Chapter 69

Lennix, neither the brightest soul in life nor in undeath, constantly faced reminders from his maid, sister, and others about his less-than-stellar intelligence. Even the reason he turned into a vampire was often labeled as dumb. Yet, the current situation demanded attention. Mari, the girl they wanted to save from his sister, was confined within a ritual circle. This magical construct had a defensive mechanism to deter unauthorized access. If someone other than Eirisse dared to enter it or touch Mari, the circle would unleash a magical lightning shock, growing progressively more potent with each intrusion, eventually propelling the intruder away, likely fatally.

While a more astute individual might have opted for a methodical examination of the circle, attempting to dismantle or find a way around the circle. However, as established Lennix wasn't renowned for his intellect. When he proposed his idea to Xain, anticipating a typical response of disagreement and ridicule, Xain surprised him by saying, "Sure, let's give it a shot." Puzzled, Lennix sought clarification, "Are you sure, sure? Because it's really dangerous." Xain's response, "Yeah, but in all honesty, I don't really like you, so I don't really care," left Lennix nodding in agreement, somewhat disappointed, yet glad that he had Xain on board with his risky plan.

The plan, if one could even call it that, was deceptively straightforward: Xain would throw Lennix into the circle to reach Mari. And that was the entirety of their strategy. Xain executed the plan by grabbing Lennix's right hand and placing it over his shoulder. Simultaneously, Lennix positioned his left hand on Xain's other shoulder. With a lift and push, Xain propelled Lennix over his shoulder towards Mari inside the circle. Accompanied by a yell, "AGH!" that caught everyone's attention, Lennix soared through the air, landing just above the peacefully sleeping Mari. He skillfully stopped himself by placing his hands on the ground, ensuring not to harm her. However, the ritual circle promptly responded by subjecting Lennix to a barrage of magical red lightning shocks.

Lennix endured the searing pain of the red lightning coursing through him, his resilience delaying the inevitable for a brief moment. However, as the magical assault intensified, his supernatural endurance began to wane. The lightning's relentless assault inflicted damage upon his skin and started to interfere with his nervous system. Being a vampire afforded him a slightly extended resistance compared to mortals, but even his endurance had its limits.

As the ritual circle sought to repel him, Lennix, with quick reflexes, extended his black claws from his fingertips. Planting his hands into the ground, he anchored himself to prevent being forcibly ejected. The circle persisted, attempting to unleash a more potent repulsion, but Lennix's claws dug deeper into the soil, resisting the force.

The ordeal continued, the circle's lightning growing increasingly intense. Lennix's body began to show signs of strain, his organs feeling the impact of the magical assault. Despite the excruciating pain, Lennix managed to gaze towards his horrified sister. With a defiant smile, he silently mouthed, "What will you do now, sister?"

Eirisse shook out of her horrified state and quickly aimed the artifact towards the ritual circle, prompting the eye to shift into a deep black color. The artifact's power negated the magical lightning released by the ritual circle, deactivating it permanently. The abrupt cessation of the magical assault allowed Lennix to catch his breath, even if, as a vampire, he didn't truly need to breathe. It was an ingrained response, a remnant of his human habits.

Under him, Mari stirred and gradually opened her eyes. Gazing at Lennix with a hint of drowsiness, she questioned, "Uncle Lennix? Why are you here?" Despite his weakened state, Lennix managed a reassuring response, "Don't worry, Mari, we're here to save you," before succumbing to unconsciousness beside her.

Mari, alarmed by Lennix's sudden collapse, couldn't contain her panic. She emitted a startled yelp and desperately shook his motionless form. "Uncle Lennix, what's wrong?" she stammered, attempting to rouse him. A closer inspection revealed the scorch marks on his skin, the smell of burnt flesh wafting in the air, and the gruesome sight of his missing right leg. The overwhelming sensations almost made her retch, but she managed to suppress the urge, tears welling up in her eyes. She was about to scream for help when she noticed the others around her, a mix of fear and confusion washing over her.

Xain immediately rushed towards Mari, intending not only to comfort her but also to check on Lennix. As his earlier remark about not particularly liking Lennix was a joke. Meanwhile, Eirisse prepared to approach her brother, only to be abruptly halted by the swing of the black knight's greatsword that was aimed at her neck, aiming to decapitate her. Reacting quickly, she bent backward to evade the attack before turning to face the black knight. For the first time, her expression was contorted in complete anger.

"Let me, though!" she growled, but the black knight nonchalantly shook his head. "Nope, you're definitely not getting close to them on my watch," he stated, readying his greatsword. Eirisse aimed the artifact towards him, ready to crush him, and changed the eye's color to orange. However, just before she could execute the move, someone from behind grabbed the artifact.

*Damn it, got too distracted!* she thought, swiftly turning and swiping her hand behind her, which Ercale easily dodged. He then struck her with a bolt of lightning, propelling her back, as she was unable to dodge it from such close range. As she landed, her feet skidded slightly, preventing a collision with the wall. Looking up, she found Ercale with a confident and sadistic smile, holding the artifact in one hand.