One after another, the storm towers that ensured the eternal darkness of the New World's lower half collapsed under the might of the SIGIL Third Division.

Vampire personnel maintaining the towers could only withdraw, unable to stand their ground against the elites of Block 3 and the Third Paragon.

In a distant, desolate hill, Armstrong watched as the southern frontier expanded beyond its decade-old borders. It was all thanks to the Aberrant and Jaeger, Damien.

The third member of Block 7.

"Sir, we have penetrated a hundred kilometers deep into the lower half of the New World. The southern frontier has broadened." An elite Jaeger reported, though his face became downcast.

"Unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to reach the first city and liberate a portion of humanity from the fangs of the vampire."

A significant percentage of humanity resided beyond the southern frontier, under the Clan's complete mercy. Rumors about experiments ran wild.

Some cities pretended that the world remained normal, while others actively tortured the last surviving humans to their deaths.

According to the vampires, it was to create flavors in their cattle.

The thought alone angered the members of the Third Division. Unfortunately for them, they were too weak to mount an offensive.

If an incursion were to start, Block 3 would need the complete backing of the Federation and CORE. At the very least, another Paragon would be appreciated.

Sadly... The New World wasn't interested in expanding its land, liberating its fellow humans below. The status quo has already been established.

Why break it now?

"This is a good start for the Third Division. As long as we expand our influence from here, we could liberate nearby enclaves that surround the city." Armstrong smiled.

"But before that, we must fight against our adversaries, for liberty and freedom." His gaze narrowed, staring in a particular direction.

The elite Jaeger noticed the War Minister's cold expression and inquired. "Do you require our assistance, Sir? We are ready to fight by your side!"

Armstrong shook his head and walked forward. "Continue in breaking the storm towers! Prepare for our expansion further south!"

His commands echoed as he leaped towards the direction where he felt the magnified aetheric background. It was oppressive, but he faced much worse opponents than whatever this was.

The elite Jaeger nodded and relayed the War Minister's orders. The Third Division must expand deep into the south and consolidate its positions.

Otherwise, it would be troublesome if they were forced back by the Clan. It wouldn't look satisfactory for the division and honor as the guards of humanity.

When Armstrong reached his destination, he found himself surrounded by a stretching, desolate plain. Now that he had arrived, the Third Paragon had finally recognized the interloper's identity.

"Marquis July..." He muttered under his breath, glaring at the figure in the distance. It was another True Blood, the second border guardian.

She was a beautiful lady whose hair was tinted in the evergreen glint of an emerald. Her eyes were tinged with crimson, while her skin was as pale as snow white.

Unlike Marquis March, who frequently commanded the incursions, to which Armstrong always deflected in the Southern Frontier. Marquis July was the Clan's strongest guardian.

She was like a wall that the vampires could lean upon when the worst of circumstances came. It appears that the worst did come for the Clan.

The Third Paragon smirked and pointed at the vampire lady. "It seems that bastard March finally died... Did the Final Bastion fall, too?"

It was a piece of good news for the Third Division, since no defenses would be left between the Southern Frontier and the first city in the northern territories of the Clan.

Marquis July gently landed on the cold surface of the desolate plains and looked at Armstrong, who felt his heart pounding with determination and hope.

"The Marquis did lose a duel between men... And the Final Bastion did fall. No military strongholds remained in the north."

The Third Paragon's grin widened even further as he remarked. "Should you be telling me this piece of good news, Vampire?"

"Do you want me to celebrate in front of you? I can do it if you want me to?" Armstrong tensed his body, ready for the battle about to come.

"I have been deployed by the Great Progenitor himself to dispose of the insects roaming in his land. I will start with you, Armstrong."

Marquis July pointed at the Paragon, who merely launched himself towards her without a tinge of hesitation or delay.

Armstrong's Brand was Invulnerable Solidification. It granted him the ability to create transparent physical objects from thin air, each of which cannot be broken.

It was an exceptional ability that made him the Impregnible Shield of Humanity.

As he launched himself towards the True Blood, Armstrong materialized several blades, hurtling them towards Marquis March.

Each transparent blade whistled through the air, leaving sonic booms in its path. It was quite a sight, resembling shooting stars that punctured across the night sky.

But when those quick blades reached the True Blood, her evergreen hair merely danced through the wind as she caught all of them without moving from the spot.

From her appearance alone, most would have expected her Blood Technique to be an emitter of some sort. Whether it'd be creating objects or manipulating reality.

Unfortunately, the truth was different from such expectations.

Marquis July was the exact opposite.

She held the transparent blades in the tight grasp of her pale, delicate fingers. She hardened her grip and noticed the blades not budging a millimeter.

For the first time in her centuries of life, something couldn't be broken by her hands. Her crimson gaze flickered for a moment.

"This is hard..."

"Interesting." She dodged Armstrong and returned the transparent blades towards his direction. But almost instantly, he regained control of them and threw them back at her.

Marquis July shifted her stance, leaning her body forward. She didn't plan to become passive in this confrontation. After all, what she enjoyed the most was brawling with powerful creatures.

In an instant, she bolted towards Armstrong, becoming a blur. The hurtling transparent blades were wholly dodged as she appeared in front of the Third Paragon in an instant.

Armstrong materialized a barrier between them while the True Blood threw a single punch. Her slender arms swung through the air before impacting the transparent barrier's surface.

When the barrier and her knuckles touch, a bright explosion gleams through the heavens and the earth.

The Third Paragon felt his barrier tremble for the first time in years. The only one who was capable of doing so was none other than the strongest of humanity, Alastair Glass.

To think that there would be a True Blood capable of such a thing.

Armstrong furrowed his eyebrows as the blinding light calmed down. What followed was no less astounding to the Third Paragon.

After all, the scenery in front of him was dumbfounding. Beyond his barrier was a half-crater spanning tens of kilometers.

No one would believe that a punch could unleash such destruction.

But the truth lay before his eyes: a vampire brought about so much power from that punch that it turned tens of kilometers into a deep crater.

If it weren't for the barrier that divided the line between destruction and survival, he would have died from the attack alone.

"This True Blood isn't to be underestimated," Armstrong mumbled to himself, preparing for what was about to come.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the crater, Marquis July looked around and saw that the barrier blocked the power of her punch and redirected it.

Her eyebrows raised while her crimson lips curved into a subtle smile. She didn't think that a Paragon could wield such an ability.

"Interesting... So, the barrier must be invincible. Or perhaps, all of his constructs cannot be destroyed through sheer power."

"I haven't seen anyone wield such a reality-defying power." She looked towards Armstrong's direction and saw his barrier fade into nothing.

Marquis July flickered from the spot and appeared across the Third Paragon without a hint of damage from having her attack redirected.

Not even a fraction of her clothing was spoiled by the destruction.

As the two stood opposite one another, their eyes scrutinized each other's movements. A single move would continue the battle.

"No wonder Marquis March wasn't able to permanently breach the borders of the Federation despite frequent incursions."

"With you guarding it, such a result is to be expected."

Her voice was calm and gentle, carrying maternal weight. If it wasn't for the fact that she could punch a group of mountains out of existence, Armstrong wouldn't have been so tense.

In any case, the two of them had chosen a portion of their cards. Ordinary attacks wouldn't be serviceable in their confrontation, and a battle of attrition would be inadequate.

With this in mind, there was only one path forward for the two. It was a match between whose Microcosms was the most refined.

A duel of experience and wisdom.