Chapter 363: Who exactly is 353?
[Eight Fingers] had been occupied by an unknown intelligent and powerful magical creature, and even the key figures were enslaved.
This incident had never occurred in the original story.
At this point in the original story, [Blue Rose] and [Eight Fingers] had their first conflict, which led to a series of subsequent events and eventually involved the people of Nazarick, causing greater chaos. The sudden invasion of a powerful magical creature taking over [Eight Fingers] was an event that had never happened in the original story.
No, it wasn’t accurate to say that such an event had never occurred.
In the original story, at the end of this incident, [Eight Fingers], which controlled the Kingdom Underground World, was indeed controlled by Nazarick, but that happened after the incident concluded, not at the beginning.
However, it seemed that this event happened prematurely now, and the instigator was an unknown magical creature that attacked a human city in the Theocracy just a week ago. It was truly unimaginable.
"Could it be..."
Reiger’s eyes flickered slightly, and an idea emerged in his mind.
Driven by this idea, Reiger asked Lakyus a question.
"What is the magical creature that has taken over [Eight Fingers]?"
This was a question that Brian also wanted to know.
The creature capable of secretly controlling the underworld’s top boss without attracting public attention was obviously not only powerful but also highly intelligent; it might even be a humanoid creature.
Indeed, that was the case.
"Although I haven’t met him directly, if there is no accident, he is likely a vampire."
Lakyus’s words made Reiger narrow his eyes.
"A vampire?"
Brian’s expression became somewhat unnatural.
There was no helping it; the word vampire had stirred up some unpleasant memories in Brian’s heart.
The monster that appeared in the Ye·Lantier Northern Forest that night was a vampire, which Brian only knew afterward.
Reiger had also mentioned yesterday that the monster he battled with earth-shaking intensity in the Ye·Lantier Northern Forest was a vampire.
Although it was said that the vampire was seemingly defeated by the recently emerged ultrahard adventurer [Hero of the Abyss] Feifei and his companions from Ye·Lantier, Brian, who had witnessed that battle, could not imagine anyone other than Reiger being able to defeat that vampire.
Hearing Lakyus mention that the powerful creature that infiltrated the royal capital was a vampire, Brian reacted impulsively.
"Could it be that vampire, Lord Brilliant...?"
Brian asked Reiger anxiously.
"I’m not sure."
Reiger shook his head, not giving a definitive answer.
"What?" Gegran, seeing the reactions of the two, immediately asked, "Do you know that vampire?"
Everyone from [Blue Rose] suddenly paid attention to this matter.
"Haven’t you heard?" Brian glanced at Reiger’s expression and, seeing that Reiger did not stop him from continuing, suddenly said, "About two months ago, a particularly powerful vampire appeared in the Ye·Lantier Northern Forest—that’s her."
Brian’s words made Gegran and Iveyer remember the conversation between Reiger and Brian from yesterday.
Back then, they mentioned the dreadful battle that had demoralized Brian, which had indeed occurred in the Ye·Lantier Northern Forest, and the combatants were one being Reiger and the other an unknown vampire.
The appearance of a powerful vampire in the Ye·Lantier Northern Forest two months ago was also widely circulated.
"But wasn’t that vampire already defeated by the two new ultrahard adventurers from [Abyss]?"
"The news I heard said the same."
Tia and Tina both said this.
"Who knows if that’s true?" Brian skeptically said, "Anyway, I can’t imagine that vampire being defeated by anyone other than Lord Brilliant himself. Whether that [Hero of the Abyss] really has such strength, I personally doubt it."
"If that vampire is not dead, with her strength, taking over [Eight Fingers] would be effortless."
"I even think the legendary [Nation Destroyer] is far less formidable than that vampire. She is just that terrifying."
Brian was referring to [Nation Destroyer], a legendary level monster.
It is said to be a creature capable of annihilating an entire country single-handedly, and its true form was the aristocracy among vampires, which is why it was named [Nation Destroyer].
However, [Nation Destroyer] should have been defeated by the Thirteen Heroes 200 years ago, an act that is still celebrated today.
But if one were to mention a very famous existence among vampires, both strong and highly intelligent, the first that came to mind was [Nation Destroyer].
Brian, by comparing it to the legendary vampire, made everyone from [Blue Rose] show somewhat... peculiar expressions.
"Hmph!"
At this moment, Iveyer suddenly voiced displeasure.
"You have never seen how strong [Nation Destroyer] was, so how do you know she is far inferior to the vampire you mentioned?"
For some reason, Iveyer became competitive with Brian on this issue.
For that, Brian answered very simply.
"Because that vampire was able to fight equally with Lord Brilliant. I who witnessed that battle can assure you that a vampire of that caliber, even the Thirteen Heroes who ended the Demon God’s turmoil, could absolutely not defeat her."