ATAPOW Chapter 61
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Chapter 61: Hungry, Hungry, Hungry!
“Roar!” An ear-splitting explosion reverberated through half of the border town. Scorching black flames rose up into the skies like magma rushing forth from a volcano.
“T-Teacher.. Did something happen to the city gate over there?” A young knight supported his teacher as he blankly stared at the pitch-black flames raging in the skies, he was so shocked that his mouth fell agape.
“I’m not sure… Did a vampire fly over earlier?” The scene was so extreme that an average person was unable to fathom what had happened, even if they had a lifetime worth of imagination to do so. The veteran knight that had lost his arm was equally stupefied when presented with such a scene. As he leaned against his long sword while gasping for breath, he was completely unaware that a troll foot soldier managed to steadily sneak up beside him.
“…?! Be careful, teacher!” The shocked veteran knight came back to his senses due to the shouts of his students. His eyes narrowed down as an image of a morningstar gradually grew larger in his vision.
‘So this is where this old life of mine was destined to come to an end?’ The old knight unwillingly thought as he closed his eyes.
“Kacha!” The sharp sound of a blade piercing through an object resounded in the veteran knight’s ears as hot green blood splashed onto his helmet.
“…What exactly is going on here?” The veteran knight opened his eyes, as well as the students fortunate enough to survive, were dumbstruck as they saw a massive bone scythe pinned onto the city gate tower’s supporting pillar. A troll hung onto the blade as its flesh dried up at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning it into a dried and hideous corpse. The old knight could even see a few indistinct blue strands enter the engraved human skull on the bone scythe.
“Sir Knight, may I be presumptuous to ask where your reinforcements went?” A cold and puerile voice interrupted the noisy environment surrounding them, however, the dumbfounded knights were able to hear her clearly.
The veteran knight attempted to open his mouth, and just when he was about to say something, a series of strong winds brushed past him. A pair of massive demon wings obscured the moonlight while a petite and exquisite body descended onto the city gate tower1.
The way her small black leather boots adorned with tiny bat wings moved, the way her silver hair hung downwards onto the floor like flowing water alongside her monochromatic gothic dress. All of these factors combined made one feel like they were in a dream.
“Hey, can you answer my question if it’s alright with you?” The silver-haired girl that just landed in front of everyone slightly bowed to them as the smile on her face brimmed with friendliness.
“Vampires!? You… Why are you lot here?? As I thought! Are all of this work committed by your kind?!” While the young knights that were lacking in life experiences were clueless as to what had transpired, the veteran knight was angered to the point his beard had stuck up.
“V-Vampire??”
“Such a cute girl… is actually a vampire??” The veteran knight’s words caused the surrounding young knights to fall into a state of disbelief. However, their vigilance instantly rose when they recalled the pair of demon wings the girl possessed, the location she was in, and the calmness unbefitting of her age.
“Are you serious sir? Why are you putting me on equal terms with those utterly chaotic barbarians?” Bai Ji raised her eyebrows as she unconsciously uttered these words.
She too had no idea why she was actually dwelling with an unrelated question like this at such a time.
‘Damn it, I have become as dramatic as a girl! All of these problems are all to be blamed on that despicable bitch of a queen!’
“You’re all nothing but jackals from the same tribe! Does it even matter if they’re your race or not?!” The old knight tightly held onto his sword hilt as he angrily snarled at Bai Ji.
“Oh my?~ May I request that you speak politely to me, sir? Unless… you’re seriously unafraid of me killing you.” As she took back the Soul Devourer from the supporting pillar, Bai Ji licked her lips slyly. 2
“Well. Since I already had quite a meal today, I’m in a pretty good mood. So how about this? I will give you 5 minutes to get out of my sight. You all should hurry up and get moving, opportunity doesn’t wait for no one you know?” While she was skillfully and orderly handling the conversation on the surface, Bai Ji was secretly planning on how to peacefully send this group of knights, that had resolved themselves to fight-to-the-death, away.
“Dream on you blood-sucking maggot! You will find no knight that will flee from a battle here! Come! It matters not if I get killed by a troll or a vampire! Your granddaddy will stake everything I have and fight against you!” Her provocative and humiliating response had instantly incensed the veteran knight when he heard it.
“That’s right! At worst, we’d be reincarnated as strong courageous men after 18 years3!”
Bai Ji had a headache as she stared at the clamorous knights in front of her, who all stubbornly refused to retreat. Whilst supporting her forehead with her hand, she twirled her bone scythe and sliced a number of troll foot soldiers that were about to get close to her into pieces.
‘Why are these tin cans so stubborn…To be fair, loyalty is indeed a quality that a knight ought to possess. This is why I’m so helpless right now… How can I possibly convince a bunch of diehard knights with my identity as a vampire?’
For the first time in her life, Bai Ji felt malice coming from her own kind.
‘I might as well…’
Bai Ji let out a devilish smile.
“What sort of flashy tricks are you up to now, vampire?” The veteran knight vigilantly looked at Bai Ji.
Bai Ji didn’t utter a word. As the handle of her scythe moved closer to the ground, a series of dark undulations began to spread. Following which, she bit her fine scallion-like finger and sent droplets of blood towards the direction the dark undulations were radiating from. As the undulations spread like combustible fuel, a crimson formation that was filled with deep inscriptions solidified and formed at the bottom of the knights’ feet.
“What sorcery is this?! Let me tell you, this old man isn’t…” Before he could finish his words, the crimson inscriptions slowly began to spin as the surrounding space gradually separated itself from the area. Following a series of flashes of energy, the handful of fortunate knights disappeared with the crimson formation from the city walls.
【Lasombra Style – Advanced Rank – Fast-Acting Teleportation Array】4
Bai Ji leaned against the Soul Devourer—Goutermara, and slowly heaved a sigh of relief.
The location that they were sent to was uncertain, but at least the knights that wanted to fight to their deaths were safe. However…
Bai Ji narrowed her eyes and surveyed the insides of the city.
“To look on as people die… If I were to find out who were the ones that were in command, I will definitely let them suffer the consequences,” Ji Bai said coldly.
“Growl…” Just as she said these words, a series of awkward, yet profound noises resounded.
‘This is bad… The side effect from conjuring the Fast Acting Teleportation Array…’
“Uuu~ So hungry… I’m so hungry.” Leaving Goutermara standing, Bai Ji slowly squatted down and miserably stroked her deflated lower abdomen.
It stands to reason that the trolls had yet to be completely disposed of, thus, her top priority goal right now was to take care of the remaining troll foot soldiers in the south city gate.
‘But… I don’t want to do it anymore! I have my own temper as well alright? I’ve been starving for three days and three nights! My stomach is empty and yet I have to help these unruly knights do their overtime! Why is it so tough to be a vampire? Hmmm…’
Back during the days when she led her Chivalric Order across the snowy plains, she continued to fight all the same despite not eating for five days and five nights. While she recalled those memories, Bai Ji had a feeling that she turned quite delicate.
She strenuously held onto Goutermera and slowly stood up. After experiencing a series of agonizing torment earlier, Bai Ji could only feel a series of gold stars appear in her eyes as a burst of wariness hit her.
“Haaa! Go to hell!” A deafening roar filled with anger aroused Bai Ji’s weak consciousness. With a quick glance, a fiendish troll foot soldier raised his spike club and swung it towards her.
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- Art Genius Note: I have good news the poll in the discord server (pls join it here) was a success I will now be drawing art for every chapter from now on It will probably be about 3 masterpieces a chapter but if the chapter is longer or I am bored I might draw more anyway here is the art you were so looking forward to.
- Art Genius Note: I know you’re already overjoyed that this will become a regular thing, so here you go masterpiece number 2
- Afterlife in Chinese society is based on the concept of reincarnation and how a soul is indestructible even after death. In this instance, they’re referring to how they would reincarnate if Ji Bai killed them, and 18 years later, turn into adults once more. The writer has made an error, and wrote 10 instead of 18, but I have changed it accordingly.
- Art Genius Note: another one try not to faint from excitement