"Are you sure they went this way?" Magnus's voice came out muffled behind his mask as he spoke to Niall, who walked a step behind him.
"Yes, my Lord." Niall nodded, sounding steady and a lot less bothered by the atmosphere than Magnus was.
They were in Arlcliff City, but not in the main part of the Lower City or any of the construction zones that never seemed to finish.
This was one of Arlcliff's red light districts.
The night was cool, the sky almost clear, so the whole city below was lit by starlight. But down here, lanterns hung between buildings and glowed warmly, lighting up doorways and windows. The street's golden light clashed with the deep blue of the night above.
People sat outside at tables in front of bars, drinking alone or with friends, just like the crowds inside. Even from the street, Magnus could hear customers cheering and laughing. Tucked away in the corners, some folks leaned in close, letting the district's noise hide their conversations. Here and there, a man would be led into an alley by a woman with a hungry look in her eyes. Magnus had no doubt that for some of these women, that was more than just a look.
I don't think I've ever felt so out of place in my life…
Almost every few steps, there was another worker—some sitting on steps taking a break, others alone or in groups, all of them trying to catch the eye of passing men.
Every call and gesture was meant to tempt, to turn heads.
At one point, a call rang out directly at them.
"Hey, you two! Either of you want to pay me a visit?" Magnus turned on instinct, following the voice. The speaker was a raven-haired woman, probably in her thirties, wearing a dress that the lamplight made almost see-through in places, offering just a hint of what was underneath.
She caught Magnus looking and gave him a sly smile.
"Come on, your friend there's a real looker. I could find a girl for him. And as for you… I don't mind a man with scars or burns, trust me." She wasn't just saying that; there were really only two reasons someone would wear a mask in a place like this. Either they worried their face would scare people, or they were here on private business. But even then, that didn't mean they weren't a potential customer.
Magnus paused for a second, then let out a sigh, raising a hand and shaking his head to show he wasn't interested.
The worker didn't seem too bothered and just shrugged.
"Oh, well. If you ever find yourself with some free time and want to have fun, come back and ask for Luma. I'm always available."
Magnus offered an awkward nod as he and Niall moved on. As they walked, Magnus glanced over at Niall, noticing how relaxed he seemed while taking in the surroundings.
"You seem pretty comfortable here. Do vampires come to places like this a lot?"
Niall turned to look at him, pausing for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, though it's mostly when we're weak or newly born. Places like this, where patrols are light and missing people don't get much attention, make perfect feeding grounds for us to build our strength. After a while, once we're able to hypnotize people, we move on to find more..." Niall trailed off, stopping himself. He knew Magnus didn't like hearing about the way his kind preyed on humans, so he avoided mentioning how they picked out the best targets to feed on.
Sensing the mood, he changed the subject.
"We're here—it's that building up ahead. Ever since the first two Hierarchs died, this one hasn't left." Magnus looked in the direction Niall was indicating. This building stood out compared to the others they'd passed so far. The deeper they went into the red light district, the fancier the establishments became. This one, with its steep central roof and spires, was lined with arches. The entrance and wide open windows were draped in rich red and gold fabric, making it the kind of place anyone could wander into from the street.
Upon the second-floor balconies, seating areas were set up with courtesans who dressed more modestly than the workers below, yet still had the same sensual charm.
Whether they were pouring drinks or laughing with clients, every gesture was aimed at setting just the right mood.
"Hiding out in a brothel… fantastic," Magnus muttered mostly to himself, but Niall caught the sarcasm.
At first, there had been ten Hierarchs. Magnus had learned that while hunting them, and asking Niall. Vampires didn't come from Arlcliff City; even the Hierarchs themselves didn't know where their species truly came from. It was pointless for a vampire to settle down. They wandered from city to city, sometimes alone, other times under the command of their Umbrarch. This time, all the Hierarchs and vampires in Arlcliff had been brought here by Umbrach Heiman.
Over the past few days, though, their numbers had dropped from ten to five. After Austra and Urien, Magnus had hunted down the rest one by one.
Now he stopped a couple of meters from the building, studying it as his thoughts wandered.
Austra was the Hierarch of the Sensory Domain, though her abilities were almost completely shut down by the BGM Glitch. Urien, on the other hand, ruled over the Pressure—or Compression—Domain. My fight with him made my body stronger than ever. Aside from the constant internal damage I'm doing to myself and regenerating from with [Perfective Regeneration], neither of the three Hierarchs I faced after that were able to lay a finger on me.
He didn't know their names, but the third Hierarch he took down could control temperature. Magnus wasn't sure how it worked—maybe it was from intense friction, or maybe it was about exciting the molecules themselves. Either way, it was a powerful ability, especially since it could be used at range. For any normal person, just a glance from that Hierarch would be enough to cook you from the inside out, and if they really wanted, they could reduce you to ash.
But Magnus's body was practically immune to heat by now. He didn't know the exact limits, but things like magma and molten rock didn't bother him anymore, and he could handle his own blue flames without any trouble. Because of that, Magnus figured that, putting aside gravity and other issues, he could probably stand on the sun's surface, and heat would be the least of his problems.
So, against him, the Hierarch's power was useless.
Next came the fourth Hierarch, who seemed able to create diseases. Again, Magnus wasn't sure how—whether they were making the disease appear directly in your body, or turning his own cells into viruses. Either way, the effects were nothing like anything natural. These supernatural plagues could take effect in minutes or even seconds, doing everything from shutting down your nervous system, making your blood clot until your veins burst, weakening your heart so it couldn't beat, or eating away at your brain and spine.
But once again, Magnus's body was an impenetrable wall. Just like his durability kept increasing with every injury, his immune system could strengthen itself through a variant of [Perfective Regeneration] if he focused. On top of that, he could ramp up the productivity of any system of his body several times over. That meant he could adapt and fight off any virus or disease, no matter how severe. Even something like late-stage cancer wouldn't be able to take root—his body would wipe out the cancer cells faster than they could grow.
As for the fifth Hierarch, Magnus honestly had no idea what her ability was. She tried something against him, but nothing happened, even when she was clearly straining herself. Eventually, Magnus just used [Deletion], since he'd managed to memorize her form by then.
Still, there was one thing all those encounters had in common: Magnus always found the Hierarchs in Arlcliff City and teleported them far away from the crowds. It was the easiest way to keep casualties down, and it was also the reason Magnus was handling things himself this time instead of switching off his emotions. His joyful side was surprisingly good in a fight, but that version of him didn't really care who got caught up in the chaos. It didn't matter if people were innocent or not; that Magnus would laugh off every death and would do the bare minimum in trying to keep anyone safe.
I can't let something happen... not again.
So Magnus was doing this on his own.
Letting out a short sigh, Magnus started toward the brothel, Niall following behind. As they climbed the stairs and walked through the open entrance, the sound of soft music drifted from inside, and the smells of food and alcohol hit them. The main hall, circular like the building itself, was tinted red from all the drapery. At the far end, a group of women played instruments on a stage. Tables on the first floor circled the stage, giving guests a chance to eat and drink while enjoying the show.
"Welcome to the Velvet House. How can we make your night?" Surprisingly, it was a young man greeting them, standing behind a wooden hostess stand with a guest list on top. He looked polished and spoke in a way that was almost too friendly. His uniform was sharp, his hair perfectly styled, posture straight and proper.
Magnus didn't answer—he didn't have to. Niall stepped forward instead.
"My Lord and I are looking for someone."
That alone seemed to set an understanding between them. The young man paused, eyes flicking between Magnus and Niall.
"Oh, I see... Would one of you happen to be named Magnus?" The question caught both of them off guard, and Niall instantly tensed, ready to make a move. Magnus stopped him, holding out a hand over Niall's arm before he could act.
"Yes, that's me," Magnus admitted, not trying to hide it.
At that, the young man put his hands together and smiled.
"Perfect. We've had a private room prepared for you for quite some time, by Mr. Soran's request."
One of Magnus's eyebrows rose as he thought to himself:
Mr. Soran and a private room? Definitely the Hierarch. Looks like they were expecting me to come here.
It was almost certainly a trap, but Magnus didn't see any other choice. Vampires didn't need to sleep or eat unless they wanted to grow stronger. Technically, this Hierarch could stay here as long as they had money, and the brothel would let them. And being called "Mr. Soran" made Magnus sure they had some close tie to the place, probably through its owner.
"Please, follow me," the young man said with a respectful bow, turning to lead the way. Magnus and Niall exchanged a look, then followed him up one of the two staircases leading to the second floor. The second floor was a mezzanine, a partial level where guests could still look down and watch the stage below—but that wasn't their destination. They passed by arched doorways leading out to balconies and headed up to the third floor, which was much quieter and more private.
This floor was made up of hallways lined with closed doors. Their footsteps sounded softer here—the place was clearly soundproofed, the wood floor expertly crafted.
Eventually, the young man stopped, stepped aside, and with a slight bow, gestured to the door next to him.
"Here we are, your private room. Please enjoy yourselves, and don't hesitate to ask for anything." There was a suggestive note in his voice that gave Magnus a pretty clear idea of what was waiting behind the door. Still, there was no sign of the BGM Glitch.
Once the young man left, Magnus stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door. Right away, a wave of something potently sweet hit his nose, making him inhale sharply. The room was dimly lit, and what he saw next matched his expectations, though it still caught him off guard.
Red lanterns hung from the ceiling, filling the space with thick, foggy incense. The air was heavy and sweet. In front of the bed, a gold-trimmed crimson carpet lay across the floor. The whole room looked like it belonged to a woman, with a tall mirror in one corner and a dressing table against the wall. But really, it was the people in the room who set the scene. On the queen-sized bed at the center, more than five women lounged, their eyes fixed on Magnus and Niall.
They were all dressed in loose, bedroom-only clothing. Each one had a different look—different figures, different hairstyles and makeup, each embodying a distinct type.
As they lay draped over each other on the bed, Magnus noticed coins—golden marks—scattered beneath them across the sheets.
[Master, the incense in the air is an aphrodisiac.]
Is that so? Well, that would explain their faces.
Of course, Magnus wasn't affected, but every one of the women looked dazed, their bodies entwined, eyes hazy and unfocused. Who knew how long they'd been in there, breathing the incense until it wore down their sense of reason?
"What the hell is this?" Magnus asked, taking off his mask and glancing at Niall, who seemed just as unaffected by the drug and the scene as he was.
"If I had to guess, my Lord, I'd say it's an offering. The Hierarch's way of trying to make peace," Niall said calmly. At this point, with Hierarchs falling one after another, it was only a matter of time before one tried to play nice.
Still, they chose the wrong way to reach my Lord.
Magnus's lips curled slightly as he looked over the scene.
"An offering, huh?" To anyone else, it might have looked like Magnus was grinning. That's what the women on the bed saw—and with the aphrodisiac clouding their minds, the moment they noticed his features, their eyes lit up with seductive looks.
"Finally, I thought I was going to lose my mind."
"Oh my, he's gorgeous—look at that hair."
"And those eyes, mmm…"
"The one next to him isn't bad either."
They started murmuring as they slowly got up from the bed, moving toward Magnus and Naill. But as they approached, Magnus just let out a sigh, his eyes narrowing as he spoke in a hard, cold tone.
"I swear, every time I think I've gotten over it, these vampires just find a new way to piss me off." The woman looked confused, but Niall understood right away. Magnus wasn't grinning out of any sort of desire—he was disgusted. Not at the women themselves, but at the way the Hierarch had set this up.
Drugged workers and a pile of money?
What else was he supposed to feel besides disgust?
"And the worst part is, you're not even sincere about it." Magnus raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly, K-Variant Rokshaata appeared in his palm. With a quick motion, he separated the projectile section, and it vanished. What happened next was almost too fast to see—Rokshaata reappeared beside one of the women, tapped her, then teleported to the next. Each touch was nearly instantaneous, and none of them even had time to react.
In moments, all the women collapsed, unconscious.
"Niall," Magnus called, his voice a bit softer now, though still clearly annoyed.
"Y-Yes, my Lord?" Niall stammered, still trying to process what he'd just seen. Even for him, it had happened way too quickly. He'd never seen Rokshaata in action, but it was clear now—it was some kind of magical device that could teleport and instantly put anyone it touched to sleep.
"Check them. One of them is the Hierarch," Magnus said plainly.
That made Niall's eyes go wide.
"Really?" He glanced over the unconscious woman, surprised, but didn't wait for confirmation. He quickly went to work, doing exactly as he was told.
Magnus folded his arms and watched as Niall checked the women. He had known the moment he entered the room. When one of the women spotted him, he heard her background music start up in his mind, which meant one of them was getting ready to attack. Even though their music varied, Hierarchs—and vampires in general—usually had a more classical sound to their rhythms.
"Oh, I found them, my Lord," Niall called out, drawing Magnus's attention to where he was kneeling beside one of the women. With a thought, Magnus had the projectile section of Rokshaata move again, gently tapping each woman to reset how long they'd stay unconscious. As for the woman who was actually a Hierarch in disguise, it was hard to tell at a glance. Whether it was the brunette hair, the healthy pink flush to her skin—likely from the aphrodisiac—or even her eyes, which usually gave vampires away, she looked completely human.
"That guy downstairs called him Mr. Soran... Can all vampires change their appearance like this?" Magnus asked.
Niall, kneeling by the unconscious Hierarch, looked up and nodded.
"To a degree, yes. We can take on almost any form, but it means restructuring—or even creating—a new body. Usually, though, there are still some signs. We tend to look pale from lack of blood, so we stay out of bright places when we want to blend in. And our eyes are especially hard to hide." He glanced back down at the Hierarch, studying the disguise.
"I've never seen a disguise this convincing before. Maybe it's this Hierarch's specialty. My guess is, they wanted to wait until the aphrodisiac kicked in and you were... distracted by their gifts. Then they'd try to kill you while your guard was down." Magnus nodded, already having figured that out himself. That was why he'd said they weren't even being sincere about it. Of course, there was no way the Hierarch could have known Magnus was not only immune to their drug but also had a way to detect them, no matter how perfect their disguise.
With that settled, Magnus started moving the women back onto the bed and used [Deletion] on the incense burner. By the time they woke up, all they'd remember was a hazy feeling—probably just thinking they'd fallen asleep while waiting. As for Hierarch Soran, since they were unconscious and Magnus kept resetting the effect with each tap, there was no resistance when Niall pulled out their Nexus, and Magnus destroyed it. After that, absorbing their true form was simple, especially now that Niall was getting used to the process and learning to control his new power.
When they finished, all that was left was the faded, crumbling husk of Soran's form and their clothes.
"That makes six, right? There should only be... what, four left?" Magnus wondered aloud.
"Yes, my Lord. Would you like me to find another one?" Niall asked.
Magnus thought for a moment.
"Yeah, I think we can handle one more tonight." It was late, but breaking the academy's curfew was nothing new for him, and Eveline could cover for him if needed.
Niall nodded and began to focus. An invisible pulse spread out from his condensed true form, sweeping across the entire city and beyond. Only a second later, his expression shifted—eyes going wide in shock.
Magnus caught the look and shot him a questioning glance.
"My Lord... it seems all of the remaining Hierarchs, and the other vampires—they've gathered in one place," Niall said, clearly stunned by what he sensed.
"All of them?" Magnus frowned, glancing toward the nearby closed window.
What are they up to? Have they finally realized that fighting me one at a time won't work, so they're going to come at me together? That does make sense. If that's the case...
A smirk crept across Magnus's face, a hidden edge to it, as he said, "Alright then, let's go."
"Huh? We're going there now?" Niall asked, making sure he understood.
"That's right. They're all in one spot, just waiting for us. I've been hoping for this. Now we can finally finish it—wipe out all of them at once."