-1039- Blood memory

- "Inherent accumulated time."

This refers to the total sum of time an individual has experienced from birth to the present.

If human history refers to all the history humans have experienced from ancient times to the present, then inherent accumulated time is all the personal history belonging to an individual, their own history.

Experiences, memories, growth, change—these are the things individuals possess throughout their lives, which constitute their inherent accumulated time.

The primogenitors of vampires take pride in their formidable strength because they belong to the oldest vampires. Their immortal lives allow them to accumulate vast inherent accumulated time, serving as the source of their power.

This is not a strange phenomenon.

In any world, possessing mystery alone over long periods of time will grant that mystery considerable power; this is an undeniable fact.

Just like in the world of Chaldea, the Age of Gods was far more powerful than the modern era. Phantasmal species, just by surviving for long periods, could rival servants. Even some items left over from the Age of Gods and ancient times become irreplaceable ancient mysteries and extremely valuable magical materials. The more time they experience, the stronger they become.

The primogenitors have gained immense strength because they are the oldest, accumulating vast inherent accumulated time within their blood. The same applies to other vampires; the longer they survive, the stronger they become. Their act of drinking blood is also to absorb the inherent accumulated time from others and incorporate it into their blood. The cannibalism among their kind follows the same principle.

Therefore, people refer to the inherent accumulated time of vampires as "blood memory."

As an artificial primogenitor, the fourth primogenitor lacks sufficient inherent accumulated time to possess power surpassing the other primogenitors.

Hence, the Blazing Banquet ritual was born.

"On the land where the Blazing Banquet unfolds, all beings present, whether human or demon, gradually turn into a pseudo-vampire."

Rozen explained this in front of Zaharias.

"They will gradually lose their memories and eventually lose their sanity because once infected and turned into pseudo-vampires, their inherent accumulated time begins to be usurped."

The usurped inherent accumulated time flows towards the center of the ritual, namely the twelve Matrices of the fourth primogenitor.

Through this method, the Matrices begin to accumulate inherent accumulated time, thereby causing a surge in magical power.

"The reason why the candidates need to possess both Matrices and territories simultaneously is because the fourth primogenitor requires a large amount of inherent accumulated time. Only by having enough subjects, conducting the ritual in their own land, and then sacrificing the inherent accumulated time of their subjects to the fourth primogenitor, can they qualify to participate in the banquet."

Thus, the Caruana family, which lost its territory, was not recognized as having the qualifications of an Candidate. Even Rozen was not initially recognized until later, when supported by Giada.

In other words...

"The fourth primogenitor consumes the memories of others and becomes a vampire by obtaining the memories of others to replace the blood memory he needs."

Rozen glanced at Avrora next to him, then at the Matrices lying in the coffins, as he said this.

"The reason why the fourth primogenitor is considered non-existent, seen as an urban legend, and no one confirms his existence is because the memories of those related to him are all taken away, right?"

This is the only way to explain everything.

"The Ardeal principality of the Warlord Dominion, the northern eight provinces of the Dynasty of Destruction, the Nelapsi Provisional Autonomous Government, and the old southeast region of Itogami Island, where outbreaks of vampire infection occur, is precisely because rituals have been held in these places, causing the inherent accumulated time of the subjects to flow towards the Matrices, turning into vampires is just an illusion. It's like a designated target; only those who have been turned into vampires gradually lose their memories, lose their sanity, have their inherent accumulated time usurped, and ultimately go completely insane."

Rozen explained calmly.

"Of course, not only those who have been infected with vampirism, but even those who have come into contact with the fourth primogenitor will have almost all memories related to him taken away, right?"

And Avrora's magical power suddenly surged because the ritual took place in the old southeast region, causing the inherent accumulated time of the twenty-eight thousand people infected with vampirism to flow towards her.

"That's right."

Zaharias nodded solemnly, opened his hands, and spoke as if he wanted to display the entire old southeast region.

"Those who become pseudo-vampires won't die, and the infection will slow within a few days because what the fourth primogenitor seeks is not life, but memories."

Given this, whether it's the Ardeal principality of the Warlord Dominion, the northern eight provinces of the Dynasty of Destruction, the Nelapsi Provisional Autonomous Government, or this old southeast region, all those who become pseudo-vampires will return to normal in the coming days, right?

However, at that time, they will lose important memories and become walking dead; that's also possible.

In some ways, this is scarier than death itself.

But it has to be said, because of the sacrifice of these people, the fourth primogenitor will gain an unprecedentedly vast inherent accumulated time.

Just imagine, how many subjects turned into pseudo-vampires in the several major territories?

Not to mention the other territories, just consider this old southeast region, where there are a full twenty-eight thousand people.

Among these twenty-eight thousand people, even if each person only provides three days of inherent accumulated time, it is enough to form over two hundred and thirty years of time.

And the ordinary citizens living in the Nelapsi Autonomous Region number around two million six hundred thousand, of which about fifteen percent are said to have become pseudo-vampires due to large-scale infection. The inherent accumulated time they provide is even more enormous.

In this way, combined with the large amounts of inherent accumulated time provided by the subjects of the Ardeal principality of the Warlord Dominion and the northern eight provinces of the Dynasty of Destruction, the total accumulated time will become an incomparably terrifying quantity.

With this inherent accumulated time, how strong will the fourth primogenitor's magic be?

It's probably easy for it to surpass the Dragon Veins.

With such power, such time, such blood memory, and adding the strongest twelve beast vassals, how terrifying will the fourth primogenitor become?

This, just by looking at Zaharias, can be understood.

"I am just a humble arms merchant, but after obtaining the power of the fourth primogenitor's beast vassals, I can easily defeat the terrifying vampires of the Warlord Dominion and the Dynasty of Destruction, and this is still the situation where all twelve Matrices have not been gathered."

Zaharias revealed a somewhat intoxicated smile.

"Isn't it quite profitable to obtain such a powerful weapon with mere memories as the price?"

These words made Avrora's expression completely stiff.

After all, Zaharias' gaze towards Avrora already carried ambition and greed.

"I want to ask you again, Your Excellency."

Zaharias said so.

Unfortunately...

"Unfortunately, I don't think there's a need to continue talking with you. If you want to say something like 'won't you consider selling the Matrices to me,' then I advise you not to waste your breath."

Rozen responded with a smile, his tone merciless but unmistakable.

"...Is that so?"

The smile disappeared from Zaharias' face.

"Then there's no other way."

After saying that, astonishing magic surged from Zaharias.

"It should have been done long ago."

Rozen smirked, and power surged from him as well.

Conflict was imminent.