17 Chapter 17: The Outcome

「 I'm not done yet. 」(Vampire)

With those words, the Vampire's eyes formulated a piercing gaze at Ceres.

Obviously, there's almost no mana left on her anymore...meanwhile Ceres's wounds now are completely healed; it means back to square one...

「 Bluffing won't save kid... 」(Ceres)

「 Bluff huh.....Is that what you think?... 」(Vampire)

At the same time Ceres heard those words, She felt a tremendous impact struck inside of her body. The pain is so severe to the point that Ceres having a hard time catching her own breath..

「 Ghhhhh!!!! Grghhhhh!!!! W..w....w..*gasp* w..what is happenning...? 」(Ceres)

A sharp stabbing pain that's hitting inside of her... an extreme heat, burning sensation...

It's as if something is piercing her flesh from the inside of her body...

「 grrrehhh....Y..y..y...you...brgggg...W..what have you done to me!!!!!!  」(Ceres)

While catching her own breathe, Ceres forced herself to ask the Vampire with these words...

「 It seems you're having a trouble understanding...Then, let me illuminate you before sending you the other side..」(Vampire)

「 W...wha—? 」(Ceres)

Saying those, the Vampire extended her hand as she formulated a crimson orb from her palm...which emits a massive energy...

' What's happening? She should've not be able to produce any spell on her current state... There's should be no mana left on her after that attack...what's going on here? Are you telling me that her mana is limitless? No..no..no..!!! I can sense that her mana got greatly reduced, there's no mistake about it!! But why?!!  ...'

「 C..c..curse you!! *cough* 

You....don't ..h..h..have mana ...left! *cough* yet, you can...still cast an spell?..brrgg...what the hell are youoo!!」(Ceres)

Trying to stay on her knees, while coughing and spilling out blood, Ceres asked again...

「 Mana?」(Vampire)

This time, the vampire answered with a sharp gaze she emitted...

「 I don't need mana...my Blood is the main source of my power...as long as I have a blood in my body, I wont die... 

For me, what you call "Mana" is just an imitation of my very own blood...even if my body run out of mana, it doesn't mean anything to me...」

「... 」(Ceres)

「 I have the ability to manipulate my blood on my own will, and what I used earlier against you serves as an epitome of it...」(Vampire)

「 What...did you..say!!?? 」(Ceres)

Ceres said while barely moving a muscle in her enitire body....That's to be expected, Cuz Mana is the most important possession of any kind of lifeform..

Running out of 'Mana' in the middle of a battle literally means death.

Ceres didn't expected to hear from someone that a 'Mana is just an imitation of something'

It's as if an indirect affront against all of the lifeform in this world...

Then again—

While keeping on her devilish smile, the Vampire opened her mouth again...

「 Didn't you notice? I haven't retrieved my blood I used against you earlier, why is that? do you know where's my blood currently dwelling at? 」(Vampire)

This mockingly question made Ceres stopped moving....

And the reason is-

'Ah, I see.... All of these are part of your plan... Seems that, you got me from the beginning by taking advantage of me being overconfident, and tediously wait for me to use every ounce of my mana while hiding your true ability. You attacked me with your own blood as you intentionally leaved them inside of my body...

If you really have the ability to control your own blood, then I'm—

.....haha I praise you for that... I haven't though that, a mere bug like you has the ability to slit the throat whoose someone that is superior to you...Hahaha, You deserve to win kid' 

「 『Blood of Tempest』」(Vampire)

As the vampire said that, she clenched the Crimson Orb on her hand as if she's physically crushing an object...

Then, the blood of the Vampire dwelling inside of Ceres, forcefully bursts their way out from Ceres's body..

The Vampire's blood inside of Cere's body got converted into a sharp spike shaped resulting on piercing her flesh into shreds from the inside....

Ceres got lost the control of her own body as the sharp spike keeps bursting out of her body along with her body getting perforated...

 Satisfied, regret, surrow, misery,

A mix of feeling surge up inside of her...

Although she hates losing, at the same time she's gratified to be defeated by the hand of a powerful enemy....

For a long time, this is what Ceres waiting for....to have a battle experience with an mighty opponent...

'Right...There's nothing to be ashame at, at least...I got to fight against an strong opponent with everything I've got.....

ah...I've done enough, I guess it's my time to take a rest...'

****

A mere less than minute or so, the Vampire retrieved the last drop her of blood...

But Ceres remained standing at the very end even after having one-sided pain....

 with the last drop of the Vampire's blood, along with the fall down of Ceres's lifeless body...

Inside the cave, without any kind of voice...

in front of me is the dead body of a black dragon...

『 CONFIRMED. The enemy defeated 』

YoRHa declared my Victory.

『 NOTICE. Ultimate skill 〈 Devourer〉can use on this enemy, YES/NO?』

Having this notify brought to me, I didn't hesitated to answer...

Besides surviving this fight, I've been given a chance to witness my skill "Devourer"

"YES, devour every single part of it's body.."

After that, a large ammount of blood coming out of my body, manifested and enveloped the whole body of the dragon....

Following up, the massive amount of my blood got slowly absorbed by my body as if it's an sponge consuming a water...

Then:

『 CONFIRMED. Devoured the target successfully.

CONDUCT ANALYSIS OF THE BODY OF ABYSS DRAGON?

YES/

NO/ ? 』

I see, looks like my skill " Devourer"

literally means devouring my enemy..

And if I analyzed it, would I got to used it's skills?

I won't know unless I try...

"YES"

After my confirmation, my head got filled with something unbelievable:

It's as if I've been transported in someone's dream.

No, I'd rather say, a memory....the memory of the Abyss Dragon "Ceres Regalwind"