Ever since Rozen defeated the Third Primogenitor, the Chaos Bride, two months ago, rumors about him had spread across the world.
Many now knew that Rozen had not only sealed the Fourth Primogenitor but had also, through some means, gained the recognition of its Beast Vassals—allowing him, a mere human, to freely wield these calamity-level entities without any cost.
There were a full ten of the Fourth Primogenitor's Beast Vassals slumbering in his blood, each one completely obedient to him—a fact many found hard to believe.
Iblisveil Aziz was one such skeptic.
After all, he had personally faced the Fourth Primogenitor's Beast Vassals before, suffering defeat at their hands. He knew all too well how overwhelmingly powerful and terrifying they were.
The idea that such beings would now submit to a single human was something Iblisveil simply couldn't accept.
And then there was the defeat of the Third Primogenitor, the Chaos Bride—to Iblisveil and many others, this seemed less like credible information and more like misinformation or some elaborate scheme.
Because of this, Iblisveil couldn't resist testing Rozen himself.
Yet, the moment he did, he found himself forced to get serious, unleashing his full power.
And Rozen had calmly withstood it all, causing Iblisveil's gaze toward him to shift dramatically.
"The Divine Child, huh?"
Iblisveil grinned, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
That smile bore an eerie resemblance to Vatler's when faced with a formidable opponent.
Anyone who saw it would immediately realize—this prince, much like Vatler, was a battle maniac.
No, to be precise, all ancient vampires who had lived for centuries shared this trait. Only through battle could they dispel the frustration and boredom of their endless, monotonous existence.
Iblisveil was no exception.
"I'll remember you."
He stared at Rozen, his tone carrying an air of solemn acknowledgment.
"I'm honored."
Rozen responded indifferently, as if it hardly mattered to him.
Though Iblisveil had been completely overwhelmed in their earlier clash, no one would underestimate him now.
First, as Rozen had said, that had only been a test.
Second, even when Iblisveil had eventually gone all out, the power he displayed was still enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
Third—who could say Iblisveil didn't still have fight left in him?
Those familiar with him might assume that, having deployed all three of his known Beast Vassals and still lost, he had reached his limit. But let's not forget—this was no longer the same Iblisveil from before.
Through devouring kindred, vampires could not only steal the magical energy and blood memories of their kin but also seize their Beast Vassals.
In other words, the current Iblisveil possessed not just his own three publicly known Beast Vassals but also those of the Second Princess of the Dynasty of Destruction, whom he had devoured.
Moreover, while Iblisveil had only ever been seen using three Beast Vassals, who was to say he didn't have others hidden away?
So yes, while he might have gone all out, he was far from desperate.
Everyone present understood this.
Of course, if we're talking about holding back, Rozen had concealed far more.
Even if Iblisveil could now rival Vatler and was nearing the level of a Primogenitor, Rozen had already defeated the Third Primogenitor in the past. Now, it might take all three Primogenitors joining forces to even begin pushing Rozen to reveal his true capabilities.
A single Iblisveil wasn't enough to warrant Rozen's full attention.
Thus, Rozen acted as though Iblisveil's words meant nothing to him, prompting a cold snort from the prince.
At that moment, those who had been forced to retreat during Rozen and Iblisveil's intense clash returned.
"The power you two displayed was truly breathtaking. If only the timing were better, I'd love to experience it firsthand."
Vatler, accompanied by Tobias and Kira, reappeared as mist, standing amidst the ruins with an exhilarated smile.
Tobias and Kira also surveyed the devastated battlefield, their eyes reflecting both shock and a flicker of excitement.
As representatives of the Warlord Dominion's militant faction, their thirst for battle was evident—hence why they followed Vatler in the first place.
Meanwhile, Yukina...
"Senpai..."
A low, trembling voice came from behind Rozen.
"Ahaha..."
Rozen turned to see Yukina standing there, eyes shut, shoulders shaking, radiating palpable fury. He could only laugh awkwardly.
During the earlier clash, Vatler, Tobias, and Kira had all been capable of protecting themselves.
Yukina, however, would have been in trouble had Rozen not ordered his Wyvern to shield her, allowing her to hastily deploy a Divine Wave Drive barrier to neutralize the magical aftermath.
Even so, Rozen's Wyvern had been annihilated in the shockwave, leaving Yukina—though unharmed—covered in dust and grime.
Now, the disheveled Yukina glared at Rozen with burning eyes.
"We'll talk about this when we get back, you idiot Senpai."
With that, she turned away, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her face and tidy herself up.
Iblisveil, too, withdrew his magical energy, dispelling the earlier tension.
His gaze shifted from Rozen to the ever-smiling Vatler before narrowing slightly.
"So, you're also here for the legacy of the Holy Annihilation?"
He cut straight to the point.
"Of course." Vatler answered without hesitation—then, with a shrug, added, "Though I'd love to say that's all, there's actually another matter I need to investigate."
"Investigate?" Iblisveil's eyes sharpened. "What are you hiding, Snake Charmer?"
"Now, now, I'm still looking into it myself—hardly hiding anything, Your Highness." Vatler's smile remained unchanged, though whether he was being truthful or simply evasive was unclear. "Besides, regardless of our intentions, the Divine Child's purpose here is different from ours, no? He's here for the Akatsuki family's shrine maiden and No.12—Avrora, correct?"
At this, Rozen shifted his attention from Yukina to Vatler.
"It seems Lord Ardeal is quite well-informed." Rozen's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "Care to share some of that knowledge?"
"You flatter me." Vatler's grin didn't waver, but his words were carefully evasive, offering no real information.
Rozen, Vatler, and Iblisveil stood in a tense standoff, the air thick with unspoken challenges.
"Hmm?"
Then, in the next second, all three of them stiffened simultaneously, their heads snapping toward the same direction.