章 19: Unprecedented Might

The very idea of unleashing his full power and besting the little girl had danced through his mind numerous times, but alas, his pride was an ironclad sentinel against such a display. Besides, Clarisse and Elise were perched on the sidelines, their expectant gazes locked on him. He'd carefully cultivated a fearsome image before them, and the prospect of using his level advantage to trounce the girl would shatter that facade to pieces.

So, there Damien stood, silently seething, gathering every ounce of his might. With a focused intensity that could rival a storm's fury, he shattered the earthen enclosure that had entrapped him. As if summoned by his unwavering determination, a crimson aura engulfed him, snuffing out the flames that had so vigorously scorched his body moments before.

Clarisse and Elise, astounded witnesses to this spectacle, wore expressions of pure shock. Barely any time had passed from the moment the pint-sized powerhouse had emerged, but now she was single-handedly dismantling their seemingly invincible uncle, who was supposedly her equal. Their pity for Damien bubbled to the surface, especially as they witnessed him emerging from his fiery cocoon, his cheeks flushed in shame.

With a sly glance toward the two girls, Damien's resolve hardened. He was hell-bent on regaining his dignity, his "face."

"No, I must regain my face," Damien muttered to himself, his voice tinged with determination. He extended his hand, and from a gourd tied to his waist, blood surged forth, materializing into arrows that sailed menacingly towards the little girl.

"Uncle means business now," Elise whispered nervously, clutching her sister's clothes and watching the ongoing battle with worry etched on her face.

Clarisse offered her little sister reassurance. "Don't worry, Elise. Uncle knows his limits. He'll stop when he needs to."

Bella, however, faced the incoming blood arrows with an icy determination. She initiated a complex mental dance of calculations, factoring in the power, speed, and various attributes of each blood arrow. Just as the crimson projectiles neared her, she completed her calculations. Raising her hands, she began to chant, "Water Wall, Fire Wall, Wind Swirl."

In an instant, a towering wall of water manifested before her. Bella had meticulously tuned its dimensions in accordance with her calculations. The blood arrows penetrated the water wall, and their strength waned. The next layer they met was a fiery barrier, and the blood arrows dissipated into an eerie crimson mist. By this point, they were perilously close to Bella's face. Then, like a conjured tempest, a swirling vortex of wind appeared and dispersed the lingering blood fog. Bella remained untouched, her frigid gaze never wavering.

The spectacle left Damien stupefied, Clarisse dumbfounded, and Elise utterly agog. Damien, a battle-hardened leader of the Crimson Family, had faced countless trials, yet never had his composure wavered quite like this.

"Four Elements. She just harnessed a fourth element," Damien's mind repeatedly echoed the incredulous thought. He had never encountered anyone who could wield four powers. Not a single one, except for the legendary Blood Queen, who now seemed a pale shadow in comparison.

Damien's face underwent a dramatic transformation, as if he had stumbled upon a decision as profound as an ancient prophecy. Locking eyes with Bella, he sensed that she had reached her limit and knew it was time to unveil the full extent of his power.

Warning alarms blared within Bella's mind as she gauged Damien's level. He stood proudly at the Peak-Stage F Rank, a formidable force to be reckoned with. A sense of futility gnawed at her as she was forcibly brought to her knees.

"Little girl, it's wise to cease this," Damien advised, his voice carrying the weight of experience.

But Bella refused to yield. With every ounce of her will, she strained to rise, memories of her helplessness in the face of danger vividly flashing before her. The image of Zac, lying unconscious and defenseless on the ground, ignited a fiery determination within her.

Suddenly, her necklace radiated with a mystical glow, and an indomitable pressure surged forth, so immense it could have held the entire universe in its grip. Damien's exerted force paled in comparison, vanishing like a flickering candle before a cataclysmic tempest.

A profound terror gripped Damien as he froze in place. Never in his life had he experienced such unyielding pressure. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and he dared not move a muscle, for the slightest shift could spell his demise. Then, as swiftly as it had come, the pressure dissipated, as though it had never been there.

Bella, Elise, and Clarisse remained oblivious to this enigmatic encounter, but Damien knew the truth of what had transpired. He continued to stand in stunned silence, fearing that any movement might reignite the terrifying force.

After some time, Bella's fury had subsided, and Damien dared to exhale a sigh of relief, sensing the danger had passed.

"Young lady," Damien began, his demeanor transformed from aggressor to a humble servant, "I meant no harm. My nieces had spoken highly of your abilities, and I merely wished to test them."

Bella found his sudden deference perplexing. "What's gotten into him?" she mused internally. "One moment he was exerting pressure, and the next, he's acting like an obedient puppy."

Even Clarisse and Elise were taken aback by their uncle's dramatic change in behavior. In all their years, they had never seen him act in such a subservient manner.

Bella chose to ignore Damien's words and turned to the sisters. "Can we move him to another location until he wakes up?" She pointed towards the unconscious Zac.

"Of course," Damien interjected eagerly. "Clarisse and Elise, please assist the young lady with her request."

"Dear young lady," he continued with enthusiasm, "if you have any further needs, please don't hesitate to ask. We are at your service."

As they prepared to leave, Damien discreetly transmitted a message directly into the minds of Clarisse and Elise, one that went unnoticed by Bella. "Clarisse and Elise, assist the young lady with her requests, and if they don't conflict with our family's interests, you have my permission to fulfill them."

The sisters were left stunned by this unprecedented directive from their uncle, especially for an outsider. Damien's thoughts flowed into their minds once more, reinforcing the gravity of the situation. "Our family's future may hinge on her satisfaction. Do not give her any reason to be dissatisfied."

Clarisse and Elise exchanged glances, their understanding of the situation deepening. With Zac being carried by Clarisse, they departed with Bella, leaving Damien behind with a relieved expression. Unbeknownst to Bella, he was merely following instructions from his father, the venerable Crimson Family ancestor

After confirming that the three girls had departed, Damien ventured towards a seemingly unremarkable corner of the training ground. With a deft touch, he tilted a portrait hanging on the wall, causing a hidden door to glide open with hushed precision. He ascended a spiral staircase, leading him to a clandestine chamber. The room was lavishly adorned and possessed a peculiar enchantment – those within could behold the entire training ground as if there were no barrier before them. However, those outside saw only an ordinary wall, completely oblivious to the secret chamber concealed within. It was pure magic at work.

Within the room, Damien found an elderly man kneeling on the floor, his eyes wide with astonishment and his gaze ever so slightly upward. "Father, what happened?" Damien exclaimed as he rushed to the old man's side, assisting him into a seat.

If Clarisse, Elise, and Zac had been present, they would have recognized the old man instantly. He was none other than Grandpa Van, the same affable figure who presided over the tavern known as "The Crimson Elegance."

The elderly man looked at Damien, then back at the spot he had been gazing at while kneeling, and let out a heavy sigh. Vanhog Crimson, that was his name. He served as the Crimson Family's ancestor, the mightiest figure within their ranks.

"Father, please, tell me what occurred. Why were you kneeling? What was that overwhelming pressure that was released earlier?" Damien inquired, his voice laden with concern.

"Damien, first, describe your experience under that pressure," Van requested.

"I only felt it briefly, so it's hard to put into words. My entire being screamed of danger. My control over blood froze, and it felt like all my strength was siphoned away. I had a sensation that any movement on my part would lead to my complete annihilation," Damien explained.

Van listened with a solemn expression, and he took a deep breath before speaking again. "My son, now you must answer me. Why did I instruct you to treat that young girl with the utmost respect? "

"Well, Father, considering the pressure, I assume it was emanating from an expert behind that little girl, her master, perhaps," Damien conjectured, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"Indeed, it was her master," Van confirmed.

"So what, Father? Did he force you to kneel? Is he more powerful than you? Even if he surpasses your strength, would he dare to challenge you, knowing the Blood Queen stands with us?" Damien queried, his confusion evident.

"Damien, ever since you took on the mantle of clan leader, I've shared certain secrets with you. I've urged you to maintain an open mind, to never confine your perspectives," Van advised. "There's always a bigger mountain to climb. You see, while you experienced that pressure, her master paid me a visit."

"Did he make you kneel?" Damien pressed.

Van nodded solemnly. "Yes, my son. He is indeed mightier than I. But what's astonishing is that he didn't come in his true form – it was a body constructed from his very essence."

Damien stood there in profound shock, struggling to process the revelation. The vampire race had always regarded their Queen as a deity, the most potent entity in their world, especially now that the Werewolf ancestor had perished. He struggled to grasp the concept of someone more powerful than their Queen, as it fundamentally contradicted their core beliefs.

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