Roars echoed through the air.
Five or six werewolves appeared, moving swiftly, their claws sharp and deadly.
Chris frowned as he sized them up. Their strength ranged from late Pinnacle to Pinnacle peak. Gripping his sword, the Dragon Slayer, he charged into battle with the werewolves.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
One by one, Chris decapitated the werewolves with his blade. As their bodies fell, a blonde woman standing nearby raised her eyebrows, casting Chris an intrigued glance.
“What kind of person dares to cause trouble at the headquarters of my Dark World?”
A booming voice rang out suddenly.
Chris turned to see a towering figure approaching. The man radiated an intense Demon Spirit aura, his massive frame standing at least five or six meters tall. Based on Chris’s assessment, his strength was likely at the Solstice level, perhaps even nearing its peak.
Chris’s expression darkened as he asked, “Who are you?”
The man sneered, his voice furious. “You insolent fool! How dare you create chaos in my Dark World? Let me tell you, I am the Eighth Lord of the Dark World!”
Chris didn’t know how many lords the Dark World had, but he was aware that the entire realm was ruled by the Demon Lord Peter Gordon.
Without further words, the Eighth Lord swung his fist at Chris.
Boom!
The ground shattered where the punch landed, leaving behind a massive crater. Chris evaded quickly, using the Dragon Slayer to parry the attacks.
“Stop running, boy! Fight me like a man! Today, I’ll kill you!” the Eighth Lord roared, preparing a finishing blow.
But just as he was about to strike, his gaze fell on the blonde woman standing nearby. Her cold, piercing eyes stopped him in his tracks. His expression shifted instantly, and he froze.
Chris seized the opportunity, grabbing the woman’s hand and escaping toward the outskirts of the Dark World.
“Don’t chase them!” the Eighth Lord suddenly ordered as the guards prepared to pursue.
Confused, one of the captains protested, “My Lord, the princess has been taken! If Lord Blackthorn finds out, what will we do?”
The Eighth Lord waved dismissively. “Don’t worry. The princess went willingly. With her strength, that man could never harm her.”
Meanwhile, Chris and the blonde woman fled the Dark World. Though Chris didn’t understand why the Eighth Lord hadn’t pursued them, he knew he had to leave immediately. The Dark World was full of powerful beings, and if more of them were alerted, his chances of survival would be slim.
After reaching the safety of Oxwoods, Chris finally relaxed.
“You’re safe now,” he told the woman. “You can go.”
Though the blonde woman was stunning, Chris wasn’t foolish. If she had been imprisoned in the Dark World, she was far from ordinary. He didn’t want to get involved in unnecessary trouble.
Yet, as he walked away, the woman quietly followed him.
Chris turned, puzzled. “Why are you following me?”
“My name is Serendipity,” she said softly. “Thank you for saving me. What’s your name?”
“Chris,” he replied flatly. “Now that you’re safe, you should head home. I have other matters to attend to.”
Chris had come to the Dark World to rescue Susan, not to waste time with strangers.
Serendipity looked at him with tearful eyes. “But I have no home. I don’t know where to go.”
Chris sighed, pulling out a bank card. “There’s a million dollars on this. It should be enough for you to start over.”
She accepted the card, her expression complicated.
“Goodbye,” Chris said, turning to leave.
As he walked away, Serendipity smiled faintly. “What a strange man,” she murmured.
Once he was certain she wasn’t following, Chris quickened his pace. He didn’t notice that far behind him, Serendipity was silently trailing.
—
Thornfield Castle, the Martin family’s stronghold.
For miles around, the land belonged to the Martins. After a day’s journey, Chris arrived near the castle.
He frowned as he studied it. The fortress was well-defended, nearly impossible to penetrate. Inside, it was teeming with vampires. How could he infiltrate? Disguising himself as a vampire seemed futile since different vampire clans had unique auras that couldn’t be replicated.
Finding a hidden spot, Chris observed the castle, planning to sneak in under the cover of night. Lying on a hillside, he focused on the castle’s defenses.
Suddenly, his expression darkened.
“Come out!” he commanded coldly.
From behind a large tree, the blonde woman emerged.
Chris’s frown deepened. It was Serendipity.
Her presence shocked him. Few could follow him without being detected, yet she had trailed him all the way to Thornfield Castle.
“What are you doing here?” Chris demanded, his voice icy.
Serendipity tilted her head, curious. “What are you planning to do at the Martin family’s castle?”
Chris’s eyes narrowed. “You know about the Martin family? Your identity must be more complicated than I thought. Tell me, who are you? Why are you following me?”
She pouted, looking helpless. “You left me alone. What if the Dark World finds me again? I had no choice but to follow you.”
Chris sighed in frustration.