Chapter 401: Mutation in the Shadows

In the darkness of the crater, buried beneath earth and blood-soaked stone, Alexander’s heart was beating. Each throb echoed inside his ears like a drum. Despite having been decapitated, his consciousness had not faded; it remained suspended in gloom while his body struggled to reconstruct bone, muscle, and skin.

Alongside the agony of regeneration, a burning sensation welled up. A tide began surging through his veins, scorching every muscle fiber from within. It was the same feeling as when Stephen handed him that potion and he stood on the brink of death.

[Adaptive Body] had activated.

Before his spiritual vision, a message materialized:

[Adapting...]

Above, on the devastated surface, the atmosphere was suffocating. Big Black gazed down at the three sovereigns kneeling at his feet, relishing in the submission of the nobility. However, Liora, wounded and clutching her bloody side, refused to yield.

"How can you surrender like this?!" cried out Liora, her voice breaking with desperation as she looked at her mother and aunts. "He’s an invader! He destroyed our palace and intends to enslave us! Where is the pride of the Fox Clan?!"

Big Black let out a laugh that echoed through the ruins.

"An invader?!" mocked the minotaur, pointing at the crater where Alexander lay. "That vampire mutt was an invader too, and you were willing to wag your tail for him. You’re a bitch, just like every female of your species. All of you need a dick to be put in your place. Don’t worry, little girl, I’ll make sure to fill you up tonight until you learn who commands here."

Liora grit her teeth, spitting blood as her eyes burned with hatred toward him.

"Rot in hell, you piece of meat!" said Liora.

Before Big Black could take a step toward the princess, a shadow darted through the rubble. The Vampire Empress, emerging from the cave-in with torn garments, positioned herself behind Liora and wrapped her arms around her, shielding her with her aura.

Big Black narrowed his eyes, halting his advance with a smirk.

"I might be tired," warned Big Black in a raspy voice, "but I assure you that before you escape, I’ll tear your head off, little empress... Don’t make that face. I’ve never fucked a vampire before, so I won’t kill you soon. However, if you push my patience, I wouldn’t mind ripping off your limbs and just fucking a cunt with a face."

The Fox Queen, swallowing her pride and deploying the cunning of her bloodline, pushed herself up. With hesitant steps and a smile, she approached the giant, caressing his red-skinned face with a hand.

"Ignore that child, my lord..." said the Fox Queen in a soft voice, trying to veil the poison in her words. "She’s a foolish girl who doesn’t know what she’s saying and isn’t worth your time. Don’t waste your time on her when you have true sovereigns ready to please you."

Big Black let out a crude laugh, roughly grabbing her chin to force her to meet his gaze.

"Look at this horny bitch," mocked Big Black, squeezing her face until a groan escaped her lips. "A minute ago you wanted to tear me apart, and now you’re crawling like a cheap whore begging for attention. I like that attitude, bitch. You know your place."

"I just know who the true king is here..." whispered the Fox Queen, leaning into him as her eyes gleamed.

In that instant of proximity, capitalizing on the minotaur being distracted by the humiliation, the Fox Queen unleashed the remaining power of her [Charm] skill. A glowing pink flash erupted inches from Big Black’s eyes.

The minotaur froze. His smirk faded and his arms dropped to his sides, standing motionless with a blank stare.

The Fox Queen stepped back and let out a laugh that echoed through the ruins.

"You muscular idiot!" cheered the Fox Queen, wiping her face in disgust. "You thought you could break me that easily?! Now you’re nothing more than my watchdog!"

The Fox Queen turned with confidence toward the Serpent Queen and the Spider Queen, straightening her tattered robes as her lips curved into a smile.

"Now it’s your turn," said the Fox Queen, raising her chin. "Let’s see if my watchdog has something to say to you."

However, neither the serpent nor the spider responded. The two sovereigns remained frozen on the ground, but their eyes were locked on the massive form looming behind her back.

"What’s wrong?" asked the Fox Queen, knitting her brows as she noticed the terror on her sisters’ faces. "Why aren’t you looking at me?"

A scorching breath brushed against the back of her neck.

"So that’s what you were plotting, bitch?" said Big Black in a deep voice that vibrated through the ground.

The Fox Queen turned her head, paralyzed with terror. Big Black smirked down at her with a demonic expression. With a single strike, the minotaur decapitated her, sending her body crashing against the ruins of the palace.

"Did you think I was ignorant of your race’s skill?" said Big Black, spitting on the ground with contempt as he wiped the blood from his hand. "Love, lust, and passion aren’t things that drive me. My heart is filled with hatred and power. Your stupid tricks are just that... tricks."

The Vampire Empress seized that split second to act. She dissolved into a tide of shadows and bats scattering in every direction, wrapping around Liora to flee through the rubble.

Big Black raised his gaze, tracking the shadow tide without rush.

"I think I told you that if you escaped, I’d kill you..." said Big Black with boredom. "I wanted to treat you nice because I’ve never tasted vampire pussy, but since you don’t want to be a good bitch, you leave me no choice..."

Before the shadows could cross the perimeter, the minotaur vanished.

He materialized ahead, cutting off her path and winding up a strike aimed at the heart of the swarm. It was as if he could see her true form despite her dispersion skill. The Vampire Empress watched the fist grow larger before her eyes, and with no room to dodge, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.