nro_8 So, I went ahead and changed last chapter a little. Just the very end of it. You might want to go check it out, but it doesn't really matter as this chapter basically recaps it from Brian's POV. I'll also leave the original version (mass blood frenzy) available at the end of this and last chapter. There will also be two different versions of the next chapter, one where the mass frenzy happened and one where it didn't. Honestly, for the story, you can go with either route that you prefer, as it doesn't affect the end result, but to each their own.
“So, what to do now?” I asked no one after Lua and Agatha had left me alone in Overdrive.
I looked as the two of them were greeted by two children. I was a bit surprised when one of the kids shoved their head into an item bag, but she seemed just fine afterwards.
I wonder how safe that is? And I don’t mean just putting your head into an item bag, but putting an entire person.
(Magic bags cannot take an entire living being inside them.) Laura said.
(But she just put her head in there?)
(I said ‘entire’. You put your arm into magic bags every day. Head is not that different.) Laura said.
(Okay. Then what is the limiting factor?)
(Heart.) Laura answered. (A beating heart cannot enter a magic bag.)
(Ah. I see. But wouldn’t that mean that you cannot transport living animals in magic bags? Or live fish?)
(Exactly. You cannot. Not that I know of a reason to do so.) Laura said.
(Well fresh fish is better. At least as far as I know.) I informed her.
(If you want that, you’ll just have to transport the fish in barrels on carriages, not in magic bags.) Laura said.
(... oh yeah. I guess the classic way exists. I’m too used to magic bags.) I admitted.
As I didn’t see Lua or Agatha coming for me, I spent the time going through the collection. I wanted to see what Laura had opened during the night.
She had said that she was only opening four sets. Legend of Blue-Eyes, Metal Raiders, Flaming Eternity and Dark Beginning 1. And based on the numbers, probably 75% of it was LOB.
3 Blue-Eyes White Dragons, 5 Dark Magicians, 9 Gaia The Fierce Knight, 6 Red-Eyes Black Dragon and 5 Monster Reborns. And they are the ones she got last night. Couple of Tri-Horned Dragons and plenty of Exodia pieces as well. But somehow, I was still missing Left Arm of the Forbidden One. How in the heck did Laura not get it?
I also now have 12 copies of Raigeki, just in case I want to cause a super deadly thunderstorm. Show the little thunder sprites what real lightning is. And 3 more copies of Swords of Revealing Light for, you know, lighting up a party. While also freezing the party.
… that sounds like I’ll kill everyone at a party. That is not my intention.
From Metal Raiders, I had gotten the Mirror Force that was now set on Alice, Black Skull Dragon and Time Wizard. As well as some lesser rarity cards, but those aren’t worth mentioning. Well, I did have a stupid idea involving Cocoon of Evolution. I was thinking, if I use DNA Surgery to turn someone into an insect type, then fuse them with Petit Moth and equip Cocoon of Evolution onto them, what would happen? Probably something bad, but I do find theories like this interesting. But that would mean human experimentation and I’d rather not do that. Well, maybe to a convicted murderer or something. But I wouldn’t want to accidentally turn a criminal into a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth.
From Flaming Eternity, I was lacking a lot. Probably because Laura didn’t have time to open as many of those packs. She said she was opening them to get more copies of Good Goblin Housekeeping, so she could transfer tokens to the reprints. I did get Gearfried the Swordmaster and King Dragun. Also, Ultimate Insect LV5 is interesting. I know it has a level 7 version, but the LV7 is not available in any set I have unlocked at the moment. I wonder if the effect of LV5 can still activate and evolve it to LV7, even though I can’t get LV7 from any of the packs. Based on how things went with Horus, I think it should, but I’m not sure. I should probably test that out.
Spoiler
[collapse]
And even though I was missing plenty of the more rare cards, I had a good amount of the commons. Including more copies of Threatening Roar. As the one I had set on myself previously was still on cooldown, I took one of the new copies and set it on myself.
From DB1, Laura hadn’t gotten anything that amazing. Mostly, because I woke up while she was opening it. She did get Makyura the Destructor (not that I really need it, as I already can activate traps from hand), another copy of Mystical Space Typhoon and some other stuff that I don’t really need, as they are repeats. Well, the repeats are good for an idea I have.
(Laura, I think we should start an operation of making a perfect collection.) I said.
(Perfect? How would Master define a ‘perfect collection’?) Laura asked.
(I want three toploader copies of everything.) I said.
(Everything? Even the useless cards?) Laura asked.
(Yes. Everything. Every Pot of Generosity, Cold Feet and The Humble Sentry.) I said.
(I don’t know any of those, Master.) Laura admitted.
(They were just examples of useless cards.) I told Laura. (All you need to know is that I want three of everything.) I said.
… I must not have unlocked them yet. I guess they were made later. I know they are joke cards made to poke fun at the original designer of some of the classic op spells, so perhaps they were only made after the original version had spent some time on the ban list.
(Even of the same card from different sets?) Laura asked.
(... I’ll think about that part. I think as long as I have three of a certain card, it is fine. But I want at least one copy of each card in every set as well. You know, just to complete the sets.) I told her.
(As you wish, Master.) Laura responded.
Overdrive’s time came up, so I got out and unsummoned it. I was hoping Lua and Agatha would come get me before it happened, but no can do. Perhaps they just have too much to do.
I hadn’t been outside Overdrive for long, when a female dhampir, probably a dhampir, came up to me.
She seemed to be in her mid twenties, but then again, I have no idea if dhampirs age like humans. Well, she looks similar in age to Lua. Her eyes were dark green and her hair silver. Quite gorgeous, I’d say.
(Master, please stop staring at every woman you see. You can stare at me all you want.) Laura said in my head.
(And I do, don’t I?) I said back to her.
“You are quite cute. Are you someone who brought us blood this time?” The girl asked.
“Yeah. I am a part of the escort.” I answered. “But the blood was already carried into the big building, so you should go there.”
“Oh. Then perhaps you would like to give me a snack before I go there?” She said as she approached me.
Wait a second. Did her eyes just begin to glow? I’m decently sure they were deep green previously, but now they are a brighter green and look like they are shining.
(Master, she went into a blood frenzy!) Laura told me. (She is going to attack!)
Eh? Attack? Just like that?
I was getting ready for it and raised my arms up so I could defend myself.
But as she lunged at me, Threatening Roar activated and stunned her.
… eh? Well, I guess she really did try to harm me as the card activated.
(Master, not the time for that.) Laura said. (Use this.) She added as she opened Pack Opener for me and opened my collection to a certain card.
I didn’t hesitate, pulled it out and activated it. “Spellbinding Circle.”
I looked as a magic circle formed around her midsection, like it once had for the sword-horn bull.
(Lua. Could you come back here? There is a small problem.) I called Lua with our system link.
(Brian. What was that roar?) She asked.
(Lua. That was me. There was a small incident and the roar from yesterday activated. Could you come over?) I responded. I don’t know what to do with the dhampir that is now in my Spellbinding Circle.
It took about 45 seconds from the activation of Threatening Roar for the dhampir to get her senses back. But, of course, she was now held by Spellbinding Circle, so all she could do was wiggle around harmlessly.
I was a little worried that she could attack with magic, but Laura reminded me that the sword-horn bull hadn’t and a monster of that rank should be able to use magic. And Spellbinding Circle does say: “it cannot attack”, so any sort of offensive magic should be turned off.
So… what do I do with her? Just keep her there? Summon Vampire Lord to cure her? I guess I should wait for Lua and ask her.
I was looking around and spotted Lua running towards me.
“Oh, hi Lua.” I greeted her.
“Hi. What’s going on? Why are you out of that carriage?” She asked.
“Oh that. I had to unsummon Overdrive as its time limit came up.” I answered. “Then this dhampir girl came to talk to me. I told her that you already took the blood into the big building and she kind of went mad and tried to attack me. But I had Threatening Roar protecting me and after it activated, I used Spellbinding Circle to keep her in place and contacted you.” I quickly explained how I’d gotten to the situation at hand.
“So, what do we do with her?” I asked as Lua was speechless.
“I can calm her down with blood magic, but there is a chance that she will just frenzy again.” She said. “We should take her into the town hall and have her drink some blood before I use blood magic on her. Can you move that magic circle?”
Move the Spellbinding Circle? I have no idea.
“Not sure. Let me try.” I said as I raised my left arm and tried to use it to control the Spellbinding Circle. As I moved my hand to the left, Spellbinding Circle followed. The same went for up, down and right. “Yes, I can.” I told Lua.
“Then let’s go to the town hall.” She said and led the way.
“Lua! What was that roar? Is there a monster attacking?” Agatha rushed out of the big building and asked us. She was holding an axe that definitely didn’t look like it should be held with one hand, with one hand. Is that her weapon from her adventuring days? Didn’t think she would be someone using an axe. I would have said rapier or perhaps a bow, but what do I know.
“No. Everything is fine. Ria was just causing trouble and Brian had to use Intimidating Roar on her to keep her still.” Lua said to her mother.
Intimidating Roar? Wonder what that is?
(It is a skill with an effect similar but lesser to your Threatening Roar. It stuns monsters around you when used.) Laura explained. (If you were to install Threatening Roar, you would likely gain that skill.) She added.
Ah. I see. Simple enough.
“Are you sure? Everyone heard it and they are preparing for battle.” Agatha asked.
“Yes. It’s fine. Please go tell them that.” Lua said.
“... is Ria alright?” She then asked.
“She is just in a frenzy. I’ll calm her down after she gets some blood.” Lua answered. “Now go inside already. You need to tell everyone that there is no monster attack.”
“Yes, yes. And here I thought I was your mother.” Agatha said and turned back to the big building.
As she was making her way back to the large building, I saw multiple people rushing out of it with weapons on hand. Well, some were actual weapons, but a few seemed more like gardening tools, like a scythe and a hoe.
What do you mean scythe isn’t a weapon? Well, it isn’t. It is literally a farming tool for cutting down grass and crops. Even the Grim Reaper uses a scythe as a tool to harvest souls, not a weapon. Well, I guess it does double as a weapon, just like an axe. Even an axe was originally a tool for cutting down trees, not a weapon to be used in combat.
In total, ten people had come out from the big building. They seemed to be looking around to find something. Probably the monster that let out a roar. Well, it was me. Situation over. You can go back inside.
They looked between me and the dhampir struggling in Spellbinding Circle. Agatha had walked up to them and was explaining how things ended as they did.
Hmm? Some of their eyes are flickering in color? Like someone turning them on and off. Okay, that analogy makes no sense. Eyes aren’t LEDs. You can’t just turn them on and off.
I took a look at Lua, but she seemed calm so it should probably be fine. Perhaps it isn’t a frenzy, but instead a blood magic spell of some kind. Or appraisal. Let’s hope it isn’t appraisal. I don’t mind showing my status to people, but please don’t look at it without my permission.
One of the dhampirs did seem to go into a full on frenzy, but the others around him caught him and held him down to the ground.
“Brian, I know this isn’t the best time, but would you cure them all now?” Agatha asked me.
“I mean I can, but right away? I guess it would be for the best to get it over with.” I answered.
Spoiler
nro_8 Again, this is the version where the dhampirs went into a mass frenzy. It is no longer the 'official' version, but just in case you want to read it.
In total, ten people had come out from the big building. They seemed to be looking around to find something. Probably the monster that let out a roar. Well, it was me. Situation over. You can go back inside.
Eh? Why are they all staring at me? What did I do? Well, I caused the roar, but they don’t know that.
I looked as their eyes began to shine one by one.
(Master, they went into a blood frenzy. Be careful.) Laura warned me.
Yeah, I guessed as much, but why?
I looked back to the dhampir girl that struggled in the Spellbinding Circle. Is she the reason? Do dhampirs have a communal blood frenzy thing? If one goes into a frenzy, they all do?
(Focus!) Laura yelled.
I moved my eyes back to the dhampirs, just as they rushed at me. I don’t really have the time to open my collection and get out a card right now, but I still have a few available.
I moved my hand over to the bottom left side of my stomach where I had set a card and said its name to activate it. The set cards might activate on their own if their conditions are met, but nothing keeps me from activating them in other situations by holding a hand on them and saying their name.
“Draining Shield.”
A semi-transparent shield appeared between us and the charging dhampirs. They didn’t stop their charge and the first of them ran right into it, like crashing into a wall. As they did, I felt some sort of energy coming into my body. It isn’t mana, so I assume this is HP. I was thinking of opening my status, but I have no idea how many seconds that shield will stay up, so I need something else.
I opened my collection and Laura instantly offered the card I needed. I pulled it out and activated it.
“Swords of Revealing Light!” I called to activate the spell.
Large sword-like things made of light appeared in the air around us, before falling into the ground and making a circle, surrounding the dhampirs.
The dhampirs that were inside the Swords of Revealing Light were now frozen in place.
—
“Phew. Well, that was only a minor heart attack.” I said as I calmed myself.
“... Brian? Are you alright?” Lua asked.
“Yeah. I’m fine. But that could have been bad.” I told Lua. “What came over them?”
“I think they haven’t been drinking enough blood.” Lua answered. “They only had goblin blood for a few days and no one wants to drink it, so I think they have been going with the bare minimum.”
“... Well, better make sure they have something better in the future.” I said.
I looked around to gain the necessary information. The dhampir that tried to attack me earlier was still safely held in Spellbinding Circle and all of the others were held in place by Swords of Revealing Light.
Agatha was also inside the area of Swords of Revealing Light and just as frozen as the dhampirs. Why is that? Is she just frozen by shock? Or does the spell see her as an enemy? It should only affect enemies.
I walked into the swords and Lua followed. As soon as the Spellbinding Circle with the dhampir girl entered, the girl froze in place like everything else inside the swords.
But the more surprising part was that Lua also froze after she had fully entered the swords. I honestly didn’t expect that. I know I didn’t test that part out yesterday, but as Fire Sorcerer and I were both able to move just fine, I thought that any member of my party could move freely.
Does Swords of Revealing Light freeze everyone that isn’t my summon?
I walked back to Lua.
“Lua, can you hear me?” I asked her.
I didn’t hear a response, but I saw her eyes move. So she can still move her eyes. I looked around and realized that all the dhampirs held by the swords were keeping their eyes on me.
(Lua, try to speak to me through the system.) I sent a message to Lua.
(Brian. Help. I can’t move!) She sent a message back to me. So even if she is frozen, she can still use that.
(Lua. I don’t really know how. Sorry.) I said to her as I placed my hand on her shoulder.
As I did, Lua zapped back to life, like I had pressed play on just her. As she was in the middle of a step as she froze, she almost fell over, but I caught her.
“Lua. Are you ok?” I asked her.
“...” She didn’t respond, instead checking herself. “I think so. But that felt super strange. I’d rather not do it again.”
“Sorry that you got caught up in it as well.” I apologized.
“This spell is quite amazing. I thought it was great when I saw it yesterday, but it is even stronger than I thought.” Lua said. “But also terrifying. I couldn’t move but I could still see and hear. It felt like I had no control of my body.”
“Agreed. That would be quite terrifying.” I said. “Here. Take my hand. It seems that as long as I touch you, you can move.”
Lua took my left hand into her right.
“Let’s get your mother and go outside of the swords first.” I told her.
“Yes.” She agreed.
—
“So, what do we do with them?” I asked Lua and Agatha after we had gotten outside the area of Swords of Revealing Light.
“Mother, did they drink any blood yet?” Lua asked her mother.
“Not all of them. They were waiting for you and Ria.” Agatha answered.
“Then it won’t really help if I calm them down. They might just frenzy again.” Lua said.
“Should I just cure them now?” I asked.
“That might be for the best.” Lua said.
“Can you really do it?” Agatha asked.
“Well, only one way to find out.” I answered. “But I did do it to Lua, so it should be fine.”
Now, just summon Vampire Lord and cure them while Swords of Revealing Light holds them in place.
Actually, isn’t this exactly what I didn’t want to do?
[collapse]
nro_8 So, I went ahead and changed last chapter a little. Just the very end of it. You might want to go check it out, but it doesn't really matter as this chapter basically recaps it from Brian's POV. I'll also leave the original version (mass blood frenzy) available at the end of this and last chapter. There will also be two different versions of the next chapter, one where the mass frenzy happened and one where it didn't. Honestly, for the story, you can go with either route that you prefer, as it doesn't affect the end result, but to each their own.
“So, what to do now?” I asked no one after Lua and Agatha had left me alone in Overdrive.
I looked as the two of them were greeted by two children. I was a bit surprised when one of the kids shoved their head into an item bag, but she seemed just fine afterwards.
I wonder how safe that is? And I don’t mean just putting your head into an item bag, but putting an entire person.
(Magic bags cannot take an entire living being inside them.) Laura said.
(But she just put her head in there?)
(I said ‘entire’. You put your arm into magic bags every day. Head is not that different.) Laura said.
(Okay. Then what is the limiting factor?)
(Heart.) Laura answered. (A beating heart cannot enter a magic bag.)
(Ah. I see. But wouldn’t that mean that you cannot transport living animals in magic bags? Or live fish?)
(Exactly. You cannot. Not that I know of a reason to do so.) Laura said.
(Well fresh fish is better. At least as far as I know.) I informed her.
(If you want that, you’ll just have to transport the fish in barrels on carriages, not in magic bags.) Laura said.
(... oh yeah. I guess the classic way exists. I’m too used to magic bags.) I admitted.
As I didn’t see Lua or Agatha coming for me, I spent the time going through the collection. I wanted to see what Laura had opened during the night.
She had said that she was only opening four sets. Legend of Blue-Eyes, Metal Raiders, Flaming Eternity and Dark Beginning 1. And based on the numbers, probably 75% of it was LOB.
3 Blue-Eyes White Dragons, 5 Dark Magicians, 9 Gaia The Fierce Knight, 6 Red-Eyes Black Dragon and 5 Monster Reborns. And they are the ones she got last night. Couple of Tri-Horned Dragons and plenty of Exodia pieces as well. But somehow, I was still missing Left Arm of the Forbidden One. How in the heck did Laura not get it?
I also now have 12 copies of Raigeki, just in case I want to cause a super deadly thunderstorm. Show the little thunder sprites what real lightning is. And 3 more copies of Swords of Revealing Light for, you know, lighting up a party. While also freezing the party.
… that sounds like I’ll kill everyone at a party. That is not my intention.
From Metal Raiders, I had gotten the Mirror Force that was now set on Alice, Black Skull Dragon and Time Wizard. As well as some lesser rarity cards, but those aren’t worth mentioning. Well, I did have a stupid idea involving Cocoon of Evolution. I was thinking, if I use DNA Surgery to turn someone into an insect type, then fuse them with Petit Moth and equip Cocoon of Evolution onto them, what would happen? Probably something bad, but I do find theories like this interesting. But that would mean human experimentation and I’d rather not do that. Well, maybe to a convicted murderer or something. But I wouldn’t want to accidentally turn a criminal into a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth.
From Flaming Eternity, I was lacking a lot. Probably because Laura didn’t have time to open as many of those packs. She said she was opening them to get more copies of Good Goblin Housekeeping, so she could transfer tokens to the reprints. I did get Gearfried the Swordmaster and King Dragun. Also, Ultimate Insect LV5 is interesting. I know it has a level 7 version, but the LV7 is not available in any set I have unlocked at the moment. I wonder if the effect of LV5 can still activate and evolve it to LV7, even though I can’t get LV7 from any of the packs. Based on how things went with Horus, I think it should, but I’m not sure. I should probably test that out.
Spoiler
[collapse]
And even though I was missing plenty of the more rare cards, I had a good amount of the commons. Including more copies of Threatening Roar. As the one I had set on myself previously was still on cooldown, I took one of the new copies and set it on myself.
From DB1, Laura hadn’t gotten anything that amazing. Mostly, because I woke up while she was opening it. She did get Makyura the Destructor (not that I really need it, as I already can activate traps from hand), another copy of Mystical Space Typhoon and some other stuff that I don’t really need, as they are repeats. Well, the repeats are good for an idea I have.
(Laura, I think we should start an operation of making a perfect collection.) I said.
(Perfect? How would Master define a ‘perfect collection’?) Laura asked.
(I want three toploader copies of everything.) I said.
(Everything? Even the useless cards?) Laura asked.
(Yes. Everything. Every Pot of Generosity, Cold Feet and The Humble Sentry.) I said.
(I don’t know any of those, Master.) Laura admitted.
(They were just examples of useless cards.) I told Laura. (All you need to know is that I want three of everything.) I said.
… I must not have unlocked them yet. I guess they were made later. I know they are joke cards made to poke fun at the original designer of some of the classic op spells, so perhaps they were only made after the original version had spent some time on the ban list.
(Even of the same card from different sets?) Laura asked.
(... I’ll think about that part. I think as long as I have three of a certain card, it is fine. But I want at least one copy of each card in every set as well. You know, just to complete the sets.) I told her.
(As you wish, Master.) Laura responded.
Overdrive’s time came up, so I got out and unsummoned it. I was hoping Lua and Agatha would come get me before it happened, but no can do. Perhaps they just have too much to do.
I hadn’t been outside Overdrive for long, when a female dhampir, probably a dhampir, came up to me.
She seemed to be in her mid twenties, but then again, I have no idea if dhampirs age like humans. Well, she looks similar in age to Lua. Her eyes were dark green and her hair silver. Quite gorgeous, I’d say.
(Master, please stop staring at every woman you see. You can stare at me all you want.) Laura said in my head.
(And I do, don’t I?) I said back to her.
“You are quite cute. Are you someone who brought us blood this time?” The girl asked.
“Yeah. I am a part of the escort.” I answered. “But the blood was already carried into the big building, so you should go there.”
“Oh. Then perhaps you would like to give me a snack before I go there?” She said as she approached me.
Wait a second. Did her eyes just begin to glow? I’m decently sure they were deep green previously, but now they are a brighter green and look like they are shining.
(Master, she went into a blood frenzy!) Laura told me. (She is going to attack!)
Eh? Attack? Just like that?
I was getting ready for it and raised my arms up so I could defend myself.
But as she lunged at me, Threatening Roar activated and stunned her.
… eh? Well, I guess she really did try to harm me as the card activated.
(Master, not the time for that.) Laura said. (Use this.) She added as she opened Pack Opener for me and opened my collection to a certain card.
I didn’t hesitate, pulled it out and activated it. “Spellbinding Circle.”
I looked as a magic circle formed around her midsection, like it once had for the sword-horn bull.
(Lua. Could you come back here? There is a small problem.) I called Lua with our system link.
(Brian. What was that roar?) She asked.
(Lua. That was me. There was a small incident and the roar from yesterday activated. Could you come over?) I responded. I don’t know what to do with the dhampir that is now in my Spellbinding Circle.
It took about 45 seconds from the activation of Threatening Roar for the dhampir to get her senses back. But, of course, she was now held by Spellbinding Circle, so all she could do was wiggle around harmlessly.
I was a little worried that she could attack with magic, but Laura reminded me that the sword-horn bull hadn’t and a monster of that rank should be able to use magic. And Spellbinding Circle does say: “it cannot attack”, so any sort of offensive magic should be turned off.
So… what do I do with her? Just keep her there? Summon Vampire Lord to cure her? I guess I should wait for Lua and ask her.
I was looking around and spotted Lua running towards me.
“Oh, hi Lua.” I greeted her.
“Hi. What’s going on? Why are you out of that carriage?” She asked.
“Oh that. I had to unsummon Overdrive as its time limit came up.” I answered. “Then this dhampir girl came to talk to me. I told her that you already took the blood into the big building and she kind of went mad and tried to attack me. But I had Threatening Roar protecting me and after it activated, I used Spellbinding Circle to keep her in place and contacted you.” I quickly explained how I’d gotten to the situation at hand.
“So, what do we do with her?” I asked as Lua was speechless.
“I can calm her down with blood magic, but there is a chance that she will just frenzy again.” She said. “We should take her into the town hall and have her drink some blood before I use blood magic on her. Can you move that magic circle?”
Move the Spellbinding Circle? I have no idea.
“Not sure. Let me try.” I said as I raised my left arm and tried to use it to control the Spellbinding Circle. As I moved my hand to the left, Spellbinding Circle followed. The same went for up, down and right. “Yes, I can.” I told Lua.
“Then let’s go to the town hall.” She said and led the way.
“Lua! What was that roar? Is there a monster attacking?” Agatha rushed out of the big building and asked us. She was holding an axe that definitely didn’t look like it should be held with one hand, with one hand. Is that her weapon from her adventuring days? Didn’t think she would be someone using an axe. I would have said rapier or perhaps a bow, but what do I know.
“No. Everything is fine. Ria was just causing trouble and Brian had to use Intimidating Roar on her to keep her still.” Lua said to her mother.
Intimidating Roar? Wonder what that is?
(It is a skill with an effect similar but lesser to your Threatening Roar. It stuns monsters around you when used.) Laura explained. (If you were to install Threatening Roar, you would likely gain that skill.) She added.
Ah. I see. Simple enough.
“Are you sure? Everyone heard it and they are preparing for battle.” Agatha asked.
“Yes. It’s fine. Please go tell them that.” Lua said.
“... is Ria alright?” She then asked.
“She is just in a frenzy. I’ll calm her down after she gets some blood.” Lua answered. “Now go inside already. You need to tell everyone that there is no monster attack.”
“Yes, yes. And here I thought I was your mother.” Agatha said and turned back to the big building.
As she was making her way back to the large building, I saw multiple people rushing out of it with weapons on hand. Well, some were actual weapons, but a few seemed more like gardening tools, like a scythe and a hoe.
What do you mean scythe isn’t a weapon? Well, it isn’t. It is literally a farming tool for cutting down grass and crops. Even the Grim Reaper uses a scythe as a tool to harvest souls, not a weapon. Well, I guess it does double as a weapon, just like an axe. Even an axe was originally a tool for cutting down trees, not a weapon to be used in combat.
In total, ten people had come out from the big building. They seemed to be looking around to find something. Probably the monster that let out a roar. Well, it was me. Situation over. You can go back inside.
They looked between me and the dhampir struggling in Spellbinding Circle. Agatha had walked up to them and was explaining how things ended as they did.
Hmm? Some of their eyes are flickering in color? Like someone turning them on and off. Okay, that analogy makes no sense. Eyes aren’t LEDs. You can’t just turn them on and off.
I took a look at Lua, but she seemed calm so it should probably be fine. Perhaps it isn’t a frenzy, but instead a blood magic spell of some kind. Or appraisal. Let’s hope it isn’t appraisal. I don’t mind showing my status to people, but please don’t look at it without my permission.
One of the dhampirs did seem to go into a full on frenzy, but the others around him caught him and held him down to the ground.
“Brian, I know this isn’t the best time, but would you cure them all now?” Agatha asked me.
“I mean I can, but right away? I guess it would be for the best to get it over with.” I answered.
Spoiler
nro_8 Again, this is the version where the dhampirs went into a mass frenzy. It is no longer the 'official' version, but just in case you want to read it.
In total, ten people had come out from the big building. They seemed to be looking around to find something. Probably the monster that let out a roar. Well, it was me. Situation over. You can go back inside.
Eh? Why are they all staring at me? What did I do? Well, I caused the roar, but they don’t know that.
I looked as their eyes began to shine one by one.
(Master, they went into a blood frenzy. Be careful.) Laura warned me.
Yeah, I guessed as much, but why?
I looked back to the dhampir girl that struggled in the Spellbinding Circle. Is she the reason? Do dhampirs have a communal blood frenzy thing? If one goes into a frenzy, they all do?
(Focus!) Laura yelled.
I moved my eyes back to the dhampirs, just as they rushed at me. I don’t really have the time to open my collection and get out a card right now, but I still have a few available.
I moved my hand over to the bottom left side of my stomach where I had set a card and said its name to activate it. The set cards might activate on their own if their conditions are met, but nothing keeps me from activating them in other situations by holding a hand on them and saying their name.
“Draining Shield.”
A semi-transparent shield appeared between us and the charging dhampirs. They didn’t stop their charge and the first of them ran right into it, like crashing into a wall. As they did, I felt some sort of energy coming into my body. It isn’t mana, so I assume this is HP. I was thinking of opening my status, but I have no idea how many seconds that shield will stay up, so I need something else.
I opened my collection and Laura instantly offered the card I needed. I pulled it out and activated it.
“Swords of Revealing Light!” I called to activate the spell.
Large sword-like things made of light appeared in the air around us, before falling into the ground and making a circle, surrounding the dhampirs.
The dhampirs that were inside the Swords of Revealing Light were now frozen in place.
—
“Phew. Well, that was only a minor heart attack.” I said as I calmed myself.
“... Brian? Are you alright?” Lua asked.
“Yeah. I’m fine. But that could have been bad.” I told Lua. “What came over them?”
“I think they haven’t been drinking enough blood.” Lua answered. “They only had goblin blood for a few days and no one wants to drink it, so I think they have been going with the bare minimum.”
“... Well, better make sure they have something better in the future.” I said.
I looked around to gain the necessary information. The dhampir that tried to attack me earlier was still safely held in Spellbinding Circle and all of the others were held in place by Swords of Revealing Light.
Agatha was also inside the area of Swords of Revealing Light and just as frozen as the dhampirs. Why is that? Is she just frozen by shock? Or does the spell see her as an enemy? It should only affect enemies.
I walked into the swords and Lua followed. As soon as the Spellbinding Circle with the dhampir girl entered, the girl froze in place like everything else inside the swords.
But the more surprising part was that Lua also froze after she had fully entered the swords. I honestly didn’t expect that. I know I didn’t test that part out yesterday, but as Fire Sorcerer and I were both able to move just fine, I thought that any member of my party could move freely.
Does Swords of Revealing Light freeze everyone that isn’t my summon?
I walked back to Lua.
“Lua, can you hear me?” I asked her.
I didn’t hear a response, but I saw her eyes move. So she can still move her eyes. I looked around and realized that all the dhampirs held by the swords were keeping their eyes on me.
(Lua, try to speak to me through the system.) I sent a message to Lua.
(Brian. Help. I can’t move!) She sent a message back to me. So even if she is frozen, she can still use that.
(Lua. I don’t really know how. Sorry.) I said to her as I placed my hand on her shoulder.
As I did, Lua zapped back to life, like I had pressed play on just her. As she was in the middle of a step as she froze, she almost fell over, but I caught her.
“Lua. Are you ok?” I asked her.
“...” She didn’t respond, instead checking herself. “I think so. But that felt super strange. I’d rather not do it again.”
“Sorry that you got caught up in it as well.” I apologized.
“This spell is quite amazing. I thought it was great when I saw it yesterday, but it is even stronger than I thought.” Lua said. “But also terrifying. I couldn’t move but I could still see and hear. It felt like I had no control of my body.”
“Agreed. That would be quite terrifying.” I said. “Here. Take my hand. It seems that as long as I touch you, you can move.”
Lua took my left hand into her right.
“Let’s get your mother and go outside of the swords first.” I told her.
“Yes.” She agreed.
—
“So, what do we do with them?” I asked Lua and Agatha after we had gotten outside the area of Swords of Revealing Light.
“Mother, did they drink any blood yet?” Lua asked her mother.
“Not all of them. They were waiting for you and Ria.” Agatha answered.
“Then it won’t really help if I calm them down. They might just frenzy again.” Lua said.
“Should I just cure them now?” I asked.
“That might be for the best.” Lua said.
“Can you really do it?” Agatha asked.
“Well, only one way to find out.” I answered. “But I did do it to Lua, so it should be fine.”
Now, just summon Vampire Lord and cure them while Swords of Revealing Light holds them in place.
Actually, isn’t this exactly what I didn’t want to do?
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