Chapter 85: The Serpent's Last Dance (II)
Ishigami stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Who... who are you?"
"Oh, you don't recognize me, Hitomi-sensei?" He stepped closer, his boots echoing against the stone floor. "It is me, your diligent student, Aono Tsukune."
The chamber fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the faint hiss of dying flames and the slow, labored breathing of the defeated Gorgon.
The once-proud predator had been reduced to a quivering mess, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the figure who had emerged from the pool of blood.
"That weakling who smelled of human for so long?" she breathed, her voice filled with incredulous disbelief that she felt afraid of this young Vampire.
"You're telling me you hid your powers so well that even an S-Class Yokai such as myself would be fooled?"
Tsukune's lips curved into a cold smile, his crimson eyes gleaming with predatory intent and lots of Yoki as he was boosted by the power of the Dragon Helm.
Yet he still didn't miss the chance of sarcastically mocking the Gorgon for her lack of vision when it came to the broader world.
"You're mentioning being S-Class as a grand achievement. Ahh, you're so pitiful. At S-Class we can be compared with the young scions of the Devil Clans, who are at High-Class. Compared to Ultimate Class or those at Maou Class, you're just a stronger snake."
Hitomi's eyes blazed with fury, but beneath the anger, you could see the fear flickering in their depths. She was trying to maintain her composure, trying to project an image of strength, but her body betrayed her.
"Hmph," she spat some toxic saliva, forcing a sneer onto her face. "If I wasn't exhausted fighting those two little whores, I wouldn't be suffering such humiliation from you, Aono Tsukune. You caught me at my weakest. That's the only reason you're standing here, gloating before me."
Tsukune stepped out of the blood pool, his feet touching the stone floor without a sound. The crimson liquid rippled behind him, then stilled, as if waiting for his next command. His boots echoed softly against the stone, each step measured and deliberate, the cadence of a predator who knew his prey had nowhere left to run.
He raised his hand, and from the shadows of his Annihilation Maker, something began to take shape. Moka's eyes widened as she watched the form coalesce, a grotesque vampiric plant with thorns like razors and vines that moved with a life of their own.
This was Vampire Orchis, a member of Yu-Gi-Oh Vampire Archetype that didn't see any play in competitive games for all of its time since release. However with the usage of Annihilation Maker, Tsukune brought truly a useful monster to contain various foes as he blended his imagination along with the image of the card monster.
The Orchis began covering the whole room, and at the core was the Treant-like blood monster, shedding petals as deep as crimson red.
"What is that?" Chizuru remarked, her voice filled with unease.
"One of my summons that has rarely seen much daylight," Tsukune replied, his voice calm and detached. "I call it the Orchis, and you can think of it as a Vampiric Treant that has the ability of feeding on Yoki and also is a pain dealing with."
"Shortly, no one enters, and no one leaves the area taken over by my Orchis."
The Orchis's vines shot across the room, weaving together like a living cage. They sealed the doors, the windows, even the cracks in the walls, creating a barrier of twisted thorns and pulsating crimson petals.
You could taste on your tongue the metallic tang of blood drifting around in the air, along with the underlying sweetness of floral pollen, almost cloying, like the funeral flowers left too long in the sun.
Then Tsukune raised his other hand, and his Yoki flared outward.
"Vampire Domain."
His words were soft, almost as a requiem whisper, but they also held an absolute authority and resolve in them.
With his newer 'Ultimate' Skill activated where he mixed various influences from all over fiction, crimson energy erupted from his body, spreading across the chamber like a wave of blood.
The walls, the floor, even the ceiling, everything in sight was bathed in that deep, crimson light. The temperature dropped, and Moka felt the familiar chill of her own Shinso Blood resonating completely with the power emanated from Tsukune, it felt so uncanny similar to hers when she let go of her hesitation to use her own Sanquine Battle Form.
She watched as the blood seeped into every surface, coating the stone in a thin, shimmering layer.
In a sense, Vampire Domain was similar to Fate's Dracula Demonic Defense where he could assign a particular region as his domain where he could empower himself. Within its boundaries, all of his Shinso Abilities and Blood-theme skills were amplified along with his Bloodline Control being augmented to S-tier.
Every drop of blood in the room, every trace of Yoki, was his to command.
Hitomi felt it too. Her eyes widened as she sensed the shift in the air, the way the very fabric of the room seemed to bend to Tsukune's will. Her snakes hissed in agitation, their tongues flickering as they tasted the blood-laced air.
"This is impossible," she breathed, backing away. "A first-year student shouldn't be able to use such advanced abilities, even if you're a Vampire Lord. Creating a Domain is an ability only those at SS-tier can achieve! Even I can't…"
"Why should I care about what you think is possible or not?" Tsukune finished, his voice indifferent, yet taking in the pleasure of tormenting the psyche of this Gorgon lady.
"That's the difference between us, Hitomi-sensei. You've only faced against those weaker than you, and even then, you still lose. But when faced with someone stronger, your will instantly crumbles."
"You're too arrogant, Aono Tsukune!" shouted Hitomi as she summoned her Yoki to fight back this weight pressing on her.
Yet before she could do anything Blood Spears sprouted like bamboo sprouts impaling some of her limbs.
Then there was another feature of the Vampire Domain, as it acted akin to a weakening spellfield, suffocating the screaming Gorgon.
Her flames flickered and died, her snakes went limp, and she could feel her strength draining away with every passing second.
She realized then that she couldn't win. Not against three S-Class opponents, not in a Domain that was actively sapping her strength.
She had to escape or otherwise her doom was assured.
Her body dissolved into a swarm of serpents, each one slithering toward the gaps in the walls, the cracks in the floor, any opening that might offer a path to freedom. It was her last resort, a desperate gambit to preserve her life.
But Tsukune was faster.
The Orchis reacted instantly, its vines shooting out like whips, wrapping around the serpents before they could reach the edges of the room. Each snake was ensnared, pulled back, and forced to reform into Hitomi's humanoid shape. The Gorgon screamed in frustration as the vines tightened around her limbs, her torso, her throat.
"Let me go!" she shrieked, struggling against the restraints. "You can't keep me here forever!"
Tsukune's smile was thin, cold. "I don't need to keep you here forever. I just need to keep you here long enough to finish the job."
He reached into the void, and his fingers closed around the hilt of All-Black.
The Necrosword emerged from the darkness, its blade drinking the crimson light of the Vampire Domain. The moment Tsukune's hand wrapped around its hilt, his Yoki shifted, becoming something darker, more sinister. The air around him grew cold, and Chizuru who was seeing the Necrosword for the first time felt a shiver run down her spine.
The warmth that usually radiated from him was gone, replaced by a chilling emptiness that seemed to swallow the light around him.
It felt as if he had become a deity of the Abyss, a being of pure darkness. The snakes on Hitomi's head hissed in fear, recoiling from his presence.
"You... you cannot kill me," Hitomi stammered, her voice cracking as tried to back away but couldn't because her movement was restrained by Orchis. "You will not be able to undo my Petrification Curse if you kill me. Only I can lift the curse willingly."
Tsukune's expression didn't change. "How pitiful, for a Gorgon. You prey on those weak girls, stalking them in the shadows and hitting them when they are the most vulnerable. Do you actually believe you are redeemable?"
He paused, tilting his head as if considering something.
"Maybe if it was the first Gorgon, Medusa, I might take pity on her and grant her a chance at redemption just to see the reaction of the Greek Goddess Athena. But you?" He laughed, a cold, incredulous sound. "You're not worth the effort."
Hitomi's face contorted with rage. "How dare you mock my artistic touch! I was creating art! I was preserving their beauty for eternity so others could admire them! You have no right to judge…"
"Art?" Tsukune cut her off, his voice silencing her protests with a single, sharp word. "You call this art? These are living beings, regardless of their Yokai race. They have their own families worrying about their disappearance. They have dreams and futures to reach. And you turned them into stone because you could not stand to see something more beautiful than yourself."
Hitomi's eyes blazed with fury, but before she could respond, Tsukune pressed All-Black into her flesh. The blade sank through her scaled armor like butter, and the Gorgon's previous screams and deranged shouts turned into shrieks of pain.
She could feel the blade devouring her life essence, feeding on her Yoki like a starving beast.
"NOOOO! STOP! I BEG YOU!" she pleaded for her life while her body convulsed against the vines. "Don't forget, if you kill me those girls will remain for eternity in stone! No other Gorgon will be able to lift the Curse on them!"
Tsukune paused, his eyes narrowing. He studied her for a moment, then a slow, cold smile spread across his lips.
"Really now?" he mused. "Shall we put it to a test?"
He pulled All-Black from her flesh, and Hitomi collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The vines around her tightened, holding her in place as Tsukune raised his hand once more.
From the depths of his Annihilation Maker, a new form began to take shape. It was smaller than the Orchis, more delicate, it had the silhouette of a woman with snakes for hair.
The silhouette hardened and took life, it was a monster from the Yu-Gi-Oh world, a normal-type creature called 'The Snake Hair' that had an uncanny resemblance to a Gorgon.
Hitomi's eyes widened as she stared at the creature, her face paling. "What... what is that? How did you...?"
Tsukune ignored Hitomi's question, focusing instead on his newest creation, as it was a live moment where he didn't have to retry the summons.
"'Snake Hair,' use your powers to lift the Curse of Petrification on the stone statues. Restore them to their true forms." commanded Tsukune with the same authority in his voice.
Hitomi screamed in rage. "DON'T! You'll regret uplifting the curse! Everyone will know what type of monster you are! You'll be expelled from the Academy!"
"Proceed, Snake Hair," Tsukune said, his voice cutting through her protests with cold finality.
"Yes, my master."
The creature nodded, its snakes hissing in acknowledgement. It moved toward the nearest statue, its hands glowing with pale green light. As it touched the stone, the petrification began to recede, the stone cracking and splintering as the girl trapped within was freed.
"YAMERO! You will regret breaking my Curse!"
"You still have energy to scream so much, Hitomi-sensei… Orchis, tighten your leash on her."
The Vampiric Treant followed the command of its master and had its roots start entangling all over Hitomi's body, wrapping so tightly and restrictively that after a minute the Gorgon was bound in a position so humiliating it would have made a professional dominatrix blush.
"Urghhh, c-curse you, Aono Tsukune!" she gasped, her voice strained as the vines tightened further. "This is so humiliating."
"Don't make me," Tsukune replied, his voice carrying a cold, mocking edge. "I can get even more nasty with a whore such as you. I can summon an entire Goblin Attack Force and don't doubt for a second that I can let them have their way with you."
'Hahh, I love her reactions the most out of all the monsters I have slain. Should I bring out the Goblins?'
'Unless I want a certain Goblin Slayer to jump me out from the Dimensional Gap.'
'Honestly, while her boobs aren't so great for a MILF, she has her own charms. A pity that she is such a nasty bitch that almost got Tsukune killed in the original show.'
'I also like myself a Tomboy, but I guess my Moka can also fill in those shoes.'
Hitomi's eyes went wide, her pale face somehow growing even paler. The snakes on her head hissed in agitation, but even they seemed to recoil from the threat.
"HIIIIII!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with genuine terror. "Please, anything but that! I am a Virgin!"
Tsukune's smile widened, cold and cruel. "All the better. They prefer their meat fresh and unspoiled."
Hitomi's face went pale. "Please! I'll do anything! Just not that! I swear!"
Tsukune tilted his head, studying her with cold amusement. The fear in her eyes was genuine, she was terrified, truly terrified, and that made his smile widen.
"Anything, you say?" he mused, his voice carrying a theatrical edge. "That's quite the offer, Hitomi-sensei. But I'm not sure I believe you. After all, you've been lying to everyone since you stepped foot in this Academy."
Hitomi shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm not lying! I swear! I'll do anything you ask! Just please—"
"Please what?" Tsukune cut her off, his voice cold. "Please spare you? Like you spared those girls you turned to stone? Like you spared their families the worry of not knowing what happened to them?"
Hitomi opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. The vines tightened around her, squeezing the breath from her lungs and making her own curves pop out further more.
It was a delight to any BDSM lover to watch how Hitomi's expression contorted with pain.
The threat hung in the air between them, and Hitomi's body went limp in the vines. The fight had drained out of her, replaced by a hollow, trembling fear.
'Snake Hair' continued its work, ignoring the scene unfolding behind it. The Gorgon's taunts and Tsukune's cold amusement were beneath its notice. It had a task to complete for its master.
One by one, the petrified girls were freed, collapsing to the ground in a heap of tears and gasps.
They were naked, their clothes having been destroyed when they were turned to stone, but Tsukune was already on it. With a thought, he summoned cloaks using his Annihilation Maker, draping them over the shivering forms, meanwhile Hitomi's clothing was full of gaps and tears from the Treant, revealing her pale skin.
The girls looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. There was no fear in their gazes, only gratitude and awe since they were conscious even in their petrified state and saw everything unfold.
They had been trapped in darkness for days, others for a year, their lives stolen by a deranged monster, and now a stranger had come to save them.
"Thank you, Senpai!" one of them whispered, her voice cracking with emotions as she tightened her grip on the cloak she received, covering her naked body. "Thank you so much."
Tsukune's expression softened, just a fraction. "You don't need to thank me. You're safe now girls. No one will hurt you anymore."
Hitomi watched the scene unfold, her face contorting with rage. She tried to summon the last remnants of her Yoki, but she discovered that there was nothing else in her reserve. The damned Orchis had stripped her of everything. She was beyond helpless.
"Anything else you might want to add, Hitomi-sensei?" Tsukune asked, turning to face her.
The Gorgon's eyes widened, and for the first time, fear flickered in their depths. Her arrogance crumbled, revealing her desperation unfoiling before everyone present in the Art Club building.
"Please," she begged, her voice cracking. "Please... let me go... I will do anything. I'll become your slave for life and serve you. I will do anything for you, even warm your bed."
Tsukune's expression didn't change. "Interesting proposal,"
"But I will have to reject it for my peace of mind."
He raised his hand, and the Vampire Familiars began to emerge from his shadow. They came in a steady stream, their forms coalescing from the darkness, five, ten, fifteen, twenty. Their number just kept on climbing to the dread of a strapped snake lady.
Hitomi paled as she watched the large summoning of bats assemble around the Vampire. "What... what are you going to do with them?"
"Oh them?" Tsukune replied, his voice carrying a mock-casual tone. "No harm. They are here to help me with something. You can relax, Hitomi-sensei, it will be quick."
He paused, letting the silence stretch. Then his voice dropped, becoming cold and commanding.
"Draw her blood for me," he ordered. "I'll just feel disgusted sinking my fangs into her neck."
The Familiars descended on the Gorgon, their claws and fangs tearing into her flesh. Hitomi screamed, thrashing against the vines, but it was no use.
"Make them stop! I give up! I'll become your slave, just have them stop!"
Tsukune's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, he seemed to consider her offer. Then he felt a chill run down his spine.
Moka and Chizuru were staring at him with nothing but daggers and were ready to act if this foolish man of theirs was about to give a chance to this volatile Gorgon who had a screw loose in her reptilian brain.
"Tsk, sensei, you have a fetish for becoming a slave? Or have you fallen head over heels for my Vampiric Charm? Why didn't you approach me in class and confess your sins willingly?"
The weight of two female glares on his back made him reconsider his word choices.
"Forget what I just said. I wouldn't want an annoying snake like you to serve me. Even if I fill your whole body with Blood Oath Gus to force you into servitude, you would still most likely rebel at the first chance you see to backstab me."
Hitomi's eyes darted nervously. She didn't know what Blood Oath Gu were, but the name alone was enough to make her skin crawl. She had heard stories of the things Vampires could do with blood magic and everything was twisted and deranged.
The Familiars were relentless, and soon, they had collected enough blood to fill a small vial.
Tsukune took the vial, studying its contents for a moment. The crimson liquid swirled within, pulsing with a faint, sickly light. He could feel the remnants of Hitomi's Yoki within it, in itself the vial was a S-tier enhancement potion for himself as a Vampire.
Then he dismissed the Familiars, leaving Hitomi slumped on the ground, bleeding and broken.
"Rest well in the afterlife," he said, grabbing her face in his hand, stroking her cheek ever so gently, as if he was the reincarnation of Death soothing the souls of those descending into the Underworld.
"Your essence will not be wasted."
Hitomi's eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth to speak, to beg, to bargain one last time. But the words died in her throat as she saw the coldness in his gaze.
He raised All-Black, the Necrosword gleaming with hungry anticipation. Hitomi's eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth to scream, but the blade was already descending.
"Devour her, All-Black."
The blade sank into her chest, and Hitomi's body went rigid.
Her tearing, scared eyes went wide, then dull as life faded from them. The snakes on her head writhed one last time before falling still. Her body crumpled to the floor, and All-Black pulled her essence into its depths, leaving nothing behind but ash and fading echoes.
[You have slain a S-tier Gorgon gaining a portion of its essence]
[Interference has been detected.]
[Cannot collect the lost essence of the slain target.]
The only trace left was a thin layer of gray ash that the sword had spat out, barely a fraction of what it had taken from the Gorgon.
It was still not enough for this Godly Abyss sword. It had only managed to recover its powers and reach a state where it might be considered an S-tier weapon. But it was a start.
Tsukune stepped back from the gray ash, his eyes still cold with an unreadable expression. He dismissed All-Black, the blade dissolving into the Void, and for a moment, the darkness around him receded.
Then he turned to face the two girls who had been watching him.
Moka met his gaze, her expression guarded. Chizuru stood beside her, her eyes wide by what they had just seen. Both of them were a mess, their clothes torn and covered in grime, their skin smudged with dust and dried blood.
They had been through a heated battle without a doubt.
Tsukune, who saw the mess they had become, could hardly contain a chuckle from escaping as he approached them.
"You two look rough," he said, his voice light, teasing both of these girls that were part of his circle "And also in need of a bath."
Moka blinked, caught off guard. The tension that had been building in her chest dissolved, replaced by embarrassment and irritation that Tsukune was right. She looked down at herself, at the torn fabric of her uniform, the grime caked on her skin, the tangled mess of her silver hair.
Chizuru, beside her, was in a similar state. Her golden hair was matted with sweat and blood, her traditional Miko kimono torn and singed. She looked like she had been dragged through a war zone, which, in a sense, she had.
After sniffing herself, Moka, whose cheeks were flushed red, gave her lover an expression that could be translated as 'I'll beat the crap out of you'.
"Stop looking at us like this, Tsukune!"
"Why not?" he replied, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Can't I admire my lovely ladies after they gave their all to claim me? What can I say? I was flattered to see such a display of affection out of you two."
Chizuru's blush deepened, and she looked away, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her torn kimono. "You watched our fight?" she asked, her voice small.
"Urghh, please forget everything you've seen and heard, darling. That was a pitiful display of myself that doesn't reflect my heart. Next time I will show you the best of me when we're on our date."
"I don't know what you're referring to," Tsukune replied, his voice carrying a teasing edge.
Moka groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Alright, Tsukune, I already feel too embarrassed remembering the pathetic state I was in when fighting this annoying fox. There's no need to rub it into my face."
"Fineee," he drawled, dragging out the word. "But I do have a question for both of you. Have you squashed your divergences and reached a consensus? Will there be peace? Or do I have to establish the order of the peck myself?"
His voice dropped, becoming more serious.
"If I do it myself there will be some hurt feelings. So you know, Chizuru, I told you before that you'll not be the only girl surrounding my life."
Chizuru stared at Moka, her green eyes searching the Vampire's face for any hint of mockery, instead she found none. Then she looked at Tsukune, and her expression softened, her irises flickering from their fox-like slits to something almost tender.
"I... I am fine with the current arrangement," she said, her voice quiet but steady.
Moka's eyes narrowed, but she nodded slowly. "This means she'll try again to take my spot," she said, her voice carrying a hint of possessiveness. "Nothing to worry about, Tsukune. I will always be your only one."
Tsukune nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. He stepped forward and pressed a soft kiss to Moka's forehead. His lips were warm against her skin, and she felt a tingles run over her body all over and going straight into her heart.
"Good," he murmured. "That's all I needed to hear."
He turned to Chizuru, and before she could react, he pulled her into a warm embrace. His arms wrapped around her, and she felt the strength of his body pressing against hers. It was brief, but it was enough to send her Yandere brain into a frenzy and also fry her neurons to dust.
Without even thinking, her fox instincts kicked in and she began feeling Tsukune's body while in the hug. This was her biggest chance to date, where finally Tsukune was embracing her and welcoming her into his Harem.
Then, before he could pull away, Chizuru acted and grabbed him back into her arms. She leaned up, going on her tippy-toes like a pure maiden and pressed her lips into his.
Tsukune stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden kiss. For a moment, he didn't react, too surprised to do anything. Then, slowly, he relaxed into it, his hand coming up to cup her cheek as he kissed her back.
The kiss ended, and Chizuru pulled away, her cheeks flushed. "I love you, Tsukune-kun," she said, her voice soft but steady. "You already told me that it was love at first sight. I accept being one of your girls."
Tsukune blinked, still processing what had just happened. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.
"Are you sure it's not just your heart being confused?" he finally managed, his voice a little strained. "We still have to get to know each other better so you're not making a mistake."
"There's no mistake when it comes to my heart," Chizuru replied, her voice carrying a quiet certainty.
She leaned in again, her lips brushing against his. This time, Tsukune didn't resist.
Moka had seen enough for tonight, too much of a rollercoaster with her emotions. Her heart in this moment felt too much, it was a jealousy strike that prompted her to get in between those two shameless monsters.
She stepped forward, grabbing Chizuru by the shoulder and pulling her away from Tsukune with a sharp tug. The Kitsune stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden intervention.
"Have some shame for the Almighty," Moka said, her voice cold. "You've had your moment. Now it's my turn."
Before Tsukune could react, Moka claimed his lips with her own. The kiss was forceful, possessive, designed to remove Chizuru's scent from his skin. She poured all her frustration, her jealousy, her love into that single act, and when she finally pulled away, she could see the effect it had on him.
He was flustered, trying to cover his expression, his eyes wide. It was a rare sight, one that made a small, satisfied smile tug at her lips.
"There, stealing fox," she said, turning to face Chizuru. "That's how it's done."
Chizuru stared at her, her expression initially in shock which later turned into an annoyed, grudging respect. "You really are a possessive one, Akashiya-san."
"I am his girlfriend," Moka replied, her voice flat. "It's my right."
They stood there, the three of them, in the middle of the chamber. The tension between them was palpable, but it was no longer hostile. It had shifted into something more complicated, something that might one day become friendship.
But for now, there was still work to be done.
Tsukune cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Alright, as much as I would love to make out with both you girls, and entertain you until you're satisfied, we have other matters to attend to. Someone needs to take care of these poor girls."
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