Hyakuya Sect Headquarters.
After completing today's examination, Hiiragi Shinya put his clothes back on, though the thin undergarment did little to hide his solid muscles.
He asked Bastia.
"When can I get out of here?"
Shinya's tone carried a sense of urgency; clearly, the ongoing experiments had left him feeling irritable.
Glancing at the brand new japanese sword at his waist, Shinya's eyes held complex emotions.
This was a cursed gear weapon, and the demon sealed within was none other than his most trusted former comrade—Ichinose Guren!
Bastia, who was looking over the experimental report nearby, didn't even lift his head as he replied impatiently.
"You ask every single day. It's really annoying, you know!"
Tucking the report into a file folder labeled 'Vampire and Cursed Gear Compatibility Experiments,' Bastia spoke again.
"The experiments are almost finished. Wait for Lord Rig to return and ask him yourself."
*Bang bang.*
Shinya and Bastia looked up toward the source of the sound.
Several Hyakuya Sect members were escorting Urd, standing at the laboratory entrance. One of them still had his hand raised, having just knocked on the doorframe.
"Lord Bastia, Lord Rig ordered us to bring him back."
Not many Hyakuya Sect members knew the name 'Rig,' but those who did were all trusted confidants, which was why Rig felt safe having them escort his old friend.
Not all members of the Hyakuya Sect were Vampires; in fact, humans made up the majority. Thus, even though they knew Urd was the Second Progenitor of the Vampires, they held no particular awe for him.
But the Sixth Progenitor, Bastia, was different. Even knowing Rig had plans concerning Urd, seeing Urd escorted like this into the Hyakuya Sect headquarters still left him deeply unsettled.
Bastia waved his hand.
"You may leave. I'll take it from here."
The group withdrew.
Urd fixed a hostile gaze on Bastia.
"You're still working under him."
Though tense, Bastia forced himself to reply calmly.
"Lord Rig can give us what we desire."
Urd said no more. His gaze shifted to Hiiragi Shinya standing nearby. Sensing something amiss, he frowned slightly.
This Vampire carried an extremely dense aura of a demon.
But that had nothing to do with Urd, and he had no spare time to inquire about Rig's experiments.
Merely being glanced at by Urd made Shinya feel the hairs on his body stand on end.
This guy could kill him as easily as slaughtering a chicken!
"Lord Urd, please follow me. The shackles you're wearing must be severely restricting you right now."
Expressionless, Urd followed behind Bastia. Being escorted like this by his own kind was a first for him.
Back when Rig left the Vampires, he had sought out Urd, even wanting Urd to leave with him to find a way to deal with the Progenitor.
Urd still remembered Rig's words from that day.
"Urd, come with me. The Progenitor has never seen us as family. He left quietly on his own, taking only those useful to him. I will make him truly see us, see the blood-sucking monster race he created! I can't do it alone. You are my most trusted friend. I need you!"
Urd only remembered the sun being very bright that day, and even Rig, standing in the shade, had seemed dazzlingly radiant.
But he had refused, solely because, as the Second Progenitor, he had a responsibility to the Vampires...
"Apologies, Lord Urd, but you'll have to stay in here for now."
Bastia's voice interrupted Urd's reminiscence, pulling his thoughts back to the present.
Bastia led him into a bland room and locked him inside.
Urd was not one to sit idly by and wait. As soon as Bastia left, he immediately began inspecting his surroundings.
His mind worked on figuring out how to escape.
Rig didn't want Urd interfering with his plans against the Progenitor, but Urd certainly wouldn't mind if Rig's provocations of the Progenitor led to disaster.
However, after a not-so-brief period of time, Urd finished examining the room, his expression turning grim.
There were simply no usable tools.
Just as Urd continued pondering, a commotion suddenly reached his ears.
"Dammit! Those two monsters are charging in!"
"Who didn't clean up their tracks properly?! Letting them trace us here?!"
Urd frowned.
What was going on? He had just been brought back, and already the Hyakuya Sect headquarters was under attack?!
"Lord Saito isn't here! Let's run!"
"Bastards!"
Curses and sounds of combat drew steadily closer. Urd also stood by the small window in the door, looking out.
Perhaps this was a chance to escape!
But then, a familiar voice reached Urd's ears.
"Tell me, where is Urd?"
"Bastia, just bring Urd out, and I won't make things difficult for you. I advise you not to get any clever ideas. With Rig reduced to just 'Ri,' you'd better not oppose me."
Urd was somewhat surprised. The voices of Krul and Luke!
Weren't those two trapped underground? They got out so quickly? And they even knew he'd been captured and brought to the Hyakuya Sect headquarters?
Countless doubts rose in Urd's mind.
Ten minutes earlier.
Krul and Luke hadn't caught up to the vehicle transporting Urd, but fortunately, they followed the trail on the road and found the Hyakuya Sect's address.
Those guys probably never imagined Krul and Luke could escape the Cursed Formation, so they hadn't bothered to conceal their tracks.
Looking at the entrance to the Hyakuya Sect headquarters, Krul cautioned Luke.
"Be careful. There might be anti-Vampire Cursed Formations here too."
Luke thought this made sense and nodded in agreement.
"You're the commander. Order me around to your heart's content!"
Luke wore an exaggerated expression, joking.
Krul glanced at Alucard but said nothing. Alucard, however, flew out, returning not long after. It bobbed its spherical body up and down toward Krul, as if nodding.
Krul stroked her chin, thinking. Luke watched, slightly dumbfounded.
Sure enough, the bond between Krul and Alucard was impressive—completely barrier-free communication.
Using no language at all, directly eliminating obstacles—wasn't that the very definition of 'barrier-free'!
It seemed Krul, seeing how handy he was at ordering Alucard and Kyle around, had also realized how convenient it was to command Alucard.
After understanding the results of Alucard's reconnaissance, Krul simply started walking in. Luke hurriedly stopped her.
"What are you doing?!"
Krul grinned mischievously.
"Defenses are weak. No traces of Cursed Formation deployment detected. Favors a hard charge!"
Watching Krul walk in without looking back, Luke was also somewhat taken aback.
But he quickly followed.
"Krul, did you and I swap scripts today?"
"Get lost!"
Luke rubbed his nose, somewhat embarrassed.
What followed was a one-sided rout. Aside from those with foul mouths, no one else suffered life-threatening injuries.
The only slightly troublesome ones were Hiiragi Shinya, who charged at Luke like a madman upon seeing him, and the Sixth Progenitor, Bastia.
You will get 30 chapter ahead for this fanfiction.
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