Kapitel 508: Chapter 508: The Succession of Blood
Combat raged fiercely in the corridors leading to the main hall of the Hanging Gardens.
Black Saber Siegfried led an army of golems, charging like a tsunami against all obstacles. However, this tide couldn't break through the dam formed by another group of puppets.
It wasn't that Siegfried lacked strength or that Black Caster Avicebron was poorly commanding. The real issue was the unchecked destructive power of Red Archer Atalanta.
The legendary huntress, who dedicated her life to the hunt, had prepared several platforms in the corridors. From these elevated positions, she roamed back and forth, mercilessly raining arrows on her opponents from above.
Yes, a one-sided massacre.
The nearest platform was over a hundred meters away from the defensive line. Neither Siegfried nor Avicebron could attack her; they could only watch helplessly as she unleashed her arrow storms.
In truth, the Black Faction did have someone who could counter Atalanta, but they were all otherwise occupied.
Black Archer Chiron, whose archery skills surpassed Atalanta's, could have neutralized her advantage from above. But Chiron chose to let Atalanta fire at will, unable to ignore his current opponent.
Indeed, he dared not.
His opponent, Red Rider Achilles, was an even more destructive force on the battlefield than Atalanta.
With the swiftest feet among humans, he possessed unparalleled mobility.
His invulnerable body, impervious to anything but divine power, allowed him to charge through attacks with impunity.
Had he not insisted on a one-on-one duel with Chiron and instead led a team assault, the Black Faction's situation would have been even worse.
Yet even without Achilles rampaging, the Black Faction was in dire straits because their leader, main general, and ace, Black Berserker Vlad III, was being suppressed.
"...As I thought."
"Ugh...!"
Red Lancer Karna, speaking calmly, relentlessly pushed his opponent into a corner. His precise, merciless attacks were befitting of a great hero.
However, Vlad III, who had previously held a slight advantage, now found himself at a disadvantage.
Vlad himself sensed the change. His strength was waning. If his power had been at its peak earlier, now it was reduced to a mere sixty percent.
His once formidable attacks, executed in quick succession, had lost their speed and sharpness. Karna easily deflected them with his spear and armor, without even needing to ignite his flames. The distance that had been hard to close before was now effortlessly bridged.
Vlad III's exceptional attributes, which had been the highest in this Holy Grail War, were now significantly diminished. This further amplified Karna's martial arts advantage, forcing Vlad to retreat continuously.
Perhaps noticing Vlad's confusion, Karna explained during a brief pause in the battle.
"This Hanging Garden is the domain controlled by our Assassin, not your territory. In other words—while you are within this garden, you are not the hero who saved a nation."
Red Assassin's Noble Phantasm controlled a specific domain. This meant that this place wasn't Vlad III's revered Romania, where his fame was at its peak.
Naturally, Karna's fame here was also close to zero. However, the intrinsic power levels of Karna and Vlad III were worlds apart—a hero at the zenith of the Age of Gods, unmatched in his era, versus a tyrant of a small European country, albeit a brilliant military strategist. They were simply not on the same level.
Vlad III's ability to contend with Karna stemmed from the faith boost he received on his home soil. Without this faith, he reverted to his true form. The most direct manifestation of this was the nullification of his skill "Demonic Defender of the State," which led to the loss of his A-rank "Mad Enhancement" boost, dropping his exceptional strength and agility back to A-rank. Although still higher than Karna's, this gap could easily be bridged by Karna's "Mana Burst."
Worse still, Vlad III's greatest asset, the Noble Phantasm "Kazıklı Bey: The Lord of Execution," required "Demonic Defender of the State" to connect to the ley lines and transform the area into his territory to be used. With "Demonic Defender of the State" nullified, "Kazikli Bey" couldn't be used—strictly speaking, it was downgraded.
The Noble Phantasm's rank dropped from B to C+, and its type changed from Anti-Army to Anti-Unit. Though still written as "Kazikli Bey" in English, its name changed to "Kazıklı Bey: Bloodstained King Demon."
It retained the power to annihilate a single Servant in one blow, but that applied to regular Servants. For a top-tier Servant like Karna, it posed no threat.
At this moment, Vlad III had lost the elegance, grandeur, and ferocity he usually maintained. Forget about taking Karna's head—any slight mistake would lead to a catastrophic downfall.
A trace of regret filled Vlad III's heart. This operation had been too reckless. He had misjudged both sides' strengths, ventured too deep into enemy territory, and, most fatally, had not anticipated the enemy seizing the Greater Grail.
One wrong move led to total defeat.
And his defeat would mean the entire Black Faction's defeat—unless Assassin arrived in time.
No, he couldn't place his hopes on him; the Red Faction still had Caster, Assassin, and Saber unaccounted for.
There was no choice left but the final option!
A profound sorrow appeared on Vlad III's face, both for himself and for his opponent. He sheathed his spear, adjusted his attire, and looked directly at the nearby Karna.
A trace of puzzlement appeared on Karna's stern face, and the advancing golden spear halted.
"What's this? Are you surrendering?"
"I do not surrender to invaders."
"Right now, you are the invader."
"Indeed, we are the invaders, so I am no longer the lord of Romania—right, Darnic?"
Vlad III raised his head, the sorrow on his face growing deeper.
"As you say, Grand Duke."
At the edge of the battlefield, atop a temple-like pillar, a white cloak appeared as if by magic. No Servant present had sensed his presence.
All the Servants halted their actions. It was the only Master present—the head of the Yggdmillennia family, Darnic.
Darnic's voice was soft, like a devil's whisper.
"Though it is regrettable, your status as a hero is confined to Romania. Elsewhere in the world, people know you by another name, the infamy you sought to erase."
"Darnic, I do not wish to bear the shame imposed by posterity. Do you understand?"
"I understand, so let me bear this sin. If our wishes are fulfilled, I will die to atone."
With that, Darnic raised a hand bearing three glowing Command Seals.
"By the Command Seal, I order you, Heroic Spirit Vlad III, to immediately activate your Noble Phantasm—"
Karna, being the closest, instinctively sensed danger. His golden spear streaked through the air, aiming straight for Vlad III's chest.
Unexpectedly, Vlad III neither dodged nor blocked, allowing the spear to pierce his chest, blood spilling from his mouth and nose.
"Thus, the lord of Romania, Vlad III, is killed by you. Next is—"
"—The Legend of Dracula!"
"—The monster who was forced to bear a tragic infamy due to literary creation, the vampire Dracula!"
Shadows descended, and a bloody aura spread.
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