Heimdall raised his horn high.
His voice exploded across Valhalla.
"Even with the change of plan—ROUND TWO SHALL BEGIN!"
He brought the horn down.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The sound shook heaven and earth.
The arena froze in anticipation.
Across from him, Anansi did not move.
He simply stood there.
Smiling.
Watching.
Waiting.
Alucard did not attack.
He did not rush.
He did not swing.
Because unlike Ares—
This opponent wanted him to act first.
'Alright… think.'
His eyes remained locked on Anansi.
His body relaxed.
Calm.
Still.
Alucard spoke internally.
'Any plans, system?'
Ding!
[Good luck.]
Silence.
Alucard blinked once.
'I hate you sometimes.'
Anansi laughed.
Not loudly.
But knowingly.
As if he could feel the hesitation.
"Oh?" Anansi said lightly.
"No dramatic charge?"
"No attempt to tear my heart out?"
He tilted his head.
"Have you learned caution?"
Alucard didn't respond.
Because he had.
His mind ran through possibilities.
'He wants me to commit.'
'He wants me to act without thinking.'
'He wants me inside his web.'
So Alucard did the one thing Anansi didn't expect.
He did nothing.
He stood there.
Waiting.
Observing.
Analyzing.
Anansi's smile twitched slightly.
Just slightly.
Interest.
'Good,' Alucard thought.
'If he is a trickster… then I will not play his game.'
The arena filled with tension.
Two predators.
Neither moving.
Neither blinking.
Neither willing to be the first to make a mistake.
The silence stretched.
One second.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
The entire arena held its breath.
Gods frowned.
Humans whispered.
This wasn't what they expected.
This wasn't violence.
This was something else.
Anansi tilted his head slightly.
His smile never left.
But his eyes sharpened.
"You're not attacking."
He tapped his finger against the air.
A single thread appeared.
Thin.
Almost invisible.
Alucard's eyes flicked to it instantly.
'There.'
He didn't react outwardly.
But internally—
'Almost missed it.'
The thread vanished.
No.
Not vanished.
It blended.
Merged into the air itself.
Anansi chuckled softly.
"Oh… you saw that."
Not a question.
A statement.
Alucard said nothing.
Because answering gave information.
And information was power.
Anansi's smile widened.
"Good."
More threads appeared.
One.
Three.
Ten.
Hundreds.
They spread across the arena.
Not toward Alucard.
Around him.
Behind him.
Above him.
Below him.
A cage.
Slowly forming.
'Alright… so that's his ability.'
'Almost invisible threads.'
'Not physical strength… control.'
He remembered the myth.
Anansi the spider.
The web maker.
The trap setter.
Anansi suddenly spoke.
"You know," he said casually, "most enemies lose because they try to fight me."
Another thread appeared near Alucard's shoulder.
Close.
Too close.
Alucard remained still.
Anansi continued.
"But you…"
He leaned forward slightly.
"…you're thinking."
He smiled wider.
"That makes you dangerous."
Alucard spoke calmly.
His first words since the round began.
"And you talk too much."
Anansi laughed.
Genuinely laughed.
"Oh, I like you."
Then—
He snapped his fingers.
Instantly—
The threads moved.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Perfect timing.
They tightened from every direction.
Not to cut.
To bind.
To restrict.
To control.
Alucard's eyes narrowed slightly.
'Synchronization…'
Ding!
[Synchronization Rate: 11% → 14%]
His body responded faster.
His instincts sharper.
His awareness wider.
He stepped slightly to the left.
One thread missed his neck by less than a centimeter.
He tilted his head.
Another missed his eye.
He moved his arm.
Another missed his wrist.
He wasn't escaping.
He was reading.
Learning.
Analyzing.
Anansi's smile slowly faded.
Just a little.
Because Alucard wasn't reacting randomly.
He was adapting.
'He's mapping the web,' Anansi realized.
'Already?'
Alucard spoke internally.
'He controls the battlefield.'
'Not me.'
'So the solution is simple.'
His red eyes glowed faintly.
'Take control away from him.'
Anansi then closed his fist as string moved from all over
Alucard looked around, his arm moved and cut all of them.
Anansi grinned he jumped up and turned into spiders, moving around.
Alucard looked around. 'Ah! What do I do! Do I have skill that's I haven't unlock'.
He them paused. 'System can I sense things with Blood control?'.
Ding!
[Blood Control acquired
Rank A+
Effects:
— Control own blood absolutely
— Influence foreign blood with sufficient authority
— Absorb information through blood contact
— Blood can be weaponized]
Alucard froze for half a second.
Not physically.
Mentally.
'Absorb information through blood contact.'
He read that line again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
'Information.'
Not strength.
Not power.
Information.
His eyes moved across the arena.
Thousands of spiders.
Too many to track with vision alone.
Too fast.
Too small.
Too unpredictable.
Anansi's laughter echoed from everywhere.
"Looking for me?"
A spider crawled across Alucard's shoulder.
Another across his sword.
Another near his foot.
Alucard didn't move.
Because now—
He understood the question he needed to ask.
'System.'
'Do spiders have blood?'
There was a pause.
Then—
Ding!
[Yes]
Alucard's lips slowly curved.
Not a wide grin.
Not theatrical.
A small one.
The kind he made when he solved a problem.
'Then this is simple.'
He didn't swing his sword.
He didn't move his feet.
He didn't attack.
Instead—
He extended his awareness.
Not outward.
Inward.
He felt his own blood first.
Every drop.
Every flow.
Every pulse.
It obeyed him completely.
Like loyal soldiers.
Then—
He reached outward.
Gently.
Carefully.
He touched the nearest spider.
Not physically.
Through blood.
Contact.
Connection.
And suddenly—
He felt it.
Tiny.
Weak.
Primitive.
But there.
A pulse.
A signal.
A direction.
His eyes widened slightly.
'Found you.'
Anansi froze.
Not visibly.
But internally.
'…What?'
Alucard's head slowly turned.
Not toward the nearest spider.
Toward the real one.
Standing far behind him.
Perfectly hidden among thousands of copies.
Their eyes met.
For the first time since the round began—
Anansi stopped smiling.
Alucard spoke calmly.
"You're not the spiders."
He turned his body fully now.
"You're the one controlling them."
Anansi's grin returned.
But smaller.
Sharper.
"…And you're not blind."
Alucard raised his hand slowly.
Golden ichor inside his body mixed with his own blood.
Authority strengthened authority.
Control strengthened control.
The spiders around him suddenly froze.
Not all.
Just some.
Anansi's eyes narrowed.
Because he felt it.
Resistance.
Alucard spoke internally.
'If he controls them with authority…'
'Then I can interfere with that authority.'
Ding!
[Correct]
Anansi immediately moved.
He knew danger when he saw it.
All spiders lunged at once.
A tidal wave of legs and venom.
Alucard didn't dodge.
He didn't retreat.
He reached out.
And pulled.
Not physically.
Through blood.
Through connection.
Through authority.
Hundreds of spiders suddenly stopped mid-air.
Anansi's eyes widened.
"…You're stealing control."
Alucard answered calmly.
"Borrowing."
He clenched his fist.
Half the spiders dropped to the ground.
Dead.
Their blood drained instantly.
Ding!
[+32 Blood Points]
[+41 Blood Points]
[+29 Blood Points]
Anansi immediately severed the connection.
He jumped back.
Creating distance.
For the first time—
He took this seriously.
Alucard stood still.
Calm.
Controlled.
Terrified internally.
'Holy shit that worked.'
Ding!
[Yes Host]
'I was guessing!'
[Yes Host]
'I hate how calm you sound about this!'
[You are not dead. That is generally considered positive]
Alucard resisted the urge to argue with his own System.
Instead he looked at Anansi.
Now he understood.
This wasn't a brute force opponent.
This was a control opponent.
Which meant—
This fight wasn't about strength.
It was about who controlled the battlefield.
And Anansi had just realized—
He wasn't the only one anymore.
Alucard's eyes flickered as the web strands snapped past him, slicing empty air where his head had been a fraction of a second ago.
The arena floor was already infested.
Threads.
Thousands of them.
Invisible to normal sight. Deadly to the touch.
Above him, Anansi skittered across nothing, his form splitting into dozens—no, hundreds—of small spiders. Each one carried a fragment of his presence, his intent, his killing will.
A perfect predator's field.
Alucard stood still.
Too still.
"…System," he murmured calmly, even as death surrounded him. "Show me everything."
Ding.
The world froze.
Not literally.
But his mind did.
[Name: Alucard
Title: King of Vampires
Level: 100
Restraint Level: 2
Semi Powers: Locked
Reason: Prevent host destruction. Powers will unlock gradually.
Current Active Skill: Blood Control
Rank: A+
Effects:
— Absolute control over own blood
— Influence foreign blood with sufficient authority
— Absorb information through blood contact
— Weaponize blood freely
Passive Skill: True Ancestor Cognition
— Perfect memory retention
— Perfect information processing
— Perfect comprehension
Immortality: Type 8
Description: Excessive. Would make Rasputin uncomfortable.
Authority Acquired: War Domain (Partial)
Effects:
— Increased combat adaptability
— Enhanced battle prediction
— Improved combat efficiency
— Growth rate increases during combat]
Alucard sidestepped another invisible thread by instinct alone.
His smile widened.
'…Wait.'
His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
'What does Restraint Level 2 do?'
Ding.
[Level 1 Allows transformation between forms.]
Ding.
[Allows summoning of personal weapons:
— .454 Casull Auto
— 13mm Anti-Freak Combat Pistol, "Jackal"]
Ding.
[Level 2 Unlock: Shadow Manipulation]
Ding.
[New Skill Unlocked]
Alucard blinked once.
'…Shadow manipulation?'
Another thread lunged toward his throat.
He leaned back just enough to avoid it.
His grin sharpened.
'…How do I use it?'
Ding.
[Host Memory Restoration Progressing: 30%]
Something broke loose inside him.
Not physically.
Mentally.
Memories.
Ancient instincts.
Not learned.
Remembered.
Alucard's smile became something else.
Something older.
Something that did not belong in this era.
'…Ah.'
'I remember now.'
The arena darkened.
Not because the sun vanished.
Because the shadows deepened.
Behind Alucard, his shadow began to move.
Not following him.
Acting independently.
It stretched outward across the arena floor like liquid night.
Anansi stopped.
All of him.
Every spider froze mid-movement.
He felt it.
Danger.
Real danger.
The shadow rose behind Alucard like a living wall.
Then it split.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Thousands of tendrils of darkness spread outward.
Each one hunting.
Each one alive.
Anansi's spiders scattered instantly.
Fast.
But not faster than shadow.
The darkness caught one spider.
Then another.
Then another.
Each time, the shadow consumed them whole.
Anansi's voice echoed from everywhere at once.
"…Oh?"
"…Now this is interesting."
Alucard didn't move.
He simply stood there, hands in his coat pockets.
Relaxed.
Calm.
Dominant.
His glowing eyes scanned the arena.
And now—
He could see everything.
Through blood.
Through shadow.
Through war itself.
Every spider.
Every thread.
Every heartbeat.
Every intention.
Nothing was hidden anymore.
Up in the divine stands—
Odin's single eye narrowed.
Zeus leaned forward slowly.
Thor's grip tightened slightly on Mjölnir.
None of them spoke.
But all of them felt it.
That presence.
That pressure.
That thing wearing the shape of a man.
Back in the arena—
A shadow tendril suddenly pierced through a spider.
Anansi reformed instantly several meters away, landing lightly on the arena floor.
His grin was wider now.
Excited.
Thrilled.
"Ahhhh…"
He laughed softly.
"Yes."
"Yes, this is perfect."
"This is why I wanted you."
Alucard tilted his head slightly.
His smile was monstrous now.
Predatory.
Ancient.
Behind him, the shadow rose like the wings of a demon king.
"…Run," Alucard said calmly.
Anansi's grin widened.
He didn't run.
He attacked.
The entire arena exploded into motion.
And for the first time since the fight began—
Anansi understood.
He was no longer the hunter.
He was prey.
Ding!
[Skill Activated: Shadow Eater]
Rank: A
Effect: Devours matter, energy, and conceptual constructs.
The shadows screamed silently.
Even the gods felt it.
Alucard smiled.
"…Let's test this."
He moved.
Not fast.
Instant.
He appeared in front of Anansi and drove the Shadow Eater forward—
It struck.
It connected.
It devoured.
Anansi's torso began to collapse inward as the darkness consumed his divine flesh, erasing it from existence itself.
For the first time—
Anansi screamed.
A real scream.
Not theatrical.
Not playful.
Pain.
Real pain.
The arena trembled.
The sky cracked.
Reality itself reacted.
And then—
Anansi laughed.
Even as half his body was being erased, he laughed.
"…Yes."
"…Yes, this is enough."
His remaining eyes locked onto Alucard.
"You've earned it."
The world shattered.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
The spider body broke apart like glass.
Not dying.
Shedding.
Becoming something else.
Something older.
Something true.
Anansi's True Divine Form emerged.
He was no longer a spider.
He was no longer confined to flesh.
He was a towering, multi-limbed entity of divine threads and endless eyes, his form stretching beyond mortal dimensions, partially existing outside reality itself.
Each limb was made of story.
Each eye held a universe of lies and truth.
Each thread connected to something.
Fate.
Chance.
Narrative.
Existence.
His voice was no longer sound.
It was law.
"You forced me to become real."
---
Alucard froze.
Not physically.
Mentally.
Inside his head—
He screamed.
'WHY DID I DO THAT?!'
'WHY DID I PUSH HIM THIS FAR?!'
'HE WAS MANAGEABLE BEFORE!'
Ding!
[Because you're an idiot]
Alucard internally recoiled.
'EXCUSE ME?!'
[Host lacks self-preservation instincts]
[Recommendation: Improve intelligence]
'Alright, first of all, screw you.'
[Denied]
---
Up in the human stands—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
Panic.
"What… what is that thing?!"
"That's not a spider!"
"That's not even a creature!"
Brunhilde's eyes were wide.
Even she hadn't expected this.
"…He forced a primordial narrative god into his true form…"
Göll was shaking.
"…Is Alucard going to die…?"
---
In the gods' stands—
Zeus was smiling.
Wide.
Excited.
Thor's eyes were locked onto Alucard.
Odin leaned forward slightly.
"…He survived forcing Anansi's revelation…"
"…Interesting."
---
And then—
Carmilla.
She was calm.
Completely calm.
Her legs crossed elegantly.
Her red eyes watched Alucard with absolute confidence.
"…Of course."
The other vampires nearby looked at her.
"You're not worried?"
She smiled faintly.
"No."
"That man never does anything without purpose."
Her eyes narrowed slightly with pride.
"This is part of his plan."
---
Back in the arena—
Alucard stared at the true form of Anansi.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Death.
Oblivion.
This was not something he could overpower easily.
Not yet.
Anansi leaned down, his countless eyes focused on Alucard.
"You are afraid now."
Alucard answered honestly.
"…Yes."
Anansi smiled.
"Good."
---
Ding!
[Memory Restoration: 42%]
Ding!
[Restraint Level 1 Authority Fully Accessible]
Ding!
[Shape Shifting Available]
---
Alucard blinked.
'Shape shifting…'
Memories surfaced.
Not knowledge.
Instinct.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Right."
His body began to change.
His flesh melted into darkness.
His form grew taller.
His limbs lengthened.
His presence expanded.
His human disguise peeled away.
Not fully.
Not yet.
But enough.
His eyes glowed brighter.
His grin became inhuman.
Predatory.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
He was no longer pretending to be human.
He was becoming what he truly was.
The King of Vampires.
The shadow behind him rose higher.
Larger.
Alive.
Anansi stared.
"…Yes."
"…That form…"
"…That is closer to the truth."
Alucard's voice was deeper now.
Layered.
Multiple.
"…I really wish you didn't make me do this."
Inside his head—
'I REALLY REALLY WISH YOU DIDN'T MAKE ME DO THIS.'
Ding!
[Host made that decision]
'I KNOW, SHUT UP.'
---
The arena could no longer contain them.
Two monsters stood facing each other.
One—
A god of stories.
The other—
A monster that devoured them.
And neither was finished evolving.
---
Memory Restoration: 45%
Shape Shifting: Active
Darkness Eater: Stabilized
Warning: Further release may trigger Restraint Level 3
---
Far above—
Something smiled.
Something ancient.
Something watching Alucard wake up.
And it was pleased.