Chapter 227: New Vampire Age
The moment the three cocoons fully formed, suspended in the air like beating hearts of dark crimson light, the silence that had taken hold of the arena did not last.
It shattered.
Not slowly.
Not hesitantly.
But all at once, like a storm breaking free from restraint.
"They are chosen!"
"Those are the Origin Vampire hands!"
"Do you understand what that means?!"
The voices erupted from every direction, crashing into one another, rising higher and higher until the entire colosseum was filled with a deafening roar of excitement, disbelief, and overwhelming joy that no one even tried to hold back anymore.
"The Origin Vampire phenomenon has appeared!"
"Three of them!"
"THREE!"
"This is not just talent anymore!"
"This is heritage!"
"This is something that rivals the Origin itself!"
The words spread like wildfire, repeated again and again, each time growing louder, more intense, more filled with a reverence that bordered on fanaticism.
The Emperor level powerhouses, who earlier had maintained their dignity, now stood fully upright, their expressions no longer guarded, their eyes shining with a brightness that betrayed their excitement.
"This confirms it..."
One of them said, his voice trembling.
"They are not just Ascendant seeds..."
"They are beyond that..."
"They have the potential to rival the Origin Vampire..."
The phrase struck deep.
It echoed.
It lingered.
Because among vampires, there was no title higher than that.
The Origin Vampire.
The one from whom all bloodlines stemmed.
The one whose existence defined their entire race.
And now—
Three individuals stood before them who had shown signs of reaching that same level.
"This is a blessing beyond anything we have ever seen!"
"This is not luck!"
"This is fate!"
The vampires below began to shout in joy, their voices rising into chants, their excitement overflowing into something that could no longer be contained.
They did not simply cheer.
They celebrated.
They lifted their arms.
They called out to the sky.
Some even dropped to their knees, their heads lowered, their bodies trembling as if they were witnessing something sacred.
"The Blood God has answered us!"
"The Blood God has not abandoned our race!"
"With them... with them... we will rise!"
Their words carried hope.
A hope that had not been present before.
Because now, they had seen something that promised a future far beyond what they had imagined.
Above them, the dark red clouds churned slowly, as if responding to their voices, casting a deeper glow upon the arena, making the three cocoons appear even more radiant, even more divine.
The Moonshade family stood at the center of it all, their earlier pride now mixed with something heavier.
Responsibility.
"...Madam Cornelia... Madam Ivira... Madam Faith..."
They whispered, their voices filled with reverence.
"They... they are truly..."
They could not even finish their thoughts.
Because the weight of it was too much.
Too overwhelming.
Elder Ghurn stood silently, his gaze fixed on the three cocoons, his old heart beating faster than it had in centuries.
"...Origin level..."
He murmured.
"...Our family..."
His voice faltered again, unable to find the words.
Because how could he?
How could anyone?
When what stood before them was something that had never been seen before.
The voices continued to rise.
Higher.
Louder.
Until—
A presence descended.
It was not violent.
It was not crushing.
But it was absolute.
A pressure that did not harm, yet demanded obedience.
A presence that silenced everything.
Immediately.
The voices stopped.
The chants faded.
The entire arena fell into complete stillness once more.
Because they recognized it.
Elder Achilor stepped forward.
His figure did not change.
His aura did not flare wildly.
Yet the moment he moved, all attention shifted to him, drawn by an authority that had been built over countless years.
He raised one hand.
And with that simple motion—
The entire arena obeyed.
"...Enough."
His voice was calm.
Not loud.
Yet it carried across every corner, reaching every ear, leaving no room for disobedience.
The vampires fell silent.
Even those who had been overwhelmed moments ago now stood still, their eyes fixed on him, waiting.
Elder Achilor lowered his hand slowly, his gaze moving from the three cocoons to the crowd before him.
"...What we have witnessed today..."
He began, his tone steady, measured, carrying a weight that made every word sink deep.
"...is not something that should be taken lightly."
He paused.
Not for effect.
But because the moment itself demanded it.
"...This is not simply the rise of talent."
His eyes hardened slightly, his expression growing more serious.
"...This is the birth of a new era."
The words sent a ripple through the crowd, not loud, but undeniable.
"...The three before you..."
He gestured toward the cocoons, his gaze unwavering.
"...are no longer individuals who can be treated as ordinary members of our race."
His voice deepened.
"...They are pillars in the making."
"...Symbols of what we can become."
"...And more importantly..."
He paused again, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the crowd.
"...they are targets."
That single word shifted the atmosphere.
The excitement did not vanish.
But it changed.
It sharpened.
"...Do not forget..."
Achilor continued, his tone now carrying a faint edge.
"...we are not alone in this world."
His gaze moved across the arena, lingering briefly on the Emperor level powerhouses.
"...The werewolves..."
"...The dark elves..."
"...The winged race..."
"...All of them..."
He let the words settle.
"...They will feel this."
He lifted his hand slightly, gesturing toward the sky.
"...A phenomenon of this scale cannot be hidden."
The clouds above churned again, as if confirming his statement.
"...And when they learn of it..."
His voice lowered.
"...They will come."
Silence filled the arena once more.
Because this time—
It was not from awe.
It was from understanding.
"...Which is why..."
Achilor’s voice rose again, steady and commanding.
"...from this moment onward..."
"...we must protect them."
His gaze hardened, his presence becoming more imposing.
"...We must nurture them."
"...We must ensure that they reach their full potential."
He took a step forward, his eyes sweeping across the crowd.
"...No matter the cost."
The words were not a suggestion.
They were a declaration.
And everyone understood.
This was no longer optional.
This was a responsibility.
A duty.
"...If we succeed..."
Achilor continued, his tone softening slightly.
"...our race will rise to heights we have never known."
"...If we fail..."
He did not finish the sentence.
He did not need to.
Because everyone understood what failure would mean.
He lowered his hand.
And for a moment, the arena remained silent.
Then—
One by one—
Heads lowered.
Not in fear.
But in agreement.
In acceptance.
In commitment.
Elder Achilor turned.
His gaze shifted toward the Moonshade family.
And for the first time since this entire event had begun—
His expression softened.
"...You have done something that will be remembered."
He said, his voice carrying a rare note of sincerity.
"...You have brought them here."
"...You have allowed this to happen."
He inclined his head slightly.
A gesture small in movement.
But enormous in meaning.
"...For that..."
"...you have my gratitude."
The surrounding Emperor level powerhouses followed.
One by one.
They turned toward the Moonshade family.
And they bowed.
Not deeply.
But enough.
Enough to show acknowledgment.
Enough to show respect.
"...You have our thanks."
"...You have brought hope."
"...You have brought the future."
Their voices overlapped, but the meaning was clear.
The Moonshade family stood frozen.
Because this—
This was something they had never expected.
To be thanked.
To be acknowledged.
By those who had once looked down on them.
Elder Ghurn lowered his head slowly, his voice trembling as he responded.
"...We... did not expect this..."
"...But we are honored..."
Around him, the others nodded, their expressions filled with emotion that they could barely contain.
At the edge of it all—
Cain stood.
Silent.
Still.
Watching everything unfold.
The cheers.
The reverence.
The declarations.
The gratitude.
All of it.
His expression did not change.
But inside—
For the first time—
His thoughts stalled.
"...What..."
He stared at the three cocoons, at the sky above, at the crowd around him.
"...What did I just..."
The words did not come.
Because even he—
An Overgod who had lived through countless eras—
Had not expected this.
Had not predicted this.
Had not accounted for this.
He stood there.
Speechless.