Draven placed the map back into his spatial ring.
Then—
he suddenly lay down.
His gaze turned toward the open sky above him.
For several moments—
he simply stared.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"It sure feels comfortable..."
He exhaled slowly.
"Not feeling that endless pain anymore."
Draven raised one arm.
He stared at it.
"And I was able to create a mana pool like I planned..."
He paused.
"...But this is more than I expected."
His fingers slowly curled.
"Now I have complete control over my mana."
He released a small amount of mana through his arm.
Crimson energy gathered around his hand.
It condensed.
Then—
formed into a small sphere.
Draven watched it quietly.
The sphere shifted.
Its shape changed into the number **one**.
Then—
**two.**
Then—
**three.**
Draven stared at the condensed mana.
"Huh..."
His expression became slightly surprised.
"And now I can see a bunch of shit."
He looked around.
"Lesser spirits."
"They're all over the damn place."
---
From Draven's perspective—
the world had changed.
Tiny points of light floated everywhere.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Some drifted lazily through the air.
Others moved between the trees.
Some hovered close to the ground.
They were everywhere.
Like countless tiny stars scattered throughout the world.
The cat's voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
*"Lesser spirits."*
*"That's what they are."*
Draven blinked.
"Huh?"
He turned his head slightly.
"So you can see them too?"
*"Yes."*
The cat answered casually.
"They're everywhere."
Draven stared at the countless lights again.
"Yeah..."
His expression became slightly amused.
"Like flies."
He raised his arm.
Moved his fingers.
A faint stream of mana flowed between them.
"Now..."
"I should be able to use magic."
Draven slowly sat up.
His gaze sharpened.
Mana gathered around his hand.
A complex magic circle began forming beneath his palm.
Lines of crimson light intertwined.
Symbols appeared one after another.
The circle slowly rotated.
Draven stared at it with curiosity.
Then—
the vehicle door suddenly opened.
**CLACK!**
Aldric stepped out.
"Will you shut up, man?!"
Draven looked over.
Aldric glared at him.
"I told you."
"You look insane talking to yourself."
He pointed toward Draven.
"I get that damn cat can talk to you now, but to anyone else—"
He paused.
"You're just crazy."
From inside the vehicle—
Pythia's voice immediately sounded.
"That's not true!"
"I'll never think that of my Lord."
Aldric's expression twitched.
He turned toward the vehicle.
"Shut up, rat."
**CLACK!**
He closed the door.
Aldric's body slowly floated into the air.
His dark wings remained folded behind him as he hovered several meters above the ground.
His gaze fixed upon Draven.
Draven raised his hand.
The magic circle beneath his palm suddenly changed.
"Misfit's Reflection."
The spell activated.
**FWOOSH!**
A second figure appeared beside him.
It was—
a cat.
The same black cat that was already sitting nearby.
The two cats stared at each other.
Silence.
One cat tilted its head.
"Meow."
The other cat tilted its head in exactly the same way.
"Meow."
The first cat suddenly swung its paw.
**SWISH!**
Its paw passed straight through the other cat.
Aldric's eyes narrowed.
"When and where did you learn that trick?"
Draven glanced toward him.
Aldric continued.
"You know that's an extremely low-level spell, right?"
"For vampires, magic like that is practically..."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"...irrelevant."
Draven stared at him.
Then—
he sighed.
"Save me from your bullshit."
"I really don't give a crap about what any blood-sucking bastard thinks."
Aldric's expression darkened.
"Damn brat."
"Listen here."
"Vampires don't need stuff like that."
Draven raised an eyebrow.
Aldric continued.
"Our natural abilities are more than enough."
Draven simply stared.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Aldric smiled.
His lips didn't move.
Yet—
his voice suddenly echoed directly inside Draven's mind.
*"As I told you..."*
*"Blood magic isn't the only thing a vampire can do."*
*"Telepathy is just one of those abilities."*
Draven's eyes shifted slightly.
Aldric continued.
*"With it, I can read thoughts..."*
*"Project my own thoughts..."*
*"And even give commands."*
Aldric raised one hand.
*"Hypnosis."*
His body suddenly stepped forward—
then continued walking.
Directly onto the side of the vehicle.
His feet remained firmly planted against the vertical surface.
*"We can walk on almost any surface."*
He pushed away from the vehicle.
His body suddenly changed.
**FWOOSH!**
Black wings erupted from his back.
His body shrank.
His form twisted.
Within moments—
a bat flew through the air.
It circled once above Draven.
Then—
**FWOOSH!**
The bat transformed again.
Its body expanded.
Dark fur spread across its form.
Four legs touched the ground.
A wolf stood there.
The next instant—
the transformation reversed.
Aldric returned to his normal form.
He looked toward Draven.
"And of course..."
"Regeneration."
A faint grin appeared.
"Blood magic."
Draven stared at him.
"Yeah."
Aldric blinked.
"...Yeah?"
He frowned.
"What's with that?"
Draven shrugged.
"What the hell do you want me to say?"
"Praise you?"
"Give you a round of applause?"
Aldric stared at him.
Silence.
*Stupid brat.*
Before he could say anything—
the cat's voice suddenly echoed through Draven's mind.
*"Papa."*
Draven turned.
*"Look!"*
*"There are two Papas!"*
Draven's eyes widened.
He slowly turned his head.
Standing beside him—
was another Draven.
An exact copy.
Same appearance.
Same expression.
Same presence.
Draven stared.
"...Huh?"
He looked at the duplicate.
Then—
back at the cat.
"What did you do?"
The cat tilted its head.
*"Yes."*
Draven's eyebrow twitched.
"Yes?"
The cat's voice sounded completely certain.
*"I did it."*
*"Just like Papa."*
Draven stared at the duplicate.
The duplicate stared back.
Aldric slowly looked between the two of them.
"...What the hell?"