Chapter 397: Entanglement on the Surface

Alexander emerged from the gloom of the catacombs at a steady pace. Behind him, the Fox Queen walked with hollow eyes and the steps of a puppet, bound mentally by the enchantment. Liora followed a few paces behind, wrapped in silence, bearing the dull gaze of someone who has accepted her role on the board.

As they reached the exterior of the palace, the night light revealed a frozen battlefield. The clash in the capital had reached a stalemate. The Vampire Empress hovered at a low altitude, keeping a watch over the enemy forces without launching a final assault, while the Serpent Queen and Spider Queen watched her from a distance, measuring her moves.

However, the second both queens saw Alexander step out with the Fox Queen walking behind him like a thrall, panic erupted through the enemy ranks.

"What did you do to the queen?!" roared the Serpent Queen, lunging forward with rage.

The Vampire Empress didn’t hesitate. With a smirk, she unleashed [Life-Stealing Fangs Lvl 8]. Two spectral claws of crimson energy materialized in the air, carving a arc through the night; the Serpent Queen had to contort her body in a reflex, barely dodging the strike as the stone ground behind her split in two.

Simultaneously, the Spider Queen attempted to flank them using her physical superiority, but the vampire sovereign reacted by activating [Shadow Bats Lvl 9]. A swarm of shadow bats erupted from her back, swallowing the light as they surged toward the Spider Queen, peppering her with dark energy bites and forcing her into a retreat.

The Vampire Empress descended, landing beside Alexander with her wings outstretched and a composed expression.

"Come on, my little friends," said the Vampire Empress, looking at the two queens with mockery. "My race might not be known for power, but we are known for an impenetrable defense. Do you really want to test what I’m capable of?"

The Serpent Queen hissed, pulling back her scales as the Spider Queen brushed off the last shadow bats, revealing bloody wounds across her limbs. Both of their faces reflected a mix of rage and disbelief upon seeing the sovereign of the Fox Clan standing behind Alexander, submissive with a hollow gaze.

"You damned monster!" spat the Serpent Queen, locking her slitted pupils onto Alexander. "What did you do to my sister?! How dare you control our clan’s queen like a puppet?!"

Alexander let out a chuckle, taking a step forward as he adjusted his fists. Beside him, the Vampire Empress maintained an immaculate stance, a crimson aura hovering around her like a living shield.

"Your sister?" asked Alexander, eyeing the Serpent Queen. "It’s funny how much you care now, considering you left her to rot in a subterranean cell while you carved up the palace for yourselves. But don’t worry... you won’t have to miss her for long."

Alexander tilted his head slightly, glancing at the royal thrall beside him.

"Attack," commanded Alexander in a cold voice.

Without a second’s hesitation, the Fox Queen unleashed her golden energy tails and burst forward at speed. The Serpent Queen’s eyes widened in shock as she was forced to cross her scale-armored arms to block the impact of her former ally.

"Liora!" barked the Spider Queen from behind, attempting to flank the fight while preparing her silk threads. "Are you going to let this outsider destroy what’s left of our bloodline?! Do something, you foolish girl!"

Liora didn’t move. She kept her arms limp at her sides and her eyes fixed on the blood-soaked ground, listening to her aunts’ screams as if they were distant echoes.

"She already made her choice," said Alexander with a smirk, cracking his knuckles as he charged straight toward the Spider Queen.

An oppressive air flooded the palace surface as a massive silhouette descended from the caved-in roof, slamming into the ground with the force of a meteor. The earth trembled and the dust cleared to reveal Big Black, stepping forward with a bloodthirsty grin.

"Do you think you have everything under control, brat?" said Big Black, locking his gaze on Alexander. "If old Stephen, your leader, were here, he’d be afraid... but you don’t have what it takes to finish me off. And as long as I’m here, you can forget about taking her with you."

Without wasting a second, Big Black’s skin shifted into a grayish hue upon activating [Steel Body]. The veins in his arms bulged under the effect of [Titanic Strength], and with a surge from [Explosive Muscles] against the ground, he shattered the pavement to catapult himself forward at speed.

He materialized in front of the vampire, driving a punch straight toward his chest.

Alexander didn’t flinch. He let out a cold laugh and looked up at the full moon gleaming high above, activating [Vampiric Emperor Lvl 1]. Dark wings burst from his back, his fangs lengthened, and his frame expanded. Just as Big Black’s fist was about to crush him, Alexander’s body exploded into a swarm through [Shadow Vampire Summon Lvl 1], absorbing the strike and engulfing the giant to halt his momentum.

Alexander reemerged meters behind him and snapped his wings. Swiping his claws, he unleashed [Storm Steel Claws Lvl 1], sending a barrage of metallic slashes carving through the air, slamming head-on into Big Black’s torso and leaving deep fissures across his iron skin.

Big Black roared in rage. Breaking free from the swarm, he used [Explosive Muscles] to strike the open air at maximum power, firing a compressed air cannon so violent it crossed the battlefield and tore away part of Alexander’s right shoulder.

Yet the vampire didn’t even blink. The crimson glow of [Divine Regeneration Lvl 1] flared over the wound, reconstructing his flesh in seconds.

"Show me what you got, big guy," said Alexander with a smirk, surging forward to hunt his prey.

Big Black gritted his teeth as he watched the vampire’s wound vanish in the blink of an eye. The veins across his arms bulged to their limit as he drove the full power of his legs into the ground.

"You damned monster, die!" Big Black roared, lunging headfirst toward him with a fist loaded with the full weight of his strength.