Age of Adepts

Greem?

Leicester quickly searched through his mind for mentions of this name as he sat down with the unfamiliar adept.

Almost all adepts possessed eidetic memory with their powerful Spirits. In particular, it wasn’t easy to forget unique individuals like Greem, especially if they have already met once before.

However, despite all of his efforts, Leicester could not recall anything about his uninvited guest.

Which meant this should be the first time they have met each other!

The smile on Leicester’s face only froze for a slight instant before returning to normal.

”Sir Greem, I wonder what matter brings you so suddenly to our family’s Rose Manor?”

Even the arrogant Leicester didn’t dare be disrespectful in front of an adept of the same grade as himself.

A Second Grade adept was an important figure regardless of where they went. Even the Vik Family wouldn’t aggravate a Second Grade adept, despite all the resources and power they held!

”I’m sure you already know what brings me here.” Greem smiled as he let go of Rose’s waist, ”Haven’t you been waiting for me to arrive?”

The energy restrictions in Rose’s body vanished once Greem’s hand left her body. Still, despite being freed, Rose didn’t dare to make any moves. She was utterly intimidated by this adept.

She could sense that this mysterious Second Grade adept was not a well-intentioned guest. He seemed to have some particular conflict with Leicester. If she was foolish enough to make any sort of movement, it was likely to start a fight between the two Second Grade adepts.

Rose might think highly of herself, but she would not go unharmed if caught in a battle between two such terrifying Second Grade adepts.

Leicester’s face froze. The ominous feeling at the bottom of his heart surged to the surface all at once.

”You mean to say… that female vampire?”

Leicester’s eyes couldn’t help but sharpen but when he saw Greem nod lightly.

The origins of the female vampire were a complete mystery. She had refused to talk after being captured. She wouldn’t even divulge her name. That was why Leicester was trying to find her through the means of his family.

What he hadn’t ever imagined was the mastermind behind the female vampire showing up before he had managed to find information on her.

”Rose, I have some things to discuss with this Adept Greem. Leave this room for the moment!” Leicester narrowed his eyes as he instructed her.

The female vampire’s body trembled, and her crimson eyes shifted their gaze toward Greem; she didn’t dare move yet.

”Sir Leicester is right! We do have some things we need to discuss. Sweetheart, you had best leave the room!” Greem suddenly broke into a smile and patted the female vampire’s voluptuous bottom.

Rose let out a sigh of relief. She then rolled her eyes seductively at Greem before swaying her hips and exiting the guest hall.

Leicester’s pointed gaze finally loosened once Rose had left.

At least the opponent wouldn’t stoop as low as to take Rose hostage. That won a bit of Leicester’s goodwill. Though Greem wouldn’t have been able to threaten him in the slightest, even if he had taken Rose hostage, the willing surrender of this advantage still eased the tense atmosphere slightly.

”Sir Greem, you should know; looking into someone’s familial bloodline without permission is a great taboo!” Though his face was not as tense now, Leicester’s tone was still as firm as before, ”I don’t care what methods you used to steal my bloodline, I must take it all back now!”

That female vampire actually possessed his bloodline. If she were allowed to grow freely, a bloodline backlash would be something that was bound to happen. That was why Leicester suppressed his bubbling anger and coldly rejected Greem’s unreasonable request.

”Sir Leicester, don’t forget what you yourself did at the Sarubo Clan ninety years ago!” Greem immediately replied with a hostile tone.

Ninety years ago? Sarubo Clan?

Leicester eyes shone when he obtained this information. He promptly understood the cause and effect of the whole incident.

Ninety years ago, Leicester was only a First Grade vampire that hadn’t advanced for long. He had no choice but to choose a secretive location outside of the family to research his vampire bloodline in hopes of further purifying it.

He had hidden his identity and made his way into the Sarubo’s territory. There, he had bought an ancient castle and secretly conducted research that he did not wish his family to hear of.

Sadly, he was caught by the Sarubo for abducting apprentices as experimental subjects just as he was starting to get results from his research. Leicester successfully escaped after a bloody battle, but the lab he left beneath the castle was also destroyed in the fight.

He had initially thought that all the blood samples he had left there were destroyed. Now, it seemed that they had clearly fallen into the hands of the Sarubo Clan. Given that case, it was apparent where the female vampire’s blood had come from.

The Sarubo were pretty ingenious as well. To have successfully created a female vampire and raised her so excellently, despite only using a portion of his origin blood, marveled and shocked Leicester!

However, the revelation of the situation made it awkward for both parties.

Leicester had set up a laboratory in another clan’s territory and abducted the apprentice adepts of said clan. News of this would bring him trouble if heard by the Zhentarim Association. However, with his current status as a Second Grade vampire, the old geezers of Zhentarim would probably only have him pay compensation, even if they were to intervene.

He could still bear the burden of such a ’wrongdoing.’

Of course, this was only because he was Second Grade. If he were First Grade, it wouldn’t be wrongdoing. It would be a crime!

Similarly, the opponent’s clan had used his origin blood to create a female vampire. That action couldn’t escape the crime of trying to look into the bloodline secrets of the Vik Family. If both parties were to start an argument and bring it to trial, neither side would be able to put the other down. They were both guilty.

However, given that Leicester still had the female vampire in his grasp, it could be said that he held the overall advantage.

Both adepts frowned after clarifying the cause of the event.

Greem calculated the chances of Leicester letting go of Mary, while Leicester was trying to figure out the reason Greem wanted to set the female vampire free.

That female vampire had exceptional potential, and even the chance to advance to Second Grade. However, the potential was only a possibility. This Greem would take the risk of aggravating a Second Grade like himself for that slight chance?

Greem finally put it out in the open, as if he sensed Leicester’s doubts.

”Sir Leicester, to be honest with you, that Mary you have in your custody is my lover. I cannot possibly give her up for any benefit you may offer me!”

Leicester understood the seriousness of the issue once he heard Greem’s confession.

Much like Greem couldn’t give up on Mary, Leicester also had his reasons not to let Mary go. It seemed that there was no room for any negotiation between the two of them.

Both of them seemed to sense the other’s determination in their eyes. Their expressions turned more and more solemn, and soon a dense and sinister killing intent started to surface.

The atmosphere in the hall only hung there for half a second.

No one knew which of the two was the first to let their killing intent surface, but both Second Grade adepts erupted almost simultaneously!

The guest hall wasn’t all that large.

Both adepts were only five or six meters away from each other. There was also a sturdy and thick square oak table between them. Yet, in the matter of a single instant, the oak table split into several pieces and shot towards Greem. Meanwhile, Leicester’s phantom-like silhouette closed in on the fire adept.

Leicester’s hands raced as his sharp nails shrouded in dense, sizzling blood energies pierced into Greem’s body like blades.

The attack had just started when Leicester sensed an overwhelming surge of fire rushing toward him. His instincts for danger caused his face to blanch. He didn’t even have time to check the damage done by his attack.

His nails had penetrated half an inch into Greem’s body. If he had just one-tenth of a second more to spare, he would have been able to pierce through Greem’s body completely. However, that pressing sense of danger made him give up this opportunity. Leicester flashed and left Greem’s side.

The next second, a ferocious storm of fire erupted from Greem’s body, instantly enveloping the guest hall in a sea of flames.

Szzzzzz!

Greem’s black suit immediately split apart when the fearsome streams of flame appeared. A fountain of blood also shot out of eight deep wounds on Greem’s body at the same time. The heat vaporized the blood before it could even reach the ground.

At the same instant, the Blaze of Destruction appeared in Greem’s left hand. His body stalled for a moment, and an even large and more terrifying Ring of Fire shot out of his body and enveloped the entirety of the building.

The scorching flames and heat enveloped the banquet in an instant. Those ordinary humans who were not protected by any magic were burned to ashes before they could even howl in pain. The members of the Vik Family quickly summoned a dense cloud of blood mist from their bodies to protect themselves as the fled from the Ring of Fire.

The vampires and blood slaves below Viscount level (First Grade) were also burned to ashes before they could escape due to the exhaustion of their blood energy.

There had been three or four hundred people laughing and talking in the banquet below. In the blink of an eye, only three or four people were left. These people had barely managed to escape from Rose Manor. The rest had all been turned to ashes in that terrifying sea of fire.

The three-story building built of brick and wood also collapsed from the fire, leaving two tall figures standing at odds against each other in the blazing field of fire.