Chapter 209: Disappointment
One by one, the nobles of the Moonshade Family stepped forward, their earlier confidence still present on the surface, though beneath it there was a quiet tension that none of them could fully hide. The massive clawed hands loomed before them, ancient and unmoving, yet filled with a presence that made even the most composed among them feel as if they were standing before something that could see through every layer of their being.
The first noble drew a slow breath before stepping into the curved palm of the stone hand. The surface beneath his feet was cold, yet it pulsed faintly, as if it were alive in a way that did not belong to flesh. He sat down as instructed, trying to maintain dignity, trying to ignore the dozens of eyes watching him.
Achilor raised his hand slightly.
"Drop your blood onto the fingers," he said calmly.
The noble nodded, lifting his hand, his nails extending slightly as he cut his palm without hesitation. A small amount of blood gathered before dripping down, landing on the first finger.
Nothing happened.
A faint flicker appeared, then faded.
He frowned slightly and allowed more blood to fall.
The droplets slid across the stone, moving slowly, almost guided, until they reached the second finger.
This time, the reaction was clearer.
A faint glow spread across the second finger, the runes lighting up one by one, forming a dull red hue that pulsed weakly before stabilizing.
Silence followed.
"Blood Condensation Realm," Achilor said, his tone neutral, though there was something restrained beneath it.
The noble’s expression stiffened.
That was it.
Second stage.
A foundation that barely stepped into the path of cultivation.
He forced a small smile as he stood, stepping down from the hand, though the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed the discomfort he felt.
Behind him, another noble stepped forward quickly, as if eager to prove that the first result was simply an exception.
He entered the palm, sat down, and without hesitation, cut his hand and let the blood fall.
The first finger lit.
Then the second.
For a moment, his eyes brightened.
But the glow stopped there.
It did not move forward.
It did not reach the third finger.
It did not even flicker toward it.
"Blood Condensation Realm," Achilor repeated.
The noble’s expression froze.
Another one stepped forward.
Then another.
Then another.
Each one carried their own pride, their own expectations, their own belief that they would stand out, that they would be different, that they would prove something not just to the vampires before them, but to their own family.
Yet each result followed the same pattern.
First finger.
Second finger.
Glow.
Stop.
"Blood Condensation Realm."
"Blood Condensation Realm."
"Blood Condensation Realm."
The words began to echo in the courtyard, not loudly, not dramatically, but enough that they started to weigh on the atmosphere.
A few tried harder.
Some cut deeper, allowing more blood to flow as if that alone could push the result further.
One noble clenched his teeth, forcing out more blood than necessary, watching with intense focus as the droplets moved across the fingers.
First.
Second.
The glow strengthened slightly.
His eyes widened.
"Come on..." he whispered under his breath. "Just a little more..."
The blood reached the third finger.
For a brief moment, there was a faint reaction.
A flicker.
A weak glow.
Then it died.
The light collapsed back to the second finger, stabilizing there.
"Blood Condensation Realm," Achilor said again.
The noble’s shoulders dropped slightly.
He did not say anything as he stepped down, but the silence that followed him spoke enough.
The line continued.
One after another, the nobles stepped forward, each carrying less confidence than the last, each hoping to break the pattern, each failing to do so.
Some showed slight variations.
A few reached the edge of the third finger before falling back.
A very small number managed to cause a faint glow on the third finger, but it never stabilized, never solidified into a confirmed stage.
"Not enough," Achilor would say quietly.
"Still Blood Condensation."
The repetition became exhausting.
The air grew heavier, not from pressure, but from disappointment that slowly built with every passing test.
Behind them, the rest of the Moonshade Family watched, their expressions growing more serious, more uncertain, as the results continued.
"That cannot be right..."
"Are we really..."
"No... there must be someone stronger..."
Their murmurs carried doubt, not just in the test, but in themselves.
Meanwhile, the surrounding vampires, including the guards and the so-called judges from earlier, began to exchange glances, their earlier curiosity now fading into something else.
Confusion.
Then realization.
Then disappointment.
Lord Vord stood with his arms crossed, his expression still composed, though the slight narrowing of his eyes hinted at his thoughts.
At first, he had expected variation.
At least one or two who would stand out.
At least one who would give him a reason to feel that his excitement earlier had not been misplaced.
But as the tests continued, as the results repeated again and again, that expectation began to crumble.
"They all..."
He did not finish the sentence.
He did not need to.
Achilor stood beside him, his posture unchanged, his face calm, but his gaze had grown sharper, colder, more analytical.
He watched each noble carefully, observing not just the result, but their reactions, their control, their composure.
At first, he had given them the benefit of the doubt.
After all, they came from another plane.
Their system might be different.
Their growth might not align perfectly with this one.
But the Blood Evaluation Vessel did not lie.
It did not misunderstand.
It measured the essence itself.
And what it showed...
Was consistent.
Too consistent.
"They lack depth," Achilor thought quietly.
"Not just in strength... but in foundation."
Another noble stepped forward.
He looked slightly older, his aura more stable than the others, his gaze firm as he entered the palm and sat down.
"This one..." one of the vampires murmured quietly.
"He might be different."
The noble closed his eyes briefly, focusing, then cut his palm and let the blood fall.
First finger.
Second finger.
The glow appeared stronger this time.
There was a slight rise in tension.
Then the blood reached the third finger.
The glow flickered.
Held.
For a moment, it seemed as if it would stabilize.
As if, finally, someone would break through.
But then...
It faded.
The light collapsed again, retreating back to the second finger.
"Blood Condensation Realm."
Achilor’s voice carried no change.
The noble opened his eyes slowly.
For a moment, there was disbelief.
Then frustration.
Then quiet acceptance.
He stood up and stepped down without a word.
That moment broke whatever remaining expectation lingered in the air.
After that, no one believed anymore that someone would suddenly stand out.
The rest of the nobles went through the process almost mechanically.
Step forward.
Sit.
Cut.
Drop.
Glow.
Stop.
Result.
Repeat.
The courtyard, once filled with tension and curiosity, now felt drained, as if the energy had been slowly pulled away with each test.
Even the Moonshade Family, who had initially spoken with confidence and unity, now stood quieter, their expressions heavier, their thoughts turning inward.
"Is this really... our level..."
"Were we always this..."
"No... we were strong in our world..."
"But here..."
The contrast between expectation and reality became clearer with each passing moment.
Lord Vord let out a quiet breath through his nose, his gaze moving across the line of nobles who had already been tested.
"This is..."
He paused, choosing his words carefully, though the disappointment was clear in his eyes.
"...lower than expected."
Achilor did not respond immediately.
He simply continued watching as the final few nobles stepped forward and completed their tests, each result no different from the ones before.
When the last noble stepped down, the massive clawed hands remained still, their faint glow fading back into silence.
The test was complete.
And the result...
Was clear.
A group that had entered with confidence, with pride, with the identity of nobles from another world...
Had revealed themselves to be...
Ordinary.
Below what had been hoped.
Below what had been expected.
Achilor finally exhaled slowly, his calm expression no longer hiding the truth behind it.
His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze growing colder as he looked over the Moonshade Family once more.
Lord Vord’s expression darkened as well, his earlier excitement now completely gone, replaced by a faint irritation that he did not bother to conceal.
"They came from another plane..."
He muttered under his breath.
"And yet..."
He shook his head slightly.
Achilor did not interrupt him.
Because he understood.
They had given importance to these people.
They had considered them valuable.
Potential.
A rare opportunity.
But now...
Standing before them...
Seeing the results laid out clearly...
That expectation had collapsed.
Achilor’s expression finally hardened, the calm mask replaced by something far less forgiving.
Lord Vord’s lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze no longer warm, no longer welcoming.
Both of them looked at the Moonshade Family again.
And this time...
Their expressions had turned foul.
They had expected something more.
Something worth the attention.
Something worth the effort.
But what stood before them now...
Felt like a mistake.