Vampire Overlord's Harem In The Apocalypse-Chapter 61: A Clash With Number One

"Finally," Leo breathed out, his voice tinged with disbelief as his gaze swept across the room. Crates of food, nearly endless supplies, and resources filled the space.

His eyes flickered to the corner where a vehicle sat parked, dust-covered but intact. "We can’t be so damn lucky, can we?"

The trio sprang into action, adrenaline fueling their movements. Leo and Rita hauled crates filled with canned goods, dried rations, and bottled water.

They grabbed anything of value: clothing, medical supplies, even a small generator. The car’s trunk and back seats quickly became a jigsaw puzzle of survival essentials. Tremors shook the ground as distant explosions echoed through the complex, and the urgency in their movements grew.

Bethany slid into the driver’s seat, her hands gripping the wheel as the engine roared to life. "Get in! Now!" she barked. Leo and Rita scrambled into the passenger seat, barely shutting the door before the car jolted forward.

The tires screeched against the concrete as the vehicle shot out of the building like a bullet, leaving the chaos behind.

#####

Adrian’s mind raced as he sized up his opponent. ’Strange,’ he thought, his sharp eyes narrowing. Their first clash had been an unsettling standstill. Simon’s blade had grazed his skin — something that shouldn’t have been possible.

Simon’s lips curled into a wry smile. "Tough," he remarked, his voice steady despite the intensity of the battle.

His blood-forged blade pulsed with crimson energy, its edge sharpening as he poured more of his power into it. With each second, the blade bit deeper into Adrian’s unnaturally tough skin.

Adrian grunted, his confidence wavering for the first time in years. The searing pain forced him to retreat, pulling his arm back to avoid further injury.

Simon’s instincts were razor-sharp, and he seized the moment. With a burst of speed, he closed the gap and drove his foot into Adrian’s chest.

The impact was thunderous, sending Adrian hurtling backward. He crashed into a stack of crates, the force splintering wood and scattering supplies.

For a brief moment, silence hung in the air. Then, chaos erupted. Seeing their leader down, the remaining guards unleashed a barrage of gunfire.

Bullets tore through the space, but Simon was a blur of motion. He weaved through the hail of bullets with inhuman agility, his blood bursts detonating with precision. Each pulse of energy sent another guard crumpling to the ground, lifeless.

Simon’s calm amidst the carnage was unsettling. His pale skin glistened under the flickering moonlight from cracks in the ceiling as he strode toward Adrian, his blade dripping with blood. The room reeked of iron and death, the air thick with tension.

Adrian groaned, struggling to rise. His body trembled, a mix of rage and confusion twisting his expression. ’Ever since...’ he thought, his gaze locking onto Simon. ’Ever since I got this power... I haven’t felt pain... so why now?!’

His mutated form was a grotesque fusion of humanity and monstrosity. Veins bulged beneath his discolored skin, half of which bore the greenish hue of a zombie’s flesh.

His eyes, once full of confidence, now flickered with uncertainty.

Simon stopped a few feet away, his crimson eyes gleaming like embers. "This is what you’ve become?" he asked, his tone laced with mockery. "A king hiding behind guards and mutations?"

Adrian’s jaw tightened, and with a growl, he lunged forward. His movements were a blur, faster than any ordinary human.

But Simon was ready. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as the room seemed to shrink around their duel. Each strike was precise, each dodge calculated.

The sound of combat echoed through the halls, a symphony of steel and raw power. Adrian’s strikes were wild, fueled by desperation, while Simon’s movements were cold and methodical. For every ounce of brute strength Adrian displayed, Simon countered with finesse and precision.

"You’re out of your depth," Simon taunted, driving his blade toward Adrian’s midsection. The mutated man barely managed to sidestep, his claws swiping at Simon in retaliation.

Simon ducked, countering with a devastating upward slash that tore through Adrian’s shoulder. Blackened blood sprayed across the room, sizzling as it hit the ground.

Adrian staggered, clutching his wound. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and for the first time, true fear took hold.

Simon advanced, his expression unreadable, but his intent was clear. This fight was over — Adrian just hadn’t realized it yet.

"You should have stayed hidden," Simon said coldly. With a final burst of power, he plunged his blade into Adrian’s chest. The mutated man’s eyes widened in shock, his body convulsing as the crimson blade drained the life from him.

Adrian collapsed to his knees, his monstrous form crumbling. Simon withdrew his blade, letting the body fall lifelessly to the ground.

Even after Adrian lay lifeless on the ground, Simon frowned. His ranking didn’t increase. Strange. The Apocalypse’s ranking system updated in real-time — eliminating a Number One should have sent his ranking soaring, maybe even placing him at the very top.

Instead, nothing changed.

A quiet beep broke the silence, and a translucent screen materialized before him. A video call?

Simon’s jaw clenched as he accepted the connection. The image that appeared made his blood run cold: Adrian, alive and well, lounging in a high-backed chair with a smug smile.

His face was smooth, unmarked by the grotesque transformation Simon had fought moments earlier. The suit Adrian wore was impeccable, his calm demeanor infuriating.

"Well," Adrian drawled, resting his chin on his hand. "I didn’t expect you to survive, honestly." He tilted his head, studying Simon like a mildly amusing puzzle.

"But then again, did you really think the real me would be hiding out in some side base? Why would I stoop so low?"

Simon’s fists clenched as his teeth ground together. The realization struck like a punch to the gut: the Adrian he had fought wasn’t the real one. A clone? A decoy?

"You’re full of yourself," Simon snapped, his voice sharp.

Adrian leaned forward, his smirk widening as he pointed a finger toward the screen. "If I were you, I’d look behind me."

Before Simon could react, a deafening bam echoed through the air. An invisible force struck him like a cannonball, launching his body across the room.

He slammed into the wall with enough force to shatter stone, his back exploding in pain. The impact sent him crashing through the wall, tumbling into the passageway beyond, dust and debris choking the air as he lay stunned.

Adrian’s mocking laughter echoed from the screen as Simon struggled to get on his feet.

"You’ve met my experiment,"