Chapter 87: HOW STRONG IS A HYBRID?
High above the sprawling campus, Aaron perched on the edge of a rooftop, the night sky stretching endlessly above him, a canvas of stars twinkling like scattered jewels. His void armor hugged his frame, its dark, shimmering surface absorbing the moonlight, making him a shadow against the night. A faint sigh escaped his lips, tinged with boredom and frustration. Over the past few days, his hybrid bloodline—bolstered by the photographic memory talent rewarded by the system in a draw had made memorizing the entire section he was asked to a piece of cake . The process, once a challenge, now felt trivial, the system's power coursing through him like a second heartbeat.
Yet, the victory was hollow. Aaron had met with Professor Elias, expecting his reward for completing the task early. But Elias had dismissed him with a wave, insisting Aaron wait out the full month. .
Still, campus life wasn't entirely dull. Aaron had found new adversaries to keep him sharp: the student council and their insufferable disciplinary head. To dismantle their influence, he'd spent an entire week weaving subtle compulsions under the cover of night, unraveling their connections like a spider dismantling a rival's web. It was a daunting task, but one that thrilled him.
A sudden presence snapped him from his thoughts. "You must be Aaron. Aaron Highborn, right?" The voice was deep, resonant, and carried a faint hum of menace. An abyssal being materialized beside him, its form humanoid but wreathed in shadows, its eyes glowing like twin embers. A demigod, no less.
Aaron didn't bother turning, his gaze fixed on the starlit sky. "Yeah. And you are?" His voice was calm, almost bored, but his senses sharpened, the system's instincts humming in his veins.
The creature's lips curled into a predatory grin. "I was sent to kill you. Your existence is no longer required." Its words were blunt, dripping with malice.
Aaron's lips twitched into a faint smirk, his eyes still on the stars. "Go back to whoever sent you. Tell them you'll likely fail. Then come back, and we'll have a proper chat." His tone was casual, but the air around him grew heavy, his hybrid aura pulsing faintly.
The demigod chuckled, unfazed. "That's fine. Others have been ordered to do the same. If I fail tonight, more will come—wave after wave—until you're dead. Then we move to your sister." Its voice was a low growl, savoring the threat.
Aaron's heart skipped a beat, his calm facade cracking. "So… I have a sister?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise. In his memories of Aaron's life on Blue Star—before his reincarnation—there was no mention of a sibling. The revelation hit like a shockwave, stirring a mix of curiosity and unease.
The demigod's grin widened. "That's for you to find out. If you survive." It rose swiftly, its claws extending with a metallic screech, lunging at Aaron with lethal intent.
Aaron's hand shot out, catching the demigod's wrist with effortless precision. "A trick question," he said, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes blazing with a mix of golden and crimson hues. The full moon hung overhead, its light amplifying his hybrid power. He had removed the limit he placed on all his strength. Fangs gleamed, claws extended, and a predatory grin spread across his face. "Just how strong is a hybrid when he gets serious? I haven't really tested my limits. Lucky for you, it's a full moon."
The demigod's eyes widened. "Impossible! How did you—"
"Catch you?" Aaron interrupted, his grip tightening like a vice. "Simple. I'm stronger than you." His voice was calm, almost conversational, but the power radiating from him was anything but. "See, I turned a frail girl into a vampire queen. In less than a week, she's holding her own against Geralt. I've been feeding—humans, not to death, but enough to fuel my strength. And now? I'm more than a match for a demigod. Hell, I'm *beyond* you." With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the demigod to the ground.
Boom!
The rooftop shuddered as the demigod crashed, dust and debris scattering. The creature staggered to its feet, dazed, its ember-like eyes flickering with disorientation.
Aaron descended, his void armor glinting under the moonlight. "You know this is a school, right? Things'll get messy if they realize how strong I am," he said, his hand clamping onto the demigod's shoulder, his voice deceptively light.
"Who sent you?" Aaron's eyes flared, his mind compulsion weaving into the demigod's will like a thread through fabric.
The demigod's resistance crumbled. "Draken… a demon. He ordered the Abyssal God to ensure your death. Then your sister's." The words spilled out, forced by Aaron's power.
Aaron's lips curled into a cold smile. "Good. Now, who's Draken? And what do you know about my sister?"
"Draken's a demon tasked with conquering this planet and offering Dracula's last descendants to the demon king," the demigod rasped. "Your sister… she's the demigod who fought Geralt."
Aaron's mind raced, the pieces clicking together. "Perfect. I turned my sister," he murmured, more to himself than the demigod. "Who's Dracula? What else do you know about me and her?"
"I don't know much," the demigod admitted, its voice strained. "Dracula was the strongest vampire, your great-grandfather, slain by the Sovereigns. That's all I know."
Aaron nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Fine. Go to your Abyssal God. Tell him I'll be coming for him soon, with interest. And no more sending soldiers to die pointlessly. When you're done… kill yourself." His compulsion sank deep, unyielding.
The demigod's eyes glazed over, and it vanished into the night, bound to carry out Aaron's command. But as it retreated, Aaron's hybrid instincts surged, a primal hunger clawing at his core. His eyes glowed brighter, torn between mercy and destruction. The urge to kill won.
"Forget it," he growled, appearing before the demigod in a blur of motion. His hand clamped around the creature's neck, his fangs sinking deep. The demigod's blood was rich, intoxicating, fueling Aaron's power as he drained it dry. Not content, he tore into the creature's essence, consuming its vital energy with a cold, predatory efficiency.
The next morning, Aaron awoke in the university's dense woods, the demigod's lifeless body sprawled beside him. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and blood, the morning sun filtering through the canopy in golden streaks. His void armor was gone, dissipated in the night, leaving him in tattered clothes stained with crimson.
"System," he muttered, his voice hoarse, his mind reeling from the previous night's frenzy. "What's happening to me in this hybrid state?"