Chapter 373: The Enigmatic Nightmare Forest
The Nightmare Forest was a somber place for William, marked by haunting memories of bloodshed. It was here that he had stolen the precious Blood Fruits, leading to a relentless pursuit by the Blood Shadow Killers of the Dark City. Had he not possessed formidable strength at the time, his grave would now be adorned with trees and a potential bird's nest.
In their group, there were eight Legendary Grandmaster Level bosses, a formidable assembly that could conquer not just the entire southern region but also stand as unrivaled forces in the grand duchies.
William's audacity had led him to provoke three vampires without hesitation, releasing information that forced them to either seek his cooperation or thwart it by contacting him about the map.
However, upon entering the Nightmare Forest, William and his companions vanished entirely from view, leaving no trace behind.
Indeed, it was a trick they had mastered, creating a trail that led to a dead end. With years of experience in tunneling, William had honed his ability to erase all traces effectively.
There was simply no way out for those who pursued perfection. This technique had become renowned after having dug hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, making it almost impossible for anyone to refuse.
Moreover, the forest, teeming with dead branches and decaying leaves, offered a perfect canvas for William, a nature's darling and a skilled semi-elf, to conceal all signs of their disappearance.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vampires from the three factions entered the forest and learned of William's disappearance. This development frustrated them all.
Initially, Feicui and the Lan Yu Grand Duchy had sought cooperation with William, while the vampires of the Dark City had intended to prevent any alliance, or even exploit the situation to eliminate the vampires of rival factions.
But now, all factions believed that William was in league with a blood family, potentially joining forces.
Dawn City itself possessed considerable strength, and the three vampires desperately needed to prove that Brian Chi Yan had not been kidnapped by them. They had no valid reason to blame William, the man who had gallantly stood against their accusations, for it would only earn them the wrath of the Red Fire Kingdom.
Hence, the disappearance of William and his group cast an eerie shadow over the once-dignified Magic Nightmare Forest.
Over a hundred members from each of the three factions had arrived, with the Vampire Marquis leading his team and planning to dispatch scouts to gather information about William's whereabouts.
However, things took a sinister turn. In just two hours, as the sun dipped below the horizon, over a dozen vampires from the three factions were sent out and swiftly slaughtered, without a single scream escaping their lips.
Among the victims were the Emerald Grand Duchy Vampire Clan members. They gazed upon their former comrades, now reduced to mummies, hanging from the treetops, bite marks on their necks visibly clear.
The speed with which their blood was drained, and the resilience of their skin, left no room for doubt, they had perished at the hands of their own kind.
Even those among the blood families who hadn't witnessed much battle were filled with fear as they beheld the gruesome sight. They seldom felt fear, but they shuddered at this aberration of vampires turning on their own kind. Coupled with recent chilling rumors, a deep unease settled within their hearts.
The Vampire Marquis leading the team clenched his fists, revealing sharp fangs. He uttered coldly, "It must be the fiends from the Dark City; only they could drain the blood of their kin!"
"Dammit! Those freaks in the Dark City aren't even true bloods. They must be eliminated to grow stronger and absorb the blood of their own kind. I've heard they've become monsters, especially Lord Osman Lothar, who can no longer assume human form, confined to a bat with dragon wings. They're abominations now."
"I've heard similar rumors lately. Keep them to ourselves. If you encounter anyone from the Night City, it's over. They're our sworn enemies, after all!"
However, at this moment, a reserved master vampire piped up, "Could it be that the Lan Yu Grand Duchys Vampire Clan is trying to pit us against the Night City and that they have connections with the Lord of Dawn, William Blackleaf?"
The Vampire Marquis contemplated for a moment before responding, "It's not impossible. But William's first stop was in our Emerald Grand Duchy, and he shared his plans with our king. That suggests he leans more towards trusting us. Moreover, we have substantial business dealings with Dawn City; he has no need to cooperate with the Lan Yu Grand Duchy Vampire Clan."
He paused before continuing, "Nevertheless, anything is possible. This is our last chance to break free from our shackles. Now, we'll slay any Vampire Clan we encounter. While our numbers may dwindle due to infighting, once we obtain the Blood Dragon Essence, our problems will fade away. We will ascend and become a powerful race, rivaling the Elves and humans."
"Understood!" Many blood family members nodded, inspired by the elder's impassioned speech. They readied their weapons, determined to secure a brighter future for their kin.
Similar events unfolded among the vampires of Lan Yu Grand Duchy and the Dark City in their own unique ways.
The Lan Yu Grand Duchy Vampire Clan suffered two types of deaths: complete blood absorption and being slashed to death. In contrast, the Dark City's vampires met a swift demise, their heads cleanly severed by slender swords wielded with precision. It was evident that the assailants understood the anatomical intricacies of vampires, and their agility and swiftness were unmatched.
The situation was clear. In the Magic Nightmare Forest, only the most skilled among the same Vampire Clan could have executed such killings. Demon hunters, known for their distinct combat style, preferred open confrontations, and it made little sense for them to be present in the forest. Furthermore, any intelligent demon hunter would have known not to come here.
Some speculated whether it was the work of Dawn City, but that notion seemed unlikely. The prince's motives were clear, he sought Brian Chi Yan and was willing to trade a valuable map for his location. Clearly, Brian's worth to him exceeded that of a mere map, suggesting that the Red Fire Kingdom had offered a substantial reward.
So why would he provoke hostilities in the Dark City?
All the while, as the three factions relentlessly searched for William, tensions mounted, leading to minor skirmishes.
The Vampire War had begun in earnest.
Feicui's faction encountered over two hundred Lan Yu Grand Duchy Vampire Clans, attempting to maintain their composure. However, upon the arrival of the Dark City vampires, their calm gave way to provocation.
Inevitably, a scuffle erupted.
The instigator from the Dark City didn't escape unscathed either and found themselves embroiled in the brawl.
Over three hundred high-level and master vampires engaged in a bloody battle, driven by anger, hostility, and a desire to end the conflict swiftly.
As they fought, casualties mounted on both sides, and the three factions initiated contact through sound transmission scrolls.
Yet amidst this chaos, where were William and his companions?
In a remarkable twist of fate, they lay concealed beneath the feet of their pursuers, buried over twenty meters deep.
William dared not release his soul perception, opting instead to wait patiently.
Because he was no longer indispensable.
The three vampire factions had ignited a full-scale war, and neither side was willing to back down, regardless of their allegiances.
As for William, how could he instantly siphon the life force of others without relying on vampires? Could he do it through his soul, magic, or some form of sacrifice?
The answer was none of the above. The cooldown time for such abilities was far too long to be of immediate use.
Some might wonder if he had harnessed Bernard, the Lord of the East Sea Metropolis, for this purpose. However, William regarded the old man as a mere resource to be drained of his value. After extracting every ounce of usefulness from him, William had terminated his existence and absorbed his Experience Point.
After all, there was no market value for an old man like Bernard, and he still posed a potential threat. William was cautious about the possibility of retaliation.
The act of bloodsucking was not exclusive to vampires. William had learned a unique skill called "Blood Sacrifice" from the Blood Moon Dark Witch, a fearsome and long-legged sorceress he had encountered after returning from the far north. This skill far surpassed the traditional method of vampires sucking blood with their mouths, both in terms of efficiency and speed.
The Dawn City forum was buzzing with discussions about the eerie beauty of the Blood Moon Dark Witch and her extraordinary abilities. In this game, players could learn a wide range of skills as long as the NPCs were willing to teach, and they had the necessary talents, attributes, and skills to make the most of these abilities.
For instance, there were skills like Water Polo and Fireball, which William had learned at level 1. They required minimal Experience Points and proved to be quite useful. William had acquired them not for their combat potential but rather as a contingency plan. In case he found himself in dire straits with an empty space ring, he could use Water Polo to quench his thirst or Fireball to cook food.
Despite his ability to ignite fires with his Thunder element, he had no practical experience in cooking, so he considered these basic Spells as a handy backup.
In his current situation, hidden in the shadows, it was challenging for William to confront the high-level vampires searching for him. The power gap between them was immense, and these high-level vampires seemed utterly invulnerable.
William's strategy was straightforward: eliminate his opponents swiftly, leaving two distinctive bite marks on their necks, and extract their life force using the dark magic of "Blood Sacrifice."
As he observed from his concealed position, he could gauge the intensity of the battle above ground solely by the sounds he heard.
He had been watching for over two hours when the fluctuations in the battle began to wane, only to surge suddenly with renewed vigor.
Unable to resist his curiosity, William extended his soul perception.
"What the heck? Tens of thousands of vampires have joined the fray?"
"I can't believe it! Even King Vampires himself has arrived. Is this truly a decisive battle?"
William retracted his soul perception, his expression grave. After pondering for some time, he immediately contacted Eric, who was far away in the Emerald Grand Duchy and served as the Deputy Head of the Dawn Mercenary Regiment.
"Initiate the final Bright Red Blood mission and instruct all Chosen Ones to head to the Magic Nightmare Forest to capture vampires."
Eric, upon reviewing the mission details and the quantity and quality of vampires involved, couldn't help but gulp nervously. "Are we sending them to capture vampires or to deliver their heads?"
"It's a risky mission, but the battle here has grown so fierce that many nobles from the Lan Yu Grand Duchy and Emerald Grand Duchys have caught wind of it. These noble allies have their own contacts. When the Dawn Chosen Ones arrive here, they'll share the news with their counterparts from other factions. Chaos will ensue when these Chosen Ones discover the truth and learn that the noble Lords they've pledged loyalty to are vampires. We will attract more Undead Candidates to join Dawn City. It's a lucrative endeavor."
William continued, "These candidates may currently be at the Intermediate Level, but in this version, they will eventually reach high-level status. At that Point, they will constitute the main force of the Legendary Continent, capable of altering the trajectory and influence of some principalities. I also intend to use this opportunity to realign Dawn City with the forces of light and justice, attracting more players to join us."
"In this manner, once we have 80% of the player base in Dawn City, as long as we avoid actions that alienate the players too greatly, we will become an unstoppable trend."
As for the new players just starting out?
As long as they aren't utterly clueless, they will follow in the footsteps of the veterans. Would William concern himself with a group of fledgling players without any rank? No matter how rapidly they progress, could they possibly match the growth rate of seasoned players?
William had always prioritized this group of experienced players.
In summary, the primary objective of Bright Red Blood was to make players once again distrust NPCs. It aimed to replicate the scenario of the original "War of Rights," where the Duchy of Black Rock emerged victorious as the main mission of Version 1.0, concealing the unsavory side of the Steel Kingdom, namely Goethe NASIS.
Although Version 2.0's Dark Invasion eventually revealed Goethe NASIS as a demonic entity, some players might still sympathize, believing that he had transformed into a half-demon due to the devastation of his nation.
Regardless, William needed this mission's negative impact on NPCs to highlight his exceptional qualities.
In a nutshell, to be an outstanding Legendary boss or a Lord, one needed the presence of worthy peers.