Chapter 56

"Bravo! What a sight to behold" Dio's sarcastic applause echoed through the clearing as he approached Valerie, seemingly unfazed by her display of power. However, Valerie launched a blood stake towards him as soon Dio walk forward, Dio casually caught it with his bare hands. Upon contact, the blood stake transformed into a liquid, resembling alcohol or wine, effectively neutralizing Valerie's offensive tactic.

Valerie, undeterred by Dio's counter, absorbed the blood of Marius, further empowering herself with his essence. "Take this" With renewed vigor, she created more blood stakes to assail Dio. However, as before, when the blood stakes made contact with him, they transformed into wine or alcohol, thwarting Valerie's offensive once again.

Frustration and desperation surged within Valerie as she struggled to find a way to combat Dio's unexpected defense. Each attempt to attack him with blood stakes was met with the same result, leaving her at a loss for how to overcome his seemingly impenetrable barrier.

Dio regarded Valerie with disappointment, his tone laced with mockery as he criticized her repeated attempts. "It did not work the first time but still tried to do it again" he chided, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I expected more intelligence from you, especially after outsmarting that guy" he added, gesturing mockingly towards the direction where Marius had met his demise in agony.

Valerie's wry smile lingered as she responded to Dio's mockery with a biting retort. "I'm not that smart" she admitted, her tone laced with sarcasm. "But that guy was just dumb" she added, casually insulting her deceased brother as she glanced around the area, searching for a strategy to combat her new adversary. However, her efforts were fruitless, as Dio's powers presented a natural counter to her own, leaving her at a disadvantage in their impending confrontation.

Dio's mocking tone reverberated through the air as he taunted Valerie, his smirk betraying his confidence. "Trying to think of something to fight me, eh?" he jeered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's useless. Just let me drag you back to Olympus so my father can have his fun" he continued, his words laced with a veiled threat as he reminded her of his own agenda in the unfolding events.

"If I can't beat you then there is only one a I can do"Valerie's words hung in the air, her determination evident as she conjured wings made of blood upon her back, readying herself to flee. With a smile on her lips, she uttered a casual "Adios" poised to take flight and escape from Dio's grasp. 

Dio sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as he watched Valerie attempt her escape in the opposite direction, flying at a low altitude for reasons unbeknownst to him. Despite her clever maneuver, Dio remained confident in his ability to pursue her effortlessly. "Smart but not that smart" he muttered, dismissing her actions as foolish while relishing the opportunity to give chase.

As he levitated himself into the air to pursue Valerie, Dio couldn't help but ponder the motive behind her seemingly reckless decision. Perplexed by her unexpected behavior, he shook his head in disbelief, wondering what compelled her to take such a desperate gamble. Nevertheless, he remained focused on his objective, determined to capture Valerie and fulfill his own agenda.

Dio flew after Valerie while she continued to create blood stakes, only to see them transform into wine upon Dio's touch, frustration gnawed at her resolve. "What is that ability of his?" she pondered inwardly, her mind grappling with the enigma of Dio's power. Faced with the futility of her attacks, Valerie reluctantly abandoned the idea of engaging Dio directly and shifted her focus to escape, or perhaps to seek assistance from Alucard, who she hoped might be somewhere in the town.

Dio conjured the swirling purple flames, Valerie's heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. She evaded the fiery onslaught with agile maneuvers, her flight path weaving through the air like a dancer's graceful pirouette. Each searing burst of flame threatened to consume her, but Valerie refused to succumb to panic, relying instead on her instincts and reflexes to keep her one step ahead of Dio's relentless assault.

The crackling flames illuminated the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the chaotic scene below. Valerie's mind raced as she searched for a way to outmaneuver her pursuer, her thoughts consumed by the urgency of the situation. 

After that, Dio summon a bunch of big bats to help him chase the fleeing Valerie. The bats swarmed around her, Valerie's focus sharpened, her movements becoming fluid and precise as she summoned blood stakes to counter their attacks. With each swift strike, she dispatched another bat, the crimson stakes piercing through the air with deadly accuracy. Yet, despite her efforts, the onslaught showed no signs of abating. The bats seemed to multiply exponentially, their numbers overwhelming even Valerie's formidable abilities.

Frustration gnawed at the edges of Valerie's resolve as she fought to maintain her composure amidst the relentless assault. With each passing moment, the pressure mounted, her energy waning as she struggled to keep the bats at bay. "Who is this guy?" she wondered, her mind racing with questions as she battled against the seemingly endless tide of creatures.

Valerie remained locked in a fierce struggle, her every move a testament to her determination and resilience. With each passing second, she fought on, her senses attuned to the chaos unfolding around her as she battled against the relentless onslaught of bats. Despite the ceaseless barrage, she refused to falter, her resolve unyielding as she pushed herself to the limits of her endurance in a desperate bid for survival.

As Valerie struggled against the relentless onslaught of bats, her attention fully consumed by the chaos around her, she failed to notice the sudden cessation of the purple flames raining down upon her. Unbeknownst to her, Dio had ceased his assault, opting instead to swoop down from above and deliver a swift and powerful kick to her back. The impact sent Valerie sprawling to the ground, a pained grunt escaping her lips as she tumbled across the dirt.

Stunned by the unexpected attack, Valerie struggled to regain her footing, she felt the stinging pain from the impact of Dio's kick coursing through her body. Though her wounds were not fatal, they still caused considerable discomfort. However, she found solace in the fact that her innate healing abilities, unique to her vampiric heritage, were already at work, gradually mending her injuries.

Her eye burning with determination, Valerie locked her gaze onto Dio, who stood before her with a smirk adorning his face. Despite the pain and the odds stacked against her, she remained resolute, knowing full well what she needed to do next.

Shaking his finger, Dio anticipated Valerie's next move. But Valerie paid him no mind, her focus unwavering as she created another set of blood wings. Without so much as a glance in his direction, she simply uttered, "Adios.". However, just as she was about to leap into the air, something halted her mid-motion, freezing her in place. Her eyes widened in alarm as she realized that her foot had been ensnared by a green vine, which swiftly wound its way around her body, binding her tightly. Frantically, she attempted to summon a blood sword to slice through the vines, but to her dismay, more of them emerged from the earth, impeding her every movement.

Dio approached Valerie with a confident stride, commending her intelligence while subtly deriding her futile attempts to evade him. He observed her struggles and attempted escape, taunting her with the notion of its futility. "t's useless" he jeered in a playful manner, relishing in her predicament before mentioning his father's intentions. "Let my father have fun with you" As he reached out to grasp Valerie, his hand halted mid-air, prevented from making contact by an unexpected intervention.

Dio and Valerie turned their attention towards the unexpected newcomer, who greeted them with a friendly smile. The man, sporting glasses and a hat, seemed calm and composed as he addressed them. "Hello there" he said, his voice carrying an air of confidence and intrigue.