With the ceiling destroyed, sunlight poured into the arena, intensifying the existing light and casting long beams across the floor and walls. This newfound burst of daylight allowed Zealot and his skeleton minion to see their surroundings with unprecedented clarity, revealing every detail and shadow. They could now spot their foes more easily, gaining a crucial advantage in the looming confrontation.
At this moment, as Zealot descended to the ground, an unexpected notification abruptly appeared before him:
[You have a new Main Quest!]
[Main Quest: Reach Level 80]
[Reward: One random skill]
‘Oh, a new main quest? Excellent. I’ve been anticipating this opportunity,’ Zealot thought, his excitement contained yet palpable.
THUMP!
Zealot landed firmly on the ground, and at this moment, the Vampire King and the eleven Vampire Royal Knights rose from their colossal throne seats, their movements deliberate and imposing. The atmosphere in the underground arena grew tense as they prepared to confront Zealot who had boldly entered their domain, their eyes gleaming with a mix of anticipation and menace. The air seemed to thicken with the weight of the impending confrontation.
As the Vampire King and his Vampire Knights stood, their towering forms cast long shadows over the arena. Zealot, undaunted, assessed his adversaries, the sunlight revealing every detail of their regal yet menacing appearance. Each knight wore ornate armor that glinted in the light, their crimson eyes fixed on Zealot with a predatory gleam.
The Vampire King, a towering figure at 40 feet, stepped forward. His voice was deep and resonant, echoing through the arena with an air of ancient authority. “Welcome, adventurer,” he intoned, his eyes locked onto Zealot. “You have proven your strength and cunning by reaching this far, but your journey ends here.”
[Name: Vampire King]
[Level: 80]
Zealot smirked, his confidence unshaken. "Bold words for a Vampire King about to be slain."
The Vampire King’s expression darkened, a mix of amusement and disdain crossing his face. “Do not fool yourself into thinking your recent successes mean anything. My Royal Knights and I have ruled this tower for centuries, and we will not be toppled by the likes of you.”
[Name: Vampire Royal Knight]
[Level: 70 - 75]
Zealot’s eyes narrowed, his resolve hardening. “You underestimate me. That will be your downfall.”
Hearing Zealot’s arrogant words, the eleven Vampire Royal Knights grew enraged and were ready to act. However, the Vampire King raised a hand, commanding them to remain calm. “I see the confidence in your eyes, demon adventurer. But overconfidence can be your downfall. You and your skeletal minion will perish, just like all who came before you.”
The Vampire King had a point; Zealot might struggle to challenge the Vampire King and the Vampire Royal Knights on his own. However, with his newly evolved skeletal minion by his side, he had more than enough power to secure victory with moderate difficulty.
“Bony and I have faced countless foes, and none have stood in our way for long,” Zealot replied with an air of arrogance, his voice brimming with confidence, clearly indicating that he looked down on them.
The Vampire King, towering and regal, gestured with a commanding air, and the eleven Royal Knights moved into position, their eyes locked onto Zealot with deadly intent. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble as the vampires prepared for battle, their powerful auras making the air thick with anticipation.
RUMBLE!
The Vampire King’s crimson eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and curiosity as he responded, “We shall see, demon. Now, prepare yourself for the full might of my Royal Vampire Knights!”
CHARGE!
EYES OF TRUTH!
The eleven Royal Vampire Knights, in perfect synchronization, surged forward like a tidal wave of darkness, their movements both graceful and menacing. Each knight wielded a unique weapon, enchanted with dark magic, their eyes glowing with predatory hunger. The Vampire King stood back, observing with a regal calm, his presence exuding an aura of supreme confidence and authority.
‘I suppose I don’t even need to fight, since my Royal Knights alone are more than capable of handling this small fry,’ the Vampire King smirked.
Meanwhile, Zealot did the same thing as well, standing back and observing as his skeletal minion confronted the eleven Vampire Royal Knights.
‘This is going to be intriguing. Let’s see whether my skeletal minion is stronger, or the combined might of the eleven Vampire Royal Knights,’ Zealot smirked in anticipation.
As the Vampire King spectated the battle with his arms crossed, so did Zealot, both of them appeared relaxed and confident that their allies would emerge victorious.
HORIZONTAL SLASH! VERTICAL SLASH! DIAGONAL SLASH!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
CRIMSON CONTROL! BLOODBORNE HEALING! ECLIPSE WINGS!
‘What an absurdity! Does this demon adventurer actually think he can defeat my Royal Knights with only a mere skeletal minion?!’ The Vampire King was clearly irritated by Zealot’s demeanor, which showed a lack of seriousness and a condescending attitude towards him and his royal knights.
Having read the Vampire King’s thoughts, Zealot sensed his annoyance. ‘Hehe. You think my skeleton warrior is just a mere minion, huh? Well, brace yourself—the battle has only just begun. Soon, you will witness the true power of my skeletal minion.’
As the fierce battle raged in the underground arena, Zealot and the Vampire King watched their respective minions with keen eyes. The eleven Vampire Royal Knights moved with lethal precision, their enchanted weapons slicing through the air with deadly intent. However, Bony, the Skeleton Silver Warrior, was a force to be reckoned with. Its movements were fluid and swift, its skeletal form glowing with an eerie red light that made it an almost spectral presence on the battlefield.
HORIZONTAL SLASH! VERTICAL SLASH! DIAGONAL SLASH!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Each clash of weapons sent sparks flying, the sound of metal on metal echoing through the arena. The Vampire Royal Knights coordinated their attacks seamlessly, their strikes coming from all directions. Yet Bony, even without the Minion Berserk buff, matched their ferocity with its relentless assault. Its blade moved like a blur, deflecting strikes and countering with powerful, bone-shattering blows.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
SHADOW SHIELD! VAMPIRIC MIGHT! VEIL OF SHADOWS!
The Royal Knights invoked their dark magic, creating shields of shadow and enhancing their strength with vampiric power. Veils of darkness attempted to conceal their movements, but Bony’s swift reactions pierced through their deception, countering every feint and strike with pinpoint accuracy.
One of the Vampire Royal Knights hissed, “This... this minion sees through our shadows! How is this even possible?!”
Another staggered back after a swift, deceptive strike, exclaiming, “This skeleton’s movements... they’re too precise! It’s becoming increasingly hard to land even a single blow against it!”
A third growled, trying to regain composure, “This skeletal warrior... its power is beyond anything we've faced! It is unlike any foe we’ve ever battled before!”
Meanwhile, even the Vampire King was astonished, unable to fathom how a mere skeletal minion could possess so much power. It was beyond the capabilities of what a normal Skeleton Warrior could achieve. ‘What in the world is going on?! How could a mere skeletal minion be able to fight on par with my Royal Knights?!’
"Impressive," Zealot said to himself, his eyes never leaving the battle.
One of the Royal Knights, wielding a massive shadow-imbued warhammer, swung with a force that could crush stone. Bony dodged with supernatural agility, its skeletal frame bending in ways no human body could. It retaliated with a swift horizontal slash, severing the knight's arm and sending the warhammer crashing to the ground.
WHOOSH!
HORIZONTAL SLASH!
"You underestimate the strength of my minion," Zealot said, his voice carrying a tone of dark amusement.
The Vampire King, his eyes narrowing, finally spoke. "Your skeletal minion is formidable, but it will not last. My royal knights are relentless, and they will wear it down eventually."
“We shall see,” Zealot replied, his voice laced with sarcasm, accompanied by a smirk.
CLANG!!!
With a sudden, coordinated assault, two of the Vampire Royal Knights flanked Bony, their swords slashing in tandem. Bony spun, its blade intercepting one strike while its free hand gently pressed against the throat of the other knight. Unleashing a burst of energy, Bony sent the knight flying like a rag doll, crashing into the wall and shattering it upon impact before crumpling to the ground with effortless ease.
BOOOOOOMMM!!!
CRACK!!!
“Holy shit!” Zealot exclaimed, utterly speechless. He had not expected Bony to possess such immense strength. Typically, Bony relied on its sword in battle, demonstrating skill and precision with the blade. This unexpected display of power, using only its bare hands, left Zealot in awe and bewildered by the sheer force Bony had unleashed.
The Vampire King and the Vampire Royal Knights were equally speechless as well, their expressions frozen in a mixture of fear and astonishment as they struggled to fathom how a mere skeletal minion could possess such monstrous strength.
RAAAARRRR!!!
Enraged, the remaining royal knights intensified their attacks. Their strikes became a blur of shadow and steel, but Bony's agility and precision seemed almost preternatural. It parried, dodged, and countered with a grace that belied its skeletal appearance. Each move was a deadly dance, each strike a potential deathblow.
HORIZONTAL SLASH! VERTICAL SLASH! DIAGONAL SLASH!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Suddenly, one of the Royal Knights managed to land a blow, its blade piercing through Bony's ribcage. For a moment, it seemed as if the tide had turned. But Bony, unfazed, executed a karate chop to the knight’s arm, breaking bones with a sickening crunch.
CRACK!
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaagghhh!!!” The knight screamed in agony as Bony swiftly finished the fight with a decapitating strike.
HORIZONTAL SLASH!
“Hahaha! Did you see that? Your knights are falling one by one,” Zealot observed, his smirk widening. “Soon, it will be just you alone.”
The Vampire King's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing with a cold, unyielding gaze. “Do not think this is over yet. I still have more tricks up my sleeve,” he replied, his voice steady and ominous.
Zealot chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Heh, let me guess—you're finally taking the situation seriously and ready to join the battle this time, aren't you? Well, it’s about time you stepped up to the challenge anyway.”
DIAGONAL SLASH!
THUD!
As the last few Royal Knights battled with growing desperation, Bony's attacks intensified, each strike a blur and each movement a deadly ballet of destruction. Finally, with a sweeping diagonal slash, Bony felled the last of the Vampire Royal Knights, its skeletal form standing victorious amidst the carnage.
[You have slain a Vampire Royal Knight!]
[You have slain a Vampire Royal Knight!]
[You have slain a Vampire Royal Knight!]
[Leveled Up!]
[Level: 76 >> 77]
[Skeleton’s Progression: 37% >> 43%]
Zealot stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the Vampire King. "Your Royal Knights are defeated. Now, it's your turn.”
The Vampire King strode towards Zealot, his towering form casting a long shadow over the arena. "You may have bested my knights, but this is only the beginning. The battle has only just started.”
With a roar, the Vampire King began to cast the formidable forbidden spell “Blood of Resurrection,” one of his most formidable abilities. This spell had the power to resurrect his fallen Royal Knights from the dead, a dark and feared power among his enemies. However, the spell's potency came with a significant drawback—a grueling 24-hour cooldown period, during which the Vampire King could not use it again. The air crackled with dark energy as the spell took form, signaling the resurgence of his most fearsome knights.
BLOOD OF RESURRECTION!
Seeing what was happening, Zealot remained calm and unsurprised. Having knowledge from the novel, he was already well aware of the Vampire King’s abilities. He hadn’t yet struck down the Vampire King because he was waiting for the Blood of Resurrection to activate. This way, he could defeat the Vampire Royal Knights once more, ensuring he would gain substantial additional experience points from their second defeat.
‘Excellent. Everything is proceeding as planned, and thanks for the bonus EXP,’ Zealot thought, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
As the dark incantation of “Blood of Resurrection” finished, the ground trembled and the fallen Vampire Royal Knights began to stir. Their eyes, once dim with defeat, now glowed with a renewed, sinister light. One by one, they rose to their feet, their armor now slick with a dark, viscous substance that pulsed with a macabre life of its own.
The Vampire King, still standing at his full height, extended his arms with a malevolent smile. “Welcome back, my loyal knights! Now, show this intruder the true meaning of fear!”
[Name: Vampire Royal Knight]
[Level: 70 - 75 >> 75 - 80]
The newly resurrected Vampire Royal Knights, now more formidable and filled with dark energy, surrounded Bony. Their movements were even more coordinated, their eyes burning with a vengeful fire. The underground arena was now a swirling maelstrom of shadow and steel, as the royal knights readied themselves for the second wave of battle.
Zealot, unfazed, looked at his skeletal minion. “Let’s finish this. Show them everything you’ve got!”
Bony, now a beacon of eerie red light, nodded in silent agreement. Its skeletal form, though weathered by the first battle, seemed to pulse with a renewed energy, ready to meet the challenge head-on. The air around the skeletal warrior crackled with an otherworldly force as it prepared to face the resurrected colossal knights.
The Vampire King watched with a calculating gaze, his eyes flickering with a mix of anticipation and malevolence. “Let’s see how your skeletal minion handle them now, demon adventurer!”
CHARGE!
With a roar, the battle recommenced. The Vampire Royal Knights, now augmented by the dark magic of their resurrection, attacked with a ferocity that seemed unstoppable. Their movements were a blur of shadow and power, their weapons slicing through the air with lethal precision. Yet Bony, with its uncanny speed and strength, met each attack with a defiant force, its skeletal frame moving like a wraith through the chaos.
HORIZONTAL SLASH! VERTICAL SLASH! DIAGONAL SLASH!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
SHADOW SHIELD! VAMPIRIC MIGHT! VEIL OF SHADOWS!
The ground shook with each clash, the sound of steel meeting metal bone echoing through the arena. Bony’s strikes were precise and relentless, its attacks growing more devastating with each passing second. The Vampire Royal Knights, though powerful, found their attacks increasingly difficult to land, their movements countered with supernatural agility and strength.
One of the royal knights, his sword deflected by Bony’s swift movements, shouted in frustration, “This... this is impossible! Our strikes aren’t landing!”
Another royal knight, barely managing to block a devastating blow, gasped, “His speed... It's like he can predict our every move! We can’t break through his defense!”
A third royal knight, stumbling back after a narrow dodge, growled in anger, “We’ve faced countless foes, but this... this skeletal warrior is unlike any we’ve encountered! It’s overpowering us with sheer skill!”
As the battle raged on, Zealot took the opportunity to move closer to the Vampire King, his eyes locked onto the dark lord. “Your knights are losing again, and this time, they won’t get back up.”
The Vampire King’s face twisted into a snarl, his eyes flashing with rage. “You will regret underestimating my power!” With a fierce roar, the Vampire King launched a surprise attack on Zealot. However, Zealot, who could read the Vampire King’s mind, gracefully sidestepped and dodged the colossal sword blow with ease.
BAAAMMM!
RUMBLE!