Chapter 102: BOLD AMBITION

The sanctuary responded to Aaron’s command, its vast network of power pulsing like a living entity. It combed through itself as though it were a colossal system, scanning, analyzing, hunting down the anomaly hidden within its depths.Isobel watched him silently, her gaze steady on her brother. The air around him trembled faintly as he focused, as if the entire realm bent in obedience to his will. Though he was master here, though the sanctuary itself was his extension, the search proved difficult. His brow furrowed, the sheer effort visible in the stillness of his body.

The heart resisted discovery.

And yet, Aaron’s control was absolute. Inch by inch, layer by layer, he probed until he finally felt it—buried deep beneath the sanctuary, close to its core.

A heart. Still beating. Still alive, despite having no body to feed it, no blood to pump.

His lips curved in grim satisfaction. With a single thought, the sanctuary obeyed. The heart tore free from its resting place and appeared in his hands.

It pulsed against his palm, heavy and alive. The closer he looked, the stronger the hunger inside him grew. A primal, unnatural desire whispered in his veins: Devour it.

"Aaron..." Isobel’s voice quivered as her eyes locked on the heart. Her fangs lengthened unconsciously. "What’s happening? Why do I... feel so drawn to it?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but the hunger in her gaze betrayed her.

"I don’t know," Aaron muttered, studying the heart with narrowed eyes. "But its pull is strong enough to drive even gods insane."

As if to prove his words, the sanctuary stirred.

Across its vast expanse, every creature—hybrids, beasts, vampires, even the smallest of critters—suddenly lurched toward him, driven mad by the heart’s aura. The weak abandoned all sense of self, their movements jerky and feral as though possessed. The strong clenched their jaws and held their ground, but even they trembled, their sanity cracking under the relentless temptation.

Aaron’s expression hardened. He could feel their hunger as though it pressed directly against his skin.

The first wave—weak wild animals with no self-control—charged at him.

Aaron’s voice cut through the chaos like ice. "If you take one more step... your death will not be kind."

With a flick of his fingers, countless blood needles materialized in the air, glinting with murderous intent. They rained down without mercy, piercing the weak who dared to leap at him. The ground was painted crimson in an instant.

The cold brutality of his strike shocked the others back to their senses. Vampires and werewolves alike froze, their instincts screaming at them not to take another step closer.

Aaron’s golden eyes burned, cold and merciless as he raised the heart higher. "Move, and you die."

The sanctuary itself seemed to hold its breath.

He glanced at the object in his palm, and words floated before his eyes:

[Dracula’s Heart]

Strength: ???

Agility: ???

Vitality: ???

Stamina: ???

Mana: ???

The description continued:

The heart of Dracula Highborn—the most powerful being in Universe before his betrayal and death.

Aaron’s pupils contracted. "Isobel... whoever this ancestor of ours was, he’s stronger than you can even imagine. I can’t even tell how strong it is. And this isn’t his body... it’s just his heart."

For the first time in a long while, true unease gnawed at him.

Without hesitation, he willed the heart into his inventory. The instant it vanished, the frenzied aura lifted. The maddened creatures gasped as clarity returned to them, their bodies shuddering as if waking from a nightmare.

Aaron turned to his sister. "Come. It’s time I forge my armies of hybrids."

For a boy who once grew up alone, an orphan without family, the words carried weight. Having a sister beside him now—someone who shared his blood—made the burden feel lighter.

They walked together into the gathering. The once-quiet sanctuary was no longer barren. Vampires, werewolves, families Blade had brought, even children—its empty halls had begun to fill with life. Voices echoed faintly, giving the once-desolate realm a vibrant pulse.

Isobel followed with wide eyes, struggling to mask her amazement. She had underestimated how much her brother had built in such little time. Even Blade’s presence made her tense, a subtle pressure brushing against her instincts.

Aaron halted before the assembled crowd. "Isobel," he said, his voice carrying easily over the restless murmurs. "What do you think of becoming a hybrid?"

Her brows furrowed. "A hybrid?"

"Yes. Both vampire and werewolf, like Blade. Watch closely."

His lips curved in a thin smile as he stepped forward. With deliberate movements, he fed his vampire blood to the werewolves first. One by one, they convulsed, their bodies remaking themselves into vampires. Their ranks grew, but without distinction—mere newborns without hierarchy.

Then he turned to the vampires. His fangs sank into them, initiating their transition into werewolves.

A ripple spread through the crowd.

"My lord," Blade spoke carefully, glancing toward the cluster of small children. "The children..."

Aaron hesitated, his gaze softening. "No. As long as they remain in the sanctuary, they will be safe. But turning them? No. They’re still too young."

Blade bowed. "As you command."

But Isobel wasn’t convinced. "Why not? Children or not, giving them power only means they’ll have more time to grow into it. You’re not hurting them—you’re preparing them."

Aaron turned to her, considering. "In order to turn them, they must first die and—"

"—be reborn," Isobel finished. "I know. But either way, they live. What you should be worried about is not the process—it’s how to feed so many hybrids."

Aaron’s smirk returned. "That’s not an issue. The Infinite Blood Pool provides endlessly, from countless races. I could feed an entire universe of hybrids if I wished."

"Then do it," Isobel urged. "Don’t think of it as killing. Think of it as giving them a new race, a new identity. From human to hybrid. Nothing more."

Aaron exhaled heavily, rubbing his temple. Her logic gnawed at him.

And then came the final push.

A boy no older than ten stepped forward—red-haired, golden-eyed, skin pale as moonlight. Yet the aura rolling from his small frame was anything but ordinary. Both Aaron and Isobel felt it immediately, their senses screaming of his power.

Not human. Not even close.

The boy smiled, rushing into Aaron’s arms. "Daddy!"

Aaron froze, dumbstruck.

Isobel blinked, then laughed. "My, my. I didn’t know my brother was old enough to have a child."

Aaron’s face twitched. Good job, Flameborn... your first word to me is calling me father?

"He’s not my biological son," Aaron coughed, embarrassed. "He’s... a dragon."

Isobel’s eyes widened, then narrowed as she sensed deeper. The subtle, dangerous energy leaking from the boy’s tiny body wasn’t human at all. "A dragon... I see. That explains it."

She smiled slyly. "Then he’ll need friends, won’t he? Real companions. Weak, fragile humans won’t cut it. He’ll be lonely otherwise."

At her words, Flameborn’s eyes shone with pleading hope as he looked up at Aaron.

Aaron sighed, shoulders slumping. Between his sister’s relentless reasoning and Flameborn’s imploring gaze, resistance was futile. "Fine. We’ll do it."

As the decision settled, Isobel leaned close, her eyes glinting with dangerous ambition. "Brother... I’ve been thinking of something even greater. What if we don’t stop here? What if we turn the entire world into vampires... and the worthy into hybrids?"

Her words dropped like a thunderclap.

Aaron stiffened.

For a long moment, silence reigned.