The Adventurer's Guild Invitation
Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess had planned to take a short break when they received an invitation from the Adventurer's Guild Master—Regnas.
Regnas was a burly middle-aged man with an imposing aura, once a legendary warrior and now the leader of the Adventurer's Guild. His office was grand, adorned with relics and records of past adventurers, showcasing the long and glorious history of the guild.
When Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess entered, Regnas greeted them with a warm smile.
"Li Ran, Darkmoon Dragon Princess, welcome to the Adventurer's Guild."
He poured two glasses of fine wine and offered them with a chuckle.
"As S-rank adventurers, you are entitled to many privileges—exclusive access to classified intelligence, financial assistance, personal attendants, and even priority use of teleportation gates."
Darkmoon Dragon Princess raised an eyebrow.
"So, you're not just inviting us here for a friendly chat, are you?"
Regnas laughed heartily, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes.
"Smart. In fact, I have a rather troublesome S-rank mission that requires your expertise."
Placing a file on the table, he pointed to a critical section.
"Recently, our adventurers have been encountering a powerful vampire, and the casualties have been severe. Even A-rank teams have failed to return. We've classified this as an S-rank threat, and I'm hoping you'll accept the mission."
Li Ran sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"After offering all these benefits, refusing this mission would make me seem ungrateful."
Darkmoon Dragon Princess smirked.
"With the situation this dire, we can't let the vampire continue wreaking havoc. We accept."
Preparing Holy Water at the Church
To deal with the undead, Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess made their way to the Sacred Radiance Church, seeking potent holy water and divine magic support.
Archbishop Carson greeted them and listened carefully before speaking with grave concern.
"The vampire has been empowered by the rampant magic surges, making it far stronger than usual. Regular holy water won't be enough. Instead, we will provide you with Divine Blaze Holy Water—a rare substance capable of burning through the very souls of the undead."
He handed Li Ran several vials, and a group of priests blessed their weapons and magic.
Fully prepared, the two set off toward the Western Vampire's Lair.
Confronting the Vampire Lord's Lair
The vampire's lair was hidden deep within a canyon, shrouded in thick, eerie mist. The very air was laced with a sinister energy, as if the entire castle was cursed.
Upon stepping inside, the oppressive magical pressure intensified, signaling the presence of something overwhelmingly powerful.
The oppressive air thickened as a tall, slender figure emerged from the shadows. Clad in a regal crimson cloak, his silver hair cascaded like silk, flowing with an unnatural elegance. His blood-red eyes gleamed with predatory hunger, locking onto Li Ran and the Darkmoon Dragon Princess like a beast toying with its prey.
A slow, amused smirk crept across his face, revealing his razor-sharp fangs.
"Ah… What a pleasant surprise." His voice was both velvety and menacing. "I am Azrad, Lord of Nightmares. Have you come to offer yourselves as my next exquisite feast?"
The room trembled as his blood aura pulsed, distorting the air with an overwhelming malice.
Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess exchanged a brief glance. There was no need for words—battle was inevitable.
The battlefield was drowned in darkness, illuminated only by the eerie glow of Azrad's crimson aura. The air was thick with tension, the scent of blood and raw magic interwoven into the night.
With a subtle yet commanding movement, Darkmoon Dragon Princess raised her staff. Her voice, smooth yet chilling, whispered the incantation:
"Moon Shadow Barrier."
A veil of darkness surged outward, swallowing the battlefield. It twisted and warped the air itself, distorting the figures within and making them mere silhouettes in the shifting void. Their movements became unreadable, their forms intangible phantoms dancing in the gloom.
But Azrad merely scoffed.
With a smirk, his entire body dissolved into a crimson mist, seeping effortlessly through the barrier's protective shroud. In an instant, his claws materialized out of the fog, aiming straight for Li Ran's throat—razor-sharp, deathly precise.
Li Ran's instincts flared.
Without hesitation, he swung his Severance Blade, unleashing "Dimensional Rift Slash"—a strike so potent it split the very fabric of space, tearing through Azrad's misted form with the intent to bisect him mid-attack.
But Azrad was faster.
"Blood Phantom Shift!" His form flickered, vanishing in a crimson blur, only to reappear behind Li Ran, his claws poised for a lethal strike.
Li Ran was ready.
The very moment Azrad's claws closed in, he spun and invoked "Spatial Wall."
A translucent barrier materialized between them, catching Azrad's attack just inches from Li Ran's spine. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, but the barrier held firm, deflecting the deathblow.
Seizing the opening, Darkmoon Dragon Princess retaliated.
With a flick of her fingers, "Shadow Claws" erupted from the void—blackened tendrils surging forward, snaking around Azrad's limbs, tightening with an iron grip to bind him in place.
Azrad sneered. Unfazed. Unshaken.
His bound arm liquefied into blood, slipping through the tendrils like water. In an instant, his form reconstituted, as if he had never been restrained at all.
But now, his expression darkened.
Azrad extended a single clawed hand.
From the desecrated ground beneath them, "Crimson Thorns" erupted—jagged spikes of blood-forged iron surged upward, aiming to impale his foes in a forest of death.
But Li Ran's eyes burned with unshakable resolve.
With a steady breath, he unleashed "Dimensional Severance!"
His Severance Blade howled, wreathed in void energy. One precise slash, then another. Each arc of his blade sundered the spikes, shattering them before they could reach him or Darkmoon Dragon Princess.
In that instant, she saw her chance.
Weaving darkness into ethereal chains, she invoked "Shadow Bind".
The obsidian tendrils lunged forward, snaring Azrad's torso, dragging him downward with relentless force.
For the first time—Azrad's glowing crimson eyes widened.
His movements were restricted.
Li Ran did not hesitate.
He lunged forward, his blade humming with an immense surge of energy.
"Void Cleave!"
The air shuddered as a rift of pure destruction carved through the battlefield, a singularity of death surging toward Azrad's core.
The vampire lord's snarl twisted into something primal.
He sensed his end approaching.
Azrad's body pulsed violently, veins bulging with an unnatural glow as his form became unstable.
"If I fall—YOU FALL WITH ME!"
His voice was a thunderous snarl as his very essence began to combust, his crimson energy spiraling chaotically, ready to detonate in a catastrophic explosion.
"Blood Soul Detonation!"
The battlefield quaked.
A swirling vortex of pure destructive blood magic threatened to consume everything in its path.
Divine and Abyssal Annihilation
But Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess reacted in unison.
Li Ran, with a commanding voice, roared the countermeasure:
"Holy Water Burst!"
A single consecrated flask was hurled into the air. The moment it shattered, a cascade of divine flames erupted forth, the sacred light searing Azrad's volatile form, disrupting his unstable magic.
Simultaneously, Darkmoon Dragon Princess invoked her final spell.
"Shadow Devour!"
From the abyss itself, a vortex of pure consuming darkness surged forward, swallowing Azrad's detonation energy before it could fully manifest.
Azrad's inhuman shriek tore through the night, a sound of pure agony as his body disintegrated, his soul wrenched apart by the clashing forces of light and darkness.
Silence After the Storm
The battlefield was still.
The oppressive crimson glow vanished, leaving behind nothing but a dissipating mist of fading magical residue.
Li Ran exhaled, rolling his shoulders as his blade dimmed from its battle-frenzied glow.
Darkmoon Dragon Princess lowered her staff, her crimson eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.
"A fitting end."
The night remained heavy with the scent of blood and magic.
But Azrad was no more.
A Celebration and A Tender Night
Returning to the Adventurer's Guild, Li Ran and Darkmoon Dragon Princess were welcomed with a hero's reception. Regnas personally raised a glass to them.
"To be able to drink with legends like you—what an honor!"
The battle had been a decisive victory, securing the safety of countless adventurers. Regnas, visibly moved, offered a heartfelt toast.
"Li Ran, Darkmoon Dragon Princess… you've saved us all. Thank you."
That night, they returned to their Moonlight Veil Inn, their well-earned accommodations.
Darkmoon Dragon Princess, slightly intoxicated, leaned against Li Ran, her face flushed with warmth.
"Li Ran…"
Before he could respond, she gently collapsed onto his lap.
With a soft chuckle, Li Ran stroked her hair, watching her peaceful sleeping face. A warmth spread through his chest.
They had fought for peace, and tonight, at least, they could rest.
Yet, they both knew—their journey was far from over.