ocean-life Chapter 127 - The Muscular Crossbowman
Chapter 127 - The Muscular Crossbowman
Chapter 127 - The Muscular Crossbowman
Inside the first floor of Plinka Manor, a lavish hall on the right was dripping with grandeur.
A long table, covered with a silky blood-red tablecloth with golden palm-sized floral embroidery, stood in the center. Silver cutlery and smooth porcelain plates had been neatly arranged. Light came from the lit candles in the decorative candle holder set in the middle.
The dishes on the table smelled enticing: pan-fried black cod, tender beef ribs, creamy baked lobster, white mashed potatoes, cauliflower soup sprinkled with grated cheese, and a side dish of figs. The rich scent of fat lingered in the air.
Additionally, there were sweet wines and various cakes. These desserts, usually served after the main meal, were already on the table. However, despite the sumptuous spread, the seven diners around the table showed little interest.
There were four men and three women. The handsome men were dressed in tailored black suits, with neat hairstyles. The women wore bright red dresses that displayed their delicate collarbones and fair skin. Their red lips glistened from their makeup.
On the right side of the table, a beautiful woman in her thirties sipped her sweet wine. She quietly asked the man next to her, "When will the main course be served? I'm starving."
The elegantly poised man shook his head. "Lord Franz has gone to get it; it should be ready in about ten minutes."
"Alright then." The woman took another sip of her wine, her crimson tongue licking her full lips. She had a strange allure.
Suddenly, dozens of black bats, the size of fists, flapped over from the corridor at the back of the hall. Two human figures seemed to emerge from within the bats' shadows. Boredom forgotten, the diners were instantly excited at the sight and the seven whispered anticipatorily.
"The main course is here!"
"Finally, we can eat!"
"Hope today's blood wine tastes better..."
Flutter!
The bats dispersed, revealing a pale middle-aged man. He was dressed like an ancient noble, with white ruffled lace around his sleeves and neck.
"Lord Franz," they greeted in unison.
It was clear this middle-aged man held the highest status and power in this family of vampires. He could transform into bats, move at high speeds, implement curses, was able to manipulate blood, and induce fear.
Compared to him, the first vampire Cassius encountered was like an infant, possessing only slightly superior physical strength and basic blood arts, making him easy prey. Even Twilight could have defeated that vampire if he hadn't been distracted by the hostage situation.
Franz sat down at the head of the table, where two large silver goblets were placed far from each other. Two young girls sat quietly beside the table. Although their breathing and expressions were normal, they looked like mute puppets with their dull and lifeless eyes.
"The main course is here. Let's begin," Franz declared.
He disappeared and reappeared behind the two girls. With a swift slash of his sharp nails across their white necks, blood flowed out immediately.
Franz returned to his seat, waving his hand lightly. Two streams of blood arced through the air and filled the goblets.
The sound of thick liquid splashing was pleasant, and the sweet scent of blood filled the room. The vampires present grew restless, some tugging at their ties, others chewing their lips. Their eyes shone with a fervent glow. The seductive woman on the right side of the table swallowed hard.
Suddenly, from outside the French windows on the right side of the hall, dozens of powerful crossbow bolts shattered the glass, shooting into the room.
"What's happening?!" Many vampires screamed. As soon as they jumped up, they were struck by bolts. They were hurt quite badly; some bolts were coated in mercury, some in poison, and some were oil-soaked and aflame. One unlucky vampire's entire upper body caught fire, but he quickly tore off his suit.
"Is it those lackeys from Black Rain Manor?!" The vampires soon realized who their attackers were.
More arrows kept flying in through the French windows, forcing the vampires to hide behind load-bearing columns.
"There may be quite a few of them, but not enough to overpower us. From the way they're using crossbows, they must be the group of Hellsings skilled in long-range attacks!" Franz narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the situation. As a powerful vampire, he knew quite a bit about the dark world. "Let's run in and kill them. If we can get close, these archers will be no match for us vampires!"
Under Franz's lead, seven to eight shadows broke through the barrage of arrows and darted into the dark, open grounds of the manor.
Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh...
His height suddenly increased from 1.2 meters to 1.9 meters. His burly frame resembled a bear, showcasing strong, triangular muscles. He wore a black cloak that blended with the surrounding darkness, making him appear less conspicuous at first. He had half-crouched to get better aim which mistakenly gave Franz the impression that he was a dwarf.
Franz was momentarily stunned but not scared.
So what if he was muscular and burly? A human's physique couldn't compare to that of a dark creature. When it came to fighting in close proximity, a seemingly strong man against a slender, female-like Blood Race would undoubtedly end in the human’s death!
He stomped the ground and darted, his claws outstretched.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A series of arrows flew through the air in the shadows. Steel arrows hit Franz's chest, but he ignored them and kept running. The use of crossbows indicated that archery was the opponent's only means of attack, making his strong-looking body nothing more than a paper tiger.
"Die!"
Franz materialized in front of the man in an instant, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. He crossed his hands and slashed down, his sharp, elongated red claws aiming at the man’s neck!
This strike could crack concrete!
Hiss...
There was an unpleasant scraping sound.
Franz felt like his hands were cutting into thick, tough leather and were unable to penetrate. He thought it was going to be as easy as slicing through butter but that didn't happen. The silhouettes showed Franz's raised hands stuck on either side of the man’s thick neck.
The man looked at him calmly. "I've killed at least dozens like you in the past six months. Your blood will consecrate my newly made muscle-enhanced steam-powered mechanical crossbow."
"What!" Franz's eyes widened in shock.
Crack!
His outstretched arms were torn off. Blood spurted from the stumps, revealing disgusting muscle fibers and severed tendons.
Thud!
Before Franz could react, he was kicked away like a broken doll. His chest caved in, bones cracking. Agony surged and overwhelmed him.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Franz's head slammed into the wall with a thud, and he began to cough up blood. That man, that man...had such terrifying strength, how could he be an archer! This was a blatant deception! Shameless disguise!
Gathering his remaining strength, Franz tried to get up, only for a heavy foot to press down on his stomach, pinning him firmly to the ground. Franz felt like his intestines were about to be squeezed out.
Blood manipulation! He shouted inwardly. He made one last-ditch attempt to use his ability.
But the man before him seemed unaffected.
"Go join your companions," Cassius said coldly, aiming an oversized mechanical crossbow at Franz's heart.
Franz watched, terrified, as he pulled the trigger.
Thud, thud, thud...
A grotesque large spray of blood blossomed from his chest.
The Blood Race's heart was protected by bones on both sides, but clearly had its limits. Under the flurry of heavy crossbow bolts, the small bones and heart were decimated. The hot liquid quickly pooled into a bloody puddle.
To be sure, Cassius grabbed Franz's head with his strong arm and slammed it into the side wall. A series of loud bangs echoed like firecrackers, flesh and blood splattering.
Franz's head was flattened into a pancake. Combined with his exploded heart, there was no way he could still be alive. Cassius twisted his neck, about to shoot more bolts when he noticed a white letter on the ground, seemingly dropped during Franz's brutal beating. He picked it up.