All the nobles present widened their eyes, an overwhelming shock filling their hearts.
'That just now was…'
'Viktor's strength?'
'No, you call this a mage!?'
This kind of terrifying brute force left everyone present stunned, completely speechless.
No one wanted to take a hit like that head-on, especially when it came from a seemingly frail mage tossing it out so casually.
But an even more horrifying scene was still to come.
In the next instant, the shattered rubble began to stir slightly.
Everyone present turned their heads, their gazes focusing on the broken crater.
They saw a hand stretch out from the debris... August was climbing out with difficulty.
Even though his body was covered in dust and blood, he didn't seem to have suffered much damage.
At that moment, all the nobles felt an unprecedented fear.
They couldn't help but recall what had just happened... August had taken a direct sword strike and remained unharmed.
Was August still even human now?
At this moment, August finally stood upright and casually spat out a mouthful of blood.
"What… unbelievable strength."
He hadn't expected that even with this brand-new body, filled with power, he would still be beaten into such a miserable state by Viktor, a mage.
And the other party hadn't even used magic.
Now, he finally understood why Viktor could fight those tigerfolk so fiercely, even crushing them.
Clearly just a mage, yet possessing such terrifying strength.
But…
"It's already over, Councilor. It's already over."
He raised his head, looking at the sky with fanatic excitement. In his crimson eyes, it was as if a beast was about to awaken.
At this moment, the blood moon seemed to sense August's emotions and shone even more intensely.
It became even redder, as if stained with blood.
Everyone noticed the change in the blood moon and looked up.
They stared at the deep crimson moon, then looked toward Priscilla's twisted figure.
Suddenly, under that blood moon, Priscilla's appearance underwent a shocking transformation.
The crimson filling her deep eye sockets gradually shrank, forming into two blood-red pupils.
Her once twisted body slowly returned to normal, as if the bloodlight merged into her form.
Her originally pale body regained color, returning to its former, normal appearance.
White hair, red eyes, dressed in a black gown.
Her delicate features rearranged on her face, her appearance and aura exuding nobility and elegance.
Except for the flesh wings behind her, which looked somewhat unsettling.
But instead of seeming out of place, they suited her perfectly.
As if she had always been meant to have those wings.
Seeing Priscilla restored, all the nobles widened their eyes in shock.
"T-That's Count Lorien's dead daughter, isn't it!?"
'She… really came back to life!?'
Witnessing this astonishing scene, August couldn't suppress his joy.
He looked at the sky with fervor, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes.
"The transformation… succeeded!"
"My perfect queen."
As he gazed at Priscilla suspended high above, he no longer even cared whether Viktor could use magic.
Even if he could, so what?
Vampires could not be killed. Even if their bodies were blown to pieces...
As long as even a fragment remained, even a drop of blood, they would revive from it.
Viktor, even you cannot oppose the vampires.
August's eyes sank deep, filled with fanatic desire and obsession toward Priscilla.
Priscilla seemed to have become the embodiment of the blood moon. Her dress fluttered in the air, the blood-red aura flowing around her intertwined with the noble and cold presence she emitted.
Her crimson eyes swept coldly across everyone present.
Finally, they locked onto August, who was consumed by his emotions.
Behind her, her bat-like wings slowly spread under the deep crimson light. The patterns of flesh were clearly visible, like a nightmare in the night.
The blood-red threads connecting to the blood moon snapped as her body trembled.
After drifting in the air for a few seconds, they reattached themselves to Priscilla.
Following those threads, all the blood slaves were once again connected by countless lines.
It was as if some force was flowing through the bloodlines, continuously pouring into the bodies of those blood slaves.
Their originally shriveled bodies were now filled with blood.
They struggled, twisted, and rose from the ground once more.
These blood slaves were undergoing a terrifying transformation.
Beneath their lips, sharp fangs grew out.
As if they could pierce flesh straight to the heart.
The skin on their backs split open into two deep holes, and a pair of flesh wings slowly extended from within.
Facing the blood-red moonlight, the wings quickly spread. Black skin began to grow from the base of the wings, gradually covering the entire pair.
The muscles beneath their pale skin also began to bulge, making their bodies stronger.
Countless nobles trembled as they watched this scene, fear filling their eyes.
Viktor looked at the transforming blood slaves and spoke calmly, "Vampires."
'Vampires!?'
That terrifying name froze everyone present.
It was a legend from the blood race.
Vampires were followers of the blood race.
They were the lowest tier, transformed by true vampires, possessing powerful, undying bodies.
But accordingly, they were not the same as true vampires.
They could only survive by feeding on flesh and blood.
Once they lost access to fresh blood, they would perish.
So vampires were merely consumables among the blood race, tools used to harvest flesh and blood.
And now, the sharp fangs and bat wings behind those creatures forced everyone to believe...
They were real vampires.
Now, these thousands upon thousands of blood slaves transformed into vampires...
the amount of blood they craved was no small number.
At that moment, the vampires suddenly began to move.
As if they felt hunger.
Their gazes locked tightly onto all the humans present.
In that instant...
It felt like being targeted by hunters, that sensation wrapping around everyone's hearts.
The noble lords were somewhat better off, as they at least had strength to protect themselves.
But the twelve diplomatic ministers were completely panicked.
What ability did they have? If it came to a fight, they couldn't even beat their own empire's princess.
So they all hid behind Aurelian in fear.
But the danger still arrived.
In the next second, countless vampires surged forward like a swarm of locusts.
They flapped their flesh wings and attacked the noble lords.
The twelve ministers shut their eyes in fear, but the expected attack never came.
At that moment, they realized...
August had been telling the truth.
Their safety was indeed guaranteed.
Only the noble lords were left struggling to defend themselves under the siege of the vampires.
Sweat poured down their foreheads as they trembled, drawing their swords and forming a circle, slashing at the vampires charging one after another.
But even if the vampires' limbs were cut off, they would still lunge forward, using their sharp teeth to attack.
A third-tier viscount was unfortunate enough to be isolated and surrounded by countless vampires.
The encirclement tightened. He swung his sword wildly, like someone driven mad at the brink of death.
After a flurry of strikes, only a few vampires were decapitated and fell.
His figure quickly disappeared within the swarm.
In his desperate gaze, the remaining vampires rushed forward together, drowning him.
In an instant, only a miserable scream echoed across the courtyard.
Everyone present felt fear and dread.
Although these vampires were generally only around second-tier strength...
There were simply too many of them.
Only fourth-tier counts could barely ensure their own safety.
With their strength, they could keep vampires from approaching within ten meters.
But casualties still continued.
Several nobles died under the assault.
Once someone died, a crimson thread would descend from the sky, connecting to their body.
Then, the shriveled corpse would be refilled with blood and complete its transformation.
A new vampire was born.
These newly born vampires were even stronger and more terrifying than those transformed from blood slaves.
Their fangs were sharper, their bodies stronger, and the red in their eyes deeper and more glaring.
Because they retained the strength they had in life.
Many nobles saw people they knew turn into vampires, and for a moment hesitated. The swords in their hands felt heavy.
They even called out the names those vampires had in life, trying to awaken their memories.
But these powerful vampires only needed a few seconds to kill them.
Their fangs pierced into the nobles' skin, and in an instant, their bodies were drained, turning into shriveled corpses.
Red threads fell from the sky, connecting to the corpses' backs.
The entire courtyard now looked like hell on earth.
Some nobles resisted a few times in unwillingness, then fell into unbearable pain.
They laughed toward the sky, even dropping their swords and giving up resistance.
In the end, they were devoured by the surging vampires.
At this moment, only despair remained in their eyes.
These vampires, fearless of death and devoid of humanity, could not be killed by normal means.
Even if their limbs were severed, their torn bodies would quickly regenerate new ones in a short time.
Even if only a grotesque head remained, it would still struggle forward to bite them.
But this wasn't the most hopeless part.
Even if they managed to survive the vampires...
In the end, they would still die from the bombs buried underground.
All it would take was one Boom.
No one here would survive.
From beginning to end, August's goal had been clear and firm.
Kill all the nobles here and turn them into vampires that obey only him.
August watched the countless nobles struggling in the sea of vampires, his eyes filled with satisfaction and admiration.
At the same time, the blood consumed by the vampires seemed to become his power.
Behind him, massive crimson wings suddenly spread amid the suffocating screams.
"Go on, let this bloody slaughter never end."
"This is my kingdom, and I will rule everything!"
Suddenly, Viktor's voice sounded beside August's ear.
"Your Majesty, I'd like to remind you of something."
August was slightly startled as he watched Viktor walk straight up beside him.
Thinking of Viktor's strength just now, a trace of fear flashed in his heart.
But he didn't step back.
As a king, his pride wouldn't allow it.
And Viktor had already reached his side.
Standing right beside him.
His voice sounded calmly by his ear.
"I care a lot about my family, so... "
Roar!!!
Suddenly, two terrifying tiger roars rang out, like massive bells tearing through the blood-red night sky, deep and violent.
This sound not only stopped the vampires' attacks, but also jolted the despairing lords awake.
Those nobles who had attended the auction froze, as if recalling something unpleasant.
Before they could react further, two orange streaks shot through the crowd like meteors.
Along with the orange figures came flashes of cold light.
Every time the silver light passed, vampires shattered like glass, breaking into pieces of flesh and blood.
And those two orange streaks had already locked onto their final target... August.
August's elite soldiers noticed the incoming figures and rushed forward to block them.
But one female tigerfolk struck first. The moment she got close, she grabbed their bodies.
With both claws, she pulled them apart to the sides...
The soldiers' bodies split into two instantly, blood splattering across the ground.
The other orange figure charged straight at August.
August widened his eyes, but the terrifying figure, moving at extreme speed, slammed into him in an instant.
In the next moment, he was pinned tightly to the cold ground.
No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free from the grip of that massive tiger paw.
With a fierce roar, the tiger king opened its blood-filled jaws wide, as if about to swallow August's head whole.
August was stunned by the sudden attack. He widened his eyes and used both hands to hold the tiger king's jaws apart.
For a moment, their strength was evenly matched.
But at this moment, Viktor was standing right beside him.
With a cold gaze, he bent down and picked up the staff that had been thrown into the crater.
Holding the staff, he looked down at August.
"I remember, vampires don't die."
The bird head of the staff rested beside August's head.
August widened his eyes, fear in his gaze as he turned to look at the staff.
That iron-like bird head seemed to be getting closer and closer to his eyes.
"Then let's try it."
At this moment, Viktor raised the staff, taking a full swing like a golf strike.
His voice, like that of death itself, echoed above August's head.
"How many hits can you endure?"