Chapter 113: The Inconceivable Divine Twist

Stefan’s face was grim, his lips parted several times as if to speak, yet he hesitated, torn by an inner struggle. He knew that if he revealed the truth, his father’s power would be enough to slaughter everyone present, but he found himself unwilling to take that path. Lestat’s betrayal had opened his eyes: the bonds between vampires were far from steadfast or loyal, nothing like the self-sacrificing kinship among humans—the kind that would risk all for one another.

Besides, Stefan could not fathom the man before him; the more he tried, the less he understood. The man carried too many secrets, and Stefan even suspected that if his father intervened, the man would escape, only to exact endless vengeance in the future.

So, Stefan resolved to weave a lie, to hide the truth from his father.

“It was the Holy Paradise Church—they killed Lestat. We tried to stop them, but failed.”

Lin Shaw listened, perplexed. He had expected Stefan to complain to his father, to urge him to avenge Lestat by destroying them all, but contrary to his expectations, Stefan lied.

Could it be that this fellow had feelings for him?

Well, truth be told, Lin Shaw really wasn’t fond of men; what happened with Lestat was truly an accident.

“Stefan, I’ve told you many times, never lie to me. Lies are the beginning of betrayal. Do you intend to betray me again? Do you think, with my insight, I can’t see who killed Lestat? Isn’t it so, Miss Dale, the Swamp Witch?”

Duke Karen’s gaze locked onto Misty. Of all those present, if anyone could have killed Lestat, it would surely be the high-ranking witch, given the difference in their levels.

Misty forced a bitter smile, wanting to explain yet unable to find the words. She had never even met Lestat, yet here she was, accused of his murder—a mute forced to swallow bitter medicine, unable to protest.

“Your Grace, the Marquis’s death has nothing to do with me. I do not know who killed him. Please, for the sake of the Grand Witch, let us set aside this matter for now.”

Misty quickly invoked her superior’s name, hoping the title of Grand Witch would deter the vampire duke, since she had little chance of driving him off herself.

Unexpectedly, Duke Karen burst into laughter, his giant wings beating, stirring gusts as he spoke:

“The Grand Witch? You mean the weakest Grand Witch in history, Cordelia Salem? You expect me to show her respect? Is her reputation truly so great?”

Lin Shaw found this odd. By rights, the Grand Witch, a third-tier extraordinary, should command respect, her rank comparable to a vampire prince. How could she be so openly mocked?

“Fine, Swamp Witch. Out of deference to your assembly’s former Grand Witch, I believe you didn’t kill Lestat. You lack the power to kill someone of my rank.

Enough. The murderer should step forward. I want to see who killed that useless Lestat.”

As he spoke, Duke Karen tightened his grip, causing Michael’s eyes to roll back and his legs to flail helplessly; he had no ability to resist, the difference in power was simply too great.

A group of people exchanged uneasy glances, but nobody revealed the true killer. Michael’s struggles grew more frantic. Number 11 quietly squeezed Lin Shaw’s hand, determined not to betray the truth herself.

“Stop this. I killed Lestat. If you have a grievance, bring it to me. Bullying a child is beneath you.”

Lin Shaw steeled himself and stepped forward. Though he doubted Duke Karen would truly strangle Michael, he could not let such a thing happen. He was now, after all, the leader of the group and had to shoulder that responsibility.

“You? That would make sense. You’re a second-tier extraordinary, so killing Lestat isn’t impossible. I’ll give you two choices: die here and atone by suicide, or be taken by me as blood food. Choose.”

“Father…”

Stefan tried to interject, but Duke Karen waved him off, signaling for silence. Stefan lowered his head, defeated; before his father, he had no right to protest.

“I choose—a third option!”

Without waiting for his words to finish, Lin Shaw unleashed the newly improved skill: Thunder Talisman LV3, special ability—Chain Lightning.

Three serpents of lightning appeared above Duke Karen, descending rapidly, intertwining as they fell, fusing into a single bolt as thick as a thigh, which struck his body with a thunderous crash.

A terrifying lightning serpent wrapped tightly around him, white tinged with red, its power far greater than mere white lightning. Duke Karen’s body convulsed violently, and Michael slipped from his grasp.

Number 11 quickly used teleportation to catch Michael. The little boy, bold beyond measure, whipped out the Blood Shadow Demon Mirror and summoned seven blood shadows to attack Duke Karen in midair.

The seven blood shadows converged, but Duke Karen, still writhing in lightning, extended his arms without dodging. The shadows, like rivers flowing to the sea, streamed into his body.

A surge of blood-red light erupted from him; he reached out and tore the lightning serpent from his body, breaking it apart and dispersing it.

“Hahaha, how amusing! You dare attack me with my own weapon? Tell me, little one, do you truly understand how to use this mirror? This is the correct way to wield the Blood Shadow Demon Mirror!”

Blood light flooded around Duke Karen, thick enough to drip. With a wave of his hands, countless blood-red arrows formed, shooting down like a storm, attacking everyone present indiscriminately.

Blood arrows rained down, overwhelming any who dared to resist.

Everyone’s expressions changed; there were hundreds of arrows, covering every angle, with no escape, nowhere to hide.

Just as they were about to be annihilated, three invisible forces rose up, blocking every blood arrow.

It was Number 11, Zoe, and Misty, the three witches, who simultaneously unleashed their psychic powers to intercept the arrows.

“Oh? Two intermediate witches and one advanced witch—such feeble power. The Witch Assembly has truly fallen. With such a mediocre leader, how could they possibly foster outstanding subordinates?”

Duke Karen sneered, raising his hand, pressing the blood arrows down harder. The three witches’ faces turned ashen, as if meteors from the heavens were crashing down—an unstoppable force beyond mortal resistance.

Lin Shaw’s face was dark. He wanted to help, but his strongest attacks had been so easily nullified, and his Holy Light Judgment could only be triggered when his health dropped below twenty percent. He had no cards left to play.

Michael’s expression was equally grim. His attack had not harmed the enemy, but instead empowered him. Regret gnawed at him; suddenly he bit his left hand, dripping blood onto the mirror.

He was mimicking Lestat, sacrificing his own vital blood to enhance the Demon Mirror’s power, hoping to wrest control of the Bloodthirsty Demon Shadow.

“Hm? What’s this?”

As Duke Karen pressed his assault, he sensed a strange power erupting within him—a vast and noble force, brimming with innate oppression, as though the Blood Ancestor himself had descended to punish him.

This power… this power—was precisely the ultimate force he had yearned for and pursued in vain.

Divine power!

The power of the blood source!

The three witches, struggling to hold back the blood arrows, suddenly felt the pressure vanish. Duke Karen withdrew all his arrows, descending swiftly from the air, and knelt before Michael on one knee, his expression fervent.

“I, Victor Karen, pay homage to the Child of Legend, the predestined risen of our kind, the heir to the Blood Ancestor’s power. Your servant offers his most humble apology—please forgive my offense.”

What!?

Everyone stared in bewilderment, doubting their own eyes, wondering if they were hallucinating.

The vampire grand duke, moments ago murderous and wrathful, now knelt and addressed Michael as his master. Wasn’t this turn of events too incredible, too absurd for belief?