Chapter 19: Vampire Bar
2022-10-19 Author: Great Demon Spirit
"I warned you long ago, now you're finished."
The Old Bartender sighed and shook his head, looking at Tony with pity. In his eyes, Tony was already a dead man. Rashly barging into a Vampire Stronghold meant he was basically doomed; there was no escape. To that brutal Vampire Faction, all Humans except the Ghoul Tribe were food.
Tony gritted his teeth, a multitude of thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant. The first to surface was the Scrapyard Administrator, who had told him there was a Master Mechanic here.
Could that Administrator also be a Ghoul Tribe member? Or was he merely a Chess Piece, with the true schemer hidden behind the scenes?
It could also be that mysterious person who sent him a warning message; anything was possible.
He was still too young, wishful thinking wouldn't do. This world was full of pitfalls, and one could stumble at any moment.
Tony originally didn't mind being schemed against. In fact, once he embarked on this path, he could never hope for peace and safety. It was simply that as his strength increased, he would be able to eliminate weaker opponents, rendering their schemes useless and completely incapable of harming Tony in the slightest.
In fact, with Tony's own Allspark Creation ability, even without relying on a giant like Optimus Prime, he possessed considerable strength on his own. His phone and watch ensured he had armor and weapons he could freely disassemble and assemble, and the Allspark granted him excellent Physique and Healing Factor, giving him enough confidence to sustain prolonged battles.
That Ghoul Tribe member, with his keen hearing, widened his eyes, suddenly sobered from the alcohol, and stared at the stranger in disbelief, screaming, "You're actually a Human?"
The bar instantly fell silent. The sensitive keyword "Human" silenced them immediately. They stopped their revelry and turned to look at Tony, their gazes filled with mockery and greed.
"New food has arrived," a Vampire said, baring his fangs and greedily sniffing. "Who brought him? Didn't they say a big shot was coming today to assign tasks? Food isn't allowed in this kind of place."
"Maybe he delivered himself to our doorstep."
"Do you think the guards at the door are fools? They're Vampires, not Ghoul Tribe members," someone retorted. He was also a Ghoul Tribe member.
The music also stopped, then new heavy metal music immediately blared, its rhythm rousing and blood-boiling. The entire bar's atmosphere exploded!
The Vampires rejoiced at the food delivered to their doorstep, all believing it to be a good omen, with food automatically presenting itself.
Tony gritted his teeth, the Allspark in his brain shining brightly, already in a combat-ready state. He felt that a fierce battle was imminent.
The Vampires in this world were not as "romantic" as those in Twilight. They were a group of human-eating freaks who could also massively convert ordinary people!
These filthy creatures could spread rapidly like a virus. Vampires bit people to create new Vampires, and new Vampires bit more people... Ordinary people were regarded as food because the Vampires of this world were keen on eating Humans; only human blood could sustain them!
More terrifying than a virus!
If bitten by a Vampire, as long as one didn't die from having all their blood drained, they would soon become a Vampire themselves. Major corporations all had drugs and Serums to inhibit conversion, but Tony didn't. If he was accidentally bitten, he would basically be ruined, leaving him with no choice but to risk seeking help from the nearby S.H.I.E.L.D. and Professor X.
But doing so came with great risks. S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't be too bad; they would just take the opportunity to study him, and perhaps accidentally create a Tony Clone or Tony Enhanced Human later on. Professor X's side was the most troublesome; he absolutely couldn't be allowed to examine Tony's memories, or it would all be over. No one could guarantee Professor X wouldn't suffer brain death.
"Good luck," the Old Bartender said with some pity.
Tony hesitated. Should he really seek help from S.H.I.E.L.D.? Fighting Vampires meant he absolutely couldn't get injured; even a slight lapse in attention could result in a bite, and then everything would be over.
For thousands of years, Humans had waged countless wars against Vampires, yet each time the Vampires managed to stage a comeback, proving impossible to eradicate and extremely troublesome.
Part of the reason was due to the Vampires' characteristics: their long lifespans always captivated some high-ranking Humans, who willingly became Vampires and championed their interests. This alone gave Vampires enough room to maneuver; as long as ordinary people feared death, the Vampires would never be wiped out!
Tony wasn't afraid to fight anyone, but only these Vampires filled him with such dread. This group looked exactly like Humans but possessed long lifespans and powerful Physiques, and could also conduct research and utilize high-tech weapons.
"What about this food? Should we eat him?" A Vampire, very greedy, wanted to feed and consume Tony in front of everyone.
The Ghoul Tribe member who exposed Tony said, "The big shot is coming; a chaotic scene here would look bad."
The Vampire eyed the Ghoul Tribe member with dangerous eyes, growling softly to warn him not to interfere with Vampire affairs without authorization.
"Don't think you have the right to meddle. One more word, and I'll kill you first," a Vampire threatened.
The Ghoul Tribe were ordinary Humans obsessed with immortality, who willingly accepted the Vampires' command, branded with tattoos on the back of their necks, hoping one day to be converted into Vampires and enjoy eternal life. They had betrayed Humanity, betrayed their own kind, and willingly became lackeys.
The Old Bartender mixed a drink, handed it to Tony, and said with pity, "Drink this, and may you rest in peace."
*You old geezer, *you* can rest in peace, your whole family can rest in peace.*
The Vampires and Ghoul Tribe members burst into laughter, urging Tony to drink the wine.
Tony's face darkened as he swiftly estimated the Combat Power of both sides.
Vampires were extremely difficult to kill with ordinary methods; their astonishing recovery and damage resistance were enough to ignore many minor injuries. Silver, Sunlight, and garlic were effective, but he had no time to find those things now.
Getting Optimus Prime to provide support outside while he went in fully armed and unleashed carnage wouldn't be difficult to break out, but ensuring he remained unharmed would be. This was a Vampire Stronghold; he wouldn't believe it if they said there were no heavy weapons capable of killing him.
Now he could only fight with all his might. At worst, if he was bitten, he would just go to S.H.I.E.L.D. and have them inject him with a healing Serum.
Suddenly, the entire bar stirred. Someone shouted, "The big shot is here! Everyone, get ready to welcome him!"
"What about this guy? Get rid of him quickly."
"Quickly, drag him out, kill him, drain his blood, and keep him as reserve food. Don't leave any food here to be an eyesore."
The Vampires were growing agitated; they wanted to curry favor with the big shot. It was said that the big shot was a Pure-blood Vampire, born a Vampire! This was an extraordinary figure, inherently noble in status, completely incomparable to those who were converted later.
"Hey, who exactly is the Master Mechanic?" Tony asked anxiously, grabbing the Old Bartender.
"That would be me. I am the famous Master Mechanic. What do you want?"
"Are you a Vampire? Or a Ghoul Tribe member?"
"Neither. Currently, I'm a Human, but I'll probably become a Vampire very soon," the Old Bartender said sadly, sighing deeply, lamenting his ill-fated timing and being trapped here.
Tony hoisted the Old Bartender over his shoulder, walking away from the table. A watch transformed and assembled into a firearm. His other watches also rapidly changed, barely forming a piece of armor to protect part of Tony's upper body. Two phones sprang out, transforming into two Little Transformers, brandishing chainsaws and strutting menacingly.
Before anyone else could be surprised by this illogical scene, the Old Bartender cried out first, "What are you doing? I didn't offend you!"
"You offended me the moment I stepped foot into this den of beasts!" Tony gritted his teeth. "If it wasn't to find you, why would I, full and bored, come running in here? I never go to bars!"
Tony strode forward, carrying the Old Bartender. He had to get this guy out; as long as they broke free, everything would turn around.
The Vampires grew restless; they wanted to make a move.
(end of chapter)