Ch 64:- Punisher Convent

Excitement surged through their veins as they stood witness to the majestic double doors slowly opening inward. Throughout Fex's lifetime, these doors were a familiar sight, adorning not only his own castle but also those of other vampire leaders. Each time Fex dared to inquire about the secrets behind them, he was met with dismissive responses, shrouding the truth in mystery. Yet, this only fueled Fex's insatiable curiosity, compelling him to unravel the enigma. Despite his relentless efforts, he had never succeeded in opening any of these doors, eventually resigning himself to the frustrating unknown.

As the grand doors completed their solemn opening, the interior of the tower came alive with the flickering glow of numerous torches. The corridor stretched before them, flanked by two additional doors, while an inviting staircase beckoned upwards. The exterior of the tower was a captivating fusion of pagoda and western architectural elements, a testament to the craftsmanship that had gone into its creation.

With a mixture of awe and trepidation, Rayne stepped into the tower, only to be met with a startling message materializing before his eyes: [You have entered the tomb of a Vampire Progenitor].

The revelation left him dumbfounded. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected to find himself in the sacred resting place of a vampire progenitor. Shaking off his initial shock, Rayne mustered his resolve and assumed the role of the intrepid explorer, leading the way up the staircase. Quinn and Fex followed closely behind, their hearts brimming with a blend of anticipation and caution. The staircase, aside from a few mundane objects scattered on the first floor, was the only path that lay before them.

Ascending the stairs with unwavering determination, they finally reached a spacious platform where the staircase leveled out. The room that unfolded before them was a vast expanse, yet it bore an air of stark emptiness. Save for the five solitary podiums positioned at its center and the staircase that continued to ascend, there was little else within the room. Contrary to the tower's external appearance, which suggested a structure with multiple floors, the revelation that it contained only three floors added an intriguing layer of mystery to its exploration.

Each podium proudly displayed a piece of armor, meticulously arranged in a sequence. A chest piece, a leg piece, an arm piece, and a helmet adorned the first four podiums, while the final one boasted a solitary ring. The armor's design was an intriguing blend of medieval aesthetics, unlike any beast gear Quinn or Rayne had ever encountered. It bore the hallmarks of knightly armor, yet with intricate embellishments and crimson hues that set it apart.

As Quinn marveled at the sight, his imagination conjured images of armor forged from the scales of a mythical red dragon. It possessed an aura of formidable power and grandeur. However, for Rayne, attuned to the subtle nuances of his vampire aura, the story behind these pieces unfolded differently. He recognized them not as ordinary armor, but as something far more significant—a blood armor infused with the essence of numerous vampires. It pulsed with a distinct vampire aura, the result of being crafted from blood crystals harvested from vampires.

Rayne's knowledge of vampire history allowed him to make a startling deduction. Such blood armor had a storied past, coveted by only two individuals in vampire lore—the reigning Vampire King and the leader of the Punisher Covenant, Arthur. The Vampire King's blood armor resided on the vampire planet, leaving only one possibility: the armor before them belonged to the leader of the covenant. Sensing the immense power emanating from it, Rayne was aware of the dangers of the situation. Escape seemed the most prudent course of action, yet an undeniable temptation tugged at him—an opportunity to claim even a minute fraction of the progenitor's blood, a prize he could not easily dismiss.( For those who are wondering why Rayne knew about this he doesn't possess any meta knowledge about MVS book instead he just knows about vampire history due to his system.)

"I can't believe it," Fex exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. "This is genuine ancient vampire combat armor. I've only ever seen these in books. Not even our castle possesses a set like this."

With cautious steps, Fex approached the podium, mindful of the possibility of traps. He carefully placed each foot, yet found no sign of danger. The first podium he reached held not a piece of armor, but a ring.

"This looks similar to the one I'm wearing, but with slight differences. Perhaps you can wear it," Fex suggested, picking up the ring from the podium. Suddenly, the room began to tremble.

"What have you done?" Quinn and Rayne exclaimed in unison.

"Nothing, I just picked up the ring. I was certain there were no traps," Fex defended himself. As soon as he finished speaking, a peculiar cylindrical structure emerged from the podium, enveloping each item. The cylinder extended all the way to the room's ceiling.

The vibrations ceased once the cylinders formed, leaving an air of uncertainty. Fex inspected the metallic cylinder, giving it a few knocks. "Damn it, there's no way we can access that equipment now. This material is the same as the door down below."

"Well, you guys have your fun. I'm going to meet you outside," Rayne declared, teleporting out of the room, leaving Quinn and Fex behind. The two exchanged glances, contemplating whether to follow suit. However, their curiosity prevailed, and they resolved to press on.

Meanwhile, Rayne materialized on the first floor, his gaze fixated on the ground. He rapped his knuckles against the dark surface and smirked. Drawing upon a vast reserve of Qi, he channeled it into his arm, enveloping it in a dense shroud of blood aura. With a forceful motion, he directed the energy towards his palm, creating a swirling ball of intense power that he slammed onto the ground. Upon impact, the ground gave way, revealing a hidden room adorned with ethereal blue crystals.

Readying himself, Rayne leaped into the opening, his eyes drawn to a circular pattern on the floor that connected to a narrow canal snaking along the ground and ceiling. He reached out to touch the pattern, utilizing his system's assistance to unlock it by manipulating the sliding locks. With a satisfying click, the mechanism released, and a transparent-fronted casket rose from the ground. Inside, a strikingly handsome naked man with long black hair lay, but Rayne's focus was on the tantalizing blood coursing through his veins.

Unable to open the casket conventionally, Rayne resorted to his Dragon Eyes, skillfully tampering with the locking formation. Guided by his experience and aided by his system, he successfully unlocked the casket. Swiftly, he retrieved a syringe from his inventory and extracted a small quantity of the precious blood before sealing the casket and leaving it undisturbed. Just as he observed a glowing red liquid descending the channel and entering the casket, a sense of impending danger washed over him. Without hesitation, he exited the room, swiftly climbing out through the hole he had created and casting a spell to repair it.

In that moment, both Quinn and Fex came rushing down the stairs, sprinting past Rayne. Without pausing to consider, he followed suit, sprinting through the town at breakneck speed. With Rayne running the fastest of both of them with Fex only a little behind Quinn.

Suddenly, Quinn came to a halt, no longer running at full speed. Fex, attempting to conceal his exhaustion, asked, "What's wrong?" He struggled to catch his breath, making sure to hide it whenever Quinn turned away. His pride wouldn't allow him to show weakness in front of his friend.

Quinn had three reasons for stopping. First, he felt that Peter's hunger had subsided. The pain he had been experiencing had vanished, and Quinn couldn't believe that Peter would have consumed someone in the presence of the travelers. He sensed their strength.

"Thank you, Logan," Quinn murmured quietly. He couldn't explain why, but he had a hunch that Logan had resolved the issue somehow.

The second reason Quinn halted was because he detected a familiar presence and scent. And thirdly, Rayne had somehow disappeared. It didn't take long for Fex to notice the same presence and scent.

"You always seem to find yourself in the most interesting situations, Quinn. I should consider putting a tracker on you and following you everywhere," a slightly older bald man emerged from one of the buildings, a trusty blade at his side.

"Ah, it's the teacher!" Fex exclaimed, pointing at the man.

"You should show some respect, young boy. Right now, I'm more than just your teacher; I'm your commanding officer," Leo said. "But I'm glad you're safe. I'm here to search for the remaining students. Where is Rayne? He was given a task. Your friends who were with you have already been escorted outside to the surface. They returned to the shelter with the rest of the students and informed me of this place..." Leo's sentence abruptly halted.

The peculiar behavior puzzled Quinn and Fex. Leo seemed frozen, not even breathing.

"Quickly!" Leo shouted. "We must get out of here and run!"

"What's wrong?" Quinn asked, genuine concern in his voice.

At that moment, Rayne's voice echoed, "Run, run, run! I sense an extremely strong presence."

Quinn and Fex were astonished because they saw a peregrine falcon wearing black armor speaking in Rayne's voice.

"There's no time to be stunned, sir. Pick them both up and follow me," Rayne, in his bird form, instructed.

"Come on, quick! There is something down here, something incredibly powerful. I can sense its aura. We have to leave now," Leo urgently urged. He swiftly picked up Fex and Quinn before following Rayne's lead. Rayne guided them through a different direction, away from the cave they knew, until they heard the sound of water. Soon, they emerged from behind a waterfall and plunged into a stream. Leo recognized the location—it was near the shelter.

As Leo gently set them down, both Quinn and Fex shielded their eyes from the brightness of the sun but couldn't contain their joy. Quinn, especially, started jumping up and down in excitement.

"Are you that happy to be free?" Leo asked, amused by Quinn's energetic display.

Blushing with embarrassment, Quinn replied, "Yeah, it's just nice to see the sun again."

"Now, what about you, Rayne? Care to explain your transformation?" Leo inquired, clearly intrigued. In just one day, he had witnessed Rayne perform multiple abilities that were beyond the capabilities of an ordinary human. Leo had already dismissed the possibility of Rayne being anything other than normal.

"It seems to be the magic of legends," Fex mumbled, his words heard by everyone present.

"What you witnessed is indeed magic, a very complex subject that may be difficult for you to understand, so I won't delve into the details," Rayne responded.

"As you say," Leo replied, though not entirely convinced by Rayne's explanation.

Rayne returned to normal and followed along with Fex and Quinn as they followed Leo back through the jungle to the shelter. Despite the presence of numerous beasts, Leo's ability allowed them to navigate safely and choose the most secure path back. Eventually, they arrived where the remaining students were gathered, staying outside the shelter in a large open space on the ground, under the care of other military staff.

"Quinn!" Layla shouted, jumping up and running towards him. As soon as she reached him, she enveloped him in a tight bear hug. "I thought you might have died."

"I told you there was nothing to worry about," Vorden said, walking closely behind Layla. As she released Quinn, Vorden offered him a fist bump and a pat on the shoulder.

Rayne observed their interactions and couldn't help but feel a pang of insignificance. It seemed as if he was merely an extra in this world, perhaps never meant to exist.

"Sigh," Rayne sighed.

"Don't feel disheartened," Cia comforted him, patting his back.

"Really, what kind of behavior is this? Address me with respect," Rayne said in a joking tone. Today's outing had resulted in too many casualties, and it saddened him. In that moment, he made a silent oath to himself. "From today onwards, I will save as many lives as possible, even if it means exposing myself to others. This is not just another story, this is my story. I am the ruler of my own life. I am the Prince of Night, the Lord of Moon and Hunt. I can change fate, destiny, and I am a God Slayer!" As he made this inward proclamation, another thunderous lightning struck, as if responding to his determination.

*Ew that was cringe*

"I will not follow anyone from today onwards. I will forge my own path," Rayne declared in his mind.

"Alright, everyone!" a soldier shouted. "It's time to gather up. Sergeant Leo has an important announcement to make."

All the students assembled in the open field near the shelter. The rest of the soldiers continued with their tasks, visibly busier than ever before, as if in a rush for something. Looking around, they noticed the absence of many students who had either perished from the strange plants and the underground tunnels, or fell victim to the advanced-tier beasts they had encountered earlier.

The expressions on the students' faces were a mix of horror, confusion, and uncertainty. Stood at the front of the gathering were Leo and Fay, with Leo stepping forward to address the crowd.

"Everyone, please listen carefully. We have some important news to share with all of you."

""I'm sure by now you have all heard the news that has happened to Del's class. Unfortunately, they have faced some casualties during their expedition," Leo began, his voice filled with somberness. "Because of this, we have decided to cancel the expedition and head back to the school."

Upon hearing the news, some of the students felt a weight lift off their shoulders. They were no longer in danger and could put the harrowing experiences behind them. The students who were part of Del's class were especially overjoyed, grateful to have survived the ordeal.

However, not everyone in the crowd shared this feeling of relief. Those who had performed well on the test so far and had encountered no troubles began to voice their concerns.

"What?!" a student complained, looking around for support. "But it's only been one day! That doesn't make any sense. Why should we go back?"

"Stop being so selfish!" another student shouted in response.

Two camps seemed to have emerged among the students: those who wanted to leave and those who wanted to stay.

"Enough!" Leo's voice boomed, commanding attention. The volume was so intense that some students feared their eardrums might shatter. They wondered how someone so small could produce such a powerful sound.

The chatter subsided, but one student still had their hand raised.

"Yes, young one," Leo acknowledged.

"I don't mind going back early, but I have a question. What does this mean for our assessment? Who received the top grade, and how will our scores be divided?" the student asked politely.

"Your grades will be determined by your performance thus far. In the past, those who excelled on the first day usually continued to perform well throughout the test. I understand this might not seem entirely fair, but we will consider your future assessments to adjust your results accordingly.

"As for Del's class, they will receive an exemption due to the special circumstances they faced and will be tested at a later time."

Now, regarding the winners, we often like to recognize those who performed exceptionally well at these events, so the other students have role models to look up to. I will announce the winners now."

Upon hearing Leo's words, many students who had done well on the assessment so far grew excited. They straightened their clothes and ensured their hair was in place, anticipating being called up to the front.

Fay approached Leo, attempting to hand him a clipboard with the scores of all the students. However, Leo pushed it away and shook his head.

"There is no need," Leo declared, glancing towards the crowd of eager students.

"The winners are as follows. Will the following students please come to the front? Vorden Blade, Layla Munrow, Cia Richardson, Pio Blank, Fex Seg, Logan Green, Rayne Talen, and finally, Quinn Talen."