Baron Cullen

Brandon took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and spoke with utmost solemnity:

"Baron Karen, your observations are astonishing and extremely accurate. Your description of the characteristics of blood magic matches remarkably well with what is recorded in the Association's ancient books!"

"You flatter me, Vice President," Karen replied humbly. "I was merely sharing some of my own observations and opinions."

Seeing this, Brandon stopped delaying.

He first said to the monks around him, "This matter will be kept secret for now. I will personally explain it to the president later."

You will return to preside over the ceremony and instruct the guards to increase patrols and security within the association.

After saying that, he looked at Karen again and said solemnly, "This matter is of great importance, involving some ancient secrets about vampires. I wonder if you have time later? I would like to discuss it with you in detail."

Karen nodded, without refusing.

He glanced at Cecilia in the arena, gave her a reassuring look, and then followed Brandon away from the scene amidst everyone's curious gazes.

Brandon led Karen to his private study.

Unlike the grand and spacious hall of the association, this place is quiet and full of academic atmosphere.

The walls were lined with bookshelves that reached the ceiling, filled with all sorts of leather-bound books, scrolls, and manuscripts.

A faint scent of spices and ink filled the air.

Several yellowed parchment sheets were spread out on a large mahogany desk, covered with intricate patterns and some illegible ancient characters.

Brandon gestured for Karen to sit in a comfortable armchair, while he walked over to an exquisite wine cabinet embedded in the wall.

He poured two glasses of amber-colored liquor and handed one to Karen.

"Relax, Baron Cullen, this isn't a formal inquiry." Brandon sat down opposite Cullen, took a sip of his drink, and said, "You can treat this as a friendly chat."

Karen smiled without saying anything, and also took a sip.

At this moment, Brandon's gaze became distant, as if lost in past memories, and he said, "The blood magic you just saw is a special magic that only vampires can use."

Karen's eyes narrowed.

The reason he was willing to come here with Brandon was because he was interested in the so-called "vampires" in this world.

He was curious whether the vampires in this world were the same as the vampires he knew from his previous life.

"Please speak, Vice President. I am all ears." He smiled faintly, adopting the posture of a student being taught.

Brandon took another sip of his drink and said, "Speaking of vampires, they are not actually a different race from humans."

According to ancient records, they were originally human beings, but at some point in ancient times, their ancestors stole or rather activated the power of the blood god Shika through some extremely evil and bloody ritual.

Through this power, they gained the terrifying ability to devour the blood of other living beings to strengthen themselves and prolong their lifespan.

From that time onward, their blood and souls were corrupted, turning them bloodthirsty and insane, and they called themselves "descendants of the Blood God Shika."

Blood God Shka?

Karen's heart skipped a beat.

This was the second name of a god he heard after he traveled to this world.

Through the original owner's memories, he knew that gods existed in this extraordinary world, although no one had ever actually seen them.

However, in his memory, there should only be five gods in this world, each corresponding to one of the five professions of extraordinary individuals.

The God of Light that Bishop Albert had mentioned in the Judgment Square was a deity who specifically protected the profession of priest.

And the huge phantom he saw when he awakened his warrior class, the name "Ottar" that inexplicably appeared in his mind at that time, was the name of the God of War.

However, he knew nothing about the Blood God Shika that Brandon was talking about.

At this point, Brandon continued, "Over the long years, the vampires built a vast empire, and at their peak, the world belonged to them at night."

They enslaved all races, including humans, and fed them as "food," causing countless wars and panics.

Speaking of this, we must mention a painful period in the history of the Kanvia Empire, and indeed, the entire continent, that it is reluctant to discuss in detail.

Karen listened in silence.

This information was unknown to the original owner.

Therefore, he listened very carefully in order to learn more about the world.

Brandon's tone grew heavier: "A hundred years ago, the vampires' thirst for blood reached its peak."

They formed a dark alliance with the equally ambitious dragons who roamed the far west of the world, and the werewolves in the north, in an attempt to divide the entire continent.

In order to resist, humans joined forces with the elves of the south, preparing for a desperate battle.

Upon hearing this, Karen was utterly shocked!

He never imagined that in addition to the vampires he knew from his previous life, this world also had dragons, werewolves, and elves.

He picked up his glass, took a sip, and quickly calmed his inner turmoil.

"Aren't you shocked? Who knew this continent had such a history?" Brandon noticed his expression, smiled, and continued:

"In the end, a great battle broke out between the two sides in Enhers Canyon, but strangely, the werewolves, who were originally allied with the vampires and dragons, did not participate in the battle."

Before that great battle, the werewolves of the North seemed to have completely disappeared.

Even so, the brutality of that war was beyond imagination, lasting only one year from start to finish.

However, in just one year, at least a million lives were lost!

Enhers Canyon has since become a vast graveyard, where countless heroes and demons have perished.

Ultimately, humans and elves paid a heavy price to dismantle the alliance between the vampires and dragons.

After that, the defeated dragons continued to retreat to the islands in the far west of the world.

The vampire clan was almost completely wiped out, and the vast empire collapsed, thus exiting the stage of history.

After saying that, Brandon looked at Cullen with a sharp look in his eyes: "Everyone thought that the vampires of the past had been buried by history."

But the blood magic that appeared in the association today undoubtedly proves that they are not all dead.

According to ancient records, that blood magic was a third-tier magic within the vampire race, a common method they used to cultivate lower-level followers, and it was extremely insidious.

"Vice President, do you mean the vampires have infiltrated the City of No Breath?" Karen frowned slightly, her tone serious. "Do they intend to start another war?"

Brandon shook his head, his expression grave: "I don't know. It might just be a simple infiltration and expansion. After all, the war a hundred years ago was devastating for them, and the chances of them recovering in a short time are slim."

But it's also possible they have deeper schemes; vampires are known for their cunning and skill in plotting in secret.

Baron Cullen, you have done a great service this time. The insight you demonstrated was crucial in dealing with the potential threat.

As he spoke, he stood up and took a heavy, ancient-looking greatsword from the weapon rack next to his desk.

The greatsword emitted a faint red glow, and one could feel a distinct heat emanating from it simply by getting close.

"This greatsword is one of my creations. I personally imbued it with second-tier fire element, which can inflict fire damage upon hitting a target and cause continuous burning to the wound. It's quite a decent weapon."

He then took out a thin, soft, silver-white lining from a box next to him and said, "I have also enchanted this lining, which can reduce the damage to the wearer to a certain extent."

Brandon handed the greatsword and lining to Karen, smiling, "This is my personal way of thanking you. I hope that if the Association or the City of No Breath faces a threat from alien races in the future, you can contribute your strength."

Karen took the greatsword and lining, sensing the remarkable magic contained within.

He knew this was both a reward from the other party and a form of recruitment and expectation.

He needed the friendship of the Mage Guild to truly gain a foothold in the City of No Breath, and since he was lacking some powerful equipment, he naturally couldn't refuse.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Vice President," Karen said solemnly. "Whether for public or private reasons, I will not stand idly by and watch the Association and the City of No Breath fall into peril."

Brandon nodded in satisfaction.