Osa didn't know why, but hearing Dean speak with such confidence—such certainty—he found himself believing every word. More than that, he felt excited.
Is it because he's my ancestor? Or something else?
"I think it's time for me to return home," Osa said aloud. "Everyone at the orphanage must be worried sick about me by now. I need to let them know I'm okay."
"Alright," Dean said. "But before my body reincarnates, I'll need to stay with you."
Before Osa could respond, Dean's transparent form dissolved into a flash of blood-red light and vanished—absorbed directly into the ring on Osa's right thumb.
Osa stared at the ring. "Wait—what did you mean, 'before your body reincarnates'?"
Dean's voice echoed in his mind, casual and unbothered. "What do you think I am? I'm a transcendent being. At my prime, I can reincarnate as long as my origin remains intact. Even if my soul were destroyed and I were killed, I'd still come back—so long as my origin survives."
Osa frowned. "If that's true, then why were you afraid of the gods? Couldn't you have just escaped? Or reincarnated and come back for revenge?"
Dean's tone turned sharp. "Why would I do that? You have no idea how much I sacrificed to break through the First Desolate Barrier and enter this universe."
Osa winced. "Oh. I'm sorry. Forget I asked."
He scratched his head awkwardly, then looked around.
"Wait... where am I?"
"You're currently about 30 kilometers outside Blue Fur City," Dean replied.
Osa's blood ran cold. "What?! You mean I'm in the outer region of the Godforsaken Mountain right now?!"
"Oh, so that's what this place is called," Dean said, his tone brightening with interest. "I found this location rather intriguing. This will be where we conduct your training from now on."
"Training?! Here?!" Osa's voice rose in panic. "What makes this place so special that you'd want to train here?"
"You're too weak to know," Dean said mysteriously. "When you're about to evolve into King Rank, I'll tell you."
Osa stared at the dark treeline of the Godforsaken Mountain, his mind racing.
The Godforsaken Mountain was said to be the most dangerous place on Earth—infested with monsters, demonic beasts, and horrors beyond imagination. Five thousand years ago, one of the Celestial Academy's elders had ventured into the mountain. He'd been ranked third strongest on Earth at the time.
He never returned.
And now his ancestor was calling it "interesting."
Osa shook his head, pushing the thought aside. He had more immediate concerns—like getting home before Mrs. Rose sent out a search party and posters of him around the city.
He turned toward Blue Fur City and started running.
Three minutes later, Osa skidded to a halt, his eyes wide with shock.
"Holy shit—did I just run over fifteen kilometers in four minutes?!"
"It was three minutes," Dean corrected him smugly. "Not four."
"Three minutes?!" Osa repeated, breathless. "I ran fifteen kilometers in three minutes?! What kind of speed is that? I'm positive a freshly awakened hybrid couldn't move this fast!"
"What did you expect?" Dean said casually. "You're a Blood Vampire. And since it's midday—when the sun is at its most intense—you only have about 70% of your full power. When it's nighttime, you'll be at 100%."
Osa's excitement spiked. "Wait—you're saying this isn't even my full speed?"
"Correct."
Osa grinned like a madman as he looked at the distance, where the silhouette of a massive gate was vaguely showing.
A hundred meters from Blue Fur City's gate, Osa stopped and stared at the towering walls ahead.
How long would it have taken me to reach the gate if I weren't a Blood Vampire? he wondered.
Then another thought struck him.
"Dean, how many Blood Vampires are there in this universe?"
Dean paused before answering. "I'm not sure. But you should be the only one—because I sealed the First Desolate's membrane after I broke through it. No other Blood Vampire should be able to enter."
Osa frowned. "You're not even sure?"
"Hey, kid," Dean shot back defensively. "If I could break through that membrane, maybe someone else already has. There are plenty of beings stronger than me who could accomplish it with ease."
Osa sighed. "Fine. Then what's your background in the Desolate Realm? Who were you before all this?"
"Nothing to say," Dean replied curtly.
Osa decided not to press further.
As Osa approached the city gate, two guards stepped forward, blocking his path.
"State your identity and purpose for entering Blue Fur City," one of them demanded.
Before Osa could respond, a voice—smooth, powerful, filled with infinite charm—echoed from within his mind and spread outward into the world.
"Let him in."
The effect was immediate.
Both guards' faces flushed red. Their breathing quickened. Their eyes glazed over, as if they'd lost all sense of reason. Without a word, they stepped aside, allowing Osa to pass.
Osa walked through the gate, petrified.
"Dean, what the hell was that?!" he hissed internally.
"Nothing much," Dean replied smugly. "I simply told them to let you in without wasting time on boring explanations. Do you have a problem with that?"
"It's not a problem—it's just... too much!"
Dean laughed. "That was the lowest level of my charm skill. Anything higher and those guards would've committed suicide on the spot."
Osa shook his head in disbelief and started running toward Milly's Orphanage.
I wonder how Mrs. Rose is managing with the little income John brings in every month, he thought.
Meanwhile, at Milly's Orphanage...
Mrs. Rose sat on the sofa, lost in thought. Her expression was distant, her hands folded tightly in her lap.
Across from her, John sat with a deeply concerned look on his face.
"You still haven't found him," Mrs. Rose said quietly, her voice hollow.
"Mrs. Rose, I promise—I'll do everything I can," John said, almost pleading. "Please, don't think too much about it. I'll find him."
"I just want to know if you've seen him," she pressed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
John sighed heavily. "No, Mrs. Rose. But we're still investigating. After we took the corpses for examination, it was revealed that whatever they encountered drained all the blood from their bodies. No hidden injuries. No signs of resistance. It's as if they couldn't fight back at all."
He paused.
"Which means a hybrid was likely involved. That's why the case has been transferred to the Blue Fur Organization's Seventh Leader—it's a hybrid matter now."
Mrs. Rose's face crumpled. "If he's dead, why can't you at least find his body? This is your case, John. Please—even if it's just his body—I want to see him one last time."
She began sobbing uncontrollably.
John opened his mouth to respond—
—when a familiar voice cut through the room.
"Who's dead? And whose body are you looking for?"
Both of them froze.
Slowly, they turned toward the entrance.
Standing in the doorway, covered in dirt but very much alive, was Osa.