— — — — — —
"Wait for me, I'm on my way, Master!"
Beep beep beep~
The moment Himeragi Yukina finished speaking, Endou's phone was already playing the busy tone.
Endou opened his mouth, but in the end, just shook his head and sighed helplessly. "Still as impatient as ever, Yukina."
Endou believed that even if Yukina rushed over, there wasn't much she could do right now anyway.
Not to mention—The guy in front of them, the snake charmer, clearly wasn't planning to seriously pick a fight with the Lion King Organization.
Still, against a vampire who hasn't reached the level of a Primogenitor (True Ancestor) yet, they weren't helpless.
It's just Dimitrie Vatler wasn't exactly easy to deal with.
Word was, he'd swallowed two second-generation-class vampires. Who knew what level his strength had reached now?
Endou's expression turned serious as she locked eyes with Dimitrie Vatler, keeping a close watch on his every move.
Wait...
Hadn't she forgotten to ask Yukina about Lynn's situation?
Endou's mind drifted back to Yukina.
Compared to Dimitrie Vatler, she was way more concerned about how things were going with Lynn.
After all, when an even more terrifying being was looming over them, Dimitrie Vatler just didn't feel like much of a threat anymore.
Naturally, Dimitrie Vatler could also tell the Lion King Organization wasn't exactly taking him seriously.
He chuckled, a little amused. "Man, it's been a while since anyone treated me like I don't matter."
For some reason, that realization made him genuinely happy.
Yeah, this was how it should be! They ignore him...And then BATTLE!!
Only through fighting could he feel truly alive!
"Utpalaka!"
With a low call, the massive serpent behind Dimitrie Vatler launched itself into the air, diving straight toward the Lion King Organization's reception hall!
Wherever it passed, freezing air swept out, instantly frosting everything around it!
ROAR!
The giant snake opened its crimson maw and let out a chilling screech!
But Endou and the others just glanced at it casually, not even bothering to react.
The next second—
A faint blue barrier quietly rose up in front of them.
BOOM!
Utpalaka smashed headfirst into the barrier!
Hisssss~~
The serpent screeched in pain, but no matter how hard it pushed, it couldn't advance even an inch.
Whoosh
It exhaled a freezing breath, instantly covering the barrier with a thick layer of frost.
Crack crack!
The sharp sound of freezing filled the air.
Endou calmly lifted a hand, and with a flick of her fingers, a talisman shot toward Utpalaka!
Mid-air, the talisman suddenly ignited in bright crimson flames! The next moment, it struck Utpalaka's enormous body.
Fwoosh!
The small flame erupted into a massive inferno, engulfing the giant snake completely!
ROAR!!
Utpalaka howled in agony, writhing violently, trying desperately to shake off the flames.
Endou just gave it a flat look before shifting her gaze toward Dimitrie Vatler, her voice cold:
"Hey, snake charmer. Is that how your Warlord boss taught you to say hello?"
Dimitrie Vatler, completely unconcerned about his familiar burning alive, simply smiled lightly and said:
"I'm just here to see if you're qualified to host the Blazing Banquet."
The Blazing Banquet?
Hearing those words, Endou's eyes narrowed slightly.
So that's what this was about.
No surprise there. If the vampires were getting involved, it had to be related to the 'Fourth Progenitor.'
What did catch her off guard was that the Warlord actually sent this battle-crazed lunatic.
Did he not realize what would happen? Or maybe...
Maybe this was exactly what he wanted.
Endou's eyes flickered thoughtfully, unable to guess what the Warlord was really thinking.
...
Meanwhile—
Dimitrie Vatler calmly recalled Utpalaka back to its world.
Then, raising his hand, he called out: "Sagara, Upananda."
The moment his voice fell, two new serpents materialized behind him—one, a dark blue giant snake as vast as the ocean; the other, a black serpent covered in countless razor-sharp scales along its back.
The second they appeared, the pressure in the room spiked dramatically!
Endou felt her whole body tense up and the air around her freezing.
"You've come this far... and you still want to fight?"
Hands casually tucked in his pockets, Dimitrie Vatler chuckled, "You guys at the Lion King Organization must have my file, right?"
"You already know exactly what kind of guy I am."
Endou let out a long breath and rubbed her temples. She could already feel the headache coming.
She couldn't let this guy do whatever he wanted!
Her eyes sharpened. With a wave of her hand, a massive shikigami the size of a mountain appeared out of thin air!
And without missing a beat, it threw a massive punch straight down!
BOOM!!
The shockwave of the punch exploded through the air!
Dimitrie Vatler lifted his head, a bright spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Now that's more like it!"
At his mental command, Sagara and Upananda charged in!
Sagara slipped past the shikigami's attack and wrapped its massive body tightly around it.
A crushing pressure, like the weight of the ocean itself, bore down on the shikigami!
Boom!
Forced to one knee, the shikigami slammed the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Seeing the opening, Upananda lashed its tail like a whip!
Screech—
The sound of blades cutting into flesh rang out as the shikigami's enormous body was slashed, leaving a gruesome wound!
Clap clap clap.
Dimitrie Vatler clapped his hands cheerfully."Looks like my familiars are still better than yours."
Endou didn't react to his gloating. Expressionless, she simply raised her hand and tapped the air.
A streak of golden light shot into the shikigami's body!
ROAR!!
The shikigami suddenly let out a deafening roar, rising back to its feet!
Its massive hands grabbed Sagara's body, squeezing it with terrifying force!
Hisss~
Sagara let out a miserable shriek!
And the next instant—CRACK—!
Its body split apart, a flood of water pouring down from the sky!
Though Dimitrie Vatler's smile remained on his face, his eyes had turned noticeably colder.
He clapped his hands again.
Hum—
Countless giant serpents began to manifest around him.
Endou raised an eyebrow. "Going all out now, huh?"
Dimitrie Vatler kept smiling: "Try not to die."
"Heh."
Endou let out a cold laugh. "Guess you're really underestimating us."
Just as she was about to make her move, a familiar voice suddenly shouted from outside.
"Master!"
Startled, Endou turned toward the sound—and saw Yukina Himeragi rushing in, wielding her Snowdrift Wolf Schneewalzer and charging straight at Dimitrie Vatler!
Endou's eye twitched. "Wait! You're no match for him!"
Vatler turned his head, raising an eyebrow in amusement as he watched Yukina come at him.
"Ah, the fearless spirit of the young."
But as he felt that she didn't have the aura of a true powerhouse, he quickly lost interest.
What he didn't know was that she was the Anti-Demons Devil.
---
—[Anti-Demons Devil]—
•Gained control over the spear "Snowdrift Wolf Schneewalzer."
•Divine Punishment Eye (Passive: Senses magical energy/malice within 300 meters; can mark up to 3 targets with their anti-magic weak points.)
•Anti-Magic Barrier: Eightfold Holly (Deploys eight magic-inscribed gunblades to form a barrier that reduces all magic effects by 70%.)
•Divine Core Resonance: Critical Breakthrough (Activates the Snowdrift Wolf's divine core, adding space-shattering power to attacks.)
•Bonus damage against all evil creatures (Vampires, demons, etc...).
•Devilization (Divine Punishment Spear: Summons a massive Snow wolf avatar for a piercing strike that causes "Divine Core Collapse" along its path.)
---
Still thinking of Yukina as weak, Vatler waved a hand dismissively. "Upananda."
At his command, Upananda turned its deadly focus onto Yukina, its eerie green slit-pupils locking onto her.
Yukina's eyes narrowed sharply, and she whispered under her breath, "Snowdrift Wolf!"
Fwoosh—
In that instant, a swirling torrent of energy erupted from Snowdrift Wolf!
At the same time, Yukina spotted a faint red glowing spot on Upananda's massive body.
Divine Punishment Eye!
That's the weak spot!
Fixing her gaze on the target, Yukina gripped her weapon tightly and took a deep breath.
Swish!
With terrifying force, she hurled Snowdrift Wolf forward!
A brilliant light exploded from the weapon, violently distorting the very air around it!
Divine Core Resonance: Critical Breakthrough!
Yukina wasn't holding back—She went all out from the start!
Upananda's green pupils were instantly filled with light!
Sensing the danger, it instinctively twisted its body, trying to dodge. But Snowdrift Wolf was way too fast!
In the blink of an eye, it pierced straight into Upananda's lower abdomen!
The radiant light instantly swallowed Upananda whole!
"Gyaaahhh!!"
Upananda thrashed wildly, letting out a pitiful screech!
But against the overwhelming force of Yukina's attack, it didn't take long before Upananda was utterly annihilated.
Seeing the familiar vanish completely, Yukina let out a few quick breaths and held out her hand.
Swish~
Snowdrift Wolf flew right back into her hand, settling quietly.
Across from her, Dimitrie Vatler stared at the spot where Upananda had disappeared, his face stiffening slightly.
He tried to reestablish the connection with his familiar but there was nothing left.
.
.
.