In the central region of the Darkblood Academy.
Bon and Judi led Arlo and Joe to a massive castle.
Even among the people entering the castle, Arlo's group appeared conspicuous.
The vampires threw him and Joe many glances, but Arlo ignored them.
What surprised Arlo was that Joe also didn't seem to be too affected by the attention he was receiving, which was a stark contrast to him of last week.
"Let's enter too..." Bon said as he took the lead. Arlo could hear the slight quiver in his voice, and from the nervous look on Judi's face, he realized they were both tense about the ritual.
The group entered the magnificent castle.
The great hall was so large to the extent that Arlo couldn't estimate the number of people it could accommodate. There were huge pillars several meters thick to support the ceiling which was tens of meters high.
Arlo stopped admiring the hall and shifted his attention to the people in the hall.
There were hundreds of vampires already present. Nobles and their families, and students of the academy who were still dressed in their uniform.
From the I -IV symbols etched on the uniforms, Arlo guessed all the students of the academy were attending the ritual.
'This ritual must truly be important.'
Some of the people in the hall turned their gazes toward their group, causing Bon and Judi to flinch.
"Why don't we move to that corner?" Arlo suggested to Bon and Judi who stopped and caused the group to block the doorway.
After moving to a comfortable spot, Arlo took his time to study the people in the hall. He locked eyes with several people who were similarly studying him.
Suddenly the voices of a group of people drifted into his ears, causing him to stop his observation.
"Haha. Tibu, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Since when are trashes permitted to attend the ritual?"
Several vampires whom Arlo judged from their dress and air to be nobles crowded around a middle-aged man and woman.
'Tibu?' Arlo and Joe's eyes widened at the same time. The middle-aged man and woman were actually Bon and Judi's parents.
"It is the grace I received from the Count..."
"Oh! You can now talk back to us?"
"I don't dare..." Tibu and his wife shivered from the crowd's glare. Their backs were bent forward and they appeared servile.
Arlo turned to Bon and Judi by his side. Judi lowered her head in shame, while Bon looked at his parents being trampled upon in public and could only clench his fist tightly.
Arlo was just about to speak when his body stiffened on the spot.
A shadow appeared behind Joe, and a long creepy tongue licked the side of his face.
Joe stumbled forward when he felt the sensation before quickly turning back in time to see a white-haired boy looking at him with lust.
"A royal beast..." the boy whispered as he licked his lips. His body trembled while a light of excitement shone in his eyes. He took a step toward Joe only to freeze in place the next second.
A golden-haired boy so beautiful even by vampire's standard blocked his path.
"Oh!" The boy looked at Arlo with interest and momentarily forgot about Joe.
"That is the human I told you about." A voice resounded from behind him as a dark-haired boy with several white streaks walked to his side.
"Jude..." Arlo whispered in a voice only he could hear.
"Oh! The one that said he would kill you?"
"That is right!"
The white-haired boy studied Arlo carefully, "I don't feel the presence of mana from him..."
"From what I have heard, he should be a rare Ki cultivator," said Jude with a thoughtful look.
They both spoke and disparaged Arlo who was protecting Joe, as if he was nothing.
The white-haired boy looked at Jude with a blank look, "So, You can't handle him?"
Jude scratched his head as he felt embarrassed, "You know we can't hurt him..."
Jude didn't finish his words, but the white-haired boy understood what he was trying to say. After all, he also received the telepathic message from their liege a few weeks ago.
But he wasn't like the others...
Looking at Arlo who still retained his calmness, he grinned, "Do you think just because you are under our liege's protection, no one can hurt you?" Immediately when he finished speaking, he released his aura toward Arlo.
The aura of an orange-core mage washed over Arlo, and before he knew it, he fell to his knees as the pressure pressed on him and tried to force his head down.
For the first time since entering the Academy, Arlo's calm look distorted as he raised his head with all his effort to glare at the white-haired boy.
"Hahaha!" Jude laughed in enjoyment. He looked at Arlo with a gaze full of mockery.
Joe, who Arlo was protecting fell completely without any resistance.
The same was for Judi and Bon who were by their side and were implicated.
By now, what was happening had already drawn the attention of all those present in the hall.
Tibu and Nikki saw their children being humiliated and could do nothing about it. Nikki looked like she was about to lose it, but Tibu held her. Her body trembled in anger but when she looked at her husband and saw the suppressed anger in his eyes, she controlled herself.
"Are those not your children?" One of the vampires around them voiced out.
"Haha. That is true. They really are their children."
"Tsk tsk, a plebian can never lose their nature."
"It is their fate to grovel at our feet."
"Hahaha!"
They mocked Tibu and Nikki and didn't seem to care about how they felt. Seeing them tremble in anger added more to their enjoyment.
At this time, all the first years were already present. Rosaline was with her parents. The same was true for Ric, Sol, and James, but none of them made an effort to help Arlo's group. Even Moose, Grim, and the other first-year teachers aside from Julian were present, however, they all remained silent. The white-haired boy was one of their most talented fourth-year students and was equal in strength to them. And there was a more powerful force backing him. This was the power of classes in the vampire society.
A part of Rosaline wished to help, but her mind warned her not to, as her family was lower in status compared to Jude, not to mention the white-haired boy.
Arlo felt a volcano erupting within him, but no matter how he tried, he couldn't resist the pressure. He knew there were a lot of people he knew present, and the fact that none of them tried to help him reminded him of the dark natures of vampires. An evil and prideful race that saw those beneath them as food. Even among themselves, there was discrimination.
The white-haired boy walked closer to Arlo and grabbed his jaw, "It is remarkable that you are still holding on..." He didn't release his full aura, as the full pressure of his cultivation would definitely kill Arlo which was something even he didn't dare to do.
"...But you know, I hate those eyes of yours." he brought his face closer to Arlo's, his red thin pupils locking with Arlo's raging yet determined silver eyes. Those eyes full of tenacity reminded him of someone he absolutely despised.
"Why don't I pull them out?" His other hand moved toward Arlo's eyes, but Arlo didn't flinch back and instead struggled against the pressure that was trying to crush him to the floor.
Jude at the back started showing a look of anxiousness. Wouldn't this make their liege angry? He wanted to tell him to stop but didn't dare to. Honestly, even he who was called the mad dog was scared of the white-haired boy.
The white-haired boy's fingers were just about to dig into Arlo's unrelenting eye when...
The pitch-black snake which had its eyes shut even when Joe was forced to the floor suddenly opened its starry-like eyes.
An ancient aura filled the hall, causing all present to stiffen in fear.
"Heok!" the white-haired boy fell on his rear and quickly moved back upon locking eyes with the snake.
A feeling of death washed over him and he didn't doubt it for a second. Arlo and the others who felt the pressure on them disappear slowly rose to their feet. Arlo wiped the blood from the side of his mouth. He felt the change in the hall and looked back at the snake only to become stunned.
'The snake is not awake?' The ancient aura that filled the hall disappeared like it was an illusion, and not even a second later, an old man walked into the hall.
Headmaster Holden!
Some of the nobles gasped for breath when the pressure on them disappeared causing the headmaster to frown.
However, those who still retained their composure quickly greeted:
"We greet the Lord!" The others quickly followed after them.
Even the white-haired boy who was drenched in sweat quickly followed and fell to his knees.
All those present in the hall knelt except for two. Arlo and Joe.
A middle-aged man deep within the hall, who wasn't affected by the ancient aura but was instead shocked roared in anger...
"KNEEL!"
Joe quickly fell to his knees in fear. The small courage which he had gathered recently had already disappeared a while ago, after being enveloped in a dreadful aura. However...
Arlo didn't kneel.
A vein popped on the middle-aged man's face and he wanted to shout once more only to stop when he saw Headmaster Holden raise his hand.
"There is no need, Count Hayes. "
Arlo looked at the middle-aged man in anger, "Why are you barking like a dog?"
Everyone became stunned. The middle-aged man who spoke had a blank look on his face. If not for Headmaster Holden who just entered, he was formerly the one with the greatest status and strength in the hall. He was a Count.
However, Arlo was undaunted and was angry, "Why didn't you talk when I was being mistreated? Now you dare to open your mouth?"
Headmaster Holden came out from his stunned state. He could feel the raging anger within Arlo and couldn't help but ask, "Little boy, what happened?"
Arlo suppressed the anger he felt. He would pay those who dared to humiliate here today back by himself.
With a hoarse voice, he spoke:
"Nothing."
Holden shifted his gaze to the others and asked once again:
"What happened?"
None of the vampires spoke. They felt humiliated to say they were all pressured by a snake. They were perfect beings who were supposed to be at the peak of the mortal plane. Their pride wouldn't allow it. As for Arlo's mistreatment, none of them really cared.
The white-haired boy, who was still kneeling gritted his teeth in anger. He felt embarrassed that he was scared of a first-year student's pet.
"My Lord..." he spoke.
Holden shifted his gaze to him in the hope that he would explain what happened. But that wasn't the case.
"I would like to ask you to chase away the outsiders. Today's ritual is an important event for all vampires, and it is not a place for a human and beast to attend."
"And why can't they attend?"
The person he wished to persuade wasn't the one who replied, instead, it was a peer of his who just entered the hall.
The white-haired boy glared at the boy who interjected with anger and spoke his name with undisguised hatred...
"Stefan..."
In the central region of the Darkblood Academy.
Bon and Judi led Arlo and Joe to a massive castle.
Even among the people entering the castle, Arlo's group appeared conspicuous.
The vampires threw him and Joe many glances, but Arlo ignored them.
What surprised Arlo was that Joe also didn't seem to be too affected by the attention he was receiving, which was a stark contrast to him of last week.
"Let's enter too..." Bon said as he took the lead. Arlo could hear the slight quiver in his voice, and from the nervous look on Judi's face, he realized they were both tense about the ritual.
The group entered the magnificent castle.
The great hall was so large to the extent that Arlo couldn't estimate the number of people it could accommodate. There were huge pillars several meters thick to support the ceiling which was tens of meters high.
Arlo stopped admiring the hall and shifted his attention to the people in the hall.
There were hundreds of vampires already present. Nobles and their families, and students of the academy who were still dressed in their uniform.
From the I -IV symbols etched on the uniforms, Arlo guessed all the students of the academy were attending the ritual.
'This ritual must truly be important.'
Some of the people in the hall turned their gazes toward their group, causing Bon and Judi to flinch.
"Why don't we move to that corner?" Arlo suggested to Bon and Judi who stopped and caused the group to block the doorway.
After moving to a comfortable spot, Arlo took his time to study the people in the hall. He locked eyes with several people who were similarly studying him.
Suddenly the voices of a group of people drifted into his ears, causing him to stop his observation.
"Haha. Tibu, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Since when are trashes permitted to attend the ritual?"
Several vampires whom Arlo judged from their dress and air to be nobles crowded around a middle-aged man and woman.
'Tibu?' Arlo and Joe's eyes widened at the same time. The middle-aged man and woman were actually Bon and Judi's parents.
"It is the grace I received from the Count..."
"Oh! You can now talk back to us?"
"I don't dare..." Tibu and his wife shivered from the crowd's glare. Their backs were bent forward and they appeared servile.
Arlo turned to Bon and Judi by his side. Judi lowered her head in shame, while Bon looked at his parents being trampled upon in public and could only clench his fist tightly.
Arlo was just about to speak when his body stiffened on the spot.
A shadow appeared behind Joe, and a long creepy tongue licked the side of his face.
Joe stumbled forward when he felt the sensation before quickly turning back in time to see a white-haired boy looking at him with lust.
"A royal beast..." the boy whispered as he licked his lips. His body trembled while a light of excitement shone in his eyes. He took a step toward Joe only to freeze in place the next second.
A golden-haired boy so beautiful even by vampire's standard blocked his path.
"Oh!" The boy looked at Arlo with interest and momentarily forgot about Joe.
"That is the human I told you about." A voice resounded from behind him as a dark-haired boy with several white streaks walked to his side.
"Jude..." Arlo whispered in a voice only he could hear.
"Oh! The one that said he would kill you?"
"That is right!"
The white-haired boy studied Arlo carefully, "I don't feel the presence of mana from him..."
"From what I have heard, he should be a rare Ki cultivator," said Jude with a thoughtful look.
They both spoke and disparaged Arlo who was protecting Joe, as if he was nothing.
The white-haired boy looked at Jude with a blank look, "So, You can't handle him?"
Jude scratched his head as he felt embarrassed, "You know we can't hurt him..."
Jude didn't finish his words, but the white-haired boy understood what he was trying to say. After all, he also received the telepathic message from their liege a few weeks ago.
But he wasn't like the others...
Looking at Arlo who still retained his calmness, he grinned, "Do you think just because you are under our liege's protection, no one can hurt you?" Immediately when he finished speaking, he released his aura toward Arlo.
The aura of an orange-core mage washed over Arlo, and before he knew it, he fell to his knees as the pressure pressed on him and tried to force his head down.
For the first time since entering the Academy, Arlo's calm look distorted as he raised his head with all his effort to glare at the white-haired boy.
"Hahaha!" Jude laughed in enjoyment. He looked at Arlo with a gaze full of mockery.
Joe, who Arlo was protecting fell completely without any resistance.
The same was for Judi and Bon who were by their side and were implicated.
By now, what was happening had already drawn the attention of all those present in the hall.
Tibu and Nikki saw their children being humiliated and could do nothing about it. Nikki looked like she was about to lose it, but Tibu held her. Her body trembled in anger but when she looked at her husband and saw the suppressed anger in his eyes, she controlled herself.
"Are those not your children?" One of the vampires around them voiced out.
"Haha. That is true. They really are their children."
"Tsk tsk, a plebian can never lose their nature."
"It is their fate to grovel at our feet."
"Hahaha!"
They mocked Tibu and Nikki and didn't seem to care about how they felt. Seeing them tremble in anger added more to their enjoyment.
At this time, all the first years were already present. Rosaline was with her parents. The same was true for Ric, Sol, and James, but none of them made an effort to help Arlo's group. Even Moose, Grim, and the other first-year teachers aside from Julian were present, however, they all remained silent. The white-haired boy was one of their most talented fourth-year students and was equal in strength to them. And there was a more powerful force backing him. This was the power of classes in the vampire society.
A part of Rosaline wished to help, but her mind warned her not to, as her family was lower in status compared to Jude, not to mention the white-haired boy.
Arlo felt a volcano erupting within him, but no matter how he tried, he couldn't resist the pressure. He knew there were a lot of people he knew present, and the fact that none of them tried to help him reminded him of the dark natures of vampires. An evil and prideful race that saw those beneath them as food. Even among themselves, there was discrimination.
The white-haired boy walked closer to Arlo and grabbed his jaw, "It is remarkable that you are still holding on..." He didn't release his full aura, as the full pressure of his cultivation would definitely kill Arlo which was something even he didn't dare to do.
"...But you know, I hate those eyes of yours." he brought his face closer to Arlo's, his red thin pupils locking with Arlo's raging yet determined silver eyes. Those eyes full of tenacity reminded him of someone he absolutely despised.
"Why don't I pull them out?" His other hand moved toward Arlo's eyes, but Arlo didn't flinch back and instead struggled against the pressure that was trying to crush him to the floor.
Jude at the back started showing a look of anxiousness. Wouldn't this make their liege angry? He wanted to tell him to stop but didn't dare to. Honestly, even he who was called the mad dog was scared of the white-haired boy.
The white-haired boy's fingers were just about to dig into Arlo's unrelenting eye when...
The pitch-black snake which had its eyes shut even when Joe was forced to the floor suddenly opened its starry-like eyes.
An ancient aura filled the hall, causing all present to stiffen in fear.
"Heok!" the white-haired boy fell on his rear and quickly moved back upon locking eyes with the snake.
A feeling of death washed over him and he didn't doubt it for a second. Arlo and the others who felt the pressure on them disappear slowly rose to their feet. Arlo wiped the blood from the side of his mouth. He felt the change in the hall and looked back at the snake only to become stunned.
'The snake is not awake?' The ancient aura that filled the hall disappeared like it was an illusion, and not even a second later, an old man walked into the hall.
Headmaster Holden!
Some of the nobles gasped for breath when the pressure on them disappeared causing the headmaster to frown.
However, those who still retained their composure quickly greeted:
"We greet the Lord!" The others quickly followed after them.
Even the white-haired boy who was drenched in sweat quickly followed and fell to his knees.
All those present in the hall knelt except for two. Arlo and Joe.
A middle-aged man deep within the hall, who wasn't affected by the ancient aura but was instead shocked roared in anger...
"KNEEL!"
Joe quickly fell to his knees in fear. The small courage which he had gathered recently had already disappeared a while ago, after being enveloped in a dreadful aura. However...
Arlo didn't kneel.
A vein popped on the middle-aged man's face and he wanted to shout once more only to stop when he saw Headmaster Holden raise his hand.
"There is no need, Count Hayes. "
Arlo looked at the middle-aged man in anger, "Why are you barking like a dog?"
Everyone became stunned. The middle-aged man who spoke had a blank look on his face. If not for Headmaster Holden who just entered, he was formerly the one with the greatest status and strength in the hall. He was a Count.
However, Arlo was undaunted and was angry, "Why didn't you talk when I was being mistreated? Now you dare to open your mouth?"
Headmaster Holden came out from his stunned state. He could feel the raging anger within Arlo and couldn't help but ask, "Little boy, what happened?"
Arlo suppressed the anger he felt. He would pay those who dared to humiliate here today back by himself.
With a hoarse voice, he spoke:
"Nothing."
Holden shifted his gaze to the others and asked once again:
"What happened?"
None of the vampires spoke. They felt humiliated to say they were all pressured by a snake. They were perfect beings who were supposed to be at the peak of the mortal plane. Their pride wouldn't allow it. As for Arlo's mistreatment, none of them really cared.
The white-haired boy, who was still kneeling gritted his teeth in anger. He felt embarrassed that he was scared of a first-year student's pet.
"My Lord..." he spoke.
Holden shifted his gaze to him in the hope that he would explain what happened. But that wasn't the case.
"I would like to ask you to chase away the outsiders. Today's ritual is an important event for all vampires, and it is not a place for a human and beast to attend."
"And why can't they attend?"
The person he wished to persuade wasn't the one who replied, instead, it was a peer of his who just entered the hall.
The white-haired boy glared at the boy who interjected with anger and spoke his name with undisguised hatred...
"Stefan..."
