Chapter 2291: Fighting the Commanders

Right after Shin gave them his consent to take on the seven Commander-ranked NPCs, Diablo and Alucard immediately made their move.

Poof!

Swoosh!

Diablo disappeared as he fused with the surrounding shadows, while Alucard transformed into a pool of blood that silently seeped into the ground.

Seeing the two disappear in such an eerie manner, the seven Commander-ranked NPCs immediately became tense.

Their tension only intensified because Shin was still casually watching them from atop the building directly across from them.

However, they also couldn’t afford to ignore the other two powerful enemies who had just vanished.

Whoosh!

As the seven cautiously swept their gazes across the surroundings, a pool of blood silently emerged from the ground in the middle of their formation.

It settled directly at the heart of their ranks before suddenly rising and transforming into a humanoid figure.

Once the figure fully manifested, Alucard appeared in the middle of the formation, already holding a pair of magic pistols in his hands.

He immediately extended both arms and pointed his weapons outward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Crimson bullets erupted from the muzzles as Alucard spun in place, firing in every direction and targeting all seven Commanders at once.

However, these seven were no ordinary Commander-ranked NPCs.

They reacted almost instantly.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

The Western Wall Commander was a swordsman-type NPC, so he immediately drew his sword and swept it through the hail of incoming bullets.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His blade moved with incredible precision, deflecting every bullet that came toward him and preventing even one from reaching his body.

The Patrol Guard Commander, on the other hand, was a knight-type NPC whose primary role was protecting the others.

Bang!

He stepped forward and raised his shield, summoning a towering wall of energy that blocked the crimson bullets while simultaneously protecting the other Commanders behind him.

The Inner Region Commander was a warrior-type NPC. Unlike the others, he didn’t bother defending against the barrage. He instead charged directly through the hail of bullets with unstoppable momentum.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Despite the relentless barrage striking his body, the Inner Region Commander continued advancing until he finally reached Alucard.

Alucard was forced to stop firing randomly and immediately shifted his attention toward the incoming opponent.

The Inner Region Commander raised his fist and threw a powerful punch at Alucard, who was still adjusting his stance.

Boom!

The destructive force accompanying the punch erupted forward, seemingly capable of annihilating everything in its path.

BOOM!

Before Alucard could even raise his pistols toward the charging NPC, the attack slammed directly into him.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

However, instead of being crushed by the devastating blow, Alucard’s body suddenly dissolved into multiple shadows.

The shadows scattered in every direction before transforming into a swarm of shadow bats that retreated from the center of the formation.

The shadow bats then gathered in the distance before fusing with one another and transforming back into a humanoid figure.

When Alucard’s body fully manifested once again, he was already kneeling on one knee with a sniper rifle in his hands, aiming directly at the group.

However, this was only the beginning.

An array of sniper rifles made entirely of blood fanned out behind him, each one simultaneously locking onto the Commander-ranked NPCs.

Alucard adjusted his aim for a brief moment before squeezing the trigger.

’Vampiric Ability: Blood Alchemy—Annihilator.’

BANG!

The rifle in Alucard’s hands and the blood-forged weapons behind him fired almost simultaneously, releasing a barrage of crimson beams that shot toward the group of Commander-ranked NPCs.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Sensing the danger, the Patrol Guard Commander immediately stepped forward and placed himself in front of the others while raising his massive shield.

Bang!

The moment he slammed the shield into the ground, a massive wall of mana erupted before him, blocking the incoming crimson beams.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Every collision shook the entire energy barrier, forcing the Patrol Guard Commander backward even as he desperately maintained his stance under the continued barrage.

Despite the tremendous force behind the attacks, the Patrol Guard Commander managed to block every beam, protecting the Commanders behind him.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The instant the barrage ended, the Western Wall Commander and Inner Region Commander charged forward simultaneously, rushing toward Alucard from opposite sides.

They flanked him from both directions, attempting to place him under immense pressure.

Unfortunately for them, Alucard merely stored away the sniper rifle before drawing the rapier hanging at his waist.

Shing!

He turned to the right and raised his arm, holding the rapier diagonally to intercept the incoming strike from the Western Wall Commander.

Bang!

Rather than meeting the attack’s tremendous force head-on, Alucard redirected it, borrowing its momentum to propel himself backward.

Swoosh!

At the same time, Alucard twisted his body in midair and turned toward the Inner Region Commander.

He then thrust the rapier forward, aiming directly at the incoming opponent.

Shing!

The Inner Region Commander was already throwing a punch when he suddenly saw the pointed tip of the rapier rapidly filling his vision.

He immediately abandoned his attack and ducked to the side, twisting his arm to deflect the incoming stab.

Clang!

Immediately afterward, Alucard engaged in an intense melee against the two Commanders, who were trying to place him under immense pressure and buy enough time for their allies to finish preparing their attacks.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The Western Wall Commander and Inner Region Commander worked together as they attacked, constantly adjusting their positions to pin Alucard down from both sides.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Unfortunately for them, Alucard merely transformed into a swarm of shadow bats whenever he found himself cornered, disengaging from the two before they could trap him.

This put the two Commanders in a difficult position despite their overwhelming strength.

Alucard’s constant movement also made it difficult for the other Commanders to assist their allies, as they couldn’t properly lock onto his figure amid his rapid repositioning.

He even seamlessly switched between his rapier and pistols depending on the situation, making it nearly impossible for them to find a safe opportunity to provide ranged support to the Western Wall Commander and Inner Region Commander.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Whoosh!

While the Western Wall Commander and Inner Region Commander continued putting immense pressure on Alucard, the other Commanders were already preparing their next moves.

Among the remaining four Commanders, two were mage-type NPCs who specialized in Sand and Earth Magic.

One of them was Military Advisor Skarde, Grand Marshal Ivar’s military advisor.

He was responsible for overseeing the fortress’s defensive formations and assisting with the management of its forces.

Unfortunately, the Mana Dome had collapsed under the overwhelming bombardment from the opposing side before he could even establish the energy channels needed to restore its stability.

This left him no choice but to join the other Commanders in hunting down the two "rats" wreaking havoc throughout the fortress.

However, he had never expected these intruders to be this powerful.

The other mage was a local NPC from the Green Marbly Kingdom whom Donato had recruited after recognizing his exceptional talent.

He was a well-known Sand Mage within the kingdom, renowned for his skillful control over the surrounding sand.

He might not have possessed the same level of strength as the kingdom’s greatest powerhouses, but within this region, he was still one of the most troublesome NPCs to deal with.

The desert was practically his paradise, providing him with an almost endless source of material to manipulate.

Within the fortress, he was known as Sand Commander Rimal and was also responsible for overseeing the scout forces.

However, he was never the strongest Sand Mage within the fortress.

That distinction belonged to the Southern Wall Commander, whose mastery over Sand Magic was far greater than his own.

Rimal had been resting in his quarters when the fortress was suddenly attacked by the intruders.

Now, both mages prepared powerful spells capable of covering a wide area, intending to trap Alucard and stop his relentless advance.

However, Alucard’s constant pressure had forced the other Commander-ranked NPCs to devote most of their attention to him.

In the process, they had almost forgotten about the other terrifying existence standing among their enemies.

While everyone was too focused on capturing the vampire before them, the surrounding shadows suddenly began moving on their own, silently converging around the two mages who were preparing their spells.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the next instant, several tendrils of shadow shot forward and wrapped around the two NPC Mages, instantly immobilizing them.

The sudden restraint forcefully disrupted the spells they were preparing, causing both mages to cough up blood from the backlash.

Swoosh!

Diablo immediately emerged from the shadows behind them, a dagger in one hand and a stiletto in the other.

He was about to strike when a powerful burst of light suddenly erupted, illuminating the entire surroundings.

Bang!

The force of the light blast sent Diablo skidding across the ground for several meters.

He quickly steadied himself and raised his head.

That was when he saw the two remaining Commander-ranked NPCs standing protectively in front of the two mages.

One of them was holding a large cross, immediately revealing his priest-type profession.

It was this NPC who had summoned the blinding light, protecting the two mages while simultaneously exposing everything hidden within the surrounding shadows.

The other Commander wielded a pair of heavy maces and wore a set of leather armor that left portions of his arms exposed.

Numerous tattoos covered his exposed skin, giving him an intimidating appearance.

From his physique and weapons, Diablo could immediately tell that he was another warrior-type NPC.

However, unlike the Inner Region Commander, who fought like a traditional warrior, this man’s appearance and mannerisms suggested that he was more likely a Berserker.

Diablo tilted his head slightly as he studied the opposing side. Then, without saying a word, his figure faded back into the darkness.

......