"Now then... let us dance to your heart's content!"
Alucard spread his arms with exuberant flair, and countless bats erupted from beneath his greatcoat, filling the air with their ear-piercing shrieks.
The Gorosei with the long white beard raised his hand and shouted, "Stop him! We cannot allow a battle to unfold in this secret chamber!"
This room housed the master activation switch for the National Treasure. Should it be damaged, it was uncertain whether the treasure could still be triggered. A battle here was strictly forbidden.
"I'll send him to the far side of another dimension."
The Gorosei with the crescent-shaped mustache struck first. His abilities were space-based, making him the perfect candidate to forcibly eject Alucard from the room.
As his voice fell, his power surged. Golden, swirling portals manifested simultaneously in six directions—front, back, left, right, up, and down—around Alucard. At their centers were distorted black holes, seemingly ready to swallow everything in existence.
"Vanish into the end of dimensions!"
With his roar, a terrifying gravitational pull tore at Alucard from all sides, twisting and shattering his body before sucking the fragmented remains into the portals.
"I've dumped him at the very base of Mariejois," the crescent-mustached Gorosei stated.
"Good."
The Gorosei with the curly hair and cane turned to the three heads of the Celestial Dragon families. "In that case, he won't be back anytime soon. Activate the National Treasure now!"
Oseinofica, whose left hand had been torn open by Alucard's bullet earlier, shook his hand and reached toward the wheel again, grumbling, "Damn it, that hurts..."
BANG!
Just as his palm was less than a centimeter away from the wheel, another bullet exploded right into his existing wound. This time, the force was so great it exposed the bone; amidst the shredded muscle and flowing blood, the stark white of his skeleton was clearly visible.
"What?!"
The six people present were horrified. They spun around toward the source of the shot, only to see Alucard standing less than five meters away from Oseinofica. He held his black pistol in his right hand, watching them with a mocking, half-smile.
"I thought you said you sent him to the bottom?!" His hand nearly crippled and his temper already flared, Oseinofica roared at the crescent-mustached Gorosei in a towering rage.
But the other man didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on Alucard, his voice trembling as he muttered, "This... how is this possible?"
"There's no other way. Do it!"
Nedseo sliced his own hand and pressed it against the floor. "It's not as good as a full activation, but it will suffice."
At his command, countless intangible souls crawled out from beneath the floorboards. They coalesced into a colossal, spectral giant. Due to its lack of physical form, it did not destroy the palace despite its size, which was large enough to burst the room.
"Alucard, you lifeform who does not belong to this world... enter the Underworld along with this Mantra soul power!"
The spectral giant pointed a single finger downward, a finger that, to Alucard, looked like a falling mountain. Its scale rivaled even that of Sanjuan Wolf.
As one of the three Celestial Dragon patriarchs and the individual with the highest synchronization with the National Treasure, Nedseo could utilize the Mantra soul power within for soul attacks similar to Big Mom's. Simultaneously, he could use those souls for resurrection-level healing, much like Princess Mansherry of the Tontatta Tribe. All it took was a command transmitted through his mind.
"So, Mantra soul power can be used like this..."
Alucard suddenly grinned. "But I have already recognized my own nature. I exist everywhere, and I exist nowhere. Three-Dimensional Space!"
Alucard dissolved into a fading shadow once more. Nedseo's eye twitched; he halted the giant's attack and held up his index and middle fingers.
Light blue spirits scattered throughout the surroundings, initiating a search. This was an exploration ability that surpassed even Observation Haki.
"No matter where you hide, as long as you are within the Holy Land, you cannot escape me," Nedseo declared with absolute confidence.
Though Alucard had vanished, this time no one dared touch the activation wheel. Oseinofica's injury served as a grim warning, and they didn't want to be caught off guard by a sudden counterattack. For now, observing and waiting for an opening was the best course of action.
THUD!
At that moment, the heavy doors of the secret chamber burst open. The blond Gorosei and the robed Gorosei, who had been fighting Alucard earlier, rushed in.
"You're still alive? Good."
It was hard to tell if Oseinofica was offering praise or an insult. "Watch your surroundings! That bastard Alucard is hiding somewhere!"
"He's already made it here? Such an unprecedented ability," the blond Gorosei said grimly. "We won't make the same mistake twice. I'll seize him."
RUMBLE!!
Suddenly, a pool of blood surged across the floor, transforming into massive shadow-hands that lunged at the eight men.
The attack forced everyone to use their respective abilities to dodge.
"The immortal's attack has started! Nedseo, has your Mantra power still not found him?" the long-bearded Gorosei shouted while weaving through the shadow-hands.
If an attack was being launched, he had to be nearby. Why hadn't he been located?
"Damn it! Where is this guy hiding?!"
Nedseo was incensed. He was certain that as long as Alucard was within the Holy Land, he could find him even if he turned into a mouse and burrowed into the Red Line. Yet, for some reason, he could find nothing.
"Stop searching."
Alucard's voice rang out. Nedseo looked around in shock but still saw no sign of him.
Then, Alucard's voice came again, and Nedseo felt as though he had been transported from the secret chamber into a void of chaos. There, Alucard stood with his arms spread, head tilted in a mocking gesture.
"I am within your consciousness."