Li Ming surveyed the scene - he and Will's group of five were each confined in separate transparent glass containers. Below the platform, restless vampires stirred with palpable hunger.
Their greedy eyes raked over the captives, fangs practically itching to sink into fresh flesh.
"Distinguished guests," announced a tall, well-dressed man on stage with a deep bow, "it is our honor to welcome you to Her Excellency Athelvera's banquet."
"Let the feast commence!"
"As a token of Lady Athelvera's affection for young Miss Isabella," he continued, "we invite her to select a blood offering for her private enjoyment."
The silver-haired girl clutching a teddy bear pointed unhesitatingly at Li Ming in the center container. A collective sigh of relief swept through the vampire audience.
Li Ming's disheveled appearance made him the least appetizing choice - some nobles even wrinkled their noses at the thought of biting his grimy neck.
"Thank darkness she didn't pick the elf," one vampire muttered.
"That spoiled brat Isabella," another sneered. "Lady Athelvera's favoritism knows no bounds. Though the fool did pick the most pathetic offering."
"Ah, but those twins... I can hardly wait," purred a third.
Only Will remained calm among the prisoners. The other four, including Li Ming, trembled with terror.
"Damn you monsters!" Li Ming slammed his fist against the glass in frustration.
The reinforced container shattered like cheap crystal, shards rocketing outward with bullet force. Several vampires were impaled - one female noble took a fragment straight through the skull, her body collapsing in an unnatural, unmoving heap.
"Huh?" Li Ming blinked in shock at the carnage his casual blow had wrought.
Everything here seemed absurdly fragile. While he knew his strength had grown tremendously, he hadn't expected to overpower mythical vampires so easily.
"Bro... are you even human?" Will gasped, pounding his own container futilely until his hands bled.
A stunned silence fell. The assembled vampires stared at their fallen comrade, her core crystal destroyed by what should have been an insignificant injury.
"What... is this human?" a noble growled, his earlier excitement vanished.
Across the hall, the portrait-familiar woman - undoubtedly Duchess Athelvera herself - rose gracefully.
"Prince Bohr," she said coolly, "this human is unknown to me. He appears... spontaneously manifested."
Her brow furrowed. While she could replicate such destruction, it would require intricate forbidden magic - not a careless backhand blow.
"Who are you," Athelvera demanded, "to cause such disruption in my domain?"
Li Ming's grin widened as understanding dawned. "You monsters were about to eat me, and you ask why I'm causing trouble? Here's my counteroffer - release all humans below, provide transport, and let us return to the mainland. Or I'll purge this nest of yours completely."
Prince Bohr's laughter rang out hysterically. "Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent!" He turned to Athelvera with mad gleam. "Your Grace, capture him alive! I'll trade a Bloodline Crystal for this specimen!"
His voice dropped to a sadistic whisper. "Such an insolent morsel is rare indeed. I'll break him... make him beg for death... until he pleads for me to end his suffering... with my fangs."
Athelvera's eyes glinted at the mention of the crystal. "Your will shall be done, my Prince."
Multilayered magic circles spiraled to life above her palm. "Kneel now," she commanded, "and I shall extend my protection over your human territories for a century. Refuse, and Losa falls in ten years."
"Dream on," Li Ming scoffed.
"Pity." The magic circles merged, unleashing a beam of annihilation that warped space itself... only to splash harmlessly against Li Ming's forehead like warm sunlight.
"Seriously?" He waved a hand through the distorted space. "That's it?"
The vampires recoiled in horror. Tenth-tier magic that could erase nations... and it couldn't even singe his skin?
Athelvera's perfect composure cracked. This defied all reason.
Prince Bohr didn't wait to see more. A black airship materialized overhead as he fled without dignity. Lesser vampires dissolved into shadows or burst into bat swarms in their panic.
Only Athelvera remained, her smile frozen as she realized Li Ming's attention had locked onto her alone. The truth crashed down - facing him was like a mayfly gazing at the endless sky.
"My Lord," she whispered, collapsing to her knees, "this lowly one begs forgiveness... spare your wrath."
Tears fell - her first in three millennia. The mighty Progenitor wept like a chastened child before unimaginable power.