Chapter 143

Chapter 143

"Nightmares come often, dont they, Ash?"

As the battlefield was drawing to a close, Celendion abruptly posed the question.

Upon turning, he was still standing there, calmly smiling, despite his subordinates dropping dead around him.

"..."

I didnt like it.

However, it was my role to delay Celendions entry into the battlefield as much as possible while his subordinates were being annihilated.

I decided to pretend to listen attentively to whatever nonsense he was about to spout.

"Nightmares?"

"Yes, nightmares."

"Do people even exist who dont have nightmares?"

Celendions smile deepened.

This bastard, who seemed so cold and innocent when we first met, let his guard down too much as the battlefield approached.

As if he was thoroughly enjoying the war, the death.

Honestly, it was slightly terrifying to witness these monsters showing their true nature.

"Nightmares reflect the deepest fears inside a person. They materialize what one fears the most."

I frowned.

He was suddenly mumbling about psychology related to dreams.

I wished I could give him a book written by Freud or Jung from Earth.

"But imagine this. What if that nightmare doesnt remain in dreams and comes to reality?"

"...?"

"What if it emerges from the other side as a monster with a clear form, alive and breathing, and stands before your eyes?"

Celendion stared intently at the wine glass in his hand.

"How would you feel then?"

"What...nonsense is this?"

"Nightmares arent simply dreams. They are connected to something deeper."

Celendion drained the wine glass in one gulp.

The wine bottle was already empty, and that was the last of the wine left.

"If you truly aim to annihilate us and save humanity, you better think about this point."

Whether this was some nonsensical play or a hint to help clear the game...

I was left puzzled, unable to figure out which one it was.

Thud!

Celendion, placing the empty wine glass on the table, squinted his bloodshot eyes like the moon.

"Now, young one, let me ask once again... do you have nightmares often?"

"...?"

"What do you fear the most?"

What do I fear the most?

Without realizing, I got lost in thought. It was...

"I hope its not something too horrifying."

Slowly, Celendion shifted his gaze towards the fortress.

"Because, whatever it is, if you look too deep into it, it may become reality."

***

Kiyaaaaaa-!

The mid-boss battle of Alpha and Beta. Phase 2.

The two vampires, whose cores were destroyed and had fallen, stood up again as Fallen Blood vampires.

They lost their reasoning, but their respective combat abilities had only increased.

Alpha rained down even more blood magic than before, and Beta, her whole body covered in muscles, had grown twice as big.

Alpha and Beta were squeezing out every last drop of their life force from their source.

Even if the duration was short, a surge in their specs was unatural.

"Hiieek! We cant withstand this?!"

Kugwakwakwak!

Evangeline screamed while narrowly avoiding the raining blood magic.

"..."

Lucas avoided all of Betas axe strikes with his icy gaze.

He managed to avoid them, but unlike the first phase, he couldnt find an opportunity to counterattack.

"Godhand, Bodybag! Are you not ready yet?!"

Evangeline jumped. The fortress she had been standing on until a moment ago had been smashed by blood magic and turned into dust.

"We are reaching our limit! Quickly, do someth... Aaargh!"

Crash-!

Eventually, the relentless blood magic cruelly struck Evangeline who had reached her limit in evading.

She managed to block it with her shield, but couldnt fully withstand the shock.

She was flung backward and slammed into the ruins of the fortress. Bang!

The same was true for Lucas. He had reached his limit.

Pit-

A long line of blood ran down Lucass cheek. It was the first time Betas axe blade had made contact with his body.

Pit, pipit-

"Well done, humans."

"..."

I stared silently at the Vampire King.

I did not like this.

Despite losing all 999 of his minions, this monstrous brat didnt lose his cool. It was incredibly irritating.

"Well, that was a long preamble."

Celendion turned to me with a cherubic smile and suddenly reached out.

"Shall we start the real battle now?"

Thunk!

"What?!"

"Lets join the fray."

An invisible force gripped my throat. As my breath hitched, I was lifted into the air.

"May I escort you, lamb?"

With that, Celendion kicked off the ground and soared upwards.

Swoosh-!

I felt as though the earth and sky had flipped. I let out a scream without even realizing.

"What kind of escort is this, you crazy son of a bitch!"

While Celendion climbed leisurely as though on a pleasant stroll on a path of ice and bodies, I was yanked into the air, my throat caught in his magic.

We reached the top of the fortress walls in mere seconds.

My party members looked at me with shock written all over their faces.

"What?!"

"How did..."

"Lord! Are you alright-"

Upon reaching the top of the wall, Celendion immediately flung me aside.

Thud!

Thrown towards the trio of archers, I rolled on the ground in a most undignified manner. Ugh!

"Your Highness!"

"Prince! Are you hurt?"

Damien, Skull, and Oldgirl rushed to my aid. Oh, my back...

"Manners...cough...seem to be lacking for a Vampire Lord!"

Struggling to appear composed, I looked up at Celendion with a strained smile.

"Our negotiations were not yet concluded, were they?"

"What use is conversation between humans and monsters? Its all futile theorizing. Didnt you think so too?"

The vampire lords boyish face flashed a menacing grin, his long fangs glinting.

"I have been patient for quite some time. Now... may I eat?"

"..."

"I am famished beyond endurance."

Roarrrr!

The atmosphere around us roared, and a nauseating scent of blood began to pulse.

Stage 5 boss.

The lord of the bloodline. Lord of Crimson.

No-Life King. Nosferatu. Dracula-

The named monster, Vampire Lord Celendion, known by dozens of aliases, radiated a terrifying bloodlust from his crimson eyes.

Creak! Creak! Creak!

My party members stepped forward in unison to block Celendions path. A long sneer spread across the vampire lords lips.

"I have watched your battles and pondered. Who among you is the most threatening adversary?"

The slender finger of the boyish vampire pointed at each of my party members in turn.

"The sniper? The mage? The knight? You all have potential. However..."

His finger finally landed on me.

"You are the most dangerous, Ash."

"...!"

"Not only did you lead the frontlines here, but you also kept your sanity despite confronting me alone."

Naturally, normal humans would lose their minds from prolonged exposure to the evil aura exuded by boss monsters, especially in a one-on-one situation.

But I was unaffected, thanks to my passive skill [Unyielding Commander].

"You remind me of great humans I have faced in the past... I admit it. You pose a threat on my kings path."

"I appreciate the overestimation... so, what now?"

"So, I will take your life first."

With ominous, flickering eyes, Celendion lifted his gaze and took a step toward me.

"Consider it an honor. To be the first meal of the Vampire Lords campaign."

The next moment.

Swoosh-!

Celendion lunged at me, and in response, every member of my party rushed towards him, weapons at the ready.

It was the final confrontation of Stage 5, arguably the last stage of the early part of <Protect the Empire>.

The final battle had begun.