Inside the castle, the group of nobles assembled in front of the barrier. Their faces filled with fear and dread as they stared at the sky through the glowing crimson dome. The attack descending from above was unlike anything they had ever witnessed.

The spear of blood energy tore through the clouds like a falling star, its surface covered with ancient runes that burned like tiny suns. The air screamed as the weapon cut through the sky, leaving behind a trail of distorted space.

Even from this distance, the pressure alone made several nobles stumble.

"That… that's a B-rank annihilation technique…"

"Is she trying to wipe out the entire settlement?!"

"If that thing hits the barrier-"

The elder could not even finish his sentence. Across the entire city, vampires looked up in horror as the monstrous spear descended toward them. The barrier trembled violently before the attack had even touched it. Several cracks began spreading across the crimson dome.

Inside the throne chamber, Samarishit's face turned completely pale. "We're finished…" Another noble whispered hoarsely. "The domain cannot hold against something like that…"

Every single one of them urgently started activating their teleportation tokens. Most of the vampires in the settlement resorted to the same desperate measure. Across the city, flashes of silver and crimson light erupted one after another as emergency teleportation scrolls were triggered in panic.

But something strange happened. The teleportation formations activated. The runes glowed. The space twisted and then nothing. The light flickered and died. Everyone froze in confusion.

"What…?"

"My teleportation token!"

"Nothing is working!"

Another tried again, pouring more energy into the scroll. The formation activated once more. But the moment the teleportation space began to open, the surrounding air rippled violently and crushed the spatial passage.The scroll disintegrated into ashes.

Panic spread through the settlement. No one was able to get out.

Outside, one of the elders harrumphed coldly. "Normally, I wouldn't care but today a lesson has to be taught. You will all die to pay for that wastrel's existence."

The sky above the city trembled violently as the B-rank spear descended toward the barrier. The gigantic weapon tore through the heavens like divine punishment, its runes blazing brighter and brighter as it fell. The pressure alone crushed the air, forcing many of the vampires below to their knees.

"It's over…"

"We're all going to die…"

Samarishit stared at the sky with empty eyes as the colossal spear grew larger and larger above them. He was done for. He had miscalculated and used his trump card sooner than he should have.

The barrier was already cracking. Lines of crimson fractures spread across the dome like spiderwebs as the formation struggled to endure the incoming attack.

Above the settlement, the six B-rank vampires watched silently. The old vampiress folded her arms. "Let the brat witness what true power looks like."

The spear finally struck.

BOOOOOOM!

The world seemed to explode. An ocean of blood energy erupted outward as the massive spear slammed into the domain barrier. Shockwaves blasted across the sky, flattening clouds and sending violent tremors across the entire region.

The barrier shuddered violently. From below, the vampires screamed as the cracks across the dome multiplied rapidly.

"It's breaking!"

"The domain is collapsing!"

Several towers inside the settlement shattered under the pressure. Streets cracked. Walls split apart. The entire city trembled as if it were about to be crushed. High above, the old vampiress smirked faintly.

And then, the smirk disappeared.

Because the barrier did not shatter. Instead, something far more terrifying happened. The cracks suddenly stopped spreading. The domain formation roared. A massive vortex of blood essence erupted from the center of the settlement, shooting toward the sky like a pillar piercing the heavens.

The descending spear slowed and then it stopped. It stood suspended, frozen in midair. Every B-rank vampire's eyes widened.

"What?"

The spear trembled violently as if something invisible had grabbed it.Then the entire weapon began to twist. The blood energy composing the spear began to unravel, thread by thread, as if it were being devoured.

The vampiress' expression finally changed. "No…" For the first time, real disbelief appeared on her face. "That's my attack!"

Another B-rank elder's pupils shrank. "Your attack is being consumed," he said quietly.

The vampires inside the settlement stared upward in complete shock. Just moments ago, they had believed death was certain. Now the very attack that should have erased them was being torn apart and eaten by the domain.

Inside the throne chamber, Samarishit's knees nearly gave out. His lips trembled as he watched the impossible scene reflected in the shattered windows.

The spear shrank rapidly. What had once looked like divine punishment now looked like prey trapped in an invisible maw. The glowing runes coating its surface flickered wildly, then began to break apart one after another. Every bit of condensed blood energy was ripped free and dragged downward.

And at the center of it all… a single person stood with one hand raised.

"The wastrel heir!"

"How did he become so powerful?"

The B ranks gaped in shock. "No. He is not that powerful. Look. His entire body is shaking and shivering. He is about to collapse. He can't possibly hold out much longer." Then another elder shook his head, gravely speaking out. "No. You are wrong. He is not breaking down. Look closely. He is evolving!"

Everyone froze and stared at the single person inside the barrier without blinking. Right in front of them, something utterly unfathomable was slowly unfolding bit by bit.

The vortex of blood essence rising from the city did not slow down. If anything, it grew even larger.

Countless crimson threads streamed toward the lone figure standing beneath it, pouring into his body like rivers flowing into the sea. The air around him warped violently as the pressure intensified, twisting the space inside the domain itself.

Damon's entire body trembled.

Crimson veins spread across his skin like burning runes as the ancestor's blood within him roared louder and louder. The storm of energy swirling around him began to condense, forming rings of blood essence that revolved slowly around his body like orbiting moons. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

***