Age of Adepts

How terrifying was a Second Grade Blood Knight with intact memories and intelligence?

The other blood knights only knew how to run headlong into the carcass beetles, slashing at them with their most powerful techniques. They didn’t know how to care for their wellbeing. They only thought of retreating when they were on the brink of death.

These knights were quickly surrounded by the beetles as long as Acteon was willing to lay down a little bait.

Soros was completely different. He was the perfect merger of a human’s intelligence and a blood knight’s savagery. Soros assigned most of the dangerous work to the other blood knights under his command. In doing so, Soros created the space he needed to unleash the unparalleled offensive powers of a Second Grade Knight. He slaughtered numerous carcass beetles with his longsword.

Every time Acteon attempted to surround him, Soros would use tactics to foil the adept. He would send out two First Grade knights to bring up the rear while he led the rest to break out from the encirclement. In just a single fight between them, Soros had managed to trade the lives of two First Grade blood knights for those of fourteen mature carcass beetles.

This tremendous loss caused Acteon to hate Soros with a passion!

However, Evil Bugs Acteon had no choice but to suppress his emotions. He faced the combination of Second Grade Soros and First Grade Bloody Sorceress Mary.

Still, it didn’t do him much good to not act on his emotions. Mary seemed to have decided to take him down. An endless wave of bats cooperated with the powerful blood knights under her command. The vampires stuck close to Acteon’s bugs, launching a painful war of attrition against him.

After two months of constant battles and escapes, Acteon had exhausted the last of his swarm. Blood spells severely corroded even his body of bugs.

Acteon had no choice but to hide as he stealthily made his way to this nursery that he had set up a long time ago.

He had created this place in preparation for the future exponential increase in his powers. However, the winds no longer blew in his favor, and he had to activate it now.

As the five hundred larvae continued to devour each other, the life in the cave slowly decreased. In exchange, the survivors were rapidly becoming more powerful. All the larvae were gone when the devouring ceremony had concluded. Only six elite-level carcass beetles with black shells and green wings remained.

The six elite beetles immediately lunged at Acteon when he let out a screech. They devoured all the crimson patches on Acteon’s body with their sharp claws and jaws.

As expected of elite-level carcass beetles, these patches created by blood spells did not affect their flesh and stomachs. The beetles absorbed every bit of the crimson spots.

The process of having his flesh devoured was terrifying and painful. However, Acteon wore an expression of freedom and enjoyment on his hideous bug face. He was finally free from the sickness that had troubled him for seven whole days. It was worth it even if he had to hurt a little for it!

However, during this short delay, a flock of two dozen vampires had arrived in the forest above the cave. They had gleaming black fur, red eyes, white fangs, and bodies the size of wash basins. They circled the skies like vultures looking for their prey.

Every time they found a clue, one of the bats would transform into a thin and pale human. That person would crouch on the ground and carefully check for further hints.

The ancient tree and its enchanted door were finally found after their persistent pursuit.

However, before they could even attempt to open the door, the roots of the trees exploded from within.

A shockwave sent thousands of wood splinters and dirt blasting through the air, instantly riddling the three vampire spawn standing near the tree with holes.

Even a vampire, with all their regenerative powers, couldn’t endure a massive injury like that. All three of the spawn died on the spot. The other vampire spawn immediately turned themselves into bloodsucking bats and dispersed into the surrounding woods.

Even though they spread out in every direction, they didn’t go too far. Many of the smarter bats also hid atop the trees and silently observed that tree.

They quickly let out a long and strange ultrasound wave when they saw Acteon and the six intimidating beetles following behind him. These beetles were even more terrifying than the mature beetles Acteon previously had with him.

Bloody Sorceress Mary’s flying scouts were everywhere in the forest now. They used this sound wave that outsiders were unlikely to imitate or understand to swiftly relay information between them.

Soon, on the top of a massive tree three and a half kilometers away, Mary turned her head. Her gaze cut through the sea of trees and fell upon the location where the news had come from.

”They found Acteon’s tracks. Go!” Mary’s crimson battle armor perfectly complemented and revealed her perfect figure, ”Soros, you are still in command. But be careful. Do not kill off all my knights.”

Mary was no longer the lonesome, reckless, and temperamental vampire she once was. She had taken great pains to manage this vampire army of hers in this plane, fighting tooth and nail for dominance against Acteon.

These experiences had shaped her into more and more of a fitting leader!

In front of these vampires, she was their rightful sovereign and absolute leader. Mary held in her hands the fates of every vampire in her army, even that of Second Grade Soros. The suggestion planted deep in their bloodline compelled all the blood servants and vampire spawn to become unquestionably loyal to Mary.

This ability was the real terror of a vampire!

”I understand, master!” Soros gently bowed to Mary before leading the remaining three knights into the forest. They transformed into massive bats and beat their wings as they glided into the distance.

”How are things proceeding. Has the perimeter been set up?” Mary didn’t fight on the frontlines like she used to. Instead, she remained on the spot and gazed at the distant location.

The first batch of vampires had already rushed forward.

A battle to the death had started, and the previously silent woods had instantly bubbled into a riot. The towering ancient trees trembled, and Leaves and branches were blown into the air by violent shockwaves.

In a matter of moments, all forty-five vampire spawn in the first wave had died. This result came as a surprise to Mary.

”It has been arranged, master!” It was the old fox Vanlier who stood by Mary’s side. He now looked handsome and charming, and his body was tall and slender. He looked nothing like the old man from before, ”The army of vampire spawn have moved into position. They are only waiting for your orders, and they will die for you in battle!”

”Then get them to move now!” Mary ordered in a cold and unfeeling tone, ”I am sick of staying in this inferior world. We can leave once this war is over. The ticket to leave this place is too expensive. I can’t bring so many incompetent fools with me. However, if you serve me well this time, one of the tickets will have your name on it!”

Mary’s words were light and breezy, but they sounded like thunder when they fell upon Vanlier’s ears. He already had premonitions and vague guesses about what was to come. However, he still couldn’t compose himself in the face of this news. Vanlier was still shocked when Mary finally said it out loud.

The vampire army had been built up by Vanlier himself. Their numbers had reached into a surprising excess of over two thousand. This mighty army had caused Vanlier to lose sleep in excitement.

Yet, an army like this appeared to be insignificant in Mary’s eyes. The way she spoke, it sounded like they could be brushed aside by a mere gust of wind.

This monstrous army in a lower world was unimportant in Mary’s heart. This…this was clearly beyond Vanlier’s understanding.

What did his master’s world look like?

Did his efforts here in this world mean nothing?

What would happen to him if his master didn’t choose him for his abilities?

……

Vanlier started to panic the more he thought about it.

For the first time, he felt as if the paradigm he lived in was far too small. It seemed he had never truly managed to keep up with his master. What would await a person like him? Someone with no combat ability or power? Someone whose only worth was his mind? What would happen if his master disregarded even his intelligence?

”Master, I will go and check on the army. I will ensure that no unexpected incidents crop up! Evil Bugs Acteon; I definitely won’t allow him to escape from us this time.” Vanlier was practically grinding his teeth together as he swore.

He quickly turned into a gray bat once he obtained Mary’s acknowledgment. He then screeched as he flew towards his subordinates.

Ticket! Ticket! I must get the ticket!

Even though Mary never talked about the fates of those without tickets, Vanlier would swear on his life that it wasn’t going to end simply.

The roar of explosions came from the direction of the battlefield in the distance. Several ferocious gusts of wind ravaged the woods. Wood flew everywhere as the sea of trees shook in the winds. Flocks of bloodsucking bats fluttered through the trees, trying their best to avoid the energy fragments that shot everywhere.

Mary sensed a subtle net with a diameter of ten to fifteen kilometers being formed. The web was slowly tightening with the battlefield at its center.

Soros and the blood knights she had sent out earlier were already lying in wait near the battlefield. The moment Acteon betrayed a weakness, the assault team composed of Second Grade blood knights would leave him with a nightmare he would never forget!

Hmph! It’s finally time for me to make an appearance!

Mary laughed sinisterly as she unfurled her wings. She turned into a red meteor as she shot towards the savage battlefield.

A battle to the death between bugs and vampires was about to break out!