Descending the stairs to the lowest level.
"Valerie, we're almost there!" Gasper shouted, racing ahead.
He must sense her just below.
At the bottom, an ornate stone door loomed. We flung it open.
The ritual chamber, deep underground.
Strange statues and tomes for ceremonies filled the space.
Our eyes locked on one spot.
The center, where a massive magic circle glowed on the floor, a bed at its heart.
And there—Valerie lay.
"Gas…per…?" Her weak voice rasped as she tilted her head toward us.
Her face was pale, drained of the vibrant hue she once had as a half-vampire.
"Valerie!" Gasper cried, rushing toward the circle, but a barrier blocked him.
He glared at the man manipulating the ritual—Marius.
"Stop! Don't hurt her! Let her go!" Gasper pleaded.
Marius sneered. "I'm 'freeing' her, as promised. Look, the Holy Grail consuming her is about to be extracted."
"Nooo!" Valerie screamed as the circle's light intensified.
Something emerged from her body!
"Damn it!"
"Can't cut through!" Kiba and Xenovia struck the barrier, but it held.
I moved to act, but Ignis stopped me.
"Wait. Attacking during the ritual could harm Valerie."
Tch…!
One wrong move could kill her!
Damn it!
Azazel summoned a small magic circle, analyzing the ritual, then cursed. "This protective code… it's from the Biblical God! How do you know a code even I don't!? Rizevim's doing?"
Marius laughed. "I owe them. Their help advanced my Holy Grail research, reviving evil beings thought extinct. Valerie's Grail is exceptional—especially at minimizing biological weaknesses."
So that's why the vampires were enhanced and Grendel resisted dragon-slaying.
Marius halted the ritual. "It's done."
The circle blazed, enveloping Valerie.
They're extracting the Grail now.
Damn it… we came this far, and we're helpless!?
As we trembled with rage, a small golden cup emerged from Valerie's body.
The Holy Grail, a God-slaying relic.
"Ah…" Valerie, drained of life, collapsed on the bed.
Marius seized the Grail, raising it high. "The Sephiroth Graal, in its Forbidden Move state."
The barrier faded as the circle dimmed. Gasper rushed to Valerie.
We watched, hearts heavy, but Azazel muttered, "Strange… for a God-slaying relic extraction…"
Something about the scene bugged him.
Gasper cradled Valerie, calling her name.
She opened her eyes faintly, meeting his gaze.
Tears streamed down his face as she gently stroked it. "Crybaby Gasper… always crying since we were kids… you've grown strong, haven't you…?"
"…I'm sorry… I couldn't save you…" Gasper sobbed.
Valerie shook her head. "You saved me… by being here… seeing you one last time… my only friend… my family… Gasper…"
"What?"
She gazed at the ceiling, tears in her eyes. "I wanted… to see the sun… go on a picnic… together…"
"You will. I'll take you. We'll picnic," Gasper promised.
Gasper…
I've seen this before.
Wanting to save, to protect… but failing.
So close, yet one step short.
I didn't want Gasper to feel that pain.
But…!
Valerie touched his cheek, then his chest, speaking softly. "There's… another you here… I have one last request…"
Her voice faded. "I wanted… to talk to you too… you're Gasper, so talk to everyone… they'll accept you…"
Her hand fell from his cheek.
Her eyes closed slowly.
"…May you get along with everyone…"
Her final words.
Gasper shook his head, clutching her, sobbing.
A heartbreaking scene.
But—
"Quite the tearjerker," a grating voice mocked.
Rage surged through us.
Marius Tepes.
This monster… unforgivable!
"Marius… you…! Gasper's pain… they just wanted peace! And you…!" I roared.
"Extracted her relic? Your three factions have done that countless times—killing innocents for relics. Your standard practice, no?" Marius retorted.
"Don't compare us to you, scum. I can't forgive bastards like you."
"Then attack me," he taunted.
"What…?"
Is he serious?
Who invites an attack?
Absolute confidence… or a trap?
As I hesitated, Marius smirked. "No trap. Be at ease."
"Fine. No holding back—Agni!"
I aimed my palm, unleashing a massive red flash!
Let's see his move.
Underground, I restrained the scale, but it's still potent.
A direct hit would erase him.
But Marius didn't block, letting the red torrent engulf him.
All that remained was the floating Grail and his lower half.
His upper body—gone, erased by Agni.
Is it over?
No… I realized his intent.
Flesh swelled from his lower half, reforming.
Moments later, Marius was whole again.
Holding the Grail, he mused, "Instant recovery, even better now. The Grail's power flows freer outside her body. Losing my upper half startled me, but as long as my soul lingers in my lower half, I can regenerate."
Clapping echoed from the chamber's depths.
Figures emerged.
"Impressive."
"Enhanced regeneration."
"Like a phoenix."
Middle-aged and elderly men—pureblood vampires, likely royalty or elites.
Marius's accomplices.
He smiled at them. "Uncles, preparations are complete. Shall we enhance further?"
They spoke in turn.
"Vampires, dwellers of night, are plagued by weaknesses."
"Sunlight, running water, crosses, holy water. Superior to humans, yet hindered, allowing their rise."
"With the Grail, we'll transcend vampires!"
"We'll replace humans, ruling this world! Only under us, the superior race, can humans fulfill their role as livestock!"
"Exiled livestock multiplied, but that ends now."
"Eliminate the current king and vile Carmilla, and we start anew."
"The king clung to the status quo, denying our evolution. Utter foolishness."
Marius nodded, smirking at us. "That's the gist. I just want to research the Grail."
Tch… selfish bastards!
Marius killed Valerie and hurt Gasper for his desires.
These vampires backed him for their delusional dreams.
They're rotten to the core.
I stepped forward, voice low. "Hand over the Grail. No more misuse. And you all—brace yourselves."
"Brace for death? No need. You saw my recovery. With the Grail, I'll revive endlessly unless my soul's destroyed," Marius scoffed.
Sure, Grendel said something similar.
But—
"Overcome weaknesses? Revive with a soul? Think that makes you strong? You're fools."
"What?"
"And another thing—those who rule by force get crushed by greater force. Remember that."
Red aura flaring, I advanced.
Miu and Alice followed.
Rias and Azazel might've tried negotiating, but it's pointless.
These arrogant fools think they're supreme, justified in anything.
They'll hear us but never listen.
"For making my junior cry, you'll pay."
As we surged with killing intent, ready to crush them—
"Thank you, Issei-senpai… but I'll handle this."
A voice echoed through the chamber.
Low, chilling, it sent shivers even through me.
I turned—Gasper stood.
Black aura poured from him, enveloping the room.
Swaying, he passed me, glaring at Marius and the elites with eyes glowing with dangerous light.
The chamber drowned in darkness—
"Show me this 'transcended existence' you boast of."
Instantly, the room turned pitch black.
All was darkness.
Gasper's body transformed, morphing into a massive, beastly form.
Long, thick limbs, sharp claws, multiple wings sprouting from his back.
His head bore sharp fangs, horns, and glowing red eyes.
A jet-black dragon.
"ROOOOARRRR!"
The beast's roar shook the dark world.
This… is Gasper's true form?
This power, this scale…?
He had this hidden!?
"This phenomenon…" Even Azazel, relic expert, frowned.
The elites trembled.
"What is this!?"
"What's happening!?"
Marius calmly observed Gasper. "Calm down, uncles. This is Gasper Vladi's true nature, as reported. But for evolved vampires like us to fall to a half-breed's power would be laughable."
"Right… right."
"We, enhanced by the Grail, the next stage, can't lose to a half-breed—"
A vampire was cut off, swallowed by a massive mouth from below, vanishing.
"Next stage, you say?"
Gasper laughed maniacally.
His personality's changed.
From the darkness, bizarre black creatures emerged: three-headed dragons, lizard-like butterflies, one-eyed giants, nine-headed birds.
They approached the vampires.
The elites shuddered.
One, face twisted in rage, spawned insects and beasts from his body. "That trick's not yours alone! A beast cloaked in darkness—"
A swooping bird-monster snatched him away.
Surrounded by creatures, he screamed, "Nooo!"
Devoured mercilessly.
A similar horrific scene unfolded nearby.
"Eek!"
"Stay back!"
"Why can't we use our powers!? We're enhanced by the Grail!"
The vampires resisted, but their abilities faltered, confusion mixing with fear.
Gasper, now a merciless beast, declared, "Because I'm stopping your Grail-enhanced powers."
…!
Stopping their abilities!?
Is that possible!?
The vampires' feet were caught, bound by darkness.
"You filthy imitation!"
"Stay away, vile creature! We have noble blood, a history you can't fathom—"
"Enough. Devour them."
At Gasper's signal, the dark creatures pounced, tearing and consuming the vampires.
Asia closed her eyes; Miu gripped my sleeve tightly.
This wasn't about abilities.
Gasper, our Gasper, was orchestrating this slaughter?
After the elites were devoured, Marius remained, still smug. "Impressive. Some half-breeds have unique powers, but yours rivals the Grail. Join my research?"
"Like Valerie?"
"Angry? Listen—"
Gasper swung his arm.
Too fast for Marius to react, his left arm was blown off.
"Whoa… ferocious. But this is nothing to my Grail-enhanced body—"
He meant to say "useless."
But he tilted his head, noticing something.
His left arm wasn't regenerating.
"Hm? Why isn't it healing? The Grail's power hasn't weakened… so why…?"
"…"
Gasper swung again.
Marius leaped back, but a creature's mouth from below bit his right leg, thwarting his dodge.
Gasper's arm destroyed his leg.
"Ugh! My leg now?" Marius, on the ground, tried regenerating, but it failed.
Despite the Grail's glow, neither arm nor leg healed.
Marius's confidence shattered.
"Why!? Why won't they regenerate!? My vampire transformations—bat, insect, beast—why can't I change!? Impossible! Even I, holding the Grail, have my powers stopped!?"
His wounds were cloaked in black.
"My wounds… consumed by darkness? It's blocking my regeneration!? Your power surpasses the Grail!?"
"What's wrong? Regenerate already. I'll just erase you again."
Step by step, the dark beast Gasper closed in.
Panicking, Marius tried reasoning. "Wait, calm down…! I'll make a clone of Valerie! We'll salvage her soul! Not a bad deal, right? Take the clone back to Japan. That'll satisfy you!"
His words only fueled Gasper's rage.
"Shut up. Valerie's revival and your survival aren't the same. You die here."
Another step closer.
Marius crawled, desperate, then looked to us. "Rias Gremory! He's your vassal! Stop him! I'll surrender the Grail—"
Rias closed her eyes, silent.
I exhaled, glaring at Marius. "You've done enough. You broke Valerie's and Gasper's hearts. You reap what you sow."
Gasper stood before Marius. "I won't let even a shred of you remain. Your soul will be consumed by darkness."
His final words to Marius.
A death sentence.
The dark creatures swarmed—
"Aaaahhh!"
Marius was devoured, leaving nothing—not even his soul.
-------------------------------
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