Chapter 141: Ascension Ceremony (Part Eight)
Yet Duke Brad's resistance was completely ineffective, as the blazing flames mercilessly engulfed the vampire progeny bound to the stone pillars.
The Duke's eldest daughter, the symbol of arrogance, Alexia, was thus obliterated.
She was the oldest, noblest, and most powerful of the vampire progenies, a perfect embodiment of arrogance. Duke Brad had fantasized countless times about the intoxicating power he would gain from absorbing her.
Unfortunately, she was gone now.
"Let it all end."
The air twisted from the heat of the flames, white smoke billowing everywhere.
Cassius closed his jaws with satisfaction, glancing at the nearly deranged vampire hurtling toward him from the sky.
"No, Alexia, my one and only treasure."
"Die—"
Duke Brad's enraged roar turned increasingly shrill, finally transforming into an ear-piercing screech. His form abruptly expanded to nearly five meters, his pupils turning a deep black-red, his pale skin darkening to gray, his fingers sharpening into claws, and enormous bat wings unfolding from his back—an incomplete ascension, transforming him into an undead monstrosity.
At this moment, Duke Brad had shed all his former nobility, appearing like a feral beast, completely naked. On his exposed chest, a sinister black tattoo was visible.
The vampire became a shadowy blur darting through the air. From his body, countless shadowy tendrils emerged, along with a dense, greenish necrotic mist.
[Withering Touch]
This necromantic energy drained all water and life from any living being it touched, reducing them to blood feed.
Cassius responded swiftly, his pupils gleaming with violet magical light, predicting the monster's ghostly flight path.
"I've spotted you."
Just as the mist-shrouded shadow approached—
[Anti-Magic Field]
A shimmering barrier enveloped Cassius, calming the chaotic weave and dispelling the withering energy. Stripped of its shroud, the vampire's grotesque form was exposed.
The red dragon extended a massive claw, seizing the unprepared vampire mid-air and dragging him forcefully to the ground, swatting him down like a pesky fly.
The vampire struggled futilely, trying to break free, but against the overwhelming strength of the red dragon, all resistance was futile.
The impact shattered the rocky ground, pinning the vampire several feet deep, nearly reducing him to pulp.
"No—"
The vampire let out a piercing wail, attempting to dissolve into blood mist and flee. However, the anti-magic field rendered the weave impenetrable, nullifying his spell-like abilities entirely.
Though crushed beneath the red dragon's claw, his body mangled and bones broken, the vampire's "gluttony"-enhanced regenerative powers kicked in, allowing him to heal at an incredible speed.
Blood from the surrounding area surged toward him.
As long as the countless lives he had absorbed over centuries remained, he could regenerate endlessly. No one could kill him.
Fresh flesh and bone regenerated rapidly, restoring the vampire's body repeatedly as it was smashed and crushed over and over again.
Despite his body being ravaged beyond recognition, the vampire cackled maniacally. "Lizard, you can't kill me! I am immortal!"
"I can outlast you here for eternity."
"Until you're dead!"
Cassius gazed down at him with disdain.
"A pitiful wretch clinging to life…"
A cruel and violent smile crept across Cassius's face—perhaps even he was unaware of its savagery, typical of an enraged red dragon.
"Then I'll show you the true meaning of 'a death forever out of reach.'"
Cassius's forelimb flexed, muscles bulging and veins popping as white smoke emanated from his body.
This was pure physical strength—the hallmark of a red dragon.
"Boom!"
With a resounding impact, the stone platform crumbled further under the pressure.
"It's useless."
The vampire's words were cut short as he was crushed into pulp once more. Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere, bones shattered, and the ground was left with a deep, blood-soaked pit. The vampire momentarily lost consciousness. Even with his regenerative abilities, this level of damage required seconds to recover.
At that moment, Cassius lifted the anti-magic field.
His chest glowed with molten heat, his throat radiating a blinding white light.
[Empowered Flame Breath]
A torrent of flames engulfed the vampire's grotesque form.
Cassius didn't stop.
The intense white flames continued to burn, melting the ground into a viscous, red-hot magma flow. The molten rock enveloped the vampire's body, sizzling and crackling.
Briefly regaining consciousness, the vampire realized the anti-magic field had lifted.
Attempting to dissolve into blood mist within the magma proved futile. His essence could not escape, only fueling his immolation further and delaying his regeneration.
As he realized this, the magma burned his flesh to a crisp, melting his body repeatedly.
New flesh regenerated, only to be burned away again.
"Impressive regeneration."
Even Cassius was impressed by the vampire's resilience after absorbing the sin of "gluttony." The destruction and regeneration occurred simultaneously. Layers of charred flesh formed a grotesque shell around him.
The vampire writhed and struggled in the molten pit.
"Pain."
"It hurts…"
A muffled voice emerged from the magma's depths.
"I curse you…"
"I'll give everything to kill you."
Cassius sensed an overwhelming surge of magical energy from the magma's depths, his eyes narrowing in alarm.
"Does he still have a trump card?"
The red dragon immediately reached into the magma with his claw, effortlessly pulling the vampire out.
The vampire's appearance was utterly wretched—his face charred beyond recognition, his body covered in blackened scars, and magma dripping slowly from his form. Yet the mysterious tattoo on his chest radiated an ominous glow, devouring all surrounding light.
Brad Lackman stared directly at the red dragon, his grotesque face twisting into a sinister grin.
"I'm about to die."
"But so will you."
"All of you will die."
The vampire's eyes widened, his mouth agape. Every orifice on his body glowed with eerie light.
His body exploded into a dense cloud of dark, malevolent mist.
Yet this time, he did not reform.
Instead, he slowly ascended, flowing toward an unknown destination.
[You have slain [Blood Duke - Brad Lackman], gaining 13,000 XP.]
The vampire who had dominated the Northlands and ruled the Lackman Duchy for two centuries was finally dead. Cassius earned immense experience points, but he felt no joy in defeating such a formidable foe—only a growing unease.
"That power surge…"
"Damn it, what did he do?"
The red dragon's golden eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness as he locked onto the rising black mist and gave chase.