With the Crimson Virethorn unleashing its full might, Thalion followed suit. His aura surged outward like a tidal wave of pressure, but he held back the fear effect embedded in his armor. His own soldiers stood behind him, and he wouldn’t risk their resolve faltering. Now was the moment to test himself against one of the monsters standing in their way.

The Sword of the Blooded Templar appeard in his right hand, its presence warping the air around it. Crimson flames ignited along the blade, licking at the edges of his armor as the crystals embedded within flared to life, drawing in and amplifying his mana. His entire body was alight with searing energy, his heart pounding in rhythm with the wild fury of the Crimson Virethorn. The air thickened as his aura clashed with that of the vampiress. Though he couldn’t overpower her entirely, his pressure forced hers to recoil. But she was still stronger. Much stronger.

The vampiress’s transformation began, nothing like the monstrous demon he had faced before. This time, her change was alien. Her neck elongated grotesquely as strands of black hair fell away. Her arms stretched unnaturally, and her fingernails warped into long crimson claws that would make Freddy Krueger blush. Her back remained wingless, but her height swelled past two meters. Her skin darkened to a deep, pulsing red, and her jaw unhinged to reveal needle-like teeth, fangs made for piercing hearts. From her shoulders sprouted thorny, blood-soaked vines, thrumming with power that dwarfed even Thalion’s Virethorn.

She wasn’t alone. The red orc beside her snarled, muscles swelling with rage as it absorbed the blood-fueled energy flooding the room. The undead wyvern behind it loomed with a rising growl, mist venting from its crimson maw as glowing runes shimmered beneath its scales. Its claws glowed a haunting red, sharpened for one purpose: slaughter. The Blood Witch stood silent and composed. Her aura alone spoke of death. She held a staff forged from bone, ending in a twisted crystal spike. No words. No chants. Just quiet, overwhelming menace.

Then came the lions, two monstrous beasts at least twice the size of Earth’s predators. Their fur had turned a dark, glistening red, eyes blazing with hatred. Even if their forms didn’t appear supernatural, their auras betrayed them. They radiated strength that no natural creature could contain.

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Across the chamber, the lesser vampires responded in kind, releasing their auras or transforming into winged horrors. The massive chamber, far larger than Thalion had first estimated, shuddered with raw magical pressure. His allies began emerging from the corridor behind him, their own auras igniting in defiance. But they were outnumbered, and worse, funneled through a narrow tunnel. It was up to Thalion to carve a path.

He surged forward, activating Mistform, and his body dissolved into a stream of burning, crimson vapor. To onlookers, it must have appeared like a living jetstream of fire crossing the battlefield. He reformed midair, just as the vampiress mirrored his movement, hurtling toward him. Their collision lit up the center of the chamber.

Thalion brought his blade down with thunderous force, the Mana Slash rippling from it like a shockwave. The air sang with violent energy as crimson fire engulfed the steel. The vampiress’s claws met it, wrapped in bloody, flickering light, an ability similar to the Shadow Claw of the Eclipsari. A thunderclap echoed as their powers collided. The chamber rocked.

Behind him, the elite fighters began to move. One after another, they dashed from the corridor, using their movement skills to avoid enemy fire. Josh, now in his beast form, leapt high above, bypassing the orc entirely to strike down at the sniping vampires stationed on the high ground. It was a smart choice. The orc, witch, and wyvern were still holding back, biding their time.

The others followed. The monk and two mages flanked Josh, launching spells at the scattered vampires. Those without movement skills relied on the formation spell they got from Jim. It had since been baptized in battle, making even average fighters capable of surviving against the lesser vampires. Barriers shimmered into place, giving cover as more allies poured in.

Thalion no longer had the luxury of watching them. His attention was locked on the vampiress before him, an opponent like none he had ever faced. His Crimson Virethorn could not overwhelm her. The Sanguine Thorn under her heart was far stronger. He could feel the pressure it exuded, oppressive, primal, and unrelenting.

He gritted his teeth and pressed forward.