After that discovery, Pedro became increasingly isolated at home. His family, which had once seemed so powerful, was now trapped in a kind of mutual self-destruction. His parents continued arguing, exchanging accusations and revealing new problems about each other, while the family business grew weaker and weaker. Pedro watched everything without being able to do anything, and the more the years passed, the more his anger grew. He could not forget Saul, much less accept that that boy had managed to destroy what Pedro had considered guaranteed since birth.
It was during this period that Pedro began looking for other ways to escape his own thoughts. He ended up finding horror stories and, little by little, began to enjoy that kind of story more than any other. There was something about them that made him feel better. When he read about people being chased, tortured, or placed in desperate situations, he imagined Saul in their place. In his mind, that was the fate he deserved. Pedro even imagined different forms of suffering for his former rival, mentally creating increasingly cruel situations while feeding the same hatred he had carried since school.
The months continued passing, but Pedro never managed to abandon that obsession. Even after so much time, he was still looking for an opportunity to corner Saul. When he finally managed to find him again near a school, he believed that this time would be different.
However, the result ended up being almost the same as before. Pedro was knocked to the ground and, before he could react, Saul was standing before him holding an iron bar, pointing it at his face. Apparently, Saul was there because he knew Pedro would appear, so he had set a trap with an iron bar hidden in his bag.
For a few seconds, Pedro remained motionless, waiting for Saul to finally do what he himself had wished for so many times.
But Saul simply sighed.
"Stop bothering me once and for all and go away."
Pedro watched him as Saul walked away. There was no revenge, threat, or attempt to humiliate him. He simply left, as if Pedro were not important enough to deserve anything beyond that final opportunity.
'Is this bastard giving me a chance? I don't need his pity.'
Pedro stood up with difficulty, feeling the shame burning inside him. He did not want to admit it, but Saul's attitude affected him more deeply than any blow. He would rather Saul hated him. He would rather he tried to hurt him. Receiving pity from the one who had become his greatest rival was something Pedro could not endure.
After that day, the two spent years without meeting again. Pedro continued living, but his life was far from what he had imagined when he was a child. His family had lost almost everything, his former social position had disappeared, and he ended up living in a small apartment, a place he never would have imagined he would need to call home. Every time he entered that cramped environment, he remembered the childhood he had and everything he had lost.
Until, one night, he could no longer endure it.
Pedro began destroying the apartment. He knocked objects down, broke furniture, and struck the walls as his anger increased. There was no one there to stop him and, at that moment, he did not care what would happen afterward. When he finally stopped, breathing heavily, he noticed a knife lying on the floor.
He stared at it for a few seconds. Then he bit his lips and made a decision.
"If I'm going down, I'll take everyone with me."
The next day, Pedro decided to find Saul.
By a coincidence he considered almost ironic, he discovered that the two lived only a few meters apart. After so many years, they were close again without even knowing it. Pedro watched Saul leave and began following him, keeping enough distance not to be noticed. As he walked, he noticed that the girl who had once been his possible fiancée was not by his side.
Pedro found that strange.
He had always imagined that the two of them would end up together.
'It doesn't matter. She will be next.'
At that moment, however, his attention was completely focused on Saul. He continued following him until he found the perfect opportunity. His heart was beating hard as he tightened his grip on the knife, but this time there was no hesitation. For years, he had imagined that moment. For years, he had thought about how everything would end.
Now he only needed to do it.
When Saul entered the alley, Pedro quickened his steps and ran after him. His mind was consumed by the hatred accumulated over so many years. All the defeats, all the humiliations, and everything he believed he had lost because of that boy returned all at once.
He did not imagine that he would die that day.
Pedro advanced to end Saul's life, but fate ended up making a different decision. Everything happened too quickly. He felt his body lose its strength and, when he closed his eyes, he believed that the end had finally come.
Then he heard a voice.
(Your judgment is not over yet.)
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the same body.
Pedro had reincarnated.
At first, he could not understand what was happening. His body was too small, his hands did not respond as before, and his vision was different. As the years passed, however, he began to understand his new reality. He had been born into another world and, as he grew, discovered something he would never have imagined finding in his second life. He was a vampire.
That world should have been a new opportunity, but Pedro could not see it that way. Everything around him seemed dangerous. The creatures, the conflicts, and the society itself made him develop a constant distrust. Therefore, when he realized that he could escape that place together with his brother, he decided to take the opportunity.
For a long time, he believed that his old life had been left behind.
Until he found that person again.
The one thing Pedro never imagined was that he would meet Saul again. After dying, reincarnating, and spending years in another world, he believed that part of his life had ended. But when he recognized the man before him, all the hatred he had kept for so many years returned at once.
Only this time, Pedro would not allow Saul to escape. This time, he would kill him.
"I will accomplish what I couldn't that day, Saul."
The answer came immediately.
"Such interesting words coming from a spoiled brat like you."
Pedro felt rage take over his body.
That look.
It really was him.
After everything, Saul could still treat him that way.
Pedro did not know that, before that encounter, Enrico used to see Pedro's body in his dreams along with two other people. For some time, that presence appeared repeatedly, as if it were connected to something he still did not understand. However, from the moment the two met again, Pedro disappeared from those dreams.
The two had a second life, and neither of them would allow the other to have a third. This time, their rivalry would end.
[This Pedro seems to be an idiot.]
'Yes. This guy got a second chance to try to leave me alone, but he had to come looking for me again.'
Enrico had been at his limit with Pedro for a long time. During the years he had not seen him, he had even thought that this part of his life had finally ended, but Pedro had been the cause of his own death in that life and, even after receiving a second chance, he continued insisting on that rivalry. Enrico was not the type to give a third chance.
'I'll finish him off before he can get in my way in the future.'
In any case, the body Pedro had reincarnated into would not be important to the original story. Enrico would have no reason to worry about that body's fate. The problem was that Pedro had become a vampire, and that made the situation much more dangerous than it should have been. Enrico knew he could not simply leave him alive and hope that he would give up.
Creating a fireball in his hands, Enrico threw it at Vladimir. The explosion engulfed part of the surroundings and caused smoke to spread throughout the area. He had decided to use his fire magic because he had already realized that it would be impossible to face Vladimir using only his physical abilities. That vampire's percentage was far above his own, an even greater difference than the one between him and Danyana.
[Name: Vladimir Octavian
Magic: Transformed Blood
Circle: 2 — 97%
Mana Quantity: 300
Unique Ability: Vampiric Healing
Soul: 49]
'He's far ahead of me in percentage. I won't even be able to get close with my ring.'
The smoke began to dissipate, revealing Vladimir still standing. Two swords made of blood had appeared in his hands, and both were pointed toward Enrico's head.
"Dual Octavian Swords."
Vladimir charged forward. Enrico immediately ducked and used Charged Impulse to move past the side of his leg. In the same movement, he grabbed the limb and used Vladimir's own strength against him, throwing him into the nearby wall.
Vladimir planted his feet against the wall and propelled himself upward.
"Is that all you can do?"
The two swords began accumulating mana, and Enrico realized that something was about to happen.
"Blood Rage."
He immediately dodged, managing to get out of the way before two beams struck the ground where he had been standing.
"Zero Impact!"
Enrico advanced and punched one of the swords, sending it flying away. When he tried to do the same with the other one, he noticed blood coming out of Vladimir's feet. The blood turned into ropes and wrapped around his body, pinning him in place.
"Return."
The sword that had been thrown away responded to the command and returned to Vladimir's hand. He advanced with both blades, attempting to perform a double slash against Enrico's chest.
Enrico managed to retreat far enough to avoid the direct attack, but he still received superficial cuts. As soon as he noticed the blood appearing, he used his water magic to close the wounds immediately.
'I can't let him smell my blood.'
If Vladimir realized the quality of his blood, the situation would become much worse. Even if the vampire completely lost control, drinking a small amount would be enough for him to evolve directly to the Third Circle. Enrico could not allow that to happen.
[This is troublesome. You should accept the pact.]
'Yes... and to think my nights of sleep will be worse from now on.'
[You barely slept before.]
Enrico ignored the system's comment and created his fire bow. He began firing arrows nonstop, trying to buy time and keep Vladimir at a distance. The arrows flew through the surroundings one after another, but Vladimir advanced without slowing down, using his swords to deflect each one.
"I knew I was better than you."
"Could you put your bruised ego aside for once in your life?"
Whenever he encountered Saul, Pedro seemed to completely lose control. Enrico knew that this anger came from everything Pedro believed he had lost because of him. To Pedro, Saul had destroyed his family and taken everything he considered important. That was why every encounter made his obsession return with even greater force.
Vladimir advanced again and performed another slash. Enrico retreated while continuing to use his bow, but the blade passed far too close to his body.
An arrogant and sinister smile appeared on Vladimir's face.
"To me, you deserve nothing but death in hell."
"I say the same to you, idiot."
Enrico jumped backward and landed on a sofa. With a sarcastic smile, he looked Vladimir directly in the eyes.
"If you blame me for your family's downfall, know that I only gave it a little push. It was already being investigated for fraud."
"Shut up!"
Vladimir charged forward and kicked Enrico. The impact was strong enough to send him crashing into the wall. Enrico brought his hands to his mouth when he tasted blood, but immediately used his magic to heal the injury.
He was getting lucky.
Vladimir's anger was making his movements more predictable. The problem was that it would not last forever.
'This won't last much longer. The difference is too great.'
"What is it? Didn't like hearing the truth? First of all, if you had stayed out of it, it would have lasted a few more months."
"I told you to shut up!"
Vladimir threw one of his swords. Enrico barely ducked in time, feeling the blade pass above his head. Vladimir appeared right in front of him and pointed the other sword at his neck, while the first began returning to his hand.
Both attacks were about to reach him.
Seeing that, Enrico did not hesitate. He switched places with his fire clone at the last instant.
The returning sword nearly pierced Vladimir himself. The vampire managed to avoid the worst, but the movement gave him an opening to grip the weapon tightly and spin his body. A whirlwind of blood appeared around him.
"Die!"
"Damn it!"
Enrico retreated, but realized too late that the floor had turned completely red. The blood transformed into several ropes and wrapped around his legs, preventing him from moving away.
Enrico covered his body with mana and resisted as much as he could while Vladimir prepared his next attack.
"Blood Sword: Pierce!"
From the middle of the whirlwind, Vladimir emerged with the blade of his sword spinning at high speed. The attack advanced directly toward Enrico and pierced his body. At the last instant, however, Enrico managed to switch places with his clone again.
The hole that had been opened in his stomach began closing immediately. Enrico covered the wound with his hand and accelerated his own healing, but he noticed that Vladimir had stopped.
"What is that smell?"
Vladimir's eyes turned even redder. He brought one hand to his nose and breathed slowly, as if trying to confirm what he had sensed.
Then he understood.
Enrico had healed far too quickly. Besides being human, his blood possessed an absurd quality.
If Vladimir managed to drink that blood, his evolution would be practically guaranteed.
"So I won't just get my revenge, but I'll also be able to use you as a stepping stone for my evolution? I think this is the best day of my life."
"You're not the only one who's happy."
Enrico was smiling.
Vladimir narrowed his eyes when he noticed that. He expected Enrico to be frightened after realizing that his blood had been recognized, but he seemed far too calm. Vladimir raised his hands and prepared to attack again, but he felt his own body become slightly heavier.
That was when he noticed a bat clinging to his leg, biting into his flesh.
"Lunaris? How did you make a contract with her?"
"Isn't it obvious? You must have sensed my blood, right?"
As soon as Enrico finished speaking, Vladimir noticed a dark red aura spreading around him. The presence of that energy made his body stagger for an instant, as if something were entering his mind directly.
Meanwhile, the system's new pact appeared above Enrico's head.
[Maximum Pact. You will not receive any pacts during the next two arcs. Upon completing the next two arcs, for every vampire sacrificed and marked by your eyes whose level is below the Sixth Circle, your percentage may increase by up to a maximum of 100% or less. The vampires sacrificed from today onward will torment your life and body whenever they can.]
Enrico remained silent for a moment.
"It's a shame I've already chosen the hundred vampires since arriving in this city..."
An explosion of mana emerged around Enrico.
Vladimir stepped back, surprised to feel his power increase suddenly. The circle in Enrico's heart began to glow as his percentage rapidly increased at a drastic rate.
70%.
80%.
90%.
95%.
The difference that had once seemed impossible to overcome disappeared in just a few seconds.
Enrico raised his eyes and looked at Vladimir.
"If I had waited a little longer, you might already be dead on the floor."
Far away from the bracelet they were trapped in, several vampires began dying in the middle of the war, and Morvus felt his city's forces rapidly diminishing. However, he could not simply abandon his position. He was facing a monster who possessed the same level as him: Angela.
In the sky, Angela remained airborne as she prepared another attack.
Back at the place where Enrico and Vladimir were, the two stared at each other in silence. Now they were at practically equal levels.
Neither of them intended to retreat.
That rivalry had crossed two lifetimes, and at that moment, both knew there would be no room for another opportunity.
One of them would have to die.
A vein appeared on Vladimir's neck.
"You bastard."
A small smile appeared on Enrico's face.
"You were far too stupid to let yourself be controlled by anger, idiot."