HDXD: Omni Harem System-Chapter 72: The Smell of Blood

Adam’s descent felt like an eternity. As he dropped further into the abyss, doubts gnawed at him. He began to wonder if confronting Yarquela Mortlake was really worth it. Without a doubt, he knows for sure that she knows that he is coming.

After all, she can literally see into the future? In Ascension, she was an enigma. She was not only powerful but equally unpredictable, and always ten steps ahead because of this metahuman ability of hers. What made him think he stood a chance? But even then, he must try to save Nyla at the very least, he didn’t need to win, just get the hell out of here.

His feet finally hit solid ground with a muted thud. He looked up; the entrance was now a tiny speck of light, barely visible. He estimated he had fallen over 200 meters. No turning back now for sure.

The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, so overpowering it made his stomach churn. The sheer intensity suggested a massacre. He fought the urge to gag, forcing himself to focus, given how sensitive his senses were.

"Graaa... This place really stinks of death."

He muttered while closing his eyes. On that note, however, he soon began to tap into his heightened sense of touch, and the moment he did. The world around him faded as he honed in on the vibrations, the subtle shifts in the air. He could feel them...the Antmen. Hundreds of them, their movements were all over the places, given this tunnel they digged was massive.

In one chamber, he sensed a gruesome scene: villagers, their bodies broken, being devoured, some half dead, others dead. He would save them, but those souls had already departed; there was no use saving them now.

Shifting his focus, he detected another area...a vast cavern. And what he saw were hundreds of Antmen busily transported large black crystals, their significance unknown. But it wasn’t the crystals that caught his attention. It was the figure overseeing the operation.

"Ha...and who might this be?"

A cloaked individual, face obscured by a pristine white mask. Not the same as the one Kiera had described, but there was something eerily familiar about the aura emanating from this person.

This person’s aura was cold, predatory even, and just from here alone, Adam felt shivers going down his spine.

Recognition soon dawned the moment Adam realized who... no... rather what this person was.

"It’s a lot like Priscilla."

Adam said as he watched the event played out by the movement of his body.

The realization hit hard, as this was the first time, seen another person of the same race as her.

"What, the hell is a vampires doing here...shit..shit...yeah this is way beyond my paygrade."

Adam said in panic as he began to cast a stealth spell. Soon after, the light began bending around his body, as Adam decides to call it quick for now.

As such, he resigned himself in this moment as he began to breathe in and out slowly, and called out mentally saying.

’OIIIIIIII BIG SIS....MINVERVAAAAAA, PLEASE IF YOU ARE THERE PICK UP PLEASEEE....

Adam had no idea if this was going to work. Minerva did say that something disconnected her telaphtic link to Meowroar in this area. So talking via the mind was a no go for all he knew, but all things considered, Minerva also said, Adam shared the Shinso name and conceptual link more than anything else.

So he was hoping on that.

And his prayers did not go unanswered, because moments later, a voice resonated in his mind, it was a familar one.

And the voice of a woman nonetheless.

[Haaa? Don’t tell me you’re tappin out already, lil bro. C’mon, we were just gettin to the fun part! What’s the deal, huh]

Said Minerva, to which Adam replied.

’...Big sis... You know I love you. In more ways than one, yeah... but this mission? This is way above my pay grade. I mean, sure, I can handle some of the small fry, Type 1s, maybe a few Type 2s if I push it. But this was supposed to be a simple delivery and bounce. That’s it.’

He explained himself, then continued, finishing his complaint by saying.

’But I’ve got this gut feeling... You sent me here for something else, didn’t you? And look...I’m just gonna say it straight. This place? In case you didn’t know... might be crawling with vampires.’

Said Adam mentally. On that note, however, a short silence was shared between the two, which worried Adam as he mentally shouted.

’BIG SIS!! Don’t leave me on ice here. I am literally in the jaws of a beast.’

[Tch... yeah yeah, I hear ya, kiddo... You ain’t wrong, though... I didn’t really send ya there just for some lame-ass delivery. That letter I gave yah is indeed for Meowroar, however, it will activate upon certain conditions, and let’s say if it does, then without a shred of a doubt, we got traitor on out hands...or that what I would say, if their were not other vampires there of course]

’w-What!?... Sigh, I can’t with you sometimes, big sis...so, can’t you, I don’t know comes, and fix the problem.’

Asked Adam; however, what Minerva said next took him by suprise.

[Tch, sorry, kid, no can do... not right now, anyway. There’s something blocking me from makin a move, something’s makin em stay just outta reach. How? No damn clue. But trust me when I say this...whoever these vampy bastards are workin for?]

Minerva said, her annoyance rising as she continued to speak.

[....Hehe... welp let just say they’re gonna know what it’s like to get the sun shoved right up their asses. For now, I need ya to catch one of em for me. Priscilla said they’re mostly some low-level, peasant vamps, so you should be able to handle em just fine. Here’s a lil tip: use fire. Don’t expect it to kill em, but fire messes with their heads. Reminds em of the sun, and that is enough to make em back off...Although, I won’t leave you to wolves, that letter of yors, the moment it picks up vast traces of vampiric miasma, it will summon some friend of mines, and also two of your future teachers]