Hero of Darkness

Chapter 1148: The Bloodsuckers

Kahn looked at Allister Mor Vandereich, the person who, in a way, forced him to fake his death and abscond to the Vulkan Empire right after Kahn had solidified himself as the sovereign of Verlassen Fiefdom.

Back then, Kahn was in dire need of Saint Cores to become a saint and keep on ascending to become stronger over the years. Because sooner or later, the group called The Inquisitors would find his whereabouts and come to hunt him.

Even in the original timeline, first Kahn, aka the Martial Emperor was found by them as soon as he became a saint and had to run away, leaving behind everything he achieved, and could only return after he became an 8th-stage saint.

In this timeline, Kahn’s altered fate allowed him to form friendly terms with the Vandereich Clan out of pure luck, and after he won the Emperor’s Chosen tournament and became the sovereign of Verlassen fiefdom... he made a deal with the faction leader, Allister Mor Vandereich.

In the Rakos Empire, as one of the only three Peak 7th-stage saints, Allister Mor Vandereich held the position of Chief General of Military.

Thus, he had a lot of influence as both the leader of the Pureblood Faction and as the one who held the highest position in the empire’s biggest line of defense.

So after the faction leader made a deal with Kahn to have him retrieve the Tablet of Arcana... in return, Kahn asked for Saint Cores till he became at least a 6th-stage saint.

5 years ago, the terms of the deal were very beneficial to Kahn, who had set his roots in the empire and would eventually help him become strong without having to do his usual hunting, training relentlessly, and fighting strong opponents.

However... the hope of an easy life was shattered after he learned that whoever retrieves the Tablet of Arcana, which would evidently bind their soul with Rathnaar Whitlock’s half-soul... would eventually be killed to gain the ownership of one of the 6 ancient relics left by Demi-Gods of bygone eras. Thus, Kahn had no choice but to run.

Although his encounters in the Vulkan, Zivot, and Nadur empires had turned fruitful and made him many times stronger than he possibly could have if he stayed in the Rakos Empire... Kahn held a grudge because it was the one event where he was fooled, used and blindsided by someone.

First on Earth and now on Vantrea, this experience was something he still hadn’t forgotten and felt as if it was a fresh memory.

The one thing Kahn never forgot or forgave... was betrayal.

******************

Back to the present...

Kahn looked around the grand hall where thousands of powerful and influential people across the empire had come to attend this meeting.

Although it wasn’t their annual congregation like the Neutral Faction... for some reason, all the important figures of the Pureblood Faction were here.

”Oh, are you surprised to see me, you old bloodsucker?” asked Kahn with a contemptuous expression.

Because no one inside this headquarters knew what was happening in the outside world, thanks to Argos completely sealing off the premises of their headquarters.

”Thanks to you... I had to run and hide for quite some time.

I do have to give credit where it’s due though. No one has misdirected and used me this well for their own gain other than you in this life so far.

So I had to come here to settle down the score.” spoke Kahn in a grim and vengeful tone.

Soon, his eyes settled on the other familiar figures that attended this meeting.

”Hello there, Lord Ismatrazel.” said Kahn as he greeted the leader of the Vandereich Clan, who was also the son of Allister Mor Vandereich.

Back then, when Kahn formed the Bloodborne Blacksmithing company... Ismatrazel, the 4th-stage saint, also considered as the 2nd best swordsman of the Rakos Empire, was their main patron who helped settle their business and brought in a wide and extremely rich clientele.

At one point, this 180-year-old vampire lord, who looked like a man in his mid-30s because of their race... even offered to make Kahn his disciple.

But due to having his identity as Hero of Darkness, Kahn used the excuse of him being a human as a gateway to decline that offer.

So their relationship had stayed as mere business partners before Kahn became the sovereign of Verlassen.

And finally, his gaze rested on a young vampire with long, shoulder-length silver hair. It was the very person who led Kahn to meet these powerful figures of the empire.

Szayel Mor Vandereich.

The 61-year-old vampire who looked like a teenager and had now become a Semi-Saint magician after 5 years since Kahn had seen him last.

Kahn and Szayel met right after the former left the Flavot City and were heading to the capital Rathna. And Kahn ended up saving the latter’s life, leading to his introduction to Ismatrazel and evidently, Allister.

Behind Szayel was a young vampire woman who looked slightly older than him, but her eyes were almost lifeless, as if she had turned into a mere puppet.

Vivian Mor Vandereich... the half-sister of Szayel, who was the one behind the attack that Kahn saved Szayel from.

As for her punishment, she had been turned into Szayel’s slave, with her soul bound to the young vampire after her clan discovered her betrayal for joining hands with the traitors within the clan, who also struck alliances with enemies, namely the Demi-Human faction, for their personal vendettas.

All in all, Kahn was meeting all these familiar figures from his past as if he were having a family reunion on Christmas Eve or a Thanksgiving dinner.

After he was done looking around... Kahn brought out the Stigmata of Bloodlines.

He was going to have his revenge on the entire clan and make the guilty ones pay a hundredfold. It didn’t matter to him if an irrelevant party got entangled and suffered, like Szayel for example, in the wake of his vengeance.

”We... we can’t use it here.”

Suddenly, it was Argos who spoke up with a hesitant tone.

”Wait a minute... why isn’t he tied down by your powers and why does everyone here seem untouched?” asked Vildred to the Revenant Sovereign.

”Ah, well... it is complicated.

This Allister Mor Vandereich, you see...” spoke Argos while averting his gaze, scratching his chin with a guilty expression.

”Is my Disciple.”