Blake stared at Yvess in disbelief, his eyes carefully examining every inch of him.
"Are you really alive, or are you just a ghost?" Blake asked cautiously.
"Idiot. Vampires don't become ghosts," Zander replied with a scoff.
Yvess couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm real, guys. Completely alive," Yvess said with a smile.
"I'm so happy you've returned to us," Lilith said, her eyes still glistening with tears. "But how did you come back to life?"
"It was your blood that allowed me to regain my body," Yvess explained. "After all, we all know that vampires are immortal. There is a possibility for a vampire to return to life as long as their remains are touched by blood."
"Wait… why didn't I know that?" Blake asked, confused.
"Every vampire knows that," Maddison answered.
"However, not every vampire can be resurrected," Lilith added. "If a vampire is killed using a blessed silver sword, there is absolutely no chance of coming back."
"Like what happened to Rebeus and Genevieve," Maddison said quietly.
"The weapon my sister used against me was only an ordinary dagger. But even though it was a normal blade, I still died because my body had already been infected by the virus," Yvess explained.
"But what matters now is that you're finally with us again," Lilith said, smiling through her tears. "His Majesty will surely be overjoyed when he sees you."
"By the way, where is he? And where is everyone else?" Yvess asked.
"Xenon and the others are currently on a journey to find the Gate Keeper of the World of Emptiness," Lilith answered. "Aria has been trapped there, and they are trying to rescue her. As for His Majesty, he traveled north together with Heberlin and Zake in search of the Vampire's Bid. Jade's condition has become very serious."
"I see…" Yvess murmured. "It seems there are still many things I don't know."
"Right now, our world is in a state of calamity," Zander said, his expression turning grim. "The gates of Hell have been opened, and Leviathan is spreading chaos and destruction."
"Then I will fight alongside all of you," Yvess declared firmly.
Yvess turned his gaze toward Zander.
"Rebeus…" he whispered.
Zander's expression immediately became blank.
"Tsk. I'm not Rebeus," he replied coldly.
Yvess smirked.
"Even after all this time… you still act exactly like him."
Zander merely clicked his tongue and looked away, refusing to respond.
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.
.
"Who are you?" the old vampire demanded, his sharp eyes narrowing as he stared at them.
"We are looking for the Gate Keeper of the World of Emptiness," Cedrick answered.
The old vampire let out a mocking laugh.
"Haha. You've lost your mind. And why would you ever want to enter that cursed world?" he asked.
"B-Because…" Cedrick hesitated, his voice trembling. "Because the woman I love is trapped there."
"Love?" the old vampire repeated with a scoff. "If you truly wish to see her again, then find another way. Do not disturb me with your foolish obsession."
With that, the old vampire turned his back on them and walked into the temple.
"These young people these days… all they ever think about is love," he muttered under his breath.
Cedrick immediately chased after him.
"Please!" he pleaded. "Allow me to enter the portal. I will do anything. Just give me your permission."
The old vampire stopped and looked back at him.
"Are you truly that desperate?" he asked. "Is that woman really that important to you?"
"Yes," Cedrick answered without hesitation.
"Then you must pass my trial," the old vampire declared. "If you succeed, I will grant you permission to enter."
Cedrick and the others were filled with joy upon hearing his words.
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.
.
Leviathan gazed up at the darkened sky.
"I am very close to conquering this world. Jinx… I am about to fulfill the promise I made to you," he whispered, a sinister smile appearing on his face.
"Papa, I'm hungry," Ji Park said.
Leviathan's expression softened into a smile.
He gestured to one of the demons nearby. The demon immediately dragged one of the prisoners forward and placed the captive before them.
"Go ahead. Eat her," Leviathan said gently.
Ji Park nodded and walked toward the young female prisoner.
"P-Please… don't eat me," the girl begged, her body shaking with fear.
However, the innocent-looking Ji Park merely stared at her silently.
The girl let out a blood-curdling scream as the child demon sank his fangs into her.
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.
At last, Arden and Vladimir finally arrived at the palace.
Maddison's eyes widened the moment he saw Arden standing before him.
"A-Arden? You're alive?" she asked in disbelief.
Overcome with emotion, Maddison hurried toward him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"We thought you were dead," she said, her voice filled with relief.
A faint smile appeared on Arden's face—a sight Maddison was witnessing for the very first time.
"I only disappeared. I never died," Arden replied.
Maddison was even more shocked when she heard Arden speak. Arden had always been a man of few words, and the only person he would usually talk to was Xylon.
"Arden?!" Blake exclaimed.
Without hesitation, he jumped down from the veranda and rushed toward them. Yvess quickly followed behind him.
"Dude, you're alive," Blake said, staring at him in amazement.
"Yes. I came here for His Majesty," Arden answered.
"Xylon isn't here right now," Lilith explained.
"That is fine. The Queen is actually the reason we came here," Vladimir said.
Everyone turned their attention to the young boy accompanying Arden.
"Who is he?" Yvess asked.
"He is the ancient king—the very first king.. King Vladimir Serolf," Arden revealed.
The moment they heard his identity, Maddison and the others immediately knelt before him in respect.
"There is no need for such formalities," Vladimir said calmly. "Besides, we don't have much time. I can only remain in this world for a little longer, so I need to see the Queen immediately."
"She is in her chambers right now. Her illness has become severe," Lilith informed him.
"That is exactly why I came here," Vladimir said, his expression turning serious. "I will remove the curse from her and destroy Jinx once and for all, ensuring that it can never return again."
"If that's the case, then we should go now," Maddison said urgently.
Without wasting another second, they quickly entered the palace, carrying with them a glimmer of hope that the Queen might finally be saved.
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.
.
Sagi was now walking through the unfamiliar town, his eyes wandering around as he tried to understand where he was.
However, he soon noticed that every person he passed was staring at him.
A chill ran down his spine when he saw their blood-red eyes glaring intensely at him.
He immediately made the sign of the cross.
"These people are seriously terrifying," he muttered nervously.
He quickened his pace, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea where he was or what kind of place he had ended up in.
Suddenly—
The entire area shook violently.
Sagi froze for a moment before looking up.
His eyes widened in horror as massive balls of fire rained down from the sky.
"W-What the heck is happening?!"
He immediately started running, desperately trying to avoid the falling flames.
BOOM!
A nearby small building exploded.
Before Sagi could escape, large chunks of shattered stone and debris were hurled toward him, striking his body with tremendous force.
"Agh—!"
His vision blurred as the pain surged through him.
The world around him slowly faded into darkness.
And within moments, Sagi lost consciousness.