Underground garage.
[wheeze~ wheeze~]
Black lay on the ground—wingless, missing his right hand, and even the entire lower half of his body lost in the explosion. His chest rose and fell violently as he gasped for air.
Yet, despite everything, he actually looked… pleased. Through the black mist shrouding his face, one could clearly see the smile tugging at his lips.
He was happy.
His mouth moved, shaping silent words.
It wasn't the language Ethereals usually used. If someone familiar with human speech were present, they would be shocked to discover—
This Doppelganger-class Ethereal was forming human words:
It's good to be alive!
Even though his right arm and left wing had been cut off by Hoshimi Miyabi's twin strikes, his right wing destroyed by his own explosion, his legs blown apart, and the Ether activity within him dropping at an alarming rate—Black still sighed in awe: It feels great to be alive!
"You seem quite happy, Doppelganger."
A cold voice suddenly echoed from a corner of the garage. A long, distorted shadow stretched out there.
Black's expression froze at once. Terror washed over his face as he desperately tried to lift his head and see who had come.
The shadow approached, and someone finally stepped into view.
The figure wore a hood, his entire body wrapped tightly in clothing like some overstuffed bundle.
Bern Kunmutu—TOPS's Chief Scientist, a relative of Phaga on his father's side.
But it wasn't Hoshimi Miyabi.
Black instantly relaxed. The stubborn strain in his neck loosened, and he exhaled in relief.
Good. It wasn't that ice fox.
"Seems the fact that I'm not Hoshimi Miyabi puts you in a better mood."
"Enjoy it while you can. The explosion you caused disrupted the spatial rift. It may still look intact, but it's no longer the same rift you fell through."
"As Chief Scientist, it took me a while to calculate where you'd end up."
Bern walked closer. Hearing his voice, Black hesitated for a moment.
Who is this? Not human?
No… from memory, he should be a vampire.
But weren't vampires and humans on the same side now? It was one thing not to kill him—why was he speaking gently?
Black blinked curiously and looked up.
He froze at once.
Bern held something in each hand.
His left hand gripped the ethereal Thanatos by the throat. His right held a human soldier the same way.
Without warning, Bern casually flicked his left hand and tossed Thanatos right in front of Black.
Black blinked rapidly, unsure whether this was some kind of trap.
But no matter how he looked, this was an Ethereal.
Why throw it to me?
Forget it. Don't think. Eat first.
Summoning strength from who knows where, Black lunged and pounced on Thanatos.
Thanatos, bound by some strange restriction, couldn't move. He could only stare helplessly as Black tore open his fanged mouth and bit into him, feeling the icy cold of the vampire's body as his Ether drained rapidly.
At last, Black's limbs regrew. He stood, turning warily toward Bern.
Bern nodded lightly, that instinctive spark of a researcher shining through.
"Just as I expected. You've restored your limbs, but your wings haven't grown back."
"Good. This way I don't have to worry about you running, or accidentally killing you."
Black's eyes narrowed sharply. He glared at Bern, baring his fangs.
"Don't be so tense."
Bern sighed, then pulled off his clothing, revealing a handsome, pale face—and a pair of black-blue wings behind him.
Suddenly, the wings thrust forward.
Black's vision blurred. In the next second Bern was already in front of him, driving a fist into his stomach.
Black flew backward.
Boom!
He smashed into a bus, shaking the entire vehicle and denting its side in a deep depression.
He dropped to the ground with a thud.
He looked up angrily but didn't charge. Instead he scrambled back to his feet, clutching his stomach and retreating, eyes locked unblinkingly on Bern, searching desperately for a chance to flee.
He knew he wasn't Bern's match like this.
His only hope was to find one of his Ethereals to devour—use that steady stream of stamina to drag out a war of attrition. Only then did he have the slightest chance.
Yes—escape!
Black settled on this plan and looked up.
Huh? Where did he go?
A faint voice drifted from behind.
"You're so weak."
Bang!
A kick sent him flying again.
Bang!
He hit a red sedan. The small car couldn't withstand the force. Its tires screeched across the floor before it crashed into another vehicle.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
After knocking over four cars, Black finally dropped to the ground, his entire body twisted into unnatural angles, pain shooting through every limb.
Tap. Tap.
Bern's shadow loomed over him. After two rounds of brutal punishment and having devoured only one Ethereal, Black no longer had the strength to lift his head.
He could only try to straighten his contorted body, palm scraping at the floor.
Even now, he wouldn't give up on survival.
"Such astonishing willpower. Is Phaga like this too?"
Bern crouched, muttering softly.
Suddenly, he grabbed Black's hair and yanked his head up, staring into his eyes.
Hatred. Fury. Resolve.
But no fear. No despair.
"Such a strange Ethereal."
Bern murmured, then suddenly chuckled.
"But good. Only like this can you force Phaga to his limits."
He searched through his clothes and soon pulled out a small vial filled with bright red liquid.
Someone's blood.
Bern uncorked it and held it before Black.
"If you want to live, drink Phaga's umbilical cord blood. Then go devour that soldier."
"If my calculations are right, once you have Phaga's blood, you should gain the ability to drink blood as well."
Black stared blankly at the soldier behind Bern. Bern had thrown him there earlier when delivering the kick.
He didn't understand Bern at all.
First he fed him an Ethereal, saying it would keep him alive.
Now he gave him someone's umbilical cord blood, saying drinking blood required it.
What in the world was this man planning?
"Of course, you can also choose to die. I have plenty of time, and I don't need you as an experimental subject."
When Black hesitated, Bern let out a cold snort. His black-blue wings pressed against the floor, lifting him high as he looked down.
A heavy shadow fell over Black, nearly suffocating him.
He had no choice but to open the vial and bring it close.
A faint scent drifted out.
And instantly—pure instinct surged up. Black nearly threw the vial away. Something deep within his bloodline recoiled violently. Every Ether substance in his body rejected it.
"Ah, I forgot. You're mimicking a vampire. Some instincts are natural."
Bern slapped his forehead lightly.
A vampire couldn't drink stale blood.
Especially Phaga's umbilical cord blood—aged as long as Phaga had lived.
A vintage more precious than the finest daughter's wine.
"If you really can't stand it, don't drink it. It's fine."
The words were warm, but Bern's expression was not.
He slowly lifted both hands, claw-blades extending.
Hearing this, Black forced down his instincts, raised the vial, and drank it all.
Bern immediately tossed the soldier over.
Black caught him and bit down.
Gulp~
Gulp~
His throat moved as blood poured into him.
Buzz—
With a sharp hiss, two dark shadows spread outward.
His wings had grown back.
"Beautiful wings. Impressive! As expected of someone with the same bloodline as Phaga—truly—ugh!"
Bern's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected Black to attack the moment his strength returned.
But soon, Bern relaxed again.
Some injuries weren't unwelcome.
Ssshhk—
Black pulled his wings free and returned them to his sides.
Bern nearly collapsed as he watched Black lick the blood from the tips, then mimic him—using his wings to support his body's weight.
A towering shadow rose behind him.
Snap!
Black pressed his thumb against his index finger, the crisp sound echoing through the empty garage.
"You… earlier… hit me… really hard!"
Boom!
Bern was blasted away.