Chapter 44: Awakened S-Rank Beast
Winter didn’t ask. She didn’t have the energy or breath to do so. She simply reached for the pouch at her waist where she stored all her beast cores and handed it over with trembling fingers.
"I don’t know what you are planning with this..." She bit her lower lip hard, fighting the weakness dragging her down. "It had better save us."
Terrence didn’t reply. With the absolute last sliver of strength he had left, he fed every single core directly into the Beast Sanctuary, not minding their ranks or value at all.
Gilbert followed behind them at a calm, mocking pace. A wide, twisted grin stretched across his face as he watched the miserable, helpless state Terrence and Winter were in.
Terrence closed his eyes tightly, focusing all his mental energy inward.
"Don’t give up too soon, Terrence," Gilbert taunted, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. "I need to see that special thing about you. Why you are the only one in this world we can use as a sacrifice. Or should I say... as the fuel."
Terrence didn’t mind those words at all. They didn’t matter to him right now. The only thing that mattered was establishing a connection with the dormant S-Rank Vampire Butler.
[Requirements met! Your dormant S-Rank Vampire Butler has now awakened. Congratulations!]
[Listed Beast S-Rank Vampire Butler is ready to protect the host.]
[Your Beast Supplier Authority is growing... 2%!]
[Congratulations! You have completed a mission! All ailments recovered.]
A wide grin instantly appeared on Terrence’s face as the blurry, fading image of the world before him started to become crystal clear. He could feel his body actively fighting off the pain, his broken ribs snapping back into place as the weakness from severe loss of blood vanished in an instant.
"Wait..."
Gilbert paused his step, his grin faltering as he felt a sudden, terrifying shift in the atmospheric pressure. He let out a sharp whistle, desperately trying to prepare himself for whatever was about to happen.
The giant Arachne Beast darted back to his side. Then, a second spider beast—much smaller in size, radiating a strange, subtle pulse—materialized right beside the first one.
Terrence felt his heart beat fast. ’What does that mean? He had two beasts contracted all along?’
’It’s another spider too... But how was that small one able to manipulate everyone’s minds?’ Questions instantly rammed through Terrence’s mind.
However, Gilbert wasn’t paying attention to any of Terrence’s inner shock. He had completely different questions racing through his head. Why had the temperature in the air suddenly plummeted?
Terrence stood up effortlessly from his previously weakened position. He stretched his arms, extending a hand to slowly assist Winter so she could lean comfortably against the old tree. Winter looked up at him with weak, trembling eyes—a chaotic mixture of confusion and profound admiration swirling in her gaze.
’Just who is he... how did he suddenly heal from those fatal injuries in a single second?’
She wanted to ask why Gilbert had betrayed them, why he was doing all of this. But she couldn’t formulate the words with how messed up her head was. The remnant effects of the mind spell were still actively stopping her from doubting Gilbert’s presence.
"You really messed up, you know..." Terrence said, biting his lower lip as he glared directly at the visibly bothered Gilbert.
The Shadow Hound reappeared by his side with a low, rumble of a growl. Then, a thick crimson fog of blood began coiling tightly around Terrence’s body. A second later, the swirling blood condensed and materialized into an imposing humanoid figure.
The creature stood tall, adorned in a pristine, obsidian-black tuxedo that contrasted wildly with its deep red skin. Sharp, pointed ears pricked slightly from the sides of its head, but apart from its unnatural skin and terrifying aura, its refined structure closely resembled that of a noble human. Its gleaming, crimson dark eyes stared down at Terrence with an unreadable, absolute composure.
An overwhelming, suffocating pressure radiated from the creature, instantly dominating the entire clearing. It bowed its head slightly toward Terrence, exuding an air of ancient, deadly elegance.
Terrence smirked as he looked up at the creature, which stood a head taller than him.
"So... this is what an S-Rank Vampire Butler looks like..." Terrence muttered under his breath, feeling the raw, aristocratic power throbbing in the air. "Good. We should continue the fight."
Terrence didn’t bother checking the specific skill list in his system interface. He simply didn’t have the time as Gilbert’s aura started becoming violently erratic.
"Why! Why! Why!" Gilbert shrieked, completely losing his cool composure.
The giant Arachne lunged forward at great speed, three of its spiked, razor-sharp legs directed straight at Terrence’s chest. The Shadow Hound immediately materialized black energy arcs—similar to its Triple Slash, but far larger and more destructive—blocking the strike and protecting Terrence in an instant.
"Why are you so special?!" Gilbert screamed, his eyes bloodshot with rage. "You were supposed to just be normally special! Enough for me to bring you as the sacrifice! But why this?! This is not normal! How do you have an ancient being?!"
Terrence didn’t give Gilbert’s frantic war cries any attention. He simply issued a cold command to his newly summoned beast.
"Whatever you do, make sure to kill his beasts first. Don’t worry about the tamer yet. Just slaughter those beasts."
Terrence took a breath and turned his back on the chaos, facing Winter, who was just as shocked as she was earlier.
The S-Rank Vampire Butler blinked its dark crimson eyes. In a fraction of a second, its heavy pressure vanished from its original spot and instantly reappeared right beside the smaller mind-controlling spider. With a calm, indifferent look on its face, the vampire casually reached out, grabbed the small spider by one of its legs, and pulled it away from Gilbert with an unbothered stance. It ripped one leg clean off, then stepped back a hundred paces in the blink of an eye.
Gilbert couldn’t even react to the movement. His fingers reflexively materialized white spider threads, but they cut uselessly through empty air, completely unable to catch the vampire’s speed.
’Just how... How can a pure-blooded vampire appear in a backwater world like this?! How can he possibly tame one?!’
Gilbert wanted answers right now. He completely ignored his beasts as they struggled against Terrence’s Shadow Hound, turning his bloodshot eyes directly onto Terrence. He started sprinting full speed toward him.
Not minding his chaotic surroundings, Terrence crouched down back to Winter’s side.
"Are you okay?"
Winter shook her head weakly, letting out a faint, painful breath. "Why do you have to ask that? Do I look okay to you?"
Terrence snorted softly. "Yeah... that was a stupid question." He sighed, looking back over his shoulder toward his beasts, who were now completely overpowering the dual spider beasts.
’This spectacle is really something to watch. It almost makes me never want to fight personally again...’
"Terrence!" Gilbert shouted at the top of his lungs, his face contorted in madness. "Die!"
A dense web of sharp white threads shot through the air toward him, and Terrence knew instantly that they were packed with absolute killing intent. Positioned far away from his beasts’ physical protection, he was left completely unguarded.
Terrence shook his head calmly, aiming to immediately activate Skill Share with the S-Rank Vampire Butler to boost his defense.
[Skill Share: S-Rank Vampire Butler — ERROR!]
[Error... Error...]
Terrence felt his heart skip a beat. Because of his momentary arrogance and distraction, Gilbert had already closed the distance, leaving no room to dodge as the powerful spider threads descended directly upon him.