The Arrival of the Black Knights

Hvítreiðr, South Gate.

There wasn't a single clan soldier patrolling the walls. Compared to the chaotic battle raging inside the city, the walls held a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

However, the serene atmosphere at the south gate vanished as a dense and ominous energy filled the entire area. Three black-armored knights, mounted on large steeds clad in dark armor, were advancing at a slow pace.

It was as if they were oblivious to the chaotic battle, the shouts, and the explosions resounding within the city. The only change as they reached the gate was the green light beginning to glow from their eyes behind their helmets.

The foremost black knight drew his cavalry sword and turned to his two companions. "Remember, failure is not an option. Our brothers are engaged in various tasks across Azderos, and we are the only ones suitable for this mission," he said, his eyes burning like green flames. "Victory or death."

"Victory or death!"

The two knights echoed, drawing their halberd and greatsword. The three black knights then unleashed their full auras and struck the gate with a single blow.

"!!"

The force of the impact created an explosion that caused the battle within the city to pause for several seconds. As a result, the gate and the wall supporting it were reduced to rubble.

The mounted knights nodded to each other and charged forward at full speed. The deep hoofprints left on the gravel road revealed that their horses were far from ordinary animals. In no time, they reached the resting vampires gathered in the square.

"Finally, you have arrived-!" The vampire baron greeted them with a cheerful bow.

But his welcome was met with a faceful of dust and debris, kicked up by the swiftly advancing knights. Of course, the fact that all three of the men before him were of the tenth rank was enough to keep his anger in check.

Seeing the three black knights head towards the tower without hesitation, one of the fifth-rank vampire subordinates spoke up. "Baron, they are adhering to their promise and heading to the tower. Shall we follow them?"

The baron shook his head in refusal. "Of course not. According to the vampire mission protocol, we have the right to abandon the mission and return to base to report once the task exceeds our rank. A tenth-rank count should have been here instead of us rabble," he said bitterly. "We're pulling back."

The other vampires were also disheartened by being labeled as rabble. However, the baron was right, and in a mission of this magnitude, their lives were no more than expendable assets.

Thus, without a thought for the fifth-rank vampire sent to the tower or the blood mage tasked with destroying the chieftain's hall, they followed the baron. They maintained a fourth-rank speed to ensure everyone could keep up, though it would still take them less than a minute to leave the city.

The melodious voice of a woman, as soothing as a balm to the ears, caused all the vampires approaching the ruins of the south gate to freeze in terror. "Oh my, a group of vampires. If someone had told me I'd see little bats on my journey north, I wouldn't have believed them."

A woman in a pure white robe with golden cross embroideries emerged from a nearby alley. The vampires couldn't see her face due to the radiant light emanating around her.

Before a white brilliance could send him and his subordinates to eternal rest, the baron muttered helplessly. "I did not deserve such an end..."

...

At the same time, a group of vampires and clan warriors faced off near the tower.

The fifth-rank vampire leading the team was clutching his severed, regenerating left arm as he glared at the man before him. Most of the vampires behind him were also severely wounded like him. If not for the explosion at the south gate halting the battle, they might have been dead by now.

"The chieftain's hall and your city square have been destroyed. Your south gate has been breached," the fifth-rank vampire said, trying to intimidate and buy time. "When our baron arrives from the square with full force, and the black knights spill your leaders' blood upon the city, it will be too late for you to surrender. Come and embrace eternal life like us."

Standing before him was Erik, with blonde hair, a beard, and blue war paint etched onto his face. His azure eyes gleamed with disdain. "I know you're stalling for time, leech," he said.

Then he turned slightly to his warriors. "Despite countless signs that we've turned the city into a death trap for them, they still came," he said with a slight chuckle. "I wish we could kill them all here. But the city has been damaged, and many of our comrades have fallen to their filthy hands."

He started walking, closing the distance to within three meters of the fifth-rank vampire in the narrow alley where half the buildings lay in ruins. At their current power levels, they could kill each other in less than a blink. But there was no hesitation in his movements, which unnerved the vampire who had already fought them.

"So why don't we capture them alive?" Erik asked, excitement gleaming in his eyes at the thought. "Mages from Vinumregnum and the central lands pour all their money into experimenting on these leeches," he said, blocking the vampire's claw attack with a slight movement of his shield.

As shockwaves rippled out, he swung his sword in a curved arc from below, severing the vampire's leg. "You shouldn't be so confident when you're not even at the peak of the fifth rank," he said, driving the vampire's head into the gravel with his foot. "Now, capture them!" he shouted, initiating a vampire hunt that stretched to the northern parts of Hvítreiðr.

Simultaneously, three figures atop the tower were evaluating Erik's performance.

"If we hadn't assessed him, he would still be rotting under Olpar," said Ülgen.

Sven nodded in agreement. "He didn't contribute enough in the battle against Oldthern's army. He's trying to make up for it by capturing vampire prisoners."

Willbert chuckled softly. "He's indeed capable, but I would have appreciated it more if he had detected the vampire assassin making his way to the secret hideout."

At Willbert's words, Ülgen turned to Sven. "Even vampires attempt to withhold information amongst themselves for success. Now, Sven, I want you to bring me that seventh-rank vampire viscount alive."

Without a word, Sven nodded and disappeared into the depths of the tower. It was certain he would reach the hideout much earlier than the vampire viscount, who was advancing slowly and stealthily through various underground passages.

"Well, if they had only sent a baron after losing two thousand men, I would have doubted whether immortality had affected their brains. Yet, they're still not sufficient for the trump cards I've prepared. Fortunately, they didn't neglect to pay a visit to our old friends to make up for their shortcomings," Ülgen said. Then, he turned his gaze towards the three knights charging towards the tower at full speed.

Willbert turned as well, but unlike Ülgen's calm demeanor, his entire being was consumed with a fierce killing intent. He had been at the peak of his youth, in his twenties, when he was taken over by the parasite. Though he retained his youthful appearance, he was now seventy-four years old!

Even at the ninth rank, this age was enough for him to lose hope in growing stronger and consider retirement. True longevity and vitality were achievable for human aura users only by reaching the tenth rank. Without the passive vitality provided by the parasite's corpse remaining in his body, his soul would have rapidly aged his body the moment it was freed. In this sense, one could say he had already lost a part of his humanity.

As the aura of his werewolf body began to rise, Ülgen spoke. "Your swordsmanship is built on stability, Willbert. You'll take the halberd wielder."

Willbert looked at his lord in surprise. "But my lord, that means you—!"

"There's no need to worry. Just hold off your opponent until I deal with the other two," Ülgen's words were definitive.

As they spoke, the dark knights had already reached the front of the tower. Raising his cavalry sword towards Ülgen, the leading dark knight shouted threateningly, "There's no point in hiding behind your turtle shell to delay your death. If you don't come down, I'll go to the city's sanctuary and slaughter your people!"

Ülgen grinned, but in his werewolf form, the grin was wild and menacing. "You cowards who have been skulking around the borders of my lands for two years, what gives you the confidence to come here now?"

"Arrogant!" retorted the knight wielding the greatsword.

He was about to say more when the cavalry sword-wielding knight stopped him with a gesture, indicating that he should not interrupt the exchange between the leaders.

"We gave you time. We stood beyond your lands and waited for you to speak with us. But you rejected every chance we offered and embraced death. Do you truly believe that with just a puppet werewolf body and a pathetic knight you saved from our grasp, you can stop us?"

Of course, he couldn't admit they were trying to gauge the threat level of Ülgen's tower. Thus, he chose to twist the reason.

"I don't believe I can stop you," Ülgen replied, as his werewolf body grew to a towering height of three meters. "I believe I can destroy you!"

"!!"

With his words, the runes in the sewers activated, and the entire city began to overflow with holy light energy.