CHAPTER 329: VALERIAN VON EREBUS

Roaring furiously, Orion dove toward the ground, wings folded tightly, accelerating rapidly. Crashing into the general before he could fully regain his strength, Orion unleashed a ferocious barrage of fiery and thunderous blows.

With every strike, the vampire-general staggered back, the unnatural strength from his crimson pill slowly fading away.

"You’ve relied on borrowed power long enough," Orion growled, his voice rumbling deeply, powerful and resolute. "It’s time you fall!"

The general, eyes wide with panic and fury, snarled defiantly, but his movements slowed, growing sluggish and desperate.

Orion pressed his advantage relentlessly, each blow pushing him deeper into submission, his swords humming loudly, resonating with triumph and mastery.

Around them, the chaotic battle raged onward, yet the sight of Orion subduing one of the enemy’s strongest generals ignited a spark of hope and resolve within his companions.

Arya, Sylvia, Nyss, Elias, Felira, Emilia, and Kale continued their fierce battles with renewed determination, inspired by Orion’s awe-inspiring display of dual elemental mastery.

His oppressive presence and unwavering resolve finally crushed the general’s resistance. Now visibly drained, the vampire-general fell to his knees, gasping weakly, crimson eyes dimming with exhaustion and disbelief.

Orion’s chest heaved as he towered over the weakened general, twin blades burning with the brilliance of fire and thunder.

Around him, the chaos of battle still raged, yet the tide had noticeably shifted. His comrades had also begun gaining the upper hand in their own fierce duels. Even the normal Tigerkin fought vigorously after seeing Orion dominating his opponent.

His eyes briefly scanned the battlefield, noting with satisfaction the grim but determined expressions of Arya, Sylvia, Nyss, Emilia, Elias, Felira, and Kale, who had each begun pushing their opponents back.

Nearby, a Duke had decisively killed one of the Lionkin generals, quickly turning to aid his allies with fierce intensity.

Even so, Orion’s brow furrowed deeply when his gaze settled on the five warriors from the Thunderpeak Kingdom. Though powerful and skilled, their coordination had faltered under the sheer overwhelming might of their three opponents.

Their formation had begun to fracture, their movements increasingly desperate, clearly fighting just to survive rather than achieve victory.

Orion’s jaw tightened. This battle had dragged on too long. He needed to end it swiftly, decisively.

His towering Dragonoid form advanced slowly, each heavy step echoing ominously as he approached the fallen general.

The vampire-general’s crimson eyes looked up at Orion with a mixture of fury, disbelief, and grim resignation. His once-arrogant posture had utterly collapsed, now replaced with the humiliated resignation of defeat.

"It’s over," Orion growled deeply, his voice resonating with finality. He lifted his sword, its fiery aura blazing brightly, preparing to deliver the final strike.

But at that precise moment, Orion’s vision suddenly blurred, reality twisting violently before him. A chill raced down his spine, his draconic instincts screaming at him, but it was too late to react.

In a terrifying instant, the anomaly appeared directly before Orion, his movements too swift for even Orion’s heightened perception. With an effortless grace that belied his deadly power, the anomaly struck forward, his leg slamming brutally into Orion’s chest.

A shockwave exploded from the collision, and Orion felt himself hurtled backward, crashing violently into the devastated earth below, gouging a deep trench as his colossal body slid through the battlefield.

A hush of disbelief and fear momentarily settled across the battlefield as both armies slowed, stunned by the sudden display of unimaginable strength.

The anomaly stood serenely above the fallen general, his pale, luminescent features exuding an eerie calm. Turning slowly, he gazed down at the kneeling vampire-general with quiet disdain.

"You are truly useless," he spoke softly, voice laced with cold disappointment. "You can’t even defeat someone whose cultivation is clearly lower than yours. At least your fellow generals have the excuse of facing multiple adversaries simultaneously."

The defeated general lowered his head further, his body trembling slightly, whether from humiliation or fear was unclear.

The anomaly sighed softly, elegantly flicking his cloak aside as he straightened. Behind him, the remaining generals disengaged immediately from their battles, swiftly retreating to regroup at their master’s side.

Their movements were disciplined, yet each general appeared exhausted, clearly relieved to receive respite from their individual struggles.

Simultaneously, Orion groaned softly, pushing himself painfully to his feet, his draconic scales glistening with blood and dust.

His friends quickly converged upon him, Arya immediately stepping forward, her staff already glowing softly with healing light.

"Brother Orion, are you alright?" Arya asked urgently, eyes filled with concern.

Orion nodded slowly, his eyes locked firmly onto the anomaly, whose cold, amused gaze met his own.

"Be careful," Orion murmured gravely, never breaking eye contact. "That bastard’s strength is unfathomable."

The rest of the group tightened their formation around Orion, each prepared for whatever confrontation might follow.

But then, suddenly, the very skies above trembled violently, dark clouds swirling chaotically as the air crackled with mysterious energy. Everyone paused momentarily, gazing upward in awe and confusion.

In the next instant, vibrant fissures ripped open above, forming brilliant, swirling portals that led back to the respective worlds of the otherworlders.

Across the battlefield, warriors from various worlds stared at these passages with shock and desperate hope.

Almost instantly, many foreign warriors broke formation, abandoning their fights and rushing toward these newly opened paths home.

Fear overtook valor, survival instinct overriding their moral duty. Panic and relief drove many to flee, abandoning the conflict entirely.

Orion’s group, however, remained steadfast, their expressions conflicted yet resolute. Orion himself stepped forward once more, his stance firm, twin swords held steady despite his lingering injuries.

His dual-colored eyes were fixed sharply upon the anomaly, silently declaring his intention to remain and confront the threat.

Amused, the anomaly smiled gently, inclining his head toward Orion with a strangely graceful gesture.

"I must commend you on your remarkable strength, dragonling. Allow me to properly introduce myself," he spoke calmly, elegantly, his voice carrying clearly across the silence that had briefly overtaken the battlefield.

"I am Valerian Von Erebus, Leader of the Sanguis Noctem Clan," he announced, his voice dripping with sophisticated menace. "You may consider this an honor—very few mortals have lived to hear my name."

His cold eyes twinkled with curiosity and superiority as he looked at Orion and his friends. "I see you and your companions have chosen defiance over survival. Admirable, yet ultimately futile."

Orion took a deep breath, forcibly calming the draconic fury rising within his blood, the subtle mocking of the Vampire Leader cutting deeply into his pride.

He stepped forward further, his voice rumbling strongly, echoing clearly across the silent battlefield. "You might be the most powerful foe I’ve faced till now, but you are not yet at the level where I’ll have to run away."

Valerian’s smile grew wider, his pale features illuminated by the eerie, crimson glow of the chaotic battlefield.

Calmly, almost leisurely, he extended his right hand. From thin air, shadows gathered swiftly into his palm, materializing into a sinister weapon—a curved scythe, its blade gleaming darkly beneath the oppressive, storm-choked sky.

The handle of the scythe was linked by a chain of blackened steel, rattling softly as it swayed gently in his grasp.

"Such confidence," Valerian said softly, his voice filled with an aristocratic charm, laced with subtle mockery.

His eyes sparkled with excitement and barely contained menace as he twirled the scythe lightly, shadows dancing gracefully around its edge. "Why don’t you try and see for yourself how futile your attempts truly are?"