CHAPTER 181: LET’S WARM UP

The great hall of the Vampire Court was tense. The announcement of the upcoming Tournament of Blood and Fang had stirred the whole realm.

Aamir leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as if sizing up invisible prey.

"Well... these dogs are getting out of hand. I think it’s time I put a collar on their necks."

Zalmic chuckled, the low rumble echoing off the marble walls. "Oh, I’m sure you will."

"The tournament starts the day after tomorrow," Aamir continued, rising from his seat. "I want to warm up a bit. Don’t worry—I’ll be back before it begins."

Before anyone could react, he crouched slightly—then vanished in a blur.

WHOOSH!

Clicy blinked twice. "What... the hell?" she muttered.

The other vampire lords exchanged stunned glances.

Zalmic allowed himself a faint smile. "He never fails to amaze us."

A short while later, Aamir landed lightly in a dense forest outside the city. The earthy scent of damp soil and wildflowers hit him instantly. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, painting his dark coat with shifting gold.

He looked around, shaking his head.

"Out of one forest... and right into another. Damn, I think I’ve got some kind of special connection with these places."

In his mind, the smooth, mechanical tone of Luman, his AI, chimed in.

"Host, you are currently at Level 78. That is more than enough to defeat the werewolf champions."

Aamir smirked. "Then why did I come here, you’re asking?"

"Exactly."

His gaze swept the treeline.

"When I first came to this planet, I tried to sense the ambient energies. And I felt something—someone—extremely powerful. Maybe even stronger than me. If I’m not wrong... that ’Vampire God’ people whisper about. If he’s here, I’ll need to get stronger. Much stronger."

Luman hesitated for a fraction of a second before speaking again.

"Host, as a Beastlord, you can potentially command all beasts. There is almost nothing—"

Suddenly, the air thickened.

A pressure unlike anything before slammed into the forest, bending branches and making the leaves shiver. Birds scattered from the canopy in a frenzy.

Aamir’s eyes gleamed. "Well, Luman... looks like you just got your answer."

"Yas..." the AI said, its synthetic tone wavering with something close to excitement.

Without another word, Aamir blurred forward, sprinting toward the source of that overwhelming presence, each step carving a deep mark in the forest floor.

Aamir stepped into the small clearing, the damp forest floor crunching softly under his boots.

The air smelled faintly of iron... fresh blood.

In the middle of the clearing stood a nightmare made flesh — a beast whose fur shimmered a deep crimson, as if each strand had been dipped in gore. Thick black markings twisted across its hulking frame like ancient runes, pulsing faintly as it breathed. It stood on four massive, muscular legs, its claws digging into the soil, and its elongated maw bristled with jagged, yellowed fangs.

But what made Aamir pause wasn’t the size — it was the four writhing tentacles sprouting from the creature’s neck, each lined with its own set of needle-like teeth that clicked together hungrily. The thing’s scaled back gleamed like polished obsidian, catching the fractured sunlight through the canopy.

Aamir’s lips curled into a smirk.

"Alright, let’s see what you are..."

With a thought, a faint golden shimmer passed over his eyes.

[Appraisal Activated]

Blood Beast – Bloodsucking Hound

Rank: ???

Known Traits: Extreme blood absorption, high-speed regeneration, tentacle constriction, apex predator of its domain.

Aamir tilted his head.

"Bloodsucking hound, huh? And here I was thinking only vampires had the decency to drink blood."

[Host, based on readings, its estimated power is equivalent to Level 112] Luman’s voice echoed calmly in his mind.

Aamir raised an eyebrow.

"Level 112? Damn... and I’m only 78."

He glanced back at the beast, which hadn’t moved yet, its many eyes locked onto him with a predatory focus.

"I hope I don’t end up killing it. Would make a fine pet."

[Host, are you seriously considering taming that thing?]

Aamir grinned.

"What can I say, Luman? I’ve got a thing for dangerous pets."

The beast’s tentacles lashed at the ground, tearing grooves into the earth as it took a slow, deliberate step forward. Each movement was silent — too silent for its size.

Aamir rolled his shoulders, muscles loosening, the faint hum of power beginning to radiate from him.

"Alright, big guy... let’s dance."

The beast’s red, blood-slick hide glistened under the faint moonlight, every muscle twitching as if it could sense Aamir’s heartbeat. The four tentacles writhing from its neck opened their fanged maws, dripping a thick, black saliva that hissed when it touched the ground.

Aamir cracked his knuckles, his lips curling into a half-smile.

"Level 120, huh? Let’s see if you’re worth the hype."

Luman’s voice echoed in his mind.

[Host, a direct clash is not advised—its bloodline grants it abnormal regeneration.]

Aamir exhaled slowly, his stance lowering. "That’s why I’m not going to hold back."

In a single motion, he surged forward, unleashing 50% of his Pran and blending it with the raw surge of Adrenaline Energy. The air around him warped slightly, a faint shimmering blue aura wrapping his frame. His veins pulsed with the mixture, and the ground cracked beneath his feet as he kicked off.

The bloodsucking hound reacted instantly, tentacles lashing out like whips. Aamir twisted his body mid-leap, letting one strike slice the air where his head had been. The second came faster, aiming to wrap around his torso. Aamir’s hand shot out, fingers gripping the slick, muscular appendage.

"Got you—"

The tentacle’s teeth sank into his forearm. Pain flared, but instead of pulling back, Aamir’s grip tightened. His blue flames erupted in a sudden blaze, racing along the length of the tentacle. The beast screeched, thrashing violently as the fire burned deep into its flesh.

The other three tentacles lunged at him at once. Aamir released the first and spun, his heel smashing into one with a thunderous crack. Bone—if it even had bones—snapped under the force.

The beast lunged forward on all fours, its long maw snapping inches from his face. Aamir ducked low, driving his fist upward into its chin. The impact lifted the creature a few feet into the air before it crashed back down, gouging deep claw marks into the soil as it steadied itself.

"You’re fast for something that big," Aamir muttered, flexing his burned forearm.

The hound’s eyes burned crimson, its tentacles curling inward as its wounds visibly knit together.

Luman’s voice was calm but edged with warning.

[See? Regeneration factor confirmed. You will need sustained damage to wear it down.]

"Then I’ll make it burn from the inside."

He ignited both fists in his signature blue flames, this time weaving his Pran through each movement, making the fire denser, heavier. His aura flared like a beacon in the dark forest, shadows dancing wildly on the surrounding trees.

The beast lunged again, faster than before. Aamir stepped into its charge, meeting it head-on. His flaming right fist smashed into its jaw while his left hand caught a tentacle mid-swing, twisting it until sinew tore. The scent of scorched flesh filled the air.

The hound roared, spewing a mist of steaming blood from its mouth. The droplets sizzled when they landed on Aamir’s shoulder, burning through his jacket.

[Host! Its blood is corrosive—avoid contact!]

"Noted!"

He leapt backward, flipping over a sweeping strike of its claws. Landing lightly, he darted in again, this time aiming low. His foot connected with the beast’s foreleg, shattering it with a wet crack. The creature stumbled but didn’t fall, its other limbs compensating instantly.

The tentacles lashed wildly, forcing Aamir to weave between them in a blur of movement. He caught one, yanked it forward, and slammed his knee into its base. The hound howled, snapping at him with a twisting motion.

Aamir ducked under its jaws, planting his palm against its throat. "Let’s see how you handle this."

A burst of compressed blue flame roared out, the heat so intense that the very air shimmered. The creature screeched in agony, thrashing as the fire spread under its skin, veins glowing faintly from the internal burn.

But then, impossibly, the glow faded. The wounds began knitting back together even faster than before.

[Its regeneration speed is increasing. Host, it’s adapting to your flame output.]

"Good," Aamir said, grinning despite the sweat running down his face. "Then I’ll just have to keep pushing."

He surged forward again, throwing himself into close-quarters combat. His punches were sharp, compact, each strike landing with the force of a battering ram. He mixed in kicks and elbows, using his height and speed to drive the beast back. Every impact was followed by a lick of blue flame, searing deep into the bloodbeast’s flesh.

The fight became a blur of claws, fire, and motion—tentacles snapping like whips, Aamir darting and striking with lethal precision. Trees splintered, the ground cratered under their movements, and the forest rang with the clash of predator and prey.

But as he drove his flaming fist into the beast’s side, he realized something unsettling—its movements were getting sharper. More calculated.

It was learning.

The hound’s tentacles spread wide, forcing Aamir to jump back. Then, with terrifying speed, it pounced—not at him, but at the trees around them. Its claws tore through thick trunks, sending them toppling toward Aamir like collapsing pillars.

"Smart mutt," Aamir muttered, weaving between falling trees.

One tentacle caught his ankle mid-dodge, yanking him off balance. He hit the ground hard, rolling as the beast’s jaws slammed down where his head had been. He came up on one knee, grabbed a broken branch, and hurled it like a spear. It lodged in the creature’s eye, buying him a precious second.

[Host, your current power output is sustainable for five more minutes before severe strain sets in.]

Aamir’s grin widened. "Five minutes is plenty... to have some real fun."

Blue flames roared higher around him, merging with his Pran until his entire body was a blazing silhouette in the darkness. His eyes locked on the hound, and he dashed forward again—this time, even faster than before.

The impact of his next punch shook the ground, sending a shockwave through the forest. The beast reeled, snarling, but didn’t fall. It lunged again, and the clash reignited with even greater ferocity—two predators locked in a deadly dance neither was willing to end.

The fight had only just begun.