parentshiftbook Chapter 478: Big Surprise?
Chapter 478: Big Surprise?
Nancy just shook her head and stopped herself from thinking any further. She did not want to think anymore. Her mind already felt exhausted. Too many impossible things had happened in less than a day and she genuinely felt like if she continued trying to organize them all, something in her head would break.She quietly sighed and looked toward Razeal again. He was standing there with one arm raised after announcing himself as king, and for the first time since she had known him... she noticed something strange. His lips were slightly curved upward.
Nancy blinked once. Then again.
Hmm... So he can smile after all, she thought quietly. Honestly, this might actually be the first time she had seen him look genuinely happy.
Usually his face always looked the same slightly scrunched, arrogant for no reason, weirdly cold, and somehow always carrying that dead expression like nothing around him mattered. Even while doing ridiculous things, his face rarely changed. So seeing even that tiny smile felt stranger than him killing a Supreme.
Though... if the requirement for making him smile was killing a Supreme with one sword strike... then yeah. Those standards were absurdly high. Pretty impossible too if she have to say.
Nancy quietly looked at him for another second. Only if she knew that none of this was actually why he was happy. Razeal was not smiling because he defeated a Supreme. He was smiling because he had just discovered his sword ranked beyond Cosmic Grade. If she knew that, her expression would probably become even stranger. Good thing she did not.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward Sofia. Sofia was floating nearby and surprisingly had a faint smile on her face too.
Nancy stared at her for a moment before suddenly remembering something Sofia had said earlier.
Honeymoon? With that guy? Nancy’s expression immediately flattened. Her imagination worked for half a second before she forcefully shook her head and pushed the image out. Nahhh. Too strange. Her face became weird for a moment before she looked at Sofia again and silently nodded to herself. Poor woman. Her eyes unconsciously became filled with pity.
Meanwhile Maria remained completely frozen. Her face still looked stuck between worry and relief. Just moments ago she genuinely thought Razeal might die. Her expression simply had not caught up yet. Her eyes slowly moved from Razeal’s raised hand... toward Zane’s body lying in blood.
Several seconds passed before she finally recovered. Slowly her usual arrogant and rude expression returned. She raised one hand and threw her blue hair behind her shoulder before clicking her tongue.
Hah... he should’ve told me earlier he could do that. Made me worried for nothing. The words escaped naturally before she suddenly paused. Her expression stiffened slightly and she looked away.
Well... not that I was worried. Yes. Obviously not worried. She crossed her arms and lifted her chin. And he should feel pretty sorry too. He wasted so many people’s time. She nodded to herself as if confirming her own words. Then her eyes slowly moved again. Toward the giant ash wall. Toward the endless strange structures. Toward the transformed battlefield. Her expression became weird again.
Confused. If he could do that... this easily... then why did he even make all this? She looked at the wall. Then all the strange buildings. Then back toward Razeal. Her expression became stranger and stranger before she finally gave up and shook her head. No. Not worth thinking.. He’s just a big weirdo.
Meanwhile down on the battlefield, Razeal slowly lowered his raised fist. He quietly waited for a moment.
Nothing happened. No cheering. No screaming. No celebration. His expression remained calm but somewhere deep down... he felt mildly disappointed. Though obviously none of it showed on his face.
He quietly looked around before simply turning and walking back toward Zane’s corpse. His eyes lowered as he stared at the body cut cleanly into two.
Now what? Razeal thought quietly. Actually... he already had something in mind. Without wasting another second, he slowly extended one hand toward the corpse. His crimson eyes remained calm as he softly whispered.
"Blood absorption."
The moment those words left his mouth, something changed. The blood pooled around Zane’s body trembled slightly. Then as if hearing a call it began moving. Thin streams slowly lifted from the ground and gathered together in the air. Dark red lines formed and started flowing toward Razeal.
The movement was strangely smooth. Not violent. Not forceful. Almost peaceful. Like water naturally returning to where it belonged. Slowly the streams reached his hand. Everyone watching silently froze.
Then the blood touched his palm. But instead of staining his skin... it.. It entered directly into his hand as if touching liquid instead of flesh. The red streams flowed into him naturally, vanishing without resistance.
And as the blood continued flowing into him, Razeal’s body suddenly shuddered. It was subtle at first barely noticeable but then another tremor followed. His shoulders stiffened slightly before relaxing again. His breathing changed. Not heavier, not uncontrolled... just slower.
His crimson eyes gradually deepened in color until they seemed brighter than before, carrying an almost unnatural glow. There was something strangely euphoric hidden beneath his otherwise calm expression. His lips parted slightly and his fangs quietly extended from behind his teeth on instinct alone.
The moment he felt it happen, his jaw tightened. Still, he controlled himself. His posture remained relaxed. His expression remained mostly blank. But there was a visible stillness around him now, as if all his attention had turned inward. The streams of blood continued entering through his palm and disappearing beneath his skin naturally, and with each passing second a faint satisfaction appeared in his eyes. Not hunger. Not madness. Just... enjoyment. Quiet and controlled.
"What is he doing?" Nerrisa asked quietly. Both she and Merisa still had not fully recovered from seeing Razeal kill Zane in one strike. Their minds were still processing that scene when they noticed movement below again. Nerrisa narrowed her eyes immediately and focused on the battlefield. Her interest sharpened. She watched the blood rise from the ground and gather into streams before entering Razeal’s hand. Her expression slowly became serious.
"That blood... it’s entering his body?" Her voice lowered further. "But why? What exactly is he doing?" She genuinely could not understand it. Nothing in her knowledge immediately explained what she was seeing.
Beside her, Merisa suddenly licked her lips.
The movement happened naturally.
Too naturally.
The moment she saw the blood... the moment she sensed it... something moved inside her body before she could stop it. Supreme blood. Even from miles away she could smell it. Not only smell it almost felt present in the air itself. Her throat tightened slightly. A deep craving surfaced instinctively. Not ordinary thirst. Something deeper. Older. Stronger. For one brief moment... she wanted it. Then her eyes widened slightly. Realization hit instantly. Her hand moved quickly and covered part of her face. Her breathing steadied. Control.
That movement though did not escape Nerrisa.
Nerrisa slowly turned her head.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh?" Her expression became curious.
She looked at Merisa for a second longer.
"What was that?" She asked.
That reaction...? Did she just lick her lips after seeing blood?
Nerrisa quietly stared at her. That was strange.
Very strange.
Merisa noticed the gaze immediately. From the corner of her eye she looked toward Nerrisa before slowly lowering her hand. Her heartbeat stabilized. Her face returned to its usual cold and controlled expression. She said nothing. Her eyes simply moved back toward the battlefield.
Nerrisa’s eyes narrowed further at that
She’s hiding something.That thought came naturally.
Interesting.
But what exactly?
Meanwhile Merisa carefully controlled even her breathing now. Earlier she was caught off guard. That reaction escaped naturally. This time she was ready. Her face remained expressionless as she quietly looked back down at Razeal.
Others might not understand.
But she knew.
She knew exactly what he was doing.
Absorbing blood.
Her eyes stayed fixed on him.
A vampire.
She remembered as what Razeal had told her.
What he became and what she became now.. A vampire.
No.. an Elder Vampire to be exact.
As same time remembering.. the taste if his blood.
Her throat moved instinctively.
A swallow escaped before she realized Immediately she froze.
Her eyes sharpened.
Control.
Nothing happened. She forced herself back. Nobody could know.
Especially not Nerrisa now right? Because Nerrisa already seemed suspicious. Already observing her.
Merisa quietly looked down again.
Why would he do this in front of everyone? Is he crazy? She screamed internally.
She genuinely could not understand. Showcasing his new racial characteristics outwardly to everyone?
While down on the battlefield, as Razeal continued absorbing the blood floating upward from the ground, suddenly
Ding!! Ding!! Ding!!
Multiple notifications materialized before him.
His eyes moved instinctively.
[BLOOD CONSUMPTION ~ IN PROGRESS]
Blood Accepted.
...
Beginning Assimilation.
Blood Quantity Consumed:
2.0 L...
2.5 L...
3.1 L...
Ongoing...
Blood Purity: 100%
Assimilation Success Rate: ...Calculating...
Bloodline Compatibility: HIGH
Ding!
[ Strength Increased ]
Ding!
[ Agility Enhanced ]
Ding!
[ Regeneration Rate Increased ]
[ Vitality Expanded ]
[ Blood Essence Stored ]
[ Lifespan Absorbed: +22 Years ]
Natural Unique Skill Activated:
[Blood Reading]
Residual Consciousness Detected.
Contents Identified:
• Combat Experience
• Personal Memories
• Emotional Records
• Knowledge Archive
Memory Integrity: ???
WARNING
Excessive synchronization may result in:
• Identity Drift
• Emotional Bleeding
• Foreign Impulses
Select an Action:
[ Devour Memories ]
[ View Memories ]
[ Convert to Knowledge ]
[ Archive ]
[ Destroy ]
[Skills Extraction: LOCKED / UNAVAILABLE ]
[Abilities Extraction: LOCKED / UNAVAILABLE ]
Reason:
[ Host Requirements Not Met ]
• Incompatible Energy System
• Incompatible Magic Framework
• Missing World Authority
• Insufficient Comprehension
Host Compatibility Status: None
Available Actions:
[ Archive ]
[ Seal ]
[ Attempt Conversion ]
SYSTEM NOTICE: Inherited ≠ Usable.
(Acquired powers are not guaranteed to become accessible. Certain conditions may remain permanently unattainable.)
[ Concept Resonance Detected ]
[Conceptual authority embedded within blood recognized.]
[Target possessed: LAW OF HARDNESS]
Attempting extraction probability...
Extraction possible. (Unlike all other abilities, Laws do not require replication of mechanisms or energy systems. Through complete blood assimilation, fragments of understanding, perception, and accumulated comprehension contained within the target’s existence can be inherited.)
Status: Usable
(Host can successfully obtained insight into the consumed Law.)
[Comprehension level would be inherited: equivalent to the level of the being whose blood was absorbed.]
Activation requirements detected. (Does the host wish to absorb the Law of Hardness based on the prior comprehension contained within the absorbed blood?)
[Yes / No]
[Note: Further understanding and mastery will naturally develop through usage and continued comprehension by the host.
Ding!!
[+ Blood Points stored]
[Blood Points: Extremely High (+ increased)]
Many notifications appeared one after another in front of Razeal’s eyes as he continued absorbing Zane’s blood.
The streams of dark red slowly flowed upward from the ground and disappeared beneath his skin while transparent system windows layered over each other endlessly. His eyes moved across them quickly, reading without stopping.
Ah... right blood Progenitor had told something like that. He remembered that.
At that time he did not think much of it. But now, seeing everything directly happening in front of him, he finally understood. His expression slowly became strange. Hah... wait. Just drinking blood gives this many advantages?
Truthfully, Razeal still did not understand the full meaning behind being a Vampire Progenitor. Most of what he did happened naturally. Instinctively. He never seriously explored or trained this side of himself. But reality was quietly showing him something now. Absorbing blood for someone like him had absurd value.
In truth he was receiving right now was nowhere near the limit of this ability. Experienced Vampire Progenitors could gain far more than this. This... this was only a fraction of what his bloodline could actually do. He simply had not trained enough. And even then, what he gained already surpassed ordinary vampires completely. Actually even Elder Vampires could not compare. Because the increase obtained from consuming and fully assimilating blood was fundamentally different. The quality itself existed on another level.
Like right now if Merisa absorbed Zane’s blood instead of him, the increase in strength and advantages she gained probably would not even reach a tenth of what Razeal was receiving at this moment. That realization quietly settled in his mind.
His eyes moved again toward the notifications.
Razeal narrowed his eyes and quietly examined himself. Did my strength and agility actually increase? He stood still and focused inward.
Then...
Oh yeah?
There was a difference. Small. Extremely small. Honestly not even half a percent. If he was not specifically paying attention, he would probably miss it. But it existed. His body felt slightly smoother. His muscles responded a little cleaner. His breathing felt easier. His reactions felt sharper. Nothing dramatic. No huge leap. But the increase was spread across his entire body instead of focusing on one place. It was small.. but complete.
It was real.
His entire body did felt stronger .
A complete, all-round enhancement.
Maybe... if he absorbed the blood of two hundred... three hundred Peak-Rank Supremes
Maybe if he did he could raise his stats, already standing at the peak of SS+, and step into the Supreme Rank physically? He doesn’t know?
At that thought his crimson eyes suddenly brightened.
A sharp crimson glint flashed through them.
For the first time since absorbing the blood
Razeal felt genuinely interested.
That... actually sounded exciting.
On the other hand, his vitality, lifespan, and regeneration had increased as well.
Razeal quietly looked through those notifications and acknowledged them before losing interest almost immediately.
Honestly... it was not really that big of a gift for him. Not because it was useless, but because compared to what he already was, the increase felt small. After all, he was already half immortal as a Vampire Progenitor. Adding lifespan onto something that already naturally existed outside normal limits felt like pouring a drop into an ocean. Regeneration too. His body was already abnormal compared to ordinary beings, so while the increase was definitely real, he could not bring himself to feel excited over it.
Still... more was more. He was not someone who complained about becoming stronger. His eyes moved lower and stopped at the memory section. Combat experience, Personal memories, Emotional records, Knowledge archive and all Razeal quietly stared for several moments before immediately dismissing the idea of viewing or devouring them.
No thanks. The moment he saw Memory Integrity marked with question marks, his interest disappeared. The system itself had already warned him.
Identity drift, Emotional bleeding, Foreign impulses.. None of those sounded attractive. He had no interest in killing someone only to end up carrying their personality afterward. Imagine winning a battle and then suddenly becoming emotional over someone else’s memories. Sounds stupid.
He already had enough things inside his own head.
Still... he did not destroy them. His eyes stopped at Archive before selecting it. Maybe it would become useful later. Actually... his eyes narrowed slightly. Wait.
Can memories be transferred? The thought appeared suddenly. His expression became thoughtful. Like... taking all the training, combat experience, instincts, habits, battlefield understanding, and practical knowledge Zane built throughout his life and giving that to someone else? Wouldn’t that be absurd? Someone receiving decades... maybe century... of experience instantly?
That sounded dangerous. Interesting. And honestly... kind of funny. He quietly stored the thought somewhere in the back of his mind. Remember later. Test later. For now.. ignore.
His attention moved downward again. Skills extraction locked. Abilities extraction locked. Mild disappointment appeared on his face. That would have been ridiculously useful. Imagine absorbing enemy blood and collecting thousands of techniques.
Winning one battle and becoming stronger every single time. That honestly sounded unfair. Sadly... not in his favor. At least not in this stupid world. His expression flattened slightly. This world really felt cursed for him sometimes. Like yeah... of course. After suffering all those years unable to use this world’s magic system... surely this would also be restricted. His thoughts turned slightly bitter for a moment before calming again. But honestly... reasonable.
And after thinking more, he stopped caring. It was not like he lacked abilities anyway. Even if the system suddenly handed him every single technique and skill Zane possessed... would he actually use them? Probably not. Most likely not. He already had too many skills and all.
Adding more would just become messy. So he let it go. But then... his attention slowly stopped at something else.
Law extraction possible? His eyes paused. His expression changed slightly. Now this... this surprised him.
Can I actually do that? He quietly stared. He had always assumed things from this world simply rejected him. Like the world itself disliked his existence. Its systems. Its rules. Its magic.
So seeing this... he found it strange.
Maybe... one simply could not stop someone from touching something as fundamental as laws. Maybe laws were different. After all... if this world completely rejected him... then why could he breathe its air? Why could he stand under its gravity? Eat its food? Exist inside it? Maybe only certain systems rejected him. Not everything.
The thought appeared... then quietly passed. He did not think too deeply. His eyes lowered toward the option.
Yes or No.
His expression did not even change. Like... who would reject this? Absorb comprehension of a law. Receive understanding directly at Zane’s level.
That was not even a question. Without hesitation, he selected yes.
Immediately the panel changed.
[ Confirmation Received ]
[Beginning inheritance.]
Decoding comprehension .
Synchronizing understanding .
....
Success.
Ding!!
A new notification appeared before Razeal’s eyes.
[Congratulations host for gaining a new skill: Law of Hardness (SSS)]
Law of Hardness (SSS)
Type: Concept / Law (Passive–Active)
Rank: SSS
Affinity: Matter, Will, Resistance, Structure
Evolution Path: Unknown (Depends on comprehension)
Description: The user gains understanding over the concept of Hardness not merely physical durability, but the conceptual principle itself. Host has embodied the Law of Hardness.
By thought and touch, host can enhance anything with the Law of Hardness.
At full authority, the user may impose "hardness" onto reality itself.
Host is currently far from this level.
Further growth requires deeper understanding of the Law.
Razeal raised an eyebrow slightly while reading the notification. So... it actually worked. He quietly looked at the panel for a few moments without reacting much outwardly, but inside he understood something immediately. The feeling entering him right now felt familiar. He had felt something similar before. When reviving both Flow and Killing Intent skills.
Afterall both were SSS ranked abilities and both, at their core, were laws too. The difference was that those started from almost nothing. Step by step. Piece by piece. This time was different. This time he was not starting at the beginning. What entered him was already shaped. Refined. Built upon the level of understanding Zane had accumulated throughout his own life. Not mastery.. but comprehension. It felt strange. Not foreign. Just... information settling naturally where it belonged.
By now he had completely absorbed all of Zane’s blood.
Razeal looked at his hand quietly.
Then decided to test it.
Slowly, he extended his palm outward.
A small amount of blood seeped out from the center of his hand and floated upward, gathering into a thin circular shape before compressing and changing form. Under his control, it stretched and condensed until it became a small dagger roughly the size of his hand. It still looked unstable at first. Dark red. Semi-liquid. Slightly transparent.
Razeal looked at it.
Then quietly spoke.
"Blood Hardening,"
As be said he applied the Law of Hardness onto the dagger.
The change happened immediately. The small dagger floating above his palm, which moments ago still looked unstable and unfinished, suddenly became completely still. Before, it had only barely held shape dark red blood gathered and forced into the outline of a blade, its edges soft, its surface carrying that unmistakable liquid feeling as though one touch would make it collapse back into droplets.
But the moment the law settled onto it, the change happened instantly. The blood compressed inward and hardened all at once. The softness disappeared completely, as if the concept itself had been removed. The surface became smooth. Reflective. Dense. What remained was no longer blood pretending to be a weapon it actually looked like one. A deep crimson crystal-like dagger floated above his hand, dark red reflections moving across its polished surface. It looked cold. Sharp and Extremely hard.
Razeal slowly reached forward and caught the dagger. Then he tightened his grip. Nothing happened. No bending. No softness. No deformation. Not even the slightest crack appeared. His eyes moved slightly. That... was interesting.
His grip strength alone was enough to reshape metals stronger than steel. Something like titanium under enough force would not remain unchanged in his hands. Yet this thing made from his own blood did not react at all. His thumb lightly brushed along the edge. Solid, Stable and Sharp. His lips slowly curved upward.
"...Nice." His mood visibly improved. This was useful. Very useful. Actually, his testing satisfied him far more than expected. For a moment, he completely forgot he was standing in the middle of a battlefield. Forgot thousands of eyes were watching. Forgot people could clearly see everything he was doing.
Far away in the sky, Nerrisa’s platinum eyes suddenly flashed. Her gaze sharpened instantly and locked directly onto Razeal’s hand. She sensed it immediately.
Law energy? Of Hardness? Her expression slowly changed.
Then her smile widened. Beautiful Yes.. But very wrong.
There was something uncomfortable in that smile. She had watched everything. First he absorbed Zane’s blood through some unknown method she had never seen before. Then moments later he used the exact same Law Zane had comprehended? Her narrowed eyes slowly brightened. Her breathing became quieter. Her fingers unconsciously curled against her arm.
There can’t be that big of a coincidence... can there? Her thoughts moved quickly. Blood. Absorption? Law. Inheritance? Her smile widened further. That was impossible. Completely impossible. And yet she had watched it happen in front of her own eyes. Slowly, curiosity became interest. Interest became fascination.
Not toward the ability. Toward the boy standing below. Her eyes stayed fixed on Razeal for too long. Not admiring. Not emotional. Just... watching. Like she was trying to understand what he really was. Like she wanted to peel away layers and find out what existed underneath. That impossible ability. That strange smell of blood. That ridiculous growth. That unfamiliar law fluctuation. Piece after piece kept stacking together inside her mind.
Then suddenly she turned toward Merisa with visible excitement.
"Seems like..." she laughed softly, almost under her breath, "...I’m not the only one who steals things, Merisa. Am I right?" Merisa paused. Just slightly. But she noticed something immediately. Nerrisa looked strange. Not amused. Not shocked. Not jealous. Interested. Too interested. Nerrisa looked back toward Razeal and spoke again quietly.
"...Your son looks like he takes after me more than you." Merisa’s eyes narrowed. Nerrisa tilted her head before suddenly laughing softly again.
"My daughter’s taste..." She covered part of her mouth. "It Seems...was surprisingly accurate." Her gaze stayed on Razeal. Didn’t move.
"This suits..." Her smile widened again. Slowly. Dangerously. "So well with our imperial blood." Then she finally turned toward Merisa and looked directly at her. Her platinum eyes looked brighter now. Too bright. There was no warmth in them. Only fascination. Like someone discovering a creature they thought should not exist. Like someone finding something impossibly rare and immediately becoming unwilling to look away.
Merisa quietly stared back at her. Then a small frown slowly appeared on her face. Something about that expression bothered her. She knew Nerrisa. Too well. Nothing held her interest for long.
Nothing impressed her. Most things bored her. But right now... she was looking at Razeal in a way Merisa had never seen before. Like she had found something she wanted to understand. Or worse. Something she wanted to keep watching.
Merisa did not understand why, but suddenly she disliked that look. Her eyes quietly shifted toward Razeal before returning to Nerrisa. A strange protective feeling rose in her chest. Quiet. Instinctive. She answered calmly.
"Calm yourself down, Nerrisa."
Her voice remained controlled. But this time her eyes stayed on her.
——