariel will give me?
"But, it will take time for me to prepare this gift," Ariel added. "Please hold off that Vampire while I prepare it for you."
"I understand, Ariel."
I took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. My gaze focused on the Vampire, who was now starting to fly here. Reactivating Accel and Temper magic, I ran toward the Vampire and then jumped to slash him.
However, the Vampire was too agile in the air and avoided my attack. He then ignored me and kept flying closer toward Ariel, who appeared to be focused on collecting Mana. The Vampire's right hand was wreathed in blazing fire; it seemed he was about to attack Ariel with a fairly powerful strike.
I then used Shadow Link to appear in front of Ariel. The Vampire looked surprised, but I didn't waste time and kicked his face hard until he was thrown and hit the wall of a city building.
"Alright, it's finished," said Ariel. "Stand tall and do not move."
Ariel's palm then touched my back; she then whispered an incantation to activate her magic.
"Gib deinen Flügel, Ikarus!"
After saying her incantation, it suddenly felt like something was moving out of my back. I screamed in pain and knelt; not long after, a pair of black wings came out of my back. I could feel my muscles being able to move these wings.
This is... Ariel's Icarus Wings...
Did she give them to me? However, these wings should be white like an angel's wings; why did the color become black when I am the one using them? These wings are like those possessed by the Fallen Angel—Lucifer!
"These are Icarus wings; I was supposed to wear these wings so I could escape when I was cornered," Ariel explained. "But, I am sure these wings will be more useful used by you."
Not only that, I could also feel foreign Mana entering my body. However, instead of exploding and being unstable, this Mana merged perfectly with the Mana I possessed.
"I am giving you Divine Mana so that your attacks can wound that Vampire more heavily than before," Ariel explained. "With this, you can defeat him more easily."
After hearing all the explanations from Ariel, I suddenly heard the Vampire earlier scream and fly into the air.
"Arrghhh! Enough, I will kill you both directly with large-scale magic!" screamed the Vampire.
His body then began to be wreathed in fire; it seemed he was collecting Mana to unleash a very wide AoE magic.
"Ariel, can you give me a strong Barrier?" I asked her.
"I understand; you just fly to reach that Vampire," Ariel answered. "I will provide a strong Barrier so you can survive his attack."
A blinding light appeared around the Vampire. That demon was currently like a villain about to destroy a village of a yellow-haired ninja protagonist with a single attack. I must quickly take him down. If not, then tens of thousands of humans in this city will die instantly.
Flapping my two new wings, I flew toward the Vampire, who looked ready to activate his magic.
"Death Star Explosion... Supernovaaa!!!"
A heatwave then came out of the Vampire and spread in all directions, destroying and melting the city buildings around here. My body began to feel an extreme heat. However, a Barrier suddenly appeared and held back the heatwave hitting my body.
"Fly, Icarus, defeat that Vampire!" cried Ariel from below, encouraging me.
I flapped these wings of mine even harder and then flew closer toward the Vampire.
"Full Power!"
Seeing me flying toward him, the Vampire added to the power of the heat explosion he unleashed. My body was held back and felt the heat from the attack he launched again. The Barrier Ariel gave me began to crack, unable to withstand the Vampire's attack.
"Shield of Anguis... Mirror Force!"
Stretching my right hand toward the front, a lotus-shaped shield appeared in my palm, holding back the powerful heatwave hitting my body. With this shield, my body began to move forward slowly closer toward the Vampire.
"You will not be able to reach me, low-born human!"
Ughhh... the heatwave he unleashed grew stronger; the Mirror Force shield I unleashed also began to crack. My two new wings began to burn, and my entire body began to blister from being hit by the Vampire's attack.
No... I must endure... just a little more to reach that Vampire. I will not be the Icarus who falls; I will be the Icarus who is free to fly in the sky as I please!
"Arrrghhhh!"
I forced myself forward; the shield I created was already shattered into pieces. However, I managed to arrive in front of the Vampire.
"Moonlight Sonata—Dancing in the Night!"
Coating my sword with the Divine Mana Ariel gave me, I launched an attack combo on the Vampire and activated Sterben magic.
"Arrghhh! Impossible!"
He tried to teleport, but I hurried to stab his heart with my sword.
"Guuughhh! Damn you!" screamed the Vampire in pain, holding my sword that pierced his heart.
The Vampire held and pushed my sword that was stuck in his chest. However, it was already too late; victory was already in my hands.
"Release..."
The moment I said that incantation, my sword exploded and destroyed the Vampire's heart and chest.
"No... way..." he muttered as he fell from the height and died instantly.
"We... won..."
Because my wings began to burn out, I could not maintain my altitude and began to fall from the air. Looking toward the Vampire, his body could be seen starting to turn into dust blown by the wind, which indicated he was truly dead this time.