Chapter 219: Tower Changes
The moment Elder Achilor’s words settled into the air, the entire arena seemed to lean toward Cornelia, as if the very atmosphere itself was urging her forward, and it did not take long before the murmurs turned into voices, and the voices turned into clear encouragement that surrounded her from every direction.
"Go on..."
"You should do it..."
"There is nothing to fear..."
The Emperor-level vampires, who moments ago had been filled with doubt and suspicion toward the Moonshade family, now looked at her with bright eyes, their curiosity burning openly, no longer hidden, no longer restrained, because what stood before them was no longer just a foreign vampire from another plane, but a possibility, a future pillar, something that could change the balance of their entire race.
Even the injured ones, those who had been struggling just to remain conscious under the earlier pressure, raised their heads and forced their voices out, as if they did not want to miss this moment.
"Show us..."
"Let us see..."
Their voices were not mocking.
They were eager.
Behind Cornelia, the Moonshade family grew restless, their emotions mixed between pride, fear, and expectation, and soon, one of the elders stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly despite his attempt to sound steady.
"Madam... please," he said, bowing his head just a little. "You do not need to hold back. If what we saw before is true... then there is nothing here that can harm you."
Another followed, more confident, his voice louder.
"Yes, Madam Cornelia! You must show them! Let them understand who you are!"
The ten ancestors did not shout like the others, but their silence carried weight, their eyes fixed on her with a quiet trust that spoke louder than any words could.
They had already chosen her.
Now they were waiting for her to prove that their choice was not a mistake.
Cornelia stood there, her chest rising and falling slowly as she listened to all of it, the voices, the expectations, the attention that pressed against her from every direction, and for a brief moment, her gaze drifted slightly to the side.
Toward Cain.
He was smiling.
Calm.
Unbothered.
As if none of this truly mattered.
Inside his mind, however, his thoughts moved in an entirely different direction.
Go ahead... test it...
He watched her carefully, his eyes calm but calculating.
As long as you don’t grow too much... as long as you don’t become something that breaks the balance... then everything is still manageable...
A faint breath escaped him internally.
I already have a plan.
No matter what happens here... I will deal with it.
Cornelia saw his expression, and for a moment, something in her chest eased.
Then slowly, she nodded.
"...Alright," she said softly.
The moment her voice fell, the murmurs quieted again, as if the entire arena had agreed to give her space, and without further delay, she stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
Her movements were calm, controlled, yet every step felt heavy under the countless gazes that followed her, and as she approached the massive clawed palm that stood at the center, its presence felt even more overwhelming up close, its structure towering and ancient, as if it had witnessed countless tests before hers.
She did not hesitate.
She did not stop.
And soon, she stepped onto the palm.
The moment her foot touched its surface—
The world trembled.
A deep, rumbling vibration spread outward, starting from beneath the palm and expanding across the entire arena, causing the ground to shake violently as cracks began to form along the stone floor, spreading like veins under pressure.
"What is happening?!"
"Why is it reacting like this?!"
"This never happened before!"
Voices erupted instantly, panic mixing with confusion as even the Emperor-level vampires stepped back slightly, their expressions no longer calm as they stared at the palm in disbelief.
The shaking did not stop.
It grew stronger.
The massive clawed structure began to emit a deep, resonating sound, like something ancient being awakened, and the blood within the grooves of the palm started to glow, not with a soft light, but with a heavy, oppressive brilliance that made the air feel thick.
"Is it going to break?!"
"Get her out of there!"
"No... wait!"
The Moonshade family panicked, their voices overlapping as they stared at Cornelia, who remained standing on the palm, her expression calm but her eyes slightly widened as she felt the reaction beneath her.
"Madam Cornelia!" one of the elders shouted. "Are you alright?!"
Ivira stepped forward instinctively, her white hair swaying as she looked at the palm with concern.
"This doesn’t look normal..."
Faith clenched her fists, her eyes locked on Cornelia.
"Cain... do something..."
Cain, however, did not move.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the phenomenon, his mind already analyzing every detail.
This... isn’t normal...
Even for a high-level bloodline, this kind of reaction...
He watched closely.
No... this isn’t just about her bloodline anymore...
Something else is reacting.
At the center, the palm continued to tremble, but then—
It began to change.
The original clawed structure, which had looked ancient and powerful, started to twist and expand, its form becoming sharper, more defined, the edges of its fingers growing longer and more jagged, as if evolving into something far more dangerous.
The surface darkened, taking on a deeper shade, while veins of glowing blood-like energy spread across it, pulsing slowly, like a heartbeat that had just awakened after countless years of slumber.
"What... what is that?!"
"It’s changing!"
"That’s not the same structure anymore!"
Even the Emperor-level vampires could not hide their shock now, their voices filled with disbelief as they watched the transformation unfold before their eyes.
The palm no longer looked like a testing tool.
It looked like something alive.
Something far more menacing.
Something that did not belong to what they had known.
The Moonshade family grew even more uneasy.
"What is happening to it...?"
"Is it reacting to Madam Cornelia...?"
"Will it harm her...?"
Their voices carried fear now, their earlier excitement replaced with worry as they stared at the evolving structure.
At the same time, Elder Achilor stepped forward, his expression no longer calm, his eyes sharp as he focused entirely on the palm.
"This..."
He raised his hand slightly, sensing the energy that flowed from the structure, his brows knitting together as he tried to understand what was happening.
"This has never occurred before..."
He moved closer, his aura spreading slightly as he examined the palm from a distance, careful not to interfere directly, his senses stretching out to probe every inch of the transformed structure.
He felt it.
Something deep within.
Something old.
Something that did not align with the original purpose of the test.
"...Strange..."
He muttered under his breath, his gaze narrowing further.
"This is not a simple reaction to talent..."
He observed the flow of energy, the way the blood-like glow moved, the way the structure itself seemed to respond to Cornelia’s presence, and yet—
He could not find any sign of danger.
No hostility.
No intent to harm.
Only... recognition.
As if the palm itself had acknowledged something.
Achilor’s expression grew more serious.
"...What exactly are you..."
He whispered, not finishing his sentence as his eyes flickered toward Cornelia, who still stood calmly on the palm, her hair gently moving as the energy around her continued to pulse.
Behind him, Lord Vord frowned slightly.
"Well?" he asked, his tone carrying a hint of impatience despite the situation. "Is there a problem?"
Achilor remained silent for a moment longer.
Then slowly, he exhaled.
"...No," he said at last.
The single word caused many to pause.
"No?" one of the Emperor-level vampires repeated.
Achilor nodded.
"I cannot detect any harmful intent from the structure," he explained, his voice steady again, though his eyes still held a trace of uncertainty. "Whatever this reaction is... it is not something that will injure her."
The Moonshade family let out a collective breath, their tension easing slightly.
"But..." Achilor continued, his tone lowering just a bit, "this is not something I have seen before. The structure has changed... and yet its function remains intact."
He turned fully toward Cornelia now.
For a brief moment, the entire arena fell silent again.
Then, with a calm yet firm voice, he spoke.
"Young girl..."
Cornelia looked at him.
Achilor’s gaze remained steady, though there was now a deeper curiosity within it, something that had not been there before.
"You can proceed."