The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion

Under the eyes of thousands upon thousands of Awakeners across the First Tower Realm and various worlds who were watching the war through the system's streaming function, the participants of the war, the members of the [Vampire] faction and the [Circle of Ouroboros] faction, appeared together with little distance between them.

There were still a few minutes before the war began.

The system allowed both factions to arrange their forces in a ready position.

It might seem like a couple of minutes wouldn't be enough, but that was for the factions to worry about.

However, right now, the [Circle of Ouroboros] had nothing to arrange because they had no forces at all.

It was the saddest sight any Awakener had ever seen in a war.

Even the lowest-level faction, even one of the weakest, would still have at least a few dozen members.

But Damian's [Circle of Ouroboros] faction had only four members, including the faction leader himself, and he wasn't even here yet.

Among the remaining three, the plebeian vampire wouldn't fight due to his contract with Damian, which made him irrelevant to the war.

That meant the only ones left were poor Shiru, who had almost no combat experience, and Elfie, who had experience and access to [Holy Essence], but how far could that take her against thousands of vampires?

And Damian, the faction leader, was nowhere to be seen.

Things were definitely not looking good for the [Circle of Ouroboros], especially considering that the one who initiated the war was missing.

In fact, most of the attention wasn't on the war itself but on him.

"Where the hell is he? What is he doing?" Shiru asked, unable to control her frustration.

She and the others could sense the presence of thousands of beings drawing closer and closer.

Not one of them seemed weak.

Leading them was Aeron Brenlith, the current leader of the Vampire faction in the First Tower Realm.

He moved calmly, as if he had everything under control, or as if he had already won.

A wide grin stretched across his face, accompanied by that same arrogant, bloodthirsty expression.

After what felt like an eternity, the two factions finally stood face to face.

With only two hundred meters between them, both factions remained motionless, waiting for the battle to begin.

"There have got to be at least 1,500 vampires," Sir Holloway said with a bitter expression.

Even though he wasn't directly involved in this war, he still felt terrible for the two helpless girls caught in the middle.

Not that there was anything they could do; there was no escape.

Aeron Brenlith was going to make them wish they had never been born.

Everyone knew what kind of monster he was, especially the horrors he inflicted upon women.

No woman deserved such a fate, but this wasn't something Sir Holloway could change.

He was powerless, left only with the faint hope that somehow, against all odds, the women would escape the nightmare awaiting them at the hands of the sadistic noble vampire.

For now, everything depended on the leader of the faction, the one who had initiated the war.

What kind of power-up had he obtained?

Unless it was something extraordinary, something that granted him the strength to face 1,500 vampires including the noble ones on his own, then this war was already lost.

And even if he had gained such power, would it truly be enough?

"Pfft... Hahahahaha!" Aeron Brenlith burst into laughter, his voice booming as the members of the Circle of Ouroboros faction grinned in amusement.

"Is that it? Is that FUCKING it? When that bastard declared war, I thought he had some powerful force backing him. But he was just acting tough, trying to make himself seem like a big shot!"

Aeron Brenlith's arrogance was evident in both his expression and his voice.

In his mind, the war was already over.

He had already won.

He sneered, his gaze filled with contempt as he looked at the measly three people standing before him, about to be crushed by his army of 1,500 plebeian vampires.

He didn't even bother to hide his disdain, despite the fact that thousands upon thousands of awakeners were watching everything live.

"You insolent, insignificant ants… Where the fuck is that bastard? Where is he? Has he gone into hiding, fearing for his lowly, insignificant human life?"

The more he spoke in his arrogant, ugly tongue, the more frustrated and unstable Shiru and Elfie became.

Shiru, especially, was shaking with fear.

This was the very reason she had been stuck in the First Tower Realm for the past two years, because she lacked the talent to improve her power and take on the tower's challenges.

And now, she was expected to fight against an army of plebeian vampires led by a powerful, bloodthirsty Noble vampire who was hell-bent on torturing them.

Then there was Elfie.

Unlike Shiru, she seemed brave, even though she was deeply intimidated inside.

However, her experience in battle taught her that it was better to know fear than to show it.

Aeron Brenlith looked at Elfie and Shiru, grinning wickedly. "You two... I'm going to have way too much fun torturing you, making you wish you were never born."

He licked his lips as if savoring the moment, looking at them like the most delectable blood he had ever encountered.

Even as a lower-ranked elf, Elfie's blood would be a delicious treat for a vampire, while Shiru was merely an unfortunate but fortunate side dish.

"Please, we don't have to fight... just give me my brother," Elfie said, narrowing her eyes, her hands subconsciously gripping her spear.

"Heh, you think you're in any position to make such a request? And why would I grant it?" Aeron Brenlith sneered, his grin widening.

"No matter how much you plead, no matter how broken down you are, nothing can save you from the hell I have prepared for you."

He had waited so long to devour the blood of this beautiful elf, but she was as quick as a rat, always managing to escape.

And it seemed that after escaping the last time, she had run straight to that bastard human who had defeated him in the Power Ranking battle.

For this alone, she deserved a world of pain at his hands.

But right now, he had other plans.

He would torture her brother right in front of her, draining the life from him while she watched.

Then, he would do the same to Shiru before breaking her, making her his little plaything, shattering her mind and will before finally savoring the sweet, delicious blood in her veins and ending her life.

"I... I want my brother back."

Elfie's grip tightened around her spear as a silvery-white aura began to envelop her, her eyes glowing with the same ethereal light. "I don't care if it's an army. I won't stop until I get my brother back!"

"Oh man, it's funny... You knew this was a losing battle, yet you're trying to act brave and tough. Such a pity."

Aeron Brenlith, the noble vampire, smirked as his aura shifted dramatically. Flames erupted around his entire being. "Even if that bastard leader of yours appears, nothing can stand against the might of the force I have brought."

His voice darkened. "This war will end in death. Your death. And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."

He continued, his voice filled with cruel amusement. "And once I'm finished with this war, all of you, including that pathetic human who dared to challenge me, will know what living hell truly feels like."

A heavy silence fell, the kind that comes before a storm.

Elfie stood ready, fully prepared to unleash every ounce of her power.

She knew the odds.

She knew she wouldn't be able to stand against an entire army of vampires.

But it didn't matter.

She would fight.

She would save her brother or die trying.

Shiru, even though she knew only death awaited her, still held the sword in her shaking hands, her expression filled with fear.

On the other hand, the army of plebeian vampires stood ready, waiting for the first strike to take place before the war erupted.

Just as it seemed like the battle was about to begin, the [Holy Essence] around Elfie grew stronger, and the features of the noble vampire started to change.

Something else also began to happen.

"W-What is this feeling?" Shiru asked nervously.

She could feel it in her bones, in her skin, a suppression, a pressure, something that made her feel extremely submissive.

She wasn't the only one experiencing it.

Elfie and every single plebeian vampire could feel it, making them frown, intimidated, and deeply fearful.

It was the same feeling they would get in the presence of a monster they couldn't possibly handle.

Aeron Brenlith frowned.

Even he could feel an instinctual fear suddenly creeping into him, and it seemed to be growing stronger and stronger.

Before they could react, a lightning bolt, thick, dense, and golden, descended from the sky and struck the ground between them.

A pulse of golden light spread out for several meters, followed by a deafening roar of thunder that shook the earth.

"This... this can't be..." Sir Holloway exclaimed, stammering, unable to voice his thoughts due to the sheer shock he felt.

His gaze locked onto the figure levitating just a few centimeters above the ground where the golden lightning had struck.

The figure had long, dark brownish-black hair with golden accents, reaching the length of his arm joints.

He wore a dark black martial robe with blood-red details, and on the back of his left hand, there was a glowing, ethereal symbol of infinity made of molten gold.

"He's here..." Elfie whispered, her expression unreadable.

She instantly recognized this person.

There was no doubt in her mind that it was him.

But something had changed. A lot.

His presence felt like standing before a towering mountain, something so vast she couldn't see past it.

The invisible aura he exuded was unimaginably thick and dense.

Even his physical appearance had changed.

He had grown taller, looking like a giant.

And the suppression she felt from him, there was no doubt, it was the same kind of pressure she would feel in the presence of the highest-ranked elves.

And yet, beyond all of that, he was overwhelmingly beautiful.

She had never seen a more breathtaking person in her life, not even among the highest-ranked elves.

"He evolved?" Elfie felt her head spin.

She couldn't comprehend anything she was sensing from him.

It was too much.

Too overwhelming.

She wasn't the only one feeling it.

"This... he evolved into a High Human," Sir Holloway thought with a strange expression.

He had encountered High Humans before, actually, he had met a couple of them.

But Damian, he didn't feel like them... he felt somehow superior.

"He must have evolved into a pure High Human..." Sir Holloway shook his head.

"But that's not all he has done in just one week. What is this unprecedented sensation on my skin? Why do I feel so afraid?"

The figure finally opened his eyes, revealing neon blue irises glowing with a golden hue.

The moment his gaze landed upon the army of vampires, a single thought spread through the minds of every single person standing on the battlefield.

Fear.

Even Aeron Brenlith felt an overwhelming, unprecedented fear.

Memories of his previous battle with Damian in the power rankings replayed in his mind.

But Damian didn't bother with them.

His figure blurred, disappearing and reappearing right in front of Elfie.

"You..." Elfie's eyes widened in shock.

She hadn't sensed or seen him move.

By the time she realized it, he was already floating in front of her, just a few centimeters above the ground.

Not just her.

Every single awakened fighter witnessing this scene felt their jaws drop.

His movement was so insanely fast that even those with agility-based classes, those who specialized in speed, couldn't see him move.

There was no sound.

No technique used.

Nothing.

Damian didn't react to anyone's stunned expressions.

His glowing golden gaze locked onto Elfie's bright brown eyes as he gently lifted her chin with his fingers.

"You were ready to fight against an army of these measly vampires despite being alone, for your brother..."

His voice was gentle yet rich and manly, sending shivers through her skin.

"I have never been more impressed by anyone before."

He smiled slightly. "Your bravery and determination... I love it."

Elfie couldn't form a single word. It was as if something had lodged itself in her throat.

Damian's fingers brushed against her cheek gently. "Anyway, you guys should step back a little. I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

His figure blurred again, and in an instant, he reappeared in front of the army of vampires, standing face-to-face with the noble vampire, Aeron Brenlith.

His glowing gaze swept over them as he spoke.

"Now... what should I do with you?"