My Horny Stepmom Turns Me into Her Vampire Slave

Chapter 180: Clash above the clouds

"R-Raelor... you bastard... I’m gonna kill you!" Ren roars, his voice strained from exhaustion.

He unleashes another slash with his blade of energy.

Then another. And another.

Each one fueled by even greater rage than the last. But none of them trouble Raelor in the slightest.

"So this is how you intend to avenge Aoshi and Eliss?" Raelor hisses as he climbs even higher into the sky. "Pathetic."

Ren stays right on Raelor’s heels, climbing to the very same altitude.

The battle resumes, but only for a brief, lightning-fast exchange of blows that, to the people of Tokyo below, looks like two violet bolts crashing into each other again and again.

A moment later, Raelor shoots even higher into the sky at blinding speed.

This time, however, he doesn’t stop after a few moments.

He keeps climbing. Higher and higher.

Ren follows right behind him. Or rather, Raelor is deliberately holding back, flying at only a fraction of his true speed so Ren can keep up.

"Where are you going, you coward?! Come on, fight me!" Ren shouts.

Raelor pays no attention to his words and continues soaring upward for several more seconds before coming to an abrupt stop nearly four kilometers above the ground.

Looking down, Ren can’t even see the earth anymore.

All that stretches beneath him is an endless sea of dark storm clouds crackling with electricity.

The air is so thin up here that every breath comes with effort.

Raelor, on the other hand, doesn’t seem affected in the slightest.

"W-Why, Raelor...?! Why do you hate us so much?! First my parents, and now Zaira... What did Iris, Yuzu, and I ever do to make you hate us this much?!"

"You greatly overestimate your own importance, Ren. You are nothing more than an insignificant speck, and it’s foolish of you to think everything revolves around you. The course of events would’ve remained exactly the same even if you’d never been born."

"I don’t understand... Then why are you doing this?! Why have you become like this?! As crazy as it sounds, if the reason for all this was simply to make me and my sisters suffer, I think I could almost accept it. At least it would’ve made sense, twisted as it is. But this... I refuse to believe you’re doing all this for no reason!"

"I never said there wasn’t a reason," Raelor replies calmly. "It’s simply not the one you believe it is. But as I already told you, you are nothing more than an insignificant existence. Whether you live or die... whether you know the truth or not... it makes no difference whatsoever."

"You’re wrong!" Zaira shouts as she rises above the clouds beneath them.

Iris and Yuzu are right behind her.

Ren shoots them a look filled with both anger and concern.

"What the fuck are you doing here?! I was keeping Raelor busy so you could get away! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

But Zaira pays no attention to him. Her eyes remain fixed on Raelor.

"That’s not true at all! Ren’s existence makes all the difference! He carried the pain you caused on his own shoulders, along with the responsibility of protecting and taking care of Iris and Yuzu! Thanks to him, they were finally able to smile again after everything that happened. Thanks to him, I finally found a place that feels like home... and people I can truly call family! I don’t give a fuck if you think our happiness is meaningless because it won’t change the course of events. To us, Ren is everything... and we will never let you make him suffer again!"

"Zaira... Iris... Yuzu... Thank you... Thank you so much... I promise you... I’ll protect you, no matter what it costs!"

A blinding explosion of electrical energy erupts from Ren’s body.

The lightning crackling around him grows so fierce and intense that it even begins to affect the weather above Tokyo.

The clouds darken further, swelling with electricity, ready to unleash a violent storm upon the city.

"R-Raelor... I... I’ll destroy you!"

For a brief moment, Raelor is struck by the strength and determination radiating from Ren.

He lets out a long sigh, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Ren... you’re a fool if you truly believe you can defeat me... just as Eliss was that night. I’m sure you know that better than anyone.

And yet... that look in your eyes... it’s the very same unwavering gaze she had. The look of someone willing to risk everything to protect the people they love, no matter how hopeless the situation.

It’s true what they say... the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like mother, like son.

Only a courageous warrior like Eliss could have brought children like you into this world. I’m certain she’s proud of you, Ren.

Charged with overwhelming power, Ren dives at his opponent at full speed, tearing through the clouds.

He draws back his sword of energy and brings it down on Raelor.

But...

"W-What...?!"

Raelor catches the blade with his bare hand, clamping it effortlessly between his fingers.

I poured every last ounce of my strength into that strike... How did he stop it so easily?! Raelor... what kind of monster are you?!

Ren lets go of the hilt... or at least, he tries to.

His fingers remain locked around it, just like when you get an electric shock and can’t pull your hand away.

"Ren, I’ll admit it — you’ve become much stronger than you were three years ago. But that improvement is nothing more than a tiny step across the infinite distance that separates your strength from mine..."

Raelor suddenly clenches his hand, crushing Ren’s sword into countless glowing particles.

"...how do you expect to protect the people you love while you’re still this weak?"

"W-Why...?! Why are you of all people saying things like that?! Stop talking as if you actually care about me!!! I-I swear, I’ll—"

BAM!

Ren’s words die in his throat the instant Raelor’s devastating punch slams into his stomach.

A torrent of blood erupts from his mouth, and his eyes roll back into his head.

At the moment of impact, a violent surge of electricity tears through Ren’s entire body.

That single blow is enough to knock him unconscious.

"One day, we’ll meet again, Ren. I hope that by then you’ll be ready," Raelor murmurs, his eyes following Ren’s smoking body as it plummets faster and faster toward the ground.