Why is Background Character the Strongest Now?-Chapter 41: Halden Kairen

Chapter 41

Eitan and Elia landed—

Not near the dungeon gate.

Not in any battlefield.

But inside a dark room.

The only light came from a single lamp hanging above a table, casting long shadows across the cold stone floor. It illuminated one man—seated calmly at the center.

He had sleek, combed-back black hair and a freshly shaved beard that gave him a sharp, business-like appearance. Two chairs faced him. Behind him stood a masked figure, silent and still, like a statue.

Eitan stepped in front of Elia, shielding her instinctively.

His crimson eyes narrowed, mana beginning to hum faintly around him. "Halden Kairen. Guildmaster of the Crimson Guild. What is the meaning of this?"

His voice was cold. Controlled. But there was venom in it.

Halden offered a calm, unsettling smile. "Welcome, Mr. Eitan. Miss Elia. Why don’t you sit down?"

His gaze turned toward Eitan. "You’re a vampire, right? You might as well make yourself comfortable."

Eitan didn’t move.

Elia’s hand hovered near her weapon, but Halden’s tone remained polite—almost bored.

After a moment, Eitan and Elia cautiously approached and sat across from him.

Eitan didn’t waste words. "So? What now?"

Halden sipped his tea with deliberate slowness.

"You see," he began, "I bear no hatred toward your love story. In fact... I root for you. I hope you two get married. Maybe have a nice little half-human, half-vampire baby."

Elia scowled. "Get to the point."

"I was getting there," Halden said, setting his teacup down.

He lifted his hand, and with a flick of his fingers, a massive illusionary magic circle appeared above the table—glowing with eerie silver lines and pulsating symbols that twisted unnaturally.

"Do you recognize this?"

Elia blinked, confused. "No..."

But Eitan’s expression darkened. He stood up violently.

"Why do you have this?" he growled.

Instantly, the masked figure behind Halden moved.

SHHK!

A dagger pressed to Eitan’s throat.

Halden raised a hand lazily. "Whoa, easy there, vampire boy. Let’s not spill blood on the carpet."

Eitan slowly sat back down, the blade retreating. His voice was low with fury. "You’d better have a damn good explanation."

Elia looked between them, confused. "What is it, Eitan?"

But Halden interrupted smoothly, taking over the explanation.

"It’s a special magic circle," he said. "You see... I’ve formed a C-rank core. Sounds impressive, I know. But it’s... not enough. No matter how much time passes, I just can’t break through to Rank 7."

He sighed, then smiled again.

"Then someone approached me. Told me the truth. That humans... always follow the traditional path. The clean path. They want power—sure—but not at the cost of others. But that’s the problem."

His tone grew colder.

"Power doesn’t care how you get it. Only that you do."

He pointed to the circle. "This circle doesn’t need mana. Doesn’t need blood. It demands something far rarer—human souls."

Elia flinched. Her eyes widened in horror.

"You... bastard!"

Halden raised a finger, tutting. "Calm down, girl. The soul isn’t even the real key."

He leaned forward, eyes glittering.

"What I truly need is a holy essence—a divine spark from a blessed being. Someone with sacred power flowing in their veins. If I can obtain that..."

He chuckled.

"This circle will elevate me to the level of dragons. Do you understand what that means?"

Eitan slammed his hand on the table, rising to his feet.

His pale skin flushed as blood-red tendrils surged from his body.

"Enough."

He unleashed a burst of blood magic, sending crimson tentacles snaking toward Halden with lethal speed.

But Halden didn’t even blink.

CLANG—!

A translucent shield erupted around him, deflecting the attack like it was nothing.

Halden smiled thinly.

"I was hoping you’d cooperate... but I suppose I’ll just have to take it."

He raised his hand—then struck.

BOOM—!

A shockwave of raw force erupted from Halden’s palm, crashing into Eitan and Elia like a divine hammer. Stone shattered. Walls split like paper.

They were thrown through the collapsing wall—

—and out into a vast garden bathed in moonlight, surrounded by ancient trees.

The elegant villa, hidden deep in the forest, was now reduced to a jagged ruin behind them.

Dust swirled. Flowers burned. The night trembled.

Eitan skidded across the ground, cloak billowing, fangs bared. Elia hit the grass hard but rolled, landing on one knee beside him.

Their eyes locked—no words needed.

Magic flared.

Elia raised both hands, holy glyphs spiraling around her fingers like rings of light.

"Radiant Spear: Divine Lancefall!"

Above her, circles of pure light bloomed, forming hundreds of spears forged from divine energy. They shimmered like celestial blades, each humming with purifying power.

Eitan snarled, blood pouring from his palms like rivers.

"Blood Rite: Crimson Ruinstorm!"

His blood coiled into the air, forming a spinning vortex of crimson tendrils—barbed, writhing, charged with violent energy. With a flick of his hand, they lashed forward like serpents of pure carnage, tearing through the garden toward Halden.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

The garden exploded as both spells collided with Halden’s location.

Trees vaporized. Statues shattered. The ground ruptured like an earthquake. Light and blood rained down in every direction.

A storm of destruction shook the forest.

But then—

From the heart of the smoke—

CRACK—BOOM!

A pulse of raw aura burst outward, obliterating both attacks in a single surge of brute force.

Halden stepped through the smoke, untouched. His clothes fluttered in the aftermath, but his eyes gleamed with cold confidence.

"You two hit like gods," he muttered. "But I’m the storm that swallows them."

He raised both fists—and vanished.

FLASH—!

He reappeared in front of Eitan mid-strike, slamming his palm forward.

"Flesh Rend—!"

But—

CLANG!

Eitan’s blood formed a wall in midair, taking the blow. He jumped back, landing beside Elia.

"Stay close," he said. His eyes bled red, and the veins in his arms pulsed.

"I am," Elia replied, already casting.

"Blessing of the First Light!"

A radiant aura enveloped Eitan—his wounds closed instantly, and a shield of shimmering light wrapped around his chest and arms.

Behind Halden, the masked assassin finally stepped forward.

Black mist rose from his feet.

"I’ll handle her," the assassin whispered, his voice like oil sliding over glass.

He was Rank 6—just like Elia—but of a different breed: built for speed, silence, and shadows. The ground around him died as he stepped, plants wilting under his dark aura.

"Dark Art: Shadow Weave Execution."

The moment he moved, he vanished.

"Elia, behind you!"

Eitan shouted, but it was too late.

The assassin reappeared mid-air, spinning like a blur, twin daggers coated in venom and void magic slicing toward Elia’s back.

But—

FLASH—!!

Elia spun and cast mid-breath—

"Lightward Surge: Mirror Halo!"

A shield of holy light bloomed instantly, reflecting the first dagger. The second slashed through her arm—but the light seared the assassin’s blade in return.

She flinched in pain, blood trailing—but her eyes didn’t blink.

"I’m not just a healer."

She raised her staff, glowing with layered circles.

"Sanctum Beam: Judgment Wrath!"

A blinding beam of light roared forward, vaporizing everything in its path. The assassin barely managed to dodge, the blast carving a 100-foot trench through the earth and trees behind him.

Explosions rocked the forest. Birds screamed and scattered. The villa’s remains were consumed in the blast.

Meanwhile—

Eitan and Halden clashed again.

Eitan launched a barrage of blood spears from the air, each glowing with crimson sigils.

Halden deflected them with fists wrapped in raw mana, then blurred forward.

BOOM!

They collided mid-air—

Eitan’s claws met Halden’s palm in a shockwave of red and white light.

CRACK!

The shockwave flattened trees in all directions. Craters formed beneath their feet.

Halden smirked. "You’re strong "

Eitan grinned, eyes glowing bright crimson. "And you talk too much for someone about to die."

He roared—

"Blood Domain: Vampire King’s Embrace!"

A massive circle formed in the sky, and a blood-red moon shimmered above the battlefield. Blood rained like mist. The garden twisted into a red dimension.

Everything slowed—except Eitan.

Halden’s body trembled slightly. "Time distortion..."

Eitan appeared behind him in a blink—slashing with claws forged from hardened blood.

SLASH—SLASH—!!

Halden blocked two strikes—but the third carved through his shoulder.

He grunted, stepping back.

Elia, from afar, called out:

"Healing Ray—!"

Golden light struck Eitan mid-battle, closing his wounds again in real time.

The assassin lunged at her again—

But she turned, forming a circle beneath her.

"Light Binding: Seraph Cage!"

A golden cage of spears burst up from the ground, trapping the assassin and skewering through his leg. He howled in pain.

————————-

Meanwhile...

A sudden gust of wind whispered through the ruined battlefield.

Ren appeared—silent, composed, a shadow stepping through the smoke.

He looked down.

Ezra lay unconscious on the scorched ground, bloodied, battered—but alive.

Ren sighed, running a hand through his silver-streaked hair. "What a headache..."

Then—he chuckled.

A slow, proud smile formed on his lips.

"He killed a Rank 6... alone. In a full-force duel."

Ren laughed—a rich, genuine sound that echoed across the broken stone.

"People will think it was easy. Simple. But they have no idea..." he murmured.

"The barrier between ranks isn’t a line. It’s a chasm. Each step forward... it’s war against yourself, against the world."

He knelt beside Ezra and placed a hand gently on his disciple’s chest.

"Two major ranks above... and he still won. He’s not just talented—he’s a monster."

His voice softened with something rare: reverence.

"One day... you’ll surpass even dragons."

Ren’s smile lingered, but it didn’t last.

His expression sharpened. The mirth drained from his eyes.

The others...

If Ezra was in this bad a state, what about the rest?

He stood, cradling Ezra with ease. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"I need to move. Fast."

With a whisper of wind and a flicker of mana, Ren vanished from the battlefield—

carrying his unconscious disciple into the night.

————————————

The battle raged on

Light clashed with shadow. Blood clashed with steel.

Explosions tore through the forest. Magic scorched the skies. The elegant villa was long gone—now reduced to rubble and ash. Trees lay uprooted. Craters littered the ground.

Eitan was a faster with every passing second.

Then suddenly—

Elia stumbled.

The assassin’s dagger sliced across her back as she turned to cast a healing spell.

She screamed.

"Elia!" Eitan shouted, his crimson eyes widening.

She dropped to one knee, blood trailing down her side. The assassin appeared again—like a ghost from her blind spot.

SHHHHK—!!

A second dagger aimed straight for her throat.

SLASH—!

Just before it connected—

BOOM—!!

Eitan snapped.

An explosion of blood and rage pulsed outward from his body, shaking the entire forest.

The assassin was blasted backward, crashing into a stone pillar and smashing it to pieces.

Eitan stood there, breath wild, hair flowing, his body surrounded by a whirlwind of crimson energy.

His true form.

His vampire magic surged—far beyond normal Rank 6.

His veins glowed like lava beneath his skin. His eyes were twin suns of blood-red fury.

"Blood Domain: Sovereign Unchained."

A second moon formed above the battlefield—blacker than night, dripping blood like rain. The very sky twisted.

Eitan had fully awakened.

"I told you..." he growled, turning toward the assassin and Halden both.

"No one touches her."

⸻

The assassin blinked—but it was already too late.

SLASH—SLASH—BOOM—!!

Eitan blitzed across the field, blood tendrils lashing, claws slashing. The assassin barely kept up—daggers flickering like silver snakes—but Eitan was faster, stronger, merciless.

"Crimson Maelstrom: Thousand Pierce Bloom!"

A storm of blood spears descended, forming a deadly field of death.

The assassin screamed as several pierced his limbs, pinning him to the ground, blood gushing.

"Gghhh—!"

He tried to vanish into the shadows—but Eitan was already there.

"Vampire God Fist!"

BOOM—!

One blow shattered his ribs and slammed him through three boulders.

The assassin fell, broken—barely breathing.

⸻

Halden finally stepped forward.

His aura exploded outward—this time serious. The playful smirk was gone. His fists glowed with condensed combat mana, white and gold.

"You pushed too far."

Eitan didn’t stop.

They clashed—fist to claw, foot to blade.

A shockwave split the forest in two.

BOOM!

Each punch cracked the air. Each kick shattered boulders. Trees collapsed. The earth trembled.

Halden roared, matching Eitan’s speed now.

"Iron Fang Breaker!"

His elbow slammed into Eitan’s chest, sending him flying. But before he hit the ground, Eitan turned mid-air and launched a counter—

"Blood Shatter Spiral!"

A spinning claw of blood energy tore into Halden’s side. He grunted, blood finally appearing on his lips.

The two stood again.

Bruised. Breathing hard. Equal.

Then—

Elia stood, staggering. Her robes bloodied, but her eyes still glowing with determination.

She raised both hands—

"Full Blessing: Sacred Regeneration!"

Golden light washed over Eitan, closing his deep wounds in seconds.

They turned together toward Halden.

Eitan whispered, "Let’s end this."

Elia nodded, casting a final buff:

"Radiant Core: Soulflare Boost."

Eitan’s blood magic surged even higher, now fused with light.

Together, they charged.

Halden was pushed back.

Fist after spell after blade—

The earth cracked. The forest roared. The very mana in the air seemed to collapse under the sheer pressure.

And finally—

BOOM—!!

Halden was slammed into the ground, coughing blood.

Eitan stood over him, claws ready to pierce his heart.

Elia raised her hand to bind him.

"This is it," she whispered.

But—

Halden chuckled.

Even bloody and bruised, he smiled.

"Impressive," he muttered.

"...But you forgot one thing."

The ground beneath them shifted.

The air twisted.

Suddenly, everything froze.

Eitan’s claws stopped inches from Halden’s chest.

Elia’s spell fizzled mid-cast.

The moon above shattered.

"What...?"

Halden stood up slowly, blood still dripping from his mouth.

He raised one hand—and clenched his fist.

A strange golden pattern formed behind him—a symbol shaped like a shattered chain, surrounded by ancient script.

His eyes gleamed with violet fire.

"Martial Law Technique: Void Lock Collapse."

A law-based Rank 8 technique.

Eitan’s eyes widened in horror. "No...!"

Halden whispered coldly.

"Law of Stillness: All movement... ends."

CRACK—!!!

A tidal wave of force, almost divine in presence, burst out.

It shattered the earth.

Crushed the garden.

Obliterated half the forest.

Eitan and Elia were thrown like broken dolls, crashing into the shattered ruins, blood spraying across the air.

They hit the ground hard—motionless.

Everything went quiet.

The stars above flickered.

Halden stood at the center, breathing heavy but victorious.

The forest was silent now.

Broken. Burned. Ruined.

Ash drifted in the air. Craters smoked. The red moon had vanished.

Halden stood tall, victorious in the aftermath. His cloak fluttered behind him as he stepped over the ruins toward Elia’s crumpled body—bleeding, unconscious, barely breathing.

A cruel glint lit his eyes.

"...Now," he murmured, his voice smooth and low, "let’s extract that divine essence, shall we?"

He raised his hand, mana coalescing into a thin, glowing blade

The blade neared Elia’s chest But suddenly

SHFF!

A blur of motion.

Halden froze.

Eitan—bloody, barely alive—had moved.

He was now kneeling beside Elia, one arm clutching her protectively.

In his other hand—

A teleportation scroll, glowing faintly with unstable magic.

Halden’s eyes widened.

"You son of a—"

He dashed forward, furious, faster than thought—

"NO—!"

But Eitan turned his head.

His fangs were stained with blood.

His eyes were glowing with pure defiance.

And he raised one shaking hand—

Middle finger.

Straight at Halden.

"Go extract yourself," he spat.

Then—

RRRIP—!!

He tore the scroll in half.

WHOOSH—!!

A pillar of light burst around them—crackling, violent, unstable from Eitan’s weakened state.

Halden reached them a second too late.

"NO—!!"

FLASH—!!

They vanished.

Gone.

—

A half-second later...

BOOM—!!

Halden’s punch hit the ground where they had stood, shattering the earth like glass. A shockwave rippled through the forest, tearing apart the rest of the ruins.

He stood there, fists trembling, teeth grinding.

Eyes wide.

Then—

He screamed.

A raw, animal scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!"

The entire forest echoed with his rage.

Birds fled from miles away. Wind howled. Trees caught fire from the sheer fury of his aura.

Halden straightened slowly, steam rising from his body.

He turned toward the masked assassin, still breathing faintly nearby.

"Find them," Halden growled. "Find them now."

He looked back toward the horizon, where the teleportation light had vanished.

His lips curled into a snarl.

"They think they escaped..."

"...But they’ve just bought themselves time."