Inhabitants

The wind swept through the scenery brought down dry leaves of the trees, lightly swaying in the air as they passed the two of whom were equally in a vigilant stance. The first leaf had reached the ground, the second, and as the third swayed—Alucard quickly dashed forward, his action answered by Anubis, a bit of delay, who immediately made the countermeasure move.

A melodic hum resonated through the air, followed by a clang of something solid had been struck and rebounded.

Before Alucard finished his full swing motion, Anubis deflected the sword to the side without touching its sharp edge. But to his surprise, Anubis' own HP decreased as if he had just taken damage. Additionally, the back of his hand used to repel Alucard's sword emitted a hissing vapor.

Alucard replied with a faint smile as if nothing special had happened. With that of a lighting reflex, his free hand almost snatched Anubis on his shoulder, but Anubis agilely clawed at his chest first.

Somehow it was Anubis himself who moved back, maintaining the distance.

Alucard did receive damage, albeit minor, but his clothing remained intact. Okay, that's quite not in place, but Anubis' reason to back off was, he also took damage even though he was the one inflicting it. The sharp clawed fingers he had just used felt hot as the hissing vapor formed there.

"What can I expect more of a vampire hunter like yourself? This is truly fascinating," Anubis mused.

"The same goes for you, Anubis," Alucard remarked. He was almost certain that Anubis wouldn't launch any foolish attack after realizing it. So, in a calm manner, Alucard lowered the tip of his sword to the ground. He himself also found another peculiarity.

"Your damage just now, I didn't expect it at all. With the vast difference in our strength, I'm confident that I will be immune to whatever tricks you throw at me." He sighed before continuing. "Well, with this level of strength, I hardly get touched in the underworld where they're much more powerful than what you've shown now, but you..."

Let's take it as a some sort of compliment, Anubis simply responded with a casual shrug and open palms.

After the direct experience, Anubis had finished his assessment of this vampire hunter. But the result only made his chances of winning the fight increasingly impossible. He couldn't touch Alucard without receiving damage himself, which was a significant and disadvantageous drawback. Coupled with the healing factor and the level difference between them, it all became a bigger problem altogether.

High-class materials could provide additional status and effects, such as silver, which is most effective against vampire-type monsters. Silver-enchanted weapons can increase damage to mentioned-type up to twice the normal amount.

A weapon carries its own statistics, just like the person wielding it. Additionally, one can infuse their weapon with their own power, increasing optimal damage up to three times or even more.

If only the silver-enchanted weapons he touched caused damage, that would be understandable. Historically, silver has been a well-known weakness for vampires. Still, since Anubis had acquired some new knowledge, he would pay with something equal.

"I don't mean to disappoint you or anything, but," Anubis began in his usual manner, "those weapons you're proud of, under my normal circumstances, they would be no different than any other steel. Although they can still tear one's skin, that's all."

"You mean, you had a perfect immunity against silver?" Alucard furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity. "Even though you're a vampire at all?"

Anubis smiled in response, indicating he agreed with the revelation.

It was hard to ensure if Anubis were lying, it's easier to take his word into the opposite of doubt. If paying for immunity to sunlight came with certain conditions, then it could be assumed that the vampire before Alucard was not currently at full strength. It was because of this weakness that the silver-enchanted weapons seemed effective, even though they weren't.

The proof was seen there from the start. Alucard was confident that his whip would tear the vampire's flesh into several pieces, mutilating his body. But what happened? Anubis only received superficial wounds that quickly healed.

"However, there's no need to go through the trouble of changing all your equipment. As far as I know, I'm the only one immune to silver. You're still very strong when it comes to facing vampires in general."

"That's... very kind of you to tell me," Alucard remarked.

That was just a gesture of gratitude for providing valuable information, another step to support and increase Anubis's chances of winning his own gamble of this encounter. "No, it's just you… You've restrained yourself from killing me in an instant, even though you're more than capable. I suppose it's only fair to reveal a little bit about who I am."

Anubis gave a different glance than usual, which only raised a question mark on Alucard's face.

"Your reason, or rather the hesitation, is it because you think I can provide some merit to you?" Anubis continued, there were a few things he might need to confirm by asking directly. "I have no problem with verbal exchange but it seems like you're in a hurry."

For someone as powerful as Alucard, there was hardly a reason significant enough to make himself in a rush. Still—being part of the Lemurian government, a renowned noble at that—there lies the exceptions.

"That being said, there must be something on your side that could even push you from that possibility," Anubis stated.

His estimation was correct. Alucard wasn't wrong not to underestimate this one vampire. It was as if Anubis could read the situation very well with the limited information available. "Sharp observation, and indeed true," Alucard admitted.

"Is it because you're also curious about my position?"

The vampire posed a question, Alucard was confident it referred to the title displayed in his diamond-shaped icon. "That's one," Alucard said, "centuries ago, my forefather fought against the Vampire Lord's army, and there is no record of him having an heir to the throne."

Moreover, with hundreds of years of world history since the war between demons and vampires, there should be identical records about the Crown to the Throne of the Vampire Lord, but there is nothing.

From the very beginning, Alucard should have questioned that title more clearly, but—"I thought you were using rare items or some kind of magic," Alucard continued.

Nevertheless, even though he knew that Anubis read the situation well and could strip away part of his background and motives, it still remained one-sided. On the other hand, Alucard himself didn't fully understand why the vampire appeared here at this time.

The back-and-forth of the two had neutralized the threat that had prompted him to investigate the scene. But aren't vampires still vampires? Or perhaps, from the very beginning, Alucard had fallen into the enemy's scheme? A hypnotic vampire type, maybe?

It could be... "But what's the proof?" Unconsciously, some of Alucard's thoughts were voiced out loud.

Obviously he didn't feel like his usual self. Encountering a few vampires at times was not something rare for a vampire hunter. However, there was always a reason for him to swiftly kill them without much exchange of words.

But here... Anubis, Crown of the Vampire Lord, was something he had never heard of before.

How could a Crown never be recorded in history?

Was it merely a coincidence that the rise of this Crown coincided with the day prophesied by the gods?

Should he just kill him right away?

What if hidden knowledge about the world also died with him?

"Damn it, I should have done more research."

From the situation, especially his facial features, it seems Alucard had been consumed by his own indecision. On one hand, he saved Anubis without having to engage in a serious battle. On the other hand, the signs Anubis was waiting for still haven't appeared.

Well, after Alucard mentioned the underworld, Anubis will also seize the topic with his own question.

That was also the reason why he waited for Alucard's arrival in the first place—he is a vampire hunter, after all. Despite being enemies of vampires, Anubis sees things through a different lens.

Vampires don't live or settle as native inhabitants of the upperworld. They are fugitives from the underworld, a completely different realm. Vampire hunters, of course, hunt vampires in this realm, and it's quite rare for their profession to venture into the underworld.

The first sign made Anubis delighted was to confirm that Alucard had been to the underworld, irrespective of how he managed it. This mark was crucial to support Anubis' main reason for taking this gamble and not fleeing.

It was when Alucard entered the scene that Anubis could sense it. Something that only the inhabitants of the underworld could feel—the presence of another inhabitant of the underworld.