CHAPTER 341: ARRIVAL OF THE GENERALS

"For now," Orion continued softly, "I’ll keep your blood within my crown, reserved as a special gift for your beloved leader."

The vampire general’s eyes widened in horror, realization dawning upon him too late. "You... what are you planning...?"

Orion simply smiled coldly, eyes gleaming mercilessly. "Hmm, I shall let you die as a curious ghost." His voice hung ominously in the air as his cold smile deepened.

Without another word, he lifted the Realm Guardian Sword gracefully, flames dancing serenely along its blade. The vampire general, on his knees, desperately tried to summon his remaining strength, attempting to rise, yet his battered body refused to obey.

"Wait—!" the vampire general shouted and gritted his teeth, eyes widening in sudden realization and fear. But Orion moved with ruthlessness.

In a fluid, elegant motion, the sword sliced effortlessly through the air, cleanly severing the vampire’s head from his shoulders.

For a split second, the vampire general’s expression froze, etched in horror and disbelief, before his head rolled away, landing softly onto the scorched ground. Dark blood spilled freely, staining the earth with the general’s ignoble demise.

Orion sheathed his blade calmly, exhaling softly as he looked at the now-lifeless body with indifference. A moment of silence filled the battlefield, the only sound the faint crackling of the lingering flames.

"Finally silenced," Orion murmured quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

Before the quiet could linger too long, a cheerful, excited voice chimed beside him, breaking the solemnity.

[Master!! You killed him so effortlessly!

Lumi said energetically, her system screen form bouncing cheerfully in mid-air.

Orion chuckled softly, his eyes warming slightly as he glanced toward Lumi. "Yes, after my improvements, I can easily fight someone a level above me, at least among these bloodsuckers."

His gaze drifted thoughtfully toward the vampire general’s corpse. "But still, they are far stronger than even geniuses like my club members. I wonder what’s up with that."

His contemplation was abruptly cut short, senses suddenly tingling sharply. Orion’s head snapped upward, his eyes narrowing sharply as he felt multiple powerful presences rapidly approaching from the horizon.

Each aura radiated a familiar sinister energy, marked by that unmistakable bloodlust and darkness.

Orion calmly rose into the air, robes fluttering gently as he surveyed the approaching threats.

Within moments, shadowy figures burst from the horizon, swiftly closing the distance with astonishing speed.

One by one, nine vampire generals appeared, their scarlet eyes locked unerringly onto Orion, their expressions fierce and resolute.

***

Far away, seated comfortably upon his ornate throne within the massive, shadow-draped war chariot, Valerian observed the spatial storms surrounding the titanic celestial staff slowly dissipating.

His pale fingers tapped rhythmically upon the armrest, eyes reflecting quiet anticipation and intrigue.

Suddenly, Valerian’s serene expression shifted slightly, his crimson eyes glancing sharply toward a distant horizon. His lips curled slowly into a delighted, malevolent smile, sensing clearly what had just transpired.

"Oh? You defeated my general?" Valerian’s voice was soft, cultured, yet laced with a dangerous edge. "Good. Finally, someone worth my time here."

Raising one hand gracefully, he extended his senses outward, locating Orion’s presence clearly. With a subtle motion, he transmitted Orion’s exact location directly to the consciousnesses of his nine remaining generals.

"Bring him to me alive," Valerian commanded softly, his voice echoing in their minds. "Don’t fail me again."

Instantly, the generals responded, halting their futile global search and pivoting sharply in Orion’s direction.

Each one surged forward, powerful wings beating furiously, a collective storm of violent energies tearing across the sky toward their prey.

Valerian leaned back comfortably into his throne, the faint smile lingering as he softly murmured, "Let’s see how you fare now, little draconian. Don’t disappoint me."

***

Back on the battlefield, Orion watched silently as the vampire generals swiftly surrounded him, each hovering ominously at equal distance, creating a deadly ring.

Their eyes glowed with malicious intent, their powerful auras blending together in a suffocating pressure meant to intimidate.

One of the generals, a towering figure cloaked in dark armor, sneered disdainfully. "You may have defeated that useless bastard, but your luck ends here, human."

Another general, a slender female vampire whose beauty was marred by an aura of cruelty, laughed mockingly, "Our lord wants you alive, but he didn’t say unharmed."

Orion calmly unsheathed both of his blades, the Realm Guardian Sword shimmering fiercely with fiery power, and the secondary sword glowing quietly with thunder Mana.

He rotated his wrists slightly, adjusting his grip, unperturbed by the overwhelming threat surrounding him.

A general with a muscular, scarred physique snarled impatiently, "Surrender now and save yourself needless agony."

Orion tilted his head slightly, an amused smirk curling his lips. "Oh? And miss this perfect chance to test my limits?"

The generals exchanged glances, a mix of irritation evident in their expressions. The female vampire’s eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across her beautiful yet sinister features. "Foolish arrogance. We’ll teach you humility soon enough."

Orion chuckled softly, his presence suddenly expanding, a surge of elemental mana flowing mightily through his Mana Channels.

Around him, sparks of lightning crackled gently, fiery embers danced serenely, and vibrant life-energy radiated softly. Above his head, the Crimson Crown shimmered silently, patiently waiting to absorb more blood.

He looked around at each general carefully, calmly assessing their strength. "So, it’s your turn now, huh?" Orion’s voice was cool, even, yet laced with excitement.

The muscular general growled fiercely, losing patience, "Enough talk! Capture him!"

With precision, all nine generals lunged simultaneously, their energies erupting violently toward Orion in a devastating, synchronized assault.

Yet Orion stood his ground, a calm determination gleaming sharply within his dual-colored eyes. "Perfect," he murmured softly, his lips twitching upward into a confident smile as he flexed his swords. "Come at me! All of YOU!!"

And in that brief instant, before their attacks landed, Orion’s calm, confident smirk slowly widened into a ferocious grin as he allowed the energy within him to erupt forth unrestrained.

In that instant, the world trembled beneath the suffocating pressure of his unleashed power. Crimson lightning began crackling violently across his skin, illuminating the grim battlefield in vivid scarlet hues. His eyes flared brilliantly, twin orbs of searing flame and crackling lightning.

"Witness true strength!" Orion roared, his voice booming with draconic authority.

His body expanded rapidly, muscular frame bulging and reshaping as he ascended into the mighty Lightning Draconian form.

Three meters tall and radiating an overwhelming majesty, Orion’s scales shimmered beautifully in shades of crimson-gold and vibrant electric blue.

Two pairs of immense draconic wings spread wide, lightning leaping freely between them. He swapped the smaller sword for a larger one while his Realm Guardian enlarged to fit his clawed hands.

The nine vampire generals hesitated, their advance momentarily stalled by the sheer dominance of Orion’s transformation.

But their collective pride swiftly overcame caution. With synchronized snarls, they shot forward, the sky trembling beneath the thunderous fury of their combined assault.

"Die, arrogant beast!" the muscular general bellowed, darkness and blood mana swirling around him, forming gigantic, claw-like appendages to slash Orion apart.

Simultaneously, the female general summoned swarms of razor-sharp crimson spears, each one infused with sinister darkness. "I’ll impale your miserable body and drain you dry!"

Ignoring their boasts, Orion launched himself directly into the heart of their formation. The space around him fractured violently as his twin swords roared with Intermediate Grade Sword Auras, one blazing fiercely with fire, the other crackling explosively with thunder.

The impact was instantaneous and catastrophic.

The swords collided with the darkness-infused claws of the muscular vampire, producing a world-shaking shockwave that rippled outward.

The sheer force instantly erased mountains beneath, sending devastating earthquakes across the vast land and wiping entire cities clean from existence.

Tens of millions of Tigerkin and Lionkin perished immediately, their cries silenced by the merciless spatial distortions tearing through the lower world.