Translator: Lore_Temple (foxaholic.com)

There was no more fighting spirit or madness incast in the eyes peering down on him.

What it contained in those cold, sunken eyes was indescribable disappointment and unfeeling murderous intent.

The crazy dog-like appearance disappeared, but the fear that Gallid felt did not. However, the taste of his fear had changed.

If what he felt before was the fear of being hunted down by a vicarious beast.

Now, he felt the verdict of an irresistible approaching death.

“G, Go away!”

Gallid squeezed his remaining bits of power and swung his fist.

It didn’t reach Cloud. He avoided it lightly, as if all the blows he had taken from Gallid before was all but a joke. Cloud poked Gallid’s eyes with two finger.

“Aaaaaah!!! MY EYES!! MY EYES!!”

Gallid enfolded his eyes with his palms and screamed. As if it was not enough, he even rolled on the floor to ease his pain. It was a plain disgrace that could not have been seen coming from a strong barbarian warrior like him.

“I can only sigh.”

Cloud grabbed Gallid by his hair and started walking in the direction of his sword.

Gallid was dragged on the floor like a pig being snaffled to a slaughterhouse.

“W, Wh, Whaaagh! Let me go! Let go!”

Gallid swung his fists, flexing his legs, and even tried to break Cloud’s wrist that had latched onto his hair, but to no avail.

Nothing could stop Cloud.

“Aww! Let me go! Let me go! Ah ah agh!!!”

His body was slowly dragged along into abyss-like darkness. He couldn’t even resist. All he felt was great fear.

Enough to make even the great warrior Gallid struggle like a child.

Cloud picked up his sword.

He let go of Gallid’s hair. Instead, he trampled on the barbarian’s chest, preventing him from getting up, and then he placed the tip of his sword’s edge on Gallid’s neck.

Gallid swallowed his saliva at the sharp sensation passed down his throat.

“Hey, stop it! You won, I surrender! T, There’s no need to kill me.”

“Now even begging for life.. After all, you are really not a barbarian.”

“No, no. I’m really a barbarian, see, see! If you spare me.. w-well, then our chieftain will give you..!”

“Shut up, rubbish. No more insults to barbarians, and none to my friend”

Cloud gave strength to his hand—inching his sword.

Pooh-!

The sword pierced through Gallid’s neck.

“K-Kgheh..! Sah, save me..”

Perhaps, he had not yet given up on his regrets, Gallid struggled with his arms. But it didn’t last long. His arms drooped down like a toy that had ran out of battery.

Cloud drew out his sword and swung it strongly.

Splat-!

Gallid’s head rolled down on the floor. Cloud looked at it coldly, then turned his gaze to the awestruck host.

The host, who received Cloud’s gaze, trembled.

“Didn’t I win? So, why are you sitting still?”

“Oh, I-I’m sorry. Finals are over! Participant Cloud wins! The winner is—Cloud!!!”

The presenter exclaimed with both hands outstretched.

– Clap.

– Clap.

– Clap, Clap, Clap.

Gradually, applause poured in from among the silent crowd.

-Whooooooooo!!!!

A loud cheer dominated the venue.

Cloud didn’t turn to look at the crowd.

He was in a very bad mood at the moment. He walked out of the arena as soon as the doors opened.

* * *

“..how.”

A low whisper sounded.

Haley, one of the four heads who rule the kingdom of Alitia, was rarely so perplexed.

The reason she came to watch the Battleground Championship was simply because of a minor interest.

Hearing the report that the Hero Cloud was participating in the battle, she thought it would be an interesting spectacle.

The Incompetent Hero, Cloud.

From the preliminaries to the quarterfinals, she got well-acquainted with the strength of Hero Cloud she had only heard of. She had seen him poorly struggle in the matches.

It was even funny that such a thing was a Hero like Gis, who was sponsored by the Zarakh Society.

But, that thought was throughly shattered in the finals.

It was quite amazing in itself that he engaged in a fist fight with Gallid without stopping. Because the Cloud she had came to know so far wasn’t a guy who picked up reckless deeds.

But up to that point, it was just a little surprising.

It was then after that when he gave her shock and despair.

It was shortly after Gallid tried to escaped and Cloud took a step forward to pursue him.

From that moment on, to the moment Cloud left the venue, Haley couldn’t lift a single part of her body from head to toe.

It felt like a cold blade was grazing her slender neck.

If she moved even in the slightest, that blade will tear her body to pieces.

“Among the vampires, I’m someone who is fighting for the top.. and, I was crushed by a mortal..?”

Is he from some unknown race? Or a strange new lifeform?

She couldn’t even titter at this situation.

“Gis.. Even that little kid is impossible..”

It is impossible even with for Frillite, let alone Gis.

Vampires can’t be shaken by the spirit of a human. No matter how strong a human being is with a strong body, the spirit or will is the same.

Because on life level, vampires scale higher than humans.

Isn’t it strange that a higher lifeform is affected by a lower lifeform?

Literally, the soul is different.

But now the impossible had happened. A vampire was crushed by a human’s spirit.

It is also on a high ranking vampire like her, not just any random vampire.

And she was not just suppressed, but was left completely immobile.

‘..it is impossible.’

In the first place, there are only a handful of people on the whole continent who are capable of crushing her, with her high-ranking bloodline, and with her powerful spirit—

Dragon King. Elven King. Devil King. And, even her master, the Blood King.

Except for these mythical beings, not many others.

But none of them can weigh her down to immobility with their spirit alone.

So what just happened must be her delusion.

“..Krappa.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Did you feel it too?”

“..with what regards you maybe talking about, my lady?”

So he didn’t feel it either.

‘It must have been my illusion, yes.’

It was time for Haley to be relieved. Suddenly, she remembered what the Blood King had once said to her in the past.

– Haley. You are superior to me when it comes to perception. If you make good use of its strengths, you will be able to achieve outstanding achievements in blood art.

“...”

Her pretty face, which was about to loosen, hardened again.

“..Krappa. Take my orders.”

“I will accomplish anything, my lady.”

“Become a companion of Hero Cloud. And report his every move to me. Nothing shall be missed.”

“I oblige.”

Krappa, who lowered his head, did not show any doubts. For vampires, the relationship between a master and a servant is just like that.

After Krappa left, Haley closed her eyes and fell into deep thought.

‘I wish it was just an illusion.’

If what she felt was true.

If Cloud’s rank really exceeds that of even the Blood King.

“I don’t know what to do..”