Ryo woke up and found himself standing before the same seven foes once more. His brain was in chaos. How? He had killed them before… which meant only one thing.
He had passed away.
Something must have gone wrong at the teleportation monument. But how? Before he could even think about it, the summoner turned on his artifact once again, calling another tide of beasts.
This time, Ryo hesitated not at all. A huge fireball bomb exploded from his hand and destroyed everything in a burning blast. Ash and smoke saturated the air, and nothing was left of his attackers.
Selena and Seyra appeared, having run from the carriage.
"Ryo! What happened?" Seyra asked anxiously.
Disregarding the question, Ryo stood up to them. "Does somebody die from employing a teleportation monument?"
Selena shook her head. "I don't know if it's possible for us."
Seyra, though, scowled. "Well… if someone messes with the teleportation circle, it can incinerate everything on it. That was used to get rid of waste… but I don't think it has the power to kill a vampire or dragon. An ordinary vampire, though? It would work."
Ryo's face grew serious. "Can you see if it was messed with?"
Seyra nodded. "I can, but why?"
"Before I vaporized them, I overheard them mentioning something like that," Ryo confessed.
Selena let out a sigh. "Wait… you vaporized them?"
Ryo shrugged. "I lost control of the fireball."
Seyra rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's inspect the monument."
When they reached the teleportation monument, Seyra looked at the circle carefully. Her face darkened.
"It's been tampered with," she confirmed.
She immediately approached the monument's in-charge, a fidgety-looking man. "Who did this?"
The man stuttered. "It… It was just to get rid of some trash! I didn't repair it!"
Seyra raised an eyebrow. "What kind of trash? Let me take a guess. a royal vampire and a dragon?"
The man paled and attempted to flee, but Ryo came between him and the exit in a split second. With one quick motion, Ryo cut the tendons of his legs, and he fell to the ground writhing in pain.
"WHO told you to do that?" Ryo asked, his tone icy.
The man let out a blood-curdling scream. "M-My legs! Aaaah! Damn you!"
Selena folded her arms. "This monument is in noble control… meaning it was intended to kill us all."
Seyra scowled. "How did they even obtain something so hazardous?"
Selena furrowed her brow. "Perhaps it was ancient."
Ryo sighed. "Is there another way to the human world?"
Seyra hesitated. "Well. there's teleportation magic, but none of us possess that element except you. And you don't have sufficient mana for it."
Ryo's eyes grew sharp. "How do I do it?"
Seyra stared at him gravely. "If you attempt it, you'll fall on the spot."
"We don't have time." Ryo flexed his fists. "My mana reserves are higher now. I can do it."
Seyra shrugged. "Okay… imagine two distant points meeting and concentrate on the location you wish to be."
Ryo did just that. A portal materialized in front of them.
Both Selena and Seyra's mouths fell open.
"WHAT the hell did you just do on your first attempt?!" Seyra yelled. "And you're alive?!"
Ryo grinned. "Shall we go?"
Selena groaned. "Okay, let's go."
The three of them walked through the portal.
When they emerged from the portal, Ryo's heart skipped a beat.
His home was burning.
Without hesitation, he ran towards the fire.
"Ryo, stop!" Selena and Seyra shouted after him, but he didn't listen.
He ran into the house, checking each room. Empty.
Panic began.
Then, his Enemy Detection sense flared—11 kilometers away.
They had kidnapped his family.
Without hesitation, he ran, fury driving him. Selena and Seyra trailed behind.
In the distance, figures in dark clothing took his mother, father, and little sister away. There was another girl with them—his childhood friend.
Ryo materialized before them in a flash, his killing intent sweeping the area.
The kidnappers panicked and attempted to escape.
Ryo cut through one using Water Cutter, blood spraying into the air.
Selena and Seyra appeared just as Ryo's fury got out of hand.
His Blood Rampage and Draculean Domination both activated simultaneously.
All the enemies fell unconscious.
Selena caught his shoulder. "Stop, Ryo! They're safe!"
Seyra assisted in taking his family and getting them to a hospital nearby.
Hours passed before Ryo stood beside his parents when they regained consciousness.
His little sister leapt into his arms, weeping.
He stroked her head softly. "It's okay now."
His parents, however, were both stunned and confused.
"What's going on? Why are we in a hospital? Why are you here?!"
Before Ryo could respond, Selena cut in. "We should go first. It's not safe here."
His parents nodded, although they were still trying to wrap their heads around things.
Then, Ryo saw someone else—his childhood friend.
She had brown eyes and hair and was looking at him in shock.
"You can stay at my place," she said softly.
The Big Reveal
When they reached her home, Ryo's parents bombarded him with questions.
"Why did we get kidnapped?"
"Why did your hair change?"
"Who are these girls?"
Before Ryo could respond, Selena and Seyra chimed in.
"We are Ryo's wives."
Silence.
Then—
"W-WHAAAAAAAAT?!"
His parents, sister, and childhood friend all shrieked.
His childhood friend, Ai, went white and clutched his shoulders, shaking him.
"W-What do you mean you're married?! H-How?! When?! WHY?!" Tears filled her eyes.
Selena and Seyra prised her off of him before she shook him to death.
Selena smiled wickedly. "We'll tell you all about it in the carriage."
Ryo looked displeased. "Is it alright to leave Ai here?"
Seyra looked up. "Who's Ai?"
Ryo let out a sigh. "The girl you two are holding."
Selena rolled her eyes. "She may be in danger, but does it make a difference? When we arrive, we'll arrest whoever committed this crime."
Ryo shook his head. "She has no one. Her parents died two years ago… I'm not going to leave her here."
Selena and Seyra shared a look before exhaling. "Fine, okay."
Ryo created another portal, and his family, Ai, and the unconscious assailants all went through.
There, his parents stood in shock.
"Where… are we?"
Ryo sighed. "I'll tell you everything in the carriage."
As they settled in, Selena and Seyra appeared in royal attire, as beautiful as ever.
Seyra grinned. "The assailants are in a prison carriage behind us."
Ryo took a deep breath. "Okay… time to tell you all the truth."
His parents listened silently, their faces becoming stern. Ai appeared appalled.
Then his mother stopped moving.
"Wait… you have killed someone?"
Ryo balled his fists. "I lost control of my rage."
Ai shuddered. "Wait… Selena… you're truly a blood-drinking vampire?"
Selena smiled. "Oh, no. We don't suck blood. We manipulate it however we want."
Ai's complexion turned white.
Before anyone else could say a word—
The carriage came to a halt.
Author's Note:
Whoa! This chapter was intense! Ryo's regression proved that something went horribly awry at the teleportation monument, and now we know that it was hacked on purpose! Who would dare pull off such a deadly plan?
Not only did Ryo succeed at using Teleportation Magic for the first time (naturally, because, of course, he did), but he also found his house on fire! The stakes are rising, and his foes are not holding back. Fortunately, he arrived just in time to rescue his family, but the experience sent him into Blood Rampage and Draculean Domination, almost losing himself to fury!
And then. BAM! We have this huge reunion with his family AND his childhood best friend, Ai! Just when things were starting to wind down, Seyra and Selena nonchalantly drop the bomb: "We are Ryo's wives."
His family's response? Priceless!
But Ai's response? Hoo boy, it just got complicated!
Now that Ryo has transported his family to the other world, what's next? Who is the mastermind behind the teleportation attack? And how will Ai cope with this news?! Stay tuned for the next chapter!
As always, leave your thoughts in the comments! Your feedback and theories keep me going!