My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 467: Vampire Subordinate

From the lurking shadows, Ethan watched the intense fight, his demeanor steady, faintly amused. The savage confrontation between the vampire and werewolf had left the ancient hall in shambles. Broken pillars sprawled over the stone ground. A fine gray haze of dust floated through the atmosphere. Dark blood trails marred the walls.

He had long resolved the matter concerning this world.

For Earth to fall completely under his command, it couldn't stay fractured by secretive hunters locked in meaningless land disputes. The vampires and werewolves would either submit or face total elimination. No alternative path lay open. His strategies needed solidarity, and solidarity demanded absolute control.

The raging werewolf bellowed and forced the vampire to retreat with savage might. Its talons ripped through rock like it was mere parchment. Covered in rough black hair, its enormous frame rippled with ferocious strength. Every blow held the power to pulverize solid concrete.

The vampire moved with speed, yet he was steadily yielding territory.

"You will have to die, little dog," Ethan mused icily while observing the beast seize the upper hand.

The werewolf charged ahead, mouth agape, poised to tear into the vampire’s neck.

"Your death sentence was written the moment you dared to kill members of my gang."

Ethan advanced.

That one stride resounded through the chamber like a booming thunder.

A terrifying presence erupted from him and crashed down on the fray like an unseen peak. The very atmosphere thickened. An immense weight bore down relentlessly.

The vampire stopped in mid-action. The werewolf paused in its leap.

Both twisted their gazes toward Ethan, their survival senses blaring warnings.

The vampire’s complexion drained of color. His limbs shook before buckling completely. He dropped to his knees, wheezing desperately.

"Who is he?" he rasped out amid labored breaths. "I cannot breathe. How is this possible?"

The werewolf suffered even more severely.

An invisible power gripped the huge beast and hoisted it upward off the surface. Its nails clawed futilely at nothing. It writhed and howled, desperate to escape, yet the unseen hold stayed unyielding. No surge of brute force could defy it.

Ethan lifted his hand deliberately.

He performed a straightforward closing gesture.

The werewolf’s form squeezed inward as though squeezed by a colossal hand. Skeletons cracked in quick bursts. Internal organs burst from the intense strain. Hair, skin, and gore folded into a hideous clump. The noise of snapping bones reverberated grotesquely through the space.

In the next instant, the beast caved in utterly.

Its remnants splattered over the ground in unrecognizable fragments.

A heavy quiet enveloped the hall.

The vampire gaped at the debris, his eyes bulging in terror. He had battled that werewolf for almost an hour and come close to death multiple times. But the figure who just stepped in had obliterated it with merely a motion.

In that instant, he grasped a vital truth.

He was no longer the hunter.

Ethan approached with deliberate paces and materialized right before the prostrated vampire. The gap between them disappeared as if reality itself had yielded to his will.

"I want you to become my slave," Ethan stated evenly. "What is your answer? If you agree, blink once. If you refuse, blink twice."

The vampire showed no delay.

He realized defiance would invite instant demise.

He blinked once.

"A wise decision," Ethan responded.

The suffocating force vanished at once. The vampire drew in a deep breath, filling his constricted lungs. His frame quivered, driven by dread rather than frailty.

Ethan crouched down and traced an intricate runic pattern on the stone with his finger. The markings shimmered softly upon creation. The icons appeared to draw in the ambient glow, generating an eerie void at their core.

Lacking standard energy control in this realm, he would call upon the fundamental rules instead.

"Place one drop of your essence blood here," Ethan directed, indicating the circle’s heart.

The vampire wouldn’t think to challenge him.

From his core, he produced a lone droplet of pure blood essence. It lingered momentarily in the air prior to descending onto the symbols.

Upon touching, the pattern blazed with red radiance.

The vampire sensed a link establish right away. It ran profound and unbreakable. His determination naturally aligned with the figure before him. No opposition arose, no fight ensued. The tie was total.

"Good," Ethan declared, standing up. "Now gather all your assets and bring them to the slum district. Find the Black Bull Gang and deliver everything to them. After that, you may operate independently under my authority."

The vampire inclined his head low.

"Yes, my lord."

He spun around and melted into the darkness without a backward glance.

Ethan emerged from the devastated structure. James lingered by the alley’s mouth, shifting restlessly.

"What was that thing?" James inquired right away. "Did you find out what it was?"

Ethan gave him a quick look.

"I will let you meet someone tomorrow. Let us go."

James had a flurry of inquiries, but he’d come to know Ethan wouldn’t reveal details until he was ready. He tamped down his inquisitiveness and trailed after him.

The following evening, tension gripped the Black Bull Gang’s base.

A striking young man positioned himself at the doorway. He exuded natural poise in his bearing. His stance remained upright, his stare composed yet piercing. Just his aura put the street-level members on edge.

They weren’t sure how to act in his vicinity.

In a secluded chamber, Ethan, James, and the young man faced each other.

"James, this is Edward," Ethan introduced. "He will be the ATM booth of the gang for now."

Edward’s mouth quirked faintly at the words, though he inclined his head courteously.

James examined him intently. Edward carried an unusual vibe.

"And Edward," Ethan went on, "this is James. He will be the long term financial backbone of the gang."

A subtle swell of satisfaction crossed James’ features.

Edward gave a refined grin.

"And yes," Ethan appended offhandedly, "you can transform. Let him see."

Edward agreed. He rose gradually.

James observed with keen interest.

In mere moments, Edward’s gaze shifted to scarlet. A pair of keen fangs protruded from his mouth. From his shoulders, a set of red bat wings spread, extending with a soft whisper.

James leaped up abruptly.

His countenance blended alarm and wonder.

"Are you a vampire from the legends?" he questioned outright.

Edward dipped his chin.

"Yes."

James turned to Ethan, who stayed utterly composed.

"Enough," Ethan commanded. "Let us move to business."

"How can you be this calm?" James pressed. "He is a vampire."

"Because I am not a child like you," Ethan answered steadily.

James snorted. "You are two or three years old probably. That still makes you a child."

Ethan cleared his throat softly and disregarded the remark.

"Edward, how much capital do you control?"

"My lord, I possess approximately five hundred million Federation Coins," Edward replied promptly.

James almost sputtered.

"Good," Ethan stated. He passed Edward an extensive inventory. "Use your subordinates to acquire every ingredient on this list in bulk quantities. Operate independently, but report to me regularly."

Edward took the document and bowed.

"As you command."

He departed the space without pause.

James regarded Ethan with undisguised respect.

"You truly are something else," he conceded. "Even a vampire calls you my lord."

Ethan reclined a bit.

"I am going to establish a large scale underworld auction house," he announced. "How much capital will be required to begin?"

James pondered deeply.

"If you want something functional but discreet, two hundred million Federation Coins should be sufficient at the start."

"Very well. You will manage the project," Ethan decided. "Can you handle it?"

James drew himself up.

"Yes. Leave it to me. But make sure Edward provides the funds first. Once my elder brother sees your pills and understands their value, money will not be an issue."

"There is no need to worry," Ethan assured.

He dispatched a directive to Edward to transfer the required funds right away.

James shook his head deliberately.

"You are building something far bigger than a gang, are you not?"

Ethan offered no denial.

Matters progressed exactly according to his blueprint. The otherworldly beings would serve as instruments. The criminal economy would pass through his grasp. Power would spread from the underbelly to the urban centers and beyond to whole countries.

Should things follow this trajectory, soon his reputation would echo throughout the globe.