Nameless King

"Ellen, you shouldn't be so surprised. Consider it the ability of a human." Vlad said.

"Yes... but isn't that a bit fast?"

"It is, but everything in this world has pluses and minuses. I assure you, even though you're in shock right now, you wouldn't want to be a human. You would have to forfeit too much in return for some serious advantages." Vlad said, staring intently into Ellen's eyes.

Ellen nodded. Her brother was always calm, but he rarely said something so serious.

"Wain, there are many ways to raise blood purity, but some of them are only suitable for vampires. Perhaps because of the characteristics of your race, none will work for you, but I will tell you about the most popular and effective ones."

"Of course, anything will help me."

"First, I want to clarify something. What blood purity do you need to meet the condition for evolution?"

"90%"

"Oh, that's quite a lot... it took me years to go from 51% to 91%, but then I wasn't as strong as you. You might be able to do it a lot faster."

"Obviously, I don't have that much time. Anything could happen at any moment. After merging worlds, I'm ready for anything."

"Good." Vlad nodded, "The first way and one of the easiest are to use special potions. You can buy them at auctions, most often those held by the Pillars, buy them from famous alchemists for a round sum, or have an alchemist you know make you these potions."

"Yes, I know about that. By the way, can I buy these potions from vampires? Like from one of the seven main families."

Wain believed that vampires, creatures who were so strongly associated with blood, were bound to have some supply of such potions. He could have tried to buy it and come close to fulfilling his goal.

"That's unlikely." Vlad shook his head, "Most vampires don't hesitate to use blood essence potions as soon as they get them. Maybe some family has a few vials, but they certainly wouldn't trade such valuable items for souls. They have enough money, so you won't change their minds even if you offer a million souls."

"I see...that's sad. Do you know where and when the next auction will be held?"

"Hmmm...no, the last time I was at an auction was before the merger of worlds, and after that, I wasn't interested in such things. I'm not sure anyone intends to hold an auction now. It's been too little time."

"I know something about that." Ellen said.

"Hmm?"

Wain and Vlad looked at her.

"Well...there's been a lot going on lately, and I wanted to relax somehow, and I really like auctions, so I knew something about it..." Ellen said awkwardly.

"Instead of doing such useless things, you'd be better off training more or going to arenas." Vlad said sternly.

The smile disappeared from Ellen's face, and she lowered her head in annoyance.

"Okay, don't be so hard on her. Everyone has their own way. She doesn't have to do as you do. What's more, it's even for the best in this situation. Ellen, tell me about this auction."

The girl nodded, "The information may already be out of date, but if nothing has changed, there should be a large-scale auction in three days tonight."

"Hmm? What's the point of holding an auction so early? It's been less than a week since the worlds merged." Vlad was skeptical.

"The thing is that the Demons hold the auction. You know how they like to celebrate different events and holidays. They hold this auction as a sign of the beginning of the new world after the merger. There will be items on display, both those looted from the new continent and those that have been in the coffers for decades." Ellen explained in detail.

"Demons? I met one once, but I'm pretty ignorant of that race." Wain muttered.

"They're a rather peculiar race, but I like them. Their fighting spirit, willingness to fight, and the notion of honor and justice is something I appreciate." Vlad said.

"You just like to fight too, that's all." Ellen fluttered her hands.

"So, where will this auction be held?"

"Up north. It's about a few dozen kilometers from Terrin and Last Light. I'll show you on a map later."

"Okay, I'll be sure to head there. How many souls will I need?"

Wain had never been to an auction. He had to prepare thoroughly to get exactly what he needed.

"I'm not sure, but I think if you don't want to leave empty-handed, you need at least ten thousand Void Souls, but if I were you, I'd prepare a larger sum. That's the bare minimum to buy anything useful. You might be interested in something else besides blood essence potions."

The auctions sold just about everything. From potions and decor elements to weapons, powerful artifacts, and even slaves. There were even auctions that concentrated on selling slaves. It was very popular among many races.

"I get it. A demon auction is a good option. How else can I increase my blood purity?"

"You can find unique blood flowers in rare places. It's not a bad option, but you need an informant to let you know about it in time. Given that things have recently changed, you shouldn't think about it yet. Informants don't have that many options yet. Only luck can help you."

Wain nodded.

"The same goes for the blood crystals. Their effectiveness and purpose are similar to bloodflowers, only they grow more often underground, in caves. Of course, I can't help but mention the bloody arenas. It's the best place of all for increasing blood purity, but also the most dangerous."

"I'm sure you've visited these places often." Wain said. He understood how difficult it was for Vlad to increase his blood purity.

"Yes, but I was young and careless then. There's no way today I would act so recklessly. You have no idea how many times I've been one step away from death."