I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 399

Chapter 399: Chapter 401: The Newly Emerged Upper Race (9600 words)

The essence of war is the seizing of survival resources, and this principle hasn't changed, whether in Glory or on Earth.

Lide's assault on Black Iron Castle was based on the same logic; he would not cloak himself in any garment of justice, nor did he have any disdain for it.

Because the wars between races have never been about justice or injustice.

Wolves eat meat, sheep graze on grass, and any notions of kindness or justice become laughable when faced with the reality of the food chain.

But what one could be certain of is that even if Lide found himself within the food chain, he'd only ever be the top predator, never a lamb waiting for slaughter by others.

After he crushed the Level 18 Half-body City Lord, all the half-body nobles in the banquet hall were consumed by boundless fear.

The looks in their eyes toward Lide were filled with endless horror.

Transcendent, they could have never imagined–the city lord of Dawn City, who had always cooperated with them, had actually reached Transcendence!

Merely thinking of this term was enough to turn the rebellious will of the unsatisfied half-body nobles into nothingness.

Transcendence was not a force they could contend with. The entire power of Black Iron Castle could only prostrate and worship under the pressure of the transcendent crown.

Humans might muster the courage to charge at giant dragons, but ants certainly do not possess such bravery.

The moment Lide's aura was unleashed, the fate of Black Iron Castle was already sealed.

“Lord Kachar, do you really wish to wage war against the Half-body race?

The Transcendent of Liusi City will definitely not stand by idly and watch Black Iron Castle be occupied…”

The Level 18 Great Mage, the half-body mage Mahari with graying hair, gritted his teeth as he spoke these words in defense of their dignity.

Although still enveloped by fear, as a spellcaster, he had his own pride.

Lide might be powerful, but he was not willing to submit just like that… The Half-body had its powerhouses, Liusi City had more than one Transcendent!

“Liusi City… Transcendent Half-body?”

Lide's presence was like a mountain collapsing and the earth caving; he was like the center of a Level 12 storm, everything around him crumbled under the might he emitted.

His crimson eyes stared directly into those of the Great Mage Mahari, his tone cold as ice.

“Then, what of it?”

Their gazes locked.

The moment Mahari caught sight of those crimson pupils, he felt a chill rush from his spine straight into his mind.

Terror devoured everything.

In those blood-red eyes, he saw countless demons and evil spirits howling and screaming, lunging to pounce on him.

It was as if his soul was at that moment being devoured by Hell, being gazed upon by the Abyss.

All the hairs on his body stood up at that instant, and his legs even trembled.

Great terror!

In a state of extreme fear, Mahari stumbled backward three steps, accidentally tripping over a half-body collapsed on the ground behind him, and fell with a thud.

The barely gathered momentum dispersed like chaff in that instant.

Merely by making eye contact with Lide, the newly gathered will to resist crumbled immediately.

Upon witnessing this, Lide's expression remained unchanged. An 18th Level Great Mage was no different from slaughtering pigs and sheep to him.

His gaze swept around the room, and every half-body who dared to meet his eyes was consumed by fear and their souls devoured. Some were even frightened into idiocy.

The Evil God descends upon the world.

“From today onwards, this city belongs to Dawn City.”

Lide's indifferent tone was laced with domineering force and an undeniable might.

“Black Iron Castle will be renamed Twilight City.”

“And you all will become residents of Dawn City.”

Simple words, yet they conveyed massive implications.

Capturing Black Iron Castle and renaming it meant that Dawn City was truly making a move against the Underworld, against the Half-body!

And their reliance on Liusi City would no longer be a pillar of support because this figure had reached Transcendence.

Many half-body nobles exchanged glances, all seeing the same shock and bewilderment in each other's eyes.

If one could argue that their city lord had gotten what he deserved earlier for provoking the vampire, now it was clear the other party had planned it all along.

But…even if they knew all this, what could they do?

A strong sense of powerlessness enveloped every half-elf's mind.

After all, when had the weak ever had the right to choose?

Just at that moment, a thunderous boom suddenly erupted from outside, like the collapsing of heaven and earth.

Following the explosion were the sounds of war horns and countless battle cries.

Judging by the din, there must be an army of tens of thousands.

“Who is attacking Black Iron Castle?”

“Ah? Could it be Dawn City's army has broken in?”

“These vampires, they must have been prepared for this…”

The half-body nobles shivered, the earth-shattering sounds of combat outside leaving them feeling helpless and despairing.

Upon hearing the noise outside, Lide quickly contained the oppressive presence that weighed on everyone's hearts and took a seat at the main table.

He looked on indifferently.

It was only a long while after his dignity had dissipated that these half-body nobles came back to their senses, only then daring to cautiously get to their feet.

Their gazes toward Lide still held the same terror, undiminished.

The 18-level Great Mage Mahari saw all of this with bitterness in his eyes.

Tonight, Lord Collins had brought him along to pressure the other side in response to Dawn City's encroachment, forcing Dawn City to back down, but the result had been Lord Collins giving up his life.

And even now, the entire Black Iron Castle was about to fall under the other's control.

His emotions were indescribable.

He was no fool and had known from the moment the other revealed his transcendent aura that there was no turning back.

Transcendent–what sort of level was that? What right did Black Iron Castle have to contend with a transcendent?

What he couldn't understand was, why had the Lord of Kachar been willing to negotiate with Black Iron Castle the last time?

Was it to ascertain their bottom line?

This half-body mage could never have guessed that Lide, who negotiated with them over half a year ago, he was only at level 18…

After a moment, the half-body mage showed a determined expression and took several steps forward. In front of all the half-body nobles, he said with a solemn voice.

“Honorable Lord Kachar, starting today, Black Iron Castle belongs to you. We are willing to leave this city and yield all resources and wealth to Dawn City.”

With that one statement, the thoughts of all the half-body nobles varied. To leave this city, didn't that mean giving up all their previous fortunes?

Lide was slightly taken aback upon hearing this but then smiled. He didn't know whether to call the other side courageous or foolish.

There was courage, but their vision was limited. Black Iron Castle was indeed important, but he valued the half-elves themselves even more.

These life forms, skilled at crafting bows and arrows, held value no less than the city itself, and in fact, even more so.

There were as many as 50,000 half-elves within Black Iron Castle.

What a vast fortune that was. If their potential could be unlocked, it would not be a small boost to Dawn City.

“Who told you I came just for this city?

Black Iron Castle will belong to Dawn City, and the half-elves will be part of Dawn City as well.”

Hearing Lide's calm yet indisputable tone, Mahari the 18-level Great Mage took a sharp breath, as his worst fears came to pass.

The other side wanted not only the city but the half-elves too!

He opened his mouth, wishing to say something more, but looking at the figure who was both elegant and indifferent yet innately domineering and assertive, he could only sigh in resignation and swallowed his words.

The weak never had the right to resist.

If they didn't wish to die, they had to accept whatever the strong imposed.

The strong held everything–this was a rule of survival known to all in the Underworld.

Seeing the half-body mage submit, Lide didn't bother to talk further and began to consider how to rule the city after taking over Black Iron Castle.

Without a doubt, the value of Black Iron Castle lies in its geographic position.

The occupation of the city was not his primary goal; his main aim was to radiate from the city as the center, harvesting the faith of the surrounding Dark Races,

forcing those without faith or who worshiped other divinities to believe in the Twilight Sect–although he had not officially established this sect yet.

Divine Status required one million Dark Faith Power to activate, and that amount was not small.

The Dawn Sect, from its creation to the present, had probably amassed only about 1.5 million in Faith Power…

Although this included the faith of a minority at the beginning, the difficulty of acquiring Faith Power was, overall, quite significant.

Therefore, he had to take this matter seriously.

The Divine Status containing the Twilight Divine Position was also worth his attention.

Luckily, he no longer had to start from scratch like the Dawn Sect had, slowly accumulating power; he could directly mobilize an army to forcefully proselytize.

What's more, he was going to preach to all the evil Dark Races, and the process of proselytizing did not have to follow the Dawn Sect's upright approach; he could use some extreme measures.

Dark Life was not exactly righteous in nature, and regular means of proselytizing would likely be ignored outright.

And who was he? The Blood Clan Ancestor, an absolute super Dark Race arch-villain.

Using violent and bloody methods to achieve his goal was more befitting of his status.

“Kill!”

“Take the city!”

“Lay down your weapons and surrender, and I swear in the name of Dawn City, you will not be killed!”

“For the Dawn!”

Two Sunshine Hours later, there suddenly arose a fierce clamor of battle outside the doors, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching from afar.

The Half-body Nobles in the banquet hall turned their heads upon hearing the commotion, and then they saw a figure with the head of a majestic lion and a mighty form appear before their eyes.

Catching sight of the lavishly dressed Half-body Nobles inside, Capu's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. He was about to speak when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Lide's figure.

A smile spread across his face as he stepped forward several paces and thumped his right fist against his chest, bowing respectfully.

“Your Highness, Black Iron Castle has been captured; all the resisting guards have become prisoners.”

Hearing this, the Half-body Nobles gasped for air, feeling a wave of dizziness overtake them.

Although Black Iron Castle only had 50,000 Half-humans, there were as many as 20,000 soldiers. It had been less than two Sunshine Hours–had it really fallen so quickly??

A city of such size, with tens of thousands of defenders, couldn't withstand even two Sunshine Hours??

Many of the Half-body Nobles, still harboring a stroke of hope, felt a deep sense of despondency, with countless words stuck in their throats, unable to be spoken.

But Lide's following words made them feel even more dispirited.

“Why did it take so long?”

Were these the words of a human being?

Such a large city, with tens of thousands of defenders, being taken in two Sunshine Hours, and he still thinks it took too long?

Were the troops they had trained mere trash??

“Your Highness, mainly it was the time spent incorporating the prisoners,

Black Iron Castle is also home to many Dark Races, and these people took advantage of the army's entry to start looting and stealing, causing considerable trouble.”

Lide, upon hearing this, could only shake his head in silence. During times of war, such occurrences were all too common.

“How many prisoners have been captured now?”

“We haven't had time to count yet, but the number is expected to exceed 100,000…”

“100,000?” Now Lide was surprised, “There were only 50,000 Half-humans, where did so many come from?”

“It's the Cave Dwellers…” Capu explained, “The Half-humans enslaved over 30,000 Cave Dwellers, hence the higher number, and the other 20,000 are other Dark Lives.”

Lide then nodded in understanding.

Cave Dwellers are humanoid life forms with considerable intelligence, fond of living in subterranean caves, adept at digging and construction,

and their appearance is much like the strange creature Gollum, lustful for the Magic Ring in the movies, but stronger than Gollum.

They make good laborers for mining ore, which is why this race is often enslaved.

“Your Majesty, how shall we deal with these captives?”

“Lock up those from the Dark Race, they will become the first believers once the Twilight Temple is completed.”

“As for the Half-Elves, send the regular ones back to Dawn City, and temporarily imprison the soldiers; they will all be soldiers for Dawn City in the future.”

Having said this, Lide turned his attention to the Great Mage, Mahari.

The smile in his eyes sent an inexplicable chill down the spine of this Level 18 Spellcaster.

With the Power of Faith, these high-rankers who wish to rebel are no better than chickens and dogs.

But there's no hurry right now, Black Iron Castle has been taken, but these Half-Elf Nobles still have their reluctance, hoping for rescue from Liusi City, as the Half-Elves still have Transcendent beings.

So now, it's not cost-effective to convert them with the Power of Faith, as the Power consumed would multiply when they are unwilling.

There's an easy solution, though, lock them up for a month or two and they'll start to behave.

People are the sort to be cheap; without crushing their hopes, they always cling to unrealistic fantasies.

Once these upper-echelons turn, those lower-level Half-Elves won't be able to cause any waves either.

“Take these nobles away, but this Great Mage stays.”

Mahari's face went stiff when he heard this, but he was at a loss for words.

Sitting before him was a Transcendent, a veritable Transcendent!

Forget his Level 18, even at Level 19, he would still have no chance to resist.

“Audis, go along with Kapu…

Also, compile a list of nobles friendly to Dawn City, they can help restore order.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As everyone left, only Lide and Mahari, the Half-Elf Great Mage, remained in the extravagant banquet hall.

The atmosphere turned awkwardly tense.

Yet Lide didn't even look at the Half-Elf, leisurely picking up an unused teacup from the table and pouring himself a warm cup of red tea, beginning to savor it.

Unable to endure the heavy atmosphere any longer, Mahari finally broke the silence.

“Lord Kachar, may I inquire about your plans for Black Iron Castle?”

“You want to know?” Lide took a sip of the tea, elegantly set down the cup, stood up and walked directly towards Mahari.

Just this action made the Level 18 Great Mage, the protector of Black Iron Castle, retreat three steps, his heart engulfed in fear.

To him, this stunning figure before him was not a vampire at all, but rather an Abyssal Giant Beast tearing apart the main plane, devouring the world.

Lide's eyes slowly sharpened, and the aura of a Transcendent unabashedly bore down on Mahari.

And this time, the pressure was targeted, doubled in intensity.

His black eyes turned crimson once again, and his presence soared to the extreme at that moment.

With each step he took, the world seemed to crumble a little more, and with each look he gave the Half-Elf Great Mage, the latter's heart shattered further.

The power of a Transcendent was beyond what a Level 18 Half-Elf could contend with.

As he came within ten steps of Mahari, Lide's gaze intensified and he roared,

“Kneel!”

Beneath the overwhelming might built up in his stride, the blasphemy was more terrifying than a Five Circle Spirit Shock.

The Level 18 Great Mage felt as if his soul was hammered by a giant steel maul, and then–spitting out a mouthful of blood–he collapsed to his knees.

Level 18 vs Level 23, although it seems like only a 5-level difference, the disparity in strength is dozens to hundreds of times!

The soul pressure released by Lide was utterly irresistible, a Transcendent was truly on a different level of existence.

As Mahari was swallowed by fear, Lide stepped forward, placing his right hand directly on the head of the Half-Elf Great Mage.

Under the terrified gaze of the other, the sacred Power of Faith surged forth.

Divine Arts, Soul Assimilation, consumes 2000 points of Power of Faith to convert non-Dawn Sect factions into the most loyal Temple Knights of the Dawn Sect, able to absolutely control the opponent's soul, with the consumed Power of Faith increasing depending on the strength of the opponent's soul.

This Divine Art was one of Lide's many trump cards, the most frequently used and most unbeatable one, almost like a bug. If it weren't for the huge consumption of Power of Faith each time, it would definitely be invincible.

Mahari, dazed, only saw a dazzlingly holy force invading him, instinctively felt something was amiss and wanted to resist,

but in the face of the terrifying pressure that nearly crushed his soul, he simply couldn't, and he could only let that force enter his body.

This was the first time Lide had forcefully converted a life with a will to resist.

Although this Level 18 Great Mage had already been overwhelmed by the momentum and was gasping for air, the opponent's resistance would not decrease as a result.

But with a base of 300,000 Power of Faith, he had no intention of stopping.

The terrifying Power of Faith surged out, making the surrounding Magic Lamps lose their purpose.

The Power of Faith began to drop by thousands of points every three to five seconds, which was fast enough to keep up with the assimilation of two Extraordinary Spiders.

10,000… 30,000… 50,000…

Mahari's resistance was still fierce; this Half-Elf simply didn't wish to submit, but reality is always cruel, and unwillingness doesn't allow one to refuse.

The strong determine everything.

Power of Faith, a force only a Divine being could possess, is not something a Level 18 Half-Elf can contend with.

Under an irresistible force, Mahari's soul was being converted bit by bit…

Half a Sunshine Hour later, Lide's attribute panel showed a decrease of a full 80,000 Power of Faith.

Even for a rich tycoon like him, he couldn't help but his eyelids twitch in distress.

To convert one Extraordinary Spider costs only 100,000 Power of Faith, and forcefully converting this guy cost a whopping 80,000… The consumption was nearly three times more than a regular assimilation.

If this time he was forcefully converting an Extraordinary soul, Lide dared not imagine how much Power of Faith it would cost, likely not even 500,000 would suffice.

Forced melons are not sweet.

“Your Highness, Mahari Grey Claw, your faithful Believer greets you…”

But it is thirst-quenching.

Lide looked at Mahari kneeling on the ground with a rather pleased expression.

Dawn City gained another Spellcaster, quite nice.

Magic Mages are forever scarce, evermore so the more there are.

Of all the combat forces above Level 15 in Dawn City, how many true Spellcasters are there? Emi, and then who? Frey, Stanley could barely be counted, and there were no others… As for the Withered Bone and the Frost Giant Dragon, they were simply pure life attributes, which cannot be generalized.

This was also why he crushed the Level 18 Half-body City Lord and left this Level 18 Great Mage.

Moreover, he needed a powerful figure to preside over his next missionary plan.

“Rise.”

Lide casually opened up Mahari's attribute panel.

Mahari Grey Claw

Titles: Protector of Black Iron Castle, Half-body Genius Mage, Light of the Half-body

Level: 18

Racial Skills: Eagle Eye Skill (increases sight), Quick Attack, Delicate Manipulation

Spells: Sixteen First Circle Spells, Eight Second Circle Spells, Five Three Circle Spells, Three Four Circle Spells.

Bloodline: Half-Elf Bloodline (enhances control over Magic Power)

Introduction: A rare Spellcaster among the Half-Elves, but due to the limited Bloodline Talent of the Half-Elves, it is difficult to break through to higher levels.

Mahari's attributes could be described as rudimentary; not to mention compared to the Extraordinary Frost Giant Dragon, even the Extraordinary Spiders were much stronger than him.

Although the Extraordinary Spider was indeed Extraordinary and had Talent, spiders had no place to learn skills, whereas Mahari's pitiful attribute panel, whether in terms of Talents or Skills, had too few to even look at.

And more importantly, this guy had not a single strong Talent, and the Bloodline was painful to behold.

No wonder the introduction mentioned that due to the limited Bloodline Talent of the Half-Elves, it was difficult to break through to higher levels.

Half-Elves are not a Casting Race to begin with; to have one with a Casting Talent is already not easy.

“Mahari, I am going to establish a new Sect–Twilight Sect, and you will be the Archbishop.”

Lide eyed the level 18 Great Mage with a piercing gaze.

No matter how poor his talent was, he still had his level, and though somewhat weaker in combat, he was presentable.

The Twilight Sect had to start from scratch, and Lide couldn't always use priests from the Dawn Sect to serve as missionaries for the Twilight Sect. It was necessary to build a new foundation.

The reputation of the Half-Elfs in the Underworld wasn't too bad, so it was fitting to make good use of them.

“Your Highness, I will defend your glory with my life!”

Once converted, Mahari's loyalty was to Lide's interest above all, so naturally, he had no objections to this matter.

“Very well, the God of Twilight is my avatar, take this matter seriously.

I need you to preach on my behalf in Black Iron Castle now, and later in Twilight City, targeting those Dark Life creatures.

Spread the glory of the twilight far and wide, so that the name of the God of Twilight will echo throughout the land.”

“However, what's most important now is for you to appease the captured Half-Elfs and identify those who are willing to work for Dawn City. I need the city's prosperity restored with utmost speed.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

Mahari, aware of where the root of the current problems lay, promptly responded.

Lide waved his hand, and two Bloodline guards emerged from the shadows. After giving them brief instructions, they took Mahari to meet with Kap and Audis.

Watching the empty hall, Lide didn't linger and stood, walking out as several Bloodline followed him in the shadows.

His strength had long made the Bloodline guards unnecessary, but his status demanded it.

As the ruler of Dawn City, the Ancestor of the Holy Light Bloodline, his dignity and position were supremely esteemed; having no one to guard him would be beneath his status.

Besides, there were many trivial matters Lide couldn't do personally, where the value of the guards became evident.

Leaving the estate, the brightness from the magic lamps in the hall vanished, and the light faded.

In the Underworld, darkness is the eternal theme.

The streets built of black iron ore were devoid of Half-Elfs at this time, now filled with Dawn Army soldiers clad in standard equipment from the armory.

The Magic Language Bats in the sky emitting sharp cries patrolled above Black Iron Castle. In an already dim environment, their large shadows swept across the sky, adding a layer of horror.

Beastmen, Centaurs, humans, and even giants appeared now and then, while soldiers saluted respectfully wherever Lide went.

No matter the time or place, he was the sole master of these armies.

Lide proceeded along the street, as the city's combat was nearly settled. Aside from occasionally finding a few hidden enemies in some houses, there were no significant surprises.

“Your Highness, all captives have been brought to the central plaza. Do you wish to inspect them?”

A messenger came running up to report to Lide.

“Take me there.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

In Black Iron City's central plaza, because the large cells were filled with captives, many Dark Life beings were now herded onto the spacious plaza and guarded.

The Magic Language Bats patrolled in the sky, while powerful Beastman Warriors, Centaur Warriors, and the Giant Army watched intently below.

These captives, bound by chains, were resentful, but against absolute power, their frustration had to be endured.

The weak never had the right to choose.

But, regardless of the situation, there would always be those with burning anger.

“Are you ready? First, kill the Beastmen guards near you and seize their weapons.

I will break open a magic scroll and launch an attack among these captives to create chaos.

When the captives panic and inevitably flee outwards, the guarding soldiers will surely suppress them.

I know a secret passage leading outside of Black Iron Castle, and once we shake off the Beastmen, we can leave this city.

These damned surface dwellers will never enslave the great Naga!!”

On the edge of the plaza, around twenty exceptionally peculiar creatures were whispering in their unique language.

These peculiar beings of dark life stood 3 blades tall, their lower halves resembling snakes spotted with patches. Above the waist, they had the bodies of humans.

They looked quite similar to the Snake Race, but unlike the Snake Race, these dark creatures all had four arms,

and from the back of their necks grew a row of ghastly red spines, chilling to the beholder at first glance.

Naga.

A highly unique lifeform of the Underworld.

These upper-race beings who worshipped the Abyssal Evil Gods held a reputation in the Underworld no less than that of the Dark Night Elves.

Darkness, terror, and slaughter were synonymous with them, as well as might, mystery, and spellcasters.

Legend had it that Nagas also existed in the great oceans, but the Nagas of the seas were entirely different types of creatures compared to those of the Underworld.

The Beastman Warriors guarding this area had no experience dealing with Nagas and had failed to recognize these dark beings.

Otherwise, they would never have merely bound them with ordinary chains; these powerful beings were no less formidable in combat than the Bloodline.

Moreover, their skills and talents were terrifying, and anyone who dared to underestimate these dark beings would pay a heavy price.

“Obey my command!”

The Naga issuing orders was the most robust warrior among them, his body forged like steel, and his bronze muscles exuded a dazzling sense of power.

It was hard to imagine the potential devastation this warrior could wreak if he were given equipment.

“Yes!”

The surrounding Nagas responded in hushed voices, their gazes extremely vigilant as they observed their surroundings.

There were as many as ten thousand soldiers guarding the plaza, and they had the invincible powerhouse, the Giant Army; escape was only possible through chaos, as relying solely on their group of twenty-something was unrealistic.

Even with their great fighting strength, without equipment, they would be hard-pressed to escape if surrounded by dozens.

“Three”

“Two,”

As the leading male Naga warrior counted down in a low voice, the twenty-plus Nagas around him braced themselves.

“One!”

With a roar, the strongest Naga released the tension in his muscles like a coiled spring, breaking the sturdy iron chains in an instant.

Crack~

The chains on the fingers of the surrounding Nagas shattered like foam, providing no restraint to these terrifying beings.

As the leading Naga broke free from his chains, the spines on his back separated to reveal two magic scrolls.

Rip~

One of the scrolls was torn open and violently hurled into the midst of the captives.

Boom~

A massive explosion roared, and a pillar of fire shot up into the sky.

The already frightened captives were severely panicked and immediately began to scatter in all directions. It all happened so fast that the warriors around them had no time to prevent the Nagas' actions.

“Kill!”

The sublimely strong, four-armed dark creatures let out a shocking roar and, like unleashed wild beasts, rushed toward the defending Beastman Warriors.

The Beastman Warriors were furious. How dare these damned captives think of escaping right under their watch?!

If these captives got away, the warriors would lose all face. The Dawn's military regulations were strict, and this was an offense that would surely lead to military punishment.

The Beastman Warriors charged into battle.

The two sides clashed, and in that moment, blood splattered.

The leading Naga and the attacking Beastman Warrior engaged in a head-on fight. The Beastman's long sword moved like a dragon, its cold light blinding. A single strike would be grievously injurious, leaving aside a bare-chested Red Naga, even with full equipment.

But this Naga warrior, already at level 11, evaded the slashing edge of the long sword with a strangely swift twist of his body.

With a powerful movement of his serpentine lower half, he closed in on the Beastman Warrior in the blink of an eye.

Beastman warriors forcefully drew their swords, trying to push back the assailant, but to their shock, a green glow suddenly enveloped one of the Naga's hands. With a fierce thrust, the hand pierced through the warrior's chest,

Crack~ The sturdy armor of the Beastman warrior was punctured as easily as tofu, and with a splatter of blood, the Naga's hand penetrated the heart of the Beastman warrior, marking the end of this fleeting, fierce clash with a clear victor.

It must be said that as an Upper Race, the Naga's strength was terrifying. Even unarmed, they had killed more than ten Beastman warriors in the blink of an eye, with only two lost on their side.

After the demise of the Beastman warriors, their weapons naturally became the Naga's sharp blades.

Four arms, each wielding a long sword.

Coupled with combat skills far beyond the imagination of these common Beastman warriors.

Soon, during the disturbance caused by the explosion of the magic scroll, in this unnoticed corner,

More than twenty Naga went on a frenzied killing spree.

These Naga, averaging levels 8 or 9, with even a couple at level 10 leading, were sheer overkill against the level 5 or 6 Beastman warriors.

In less than 30 seconds, the defensive line guard by 35 Beastman warriors was breached.

With only three casualties, the remaining Naga took advantage of the chaos to slip into the alleys.

As the leading Naga tore up the last remaining magic scroll upon stepping into the alley, all of the Naga gradually became transparent until they disappeared completely from the outside world's view.

By the time the surrounding Beastman warriors came to support, the Naga's traces were gone from the alley; after searching for a moment, they could only roar with anger and frustration at the empty alley.

The chaos on the square did not last long, although some Dark Life forms tried to break through the encirclement,

But if they couldn't shake the army of Dawn City when fully equipped with weapons, how could they stand a chance after losing their gear?

Not all races were as formidable as the Naga, an Upper Race. Most of the Dark Life's combat power, in fact, was on par with that of the Beastmen,

Yet whether it was the Beastman warriors or Centaur warriors around, all were clad in high-level armor, wielding sharp blades.

With such a significant disparity in equipment and only a minor difference in level, the battle was a landslide.

The turmoil was quickly quelled.

By the time Lide arrived at the square, the air was thick with the scent of blood and the bodies of those Dark Lives who had attempted to take advantage of the chaos to revolt.

“What just happened?”

Detecting the scent in the air, Lide raised an eyebrow and looked toward Kapu, who had just arrived at the square as well.

The level 18 Beastman King's face showed some embarrassment, “Your Excellency, I just received a report that, while I was inspecting other areas, a few prisoners started to revolt.”

“Revolt? What's the situation?”

Lide's expression lightened; such incidents were inevitable. Those on the square were bloodthirsty Dark Lives, not harmless sheep.

But Kapu's words took him aback.

“After breaking free from their chains, those prisoners tore up a Three Circle magic scroll, causing quite the chaos, then took advantage of other slaves' revolts to kill the guarding Beastman warriors and escaped.”

Escaped??

Surprise flashed in Lide's eyes. These Dark Lives were unarmed, having been stripped of weapons, yet they still managed to kill the guarding Beastman warriors.

Furthermore, they had escaped even with Magic Language Bats in the sky. This was no small feat.

His interest was piqued.

“Collect our warriors' bodies and distribute the due pensions to their families according to regulations.

In addition, do you know what race those escaped Dark Lives belong to?”

“Your Excellency, they were Naga,” Kapu replied, clearly annoyed. Such an incident reflected poorly on him as the commander-in-chief.

To have the enemy escape under so many watchful eyes… even if they were Naga, it was unforgivable.

He hadn't arranged for higher-level combatants to be present due to the myriad tasks following the capture of Black Iron Castle and the shortage of administrators, which wouldn't have led to such an event.

“Naga?” Lide's eyes lit up.

Among the several races in the Underworld he found most interesting, apart from the beautiful Dark Night Elves, the Naga intrigued him the most.

As an Upper Race, the Naga's talents were certainly no less formidable than that of the Bloodline, and according to the myths and legends he had collected, their combat prowess was exceedingly powerful.

“Did you catch any alive?”

“No, they all got away.”

“No matter, take me to the scene of the battle; there might be something to discover.”

Chapter end