Nameless King

"Vlad, it's time to fulfill part of our deal." Wain said seriously.

"Of course, now I will give you the souls I received at Giant Waterfall, and after the banquet, I will teach you the ritual by which you will determine the purity of the blood."

"Okay, you'll get a liter of blood after the banquet. I'm too weak for that right now."

"Of course, moreover, nothing tastes better than blood with a little alcohol. It has a wonderful, intoxicating effect." Vlad smiled and poured some more whiskey into his glass. Then he held out his hand and a great many souls flew out of it.

They were souls taken not only from those who had fought on the bridge but also from the lower level at the foot of the waterfall.

Wain had never seen so many souls before. They filled most of the hall and were virtually every color except orange. Getting a Legendary Soul was a real feat that not everyone was capable of.

Normally Vlad would have sent the collected souls to the vault. There were many more there than he was going to give to Wain. Vlad, unlike Wain, could not absorb all the souls at once and spent his time only processing the most valuable copies.

Vlad snapped his finger, and the souls went to Wain. They poured into him in a powerful stream. His eyes shone like lanterns, and his hair went up.

[Received Title - Soul Collector

You managed to retain more than ten thousand souls at once. This shows that you are a good judge of souls and, most importantly, you know how to harvest them. You go the way of the collector who knows what he wants.

*You get 10% more Soul Essence when you absorb souls]

Vlad gave Wain eleven thousand souls, which was a huge number for most creatures. Even for warriors who often fight in arenas, achieving this was unbelievable. A person had to win time after time and never lose to avoid losing all your souls. Only strong warriors like Vlad could do that.

"I didn't expect it to be so much."

"Of course, the easiest way to earn it is to fight in arenas. Eh, too bad I can't absorb all those souls at once... wait... you can do it. Right?"

"Yeah." Wain nodded, "Consider that the one big plus among the ocean of minuses of being a human."

"Tell me more about that!" Vlad was ecstatic. He only now fully realized that before him was a member of a long exiled race that many people did not know existed.

Vlad wanted to get more information about it because it was priceless and rare knowledge. Only Wain could tell him about it.

"Perhaps some other time. I appreciate your kindness, but it is not enough that I reveal my secrets to you." Wain said seriously.

"Of course I understand, in which case let's change the subject."

"Vlad, I'm surprised you're so honest. Wouldn't it have been better for you to grab me and use me as a living blood vessel?"

Wain understood that his blood attracted Vlad. It was logical and obvious given the vampire's reaction when he tasted Wain's blood.

"Huh, is this a test to see if I'm an idiot or not?" Vlad was amused by this situation, "The loyalty of my word is dearer than a moment's gain. Moreover, only a fool meeting a human would try something like this. It's the same as catching an incredibly rare fish and, instead of researching it and getting to know it better, the same day roasting it to a crispy crust. It probably won't even taste good, then what's the point?"

"I see, but don't you have a desire for endless access to my blood?"

"Of course, there is. I'm a vampire, and it's natural, but as I said before, it would be pointless."

Wain smiled weakly. He liked Vlad's answer. Wain believed that the truth existed and many could be honest, but not because they chose to be a noble knight, but because the truth was profitable.

In Wain's opinion, only this kind of truth was safe. He could not believe that a man would not betray him just because it went against his moral principles.

"Vlad. You're back." A voice came from behind him.

A tall girl with long red hair and eyes entered the guest room. She was beautiful and sexy at the same time, like a succubus. She had a lush bosom and a stern and arrogant look.

"Ah, Ellen, you are as tactless as ever." Vlad muttered without even looking in her direction.

"Who was it that you brought? Why didn't you report it?"

"Hmm? I don't have to report to you."

"Maybe, but you've been gone for a month. Hell, you didn't even show up when the worlds merged! You came back today, but you didn't even pay attention to your family. Do you don't care that much about us?"

Vlad's eyes became cold as ice, and he said menacingly, "Shut your mouth."

Several electric bolts of lightning appeared around him, and a powerful pressure emanated from him.

Ellen shuddered and suddenly found it hard to breathe.

Ellen was the eldest daughter of the Tran Family, but she was younger and weaker than Vlad. He was strong enough to stand up to the family father, which was very rare among noble vampires. Though she was his younger sister, Ellen had to abide by the chain of command.

"Forgive me..." Ellen said with difficulty, and Vlad eased the pressure.

"I go where and when I want. I got strong not because I got lucky but because I fought for days and weeks in arenas like a real warrior while the rest of us drank blood and slept in coffins. I love my family, but nothing is more important than strength. Without strength, I can't be sure I can protect you, which means I have no confidence in my love. Don't you still understand such a simple truth?"

Ellen swallowed with fear and bowed low.

"I regret my words."

Vlad waved his hand, "Don't worry. You can join us at the banquet if you want, but for now, go away. You're in the way."

Ellen nodded and headed for the exit.