The hall was silent again. Only the faint hum of Nyx's presence lingered in Alex's mind, playful, sharp, teasing.
"You realize you could literally eat someone right now and call it research," she said, voice dripping mockery. "But no, we're going to be strategic. How… boring."
Alex flexed his hands, feeling the subtle pulse of Pablo's memories beneath his own. Strength, cunning, and survival instincts layered over centuries of vampire potential—it was intoxicating. His hunger, his lust, and his desire for control throbbed in perfect synchrony with this new power.
He had been exiled for ten years, cast to the lands of the banished clans, surrounded by enemies who would have no hesitation in killing him. But that was precisely why no one expected him to rise. No one anticipated that a "useless prince" could become the progenitor of a bloodline strong enough to sway fate itself.
The first task was clear: create his inner circle. Servants were essential. But Alex was no ordinary vampire; only those he deemed worthy—human or heroine—could survive the bonding, let alone ascend into generals under his authority. Male targets were meaningless to him; his desires were focused, refined, and selective.
A subtle glow emanated from his veins as he activated his Blood Creation skill. Nyx's laughter echoed:
"Oh wow. Already planning your little army? Please tell me you remembered who deserves your precious bite and who doesn't. I cannot imagine you crying over an unworthy meal."
Alex ignored her jibe. His gaze scanned the territories around the palace. Hidden villages, quiet forests, abandoned fortresses—all potential hunting grounds for the heroines he needed to test. Observation first, direct engagement later. Each of them carried potential: raw talent, latent Sin authority, or strategic intelligence.
He began marking targets in his mind, the Status Panel hovering silently in the corner of his perception. The fusion of souls amplified his analysis capabilities, letting him measure power, ambition, and loyalty in ways no ordinary vampire could.
Potential Generals:
Heroines whose hidden abilities could dominate the battlefield.
Humans whose will could be molded, whose devotion could be absolute.
He would approach each in secret, observing them, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, determining if they were worthy of his blood—and of loyalty beyond death.
Nyx purred in amusement. "Look at you. Planning a vampire revolution from a banished manor while the world thinks you're pathetic. Honestly, I live for this part of your life."
A small smirk tugged at Alex's lips. The world had spent centuries plotting against him. Empires, heroes, and supposed destiny itself. But now, he held the cards.
"And remember," Nyx continued, mock-serious, "don't let that lust of yours run completely wild. You're still fragile. If you push too hard before the first servants are loyal… well, you're going to have problems that aren't even funny."
Alex's eyes darkened. Lust, hunger, and desire—amplified by his vampire bloodline—gnawed at his control. But he could suppress it, at least enough to plan. There would be time later for indulgence; for now, strategy came first.
He closed his eyes and extended his senses. Shadows stretched out like tendrils across the manor and into the surrounding lands. Every movement, every heartbeat of potential targets, was visible to him now. Observation. Assessment. Selection.
The first heroine to approach would determine the pace of his conquest. She would be his prototype general, the standard by which others would be measured. The others would follow, willingly or not, once they saw his power.
And as he opened his eyes again, the hall's dim light reflected off the marble, shimmering against veins of glowing energy coursing beneath his skin.
The world had written him out. It had mocked him, exiled him, and branded him useless.
Now… it would learn the meaning of a progenitor who refuses to bow.
Pablo's voice whispered, barely audible beneath the fusion of power and desire:
"Show them why villains survive."
Alex's smirk widened.