The cold miasma curled through the air like a living creature.
In that cramped underground space, the icy winds lashed out as if trying to swallow everything.
Asia and Le Fay shrank closer to Izumi, clutching at his clothes.
Only his warmth could protect them from the terrifying chill that gnawed at their bones.
Far away within the cramped domain, the Primordial Fourth Progenitor—the Original—wove her familiars together, forming several massive ice spears.
Without hesitation, she hurled them straight toward Izumi's location, intending to pierce the three of them and drain every last drop of blood.
But the instant the ice spears launched, Izumi's senses expanded sharply.
"Tch—too cramped in here," he muttered.
He wrapped his arms around Asia and Le Fay and vanished.
When the spears struck the ground, all that remained in their place were a few scattered stones.
"Displacement Magic."
Izumi had swapped his location with a pile of stones outside the chamber.
The Original's attack struck nothing but empty rock.
This underground room was far too tight—Izumi couldn't fight seriously here.
And more importantly…
He really didn't want to blow up his own house from under the floorboards.
So escape first.
She would definitely chase him—Progenitor pride guaranteed it.
The moment Izumi vanished, the Original's brows twitched in irritation.
She immediately sprinted after him through the tunnel he dug earlier.
This was humiliation.
Unforgivable humiliation.
She, the Fourth Primogenitor—the great immortal vampire feared across ages—couldn't even handle a few humans?
Intolerable.
When she burst out of the tunnel, she found Izumi floating casually in the sky, looking down at her with a faint smile.
Asia and Le Fay had already been placed far away, observing the confrontation from a safe distance.
"Human…"
"You dare mock me?!"
Her voice trembled with fury.
A violent wave of cold exploded from her body, and countless ice spears filled the entire sky.
Without a second thought, she fired them all at Izumi.
But Izumi simply raised his hand.
"Weave the Heavens—Sevenfold Celestial Rings."
Seven brilliant circular barriers unfolded instantly behind him.
Every ice spear slammed into the golden rings and shattered helplessly.
As an SS+ ranked existence, Izumi's Celestial Rings were indestructible to her current strength.
The Original froze.
Her crimson pupils shrank.
This human… is this really his power?
When the barrage finally faded, Izumi spoke calmly:
"Well, I'd love to keep playing, but…"
His smile tilted toward annoyance.
"…I'm not letting you blow up my house."
"So let's wrap this up."
"In other words—I'll seal you first."
The instant his voice fell, Izumi disappeared.
He reappeared in front of the Original before she even noticed he'd moved.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Izumi's hand wrapped around her slender neck.
The Third Magic ignited—its pure soul-governing authority overriding her body completely.
He forcibly pushed the Original's tyrannical soul back into the depths of their shared vessel.
At the same time, he pulled the dormant soul of Avrora—the true girl of this body—back to consciousness.
The moment the Original's soul was suppressed, the icy familiar behind her, Yōki no Sōhin (The Witch's Frozen Ice), dissolved into mist.
Avrora's aura softened instantly as she awakened.
Izumi smirked.
When it came to matters of the soul, someone wielding the Third Magic was unstoppable.
Even a Fourth Primogenitor with only one-twelfth of her full power stood no chance.
Even her full power—merely S+ level—wouldn't matter.
This was why Izumi had never feared her.
He sealed the Original—and revived Avrora.
The moment she returned, he gently released her and allowed the small, dazed girl to fall into his arms.
Avrora blinked up at him, startled, her crimson eyes trembling.
When their gazes met, she flinched and pulled her head back like a frightened animal.
"Th–thou… terrifying… a demon in human skin…"
"Speak normal Japanese," Izumi deadpanned.
"Or I'll flick your forehead."
The threat made Avrora shrink even further.
"Uu… s-so scary… d-don't hit me…"
"It wasn't me who fought you just now…"
Her expression was so pitiful that Izumi couldn't help laughing.
He ruffled her hair.
"Relax. I won't hit you."
"From today onward, you'll stay by my side."
"Which means—I'm your master now."
A mischievous grin tugged at his lips.
There were twelve Avroras.
Could he collect them all?
Now that one had awakened, the rest of the vessels would be drawn to her.
This world didn't have Itogami Island—meaning the Feast of Blazing Light would take place right here, in demon territory.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Avrora puffed her cheeks.
She wanted to protest—she was supposed to be the master, not him.
But after witnessing Izumi's overwhelming power…
She chose survival.
Izumi lowered her gently to the ground.
The moment he let go, the little vampire plopped down on her backside.
Her legs were trembling.
Izumi covered his face with a hand.
Unbelievable.
She was the legendary Fourth Primogenitor… yet she collapsed like a scared fawn.
If the Original inside her could see this, she'd probably be screaming in rage.
Avrora's cheeks flushed.
She was still wearing simple rough-spun linen—sitting on the cold ground was very… chilly.
"L-lift me up… m-my legs won't move…"
Izumi twitched his mouth.
What a helpless little idiot.
But he didn't tease her further.
She'd been sealed for years without a drop of blood.
Of course she was weak.
Izumi briefly considered letting her bite him…
Then immediately discarded the idea.
One drop of his blood—infused with infinite magic from the Third Magic and powered by the stellar core of his perpetual motion engine—would probably explode her frail body.
A completed Primogenitor might endure it.
But the current Avrora definitely couldn't.
He helped her to her feet.
Just then, Le Fay and Asia descended from the sky, riding a broom.
The moment Avrora saw them…
Her stomach growled loudly.
"Ahh… the sweet aroma of virgin blood… I want a taste…"