Ascension Ritual (5)

"Ahhhh—"

The Born Battle Maniac roared and stomped his foot to unleash his berserk mode.

"Die!"

His eyes were bloodshot as he leaped high into the air using his Flight Spell, swinging his giant axe fiercely at the Vampire in mid-air.

Duke Brad smiled dismissively.

"A laughable struggle."

Blood mist churned in the air, transforming into a gigantic maw that devoured the Born Battle Maniac. All the blood in his body was sucked out, leaving only a shriveled, wrinkled skin that fell to the ground.

Just as Tian Sheng was about to die in battle, several wooden arrows hurtled towards the Vampire's heart.

"Whoosh—"

It turns out that the Born Battle Maniac was only responsible for drawing fire, while the wooden arrow that Singo aimed at the heart was the real means of attack.

"Click".

But those arrows were easily grasped by those pale hands and then snapped in two.

"How is that possible?"

Singo muttered to himself, he hadn't expected this boss to be so outrageous, possessing not only powerful Spell-like Abilities but also incredible physical strength.

"Pathetic rat."

A sinister smile appeared on Duke Brad's face as he spoke, "I was once the most valiant general in all of Anzeta. I rode a giant eagle to conquer all directions, and no one could rival me wherever I went."

"And now, I am an even more esteemed being."

"With your abilities—"

"You dare to be my opponent?"

Duke Brad slowly descended, surrounded not only by surging blood mist but also by countless shadowy hands.

Vampiric Touch

Anyone entangled by those shadowy hands will suffer unimaginable damage from the dark corrosive influence, their Life Force being rapidly drained.

The Life Force surged and passed through the shadow tentacles, eventually flowing into Duke Brad's body and becoming nourishment for him.

"Cleric, please heal me!"

"Give me a Haste Spell!"

The Overlord shouted towards the Feng Yun.

But before he could finish speaking, a black tentacle rose from the ground and tightly bound him, turning his strong body into a withered sack in an instant.

"I need to find an opportunity to do it—"

Before Charlotte could finish speaking, the blood mist enveloped him from behind and then covered him completely.

Singo stood at the edge of the stone platform, nocked an arrow, and prepared to shoot at the Vampire again, but black tentacles sprouted from the ground, wrapped around him, and dragged him into the boundless Abyss.

The players were running around frantically, dodging the terrifying blood mist and tentacles, while Duke Brad stood in the center of the stone platform, leisurely pacing back and forth.

"I am the lord of darkness."

"I am the king of the night."

"Breaking into this place is the biggest mistake of your lives!"

His voice was hoarse and deep, like the pronouncement of death in the night, coldly and ruthlessly announcing the fate of everyone.

Countless bats and rats surged out of the darkness, obeying the commands of the Night King, launching relentless attacks on them. Some players were even devoured alive by thousands of rats.

"Most Holy Slash!"

Mezhuolash swung his sword, its blade glowing with blood, severing the shadowy tentacles that attacked from behind. The Guardian Light surrounding him blocked the corrosive blood mist.

He raised his Bloodstained Greatsword high.

[The Oathbreaker Channel Divinity: Dreadful Aspect]

A magical aura of coercion coalesced and erupted, driving away the rats and bats that swarmed in from all directions.

Mezhuolash stared intently, his sword pointed at the duke.

"I'm going to kill you, Vampire."

His pure black eyes were wide open, radiating a cold light, and filled with a madness fueled by gnashing hatred, as if burning with a ghostly flame, which made Duke Brad feel a chill in his heart.

Duke Brad pretended to ponder for a moment, then suddenly revealed a mocking smile.

"Oh? I remember you."

"The leader of the Devil's Child, a pitiful scapegoat."

"Tsk, your wails and cries lasted for three days and three nights back then, which gave me immense pleasure, while my righteous and brave people vented their anger to their heart's content, letting the blood of the Tiefling soak the entire North Wind Fortress, and even the moat was flowing with gushing blood."

Duke Brad spoke in a light tone, as if he were merely recounting a delightful little thing.

"However, this is not a waste. Your compatriots died in a worthwhile way, which gave me the opportunity for a great ascension."

"Everything is so perfect, the only regret is that I let you go."

"But now, this regret must be made up for."

Duke Brad's lips curled into a smile, a crimson glint flashing in his eyes.

He enjoyed seeing the despair and pain in the eyes of these mortals, and clearly, this was the case with Mezhuolash before him. He would personally extinguish Tiefling's hopes for revenge.

"I'm going to kill you."

"I'll kill you"

Mezhuolash repeatedly swung his sword to cut off the relentless shadow tentacles, struggling to advance to within ten meters of Duke Brad.

Wounds emanating a dark, corrosive smoke kept appearing on his body, as those evil forces greedily devoured his Life Force, but Mezhuolash was now expressionless and completely indifferent.

His wife and children, struggling in the flames, seemed to appear before him. The countless Wronged Souls of his dead kin seemed to appear before him, crying out in unison.

"Kill him."

Duke Brad watched as Tiefling approached, his pale face filled with excitement.

"Yes, that's it, a strong will, a loss of reason, and the feeling of revenge."

"In the end, I completely plunged him into the Abyss."

He licked his lips expectantly; this blood of despair needed careful nurturing, as sweet as the finest wine.

"Come on, kill me, Devil's Child."

"Hahaha, do you want revenge? To kill your mortal enemy?"

Duke Brad spread his hands nonchalantly.

Mezhuolash rushed forward and swung his sword down with all his might, the crimson blade aimed at the Vampire's neck.

All that could be heard was the sound of a sword blade slicing through flesh.

Duke Brad did not dodge or flinch, letting the longsword slice through his skin and cut deep into the flesh of his neck.

Blood splattered instantly.

It even splashed onto Mezhuolash's face.

However, Duke Brad simply gripped the sword tightly with his hand and forcefully pulled it from his neck. As the Bloodstained Greatsword was removed, the wound on his neck healed at a visible speed, returning to its original state.

He toyed with the Bloodstained Greatsword in his hand.

"Very good, push harder."

"However, this level of attack is not enough to kill me, after all, I am immortal."

A smile spread across Duke Brad's face. He eagerly anticipated seeing that familiar expression of despair, regret, and terror on Mezhuolash's face.

But Mezhuolash did not.

The previous anger seemed to be just a facade.

Tiefling's expression calmed down, his pure black pupils fixed on the Vampire before him. "A long time ago, about seven years ago, I was thinking about how to kill you."

"You are very strong, with almost no weaknesses."

"But you are too arrogant, looking down on all mortals, even... your enemies."

"What?"

The Bloodstained Greatsword gleamed with intense magical light, the very spell that Mezhuolash had finally found after years of searching throughout Anzeta, a spell sealed within the sword that could control Vampire—

[Otto's Irresistible Dance]

Due to the effects of the spell, Duke Brad began to sway and kick his feet in place, looking utterly comical.

But Mezhuolash dared not relax in the slightest, because he knew that the incredibly powerful Vampire in front of him could break free of the spell's restraints at any moment.

"Alger!"

Mezhuolash shouted.

At this moment, the two who once regarded each other as enemies joined forces to deal with this terrible foe.

A loud eagle's cry echoed from the darkness, Alger had been lying in wait for a long time, revealed himself for the first time.

Holding a wooden spear soaked in Holy Water, he swooped down rapidly.

Alger's golden eyes, now resembling those of a dragon, burned with boundless rage, seemingly about to erupt. The Alger of the past was long dead; what lived in the world was the dragon's claw, the Red Scale Conqueror born for vengeance.

He will kill that Vampire who has harmed countless living beings.

He will end all this tragedy.

"Whoosh—"

With a sound of the spear tip piercing flesh, the wooden spear emerged from the vampire's back, piercing the Vampire's heart, which should have stopped beating long ago but still contained endless evil power.

The Holy Water that had soaked into it burned the Vampire's chest cavity, making a sizzling sound.

Brad Lachmann was pierced through by the wooden spear and pinned to the ground. His head hung low, blood gushing from the wound, and Otto's Irresistible Dance came to an abrupt halt.

"Huff, huff."

"Mezhuolash, is this the end?"

Alger landed on the ground riding the giant eagle. He was panting heavily from the excessive tension and excitement, and his breath smelled of Sulfur Scent.

"I'm afraid it's far from over."

"Listen."

Mezhuolash stared at the Vampire, who looked like a corpse, his brow furrowed, his voice heavy.

Alger immediately became alert, drew his Eternally Burning Greatsword from his back, and looked around as if facing a formidable enemy.

He is everywhere.

"Let our blood boil in His body."

"Let us embrace the great ascent."

The Vampire Spawn's chants continued, growing ever more mournful and tragic.

The heavy chains still bound them, the blood-red light still connected them to Duke Brad, and even the evil magic circle beneath their feet exuded a strange sense of activity.

Suddenly, the tall, obese Vampire Spawn on the stone pillar exploded, turning into filthy, viscous blood.

On his deathbed, he murmured, "I will live forever in His immortal body!"

That was Traviv Lachmann, the Duke's second son, a notorious obese man and a symbol of gluttony.

Then, the blood foam followed the blood light and flowed into Brad Lachmann's body, and his thin body instantly became tall and strong—he absorbed the physique of Traviv Lachmann.

Finally, the thing that Mezhuolash and Alger feared most came to pass.

He has been resurrected.

Or rather, he never died.

The wooden spear trembled along with Duke Brad's body.

A deep voice echoed inside the bunker.

"Hahaha"

"Such immense power."

"Centuries of dormancy have been culminating in this moment."

Duke Brad, who had been like a corpse, slowly stood up from the ground and pulled the wooden spear out of his chest.

As he pulled it out, flesh and blood rapidly filled the wound, and by the time the wooden spear was completely removed, the blood hole in his chest had healed completely.

At this moment, having absorbed the ascension offerings, he has lost the Vampire's weakness of "Wooden Stake Through the Heart," becoming a completely immortal monster.

Duke Brad grinned, revealing a smile.

"Fortunately, this power did not disappoint me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Duke Brad's body swelled to three meters tall, allowing him to look down at Alger and Mezhuolash, his scarlet pupils filled with greed.

He smelled the blood in the air and recognized his former subordinate.

"Oh? It's you."

"Alger Yoman, my most trusted loyal dog, I thought you had died long ago on Storm Highlands. I originally planned to make you immortal as well, to serve me for eternity, but unfortunately, you missed this good opportunity."

"But you're just a dog, how dare you turn against your master?"

Alger's half-dragon, half-human face instantly contorted with rage, his golden pupils blazing with fury.

"Brad Lachmann, you destroyed everything I had."

I will kill you!

Duke Brad approached slowly, exuding a powerful aura of pressure.

You found out?

"Poor little thing, I wanted to tell you the truth before I transformed you, but unfortunately I didn't get to see your pained expression then, otherwise I would have been extremely happy."

"You!"

Mezhuolash severed the dark tentacles that attacked again and shouted sharply, "Don't be provoked by him! Quickly destroy those derivative bodies, or his power will only grow stronger!"

Alger then seemed to wake from a dream and leaped onto the giant eagle.

However, it was too late. The voluptuous Vampire Spawn on the stone pillar exploded, turning into filthy, viscous blood.

As she lay dying, she cried out, "I will find satisfaction in His eternal desire!"

That was Lilani Lachmann, the Duke's second daughter, a symbol of lust.

The blood foam flowed back into Brad Lachmann's body along with the crimson light, his scarlet eyes gleaming with an eerie light. He seemed to be the embodiment of desire—he had absorbed the allure of Lilani Lachmann.

Duke Brad watched Alger.

"Your struggles are quite interesting."

"In that case, then carry endless hatred and become my loyal hound once again, Alger."

His scarlet eyes gleamed with an alluring magical light.

Dominate Person

"No!"

Alger roared.

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to resist the spell.

Despite his unwavering will, he could not overcome the magic imbued with the original sin of "lust," Alger once again became Duke Brad's puppet, or even a marionette.

"Go to hell!"

Alger's eyes were lifeless as he swung his Eternally Burning Greatsword at Mezhuolash beside him.

Mezhuolash had no weapon and could only dodge in panic, but under Alger's superb swordsmanship, he was covered in wounds and his expression became increasingly solemn.

"This can't go on any longer."

"However, the master will be arriving soon."

He thought this, while in Mezhuolash's hand he clutched a crimson crystal that had long since shattered.

A 4k-word chapter. I have some things to do today, I'll make up for the words I missed yesterday tomorrow.