"Take this!" Clovis bellowed, unleashing the formidable power of his sword in a desperate attempt to vanquish the Vampire.

Descending with a swift slash, Clovis effortlessly shattered the Nightmare Veil Then, the mere force of his blade obliterated the second Veil

Whoosh~

Confronted by the imminent threat, the Vampire wisely chose evasion over confrontation, utilizing his extraordinary speed to dodge the impending strike.

'What kind of sword is this?' The Vampire pondered, realizing that while he could hold his own against Clovis, the mysterious and overpowering nature of the blade posed a serious challenge.

It emanated a formidable lightning energy that would be catastrophic upon direct impact, capable of reducing him to ashes.

Fortuitously, he was within the confines of his castle!

With limited options, the Vampire activated the castle's Formation Circle

However, it seemed that Clovis remained oblivious to its effects as the latter continued attacking!

'Are you serious?' The Vampire grunted.

Observing Clovis's apparent indifference to the Formation Circle, he attempted to negotiate, offering a chance for survival.

"Stop! Swear loyalty to me, and I shall spare your life. You and your companion can become vampires, enjoying eternal existence! The Formation Circle I activated would be the cause of your death. I'm giving you an option since I can see your potential."

Contrary to the Vampire's expectations, Clovis responded with a confident smirk, initiating a spell of his own.

"Call of the Divine Lightning..."

Dark clouds gathered ominously above the castle, and three bolts of lightning descended, heralding a divine and formidable force.

***

The initial surge of lightning shattered the protective Formation Art encircling the castle, its destructive energy rending the mystical barriers asunder.

Following in its wake, a second bolt of lightning destroyed the castle's ceiling, rupturing the remaining Formation Circles within the castle's interior, and unleashing a cascade of chaotic arcane energy that reverberated throughout the halls.

With a deafening roar, the third lightning bolt found its mark, searing through the billowing smoke and striking the Vampire with a resounding impact.

Boom!

Clovis' Celestial Art was successful!

"Hey I think he's still alive." Pearl suddenly commented as she looked at the spot where the Vampire was hit.

"What?" Clovis frowned as the Divine Lightning should be more than enough to deal with the Vampire, based on his calculations.

'Did he use a Mystical Artifact?'

As the lingering smokescreen began to dissipate, revealing the aftermath of the cataclysmic clash, Clovis discerned a lone figure standing amidst the dissipating tendrils of smoke, an ominous silhouette that defied the forces arrayed against it.

"Kukuku..." The Vampire's laughter echoed through the aftermath, a chilling sound that seemed to reverberate with an unsettling madness.

As the lingering smoke dissipated, Clovis beheld the seemingly unscathed Vampire, yet a pile of ashes lay beneath him.

It appeared that the Vampire had summoned his familiars, shielding him from the onslaught made by his Celestial Art. Furthermore, the Vampire's skin had turned red, as if he had forcibly used a Forbidden Art.

'You're quite lucky, but if I just cast another lightning strike, this would be the end.'

Clovis contemplated expending additional Divinity Points to kill the Vampire once and for all.

However, before he could enact his decisive strike, the Vampire surged into action, seizing the opportunity presented by his inaction.

"Huh?"

To Clovis's astonishment, the Vampire swiftly darted toward Pearl with an ominous intent, his voice ringing out with a menacing declaration.

"Let me have your soul!"

***

Pearl's expression darkened in response to the abrupt assault, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features as she realized she might not merely be a bystander in this conflict.

'I just want to watch the battle. Tsk'

"You're courting death..." Pearl remarked, her tone laced with a strong warning.

With practiced finesse, she activated a spell befitting her guise as a practitioner of Psychic Arts

"Kneel..." Pearl intoned in a hushed murmur, her words carrying an uncanny resonance that seemed to reverberate through the very air, casting an imposing weight upon those who heard them.

Even Clovis found himself momentarily ensnared by the compelling command, an instinctive urge to yield to the potent invocation that permeated the atmosphere.

'This' Clovis was surprised as he almost failed to resist. However, he didn't blame her since the Spell she used targeted a whole area instead of a person.

***

While Clovis and Pearl grappled with the Vampire within the confines of the castle, the assembled squads from Kirkham City stood vigilant outside. Their Magic Zones monitored the whole surroundings...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the resounding thunderbolts rent the sky and fractured the air, a sense of foreboding settled upon the onlookers, a stark realization that the confrontation within the castle had transcended their capacity to intervene.

"That lightning strike again.." Leonel remarked solemnly, his gaze fixed upon the heavens with a gravity that mirrored the weight of the situation.

"That's the same one that saved us from that Mysterious Entity" Roy murmured, his voice tinged with apprehension and reverence.

"Is that true?" Elsa inquired, her tone betraying a blend of curiosity and concern as she sought clarification.

"Yes" Roy affirmed with a nod. There was no way he would make a mistake since he had seen that lightning strike up close.

"Then, does it mean that the Masked Devil Incarnate is inside the Castle?" Roland queried.

Leonel's eyes widened as he knew that the battle would become chaotic with the presence of such a criminal.

"Not good... Clovis and the others might really die at this point." He voiced his apprehension, grappling with the sobering implications of the unfolding events.

However, Roy shook his head.

Although he heard that the Masked Devil Incarnate had killed a lot of people, he couldn't help but admire the power he possessed. He believed that this person wouldn't harm people randomly.

He wanted to defend the Devil Incarnate, but it seemed that there was another person who had the same thought.

"It's alright... The Masked Devil Incarnate was probably aiming for the Vampire. If he's really inside, he might be cooperating with Clovis and others instead" Denise said while looking at Lotus, who had been gazing at the castle for a while now.