Li De never imagined that Kosso would actually evolve into a Bronze Cyclops.
His eyes were filled with both delight and confusion.
Because the fireball explosions and flames had obscured his vision, he couldn't observe what had happened inside; receiving the system notification at this moment was truly a surprise.
Kosso Thunder
Title: Wise One (Intelligence increased by 50%)
Age: 289
Level: 16
Class: Giant Heavy Armor Warrior
Bronze Giant Bloodline: Strength +500%, Physical Defense +300%, Skin immune to spells below Tier 4.
Description: A powerful Cyclops Lord who activated the Bronze Giant bloodline from his meager Ancient Giant bloodline. Not only possesses immense strength, but also remarkable intelligence.
Staring at Kosso's attribute panel, Li De couldn't suppress the strong excitement rising within him.
Previously, Kosso's bloodline was Ancient Giant Bloodline: Strength +300%, skin immune to spells below Tier 3.
Now it had jumped three levels higher—strength, physical defense, and magic resistance had all undergone qualitative improvement.
"Cease casting."
After sensing Kosso's evolution, Li De also noticed another aura weakening severely, thus decisively ordered the Vampires to stop their attacks.
Orders were executed without hesitation.
Nearly two hundred Vampires immediately halted their spellcasting in unison.
The scorching flames that had raged for minutes had already turned the entire valley into a barren wasteland of death.
The original grasslands and even the soil were now marred by the scars of extreme high-temperature burns.
In the center, lava faintly flowed—withered, desolate, a forbidden zone of life akin to the infernal depths of the Abyss.
As the influx of fireballs ceased, the towering flames began to gradually recede, the ultra-high temperatures that could melt steel and rock slowly dropping.
In the central region where all the Vampires had concentrated their fire, a brutal scene emerged.
Kosso now lay sprawled on the ground, his whole body pitch black, his armor long since melted away, revealing his wrinkled gray-white skin—now tinged with a faint metallic sheen.
His massive Cyclopean eye was tightly shut, seemingly in a deep coma, yet even so, his two gigantic arms still firmly restrained the Level 16 Northern Warrior, Grote.
The scene was unspeakably tragic; this war had escalated beyond what mere words could capture.
All the Vampires, upon witnessing this, were filled with boundless respect for Kosso.
This big fellow had earned their admiration.
He had bought victory with his very life.
The Cyclopes, though less intelligent than human adults, were not mindless beasts.
Sensing Kosso's still weak but present life force, they showed deep worry in their eyes—
yet also immense pride and honor.
This was their chieftain, their heroic chieftain!
"Bring them over with Mage Hand."
Since Li De could see Kosso's attributes and status, he wasn't worried at all.
"Kosso was reborn in the flames. No need to worry about him."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding Vampires and Cyclopes all relaxed.
If His Majesty said it was fine, then it must be fine.
Two Vampires stepped forward and used their Mage Hand to lift Grote, whose clothes were charred to ashes, from Kosso's arms.
Perhaps sensing the aura of his own kind, or maybe because he had fallen into a complete coma, Kosso's grip loosened, allowing Mage Hand to easily lift Grote into the air.
Li De exhaled a small breath of relief.
This Northern Warrior's toughness had far exceeded his expectations.
Even with absolute numerical superiority, a battlefield of their own choosing, an ambush prepared, they had still been forced into a one-for-one life trade to wear this man down.
Even now, after enduring five to six minutes of thousands of degrees capable of melting steel,
he hadn't died yet.
This Level 16 Northern Warrior's tenacity was truly staggering.
He was fully worthy of the title of the foremost among the Three Great Warrior Tribes of Glory.
The Vampires quickly brought iron chains to bind Grote tightly, even in his current state, it would take time for him to break free.
"Your Majesty..."
At that moment, Emi, dragging his severely injured body, approached Li De, his eyes full of bitterness.
He had thought that after becoming a Level 15 Shadow High Priest, his strength had increased massively, and even if he couldn't defeat the famed Northern Warriors of Glory, he should at least be able to stall them.
But reality was cruel.
Though their levels differed by only one, the actual gap in combat prowess was at least three tiers.
If Li De hadn't decisively ordered his rescue, he would already be dead.
Li De patted him on the shoulder with a reassuring smile.
"Don't blame yourself.
Northern Warriors are powerful enough to be ranked across all of Glory. And you—how long have you been at Level 15?
Now—victory belongs to us."
Just as these words left his mouth, a cold, chilling voice from behind caused everyone's expressions to change dramatically.
"Is that so?"
Boom!
Along with the voice came a terrifying surge of magical energy.
"Scatter!!"
Li De only had time to issue a warning before a massive magical shockwave exploded among the Vampires.
A terrifying tide of black magic energy swept out like an apocalyptic disaster.
Tier 4 Spell: Dark Shockwave
The densely packed Vampires, having just tasted victory, were completely unprepared for this sudden assault.
Over a hundred of them were caught in the blast.
Those who had been celebrating moments before were plunged into despair.
Splurt.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Li De was flung over twenty blades away, a stream of crimson blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. He turned his head fiercely, his eyes blazing with uncontrollable rage.
But the next scene made his heart clench in terror.
It was them!!
Stanley looked upon the battered, near-annihilated Vampires with unrestrained glee.
"Hahaha, damned vampires, and that damned Grote!!
Dare to steal the offering from the Evening Bell Church?!
Now, everything belongs to me!!"
Stanley felt a thrill beyond words.
That morning, he had received intelligence that Grote had left the city with the Northern Valkyrie.
The Evening Bell Church coveted the Northern Valkyrie immensely.
A famed super warrior of Glory, and a royal of the North, her soul's flavor must be unimaginable.
If offered to the Tyrant God, what unimaginable rewards would they gain?
Unwilling to miss the chance, Stanley and the Evening Bell Church's First Bishop, Cologne, decided to secretly follow Grote.
During their surveillance, they also discovered Emi's presence and their excitement grew even more.
There had been no previous connection between the two.
For them to now move together clearly involved a hidden secret.
Thus, they secretly shadowed Grote.
Two bishops of the Evening Bell Church, both believers in evil gods and above Level 15, were experts at concealment—even Emi and Grote hadn't noticed them.
Now, at the moment of mutual destruction between Grote and Li De's side, they emerged to pluck the ripe fruit.
Standing beside Stanley was the Level 17 Dark Bishop, Cologne, draped in a black cloak, his gaze burning as he looked at Li De, his voice chilling.
"To think Emi turned out to be your bloodline descendant…
A mere Level 13 vampire becoming a vampire progenitor—how interesting."
Then turning his gaze to the battered Emi.
"Emi, twenty years ago I helped you transition to a Shadow Priest.
I intended for you to become the third bishop of the Evening Bell Church.
Yet you chose instead to become a vampire, and not just any vampire, but a bloodline descendant of a mere Level 13 vampire.
Truly—shameful."
Li De wasn't provoked by the taunt.
After his initial anger, his expression returned to calm.
At the same time, his mind raced furiously.
Facing one Level 15 and one Level 17 evil god believer, how could he break through this crisis?
He turned his head for a quick glance.
All around lay the wounded. The only two high-end forces; Emi and Kosso. One was critically injured, the other unconscious after evolving.
The Vampires, exhausted after intense combat, and after this ambush, though they had only lost seven or eight members, most were severely injured.
Another battle against two beings above Level 15 was almost impossible.
The battlefield fell into dead silence.
Two evil god believers above Level 15 had directly forced Li De and the entire Vampire force into a deathtrap.