CHAPTER 172: MEETING THE VAMPIRE KING

In an instant, an unimaginable pressure swept through the entire vampire city like a tidal wave.

The air itself seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on every living being with an invisible force that felt like mountains collapsing from above. Streets once filled with noise fell completely silent as vampires—commoners and nobles alike—were crushed to their knees, their bodies trembling violently.

Even the proud nobles, who moments ago had been mocking Aamir, now couldn’t lift their heads. Their bones creaked, their vision blurred, and their strength was utterly drained by the overwhelming presence. It wasn’t just power—it was dominance.

Inside the royal palace, the reaction was no different.

The mighty Royal Vampire Guards, the elite warriors who guarded the throne, collapsed one by one, their weapons clattering against the marble floors. Not a single one could move an inch under the suffocating force.

The Vampire King himself, sitting upon his blackened throne, felt it. His crimson eyes widened, his hand gripping the armrest tightly until the stone cracked.

"What... is this pressure?" the king muttered, his voice sharp but shaken. He pushed himself up, his immense strength allowing him to stand, but his movements were heavy—as though even he was fighting to resist the crushing weight.

One of the royal guards, kneeling and trembling, forced out a weak voice: "M-My lord... are you... okay?"

The king’s gaze was grim. "I’m fine," he said, his tone steady but cold. "But this presence... it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Whoever this is... they are even stronger than me."

Shock spread through the guards’ faces. If their king admitted such a thing, this was no ordinary intruder.

Meanwhile, back on the streets—

Aamir stood at the center of it all, his crimson eyes glowing faintly. His aura poured out of him like a storm made flesh, crashing down on the city with a force that demanded submission.

He glanced at the trembling knight Philip, who struggled to even raise his head.

"So..." Aamir’s voice cut through the silence, calm and dangerous. "Do you still want to mess with me?"

Philip gritted his teeth, but then dropped his head low in surrender. "F-Forgive me... I was wrong!"

he shouted, his voice trembling with fear and respect. "But please... sir... lower your pressure! These people... they are not strong enough to endure this!"

Aamir studied him for a moment, then smirked faintly.

"Oh? You’re a decent one, after all," Aamir said, his voice calm but commanding.

Philip blinked in surprise, unsure if he was being mocked or praised.

Aamir let out a quiet sigh. "Fine. Since you asked nicely... I’ll let you all breathe again."

With a mere thought, he pulled back his aura.

The crushing pressure vanished instantly, like chains being removed from every neck. The crowd gasped, collapsing in exhaustion, their hearts pounding. Philip himself straightened slowly, still shaken, his eyes locked on Aamir with a new mix of respect and fear.

Aamir glanced toward the towering black castle in the distance. His smirk returned.

"Much better, isn’t it?" he said. Then, in a low, almost amused tone: "Now... let’s see what kind of king rules this place."

Aamir pointed toward the massive black castle looming in the distance. "Hey, you," he said to the city guard, his tone calm but commanding. "Take me to the castle."

The guard hesitated for only a second before bowing his head. "O-Okay, sir. As you wish." His voice carried a hint of fear—after all, this was the same man who had just released a pressure so terrifying that even the strongest vampires had buckled.

The guard turned and began walking. Aamir followed behind him casually, hands in his pockets, his crimson eyes occasionally glancing at the gothic towers of the city. The streets were quiet; everyone was still recovering from the crushing aura he had unleashed moments earlier.

After only a minute, they arrived at the castle gates. The towering black gates stretched high above, reinforced with dark steel and engraved with ancient runes. Aamir smirked.

"Impressive design. Looks like the vampires at least have good taste in architecture," he muttered.

Just then, the massive doors opened. Two figures emerged—both radiating strength.

Aamir’s system flickered before his eyes:

[New Entity Detected]

Vampire Royal Guard

Rank: High Vampire Warrior

Aamir raised an eyebrow. "Oh... so these are the King’s personal guards. Cool."

Without hesitation, he walked straight toward them.

One of the guards stepped forward, his sharp crimson gaze locking onto Aamir. "Who are you? We don’t have time for nonsense. State your business or leave."

Aamir tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "What? That’s how you talk to the guy who just shook your entire city?"

The city guard who escorted Aamir quickly stepped in front of him and bowed to the royal guards. "Sir, this is the man who released that overwhelming pressure just moments ago."

The two royal guards froze for a moment, exchanging quick glances. Then, without warning, their attitudes shifted entirely.

"Wait... this is him?" one of them asked, his tone now far more respectful.

The escort nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. I witnessed it myself."

The royal guards turned back to Aamir, their expressions serious but no longer hostile. One of them inclined his head slightly. "Forgive our earlier tone, sir. We didn’t realize who you were. But tell us... why do you seek an audience with our king?"

Aamir crossed his arms casually and smirked. "Simple. I’m here to help. You can say... I’ve got a few problems to solve for you."

The royal guards stared at him for a moment, clearly processing his words.

Finally, one of them chuckled lightly. "Help, huh? Well... the king was already searching for the source of that pressure. I’m sure he’ll want to meet you immediately."

He stepped aside, gesturing toward the massive gates. "Sir, please follow us. We’ll take you to him at once."

Aamir grinned. "Finally. Let’s go then."

With that, the royal guards led him through the colossal gates, into the vampire king’s palace—a place where the fate of this entire planet might just shift.

The massive gates of the Vampire King’s palace creaked open with a deep, echoing rumble. As Aamir stepped forward, guided by the royal guards, the sheer scale of the interior stunned him.

The palace was a masterpiece of ancient, otherworldly architecture. The walls were made of dark obsidian stone, polished until they reflected faint crimson light from the chandeliers above. The chandeliers themselves weren’t ordinary—each was made from enchanted black crystal, burning with blood-red flames that gave off no heat, only an eerie glow that made the shadows dance across the room.

Aamir’s eyes wandered across the towering pillars carved with intricate bat-wing patterns and runes older than any language he’d ever seen. Massive stained-glass windows stretched from floor to ceiling, their crimson and black panes depicting scenes of ancient battles between vampires and werewolves—wars that had once shaken the stars themselves.

"This place..." Aamir muttered under his breath. "It feels alive."

Luman’s calm voice echoed in his mind. "Host, the palace walls are infused with blood energy. They resonate with the life force of every vampire who has lived here for thousands of years. Be cautious."

Aamir smirked. "Tch, guess I really am in their world now."

The guards led him across a vast black-marble floor, their footsteps echoing sharply. He noticed rows of vampire knights in dark crimson armor lining the corridors. Their glowing scarlet eyes followed Aamir silently, their hands resting on their ornate spears. None dared to move, but the sheer tension in the air told him they recognized his overwhelming presence.

As they climbed a sweeping staircase lined with black-iron railings and silver inlays, Aamir glanced up at the massive vaulted ceiling above. Painted across it was a mural of a vampire king from ages past—crowned in bone, surrounded by shadow-beasts, his gaze as cold as the void itself.

"Damn," Aamir whispered. "If this is their idea of interior decoration, I’d hate to see their dungeon."

Finally, the guards stopped in front of two colossal double doors carved from shadowwood, their surface engraved with runes that glowed faintly when touched by moonlight. One of the guards stepped forward and pushed them open.

A wave of cold, regal pressure rolled out from inside the throne room.

There, at the far end of the hall, seated upon a throne of black stone veined with silver, was the Vampire King. His presence alone felt like an ancient mountain—immovable, heavy, yet eerily calm. His eyes, a piercing crimson with streaks of gold, locked onto Aamir the moment he entered.

The guards bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty... this is the one."

Aamir stepped forward without bowing, his hands casually in his pockets. His gaze was calm, steady—unintimidated.

The Vampire King’s lips curved into the faintest smile.

"So... you are the one who shook my city."

Aamir smirked. "Guess I don’t really do ’subtle.’"

The throne room went silent, tension crackling in the air as two powers met for the first time.