The Pact: Bruno and the Crimson Veil

The pain intensified.

My Blood Star worked frantically, as if tearing my body from within.

Vitae coursed through every cell—mercilessly—being drawn back into the Star to be refined.

It continued expanding.

Without the ten rare drops of Purissimus Sanguis Purus, breaking through to the Warrior Realm was impossible.

Vitae surged in waves.

The Star expelled it, refined what it could—then repeated the cycle.

No rest. No relief.

Since Vitae isn't an external energy but internal, once it enters your body, it becomes inseparable.

Refine it—or die.

That was my reality.

My blood-bound Vitae was overflowing.

The Star began to refine it under extreme pressure, driven by pure survival instinct.

---

I fell from Astrel's back.

Agonizing on the ground, praying the Star could process the overload.

"Grrr… grrr…"

Groans escaped me.

Time stretched, and pain devoured me.

I felt I was dying.

No… not yet.

I persisted.

Despite the agony.

Despite being crushed under all that Vitae…

I wanted to live.

To speak with them again.

To apologize.

With that final thought…

My eyes closed.

I passed out.

---

POV: Tyler

We were riding toward the center with the soldiers to support Captain Ashen.

When we arrived, bodies littered the field—death had passed through.

I'd slain five near-2★ beasts myself, but on the path here, I counted at least thirteen more of the same caliber.

All killed by the captain.

And yet… he fought two Level-2★ beasts?

"What a monster…" I thought, a grin forming.

---

A few more minutes of galloping and we reached the center.

The sight was astounding:

A 2★ Harudrak lay dead, its head cleanly severed.

Beside it, the charred feet of another, likely the same level.

I scanned the area.

There were Ignis and Astrel, standing solemn and watchful beside him.

Then I saw him—Ashen.

Lying there, his body drenched in a reckless flood of Vitae.

I rushed to him, but Varnel grabbed me firmly.

"Don't interfere," he said.

"He must've consumed a Level-2 beast crystal.

His body is assimilating it—if you touch him now, you could startle him… or worse."

I watched him trembling, veins throbbing.

He seemed consumed by unbearable pain.

His nails were dug into the ground.

He hadn't even dared to cry out.

The uncontrolled Vitae began to ebb.

His wings spread wide, the body instinctively pumping energy there.

Then the flow forced itself toward Ignis—the bonded wyvern—who absorbed the Vitae directly.

Ignis's form began to grow, inch by inch.

But even so, the amount of energy within Ashen remained immense.

The spear in his hand glowed, pulsating with Vitae surges.

Yet, as he lacked controlled channeling, the flow stopped nearly as fast as it appeared.

It was as if Ashen's body was breathing through the weapon—strangely relieving pressure on the Blood Star, accelerating the refining.

---

I shifted my gaze to the elders.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" I asked.

"More or less," Ysra replied.

"Once, a near-2★ demon beast swallowed a Level-2 crystal. Couldn't refine the energy… and exploded."

"Shit…" I muttered.

"Can we help?" I asked.

"Maybe with a large volume of blood," Ysra said.

"If he can increase the Purissimus Sanguis Purus level, it might aid…

But transporting him to the village would be difficult."

"What if we hunted beasts for it?"

"Are you sure?" Varnel warned.

"Beast blood tastes horrible, full of impurities. Not everyone can stomach it."

"Don't worry," I replied.

"That kid healed himself without ritual—just drinking beast blood."

Syborn's soldiers—and even the elders—fell silent for a moment.

"You had no losses?" Ysra asked.

"No."

"And yours?"

"Luckily, none."

---

"Then that's the plan," Ysra concluded, taking charge.

"Some stay to guard him.

The rest hunt as many beasts as possible."

She sent two soldiers to Syborn.

"Bring reinforcements and heavy storage skins—each holds up to 100 liters. Try to get five."

They nodded and departed.

Syborn was five minutes away, but moving Ashen in his condition was impossible.

We organized ourselves—some rested and sharpened weapons, others gathered flasks and tools.

Thirteen minutes later, soldiers returned with skins and alchemists.

They would purify the blood.

In the meantime, the archers and I would protect the captain.

The rest went hunting.

---

POV: Bruno (again)

My body still throbbed.

Slowly, my eyes began to open.

The first thing I saw was Ignis—bigger, maybe a meter long and sixty-five centimeters tall.

Astrel stood guard nearby, majestic and alert.

"Hmm…" I chuckled, lying back in the dirt.

I realized I was surrounded by soldiers.

"Any casualties?" I asked Tyler, who grinned.

"None, haha!" he cheered.

Wincing from pain, I sat.

Everyone was alive.

"Easy win, huh?" I asked with a weary smile.

"Thanks to you. Truly," Ysra and the Syborn survivors responded.

"Don't read into it," I replied, avoiding the hero spotlight.

Tyler patted my shoulder.

"Kid, we've got something for you."

Five leather skins were dropped before me.

"There's 500 liters of beast blood in here," he said.

"Took three hours to collect. Drink it quick, so we can leave this forest."

I looked at the skins. Then up at the sky.

The sun was setting.

"Thank you, everyone," I said sincerely.

"Don't take this too seriously," Orlim murmured.

"But tell me—what do you feel?"

"I'm not sure," I said, still processing my body.

"After so much Vitae refining, my Blood Star…expanded too much.

I think I became a False-Warrior."

"What's that?" Varnel asked curiously.

"Well, since I didn't fully reach the Warrior Realm, the excess Vitae pushed my Star to the limit of an apprentice.

So I named it myself."

I grabbed one of the skins.

Opening it, I sensed something strange—its smell, its density… it was different.

"Is this beast blood?" I asked, puzzled.

"Yes, but these three are alchemists. They purified it several times," Tyler explained.

"That should make it easier to drink."

"Thank you," I said, raising it to my lips.

Maybe from the pain—or the unstable Vitae—I drank all 100 liters in a single minute.

The liquid surged through my veins, diving straight into the Blood Star.

It began working again—but this time, with control. Within my limits.

"Ahh… that's delicious," I murmured.

"…Nothing like the raw beast blood I used to drink in the forest."

I spoke happily, but the faces around me twisted in disgust.

"You should all try it—even if it's awful," I said with a slight grin.

Without waiting, I kept drinking.

Deep inside, I knew:

I'd need an alchemist in my battalion.

And maybe force everyone to get used to purified beast blood.

For some reason, everyone shivered at that moment.

---

A few minutes later, I finished five skins.

All that blood was processed by my Blood Star, slowly.

Unlike the vampiric transformation that tears the soul, purification only irritates—like burning heat in the veins.

Fully recovered, we set off for the village.

Luckily, Syborn was close.

With the mission complete, we retraced our route home—avoiding demon-beast territory.

Yes, it may sound odd for a vampire to avoid forest nights.

But… when the sun sets, the hunters awaken.

A lone vampire can become prey.

Of course, that depends on one's domain, blood… and combat strength.

---

Back in Syborn, we brought the 2★ Harudrak's body.

We could have left, but decided to spend the night.

The village had simple but functional military barracks—enough for us.

I was exhausted.

After so much Vitae, my body needed time to adjust.

And after everything I'd consumed, there was a real chance my Blood Star would begin to refine True Blood.

---

Later, I lay in a bed.

Ignis curled beside me, taking up almost a third of the mattress.

Astrel slept peacefully on the floor next to it.

Both had grown—Ignis clearly well-fed.

Astrel… had changed. Having fought Harudraks and eaten crystals, his Realm neared that of a 2★ Demon Beast.

My body still ached, but I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

---

DREAM:

Ignis broke through his chain.

I descended a slope fighting seven Level-1 wolves—my heated chain struggling to pierce their thick hides.

In a tree above, a childish version of me watched with disdain.

"Still having nightmares? So weak…" it said.

In my voice—but I'd never heard it before.

I pressed on.

Then… an arrow pierced my shoulder.

"Snow Demon!" a distant voice shouted in panic.

Before I could turn, the wolves attacked.

Ignis died.

Six wolves knocked me down. They began devouring me.

But it wasn't the end.

---

We were in a castle.

There she was. The first time… when we were separated… when I abandoned her.

"Flávia…" I whispered, touching her face.

She was so sweet. So gentle. So mine.

Tears fell.

She hugged me.

"What's wrong, Bruno? Had a nightmare?" she asked, laughing softly.

My little bat…

Selena appeared next. Beautiful as ever, still shy.

She touched my shoulder and said softly:

"You can count on us. We'll listen."

But the dream ended there.

---

My eyes opened to find Ignis licking my face.

It was daytime.

He was excited.

Astrel curiously licked his mane.

I felt no more pain.

The uncontrolled Vitae had finally calmed.

I stood. Stepped out with my companions by my side.

The sun rose on the horizon.

I felt stronger than ever.

I hope one day to reclaim full command—through rain, heat… and no more snow.

---

I wandered through the village.

It was beautiful. Welcoming.

A shame it was always under demon-beast threat.

I leaned on one of the walls, admiring the view.

"Enjoying the scenery?" Elga approached.

"It's lovely," I replied.

"Syborn's view always is," Varnel added.

"Need anything?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the horizon.

"No. We old ones just came to thank you for saving our home," Elga said.

"Don't take it too seriously…"

We stood together, gazing out.

---

Time passed.

It was time to leave.

Mounted, my battalion and I departed Syborn.

Under the sun, with low snow and the wind's whistle, we galloped toward the castle.

Heading home.