Chapter 189

Lajeare, having heard Seonghyun's answer, thought with trembling eyes.

Why are there so many?

With just that level of strength, he has that many familiars?

Countless questions bloomed in his mind.

Even his own familiars had been adjusted to match that fellow's power and reduced to five.

But twelve.

He remained puzzled.

But in the midst of having no clear answers.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

‘What if he made many precisely because he is weak?’

That was certainly possible.

‘Indiscriminately increasing their number is also an act that lacks dignity.’

Lajeare consoled himself inwardly with that thought.

And said with his eyes closed.

“We shall do five.”

“……?”

At Lajeare's words, Seonghyun tilted his head.

He said he would match his number.

But five?

Could it be that's all he has?

He wanted to ask.

But he did not.

‘If the number of battles is small, it will be over quickly.’

Surely the familiars of Lajeare, the Lord of Blood, can't be just a measly five.

However, he was worried about how he should send out his familiars.

His opponent was Lajeare, who held the epithet 'Lord of Blood'.

His familiars were sure to be vampires.

Recalling the story from the past.

‘A being whose familiars are stronger than himself.’

There are classes like battlefield commanders or generals, who fight by raising the morale and abilities of their allies rather than being strong themselves.

Lajeare also seemed to be that type of class.

On top of that, he was a Monarch.

He would by no means be weak.

Therefore, he had to choose his familiars well.

‘I don't know their compatibility or attributes. Let's just pick them in order of strength.’

Then, even if he were to lose, at least it would not feel unfair.

Seonghyun thus ranked the strength of his familiars in his head.

First, Helena was an unconditional pick.

Next would be Drakhanos, but.

Unfortunately, Drakhanos had just fought Laktera yesterday, so he needed to rest for the time being.

Excluding Drakhanos, the next strongest was Anemor.

However…….

‘Can I even let Anemor loose in here?’

He thought as he looked around.

The inside of the castle was large, but.

Even so, it was only the level of a large hall.

It would be difficult to take advantage of Anemor's strengths, gliding and aerial combat.

It seemed he would have to pass on Anemor as well.

In that case, the next strongest was Fiora.

Fiora had to be included.

Those who could be called the strongest after Fiora were Leonik, Balthar, and Serphina, all of whom showed similar levels of strength.

‘Is this the final five?’

While Seonghyun was thinking about the participating familiars in his head.

Lajeare, who only had five familiars at his current level, was thinking something else.

This generation's Overlord was far too weak.

However, he himself was also weakened to a similar level.

Part of it was due to his long slumber.

But he had been weakened by the constraints of his pact with Helena.

His number of familiars had decreased because of it.

And the power he could allocate had also decreased.

Still, no matter how weak, an Overlord was an Overlord.

And among Monarchs, they were an overwhelming Monarch.

So Lajeare's mind also grew busy.

‘Five. But I must not distribute the power evenly.’

Lajeare's familiars all slept within his blood.

The strength of a familiar was determined by how much blood was allocated to it.

Therefore, he had to strategize well.

He had to think about where and how Seonghyun would place his familiars.

Only by considering that and sending out his own familiars could he seize victory.

As he was captivated by such thoughts.

An idea flashed in Lajeare's mind.

‘There's no reason to insist on a best-of-five.’

Originally, he had intended to follow the standard procedure of a best-of-five match.

However, the current Overlord had an unusually large number of familiars.

This could be a variable.

Just because the number is large, does that mean each one is weak?

Not likely.

If he considered the familiars that the previous Overlord might have left behind.

There was no need to take such a risk.

He might have at least five powerful familiars.

That was why Lajeare racked his brain with only the tenacity for victory.

And the result.

“The competition will not be a best-of-five, but a tournament-style battle where the winners fight each other until a final victor emerges.”

As Lajeare said so.

Seonghyun tilted his head with a puzzled look.

He did not think there was a particular need to do so.

“Hmm?”

“If all five on one side are winners, then of course that side wins.”

“Well, I don't mind.”

“Good.”

Idiot.

If it's like this, I can allocate the minimum amount of blood to four of them and create one supremely powerful familiar.

No matter how great the previous Overlord, Helena, was, or what she left behind, she could not defeat his most powerful familiar.

Lajeare believed so without a doubt.

On the other hand, Seonghyun did not particularly question Lajeare's proposal.

Because he intended to win anyway.

Seonghyun thought of all the placements and finished all his preparations.

He could have thought of a strategy or paid more attention to the placement.

But in the first place, if they were going to compete until a final victor was decided like that.

Strategy did not matter at all.

He would have to do it by the book, starting with the weakest of the five familiars and gradually getting stronger.

Helena was naturally placed last.

But this was also intended.

‘It would be a bit much to bring out Helena from the start.’

Wasn't Helena something of a trauma for Lajeare?

So wouldn't it be best to bring her out last?

As Seonghyun was thinking that.

Lajeare asked.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, we can start right away.”

At Seonghyun's words, Lajeare nodded his head and held out his hand in the air.

His blood gushed out from his hand and created a single form.

The blood-form, like the silhouette of a woman, was gradually shaped like a person.

And it transformed into a woman with pale skin and complexion, but whose lips and two eyes were a luscious red, full of life.

As soon as the woman appeared.

She turned her back to Lajeare, bowed her head, and cried out.

“Aaaah!!! I greet my eternal Monarch, the immortal Lord of Blood who rules over all bloodlines.”

“Niera, it's been a while.”

“Aah, to think you remember even the name of this lowly one. It is an honor.”

“Go and seize victory.”

“Yes!”

At her loyal appearance, Seonghyun also nodded his head and summoned his own familiar.

He had not decided who to summon first.

But it happened to be a female familiar.

A teal portal appeared in the air.

And from it, a graceful woman with neatly tied-up ultramarine hair walked out leisurely.

Serphina appeared in that spot, looked at Seonghyun, and said demurely.

“Thank you for summoning me.”

“Yep, it feels like a duel, so go and win.”

“Yes, I will.”

At the sight of them talking so casually, the vampire called Niera sneered.

“Hmph, to be so informal even with one's own Monarch. How pathetic.”

“……”

On the other hand, watching that scene, Lajeare's mouth twitched for a moment.

His brow also twitched for a moment as he looked at Serphina.

She was definitely a familiar being.

As he rummaged through his memories and recalled the being.

A woman flashed through Lajeare's mind.

‘The Witch of the Night?’

The Witch of the Night, Serphina Nightbloom.

Lajeare, who remembered her existence, looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Compared to the past, she was in a ruined state, just like himself.

But how on earth was she alive?

He had heard that she was also dead.

What on earth was going on?

He could not understand, but Lajeare did not pay it much mind.

Although Niera had not been given even a single person's share of power.

Even so, she was his familiar.

‘Perhaps she might even win.’

Lajeare thought so and looked at Niera.

Niera, who looked to be brimming with confidence.

Perhaps?

With that thought, he watched the two climb into the arena.

Then, a blood-red orb naturally appeared in the center.

As the orb of blood floated in the air and signaled the start of the match.

Both of them realized it was the signal.

However, Serphina did not move, even though she knew it was the signal.

Niera looked at her and, as if finding it pathetic, used her full power to cast a spell.

Spells thick with the characteristic blood scent of a vampire.

Countless magic circles made of blood appeared behind Niera's back.

“Kyahahaha!!! It's no use crying and begging…….”

The moment she cried out and was about to attack.

A red moon suddenly rose in the sky.

The red moonlight condensed all the moonlight that should have illuminated the world into one spot and fired it.

The red moonlight fell on Niera's head, who had not been able to finish her words.

KWAAAAAAAAA—!!!

The arena that Niera was standing on melted away as if annihilated by the red moonlight.

Along with a large hole, Niera was completely erased from that place, without leaving behind even a single drop of her blood as a trace.

A battle decided in a single instant.

Watching it, Serphina spoke leisurely.

“It is my victory, is it not?”

“……”

At Serphina's haughty words, Lajeare could not bring himself to open his mouth.

No matter how minimal he had made her power.

Niera was not someone who would be defeated so futilely.

And yet, because she was defeated in a single moment.

Lajeare grasped his momentarily dazed mind.

And nodded his head.

“The first match is yours, Overlord.”

“Yes, it seems so.”

“We will proceed with the next match.”

Lajeare thought so, and wondered if he should change his strategy even now, but he shook his head.

That woman, who looked exactly like the Witch of the Night, could be his strongest familiar.

So this was actually for the better.

At least against that level of power.

‘If I use most of the blood to create the most powerful familiar, I will surely win.’

Because he had made that judgment.

The second match began, and he summoned another familiar.

Similarly, blood gushed out.

And formed a human shape.

A male vampire who looked like he came straight out of the media appeared, with a black cape and a high collar, looking handsome and with flowing blond hair.

The vampire, just like Niera, shouted his loyalty towards Lajeare.

“My Monarch, the Monarch of all our bloodkin! This lowly servant, Damien, greets Lord Lajeare.”

“Damien, it has been a long time. Go and bring back a victory.”

“I will bring victory to my Monarch.”

Damien, having made his vow, turned and headed towards the arena.

The arena, which had been damaged by Serphina's red moonlight, had at some point been restored to its original state.

And Seonghyun, watching the scene indifferently, opened the portal to the underworld again.

The next to be summoned.

-Kuhahaha!!! It is an honor to be the fourth!!! Lord!!!

Balthar walked out, letting out a ferocious laugh, boasting his crimson skin and a giant greatsword.

At his appearance, the vampire who called himself Damien scowled fiercely.

“What a shabby and vulgar creature. Look at the way he acts towards his Monarch; he is surely someone not worth associating with.”

-Hmm? Is that my opponent?

Ignoring Damien's words, Balthar asked Seonghyun.

At that, Damien became furious.

But Balthar did not even pay him any mind and looked at Seonghyun.

Then, Seonghyun nodded his head.

-Hmph.

At the clear attitude of being ignored, Damien's face filled with rage and he extended all the sharp claws on his hands.

He glared at Balthar with the intent to kill him at any moment.

In that instant, the orb of blood appeared in the center of the arena.

And as the orb signaled the start of the match.

Pat!

“I will tear your throat out!!!”

Damien rushed in with incredible speed.

The moment he was about to tear Balthar to shreds with his claws.

His vision spun rapidly.

Damien watched it blankly, as if he could not understand it at all.

What is happening?

But then.

A voice came from above his head.

-Yawn. Like this, you mean?

Balthar spoke leisurely, letting out a drawn-out yawn.

Damien looked at that and was puzzled.

‘Why are you above me?’

But the words did not come out.

He could only move his lips.

Balthar looked at him and said, as if he had forgotten something.

-Now, your body is over there.

As Balthar turned his hand.

Damien could see his own body.

His body, which had collapsed after its neck was torn off.

Then, Balthar kindly threw the head he was holding towards the body.

And so, Damien's consciousness was cut off.

Lajeare, who had watched the entire spectacle, could not help but have his eyes tremble violently.

‘What on earth is happening?’