At the opening in the palace wall, the royal knights and soldiers took up arms to defend against the vampires' assault.

Magic, arrows, and blades clashed between the two forces, their might clashing in a fierce struggle. Yet, for all their efforts, the true battle wasn't unfolding there but atop the palace wall, where Commander Zaman stood against two vampires. One was Carmilla, wielding a dark red whip, and the other was Nisha, the Mistress of the vampires, holding no weapon, but instead a peculiar crystal orb with a single drop of blood suspended within.

Though outnumbered, Zaman stood resolutely, halberd in hand. “What is your purpose in attacking us? As far as I know, we’ve done nothing to provoke you.”

Carmilla threw her head back in laughter. “Foolish human. Perhaps not in your lifetime, but you will pay for what your kingdom has done to us in the past. The Primo—”

“Don’t monologue, Carmilla. He doesn’t need to know why.” Nisha interrupted sharply. Internally, she sighed. While Carmilla was undeniably capable, she had a penchant for talking too much when the odds were in her favor. This was precisely why Nisha hadn’t left her to attack the palace alone. She had accompanied her while the other A-rank vampires targeted key locations across the city.

‘Because of the blood moon, she’s even chattier today.’

Nisha’s gaze fell on the crystal orb in her hand, its single drop of blood glowing faintly. This was the Blood Reign, a legendary artifact that enhanced blood magic and created the blood moon, a phenomenon that shielded vampires from the sun and greatly amplified their power. The orb drew its strength from a drop of blood belonging to an outer god, a treasure Nisha had “borrowed” from the Primogen.

She shivered at the thought of what would happen if he discovered her actions. But as always, she reasoned, it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Although Nisha had never intended to use the Blood Reign, the incident in the sewers had forced her hand. The original plan was no longer viable, and swift action was now their best strategy. If they delayed, heightened patrols or the captured Brekster would soon expose the vampires’ hideouts scattered across the city.

Even though victory was not yet secured, the attack could already be deemed a success. Battles raged everywhere, and while their forces were outnumbered, their superior strength guaranteed eventual triumph. Still, Nisha remained vigilant.

‘We can’t afford to let our guard down. We must stick to the plan to ensure victory.’

“[Bloody Cleaver].”

A massive blade of blood materialized above Zaman and plummeted toward him.

Zaman frowned as the crimson strike descended. “So, no peaceful resolution then.”

With a powerful swing, he slashed upward with his halberd, splitting the blood cleaver in two. As his weapon arced upward, Carmilla’s whip snaked around it, locking it in place.

Zaman tugged, attempting to free his halberd, but Carmilla held fast with supernatural strength. The weapon refused to budge.

“Oh~? Is the big, strong commander weaker than little ol’ me?” Carmilla teased, her mocking grin wide.

The blood moon had granted her incredible strength, even though her law technique didn’t focus on enhancing physical power. Despite Zaman’s resistance, he couldn’t match her raw force. Without a word, he released the halberd, allowing it to fly into Carmilla’s grasp.

“Hehe, now that you’re unarmed, you—”

“Carmilla, stop playing around.” Nisha interjected, her tone sharper now.

“Yes, Mistress.” Carmilla replied, begrudgingly. Though she relished toying with an A-ranker while empowered, she knew Nisha’s patience had limits.

Carmilla’s eyes glowed red as she activated her law technique, [Heart Turner].

Her smirk widened as Zaman’s expression softened, his eyes glazing over with a glossy red sheen.

“Poor Commander~” she crooned mockingly. “Even the mighty Royal Knight Commander isn’t immune to my charms.” She sauntered closer, twirling her whip lazily, savoring her supposed triumph. “Why don’t you kneel, darling? I promise to show you mercy.”

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Zaman dropped to one knee, his gaze fixed on her. His eyes betrayed no emotion, only the haze of her control.

“The silent type, hmm? Don’t worry, I don’t mind~.”

Behind him, Nisha frowned but refrained from interrupting. This performance was part of Carmilla’s technique, meant to deepen her victim’s infatuation for her. Despite her confidence in Carmilla’s powers, Nisha couldn’t shake a lingering unease. ‘Even under the blood moon, we shouldn’t underestimate him.’

Carmilla leaned forward, holding Zaman’s halberd. “Now, beg for forgiveness, Commander. Perhaps I’ll let you live... as my pet.”

Zaman’s lips moved, a faint whisper escaping. “Forgive me...”

Carmilla’s grin widened. “Good. Now, I think I’ll—”

The whisper grew sharper. “...for what comes next.”

Before Carmilla could react, Zaman’s hand moved in a blur. A second halberd materialized in his grasp, and he slashed in a blazing arc of steel.

Carmilla’s eyes widened in shock. She jerked back instinctively but wasn’t fast enough. The blade cut through her abdomen, spraying blood.

“[Transfusion]!”

Being on guard, Nisha reacted instantly, casting a healing spell. The spilled blood surged back into Carmilla’s body, sealing the wound before it could become fatal.

Carmilla, still reeling from the attack, yelled, “How are you able to resist my charm?!”

Under normal circumstances, she might have accepted Zaman’s resistance, but in her current empowered state, such defiance should have been impossible.

Zaman chuckled. “Sorry, I just don’t lean that way.”

“What?! How does that even make sense?!” Carmilla shouted, incredulous. She didn’t care about his sexual orientation, her charm worked regardless of such things. She had made both men and women fall before her countless times before. Her law technique transcended such limitations.

In her brief moment of confusion, Zaman seized the opportunity to strike again. He swung his halberd, aiming to pierce through her head.

“[Blood Wave]!” Nisha intervened swiftly.

A cascading wall of blood surged between Carmilla and Zaman, forcing him to retreat. The wave pursued him relentlessly, but he doubled back and leaped over it, his movements fluid and precise. Multiple halberds materialized around him, and with incredible power, he hurled them at the two vampires.

Nisha cursed under her breath as the projectiles sliced through the air with deadly precision.

“[Scarlet Barrier]!” she shouted, raising her hand. The blood around her solidified into shields, deflecting the incoming halberds. Carmilla, though still recovering, snapped her whip, destroying a few more before they could reach her.

“You’re more troublesome than I thought.” Nisha muttered, her calm demeanor tinged with frustration. She glanced at the Blood Reign orb in her hand, weighing whether to channel more of its power. Though the blood moon had already granted her overwhelming strength, Zaman’s resilience and resourcefulness were proving a greater challenge than anticipated.

Unbeknownst to most observers, Zaman was constantly leveraging his law technique, [Everlasting Present]. Though a passive law technique, it allowed him to analyze his surroundings with unparalleled clarity and devise perfect counters to any situation. This ability let him face opponents far stronger than himself.

Zaman landed deftly on his feet, his gaze sharp and unyielding. He gave the vampires no chance to regroup. With a commanding yell, he hurled another halberd at Carmilla, forcing her to sidestep, then closed the distance with lightning speed.

“You’re outmatched.” Zaman said coldly, his voice cutting through the air. “It doesn’t matter how much stronger you are than me.”

Carmilla sneered, even with the blade at her neck. “Maybe, but I’m not alone.”

Before Zaman could react, Nisha’s voice sliced through the tension. “Enough.”

The air thickened with oppressive energy as the drop of blood within the Blood Reign orb began to glow ominously. Crimson light flooded the surroundings, casting eerie shadows across the battlefield. Zaman instinctively leaped back, distancing himself as Nisha’s power surged.

“This kingdom’s time has come.” Nisha declared, her voice resonating with a power far beyond mortal comprehension. “You fought well, Commander, but you stand against the inevitable.”

She raised the Blood Reign high, and the blood moon’s light pulsed violently. A wave of energy erupted, washing over the battlefield. The vampires below roared in unison, their strength surging even further. Their attacks grew more ferocious, overwhelming the knights, soldiers, and adventurers defending the city.

Zaman gritted his teeth as the oppressive aura pressed down on him. Despite his formidable strength, he couldn’t ignore the overwhelming advantage the vampires now held. He steadied himself, gripping his halberd tightly.

“I’ve seen the inevitable before.” he said, his voice steady. “Trust me, you’re not it.”

With that, he charged forward once more, reigniting the clash with even greater intensity. Nisha and Carmilla moved in tandem, their attacks synchronized with deadly precision. Yet Zaman’s strikes remained calculated, his defense impenetrable, and his unyielding will matched their overwhelming might.

Though he held his ground valiantly, the tide of battle began to turn against him. As powerful as his law technique was, it had its limits. Identifying openings was one thing, but if he lacked the speed or strength to exploit them, he was left vulnerable. Bit by bit, he was forced onto the defensive.

During one exchange, Carmilla’s whip lashed around his leg, binding him in place. Zaman anticipated the attack but couldn’t move his body in time.

“It seems you were wrong, Commander.” Carmilla said with a vicious grin. “We are inevitable.”

“[Sanguine Lances].” Nisha intoned.

Dozens of crimson lances materialized around Zaman in an inescapable formation. They hovered menacingly, poised to strike.

But just as they were about to be unleashed, a beam of pure void energy streaked through the air, targeting Nisha.