Master of Myths

"What do you mean by real ones?"

The question got the old woman all puzzled, were the ones forming an alliance with her race something other than vampires? Or perhaps were these fellows vampires from another region who didn't get along with the ones here

"Think of it as you like"

'He's that type of guy huh'

There were always those men that liked to play mysterious

'If only I was in my youth I'd have you running around my palm'

Sadly she was an old bag of bones now

"You must be wondering what you will be getting from this trade, after all you wouldn't offer your 'partner' up for nothing"

Both knew that she was just using the guy but he played along her little game just as she went along with his

"But you must know that he can't keep you alive for much longer, not to mention youthful"

"If you're here just to spit the truth out for me then you're wasting your time, I already know I've not long to live"

"That's not the case"

Keeping a smile he took a vial out of his storage

"It is not a trade if I do not give something in return, and what I offer is much better than a few hours of youth"

Throwing the vial to her he turned his back and smoke started to envelop the three

"Drink it before he supplies you with more life, you will then understand what we can do for you"

The smoke dispersed and they were gone, yet his voice lingered still to inform her of their return

"Three days, after three days we will return here, if you want to accept the deal then be present"

That was the last she heard, the place returning to its silence after the man and his two servants left

"...."

Her eyes were stuck to the vial, to drink it or not to drink it? Her dilemma started

...

"Why did we come along Father?"

Since Ika did not seem willing to ask Zero took her place in doing so, she was really puzzled as to why there was a need for them to appear since he seemed more than convincing on his own

"You two are showcasing what she could become, a motivation of sorts"

So this woman was their new sister to be

"Now go back and keep an eye on her Ika, make sure she doesn't send unnecessary information, do not let her out of your sight for a second, and most importantly do not be fooled by her dolls"

She nodded and disappeared from sight, as for her being spotted? He couldn't do it normally let alone those two 'lovebirds'

'I wonder if he really loves her is using her in some way'

The woman was super easy to tell, the man however was good at acting, perhaps he was the real backstabber here?

'I hope not, it would be hard to use him otherwise, well, if he is useful'

That was to be figured out later, now he could get back on the schedule after that small interruption

"Zero, call for Ellis, the front could use some rest and I need you two back in the house"

"Yes Father"

She went ahead to retrieve the armored redhead while he set everything up back near the mansion, by the time the two women were back there was already a dome of his swaying aura covering a large area of land not far from the house

"We've returned Father"

"Good, stretch your body, We will be doing some exercise in a bit"

"Exercise, Master?"

"Yes, a bit of combat between you two and me"

The two looked at each other and then back at him, seeing as he wasn't joking they immediately started stretching their muscles

"Done?"

They nodded so he explained the rules

"Consider this mock combat a battle of life and death, I want you to come at me with all of your strength, expect no use of skills is allowed"

Ellis was the first to take out her twin poison swords, changing into a lighter set of armour, meanwhile Zero's pale skin turned somewhat ruddy, the sound of her heart pumping could be heard from a distance

"You may begin"

Swish! BAM!

A sword was at his neck and a fist blasting toward his feat in less than a second, both attacks harbouring every intention to hit without holding back in the least way possible

Though ready for their attacks the intensity surprised him quite a bit, almost giving them the opportunity to hit if not for his extreme level of reaction, lifting his feet off the ground and curling his body to dodge the two, turning into a human ball between them

Zero was recoiling from bursting apart the ground but Ellis was expecting this as her sword followed his head, not slowing down at all

As she slashed down YuJu somehow uncurled his body along the blade, allowing it to slide against him without any damage

Zero was about to follow up with the attack but he already made some distance from the merciless two, looking at them with conflicted eyes

It was good that they went at him with everything they had from the get go but did they have to be this merciless? 

'I can understand why Ellis would be so aggressive, but is that how one treats their father?'

Heck, Zero aimed between his legs for the second strike, the woman had no mercy at all

Speaking of the white haired vampire she was already charging at him with a flurry of fists, throwing them quick and fast in a chaotic manner

'Too obvious'

This 'random' spree of attacks did not fool his trained eyes, he could clearly see that she was breaking his path of retreat with each smash to give Ellis the chance of attacking from the back

Sure enough the redhead appeared with a greatsword in hand, swinging upward in an attempt to cleave him in half, which he naturally jumped to avoid

There was a visible change in both their eyes as they saw him do this, for both seemed to want him to fall for their trick, and indeed it was smart for the upward cleaving greatsword was let go of, sent right at him with its heavy momentum

His eyes gave an approving look, that was a real smart move, except it wouldn't work against him

The greatsword and its entire momentum looked unstoppable, for it truly was a heavy swing, nor was it avoidable, so hee did neither

Singing his body with a kick the tip of his toe met with the edge of the tip, and like a fan the greatsword started swinging, making a full arc around him, saving him from the pain of escaping the attack altogether

"Throwing your weapon away? Not the smartest move but a good one, except if that is your best weapon and your not assured of your enemy's death then don't do it, or throw another weapon"

He knew Ellis had a bunch of spare weapons so it wasn't the biggest deal but sometimes giving your weapon away was the worst mistake one could make, he knew for many tried that trick against his unarmed self before, none living to tell of their lesson

Taking out her twin sword again Ellis dove in with Zero as support this time, trying her best to strike him or even scratch him with everything she had

"Fast, much faster than me in regards to stats yet can't touch a hair"

He commented mockingly, which incensed her enough to slow down and try to figure why that was so which allowed Zero to take the front with her heavy punches and kicks

"Absolute strength without technique makes you a beast, even if you keep regenerating over and over you'll meet someone who can either match your strength or outplay your moves"

He explained amid the spree of punches, and to demonstrate further he slipped in between her strike and sent her toward Ellis with a strike of his palm

Ellis avoided the incoming body and jumped over to attack him from the back, meanwhile Zero forced herself to stop in the strike's momentum and sent another attack toward him while the two swords came descending from his back, how could he avoid it this time around?

A visible smirk formed on his lips at this amateur attempt of a pincer attack, were the sides not open still?

Instead of diving to either side where the two were ready to follow through with another strike he dove downward toward Zero's legs, quickly chopping at her unguarded thigh while his leg stretched to hit Ellis in the same manner, forcing the two to stumble forward 

"Ha!" "Hup!"

Seeing each other's faces coming too close they stiffened their bodies to the extreme, stopping a centimetre from each other's lips

"Hehe" 

YuJu's laugh from the side made them look toward him with some resentment

"Wanna have another go?"

The response to this question was a fist and two swords, promoting him to chuckle but shake his head

"Mm!" "Ah?"

After snaking his way in between the attacks his hands gave an audible slap to the two's behind, making them roll forward in fluster while he patted his hands

"I guess that's enough from me today, your pattern is still the same so practice some and then try to come at me when you think you have figured out another style of attack"

Walking out the clouded area he allowed the two to work on themselves while he finished some minor business