After several days of travel, Ryo finally arrived at the designated location where he was to respond to the invitation extended to him. The meeting was to take place in a small palace situated between the Vampire and Dragon nations, a neutral ground established to facilitate discussions. The grandeur of the palace was evident in its architecture, blending both vampiric elegance and draconic majesty. As he entered, Ryo quickly noticed the presence of numerous nobles from both nations, their eyes filled with scrutiny and expectation.
Upon being escorted inside, he was led to a seat beside the Vampire Lord and the Dragon Emperor, signifying his importance in this gathering. The nobles whispered among themselves, casting glances at him filled with disdain, curiosity, and, in some cases, barely concealed greed. It didn't take long for the true purpose of the meeting to reveal itself. Two individuals stepped forward—one representing the noble faction of the Vampire nation and the other from the Dragon nation. Their expressions carried an air of arrogance as they prepared to make their demands.
The first noble cleared his throat and spoke in a pompous tone. "Lord Ryo, as the ruler of this new nation, it is only natural that you contribute taxes to the very nations from which your land originates. It is—"
Before he could even finish his sentence, Ryo interrupted with a sharp glare. "Why the fuck would I give anything to you guys?"
The nobles collectively recoiled at his words, some of them making strange faces, seemingly unable to comprehend such blatant defiance. Murmurs erupted among them, but Ryo was far from finished.
"What do I owe you to pay you anything?" he continued, his voice laced with incredulity and disdain. "You people act like you are entitled to something from me. The land I received was given willingly by the Vampire Lord and Dragon Emperor. I owe nothing to you parasites who have done nothing but leech off your own nations!"
The room erupted into chaos as the nobles began shouting in protest. "That land belonged to our nations!" one noble yelled. "You are nothing more than a half-breed upstart!" another sneered.
Two nobles stepped forward, their chests puffed with misplaced pride. One had a sigil representing the lineage of the Shadow Dragon, while the other bore the crest of a noble vampire family. They looked at Ryo with condescension before one of them spoke. "You may not realize it, but we are descendants of the great Shadow Dragon and the legendary vampire who once wielded the Blood Rampage ability."
The other noble nodded, smirking. "Our ancestors were mighty, and because of their legacy, we have the right to make demands of you."
Ryo stared at them for a moment before he burst into laughter. His sudden reaction startled the nobles, and the entire hall fell into silence.
"You claim the deeds of your ancestors as your own? Tell me, what have you accomplished in your lifetime, aside from being born into privilege? Have you done anything worthy of your ancestors' legacy? Or have you simply grown fat and complacent, rotting your own nations from the inside?"
The two nobles paled at his words, but Ryo wasn't done yet.
"Your ancestors earned their noble titles through blood, sweat, and sacrifice. They fought for their people, their lands, and their nations. And yet, here you stand, doing the exact opposite—corrupting and weakening your own countries for your own benefit."
The nobles clenched their fists, their pride wounded. One of them snapped back, "How dare you speak to us this way? We are of noble blood, unlike you, a mere mongrel with tainted lineage!"
Ryo's expression darkened. "You claim to be descendants of the Shadow Dragon and the vampire who wielded Blood Rampage. Then prove it. Do you have any evidence?"
The nobles hesitated, but their arrogance wouldn't allow them to back down. "Our bloodlines have been preserved for centuries! How dare you question us?"
A smirk formed on Ryo's lips. "Then let's find out the truth."
Without hesitation, Ryo deactivated his Presence Nullification ability. A suffocating aura filled the hall, crushing everyone present under its sheer weight. The nobles fell to their knees, their bravado instantly shattered. Even the Vampire Lord and Dragon Emperor seemed affected, their eyes widening in shock.
However, Ryo wasn't done yet. Before arriving at this meeting, he had spent time experimenting with his newly acquired abilities. One, in particular, had caught his attention—a power that allowed him to control the domain of death itself, a skill akin to necromancy but on an entirely different level. Deciding that this was the perfect opportunity to test it, Ryo activated the ability.
Dark energy surged through the room as he raised his hand. Shadows coalesced before him, and within moments, the form of a massive beast emerged—the Shadow Dragon, a calamity-class creature that had once terrorized the lands. Gasps and cries of fear echoed throughout the hall as the nobles scrambled backward, terror evident in their eyes.
The Dragon Emperor himself fell to the ground, his face pale as he stammered, "W-Why is the Shadow Dragon here?!"
Ryo turned his gaze towards the spectral dragon. "Shadow Dragon, tell me. Did you ever have a descendant?"
The dragon's ethereal eyes glowed as it responded in a deep, rumbling voice. "No, I never sired any offspring."
Silence fell over the hall. The truth was laid bare for all to see. The so-called descendants had been lying.
Ryo smirked, dismissing the Shadow Dragon back into the void. "There you have it. You people were lying all along."
The accused nobles were now visibly shaking, their faces drenched in sweat. The rest of the hall looked on with a mix of shock and disgust.
Ryo turned to the Vampire Lord and the Dragon Emperor. "Now that the truth is clear, what do you intend to do with these impostors?"
The Vampire Lord's expression hardened. "They have brought shame upon our nations. They shall be stripped of their titles and status immediately."
The Dragon Emperor nodded. "Their deception nearly jeopardized the integrity of our nations. Their noble privileges will be revoked."
The remaining nobles swallowed hard, realizing that their corruption had finally reached its limit. Ryo stood up, uninterested in their fate. "Good. Then my job here is done."
With that, he left the hall alongside the two rulers, who expressed their gratitude. Thanks to Ryo, they now had justification to cleanse their ranks of corrupt nobility.
As Ryo returned to his new nation, he saw the progress of its construction. Smiling slightly, he knew that while challenges would continue to arise, he was more than ready to face them.