My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness

A cluttered laboratory, filled with all sorts of odds and ends.

Whirr— Crackle!

The whirring of motors and the grinding of metal echoed through the room, punctuated by the occasional crash of breaking glass.

It was a cacophony of sounds, a stark contrast to the lab’s high-tech appearance, but it was just another ordinary day here.

Beep—

A distinct sound, different from the usual noises, cut through the din.

-Doctor, Doctor, are you there?

But the lab’s occupant seemed oblivious to the call, the noise continuing unabated. After several more attempts…

-Doctor?

…the noise finally began to subside. Five minutes had passed since the first call. The voice on the other end, calm and patient, spoke again.

“Hmm? What is it? I was in the middle of something.”

Doctor, the lab’s sole occupant, grumbled as he walked across the cluttered room.

He grabbed a dirty towel and wiped the red liquid from his hands.

Beep—

He reached a desk in the corner of the room and tapped a device on its surface, activating the communication line.

“Yes, yes, this is Doctor. What do you want?”

-Ah, Doctor. I apologize for the interruption.

“You should. Now get to the point. I was about to have a breakthrough!”

He was exaggerating, as always. He hadn’t actually made any significant progress.

But the caller was used to his antics and calmly delivered the news.

-We have intel on the target you’ve been monitoring. He’s entered Europe.

It was the news he had been waiting for.

-The Korean Phantom, Heinz, has infiltrated Paris. He’s currently eliminating Thermidor’s branches in the surrounding cities and is about to clash with the Tyrant.

“Oh?”

Doctor’s eyes widened, a manic grin spreading across his face.

He had been waiting impatiently, and now, the target had finally appeared.

What a pleasant surprise!

“Ooh ho ho~! Finally! France, you say? That’s… slightly disappointing. But not bad! As long as he’s in Europe, it’s practically a done deal!”

Eastern Europe would have been ideal, but it was only a matter of time.

He would eventually be drawn to Romania, following the prearranged pull.

And once he arrived there, it would all be over.

“Tell the Duke to prepare! And to be thorough this time!”

-Yes, I’ll relay the message.

“And keep me updated on any further developments.”

-Understood, Doctor.

The light on the communication device dimmed as the call ended, and silence returned to the cluttered lab.

“…”

Doctor stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the room.

He was filled with a sense of anticipation, imagining the valuable sample he was about to acquire. A key to his long-term research project.

He nodded decisively.

“Right…”

And then, in a dramatic tone, he declared.

“Pepperoni pizza it is.”

He had decided on today’s lunch menu.

After all, a proper meal was essential, regardless of the circumstances.

____________________

A strange, crimson world.

A world of blood.

Crackle—

A shadowy figure, dark as the abyss, encroached on its crimson domain.

It writhed and pulsed, like a living being, devouring the surrounding space and expanding its territory.

“How… annoying.”

Slash—

Hundreds of invisible hands reached out from the crimson world, tearing the shadowy figure to shreds.

But as always, it didn’t end there.

The scattered fragments coalesced, reforming into a swarm of bat-like creatures, their wings flapping as they took flight.

An endless horde of shadows, regenerating and multiplying.

Heinz the Second, facing this relentless onslaught, finally understood why his opponent was called the Tyrant.

‘This isn’t just summoning. He can use it for everything… stealth, movement, attack, defense… This is troublesome.’

He hovered in mid-air, his gaze shifting to the shadowy figures writhing on the ground below.

The Tyrant’s shadows weren't just minions, they were a versatile tool, a multi-purpose ability.

And he was incredibly skilled, manipulating them with ease and precision, relentlessly pressing his attack.

‘I knew blood factor wasn’t everything… but I still underestimated him. I need to be more careful.’

The fight was dragging on, longer than he had anticipated.

He had lured the Tyrant into this barrier during the day, when his shadows were weaker, but it hadn't been as effective as he had hoped.

But Heinz wasn’t the only one feeling frustrated.

…The Tyrant, having experienced the vast difference in their power during their initial clashes, was even more so. He was desperately trying to avoid a direct confrontation.

‘This is ridiculous… Where did this monster come from? Korea? What kind of place is that…!’

The Tyrant, the ruler of France’s underworld and the master of Thermidor, a level 9 vampire, frowned.

He continued to move through the shadows, his body flickering in and out of existence, searching for an opening.

Swish—

He found a weak point in the barrier and lunged towards it.

Crackle—

He slammed into the barrier, his shadows converging at the point of impact.

Just a few more seconds, and he would be able to break through…

“Damn it.”

…But then he was forced to retreat, vanishing back into the shadows.

He watched the damaged barrier instantly regenerate, the encroaching shadows shredded and dispersed, and cursed inwardly.

‘How much energy does he have?’

His first priority, after realizing the futility of a direct confrontation, had been to escape the barrier.

It seemed to be focused on containment, lacking any offensive capabilities… but he couldn't stay trapped in the enemy’s domain.

And his specialty, his true strength, wasn’t brute force, but guerilla tactics, exploiting the shadows. He needed a wider area to utilize his abilities effectively.

‘But it’s not just the energy. He’s maintaining this high-level barrier while fighting my shadow army, and he can instantly counterattack and repair the barrier the moment I try to escape?’

He couldn't believe it.

Even with careful preparation, it was impossible to react so quickly.

He was clearly outmatched.

Swish—

“Ugh!”

And as if to add insult to injury, Heinz was relentlessly pursuing him, his attacks appearing out of nowhere, exploiting any momentary lapse in his concentration.

“…He’s fast.”

But Heinz wasn’t having an easy time either.

He clicked his tongue, deflecting the sharp shadows that darted towards him from all directions, and refocused his mind.

But his opponent was a transcendent being, and he was skillfully evading his attacks. Even his causality manipulation wasn’t very effective.

‘I can’t waste any more time.’

Even though the barrier had been set up in a secluded forest, it wasn't far from Paris.

The longer he stayed here, the higher the chance of outside interference. And if he was interrupted, he might lose his only chance to capture the Tyrant.

‘He let his guard down and walked right into my trap. This is my only chance.’

He couldn't return empty-handed after coming all this way. He had invested too much time and effort into this.

‘…A little recklessness is acceptable.’

A lot had happened since he became a Sacred Blood.

He had acquired the essences of other original bloodlines in Auterica, including Obaifo’s.

And on Earth, he had absorbed the blood of Alpha, the imperfect level 9 vampire.

‘I couldn't use my full power during the Revolutionary incident. I wasn’t fully adapted yet.’

And he had been too focused on supporting Heinrich and Harley.

So, this was a good opportunity to gather real-world combat data.

To test the true extent of his power, achieved through unconventional means, beyond the comprehension of other vampires.

“Haa—”

Heinz took a deep breath.

He maintained 「Existence Denial」, concealing his presence, and then activated the core of his being, 「Blood Ancestor」.

Thump!

His blood, refined and enhanced by 「Hybrid Evolution」 and 「Refined Blood Essence」, surged through his body, carrying the power of 「Blood Mystery」.

Thump!

He used 「Insight」 to observe his inner self and 「Rapid Acceleration」 to manipulate causality, accelerating the transformation.

Crack— Pop—

Sizzle—!

His blood flow accelerated, heat and steam erupting from his pores.

His muscles bulged, his skin flushed red as the increased blood volume surged through his body.

‘A true craftsman doesn’t blame his tools… but better tools and a better environment always lead to better results.’

It was common sense.

And as Howard, actively working on the front lines of creation, he knew it firsthand.

“Huuu…”

And the body was the perfect tool, the ultimate instrument.

‘Now then…’

Deep within Heinz the Second’s body,

The dormant factors, usually sealed to minimize the strain on his physical form,

…awakened.

____________________

The raging storm suddenly subsided.

But the Tyrant, hidden within the shadows, didn't dare to move.

‘What’s going on?’

He couldn’t understand it.

This was the perfect opportunity to escape. His enemy had lowered his guard… but his instincts, honed through centuries of survival, screamed at him to stay hidden.

He hesitated for a moment, then made a rational decision.

‘I’ll prioritize escape.’

He didn’t know what had caused this sudden change, but he couldn't waste this chance.

He would try to escape, and if anything went wrong, he would retreat back into the shadows.

As he always did.

He lunged towards the barrier, unleashing his full power.

Crackle—

A few seconds.

He finally managed to create a small opening in the barrier…

And then.

A chill ran down his spine.

He reacted instinctively, his body moving on its own.

Sharp thorns, formed from the shadows that enveloped him, shot outwards, piercing the air. A giant, black hand emerged from the ground, its fingers reaching for the sky.

And all the shadows within the barrier writhed and surged towards him.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and before he could even react, he was pulled down into the shadows…

“I’ve finally caught you, rat.”

…And a cold voice echoed in his ears.

A strong hand emerged from the depths of the shadows, gripping his neck like a fish on a hook, and dragged him upwards.

‘…Ugh, when?!’

And around him,

The shadows he had unleashed shattered and dispersed like falling cherry blossoms.

A shower of darkness, devoid of any beauty.

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