Dracula stood tall, his body emanating a dangerous aura. The ground beneath his feet trembled, as if the very earth recognized the power radiating from him. His eyes, glowing like embers of an eternal flame, scanned the advancing armies. Masaru could feel the immense tension in the air, the pressure building with every second. The legendary vampire king was ready for war.
Selene, standing by his side, remained eerily calm, her silver hair flowing behind her like moonlight given form, her expression as still and cold as the grave. Together, they stood, like two beacons of death, their resolve unshaken despite the overwhelming threat before them.
Dracula's voice shattered the silence like a crack of thunder, powerful and full of authority.
"You're right, Selene. I had forgotten our true purpose. How could I let something as insignificant as this cloud my judgment?"
His gaze turned to the sea of enemies before him, mostly composed of his brother's forces, their bloodlust palpable. His eyes were no longer merely glowing with the fury of a thousand storms, but with a cold, calculating intensity that promised death for any who dared challenge him.
"As malevolent as I may be, I will not spare those who threaten my life or hinder me from my goal," Dracula continued, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone, one that sent a shiver through the entire battlefield. "And thus, this is your first and final warning. Surrender now, if you still value your lives. Within the next three seconds, make your choice."
The entire army before him hesitated for a moment. They had heard the rumors, the stories of Dracula's power, but to witness it firsthand was something else entirely. The air was thick with suspense, the tension so heavy it felt like it might suffocate them.
Draco, standing behind his army, sneered. His face twisted with disbelief, and his voice rang out, laced with fury.
"As strong as you may be, there's no way you'd survive against us!"
Draco's voice grew louder, filled with righteous anger. The very ground seemed to shake as his words carried across the battlefield.
"Don't falter, people! His threats are as empty as his integrity! Let's end this monster once and for all!"
The army roared in unison, a thunderous, unholy sound that sent a chill down Masaru's spine. In that moment, Dracula's calmness seemed to only fuel the storm of rage from Draco's forces.
Masaru, still floating in the air, watched with a mixture of awe and disbelief as the scene unfolded before him. He had seen glimpses of power, but this… this was a force unlike anything he could comprehend.
Dracula's demeanor shifted instantly. His calm and composed exterior gave way to a terrifying intensity that seemed to ripple through the very atmosphere. The battlefield fell into a deathly silence, even the enemies reluctant to make their move.
"You've made your decision," Dracula said, his voice colder than the grave. "Do not blame me for what is to come."
He extended his hand toward the advancing forces—toward the endless army of different races and beings that filled the battlefield. His eyes locked onto them with a gaze so fierce, so unwavering, that Masaru could feel the weight of it from where he floated.
"Burn!" Dracula commanded.
And then, the world erupted in fire.
A massive sea of flames—hotter than any inferno—burst forth from Dracula's outstretched hand, expanding rapidly to cover a 500-meter radius. The flames crackled with a terrifying intensity, swallowing everything in their path. Soldiers, beasts, weapons, rocks, even the air itself seemed to ignite, turning into a wall of searing destruction.
Masaru's eyes widened as the army's front lines were reduced to nothing but ash in the blink of an eye. The heat radiated outward, causing the very air to shimmer with intense heat. Soldiers—elite warriors capable of destroying mountains—were incinerated in mere moments.
The fire consumed everything, leaving nothing behind but the smell of burning flesh and the screams of the damned.
More than ten thousand soldiers perished in an instant.
Draco's army was thrown into chaos. Their confidence shattered, their spirits crushed. The soldiers, some of the fiercest in all the lands, faltered. They knew Dracula was strong, but no one had prepared for this level of destruction. This wasn't a mere vampire king; this was a force of nature, a being who had the power to shape the very world with a thought.
Draco, standing at the forefront of his army, gritted his teeth. His eyes burned with fury, but there was something else in his gaze—fear. The overwhelming heat of Dracula's flames had left him trembling, and for the first time in his life, he questioned his own strength. Was this truly the power of the legendary vampire king?
He shook his head in disbelief, trying to steady himself. He couldn't afford to lose his nerve now.
"Use the secret seal!" Draco barked, his voice cracking with urgency.
At his command, two figures floated upward, rising into the air. They were witches, their bodies cloaked in golden light, their forms barely visible amidst the rising smoke and flames. The rest of the army stretched their hands toward them, offering their energy.
Masaru watched in awe as energy poured into the witches' bodies—a sheer force of will and power flowing into them like a torrent of lightning. The witches glowed brighter, their eyes flickering with raw, concentrated power.
"Not even Dracula would survive the power of this concentrated sun attack!" one of the witches chanted, her voice trembling with the weight of the power they were about to unleash.
"Sun Radiance, Ray of the Blue Giant!" the other echoed, their hands intertwining as golden light poured from their fingertips.
In an instant, the sky was illuminated with a blinding radiance, the air itself seeming to warp under the heat. A beam of pure sunlight, brighter than the sun itself, shot forth at light speed, heading directly for Dracula.
Draco's smile was satisfied, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"Finally! Victory is ours!"
Masaru could feel the power of the attack, its intensity growing with each passing moment. This was the power of the sun, concentrated into a single, devastating beam. It was said to be capable of incinerating gods, of destroying everything in its path. Surely, not even Dracula could survive such a force.
The beam closed in on Dracula, and for a brief moment, everything fell silent.
Then—a flash.
The golden light exploded on contact with Dracula's body, creating a massive crater where he once stood. The explosion sent shockwaves through the air, and the force of the blast obliterated everything within its range.
Masaru's heart sank. Was it over?
The opposing army cheered, their voices a cacophony of victory. Draco himself looked down at the crater, his chest rising and falling with the weight of his breath.
"It's done. He's dead. Finally." Draco whispered.
But then, the unthinkable happened.
A voice, familiar and cold, rang through the air.
"How impossible…"
Everyone froze. Their eyes snapped upward.
There, floating above the battlefield, were two figures—Dracula and Selene, both unscathed.
Draco's jaw dropped, and he stumbled backward in disbelief. His legs threatened to give way beneath him as his entire being screamed that this wasn't possible.
"You should be dead! Not even you could survive that!" Draco shouted, his voice shaking with horror.
Dracula's gaze was deadly calm, his expression unfazed by the sheer chaos around him. A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips.
"Seeing as how you're still the dumb little brother you've always been, I'll explain briefly before I end you."
Draco's face turned white, his hands trembling. He wanted to run, to escape, but his legs felt as if they were rooted to the spot.
"If I were your average royal vampire, I'd be dead by now. But there's a difference between resistance and immunity," Dracula said, his voice smooth, almost bored. "Unlike your normal vampires, whose resistance to the sun increases with strength, I was born with complete immunity to sun-based attacks."
Masaru watched in stunned silence as Dracula continued.
"If that had been just pure flames, maybe I'd have a hard time tanking it unscathed. But sun attacks?" Dracula's eyes gleamed with a predatory light. "I'm more confident in surviving sun-based attacks than anything else."
And then, with a flick of his wrist, Dracula summoned a wave of blood. It moved at light speed, impaling the entire army—all of them—directly through the head. The blood froze instantly, creating solid ice sculptures of every soldier who had dared to challenge him.
Draco could only watch, helpless. The power he'd gathered for centuries—wiped away in an instant by Dracula and Selene.
"Shatter!" Selene said, her voice like the ringing of a bell.
The ice shattered with a deafening crack, the pieces falling to the ground like broken glass, leaving behind nothing but a field of corpses.
Draco's legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, his body shaking with disbelief. His entire army had been reduced to nothing. Wiped out in an instant.
"Are you my brother?" Draco asked, his voice breaking. He was barely able to speak, his throat tightening with the weight of his defeat.
Dracula's gaze sharpened, cold and indifferent.
Draco's face turned pale, his body trembling as he slowly sank to his knees, realizing the crushing truth.
The gap between them—between him and Dracula—was immeasurable.
He had always wished to be Dracula. To have his power, his immortality, his unmatched strength. But now, in this moment, he realized just how insignificant he truly was.
He had cursed himself for not being born with the same god-like power that Dracula possessed.
But now, it was too late.
"You ask if I'm your brother?" Dracula said, his voice colder than the grave itself.
"The real question is—who are you?"
Immediately Draco's face became pale upon hearing Dracula's question.
Masaru suddenly felt himself being pulled from that world. The dark void consumed him once again, and with a forceful tug, his vision went black.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the familiar room with Akane, her gaze filled with concern.