"Who goes there?!"
Tenra stepped forward, unruffled despite the circle of hostile vampires closing in.
"Tenra Kamiyo of the Phoenix House. I'm here to request an audience with your Queen—Valerie."
The vampires bristled, weapons half-raised. Their leader, a gaunt man with a greasy smile, swaggered out from the crowd.
"So you're the Red Dragon Emperor?"
Tenra shrugged, casual as ever.
"If there's only one Red Dragon Emperor in this world, then that would be me."
The vampire leader's grin widened, ugly and mocking.
"We received word from Carmilla—said the Red Dragon Emperor might pay us a visit..."
He turned, eyeing the women behind Tenra with open suspicion.
"And them? Who are they supposed to be?"
Tenra's tone didn't waver.
"They're my retainers. Is that a problem?"
"Hmph. Just because you say so doesn't make it true. I suspect some of them are Carmilla spies!"
He paced like a wolf, voice rising.
Tenra just smiled, almost amused.
"And what exactly do you plan to do about it?"
Yubelluna and the others bristled, anger flashing in their eyes. But Tenra remained relaxed, sizing up the situation with a glint of wry admiration.
He knew these vampires understood exactly who they were dealing with—and yet, they still dared to posture.
Strength aside, it took a special kind of stupid courage.
"What do we plan?" The lead vampire sneered. "We're going to inspect every one of them, of course."
He gestured to his men. "Go. See if any of these women are hiding Carmilla spies!"
In truth, devil and fallen angel auras were easy to distinguish from vampires. This was pure provocation—a flimsy excuse to harass Tenra's group.
They didn't dare challenge Tenra directly, but tormenting his retainers? That felt safe enough.
The vampires advanced, grinning coldly. One especially bold fool reached out, filthy hand aimed at Yubelluna.
He didn't get far.
A flash of steel—Kalamaina's sword gleamed, then vanished. The vampire's scream tore through the courtyard as he clutched his severed arm, blood splattering the stone.
Yubelluna and the others looked on with icy disdain. In this world, only Tenra could touch them. Vampires who didn't know their place deserved what they got.
"They dare resist!"
"Seize them! Grab them all!"
The leader's rage boiled over, voice cracking with panic as he barked orders.
Tenra just sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Go ahead. Just don't kill them."
This world never failed to surprise him. He honestly wondered where these idiots found the nerve to provoke him.
But if they wanted blood, they'd get it—the price of ignorance.
"Yes, Tenra-sama!"
The girls had been itching for a fight. With Tenra's permission, cold smiles spread across their faces. They moved as one, descending on the vampires.
"Damn devils! Don't underestimate us vampires!"
"They're just women! Show them our strength!"
"No—impossible! AAAAGH!"
"Don't retreat! We outnumber them!"
"These monsters!"
"Help me—AAAGH!"
Numbers meant nothing. The vampires outnumbered Tenra's girls several times over, but the battle was hopelessly one-sided.
As Tenra's retainers, Yubelluna and the others had grown far beyond their original limits—together, they could stand against Demon King-class foes.
Their opponents, at best, scraped the level of High-class Devils. Under the girls' merciless assault, they fell screaming, bodies littering the ground.
If Tenra hadn't forbidden killing, the courtyard would've been a graveyard.
"Please—no, no—"
One unlucky vampire found himself pinned to the ground by Ravel's spears of light, each limb nailed in place.
He watched, terror-stricken, as the dark-winged fallen angel conjured another spear, smile twisted and bloodthirsty.
"Come on, enjoy a little more pain."
Ravel's laughter was chilling. She drove the spear down—
"AAAAAAAGH!"
The vampire's fifth limb was shredded, not just pierced.
Pure-blood vampires were said to have incredible regeneration—even severed heads could be reattached. But pulverized parts? Who knew.
From start to finish, the massacre lasted only minutes. Nearly a hundred vampires lay defeated, swept aside by Yubelluna, Ravel, and the others. Even Gasper had taken down several with his Balor evil eye.
The lead vampire stood frozen, mouth agape, eyes wild with disbelief—and terror.
He hadn't joined the fight. Not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't dare.
Every instinct screamed at him: move wrong, and this man would erase him from existence.
Tenra approached, his smile still gentle—but now it chilled to the bone.
"So. Still want to inspect my retainers?"
The vampire shuddered. He'd heard tales of the Red Dragon Emperor's power, but this was their turf. He'd never believed Tenra would actually challenge them.
He'd been wrong. Catastrophically wrong.
Tenra didn't fear them at all. His retainers alone had wiped the floor with their forces.
"N-no need..."
The vampire's lips were dry, voice barely audible.
"Good."
Tenra's smile lingered.
"Now, take us to Queen Valerie. I hate repeating myself, so don't make me ask twice."
He patted the vampire's cheek, then let his aura fade.
The man nearly collapsed with relief, feeling as if he'd just walked through hell and back.
No more tricks. He barked orders for his battered men to gather their scattered limbs and reattach them, then led Tenra's group into the heart of Tepes territory.
"Red Dragon Emperor, please rest here with your party. I'll report to the palace and inform Her Majesty. If she wishes to receive you, I'll return."
He left them in a city embassy, tone cautious and respectful.
"Hurry up."
Tenra waved him away, impatience clear.
The vampire retreated, breathing a shaky sigh of relief. His face darkened as he disappeared down the corridor.
"All of you, guard this place. I'm reporting to Lord Marius."
"Yes, sir."
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