Published at 2nd of October 2026 10:33 am

Chapter 2064 The March East

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The following day, a long procession of adventurers snaked through the woods of the secret plane.

Scouts had been sent ahead to search the surrounding forests. They returned with peculiar faces and good news. No vampires or their servants — the ghouls — were lying in ambush along their path.

As for the monsters that resided within these woods, they hid in fear upon seeing the nearly five hundred adventurers moving through the forest in disciplined formation. The sight alone was enough to frighten them.

For years, the woods had belonged to the monsters. They had hunted freely, driven by instinct and hunger. But now, hundreds of armed adventurers marched through their territory like a moving wall of steel.

The monsters watched from the darkness. None dared approach. Not even the powerful Rank 2 monsters.

And true to their word, the vampires did not attack.

The march continued.

For two weeks, the adventurers traveled eastward, deeper into lands that most of them had never even seen before. With every passing day, the familiar landscape behind them disappeared further into the distance.

Then, at last, the Lamiyan Mountains appeared on the horizon. The sight immediately stirred the adventurers. Some stared in awe at the enormous mountain range. Others felt a strange sense of excitement.

They had finally reached the farthest point east that they had ever traveled. For many of them, the mountains had been nothing more than distant silhouettes beyond the lands they called home. Now they stood before them.

The army continued onward. Another week passed before they finally reached the mountain pass. The moment they entered the narrow passage between the towering peaks, the atmosphere changed.

The mountains seemed to swallow the sound around them. The winds became colder. The towering cliffs rose on both sides, making even the largest adventurers feel small. The excitement that had accompanied their march slowly began to fade.

The farther they traveled through the mountains, the quieter they became. The jokes became fewer. The conversations became shorter. The adventurers began checking their weapons more often.

Some tightened their grips around their swords. Others glanced toward the cliffs, wondering whether something was watching them from above.

They had never traveled this far east. They had never stood this close to the territory of the vampires. And now they were marching directly toward a battlefield where their life and death would be decided.

Fear slowly began to replace excitement. Anticipation gave way to solemnity. Even those who had once spoken confidently about the coming battle had grown quieter. No one knew what waited for them beyond the mountains. But everyone knew they were getting closer.

Two more days passed. At long last, the adventurers emerged from the mountain pass. Before them stretched a vast plain. It seemed to go on forever beneath the crimson sky.

This was the battlefield. The place where the adventurers and the vampires would finally meet.

The army finally came to a halt. Nearly five hundred adventurers stood together, staring across the immense plain.

Aramen and the other councilors began barking orders to the adventurers to make camp, rest, and to prepare for the war that would take place in the following days.

Scouts were sent on either side of the camp to search for hidden enemies. Some were sent back toward the mountains to make sure they would not be attacked from behind.

Adam stood at the edge of the camp, his arms crossed, his robes fluttering in the cold wind. His gaze seemed to traverse several kilometers of open land.

In the far distance, beyond the vast plains, he could see the faint silhouette of a castle perched atop a hill.

Castle de Vile.

Adam stared at the stronghold of the Vampire King quietly. Based on all the information he had gathered, he was more or less certain that Jacob wouldn't participate in this war — a grave mistake on his part — as he would be busy with whatever diabolical ritual he had in mind.

So that means only his minions led by the Generals will be fighting us, Adam thought.

Maybe even the gypsy. That's who I need to be wary of.

Footsteps approached from behind. Luca soon arrived beside him and stopped, following Adam's gaze toward the distant castle.

"What are we going to do about the humans?" Luca suddenly asked, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

Adam glanced at him quietly.

"The three settlements on this side of the land," Luca continued. "There are ordinary people living there. Treated no more than cattle. A supply of blood for those foul creatures. They have nothing to do with this war."

His expression grew solemn. "We can't just leave them behind."

Adam remained silent for a long time as he matched Luca's grey eyes with the fake grey eyes of his own. In the end, he sighed.

"No, we can't." He shook his head. "But we do not have the luxury to worry about them now. Our focus should be the battle with the vampires. Once the war is won, we can guide the humans out of this secret plane."

Luca's brows furrowed together slightly. A few moments later, he nodded. "I understand."

He couldn't help but ask, "Have you led armies before?"

Adam quirked an eyebrow, slightly surprised by that question. He nodded. "Once upon a time."

"I see." Luca nodded, turning back toward the battlefield. "No wonder…"

"No wonder what?"

Luca sighed. "No wonder you sound so detached toward the lives that might be lost as collateral damage."

The corner of Adam's lips curled into a wry smile. He recited a melancholic poem:

"The heart has grown cold from watching too many die;

"These hands have grown crimson from reaping too many lives.

"The soul has grown weary beneath the weight of every cry;

"Yet still I march onward, leaving countless graves behind."

"Oh?" Luca chuckled, shaking his head. "A poet, are we? You truly are a man of many secrets, Constantine."

Adam smiled mischievously. "Constantine? Who is that? I'm your big brother Bucca, and you will do well to know that, boyo."

Luca let out a snort and walked away.

A soft chuckle escaped Adam's lips. He clasped a handful of hair and threw it into the wind. His hands turned into a blur. The hair strands turned into snakes. The snakes came alive when translucent maggots burrowed into their heads.

"Go," Adam whispered. "Be my eyes and ears."

The black serpents landed on the ground and slithered away in different directions.

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