Chapter 90 : Breaking the queens pride (1)

[ Absolute Choice System – Quest Activated ]

Quest Name: Blood Throne Confrontation

Current Opponent: Elizabeth Crimson – The Vampire Queen

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Option A – Beg for Mercy

Objective: Convince Elizabeth Crimson to make you her slave.

Difficulty: High

Reward:

- Ancient Blood Sword – Rank SS (weapon once wielded by the First Vampire King)

Penalty (on failure):

- The blood inside your body will solidify, turning your veins into rigid crimson crystal.

- Death will occur through total organ petrification, accompanied by unbearable pain until the heart collapses.

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Option B – Break the Queen’s Pride

Objective: Defeat Elizabeth and force her to kneel before you.

Difficulty: Impossible

Reward:

- Two Upgrade Cards (Unranked)

- Containment Ring (Artifact that seals and stores enemies’ blood, body, or souls)

Penalty (on failure):

- All vampires present will devour you, tearing apart each limb and consuming you entirely during tonight’s royal feast.

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"Two paths diverge under the crimson moon.

Choose wisely, Arthur Celestian."

A – Submit and Survive

B – Defy and Dominate

Choose.

...

Arthur stared at the glowing notification in front of his eyes.

For a moment—

His eyes widened slightly.

Then a slow smile finally appeared on his lips.

"So you finally decided to appear, huh..." he murmured under his breath.

From her place across the arena, Elizabeth saw him smiling and muttering to himself.

Her brows furrowed.

"Have you finally gone insane as you’re about to die?" she asked, voice laced with amusement and contempt.

Arthur glanced at her.

"Well... you can say that," he replied casually.

He paused.

Then added, "Tell me— is the offer of becoming a slave still available?"

The arena stirred.

Murmurs spread like wildfire.

Elizabeth’s lips curled into a dangerous smile.

"If you take all of your clothes off," she said slowly, "and lick my boots... I can still consider it."

Arthur’s smile sharpened.

"Well, bad luck."

"For you, of course, i was thinking of looking over that beating."

The crowd erupted.

Boos.

Laughter.

Insults.

They took his words as hesitation, as fear, as him backing down.

"See? He’s scared now!"

"Those earlier wins were just luck!"

"Human trash!"

High above, some officials nodded smugly, already rewriting the story in their heads.

Inside Arthur’s mind, the system’s voice returned.

[Host, she is leagues above us in all areas. How are you planning to defeat her? It is almost impossible. Her strength is at least S-rank.]

Arthur’s gaze didn’t waver.

In his mind—He selected the second choice.

[B – Defy and Dominate selected.]

A faint chill ran through his spine as the choice locked in.

The penalties were brutal.

But so were the rewards.

’Well...’ he thought, ’guess we’ll have to make it work somehow.’

He smirked inwardly.

’And don’t forget—we still have one more trump card.’

His eyes drifted.

Toward the three corpses lying at the edge of the arena.

Timothi.

Anna.

Mario.

Their bodies were broken.

But their bloodlines—

Were not gone yet.

Arthur’s eyes glinted faintly.

’It’s time to use the bloodline,’ he thought. ’Activate blood absorption.’

[ Blood Absorption has been activated. ]

In the next second—

Arthur did something that astonished the entire vampire race.

Arthur took a slow breath.

Deep inside his body—

Something ancient stirred.

His blood.

Not just mortal blood.

But the bloodline of the Origin King.

Three traits awakened in response to his will:

- Blood Absorption.

- Bloodline Extraction.

- Bloodline Assimilation.

The system’s voice echoed in his mind.

[ Origin King Bloodline – Primary Traits Engaged ]

[ Initiating Blood Absorption... ]

The air around him seemed to thicken.

Crimson mist began to rise from the corpses of Timothi, Anna, and Mario.

First—

From Timothi.

The fallen knight’s body trembled faintly as the remaining blood within him responded to Arthur’s call. It seeped out through the cracks in his armor, rising into the air like thin, red threads drawn by an invisible force.

They streamed toward Arthur.

[ Target: Timothi – Vampire Knight ]

[ Bloodline Purity: 4% ]

[ Absorbing blood... ]

[ Extracting bloodline essence... ]

The blood swirled around Arthur’s arm, then sank into his skin, disappearing without a trace.

[ Bloodline Extraction complete. ]

[ Proceeding to Bloodline Assimilation... ]

A faint warmth spread through Arthur’s veins.

Then—

The system moved to the next body.

Anna.

Her pale corpse lay where it had fallen, chest hollow, eyes empty.

Blood, still fresh in her muscles and organs, began to seep out and rise into the air, forming slow, spiraling streams.

[ Target: Anna – Colosseum Executioner ]

[ Bloodline Purity: 8% ]

[ Absorbing blood... ]

[ Extracting bloodline essence... ]

The blood coiled around Arthur for a moment, then merged into him.

[ Bloodline Extraction complete. ]

[ Proceeding to Bloodline Assimilation... ]

His heartbeat quickened slightly.

Power brushed against the edges of his senses.

Then—

Mario.

The master of blood magic.

His body was more drained than the others, but the blood that remained in him was dense, saturated with refined mana.

It oozed from his veins, floating upward in thicker streams, swirling with a darker shade of red.

[ Target: Mario – Blood Mage ]

[ Bloodline Purity: 7% ]

[ Absorbing blood... ]

[ Extracting bloodline essence... ]

Arthur felt a faint sting as Mario’s bloodline essence merged into his.

[ Bloodline Extraction complete. ]

[ Preparing Comprehensive Assimilation... ]

All three extracted essences began to merge.

They didn’t remain separate.

They were swallowed.

Refined.

Devoured.

By something far older and more domineering inside Arthur—

His Origin King bloodline.

[ Origin King Bloodline – Evolution Sequence Initiated ]

[ Evaluating absorbed vampire bloodlines... ]

[ Timothi Bloodline Purity: 4% ]

[ Anna Bloodline Purity: 8% ]

[ Mario Bloodline Purity: 7% ]

[ Total base potential acquired: Low–Mid grade ]

Then—

A new line appeared.

[ Origin King Override Engaged ]

[ Elevating integrated bloodline purity to 50% ]

Arthur’s body shuddered.

For a moment, it felt as if fire and ice were both flowing through his veins.

His heart hammered against his chest.

His muscles tightened—

Then relaxed—

Stronger.

Denser.

More responsive.

[ All stats (excluding Luck and Charm) have increased by +20 ]

[ Strength: +20 ]

[ Agility: +20 ]

[ Endurance: +20 ]

[ Intelligence: +20 ]

[ Will +20 ]

His entire body felt different.

Heavier power.

Lighter movement.

As if his own frame had been reforged from the inside.

Then—

More messages appeared.

[ New Traits Unlocked via Origin King Bloodline ]

[ Trait: Blood Control ]

Description: Grants the ability to manipulate and control blood within your body and sight range. Can be used to restrain, attack, or interfere with enemies whose blood is exposed or unstable.

[ Trait: Blood Consumption ]

Description: Consuming blood temporarily boosts physical and magical stats. The stronger the source, the greater the increase.

A faint, almost metallic taste lingered on Arthur’s tongue, even though he hadn’t drunk anything.

All of this—

Was happening right in front of the vampires.

One of the soldiers standing near the royal platform stared in horror as crimson mist flowed from the corpses into Arthur’s body.

He rushed toward Elizabeth’s side and dropped to one knee.

"Your Highness!" he said urgently. "Should I stop him?!"

Elizabeth didn’t look away from Arthur.

She watched every second.

Every shimmer of blood.

Every twitch of his muscles.

Her crimson eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and cold excitement.

"Let him do whatever he’s doing," she said.

The soldier froze.

"But—"

"Let’s see," Elizabeth continued softly, "how high a human can actually climb."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"And now I’m sure," she added, "this is no ordinary human."

Down in the arena—

Arthur rolled his shoulders once.

Then cracked his neck slowly from side to side.

The shade of red in his eyes deepened.

They no longer looked like the eyes of a simple human.

More like something in between.

Human.

And a vampire.

He exhaled.

A small smile tugged at his mouth.

"Now," Arthur said quietly, lifting his gaze to Elizabeth, "let’s do this."