625 Mutated Soul

Kazumi noticed Vlad inside the Soul Domain. She was startled to see Vlad a couple of meters away from them.

Kazumi looked at Vlad while he looked at her. She didn’t think things could go worse than this, yet it also made Kazumi question how Vlad could enter Vincent’s Soul Domain.

Kazumi didn’t know how Vlad entered because she couldn’t see what was happening outside. She didn’t know the mutated blood was coursing through his veins and allowing his body to move once again.

[How can you be here?...] Kazumi questioned weakly.

Vlad moved forward. *Crack* “Damn hard crystals. I thought they were worn and brittle. It reminds me of the tails of that fox monster.” He grunted.

Vlad looked around, but he still couldn’t see a woman who spoke. He looked at the throne again and asked, “Which one of you is putting words in my mind?”

[...]

“Staying silent, I see.” Vlad placed his hand in his pocket and frowned. “Where is my bag of holding with my equipment?”

Vlad smirked and continued, “Heh! Do you think this teleporting array of darkness can intimidate me? Even if I am without my rapier, my hands are enough to end the life of the monster you are.”

.....

Kazumi slowly floated upwards and rested on Vincent’s head. Wolfie slowly got up while its little legs trembled. The sixteen butterflies stood up with their tiny legs while their wings didn’t flap once.

“More monsters at their infant stage, I see. More monsters I have to take care of then.” *Step, crack* “You are all the trapped ones in this strange array and not me.” Vlad said while moving his legs with great force as if kicking and walking at the same time.

[Vincnet... wake up now... please...]

*~wof...~* Wolfie bit Vincent’s shirt and gently pulled with its weak strength.

*~buz...~* Freerie tapped their tiny legs on Vincent’s lap weakly, but even if Vincent was awake, he would not be able to feel anything.

The Soul Domain suddenly started trembling again. The worn and brittle yet hard-to-break emerald crystals began to explode one after the other. The fragments scattered like fine green dust and elevated up.

“Interesting, you damn monster. I have never experienced a defensive field array like this before. But I will break the formation nonetheless.” Vlad stated after he began to question if there were more traps in store for him.

The explosions gradually increased, and above them were a lot of clouds made of fine emerald dust. Even though there was no breeze in the dark lonely place, the clouds of dust moved as if there was wind gently blowing.

The strange wind only affected the clouds of dust above their heads and caused them to move mysteriously. The clouds moved to the same location, and they began to gather above the throne.

All of the emerald crystals stopped exploding after reaching about one to two meters radius away from the throne and the storage chest near it.

The remaining emerald crystals weren’t cracked, yet they had begun to dim gradually. The remaining emerald crystals gave the impression of how much time remained. Furthermore, because they stopped exploding, it gave the impression of the initial countdown slowing down.

The clouds of emerald dust began moving about the throne. They moved in circles, with their speed gradually increasing. A whirlwind formed, and it began descending toward the throne.

As the whirlwind had almost reached the throne and everyone on it, the current generated by the small whirlwind caused Kazumi, Wolfie, and Freerie to be knocked away. However, Vincent remained seated as if he was stuck.

Vlad questioned what he was witnessing.

Vlad saw the dimming ball of light roll on the dark ground, the little wolf sculpture trying to get up, and the sixteen butterflies thrown in multiple directions.

Vlad then saw the tip of the green whirlwind strangely bend and pierce Vincent’s chest. After Vlad took a better look, he noticed it was the same place he had made a hole in Vincent’s chest.

The more emerald dust entered Vincent’s body, the more the throne and Vincent’s body began to shine as they both were connected.

The clouds of emerald dust were quickly reducing in size while Vincent and the throne he sat on were shining green. The more Vincent’s body absorbed the emerald dust, the brighter both became.

The clouds of emerald dust were soon no more. At the center of the Soul Doman was blinding green radiant light, as if a new star was born in the starless darkness of the Soul Domain.

Vincent, the being engulfed by bright green light, the being who was lighting the Soul Domain like a beacon in the dark, smacked both his hands on the armrest.

It was a simple move, yet the Soul Domain stopped shaking. The radiant Vincent appeared to have complete control over the Soul Domain. Or he had enough power to overwhelm the Soul Domain into submission.

Vincent’s radiant body started to dim while the throne began to shine brighter. The throne was absorbing Vincent’s light and turning it into its own.

The moment Vincent’s body shined no more, a burst of force knocked his body a couple of meters away from the throne. Unlike how Vincent acted as if he could move, his body rolled on the dark ground as if he had become lifeless again.

Kazumi, Wolfie, and Freerie tried their hardest to approach Vincent’s body in their current state. Little by little, they approached Vincent’s body. But they had to stop upon seeing Vlad standing in front of Vincent.

“Even in this place, you wanted to be the king of the world, yet look at you now, you monster. The world has rejected you. Even your last struggle is futile.” Vlad said while crossing his arms and looking at Vincent with a condescending gaze.

Strangely, a notification window appeared in front of the radiant throne instead of in front of Vincent’s body. Additionally, Vlad showed signs of being able to see the notification window.

.

[W4rn1ng...]

[H0st 1s be1ng f0rcEd t0 le4rn O?e4/0ad...]

[Err0r. #$%...]

[s0ul 1s be1ng d1v1ded dUe t0 l4ck1ng c0ntr0l 0vEr #$%...]

[O?e4/0ad 1s t4k1ng 0ver Mut4ted S0ul...]

[T4ke 0ver c0mplEte...]

.

[Mutated Soul has learned Overload.]

[Mutated Soul can materialize.]

[Mutated Soul desires to devour the intruders.]

[Soul Domain defense activates.]

.

The notification window disappeared. The moment it vanished, the radiance of the throne exploded into a blinding flash of light.

Vlad had to cover his eyes while Kazumi, Wolfie, and Freerie closed their eyes, yet it wasn’t enough, and they were momentarily blinded after opening their eyes.

The throne didn’t explode. Only the light inside of it did. Thousands upon thousands of tiny green particles of light covered their surroundings as if they were stars close enough to reach.

Out of the sea of tiny green particles, one was larger, and its color was different. Unlike the other green particles, the white-colored particle moved on its own, and it gradually approached Vlad.

“Is this an attack?” Questioned Vlad.

[Don’t touch it!...]

Vlad looked down and said, “It looks like you know what is happening here. But which one of you is planting your voice in my mind? It is frustrating.”

Kazumi saw the white particle stop in front of Vlad before descending into Vincent’s body. It made her assumption more robust now.

[Don’t you... how to read... old bloodsucker?...]

“Bloodsuc....”

[Soul split in... half of his... untainted or least... returned inside his... soul body...]

“Is this a joke to manipulate me into stopping? What do you take me for? This trap will not...”

[This isn’t trap... you ancient buffoon ... this is Vincent’s Soul Domain... he the hero of soul... his powers... similar to Soulmancers...]

[cough, cough] Kazumi stopped speaking. She became too weak to explain to a hardheaded vampire.

historical

The white particle, or what Kazumi thought was half of Vincent’s soul, entered Vincent’s body. The body instantly became encased by a layer of faint light, and three large green particles landed on Vincent’s body.

Kazumi questioned what the three large green particles of light were. However, she didn’t need to wait for a long time to discover what they were.

The three green lights dimmed, and the appearance of three emerald eggs resting on Vincent’s stomach appeared.

Vlad couldn’t understand what was happening anymore because he felt this was too much for a trap that didn’t cause harm. It also made Vlad wonder if Kazumi spoke the truth. Additionally, he still didn’t know who the owner of the voice speaking directly to his mind was.

Vlad frowned and thought, ‘Am I really inside the soul of this monster? But how can a person invite another inside the confinements of their soul? Only the best Soulmancers can somehow do it, and I can count them on one hand.’

Kazumi quickly understood what was happening after noticing two undamaged emerald eggs and one cracked emerald egg. It had the same cracks as Lilith’s soul egg previously had.

‘The gang is all here. Iris and Sakura must have reached the fifty percent Soul Synch threshold because of their feelings for Vincent.’ Kazumi thought while looking at Iris, Lilith, and Sakura’s soul eggs.

However, their time together was short. Vlad didn’t want the eggs to hatch or explode. He began with Lilith’s egg first by kicking it. The egg shot in the air, and it couldn’t be seen anymore.

Kazumi, Wolfie, and Freerie glared at Vlad. Kazumi tried to move and protect the remaining two eggs, but she didn’t have the strength to even roll.

Fortunately, Wolfie and Freerie had the strength to move. They moved their worn and damaged bodies, climbed on top of Vincent, and tried to cover the eggs with their bodies.