Published at 18th of September 2026 7:13 am

Chapter 2027: Just One Man

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For a brief few seconds, the world was enveloped in blinding light.

The giant eagle of lightning descended from the heavens, and the moment it struck, a deafening explosion tore through the valley.

It was as though night itself had vanished.

Everything was swallowed by an overwhelming flash of blue-white radiance. The forests, the hill, the valley, and the distant settlement were illuminated as though a second sun had briefly appeared in the sky.

Inside the nearby human settlement, countless people witnessed the unprecedented scene. They stood frozen in shock. And then, panic erupted like never before.

Men and women hurried toward their homes, dragging their children along with them. Doors slammed shut one after another as families rushed into their underground bunkers and locked themselves away.

None of them knew what had happened. They didn’t even know whether hiding underground would protect them if the lightning eagle attacked them.

They only knew that something terrifying had descended upon the fortress that had been a symbol of darkness and evil for them for countless generations.

As for the vampires...

At the very last moment, the Leroux sisters had activated the fortress’s defensive formation. A massive barrier rose around the dark structure as the [Bird of Prey] descended.

When the lightning struck, the defensive formation had trembled violently. Cracks spread across parts of the fortress as the overwhelming pressure of Adam’s spell crashed into the barrier. Arcs of electricity leaked through the defensive formation, dancing wildly across the walls and corridors.

Yet the fortress remained standing.

The vast majority of the destruction had been averted. But as a result, the defensive formation protecting the fortress had been completely ruined. And not everyone inside had emerged unharmed.

The weaker vampires, particularly those at the Apprentice and Squire levels, were gravely injured by the sheer pressure generated by the spell and the lingering lightning that continued to course through parts of the fortress.

Some collapsed where they stood, while others screamed as electricity crawled across their cold bodies.

Yet despite the damage, it was still a spectacular defensive feat.

Considering the sheer power of Adam’s spell, the Leroux sisters had managed to protect the fortress from what should have been catastrophic destruction.

Adam couldn’t help but let out a sigh. As he gazed at the faint streaks of lightning dancing across the ancient stone walls of the fortress, he murmured:

"No wonder those two seemed so relaxed. Still..."

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he continued, "I didn’t think there would be such powerful rune magic protecting your fortress. I had assumed long-lived creatures like you would grow into complacency. But it turns out, you all are quite cautious. Ah, it’s such a drag dealing with enemies like you."

A melodious chuckle echoed across the canopy of the dark woods.

"His Majesty likes to keep us on our toes," Echo Leroux, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, said with a curious smile. "It is to deal with situations just like these."

Her sister, Janet, silently stared at Adam, her crimson eyes gleaming with a cold, murderous light.

Adam turned around and glanced at Janet with a smile. "Young lady, would you mind not staring daggers at me? My back is itching."

Janet ignored his taunts. Instead, she bared her sharp canines, and her nails elongated into terrifying claws.

"Ah, such ferocity." Adam displayed faux fear on his face. "Scary!"

"Why did you attack us, Magus?" Echo, the more talkative of the twins, asked with a slight tilt of her head. "Did you adventurers not learn anything from your previous mistake?"

Adam scoffed. "I’m new here."

"That makes a lot more sense." Echo nodded.

Even as they spoke, dozens of Mana Core-level vampires entered the woods and began forming several perimeters, ensuring that Adam could not escape. And the number of Apprentice-level vampires and ghouls was even greater.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Adam asked with a light chuckle. "You brought forth your entire household guards. And I’m just one man."

He turned his head into the distance and murmured, "I wonder when the other holds will send forth their lackeys."

The twin sisters, Echo and Janet, were Mana Seed Magi. They were basically the overlords of this region. There were half a dozen more vampire strongholds around the valley, each ruled by Mana Core-level vampires.

The human settlement nestled in the heart of the valley belonged to these vampires.

"You sure know a lot for a newcomer," Echo said, her smile gradually fading away. "Did you scout the surroundings before attacking us?"

"Something like that," Adam replied absentmindedly as he spread his Sphere of Resonance far and wide.

He could sense monsters and vampires coming from far away. They had already formed a tight perimeter around the periphery of the woods. It would appear they had no intention of letting him leave. Well, it’s not like Adam wanted to leave so politely anyway.

Seeing him distracted, Janet made a move.

In the blink of an eye, she appeared right behind Adam and fiercely thrust her claw forward.

Janet’s eyes gleamed when she saw her claws dig into Adam’s back, but in the blink of an eye, a gust of wind blew, and the human disappeared like a ghost.

The vampire’s eyes widened as she now stood where Adam once did, looking around frantically.

"Calm down, young lady." Adam’s flippant voice echoed in the air.

Janet turned around and saw the human standing where she had previously been. Even Echo was surprised upon witnessing his speed. Though it was a result of wind magic, it was still intriguing to her.

The Leroux sisters felt like something was wrong. It almost felt as if... Adam was stalling for time.

But by the time they realized it, it was already too late.

"Alright, everyone is inside," Adam said with a cold smile.

A dense amount of mana gathered from his Mana Seed and, in the next moment, he brought his hands forward.

CLAP!

A blue barrier slowly rose from the ground.

It emerged like a vast curtain of water, climbing higher and higher through the dark woods before curving inward. Within seconds, it formed a massive dome around the entire area.

Nearly a hundred vampires, ghouls, and other monsters were trapped inside.

And standing among them, all by himself, was Adam.

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