Hunt In Reverse

Crown Mountain was crawling with agents, it was like an ant colony that had stumbled upon a picnic.

Vampire Hunters in plain clothes were inspecting the Crown Mountain disciples one by one. Among them was the very same disciple who had previously clung to Chandra's leg like a lovesick koala, begging for help. Now, his face was pale, his eyes wide with fear, but he wisely offered no resistance to the inspection.

The moment they had raised their swords against H.A.R.M., they had become enemies of the people. They were fortunate to have their lives spared.

Although joining H.A.R.M. was a bit sudden and meant they had to follow orders and become hounds for the government, the Crown Mountain disciples, recalling the ancestral sword and the resentment in the Angry Sword Elder's dying breath, found their former "freedom" less appealing.

Even the two white-haired Crystal Realm elders now donned H.A.R.M.'s black uniforms, standing silently behind General Grant.

Other agents carried chests filled with martial arts manuals, alchemy recipes, and precious medicines from the various halls, transporting them down the mountain in an orderly fashion.

A lone leaf drifted through the vast mountain gate, a poignant reminder of the school's downfall.

Chandra led me back to Hanes Valley, where we had previously camped.

"Kane, get a good night's rest," Chandra said. "Tomorrow, we return to Cascadia. Apply this medicine to your wounds, even those deep within your flesh. You'll be healed within three days. Don't hesitate to use these Crown Mountain medicines. No need to be stingy."

"Thank you, Brother Banerjee," I replied, grateful for the colonel's guidance and generosity.

I accepted the medicine bottle and entered my tent.

The golden eagle agents glanced at me, then silently rose, forming a protective circle around the tent.

Chandra Banerjee shook his head, a wistful smile on his face. It was the first time he had been called "Brother Banerjee," and likely the last. Once back in Cascadia, he'd be the one addressing Kane as "sir."

The night was silent, the only sound the wind rustling through the ravaged forest.

Inside the tent, I sat cross-legged, my face illuminated by LED strips.

I removed my jacket, revealing my muscular torso. A faint golden glow emanated from my wounds.

I uncorked the bottle of medicine, my brow furrowing as I applied the black ointment to my wounds. My lips twitched involuntarily. I wasn't immune to pain; I simply preferred not to show it. A wounded beast was easy prey.

The old Leviasaur was dead, but its grumpy relatives were still out there, probably sharpening their claws and plotting revenge. Caution was necessary. It would be a shame to waste my hard-earned three-hundred-year lifespan on some silly mistake.

"Besides a Crystallization technique," I mused, "I need to learn more body tempering techniques."

I couldn't deny the excitement of my promotion, but the prospect of spending three years by the general's side was less appealing.

The man was incredibly powerful; any vampire who dared to challenge him would be a formidable opponent. I couldn't rely on luck and stolen kills forever.

I recalled how confident the Crown Mountain Headmaster had been, with his thousand disciples and elders, believing they could trap the H.A.R.M. general. Yet, a mere breakthrough had been enough to shatter their formation and end their resistance. It was a sobering reminder that power was relative, and complacency was a one-way ticket to an early grave.

My curiosity grew about this realm I was only a "half-step" away from reaching. Three years seemed an eternity. What if it took five years, or ten, or even longer?

Besides, with my ample supply of absorbed lifespan, it was time to experiment with those Mind Shards. Who needs friends when you can have a panel of vampire advisors?

I summoned the system interface, eager to see the goodies awaited me.

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 3,264 years. Mind Shard available.]

[Mind Shard: An object that gathers the fragmented consciousness and memories of a vampire from its life. When used while channeling martial arts techniques, it can draw upon the vampire's mind to deduce and refine those techniques. Consuming it has the effect of prolonging life and enhancing longevity.]

One Mind Shard for every thousand years, I urged. Don't disappoint me.

Even if I couldn't deduce a Crystallization technique, I needed to gain tangible progress.

With a deep breath and a grimace, I focused my mind, channeling my will and expending a thousand years of lifespan in a single, agonizing instant. I winced, my hands clenching involuntarily. These Crown Mountain medicines are useless, I grumbled. Not even a pain-relieving effect.

[Remaining Mind Shard: 1]

After a moment's hesitation, I infused the Mind Shard into the Melting Sun Furnace.

It was painfully clear that both H.A.R.M. and the factions guarded their Crystallization techniques like a dragon hoarding its gold. Acquiring one in the short term seemed impossible.

I remembered Chandra's words, but he hadn't exactly placed much emphasis on them. And for good reason! If it were that easy, the "Four Families, Six Organizations" of Cascadia wouldn't be so high and mighty.

Even with concrete evidence of the Crown Mountain Headmaster's collusion with vampires, this incident would likely provoke retaliation from other factions.

H.A.R.M. generals could withstand that kind of pressure, but I wasn't so sure about myself.

...

[Year 1: You use Mind Shard to wake up vampire consciousness as you try to open a new orifice and explore the potential of Melting Sun Furnace.]

[Lifespan increase by 20 years.]

Well, that's something, I thought, feeling a slight boost in my energy.

[Year 2: You have no clue how to proceed. The young foxvamp is awaken, it tells the External Crystal legend of Foxland, giving you a glimmer of inspiration.]

[Year 5: You finally understand the concept of External Crystal, but the young fox vampire's limited knowledge prevents you from deducing the specific method.]

[Year 30: Maple Rex is awaken, recalling a sinister technique from the water tribe that aligns with the External Crystal method. It imparts this knowledge to you.]

[You successfully open a new orifice.]

[Year 93: With the help of the vampire's consciousness, you attempt to integrate this technique with the Melting Sun Furnace.]

[You open another orifice.]

[Year 208: The young Leviasaur's consciousness help you perfect the final step, naming it the Vampire Devouring External Crystal Technique.]

[Crystal Realm - Vampire Devouring External Crystal Technique (untrained)]

[Melting Sun Furnace, formed from 275 orifices, grows increasingly perfect.]

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 2,056 years.]

[Remaining Lifespan: 316 years.]

... ...

A tidal wave of information surged into my mind, overwhelming my senses.

With a sudden crack, the medicine bottle in my hand shattered.

My pupils constricted, my breath inexplicably hot, and my mouth dry. It was a long moment before I could regain my composure and suppress the shock reverberating through my core.

Even though I already knew the general effects of the Mind Shard, the sheer magic of it still boggled my mind. It could actually awaken the consciousness of those vampires I'd slain, allowing them to temporarily rise from the abyss of oblivion and, in turn, answer my questions and impart their knowledge to me.

I thought it usually took hundreds or even thousands of years to deduce a martial arts technique, I mused, still reeling from the influx of information. Not anymore? This is game-changing!

But... I paused, a nagging doubt creeping into my mind. Why does the name of this Crystallization technique sound so strange?

In the next moment, a vast torrent of information crashed into my mind, forcing me to tightly close my eyes and brace myself against the onslaught. It took me a long while to sift through the deluge of knowledge and piece together the puzzle.

When I finally opened my eyes, a strange glint flickered in my dark blue pupils, a mixture of excitement and concern.

With the help of these vampire remnants, what I had deduced wasn't some conventional Crystallization technique at all. To be precise, it was another deviant shortcut, a way to forcefully break through the Wave Realm!

Vampires rarely practiced traditional martial arts. They relied more on their innate talents and sinister techniques, honed over centuries of bloodsucking and skulking in the shadows. Combining these with the Melting Sun Furnace, the result was naturally anything but orthodox.

The beginning was similar to what I had guessed, condensing my jade dew essence into a crystal through a mystical process. So far, so good.

But the rest was a wild detour from the beaten path.

The External Crystal wouldn't connect to my network of chambers and orifices like a well-behaved energy source. Instead, it would hover over my essence pool, a separate entity confined by the Melting Sun Furnace!

And since it was separate from my essence veins, it couldn't absorb essence from the cosmos.

This External Crystal could only be sustained by devouring vampire cores, forcefully absorbing their vampire power.

Once depleted, it would need to be replenished through further slaughter, an endless cycle of violence and consumption. The name, Vampire Devouring External Crystal, was truly fitting.

I couldn't help but grin. It was perfect for me.

Slay vampires, steal their lifespan, devour their cores, and absorb their power. It was the ultimate recycling program, nothing wasted.

I retrieved the two Leviasaur cores.

If I understood correctly, consuming the Crystal Realm Leviasaur core would instantly grant me power equivalent to a Crystal Realm vampire, until its essence was depleted.

My heart pounded with excitement, a drumbeat of anticipation echoing through my veins. I dismissed any lingering concerns about demonic influence. My essence was already tainted with a touch of darkness, thanks to my Blood Evil talent. If anything, this vampiric technique would only amplify my power.

I simply found it hard to believe.

If I could absorb one core, why not two? Could I, with a single Vampire Devouring External Crystal, become a super-powered, vampire-devouring, Crystal Realm-surpassing, unstoppable force of nature? The possibilities were as tantalizing as they were terrifying.

Even the technique's sole flaw seemed like a cosmic joke.

The External Crystal needed vampire cores for sustenance. But didn't Crystal Realm experts also rely on elixirs refined from vampire cores? They simply added an extra, step.