"I killed Gray. By my estimation, he probably died from the pain.

Just like they say online, the pain of a man getting hit in the genitals really is a lot worse than childbirth.

The proof is that after giving birth, women often consider having another child, but a man will never say ’go ahead, kick me in the nuts again’ after the pain subsides.

I don’t know if I should have killed him, but I’m sick and tired of those days of cowering and hiding.

The rules of this world have always been simple. It’s just that I was shackled by the preconceptions and civility of a modern person, forced to compromise for a while.

Zophie’s murder on Ben Nevis Mountain was what truly made me realize this.

I’ve given up on the mindset of being a normal person. If tolerance doesn’t guarantee survival, then it’s time to destroy.

...

I have a Gold Coin from the Iron Thorn Gang. Faraday’s cooperation and Tate’s sudden attack made me realize that Fude City isn’t much easier to get by in than the Inner Side.

Ferdinand must be dying to kill me right now. I have only two urgent priorities:

Increase my strength and latch onto a powerful backer.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, latching onto a backer is more comfortable, but that’s limited to Prole.

The moment I return to the Inner Side, I’ll probably have to go back to being a desperate fugitive. So, for now, my short-term goal is to increase my strength as quickly as possible."

’Increase my strength.’

Having written this, Baron put away his Secret Notes and took out the two already-fused volumes of the *Traveler’s Journal*.

The once-hazy cover had now become slightly clearer. The previously blurry author’s name was now imprinted on the bottom right corner of the cover as if it were gilt—Lucifer.

A chilling aura, faint as mist, rose from the pages. Just touching them made his hand feel ice-cold.

The suspicion that had previously made his blood feel like it was turning to ice resurfaced in his mind.

’Coincidence... a setup... a scapegoat... manipulation...’

After a moment’s hesitation, Baron, his mind filled with a million questions, opened the journal.

’At this point, who cares whose setup it is? Worst-case scenario, I’ll thank every God in Prole, then go back to the Dream Space and thank the Dream Master.’

’If that doesn’t work, I’ll just curse every single God. If someone’s going to scheme against me, it’s not going to be *that* guy!’

With this thought of mutual destruction, Baron quickly found the previously blank pages in the journal.

Sure enough, with the fusion of the two journals, the previously missing method for a Blood Demon Hunter to advance to Bronze was now clearly engraved on them.

Baron’s eyes quickly scanned the words: "Drink Werewolf Blood, kill a High Tier Blood Race member, and consume their blood, or... kill a High Tier Blood Demon Hunter and absorb their blood!"

’Kill a High Tier Blood Demon Hunter?’

Baron froze. A savage rage suddenly ignited in his chest, turning his eyes blood-red in an instant. The desire to drink fresh blood reached its peak.

This thirst, like that of a desert traveler who hadn’t had water for days, made Baron clutch his head and curl up in a ball on the bed in agony.

Blood! Blood! Blood!

A violent aura nearly shredded Baron’s sanity. He suddenly realized this might be the true "bloodlust" mentioned in the journal, the one all Blood Demon Hunters had to restrain!

’Why now? Why just as I learned how to advance to the Bronze Blood Faction?’

His brain couldn’t process it.

He felt the thirst for blood burning through his nerves like fire. He covered his face, letting out loud, pained groans.

His now-sharpened teeth bit through his palm, and fresh blood filled his mouth, but he didn’t dare—couldn’t—drink it.

If he drank blood while in the throes of this "bloodlust," it would be like a drug addict relapsing. There would be no turning back.

A golden light burst from behind his blood-red pupils as Dragon Flame ignited on his body.

This flame could not harm him, but it could burn blood!

A blood-colored mist rose from his body, slowly spreading throughout the sealed room.

Gold and rose intertwined deep in his eyes. The Dragon Flame also shifted between gold and red, burning away the blood he could see and smell.

Reason battled against instinct. Faint red Dragon Scales gradually covered his cheeks.

A gloomy black mist rose from his body, seeping out of the room and spreading into a massive shadow under the lightless sky.

Through the shadow, Baron sensed several powerful auras arrayed in the distance.

Among them, in the endless north, he saw many blood-colored pillars of energy.

To him, in his current state, these pillars held an immense attraction, compelling him to extend his "tendrils" to touch them.

...

「Steel City.」

In a deserted, shadowy corner, a cloaked figure with blood-red pupils looked toward a certain point in the sky. Their pupils reflected a massive shadow thousands of miles away as they spoke in a hoarse voice, "Shadow of the Hunt..."

The shadow only lasted for a few seconds before dissipating.

With a flicker of their black clothes, the cloaked figure melted back into the darkness. "To dare issue a hunt against all Blood Demon Hunters... it can only be him. Is he trying to advance to the Golden Tier, and that’s why he’s looking for the final Demon Hunter fragment?"

...

At that very moment, Stephen, who was resting with his eyes closed in his room; Arilan, who was looking up materials in the Hunter Association’s library; and Lewis and Victor, who were drinking tea in the City Lord’s Mansion, all froze.

’This is...’

At the same time, they all looked out their windows at the sky.

’Such a strong Spiritual Power fluctuation.’

Stephen narrowed his eyes. His figure flickered, and in a mere instant, he arrived beneath the massive shadow.

However, from his current perspective, the sky was nothing but pitch-black darkness, and he couldn’t make out anything else.