Chapter 483: Bloodlust III

While Sekhmet dealt with Stephen, Sofia finally looked toward the rest of Mihos’s people.

"My king has his target."

Natasha understood.

"So we take the rest."

They moved.

The remaining fighters from Mihos’s camp had already lost their strongest protection. When Sofia and Natasha entered their battle at Low-Rank God strength, there was no real fight left.

Sofia raised one hand.

Blood chains spread across the courtyard.

They caught several fighters at once.

One man tried to cut through a chain.

Natasha appeared in front of him and struck him across the chest. He flew into the wall and did not rise.

Another group tried to retreat.

Sofia closed her fingers. The blood chains around their legs pulled them down.

Battle maids rushed forward.

Raka and the lesser vampires followed.

The remaining resistance collapsed quickly.

Some Mihos fighters surrendered.

Others kept fighting and died.

Natasha did not give anyone enough time to reorganize.

Within minutes, almost every person Mihos had brought into Iron House was either dead, unconscious, captured, or pinned beneath blood restraints.

Mira looked toward the main gate.

"Mihos escaped."

Vera wiped blood from her sword.

"With two guards."

Vela looked toward Raka.

"He will not catch them now."

Raka was angry enough to try anyway.

Then Elena spoke.

"Do not chase them."

Everyone looked at her.

Elena’s eyes remained on Sekhmet.

"That is not our biggest problem."

They followed her gaze.

Stephen was on both knees. His broken arm hung beside him. Blood covered his body.

Sekhmet stood directly in front of him.

The old butler tried to raise his head.

"You..."

Sekhmet grabbed his hair.

Stephen’s remaining divine power flared.

Sekhmet’s blood moved faster.

The power weakened again.

Stephen finally understood. He could not fight Sekhmet properly while his own blood was being disrupted from inside every wound. He tried to speak.

Sekhmet pulled his head sideways. The vein in Stephen’s neck became exposed.

Elena’s expression changed.

"Sekhmet."

He did not hear her. Or perhaps he heard her and no longer cared.

The System was still trying to preserve one final boundary.

[Host Bloodlust: 100%.

Hostile target confirmed.

Warning: Host mental restraint is critically impaired.

The system cannot stop Host actions.]

Sekhmet stared at Stephen’s neck. His fangs extended fully.

Stephen felt them before they touched him. His face finally showed complete fear.

Sekhmet lowered his head. Then his fangs sank into the neck of a Mid-Rank God.

Stephen’s body jerked.

Divine blood entered Sekhmet’s mouth.

The moment the first mouthful went down his throat, his entire body reacted.

Stephen’s blood was nothing like the blood Sekhmet had taken from ordinary humans, lower-rank cultivators, or even the vampires he had killed before. It was heavier. Every drop contained an enormous amount of energy compressed inside it, and the strange divine power that Stephen had used throughout the battle had left traces deep within his blood.

Sekhmet did not stop to understand any of it.

His fangs remained buried in Stephen’s neck.

Stephen’s body jerked once as he tried to pull away, but there was almost no strength left in him. His broken arm hung uselessly beside him. One knee had already been destroyed, several important wounds remained open across his body, and Sekhmet’s Blood Control continued disturbing the blood moving through what remained of his muscles.

The Mid-Rank God tried to raise his working hand.

Sekhmet caught the wrist without removing his fangs.

Stephen’s fingers moved once.

Then stopped.

More divine blood entered Sekhmet.

The System immediately responded.

[High-quality divine blood absorbed.

Blood Proficiency increased.

Blood Proficiency: 18/100.

Blood Proficiency continues to rise.]

Sekhmet did not see it.

The notification existed inside his mind, but his thoughts were buried beneath the taste of Stephen’s blood.

He drank again.

The Blood God Will inside him reacted as though someone had poured oil onto an already burning fire. The pressure inside his blood increased, and every heartbeat pushed the divine blood deeper through his body.

Stephen’s face became paler.

His breathing weakened.

The System continued.

[High-quality divine blood absorbed.

Blood Proficiency: 43/100.

Chaos Energy responding to absorbed divine blood.

Blood Awakening responding.]

Sekhmet’s fingers tightened around Stephen’s wrist.

He could feel the old butler’s heartbeat slowing against his mouth.

Thump.

A pause.

Thump.

Another pause.

The sound should have warned him that Stephen was approaching death.

Instead, it only made him drink faster.

Elena saw what was happening.

The anger she had carried during the battle disappeared and was replaced by concern.

"Sekhmet."

He did not react.

She stepped toward him.

Sofia immediately looked at her but did not stop her. Natasha also remained where she was. Both ancient vampires were watching Sekhmet far more carefully than before.

They knew something was happening.

Elena could see that much from their faces.

But she had no time to ask.

Sekhmet took another mouthful.

The System rang again.

[Blood Proficiency: 71/100.

Blood Proficiency continues to rise.

Divine blood quality greatly exceeds Host’s current cultivation.]

Stephen tried one final time to push Sekhmet away. His palm touched Sekhmet’s shoulder.

There was no power behind it.

The hand simply rested there for a moment before sliding down.

Sekhmet continued drinking.

[Blood Proficiency: 93/100.]

Then another mouthful entered him.

[Blood Proficiency requirement fulfilled.

Blood Proficiency: 100/100.

One Blood Skill Upgrade available.]

It did not stop.

Sekhmet’s body continued absorbing the blood of a Mid-Rank God, and the System immediately began counting beyond the completed requirement.

[Excess Blood Proficiency is being accumulated.

Blood Proficiency: 117/100.

Blood Proficiency: 139/100.

Blood Proficiency: 164/100.]

Stephen’s heartbeat became weaker.

Elena reached Sekhmet.

She grabbed his shoulder.

"Sekhmet, stop."

He did not even look at her.

Elena pulled harder.

"That is enough. He cannot fight anymore."

Sekhmet’s grip on Stephen tightened.

Elena looked at the dying God.

She had reasons to keep Stephen alive. A living Stephen could answer questions. A dead Stephen could not.

"Sekhmet."

Elena put more force into her grip this time.

"Leave him alive. I have a use for him."

Sekhmet finally reacted. His crimson eyes moved toward her.