Eren was walking on empty dark alley when, suddenly he heard electrical wiring sound from behind.
His intution kicked in an instant as he saw large monster manifesting before him, eren knew the monster was being teleported.
But alley was too small and monster bird was way to big to fit in. But there was nothing anybody could do.
Eren saw burning bird crashing on both sides, and small house or shops that were present instanly turned to rubbles and dust.
Eren could imagine how fearsome that monster was, but more thatln awe, he was afraid. Because with involuntarily blasted buildings, huge clouds of dust rose that blocked his vision.
His mana sense instinctively kicked in but that didn't help with what happened next,
Dust showed no sign of settling down, and amidst eren was trapped for a second in which bird felt nauseating. Unable to hold it, it vommited and eren was on direct sight of vomit attack.
Eren barely had time to react, and so he was vaporised by strong acidic stomach juice. The monster bird was momentarily relaxed or rather weakned. It screeched in pain and fell on its head.
Eren felt that he was dead once again, or rather his body was destroyed yet he could think and so he also knew his body was being reformed.
on next second he opened his eyes, the speed at which he regenerated seemed even faster than before, he was even faster than madman in this passive skill. But why? Eren didn't knew.
He only knew that right now, he came back to life with acid under his feet and his clothes didn't. His feet burned, demateralising at visible corrosion and it hurt, hurt like hell. But Eren didn't make a sound, he clenched his jaw tight, even stopped his breathing as to not alert monster bird and carefully jumped on a large stone that was still on process of melting and hasn't melted just yet.
Once finding a safe spot, eren took a soft breath as his body healed in next Instant.
Eren was confused but then a thought came to his mind,
' This monster is blind but what if it can use mama sens-' Before even his thoughts could be completed, glazing speed of monster neck bite on his upper torso.
Eren hardly felt any pain, but when in next instant he came to complete life again with his head and horns, he saw a beautiful figure standing on where there was monster just a moment ago.
Dust had cleared a bit, it gave only glimpse at her face and nothing else. Her blue hair and eyes were beautiful yet her wounded face expressed no beauty.
She gazed at him back and vanished, leaving just how she came, Spontaneously.
And eren was once again left alone in the alley, but now alley was broken, people were coming out to see what was going on. And most Important, he was now left naked.
******
On the ravaged western dumpyard, wiring sound buzzed and a light shone. With it came Evelyn.
Her body had deep wounds of claws here and there as she bled, this made her look pale and very vampiric.
' Luckily no would is fatal, so my death will last painfully longer.' she imagined as her body heated up again.
Her body didnt show any signs and symptoms but there was violent energy crashing inside of her. And the pain had just begun.
' There is no gurantee if I'll even make it out alive but if somehow I did, I could turn maniac.' She thought, standing on crater where Elizabeth had stood before she self detonated.
Similar thoughts ran inside evelyn's head as well,
' You had it easy elliy.' Sadness brought memories and memories brought more sadness.
As she was drowned in sorrow, time passed. Pain became unbearable and mind became hazy, untill she couldn't tell what was her surrounding.
And then she exploded into flames, unable to hold it in any longer.
.
.
.
.
Her death was not painless, but she fought to the bitter end.
But then this wasn't over just yet,
There was nothing to see but mana moved around it, Concentrated around it and with it brought visible changes.
An emptyness was being filled by material that came out of nowhere. It was hard to notice with all the etheral shine of concentrated mana around it. And soon it was covered by a caccoon like thin frame.
Next second, caccoon developed another layer around it. A black lustreless and patternless shell. Now it looked like a black egg.
And then the egg settled on the crater.
The egg needed mana, and this place was brimming with it. Thousands of dead strong cultivators and their mana that soon mixed in air, temporarily enhancing the surrounding mana density.
The egg hungrily absorbed mana, evolving into something more divine.
******
Eren changed his direction, He couldn't go home like this.
Luckily, Lucas and Jensen stayed close.
The problem he had was,
' How should I even explain this?' Eren thought running as he feared being noticed naked in middle of cla cold night.
It would not just be weird but perverse, He didn't wanted that to happen.
Ofcourse with few more turns of maze like alleys, eren finally reached a single room home. It was outside the vicinity of other residents, alone and pitiful.
Eren knew how that felt, being outcast even in poverty. Ofcourse eren had no such thoughts for now.
Knock..
Knock..
" Jensen, lucas, it's me Eren." knocking on the door eren made his prensense known, he didn't wanted to scare them by mystery.
Jensen instantly opened the door, they had reached just a minute ago as well. And watching eren standing naked was not what he expected.
Jensen looked eren from uptodown,
His eyes involuntary avoided eren yet he sneaked glances to confirm that he was really there,
His reaction compelled nolan to walk up, he had same reaction as Jensen. Confused watching eren naked and llthen laughed,
" Hahaha..."
" What? someone robbed you??"
His laugh brought another stinger of annoyance, but eren didn't answer. Their imagination should atleast make them guessing and by not answering, eren would appear too shy to tell his disgrace. That's exactly what he wanted, to not explain anything.
Eren stepped inside, closing the door behind.
" Do you have any spare clothes?" he asked, Jensen instantly dashed to a corner where he had placed his clothes in a chest.
Meanwhile nolan had his sweet time gawking on eren's shame,
Suddenly his laughter died down, looking down. Eren didn't care how it happened but he was glad, he was also glad that Lucas was fast asleep on the another corner of house.
Jensen brought few pair of clothes, shirts and shorts. Unsual for pair but he only had shirts for upper clothing, even in his own home he only wore shorts or simple he avoided wearing it home so he would save money.
Eren wore the shorts, hiding his rocket that still looked impressive even above shorts.
Nolan clicked his tongue in annoyance as he avoided looking down on eren, and looking at grumpy nolan, eren had sense of arrogant superiority. Eren realised something as well, one's own validation fell short most of time, even other's compliment fell short, because jealousy of others spoke louder than any compliment.
Like right now, he knew he was big for his age. And had compliments from every woman he slept with and he took pride in it, he enjoyed it but when nolan's laughter died down, that just felt something else entirely.
Unaware from their thoughts, jensen was just worried that eren was dealing with something troublesome. First the truck accident and now this,
" Eren, What happened?" He asked worried, only then that eren looked at him, putting his thoughts aside with awkward smile.
" Please don't ask, Only assurance I can give is that it wasn't anything too serious." Eren avoided, lying to him just felt wrong. Jensen was such personality, with him eren felt responsible yet free. He could tell him all and he would believe it, but that also meant involving such simple guy in his own roller coster of life, which eren desperately wanted to avoid due to obvious reasons.
" Someone must've robbed him?, Want me to drop you home little boy?" nolan criticised, teasing eren at his failure.
Eren realised something else as well, his phone was gone. Corroded in strong acid. Now he had no way to contact Marco.
Eren sighed another big one, that was trouble.
He was already away for more than 24 hours, and now he couldn't even be contacted. Especially at night in vampire continent where night were lively and horrific
And knowing marco, Eren was sure he'll be running miles. Contacting everyone eren was in touch with, the list was short.
Eren looked at Jensen with difficult expression and took the shirt he still held in his hand, and wore it.
" I've to go." Eren was already leaving the home when nolan grabbed his shoulder from behind.
" Not so fast, Jokes aside eren. Outside at this hour is dangerous. Why don't you stay the night?" His words carried weight, unlike before where he sounded notorious.
Eren turned back and shook his head,
" No, my phone is gone and I haven't been home for long. Any more and they'll inform police."
" Is that so?.... Then let's go."
" No, It's okay."
" Says the guy who came here naked." His words left no space for eren to argue,
" Jessy, I'll be back in a minute."
" I wish I could come but i've to look out for lucas." Jensen apologised, to both eren and nolan. But both denied it understandably.
" Its fine jessy."
" Yeah, and nolan it's not far. I can manage on my own you know."
Eren was adamant but nolan didn't answer, he was already walking out to open.
Eren didn't say anything and followed.
Along the way,
Again in the dark alley, eren avoided taking the route from where he ran away.
But the alley's were interconnected at several junctions, and commotion was too big to walk out without noticing.
Luckily, nolan also avoided crowd. He didn't wanted to be recognised, that would raise another commotion and he would be centre of it. He didn't want that.
He only heard what was being conveyed in, crowd, nothing useful and only assumptions.
Some spoke of notorious criminals, while some assumed it to be a monster attack. In both cases, same question came to face ,where did they go? And nobody had answer.
Ignoring the crowd, eren headed back to his home and nolan followed, keeping his head low to not get recognised.
Within few minutes of walking around maze of alleys, They finnally reached their destination.
And as he suspected, there were cars outside the home, lots of cars.
Eren was about to invite nolan inside but when he looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. And at that moment the door opened, Jasmine came out hurried to where eren stood.
" Where were you?, What happened?" She was worried, but also angry.
She wore elegant full length dark amythest stress with golden jewelleries, she looked beautiful than usual.
Ofcourse eren was still thinking about nolan, who left abruptly. But eren could understand his feelings.
Eren had the same presense, he attracted gazes wherever he stood. So did nolan, On top he was a celebrity. It was obvious if he lingered even a bit more, Marco and his guests would drag him inside.
Somehow nolan had guessed it as well and left, without much noise.
" Let him be, we'll talk to him later." Said Marco, coming out of home.
He wore, black suit and styled his short hair. And indeed he looked charming, someone who hosted this party.
" I'm sorry." Eren apologised,
Marco said nothing and walked inside with usual smile, even Jasmine looked disappointed as she headed back but then she came back. Giving eren her elastic band.
" Open shirt, weird shorts and no footwear, Least you can do is tie your unruly hair." Her words were striking and her eyes were fierce, eren had no intension to argue.
Eren obediently followed behind her as he was tying his hair, Eren really had much to think of.
What to say? Rather how and what to lie?, especially since Marco easily cought up his cover ups.
He was also concerned with what was going inside, And unlike everyday he failed to duck, Hitting his horns on the door, his hair broke free in that moment as rubber twist loose.
The tension and Anxiouness of making jasmine angry was making eren clumsy, but his thoughts were easily side tracked once he walked inside.
There were more than dozen of people, chattering, laughing and enjoying the food. Atleast they were doing all that, before eren walked in and took their attention all at once.
Suddenly tying his hair amidst the eyes of few dozen people seemed so wrong, but he still tied it. jasmine had told him.
Eren smiled awkwardly to everyone, they were all shining in the dazzling light of decorated LED lights, They also seemed way to rich with expensive clothes and jewelleries.
Men wore suits, women wore full length elegant dresses. Some of their children who were playing also matched their parent's appearance.
And eren wore short and shirt. So he could only smile, awkwardly.
" Go wash up, wear something nice, no.. Just wash up, I'll pick your clothes out." Jasmine walked upto stairs, to his room and eren followed her, just like an obedient child.
Looking down he saw everyone, some faces he knew and most he didn't. he saw Amelia, Cecilia and vito, they were looking at him as well and as always, vito looked annoyed.
Eren chose to ignore him as he headed up, and only sighed a relief once he was outside their gazes. But then he realised, he was never out of sights. Many people were cultivators and few even strong ones such as jasmine, his privacy was compromised in such unfair world.
" Don't worry, This house is made of granalite. They won't be able to pry." She could read him like an open book even when she was rummaging through his clothes.
" how does that work?" He asked, because her words were not really assuring. He had experience of being shot with icy glare by Agatha when he was sitting inside the house.
" Usually mana pass through everything without any resistance but granalite absorbs it, so it creates a thick wall of mana that makes mana sense limited and dull." Jasmine picked out a black formal trouser and silk navy blue shirt.
" But it's still not 100% secured, Right?"
Jasmine pulled his ear,
" First you disappear, then come back looking like this, and rather then explaining what happened, you ask me this stupid questions." Eren felt pain, her strength was really something else. She was afterall a green rank cultivator.
Eren's natural yellow rank strength was unable to resist her strength, so his mana kicked in. Eren feared if he didn't put that much, his ear would just rip apart.
Pain was secondary, because jamsine's eyes sting more than her pinch.
" I'm sorry, I'll explain everything." Jasmine let go of him grumpily, her cheeks puffed in anger as she turned around.
" You better." She was about to leave then she stopped at the door.
" Granalite is also categorised, More high quality there is, more secure and more expensive it is.
But don't worry, we've used highest quality in bathroom and bedrooms." saying so she left, Eren was left alone with his further few questions.
But he put them aside for now and headed to bath, He was in hurry.
But that didn't stop him from inspecting bathroom as he washed himself up.
World was shades of gray and living beings was etheral green figures. more the mana nonliving thing possessed, more they shined gray and the bathroom walls that surrounded him were shining too much, Practically blinding his mana sense.
Eren was sure Agatha could still peer onto him inside, and such though was unnerving.
Eren had a method to avoid negativity, to think positive. And first thought came to avoid Agatha was Elizabeth, and her naked figure. She was beautiful.
' Just her face.' Eren tried but failed, Looking down he could tell what impure intension he had for Elizabeth.
And now he was remembering Agatha, he imagined that atleast her annoying face would calm his boner but Instead he started having inappropriate thoughts for her as well.
' I guess it's true what those women says, all men are pigs.'
Eren could only walk out of bathroom with pocking dragon at his crotch, it only subsided as he imagined that there were dozen people just waiting to annoy him.
Eren wore his clothes, even golden ring that Marco had bought him. Eren left his long hair loose to let it dry on its own and tucked shirt in.
He only looked at mirror once and left for the hall, he imagined he was making marco wait.
Eren nervously clicked his tongue and walked down the stairs. And as he expected, everyone shot him eyes.
" Everyone this is my nephew, Eren salvatore."
Eren could only smile and present him with politeness.
" Come on marc, do you honestly expect us to believe that." vampire man with sharp features spoke and chuckled.
His words cracked the people into laughter,
" Ofcourse jonas, Aren't you surprised seeing how handsome he is, just like me."
Hahaha..
" Good one Uncle marco." Amelia laughed, she enjoyed the light environment.
And the most awkward in this room was eren, He couldn't laugh and he couldn't act uninterested.
" So you made us wait for him?" The same man who joined earlier spoke again,
Marco sat beside him, putting his arm around his shoulders and said,
" Don't act bored, I know you're enjoying my delicious wine."
" Well the taste is indeed worth remembering."
Marco knew how to deal with people, mood was never awkward and everybody always laughed around him.
Which gradually lessened eyes on eren, And that was relieving.
Eren joined Amelia and Cecilia in the conversation,
" Eren how are you?"
" Fine, I'm sorry to have worried you."
" It's okay eren, Though Amelia was crying like a baby for you."
"Is that so?, That's so sweet." Eren chuckled knowing full well that Cecilia was joking.
" No I wasn't, I was just slightly worried. Only tiny tiny bit." Amelia cleared herself, yet her attention was seriously fixated in the cake she had in her hands.
" You're eating like a kid Amelia, Eat property." Vito stood their as well.
" Okay grandpa."
Amelia neither cared for vito's advice nor for her sister's remark,
" This strawberry flavoured cake is delici..mmmhh" And rest of the words were chewed along with cake.
" Cultivator falling ill, That's most stupidest thing I've heard today eren." vito wasn't gonna let this matter go, he had every intention to annoy eren and eren knew this as well.
" Yeah me too."
" so..you agree with me." Asked vito confused. That's not how he imagined Eren's reaction to be.
" Yes absolutely."
" What's wrong vito?, He's showing open affirmation to what you're saying then why the look?" Eren noticed a woman standing beside him, She was the one who asked the question to vito and judging by the look on her face, she was purposely teasing Marco.
Now wether it was just a tease or full frontal sarcasm, that eren wasn't sure about.
She was a young and so she also had air of arrogance around her that she carried with pride.
" Well because usually and I mean most of the time, we're at the odds, just like you and me, karen." saying so vito backed few steps,
" Don't tell me you're running away big brother."
" From you, please." saying so vito left, leaving the mood of conversation in eerie silence.
" So eren I heard You fainted talking about your brother, Is that true?" Karen didn't mind her words,
"...."
" Well he must be in big trouble for you to worry so much for him.. Fufu.." Eren looked at her with calm face, but under that facade his emotions were rattled.
" Karen believe me, i am trying, to listen what you're saying but all that's coming out is bullshit. That stinks." Cecilia annoyingly took a step back, covering her nose as a gesture of being disgusted.
And Amelia followed her sister, she too didn't like karen, not a bit.
" Oh it's not me honey, It must be that manager of yours whose ass you're licking all day long."
" You bi-"
" Ame, Don't bother. Like I said bullshit." she said no further.
Till then vito had come back with drink in his hand,
" Yeah now I'm prepared." He could sense that mood had turned bitter, he also knew the reason.
" So eren where were we?, Your brother oh yes, Where is he?, Or is he gone as well?" Her words had obvious implication, then she said , " Like rest of your family."
Eren was taken aback,
" Don't be surprised." Saying so she leaned in closer, " Here everybody knows about orphan puppy Mr.Stark has adopted."
Eren felt irritated by her words, but relief that she only based her hatred on racial distinction. Reason for such harsh words were because she hated dragons. No she hated every other race other then vampire.
Eren couldn't be bothered by her immaturity, neither he cared to explain anything. But talking about his family in such manner angered eren.
" I hope my daughter hasn't bothered you guys much." Just at the moment, another figure walked in the circle, she was beautiful vampire lady who shared common feature with Karen.
But nobody answered, They just smiled awkwardly.
" Oh dear, Seems she already has." She pinched karen's cheeks but karen remained adamant in her arrogance.
" What am I gonna do with you?"
" Nothing, If her words upsets people then they should prove her wrong or accept that she was right to begin with." A 6 ft tall vampire with distinct sharp feature followed behind karen's mother.
Karen immediately felt pride in her father's presense.
" Thanks dad." It was ame man who joked earlier to marco. His name was jonas.
" How are you vito?" Smiling to her daughter then he gazed at vito.
" Fine." vito said no further and turned, ready to leave.
" Is that what I've taught you vito?, to run away."
" No, This is what life has taught me. To keep distance from morons and wild animals." His words angered all three of them.
" stay right there son, I'm not finished yet."
Eren assumed vito would leave in arrogance, but he didn't, he just clenched his fist and took the chair, sitting begrudgingly.
' Looks like his father holds the tight reign.'
But his thoughts came to halt when karen's father looked at him,
Eren was bit concerned, so far his luck wasn't good today.
" My name is jonas corleone, this is my wife Charlotte corleone, my daughter karen and you already know my son, Vito." jonas introduced his family with utmost belief that he was most lucky guy in the world. He had that smile over his face.
" And You're Eren salvatore, Seems like Marco is trying to adopt you." He said with no regard for private conversation, even when few were evesdropping.
He studied everybody's reaction, Amelia was surprised just like vito but Cecilia showed no reaction.
Eren too avoided showing his thoughts, but before he could say anything.
" Do you know how to fight Eren?"
" No."
" and since you're new here, you don't know anything about terrain, lifestyle and politics." he made his own decision as he unveiled Eren's life.
" Do you have any goals?"
And again eren just stood in silence, not being able to answer rapid fast questions.
What was he supposed to say anyway.
But jonas waited only a second and then cocked his head back in arrogance,
" Repulsive, What did i even expect?" He said,
This was second time eren was called repulsive with expression of disgust, and that stung. Even more than karen's nasty remarks.
" Why?"