A second later, Blade touched down, his sunglasses reflecting the sunken floor beneath his companions. Though he maintained his cold demeanor, he couldn't help but silently marvel at how monstrous the two were.
Fortunately, though he moved his lips he didn't speak still maintaining his cold appearance.
In front of them loomed a thick metal door, but it posed no real obstacle for them.
Sergei's sword, made of Adamantium alloy and enhanced with Angelic technology from Sky Blade, was sharp enough to slice through anything—even Wolverine's claws wouldn't stand a chance.
With a flash of silver, the heavy door was reduced to pieces.
Boom! Boom!
The metal blocks hit the ground with a loud crash, alerting the group of vampire warriors nearby.
The three walked out calmly as if they were taking a stroll in their own backyard, taking in the sight of the vast underground space that stretched before them.
The underground space stretched impressively, about twenty to thirty meters in height and several square meters in diameter. Its structure was unique and retro, with sharp, angular designs. Stone steps spiraled around twelve towering stone pillars, each one intricately carved with ancient symbols and text. The pillars were massive, and the room's design gave off a haunting, ceremonial atmosphere.
In the center of the room, a large platform stood, etched with complex patterns. Blood flowed through these carvings, bubbling like boiling water. The source of the blood came from the twelve stone pillars, where blood-red crosses hung from each. On each cross was a pure-blooded vampire, their pale bodies frail and weak. Their wrists had been slashed, and blood dripped down onto the platform, slowly following the carved lines to the pool below.
Hundreds of vampire warriors knelt in all directions, their faces reverent, as if awaiting the arrival of the great Blood God. When Sergei, Pietro, and Blade entered the chamber, hundreds of bloodthirsty eyes turned toward them. Any ordinary person would have been paralyzed with fear at the sight.
But Sergei and Pietro looked intrigued, while Blade remained expressionless, his long sword in hand, brimming with killing intent. The desire to fight could be felt in the air. Hundreds of vampires? To them, that only made things more interesting.
Yet, despite their intrusion, none of the vampires rose. They continued kneeling, murmuring something in an ancient, incomprehensible language. Even with their enhanced hearing, neither Sergei nor Pietro could make out the words. But through Sergei's observation ability, he could sense a subtle yet dense fluctuation filling the underground chamber.
"This is an ancient Vampire Clan ritual," Blade stated coldly, "using their magical language to summon the Blood God." Without hesitation, Blade charged forward to massacre the vampires.
However, Sergei and Pietro focused on the altar's blood pool. In unison, they both said, "We're too late. The ritual is complete."
Boom!
The moment the words left their mouths, time seemed to freeze in the underground space. Blade, mid-sprint, was suddenly immobilized. An ancient cry, echoing from the depths of history, filled the chamber. The blood pool erupted like a volcano, sending a torrent of blood into the air. A terrifying shockwave followed, sweeping through the entire space.
All the vampires, including Blade, were flung backward like cannonballs, slamming into the walls with a resounding thud. Only Sergei and Pietro remained standing, rooted to the spot like two immovable pillars. Their bodies bent slightly under the pressure, one hand raised in defense. Their hair and clothes whipped wildly in the intense gusts of the shockwave.
Meanwhile, the others remained embedded in the walls, unable to move, pinned by the overwhelming force of the blood god's awakening.
The shockwave persisted for over ten seconds before gradually subsiding. The sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed as vampires and Blade crashed down. However, being vampires, the fall caused no real damage. They immediately stood up, their eyes fixed on the blood pool. What they saw next caused a surge of excitement: a vampire was floating in the air, encased in a ball of blood formed from the blood pool itself. Every vampire's face lit up with fanatic devotion.
"The Blood God has come!"
"The great Blood God has arrived! The world will belong to our bloodline!"
Blade's mouth opened slightly, revealing his sharp fangs, now looking a bit feral. He could feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from the blood sphere—a powerful force that represented the ultimate superiority of the Blood God over all vampires. The purity of the Blood God's essence imposed an undeniable hierarchy; the lower bloodlines could never defy the highest, and the Blood God was undeniably at the top of this hierarchy. His arrival meant that the Vampire Clan now had a supreme deity.
As a half-vampire, Blade was affected too. Though he wouldn't lose the will to fight like the other vampires, his combat effectiveness would undoubtedly be compromised. This was a serious problem, and Blade gritted his teeth in frustration. Things were about to get troublesome.
Now, his only hope rested on the two mysterious figures beside him—Sergei and Pietro. Blade glanced at them, and as expected, they remained completely unfazed by the Blood God's arrival. Instead of fear, they showed curiosity, as if they were observing some rare phenomenon. That confidence—absolute and unshakable—radiated from both of them.
As Blade had guessed, the overwhelming aura radiating from the blood sphere had no effect on Sergei or Pietro. To them, it was no more than a gentle breeze. Their unflinching resolve had been forged in countless battles, honed under the brutal training of their leader, Leon. The pressure the Blood God exuded was nothing compared to what they had already endured.
"How do you feel?" Blade asked.
"A bit strong, but that's about it," Pietro replied with a shrug, twisting his neck as if getting ready for a warm-up. He was confident in his speed. If things got too intense, he could always flee. After all, he doubted the Blood God could catch him. And if that failed, he'd simply drag Leon over to deal with the deity.
Boom!
Sergei, now unable to suppress his desire to fight, stomped his foot into the ground, causing it to crack and split beneath him. Red flames erupted in all directions, engulfing him in a blazing inferno. Without hesitation, he launched himself toward the blood sphere, like a fiery comet aiming to obliterate the floating Blood God.