Before Cain came in, the Moonshade meeting hall felt colder than usual. Shadows clung to the carved pillars like silent watchers. Her father's coffin, half-open and glowing faintly with blood-runic light, gave off a thin mist that curled over the marble floor.
Breaking the silence, Rivik Moonshade's voice came out weak.
"Ivina… the Crimson Blood King is furious. He summoned me. He demanded our loyalty to his new plan. He wants us to go against the Demon Emperor."
Ivina stared at him. "Father… that is already madness."
Rivik nodded in the coffin. His skin was pale. Even for a vampire, he looked drained. "I told him the idea was dangerous. I told him it would throw the Bloodrage Kingdom into chaos. I told him no. And because of that…" He coughed, and a trickle of dark blood slid from the corner of his mouth. "He became furious. He said our Moonshade Family must prove its loyalty to him. If we fail, we will be marked as traitors and be exterminated."
Ivina's heart sank. "How must we prove it?"
Rivik's eyes opened slowly, revealing fear, a real fear. "We must destroy the Lycannis Family."
Ivina froze. "The… Lycannis… Family?"
Rivik nodded again, weak and shaking his head. "They are one of the most promising rising Lycan families under the Demon Emperor. Even our strongest Blood Viscounts once struggled to match them. And now His Majesty expects us, a Baron-rank family, to crush them within a month."
Ivina felt as if someone had stabbed her heart. "That's impossible! Even if we used every knight, every slave, every drop of treasure, Father, we can't! The Lycannis Family would crush us. They are famous even among Lycan Families under the Demon Emperor…"
"If we refuse…" Rivik whispered, "He will wipe out the Moonshade name."
Ivina clenched her fists. "Then what happened to you? Your wounds… are these the Blood King's doing?"
Rivik's eyelids fluttered. "He punished me for my suggestion. I barely escaped his throne room."
Ivina swallowed. Her voice trembled. "Father… what do we do now?"
"We cannot do anything," Rivik said. "Not unless I recover fully. With full strength, we may have a five percent chance. Or if you and your sisters reach the Eighth Blood Infusion Realm… maybe the Blood King would grant us time. But…"
Ivina shook her head. "It has been five years, Father. We trained nonstop. We are still at the Seventh Realm. We don't even feel close. We cannot reach the Eighth Realm in one month."
Rivik sighed. "Then the only choices left are to scatter… or die together as Moonshades."
The blood slaves gasped. Every slave, every maid in the hall dropped to their knees at once.
"We shall die with the Moonshade Family!" they cried.
Ivina's chest tightened painfully. "No… don't say that…"
Rivik closed his eyes. "Ivina, you know I don't want innocent people who have been loyal to us to die because of us. That's why I plan to send away those unrelated. And, oh… I plan to include your husband. They shouldn't suffer…"
Ivina stiffened.
Rivik saw her expression and let out a bitter smile. "I told you to remove him, but you and your sisters insisted on marrying that boy—a man with no background, no bloodline, and no talent. I told you sisters to choose wisely, or if something like this happens, we wouldn't be in a difficult situation. You should have chosen allies."
Ivina lowered her gaze. She said nothing. And her face looked like she's guilty.
Rivik sighed again. "I understand why you three chose him. You wanted to avoid being forced into political marriage with stronger families. Him, without anything special, was perfect. You wanted to keep your freedom so you chose a useless husband. Your mother was the same. I respected it. But now… because of that choice… we stand alone."
Silence filled the hall.
Then, suddenly, a wave of pressure crashed over them like a storm of blades. Every vampire in the room felt their blood freeze. Everyone felt something heavy upon them.
Rivik's eyes widened. "What… is this…?"
Ivina gasped. "I… I can't move…"
Without an expectation, the doors blasted inward with a thunderous crack. And then, a figure stepped through the destroyed entrance.
Blood aura curled around him like living smoke.
Cain Moonshade.
But something about him felt wrong… His posture seemed sharp, his face was cold, and his aura felt like an ancient being that lived countless years.
Ivina's eyes trembled. "C… Cain?"
Rivik frowned. "What is he doing here? And what is this pressure…?"
Cain stared at them with eyes full of murderous intent, with eyes that had seen ages of slaughter.
Ivina suddenly heard a voice echo directly in her mind.
One of my wives… Ivina Moonshade. I, Overgod Cain Moonshade, really returned to the past. Back to when I was married to her and her two sisters… I really returned!
Ivina stiffened. Her brows drew tight.
"What…?" she whispered.
Cain's lips had not moved. Not even once.
Overgod? Returned to the past? Am I hearing things?
Cain's eyes shifted to Rivik.
There he is. The bastard who fooled me. The one who let me waste my life as a slave to this family. Damn it! I truly came back. And now… now someone else shares my Overgod Blood. I refuse this! No one can benefit from me! I am meant to stand alone! I am meant to be the only one!
Ivina's heart hammered hard.
Benefit? Overgod blood? Past? What is he talking about? What's really going on?
Cain kept walking, his killing intent thickening with each step.
Rivik tried to move but failed. "C... Cain... what are you plannin—"
Cain did not hear him and took another step. Suddenly, he felt something crush behind him—a tremendous pressure that even an Overgod like him couldn't resist. His entire body froze..His veins locked, his muscles trembled, and immediately, his knees gave out.
Then, he dropped hard to the floor.
"Gh—!" Cain's face twisted in fury.
What? But he immediately recognized this pressure. The curse…! No… the blood pact!
He slammed a fist against the ground.
Damn this blood pact! The blood pact that binds me to the Moonshade Family! Even after becoming an Overgod, it still shackles me! I refuse this! I refuse this fate!
Ivina stared at him in shock.
Blood pact? Curse? Overgod? Benefit? What is he talking about?
Cain clawed at the ground and bared his teeth.
I will not let anyone share my Overgod bloodline! No one—
Suddenly—
Ivina felt something explode inside her chest.
A surge of power burst through her veins. It was like a volcano of blood-mana had awakened. Her crimson aura roared upward in a violent pillar that shook the entire hall.
The floor cracked under her feet.
Blood slaves screamed.
Rivik's coffin glowed bright red from resonance.
Ivina's white hair lifted as if caught in a storm.
"What—what is happening to me!?" she cried.
Cain's eyes flew open in pure horror.
"No…" he whispered. His voice cracked. His pupils shrank.
No… no… no! My Overgod Blood… It blessed her!
Ivina's aura kept rising, stronger, wilder, and seemingly unstoppable.
Cain's heart pounded until he thought it would explode.
NO!
MY BLOOD—!
MY POWER—!
IT'S GOING TO HER!
NOOOOOOOOO!!!
Ivina's scream filled the hall as the mana reached a blinding peak.
And Cain watched, helpless, as crimson light swallowed her whole.