CHAPTER 178: THE KING BREAKS THE LORDS

The courtyard rumbled as the nine Vampire Lords circled Aamir, their combined auras turning the air heavy like molten iron. Crimson lightning crackled across the ground, and even the distant guards watching from the palace walls shivered under the sheer power gathered here.

Aamir stood in the middle of it all, his hands casually in his pockets, a sharp grin pulling at his lips.

"Come on, then," he taunted. "Show me why they call you lords."

Clicy vanished first, her speed so fast she blurred out of sight. In an instant, she reappeared behind Aamir, her "Crimson Flash Kick" cutting through the air like a blade.

Aamir tilted his head slightly. Too slow.

With a single step, he sidestepped the kick, his hand casually flicking out. His finger tapped Clicy’s forehead—

BOOM!

She was launched backward like a cannonball, slamming into the ground, carving a crater.

"Damn you!" Gordan roared, his fists igniting with destructive runes. He activated "Blood Ruin Fists," his strikes strong enough to shatter boulders. He charged in with wild fury, every punch cracking the ground.

Aamir raised a single hand and caught one of Gordan’s fists mid-swing. The air rippled from the impact.

"Nice strength," Aamir said with a smirk before twisting his wrist. Gordan’s knees buckled instantly, forcing him down.

But before Aamir could finish, two more lords joined in—one cloaked in shadows, the other exhaling a freezing mist.

"Shadow Maw!"

"Frozen Blood Prison!"

The shadow lord’s darkness erupted from the ground, trying to bind Aamir’s feet, while freezing spears formed in the air, descending like rain.

For the first time, Aamir actually moved both hands. He stomped his foot, and a wave of crimson aura exploded outward, shattering the shadows and melting the frozen spears midair.

"Better," Aamir muttered, cracking his knuckles. "But not enough."

The air screamed as the other six lords attacked in perfect synchronization—blood chains whipping through the sky, sonic waves from a sound-manipulating lord rattling the earth, and a barrage of energy blasts lighting up the courtyard.

Aamir grinned like a predator.

He vanished.

"Where—?!" Clicy gasped, staggering back to her feet.

Before any of them could react, Aamir appeared above them, spinning midair like a crimson storm. He came crashing down with a kick that struck the ground and sent a shockwave ripping through the courtyard, knocking several lords back.

Gordan roared in defiance and lunged again, but Aamir caught him by the collar and tossed him straight into two other lords, sending them all crashing into the palace wall.

"Is this really all you’ve got?" Aamir mocked, his aura boiling like a living beast.

The Vampire King watched from above, his sharp eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Incredible... he’s suppressing all nine of them."

Even the royal guards whispered in disbelief.

"This is impossible..."

"No one can fight nine lords at once..."

But down in the arena, Aamir stood tall, his smirk never fading. He cracked his neck and gestured for them to rise.

"Again," he ordered, his voice calm but commanding. "And this time—don’t even think about holding back."

The Vampire Lords growled, their pride burning hotter than ever. Their eyes glowed crimson, and one by one, they unleashed their full power, their abilities igniting the battlefield.

And Aamir? He only grinned wider.

"Finally... let’s make this fun."

The battlefield was a storm of power.

The nine Vampire Lords attacked from every direction, their abilities colliding like a symphony of destruction. Blood chains cracked through the air, shadows writhed like living serpents, freezing mist swept across the ground, and sonic blasts shattered stone pillars around the arena.

And Aamir?

He stood in the middle of it all, grinning like a predator surrounded by prey.

Clicy blurred in with her Crimson Flash Kick, while Gordan roared, his Blood Ruin Fists slamming forward like meteors. Aamir shifted his stance, blocking, dodging, and countering with terrifying precision. He caught Gordan’s punch mid-swing and slammed him into the ground, the impact sending a shockwave through the arena.

But before he could follow up, the shadow lord erupted from beneath him.

"Shadow Maw!"

Tendrils of darkness tried to bind Aamir’s legs, but with a single pulse of his crimson aura, they disintegrated.

"You’ll need more than that," Aamir said, his smirk sharp enough to cut steel.

From above, freezing spears rained down, and Aamir raised his hand, shattering each one before they could reach him. The battlefield was chaos, but he was untouchable, moving like a force of nature.

Then—

"Now!" one of the Vampire Lords shouted.

While Aamir’s attention was fixed on the others, Drenik, the calmest among the lords, moved in silently from behind. His hand glowed with crimson runes as he reached toward Aamir’s back, his lips curling into a sly smile.

The other lords suddenly stopped resisting.

Clicy smirked. Gordan chuckled. Even the shadow lord’s crimson eyes gleamed with victory.

Aamir raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What’s with the creepy smiles?"

Clicy crossed her arms. "Because... you just lost."

Aamir tilted his head, confused for a fraction of a second. "Lost?"

Drenik’s cold voice cut through the air as his glowing hand pressed against Aamir’s back.

"Because I touched you," he said with quiet triumph. "Blood Curse Seal."

Crimson markings flared across Aamir’s skin, glowing faintly as Drenik smirked in satisfaction.

In the stands, the vampire guards murmured in shock.

"He... he actually used it!"

"Even the King respects Drenik’s Blood Curse... It’s unbeatable!"

For a moment, the world went silent.

Then, in Aamir’s mind, a notification appeared.

[Warning: External Energy Detected]

A foreign curse is attempting to influence the host.

Result: Effect Nullified.

Aamir looked down at the marks on his skin. They fizzled out like sparks in the wind.

He slowly turned his head toward Drenik, his sharp grin spreading wider.

"You were saying?"

Drenik’s smirk faltered. "W-What...?"

BAM!

Aamir’s fist connected with Drenik’s chest, launching him backward like a ragdoll. He crashed through a stone wall, leaving a crater in the ground.

The other Vampire Lords froze, their smirks wiped clean.

"Kidding," Aamir said, cracking his knuckles. "Your little trick can’t affect me. Try something else before I get bored."

Even the Vampire King, watching from his throne above the arena, chuckled softly.

"Hm... Interesting," Zalmic said, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Now... they will start to respect him."

And he was right.

One by one, the Vampire Lords stared at Aamir—not with anger, but with something far more primal.

Recognition.

For the first time, they saw not just a challenger.

They saw the King of Beasts.

A thick silence settled over the battlefield, broken only by the soft crunch of footsteps as Aamir walked across the bloodstained ground. The broken bodies of the Nine Vampire Lords lay around him, twitching, groaning... defeated. The sky above still roared with power, but for now, the war seemed to pause.

King Zalmic, seated high upon his blackened throne carved from obsidian and bone, watched Aamir approach. His expression was unreadable—part awe, part curiosity.

Aamir didn’t say a word as he climbed the stone steps and sat beside the king, legs folded, arms resting casually. His eyes scanned the horizon... peaceful now. But not for long.

King Zalmic blinked his right eye slowly, turning to Aamir with a smirk.

"You gave them a reality check," he said.

"They thought they were too strong... too invincible. But now, they’ll finally understand—there are people in this world stronger than them."

Aamir exhaled, letting his head tilt back as if the wind above could cool the fire in his veins.

"They were strong," he admitted.

"All nine of them together? They moved like a pack of wolves—fast, coordinated, deadly. But..."

His voice dropped a bit.

"There’s just one problem."

Zalmic tilted his head.

"And what’s that?"

Aamir glanced sideways at the king, eyes like twin embers.

"You’re still sitting there like I haven’t tested you yet."

Zalmic laughed. A deep, slow, ancient laugh.

"So now you’re curious about me?"

"Very."

The king leaned slightly toward Aamir, his voice suddenly soft, almost fatherly.

"Well, I’m certainly sure of one thing... I’m not stronger than you."

Aamir narrowed his eyes.

"Now you’re just being polite. I can feel it, you know... Your life energy. It’s heavy. Too heavy to be just for show.

You’re stronger than your lords. Maybe much stronger."

Zalmic’s gaze darkened, but not out of anger. Out of remembrance.

"You have good eyes. I’ve seen thousands of warriors, but very few could read my strength like that. So tell me, boy... who trained you?"

Aamir smirked.

"That... is a long story. Maybe I’ll share it when we have wine and no one trying to kill us."

Zalmic chuckled again.

"Very well. Then at least answer this..."

He looked Aamir straight in the eye.

"Where are you from?"

Aamir leaned forward, elbows on knees, and said it with calm pride:

"Earth."

The air grew quiet again.

Zalmic’s eyes sparkled with something like nostalgia.

"Earth... Hmm. I’m not amazed."

He sat back.

"That planet has given rise to challenging warriors time and time again. Every few millennia, someone from Earth steps into the realm of legends. Maybe it’s your people’s spirit. Or maybe... it’s just fate."

Aamir looked up at the sky.

"Maybe both."