"Jin Valter…"

The Exorcist who came to kill me muttered my name with a slight tremor. Listening in, I felt a wave of superiority envelop my heart. They were like children who had been caught in a lie or corrupt government officials who had been charged in court. ????????n????????аd.＆nbsp;????????????

The moment I appeared behind them, their world froze, and they knew the gig was up.

"Do carry on; I'm curious to find out how you wish to kill me." I continued to taunt them with a bright smile on my face.

"J-Jin Valter… H-How???"

"You must be Damien Everwinter," turning to the stuttering Vampire, I gave a knowing smile. "Your plan to assassinate me using an Archangel wasn't bad. It was the only way you could escape death after your actions toward Irina and me. Alas, you underestimated me too much, Damien. Or should I say… You underestimated my lovers too much."

If it weren't for Rosa's stupidly powerful spying capabilities, there was no way I could uncover Damien's plot. Perhaps I could have countered it with my own strength, but there was a high chance that I would have been caught off guard.

So, Damien's only miscalculation… was not knowing the full extent of Rosalyn Shadowgarden's abilities.

"Ah, but don't get me wrong. You're still going to die today. I've already received the blessing from your Matriarch. In fact, the only reason why you've lived this long was because I needed you to bring these Church goons to me. You see, I'm kind of curious about how Holy magic works…"

Rubbing my chin, I looked at the members of the Holy Church like how a scientist would examine a specimen. I couldn't tell for sure since the chamber was blocking magic power, but these five clergymen possessed a vast amount of magic power. It wasn't at the level of a True Vampire that had lived for centuries, but their magic power was enough to classify them as S-Ranked Hunters or higher.

But something doesn't add up…

Isn't Holy magic a whole different concept from regular magic? The Holy Church has always claimed that their magic comes from God himself. So why do these Exorcists' magic power look no different than that of a regular Hunter?

"Buy us some time, Damien!!! The rest of you, open up the portal!!! "

The tallest and most intimidating Exorcist barked out orders while forcing Damien to do something. The two Vampires that came with the Holy Church also moved, jumping onto the chamber's ceiling with their daggers unsheathed. The other members of the clergy showed their professionalism as well, their hands grabbing onto their staffs and crosses as magic power filled their veins and cores.

As for the two most dangerous people in their group, they moved with eyes filled with battle instinct and vengeance. Notably the large man who seemed to be the leader of the group.

He pulled out two silver magnum revolvers from his holsters and pointed them straight at me. I was certain that if I gave him the opportunity, his fingers would pull the trigger mercilessly and drill a hole through my skull.

Finally, Damien regained his composure and entered into a battle stance. Magic power far beyond that of a five-hundred-year-old True Vampire seeped out from his body as ice crept over the walls and floor. He may not have the Winter Sovereign Aspect like Irina, but given that he's an heir of the mighty Everwinter House, his control over ice and snow must be staggering.

Not that it mattered, though…

If it was a year ago, I would have to analyse his attack patterns, come up with suitable counter magic and eventually, create a long-winded battle plan to defeat Damien. It wasn't just Damien; the Vampires that came with the Holy Church were professional assassins with skills that could cripple an average Vampire without them even realising. The Holy Church Exorcists were also a problem, given how they could use spatial magic and unknown Holy powers to significantly damage me.

Alas… In the face of absolute power, none of that mattered.

"Break."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!

Channelling my magic power into my ring of destruction, I willed the entire chamber to crumble under its own weight as a thunderous tremor roared through the Everwinter Estate. Crimson flames surged from under my feet, enveloping the two assassins who aimed at my neck with daggers, incinerating them into ash.

Damien and the other big man quickly escaped from the falling debris and flew straight up.

The five Church clergies who remained to construct the Warp Gate were flabbergasted by the destruction and could only brace themselves for the impending impact. Tonne after tonne of heavy rock fell violently onto their unprotected bodies, crushing them into meat paste before I could even do anything about it.

The ease of their defeat forced my jaw to drop. I didn't mean to kill them; I just wanted to stop their spell. Who would have guessed they were this fragile?

Once again, I was reminded of the superiority of Vampires. Even a weak Blood Servant wouldn't succumb to their death so easily. Yet, these 'blessed' individuals died after one casual stroke of my hand.

What a waste… I wanted to experiment with those Church goons to see how Holy magic worked. I guess I would have to settle for the one remaining Exorcist who stood by Damien's side.

Speaking of which…

"Hoho… They're not attempting to escape? I wonder if they've given up or are just dumb?"

Damien and the Exorcist remained above ground, watching in horror as the chamber crumbled. They didn't move a single inch, even though it was the prime opportunity to escape. Was it due to shock or fear? I was a little disappointed by their lack of fervour. I had even prepared contingency plans if they attempted to run away without a fight.

"Doesn't matter…"

Warping myself with Space-magic, I teleported behind the pair, blankly staring at the ruined chamber, forcing them to snap their heads back with fear in their eyes.

"I wonder which one of you I should kill first?"

"..."

Both Vampire and human remained silent. They couldn't comprehend everything that had just transpired, and their faces showed that clearly. Particularly Damien, his entire body was shaking and his already pale complexion somehow became even more ashen.

In a last-ditch effort to save his life, Damien shouted out the only argument that came to mind: "Y-You… Do you think you can get away with attacking an heir on Everwinter grounds?!"

"Damien Everwinter… Your idiocy amazes me."

"W-What?"

"We may have had grudges in the past, but if you were willing to beg for forgiveness and give up your power, I would have spared your life."

It was the truth. After becoming a Progenitor, I didn't really care about Damien and our past grudges. Yes, his faction may have attempted to kill me when I was weaker, and he had tried to force Irina into an arranged marriage with him, but those were small matters in the grand scheme.

If Damien begged and swore to never be involved with my affairs any longer, I would have just meted out a simple punishment that didn't include ending his life. After all, I didn't want to become the second Dracula, a tyrant that massacred those who disobeyed him. But, by allying with the Holy Church, this idiot forced my hand.

"Instead of seeking peace, you partnered with our mortal enemy and tried to kill me. Even the Matriarch is disgusted by your actions. You may think I'm the reason for your downfall but in truth… You were just blinded by greed for power."

"You… YOU FUCKING BRAT!!!"

Knowing that he had no more cards to play, Damien roared like a caged animal. Magic power gushed out from his body as his aspect shone brightly at the back of his hand. I was tempted to let him have his last stand, but I've lost all interest in the fallen Everwinter heir.

Pssssttttt…

With my powers of destruction, I decomposed the Vampire all the way down to his atoms. No ashes, no bones, no flesh remained. All that remained of Damien Everwinter was a puff of smoke that dissipated into nothingness.

"With that settled… Only one remains."

I turned my attention to the last man standing. The tall Exorcist dual-wielded silver magnums as if he were from an old Western film. The more I examined the man, the more intrigued I became.

Of all the seven men who came through the Holy Church's Warp Gate, he was unquestionably the most powerful one. Not to mention, his battle instincts and sense of danger were off the charts. He was the first to notice me when I appeared in the chamber. He was also the only one who managed to escape the collapse triggered by my magic.

And judging from his sanctified appearance… This man should be a big shot in the Holy Church.

"Jin Valter…"

"You keep repeating my name like a prayer… Is this part of the Holy Church's exorcisms? You attempt to kill me by repeating my name a billion times?"

"You… sure are impudent for a twenty-six-year-old. Haven't you heard of respecting your elders?"

"Hoh… I'm impressed."

"Impressed?"

"Yes, impressed." I smiled and gave the man an imaginary pat on the back. "Instead of running away, you're facing my pressure head-on. And you can remain calm enough to taunt me. You're probably one of the Church's strongest Exorcists, right?"

Even without unleashing my magic, the aura of a Progenitor was enough to make countless humans insane. Even pureblood True Vampires that lived for thousands of years would feel suppressed by my aura. Matriarch Innocence was no exception. Yet, this burly man was able to smile in the face of my presence.

"I'm not one of the strongest, but the strongest. My name is Angelo Augustus Amorth, head of the Exorcist division."

"Oh? So I fished out the Head Exorcist? Now that's good news!"

I knew that leaving Damien alive for a while would pay off! If I wished to examine Holy magic, there was no better specimen than the Head Exorcist!

"Let's see how powerful the trump card of the Holy Church really is…"