Familiars were the backbone of a vampire's power. Even for progenitors, their might stemmed from commanding vast numbers of potent familiars.
Now, severed from their familiars, the First and Second Progenitors were like fish on a cutting board.
"What did you do?"
The Second Progenitor couldn't help but snap at August, her tone edged with agitation.
"What did I do? Just sealed your powers, that's all."
"Sealed our powers?"
"Exactly. This is my world. Here, I'm the only god. So, in this place, even as progenitors, you're completely under my control."
"You're from another world? This is another world?"
"You could say that."
The First and Second Progenitors' expressions shifted.
They knew of other worlds—foreign powers.
Cain's Holy Annihilation and otherworldly artifacts had once granted weak humans the strength to slaughter demons.
They had no grasp of what this power truly was.
Now, August had brought them to another world, using some unknown method to cut their ties to their familiars and suppress them.
Boom!
Roots erupted from the ground around them.
The First and Second Progenitors were swiftly ensnared, and they felt their magic draining rapidly.
"Two progenitors should cover that last 1%, right?"
August gazed into the distance, where a mountain stood—the heart of this world, home to the World Tree Sapling.
At 99% growth, it needed just 1% more. August wondered if feeding it two progenitors would fill that gap.
He'd planned to visit the Warlord's Empire and Fallen Dynasty himself, but these two had delivered themselves to him.
"My magic—it's vanishing! What did you do?"
The Second Progenitor shouted at August. This was unprecedented—her magic wasn't just depleting; it was disappearing.
"What did I do? Nothing much. Just offered you to my little baby as nourishment."
"Nourishment?"
"Yep. My baby's just a tiny bit away from its goal. You showed up, and I want you dead anyway. So, why waste you when I can put you to use?"
"You bastard! What do you take us progenitors for?"
"Hm? That's an interesting question. You can't even resist, yet you still talk like that."
"You—"
The Second Progenitor wanted to retort but found no words.
True, progenitors had dominated the world for millennia. But here, stripped of their familiars, they were lambs to the slaughter.
"I never imagined I'd fall like this."
Unlike the Second Progenitor, the First was calm—almost jovial.
"Seems the First Progenitor is far more open-minded."
"Well, after who-knows-how-many millennia, I've lived enough. Though, dying like this feels a bit stifling."
"No choice there. The weak don't get to pick how they die."
"Hahaha, true enough! 'The weak don't choose their death.' Well said. To think, in the end, I'd become the weak one."
August didn't bother continuing the chat with the laughing First Progenitor.
He had two priorities now.
First, finish the missions quickly. For a gambler like him, having draws he couldn't use was torture.
Second, complete all tasks and go on a draw spree—pure bliss.
That's why he had no interest in dragging this out with the First and Second Progenitors. His fight with Giada Kukulcan had left him underwhelmed by progenitors.
Their power relied heavily on familiars. Without them, they were half-crippled.
Such battles couldn't spark his enthusiasm.
He'd even used the Sword of Rupture EA against Giada, yet failed to kill her. She'd revived after being destroyed.
Even his Demon King Authority, while stripping much of her flesh and blood upon her "death," couldn't fully consume her.
Yes, Giada's post-revival weakness stemmed from August taking most of her vital essence.
Otherwise, even without familiars, a progenitor remained a progenitor—not as frail as Giada had become.
Soon, under August's watch, the First and Second Progenitors were fully consumed. Their magic, familiars, and progenitor essence were nothing before the World Tree Sapling.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission—Fall of the First Progenitor: Defeat the vampire First Progenitor Ki Juranbarada. Reward: Advanced Gacha Draw x9.]
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission—Fall of the Second Progenitor: Defeat the vampire Second Progenitor Aswad-Guul Aziz. Reward: Advanced Gacha Draw x9.]
Two more sets of nine high-tier draws, added to the previous nine—twenty-seven in total.
August's excitement surged. For the first time, his high-tier draws hit double digits—and not just that, over twenty, nearing thirty.
Now, he just needed to establish the Night Empire and complete the final mission for his ultimate payoff.
But even consuming two progenitors didn't push the World Tree Sapling's last 1% over the edge, leaving August slightly disappointed.
Not too much, though. It was only 1% left—after conquering 99%, the rest was just a matter of time. He could wait.
Whoosh!
A root from the World Tree Sapling rested on August's shoulder.
A pure surge of magic flowed into him.
Boom!
In an instant, August's power broke through—from the peak of early ninth tier to mid-tier.
Though a minor leap, at this level, even the smallest advance was grueling.
"Daddy~ Soon~ Just a tiny bit left~"
The World Tree Sapling's voice reached him.
August knew it was speaking to him. More than him, it yearned to grow to the next stage, birth a "spirit," and truly meet him.
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