Adam Black's POV
Just a few minutes after the vampire Lord arrived, the entire corridor emptied. Everyone had rushed to the ground floor, but I knew they were in the wrong place.
If the Lord was going to attack this castle, the first person he would try to save was the lady of the castle.
I stayed hidden behind one of the stone pillars and watched the guards standing at her door. Suddenly, they entered the room. My eyes narrowed. I moved forward on my toes, making no sound as I followed them.
When I reached the door, I crouched low. Luckily, they'd left it open—just enough for me to peek inside.
Buzz!
The guards were trying to pull out the Aether Veil rods that kept the lady in check. If they succeeded, everyone in this building was as good as dead.
I knew it... My frown deepened.
I thought back to two days ago, when I first arrived. The guards had strange looks in their eyes. I didn't think much of it at the time—not until the lady tried to compel me.
That's when it clicked. These guards were already under her control.
"I know what to do," I whispered, my voice barely audible, but the lady snapped her head toward me. I didn't know if she smelled me or heard me, but it didn't matter.
I lunged forward, unbuckling Rai'ki from my belt. The guards spun around, startled—but it was already too late. My blade sliced clean through both their throats in one swing, spraying blood across my face.
Their eyes widened in disbelief. Hands clutched their necks as they gagged, stumbled, then collapsed.
The lady's eyes trembled. Her last hope of escape had just been killed right before her.
I let out a breath and grabbed the soldiers by their legs, dragging their trembling bodies to the side of the room near the entrance amidst their gagging.
"You…" she hissed, her crimson eyes glowing with rage. But I ignored her.
I walked to the nearby table where the torturing tools were laid out. Whips. Pliers. Drills. Knives. The sight made my stomach twist.
Among the scattered tools were bloody nails. Viktor had been pulling them out—only for them to grow back again. I couldn't imagine the pain she had been put through.
"Have you heard of the World Gatekeeper?" I asked without looking at her.
I reached down and picked up a knife lined with aether along the blade's edge. The kind that could kill her.
She didn't flinch. Didn't speak. She just knelt there—bound, subdued—eyes locked on the blade in my hand.
She tried to act unbothered. But I could smell her fear.
"You haven't?" I raised an eyebrow, standing just inches from the rods that suppressed her power.
She finally lifted her head to meet my eyes, hatred burning in them. But she stayed silent.
I tilted my head, disappointed. Did she think this was some kind of interrogation?
"As you wish."
Bam!
I drove the blade into her chest.
Her eyes flew open in shock, as if she never expected me to go through with it.
"But…" she muttered, her face twisting in pain.
I noticed her pale skin beginning to turn to ash. It spread slowly across her body. She coughed out a mouthful of blood—it was already turning black.
"Nasty shit," I said, crouching beside her, watching her fight death.
Her eyes were wide with pain as she jerked backward, as if trying to resist. But all she managed to do was fall over.
"I plan to kill your husband," I said, my voice calm. "But I'm not strong enough to fight him head-on. I need to catch him off guard… and you're the only one who can make that happen. No hard feelings."
She didn't answer. But her eyes, even in her final moments, were filled with hate.
I let out a sigh. Death always felt cinematic—but it never lasted long. I grabbed her by the clothes and pulled her body back to a kneeling position.
My hands gripped the knife lodged in her chest. With a sharp pull, I yanked it free. Blood squirted out, this time staining my shirt.
"I need a hot shower after this," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
Dropping to my knees, I stuck my hand into the wound. Blood soaked my fingers as I moved carefully, leaving a mark deep inside her.
[Doorpost Technique Activated]
This skill left behind a faint white light—something the enemy might detect. That's was why I left it within her, where no one would look. if I wanted to take down the Lord, everything had to be perfect.
With that done, I moved to the darkest corner of the room. There, I summoned the [Door], stepped into my pocket dimension, and shut it behind me.
Inside, I summoned another door—this one leading to the doorpost I had planted in her body. I opened it slightly, just enough to see through the wound I had created.
A foul stench rushed into my pocket dimension. Blood leaked in too. But I stayed calm.
An assassin's hardest task isn't the kill—it's the wait. Cultivate patience, and you'll always be one step ahead.
So I waited. My knife in hand. Silent. Still.
For twenty long minutes.
Then—
Bang!
The room's main door slammed open. I heard footsteps—fast and frantic.
Through the hole in her chest, I saw him. The vampire Lord.
He rushed to her side and held her, crying. He didn't even notice the danger lurking nearby.
I gave him a few seconds to mourn. No more.
Three… two… one.
I struck.
My blade pierced through the [Doorpost], stabbing the Lord's heart.
Ding!
[Kill the Lord and take his position – Completed Successfully]
The system message filled me with joy. The Lord wasn't dead yet, but the stab was fatal. The system had already marked him.
But that wasn't enough.
I summoned another gate to the dark corner of the room and stepped out, leaving one hand inside—still holding the knife stuck in the Lord's chest.
As long as I held it, he couldn't harm me.
Thud!
Out of the gate, I finally got a good look at him.
The vampire Lord had waist-length hair, a mix of crimson and amber. His face was perfect—yet slowly turning grey.
He didn't move. Just looked at me with burning hatred.
But behind it… there was relief. Like a man freed from a burden he'd carried for centuries.
He let out a deep breath, then looked at his wife. Gently, he stroked her cheek.
"I'll be with you soon, my love," he whispered.
It would've been touching—if the pain of betrayal from my wife and family wasn't still so fresh in my mind.
"Have you heard of the Gatekeeper?" I asked.
The Lord's body trembled—but he didn't answer. He looked at me again, and this time, there was no anger.
Only pity.
"I see," he said with a bitter chuckle. "I understand now. The suffering you'll face will be ten times worse than what you made us go through. I'll take that as a consolation."
Ding!
[Transferring Nightfall Domain territory to host]
[Congratulations, you have become a Gatekeeper!]
"A Gatekeeper and not the Gatekeeper?" I frowned. "So… there are more?"
I looked up—but the Lord was gone. His body stiff, like stone, wearing a peaceful smile.
I pulled my hand back through the gate and shut it.
As I walked toward the Lord's body, the door burst open.
Viktor and Pamela rushed in, panic on their faces—only to freeze.
They looked from the kneeling Lord… to me… and then to the bloodied blade in my hand.
Ding!
[Nightfall Dominion has gained a new Gatekeeper. Entrance will be sealed in 2 minutes.]
[1:59 remaining…]
RUMBLE!
The entire castle shook violently.
Viktor and Pamela locked eyes, panic rising.
"The rift is closing!"