“Remember the Dreadjaw? This is like a deja vu” Thomas called out, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
“Yeah, but the Dreadjaw was cuter than this!” Ludwig said as he wrenched with a far stronger pull. The difference between the current Ludwig and the Ludwig that tamed the Dreadjaw was massive.
With Ludwig’s current strength and power, he wouldn’t have any issues with commanding the Batlord with brutality, and he proved that immediately by how Ludwig could move the creature in whatever way he wanted.
And if the Batlord didn’t agree, or tried to squirm and throw Ludwig off, all Ludwig needed was to lightly kick the scythe that was piercing the flesh between the Batlord’s shoulder blades. The kick sent electric-like shocks of pain through the bat lord’s body as it shuddered and shook from pain.
Yet, unlike the Dreadjaw, this creature seemed adamant on remaining free, even if it would cost it its life.
Then the creature changed tactics.
It stopped struggling abruptly, going completely still. For a heartbeat, Ludwig thought he’d won. Then he felt the muscles beneath him coil like springs.
“Uh oh,” Thomas managed before the Batlord launched itself straight upward.
The impact on the ceiling was catastrophic. Ludwig had just enough presence of mind to push himself off as tons of rock came crashing down. He hit the ground in a roll, coming up with his chain in his arm at the ready while the scythe remained inside the creature for good measure.
The Batlord wasn’t done. It landed with earth-shaking force, its wounded wing dragging slightly. Blood poured from multiple wounds now, pooling around its talons. But its eyes burned with undiminished fury.
Ludwig spat out a mouthful of dust. “Alright then,” he growled. “Let’s finish this.”
Ludwig then yanked on the chain with his left hand as he flung himself closer to the Batlord, “Unfortunately, you’re too weak!” Ludwig said as he slammed both his open palms into the Batlord’s ears, “Explosive Mines, double.”
The spells manifested from Ludwig’s palms right into the ears of the Batlord.
The creature couldn’t express its surprise at the audacious pesky creature that presented itself to its jaws so willingly, but it made a grave mistake in thinking that Ludwig was trying to end his own life.
The explosion of fire, sound, and shockwave immediately shook the brain of the Batlord. Its sensitive ears were assaulted with a wave of overbearing pain that rattled every bone in its body and frayed every nerve alongside it. The creature sputtered blood from every one of its orifices and immediately flopped down to the ground, spasming for a bit before remaining completely still.
-16,026
-17,255
[Batlord is Stunned!]
[Batlord is Blinded]
[Batlord is currently unconscious]
The health of the Batlord dipped to the red, and with it having fallen unconscious, Ludwig simply jumped up on its back again and wrenched the scythe from between its shoulder blades.
Bones, flesh, sinew ,and nerves all tore with utter ease as the creature fell down in a pool of its own blood on the floor.
A notification screen showed up in front of him.
[You have slain the Boss of the Werebat dungeon]
[You have obtained a {Brave Soul}X 2]
[You have obtained, Defiled Core Fragment]
[You have obtained [Sanguine Seal] ]
[The Spire of Teeth is now ownerless, without the ruler of the Spire the Batlord which are the weakest of the dwellers of the Bastos March will find themselves without a leader. Chaos will ensue in their ranks as many of their kin will attempt to fill the empty throne.]
Ludwig waved away the notification as he scanned the loot.
“The drops aren’t that great,” Ludwig said as he picked up the items. Though the Brave Souls were a great addition to his stash of souls, he was disappointed as this Werebat was quite skimpy on the rewards.
In his hands, Ludwig inspected the [Sanguine Seal] a ring that had a blood red gemstone in the center of it. Along with the symbol of the house of Bastos.
***
Sanguine Seal -Ring-
Item category: Accessory
Effects: Recovers 5% of all physical damage dealt as health. Only applicable to warm blooded creatures.
Lore: A ring that was once the property of one of the few True Vampires to live. This ring was used mainly to seal documents and letters, but after having been with its owner for hundreds of years, it grew a hunger for blood.
***
“Nice, life steal items are always broken,” Ludwig said.
Just as he finished his words, the rubble on the entrance to the room began shuddering, the Werebats were coming in.
“Are you ready for this?” Thomas asked.
“Aren’t I always?” Ludwig said as he flicked his weapon to its sword form.
***
Somewhere far from the Bastos march and barely at the rims of the overgrown forest surrounding the whole city, a source of light was surging out from between the shady-looking trees.
A group of adventurers was sitting around a campfire, six of them in fact.
“Timur, pass that thigh,” One of the burlier adventurers, who looked like a barbarian from his sheer size and tattoos on his body, asked.
Timur, a man of a far shorter stature, smiled as he ripped the thigh of a roasting wild boar and handed it to his companion.
“We should have brought some salt,” a female adventurer said as she was having difficulty eating the unseasoned food.
While they were eating, the sound of footsteps echoed near them, then a rustle, and almost instantly,y everyone who was having their food was grabbing their weapons.
From inside the shadows and bushes, a young man emerged, he was wearing full black clothes, akin to an assassin almost.
“Robin, anything strange around us?” the man named Timur said.
“Nothing Captain. No monsters nearby either.”
“Good, good, come have some food, we’ll have a big day tomorrow,” Timur said.
“Is it really alright to go there? The last group that went there never came back,” the female adventurer said.
“I heard rumors that they were seen in the Kingdom of Sand. They must have found treasures and refused to report them to the adventurers’ guild; that’s the only way they could keep the majority of the items themselves, even if cursed,” Timur said.
“How trustworthy is your information?” the barbarian asked as he continued eating.
Timur opened his mouth and closed it, “I’m not gonna lie, he hasn’t been the best informant, but most of his tips are solid. What I do know is,” the captain said as he pulled a small medal, “The Vampire Hunters are paying solid money to investigate the manor.” He said.
“Yeah, those lazy slobs, I mean, why not do that shit themselves, they pride themselves for being Vampire Hunters but when was the last time you’ve ever seen a vampire?” The female healer shook her head.
“All they have is their name. The Real Vampire hunters disbanded hundreds of years ago. These guys just want to revive their so-called legacy, as for me, I’m getting paid by the job. Once we obtain proof of being inside the Bastos Manor, we’ll leave,” Timur said as he tore through the roasted boar in front of him.