The Greatest Sinner

Evan and the others moved carefully through the tunnels. To their surprise, they didn't encounter a single vampire. What's more, every room they entered was completely empty. It wasn't at all like a large base with a lot of vampires living in it.

<Hmm, these rooms used to be the resting place for miners, and it's not like they've been abandoned for 50 years. The vampires have definitely used them for a while, but they're empty now. They cleared the place out for some reason. There isn't even any dust here.>

Evan thought as they entered another empty room.

Suddenly Bas stopped them and said quietly, "I have a theory. I believe that the vampires have all gathered together in the same room and are watching Miss Laila. Maybe they've already left here, but that's unlikely.. Then there would be no guards at the entrance. If I'm right, there will be a major battle. I have to warn you about something."

<So he's decided that the vampires are in the same place, too? Maybe they're waiting for something?> Evan thought.

"First, prioritize using fire spells and light magic spells. Vampires have little resistance to these elements. Secondly, be vigilant, there may well be other vampires capable of using blood magic besides that woman."

<Blood magic!? Evan thought to himself. He was extremely interested in blood magic spells. They could help him in his experiments.>

<I thought she was using a skill then. I had never seen a spell like that, but it was quite possible that it was a blood magic spell. I don't know anything about that kind of spell.>

Evan decided that Nessa was using a skill in the banquet hall, not a spell. When Nessa bled herself and turned it into sharp stakes, it reminded Evan of Reykar's second skill. He used his feathers as weapons, they were sharp enough to pierce steel. Evan decided that Nessa's blood was a prerequisite for using the skill.

"Commander, aren't only some vampires allowed to use spells?" Quietly one man in the group said.

Bas nodded, "Only some, I don't know why, but it's kind of like evolved monsters. Only monsters like that can have skills, it's a similar situation, but I've never seen an evolved vampire before. That's it, let's move on."

The others nodded and followed him.

...

In the next few minutes, they explored several rooms and a couple of forks in this system of abandoned mines. Everywhere was empty, not a hint that anyone lived here.

But, eventually, they came across vampires. Just as Evan thought, all the vampires ended up in the same place.

It was a large room the size of half a soccer field. About forty vampires stood waiting for something. Every one of them was ready for a fight.

Evan, Bas, and the others didn't know it, but the vampires were very sensitive to the smell of blood. When Bas killed two vampires, the vampires smelled that faint smell of blood. But, Nessa ordered them to stay where they were. They had to protect Laila at all costs.

At the end of the room was Laila. She was under a protective barrier. Moreover, she was put to sleep. The vampires had done everything in their power not to lose her. 

Evan, as well as everyone else, was puzzled. They didn't understand why the vampires needed to kidnap the noblewoman and now protect her.

<This is very strange. Judging by Laila's appearance, the vampires didn't even touch her. They didn't drink her blood or torture her. What the hell is going on here?">thought Evan.

"Commander, what are we going to do?" Asked the girl.

Bas hesitated and, after a while, answered, "Originally I wanted to attack the vampires and rescue Miss Laila stealthily, but given the situation, we won't be able to do that. I have only two options: the first is to try to negotiate, and the second is to attack head-on."

He wanted to avoid a head-on collision with so many vampires, but it was impossible. All the vampires were in one place and watched all the entrances to this room. 

Only four tunnels were leading into this large room, and at least five vampires were watching each of them. There was no way a team of mages could have gotten close by stealthily.

"Commander, are you sure? I don't think we have any chance of negotiating with them." One of Bas's men said worriedly.

"Don't worry about me, as soon as I give the signal, then attack with all your might. Don't be afraid to hurt Miss Laila with your attacks, I'm sure this barrier is pretty solid since it's a formation and not a simple spell."

At the edge of the barrier inside which Laila was, there were several stakes and pierced scrolls. This was clear evidence that it was a formation.

The group members nodded, and Bas stepped forward. He wanted to negotiate. Bas understood that if they fought, even if they won, most of their group would die. There were about forty vampires and only sixteen mages. There were two and a half times as many opponents. It was a significant advantage. 

Of course, Bas alone could easily kill five vampires or seven vampires. Besides Bas, some pretty strong men were in the squad. They could kill about three vampires. But, the enemies also had strong opponents like Nessa.

When Bas came out of the tunnel, all the vampires turned their attention to him. They immediately prepared for battle. Their eyes filled with blood and sharp fangs appeared from their mouths.

"I've come to make a deal," Bas said coldly.

Nessa stepped forward and said rudely, "What? You want a deal? You killed our comrades, and you dare show your face to us? We'll tear you to pieces like a filthy pig!"

Bas frowned, "I'm dead serious, if you give us Miss Laila, we won't fight you, and we won't harass you anymore. We just want to bring Miss Laila home."

Nessa made a thoughtful expression on her face. She stared at Bas and said with a smile, "Kill him!"

At the exact moment, dozens of vampires attacked Bas. Bas's comrades backed him up and attacked him back. The spatial ring on Nessa's finger glowed, and a scarlet spear appeared in her hands. Nessa gripped her weapon tighter and threw the spear toward Bas from behind all her strength.

Bas reacted quickly and summoned his weapon. It was a long, wooden, white staff with an inlaid azure crystal. He quickly cast a spell, and a wall of ice appeared before him.

To his surprise, Nessa's spear easily shattered the wall and continued to fly on, but the weapon's trajectory was slightly altered. Bas could dodge, but Nessa wasn't about to allow him to attack again.

She lunged toward him, intent on sinking her long claws into his flesh. The crystal on Bas's staff glowed, and mana began to accumulate at his hands.

In a second, their attacks should have reached each other, but suddenly there was a blur of speed between Bas and Nessa.

Bam.

Evan punched Nessa in the side. His blow was so hard that one of her ribs cracked, and she went flying. Nessa slammed into the wall with a rumble. Bas was surprised at speed Evan had reached. He was able to achieve this thanks to using Ghost Step and Lucifer's Shackles simultaneously.

All Amplification Magic spells could only be used on a certain body part. Evan couldn't cast Ghost Step on his arms, for example. However, Lucifer's Shackles were different. They were similar to Amplification Magic spells but slightly different.

Eventually, in one leap, Evan could cross the ten meter mark and bring his blow down on Nessa. A small crater formed under his feet at the moment of the spurt, and cracks appeared on the ground.

Evan didn't stop there. He turned back into a blur and, a second later, hit Nessa with his fist. His punch was powerful enough to send Nessa flying aside and smashing through several walls in the tunnels.

For the next few seconds, the entire ground shook. Every vampire and mage could feel the shudder beneath their feet and the muffled echoes of the blows.

But if anyone had been watching Evan attack Nessa, they would have noticed that half of the blows Evan was deliberately sending past the target. He wasn't going to kill Nessa now, he was taking her off the battlefield with his actions.

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