I am all that I choose to be

An Extra's Stand—one of the four powerful Skills Arin possessed—was unique in its own way. This Skill allowed him to triple his physical capabilities, but it could only be activated when he faced a formidable opponent or was in a dire situation.

And Seraphine was undoubtedly a strong opponent. The Second Princess of the Vampires wasn't someone to be taken lightly, and Arin knew it.

[An Extra's Stand.]

As soon as Arin activated the Skill, a surge of powerful energy erupted from his body, and Seraphine immediately sensed the change.

Her eyes widened in shock, and her hands began to tremble. "Wait... What is this...?" she whispered, her voice betraying her fear.

Before, her instincts merely warned her that this man called Chaos was mysterious and unpredictable. But now, those instincts were screaming the same thing the other four Vampires had felt earlier:

"This man is dangerous..." Seraphine muttered, her gaze fixed on Arin, whose cloak fluttered wildly in the wake of his unleashed aura.

Tessa, now perched at the edge of a tree a considerable distance away, was still catching her breath. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn't take her eyes off the scene before her. "What now? Does he have even more powers?"

At this point, she was beginning to wonder if Chaos was even human, considering the abilities he had displayed.

Seraphine's instinct told her to retreat, to heed the primal fear growing inside her. But her pride as the Second Princess of the Vampires held her in place. Fleeing now would be an unforgivable stain on her honor.

"No..." Seraphine murmured as she clenched her fists. "This is nothing but a mere challenge."

Her long black hair whipped around her as she locked eyes with Arin, her resolve hardening. "It seems you want something from me," she said, narrowing her gaze. "Otherwise, why would you pick a fight with me?"

Arin remained silent. He had no interest in exchanging words; discussions would only waste time, and time was something he couldn't afford to lose.

Seraphine and the other four Vampires had been on a scouting mission. With the war currently on hold, Seraphine had taken to exploring new territories as a way to pass the time and satisfy her restless nature.

This habit led them to venture deeper into the forest near the Academy, a place she hadn't explored before. However, what she didn't realize was that Arin had anticipated their arrival.

He knew about her tendencies and had prepared for this encounter well in advance, ensuring that he would not be caught off guard when they finally crossed paths.

Seraphine was actually right, she had something he needed, and he would surely get it.

A slight frown creased Seraphine's brow as she readied her claws. "It seems you're done talking."

Meanwhile, Arin was adjusting to the immense strength now coursing through his body. The sudden surge of power from An Extra's Stand was overwhelming, but he quickly adapted, taking control of the newfound strength.

It didn't take long.

Arin glanced at Tessa, and she understood his unspoken command.

Suddenly...

*WHOOSH*

"Huh?"

Seraphine's eyes widened as she realized Arin was no longer standing where he had been just moments before.

Before she could react...

*CLANG*

Sparks flew as she barely managed to block Arin's strike with her claws.

"H... How did he get a sword?" she muttered, her eyes darting to the blade in Arin's hand. It was Tessa's sword.

Unbeknownst to Seraphine, Tessa had thrown her sword to Arin, enveloping it in a Sound Barrier, ensuring it made no noise. Arin had caught it mid-air and attacked Seraphine in the blink of an eye.

The speed of the exchange was too fast for Seraphine to process. She gritted her teeth, pushing back against Arin's force. "I won't go down here!!"

*WHOOSH*

With a quick leap, Seraphine spun in mid-air, sending a kick toward Arin's head.

*WHOOSH*

Arin leaned back just in time, narrowly avoiding the kick by inches.

Before Seraphine could land, Arin swung his sword again, his eyes sharp with intent.

But then...

*CLANG*

A solid red shield materialized on Seraphine's left hand, blocking Arin's strike. Without hesitation, she leaped back, creating distance between them.

"You know," Seraphine said, her voice cold as her eyes locked onto Arin's, "I never thought I'd use Blood Energy here, but it seems I have no choice."

Arin held his sword steady, his gaze unwavering. "I was starting to think you wouldn't."

Seraphine raised her hands, determination gleaming in her eyes. "You've pushed me to the wall."

Tessa, watching the battle from afar, suddenly noticed something that made her eyes widen. "Is that...?"

Behind Seraphine, red clouds began to form, flickering with crimson light that resembled thunder. The clouds weren't large, but their ominous presence was undeniable.

A chilling smile spread across Seraphine's face as she stared at Arin. "Not afraid, huh? We'll see how long that facade of yours lasts."

Despite her bravado, a nagging thought lingered in the back of her mind. 'Why is my instinct still warning me? Something is wrong...'

For some reason, her instincts continued to scream at her, and Arin's calm expression was unnerving. But she pushed those doubts aside and focused on the battle. She was confident she could win.

"Chaos!" Tessa shouted. "Tha... That's a Vampire Spell! Will you be ab—"

"Enough, Tessa," Arin interrupted, his voice firm. "Stay back. I'll handle it."

Tessa bit her lip, knowing she could only watch from the sidelines. Interfering would only distract Chaos.

"Chaos..." she whispered, her eyes glued to him.

Seraphine clapped her hands together. "Die..."

The red clouds behind her flashed with a bright crimson light, crackling with energy.

Then...

*WHOOSH*

Long, sharp red spikes shot out from the clouds, hurtling toward Arin.

With a composed demeanor, Arin raised his right leg and...

*BAM*

He slammed his foot into the ground, sending debris flying around him.

Crouching low, he shifted his right leg back, his sword poised and ready.

A smirk played on his lips as he locked eyes with Seraphine. "I won't lose here because..." He paused, the tension rising as the spikes closed in on him. "I am all that I choose to be."