At that moment, Kaiser had no idea that the girl who had just brushed past him was only one of several uninvited guests soon to arrive on Itogami Island.
While tourists from all over were streaming into the city to attend the Eve Festival, far out at sea a massive aircraft was descending toward the water.
It was a gigantic amphibious plane, powered by four turbofan engines—what most would simply call a seaplane. Measuring over forty meters in length with a wingspan to match, its size was enormous even by civilian standards. Deep crimson trim lined its hull, and on the tailfin was emblazoned an emblem of a war chariot drawn by a flying dragon.
Anyone knowledgeable enough to recognize that emblem would be shocked—it was the crest of the Night Empire that ruled Europe: the Domain of the War King.
The seaplane, bearing the War King's emblem, splashed down into the dark ocean, throwing up towering curtains of spray as it skimmed the surface before finally gliding into Itogami's harbor.
Moored at the dock ahead of it was a magnificent ocean liner. Its design, reminiscent of a stately castle, bore a flag with the same crest of the War King's Domain.
There was no mistaking it—this was the Oceanus Grave, the personal vessel of Dimitrie Vattler, vampire noble of the War King's Domain and lord of the Ardeal Duchy.
Once, this very luxury liner had become a battlefield between Kaiser and Vattler, nearly destroyed in the fight. Now, it had been restored to its former glory.
As the great white wake of the seaplane faded into the waves, it slid toward the waiting ship—where, on the deck, Vattler appeared in a white suit.
The belligerent vampire noble's crimson eyes glowed with excitement. His expression was one of pure delight, like a predator spotting a long-lost rival—his entire body radiating storm-like surges of magical power.
Anyone who knew Vattler would instantly realize—he wasn't playing around.
He was serious.
"Monas!"
Without hesitation, Vattler's body boiled with a mist of blood as he summoned one of the nine serpent familiars dwelling in his veins.
Storm-like magic twisted into a beam of black light, and a massive black serpent appeared in the night sky. It hissed, coils as vast as ocean swells writhing as it bared its fangs and plunged toward the seaplane.
The sea erupted into towering waves, the air screamed, and heaven and earth seemed to change color under the sheer force of the attack.
If that serpent landed, the oversized civilian aircraft would be obliterated instantly—nothing left, not even a scrap of debris. The passengers would vanish without a trace.
It was an attack capable of pulverizing an island—at the very least, enough to shatter the two-kilometer-wide uninhabited isle Kaiser and La Folia had once visited.
Even most high-ranking demons would blanch at such a strike.
Yet from inside the plane came nothing but a faintly irritated click of the tongue.
The next instant, a haze of golden mist spread through the cabin—and a tall, dark-skinned man emerged.
His exact age was impossible to tell. He looked young at a glance, yet carried an aura of overwhelming authority and composure, like a battle-hardened general or a seasoned statesman. His long coat and flowing hair perfectly matched his sharp, upright features—one look was enough to see he was a man of high standing.
The man raised his head toward the descending serpent, his entire view filled by its massive form, and his expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Dance, Glutton."
Blood mist and magic power identical in nature to Vattler's erupted from his body—equal in both strength and refinement.
From within that storm appeared a great black sword, seven or eight meters long.
Boom!
As if swung by an invisible giant, the sword cleaved through the air in a single arc, a gale roaring in its wake as it pierced straight through the serpent's lower jaw.
Up close, the blade's surface writhed with countless teeth, and its hilt spat flames of magical energy. It was clearly alive—possessing will and consciousness.
It wasn't a weapon.
It was a familiar.
And one capable of killing Vattler's serpent familiar in a single blow.
The serpent writhed violently, its power exploding outward in a shockwave that threatened to crush the man and the plane beneath him.
But the black greatsword suddenly split into countless short blades, slicing apart every shred of magical force and shockwave the serpent produced. The air screamed under the onslaught.
Moments later, the serpent vanished, and the sword familiar dissipated as though its work was done.
Clap—clap—clap—clap—
On the deck of the luxury liner, Vattler applauded without reserve, smiling as he spoke.
"As expected of you, Aradhal. A familiar of that level is no threat to you."
The long-haired man on the plane let out a sound of annoyance.
"And you're still the same, Serpent Handler—summoning a familiar to attack before even saying hello. No wonder the Beast King thrashed you so badly—you've disgraced the entire War King's Domain."
The jab was merciless, showing no regard for Vattler's status as both a noble of the War King's Domain and the lord of Ardeal.
Naturally, Vattler didn't mind. Not only did he have no attachment to such titles, but he also knew the man before him was his equal in both power and position.
"I admit, I didn't expect to lose that badly before the Fourth Primogenitor had even awakened," Vattler said lightly. "A pleasant surprise. If our dear Chairman—Presha Aradhal—is interested, I wouldn't mind introducing him to that man."
Velesh Aradhal—Chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the War King's Domain, Marquis of Severin. A nine-hundred-year-old Old Generation vampire who commanded seven sword familiars.
A direct recipient of the First Primogenitor, the Lost Warlord's blood, Presha had once been famed for his warmongering, leaving an indelible record on countless battlefields. His reputation on the world stage eclipsed even Vattler's.
In essence, he was considered the second most powerful figure in the War King's Domain—politically, economically, and in raw power—second only to the Lost Warlord himself, and on par with Vattler, reputed to be the one closest to a true Primogenitor.
Unless Vattler fused all nine of his familiars into the original serpent, Ananta, he could never hope to defeat Aradhal easily.
Thus, even Vattler treated him with a certain respect—not because he was the Domain's number two politically, but because his power demanded it.
Summoning a familiar to attack him the moment his plane appeared? For Vattler, that was a form of respect. There were very few in the world he'd attack without a word, trusting they'd be fine regardless.
Unfortunately, to the man on the receiving end, it was nothing but irritating.
"I don't share your enthusiasm," Aradhal said coldly. "Your insistence on lingering here on Itogami has greatly displeased our Primogenitor. Do you have nothing to say for yourself?"
"Oh, come now. The old man doesn't care about something so trivial," Vattler replied easily. "In fact, I suspect you're here because he wants you here."
Vattler simply didn't believe his Primogenitor wouldn't be interested in the sudden appearance of the so-called Beast King. If Aradhal, the empire's second-in-command, had come to Itogami, it was surely to probe that man.
"The Eve Festival is the perfect opportunity," Vattler went on, turning into a golden mist and appearing before Aradhal with his hands in his pockets. "Entry inspections are far more relaxed, and not even the Island Management Bureau would want to disrupt such a rare occasion.
"If the old man wants to make a move now, it's only natural. In fact, the other two Primogenitors have probably already acted, don't you think?"
His crimson eyes glimmered.
"With your connections, you must have heard something. So tell me, Aradhal—our Primogenitor sent you. Who did the other two send?"
Excitement—and battle lust—filled his voice.
If the Lost Warlord had sent his empire's number two, then surely the others had sent equally formidable agents.
How could Vattler resist wanting to test them?
"You…" Aradhal's eye twitched before he let out a long sigh.
He knew that even if he tried to keep it secret, Vattler would find out on his own. Better to tell him now than have him stir up trouble chasing answers.
Aradhal might be an Old Generation vampire who loved battle, but he was calm and deliberate. As Chairman, he devoted himself to aiding the Lost Warlord, maintaining the Domain's relations with other nations, and fulfilling the king's orders.
"From the Chaos Territory, there's been no clear movement," Aradhal began. "The Third Primogenitor, the Chaos Bride, doesn't seem to be sending anyone here. Her whereabouts remain a mystery."
Her movements were always shrouded in secrecy. Unlike the enigmatic Second Primogenitor, the Chaos Bride roamed the world freely, using her power to change her appearance at will. She appeared often, but almost never in her true form—making her location nearly impossible to track, even for the War King's Domain.
"As for the Extinction Dynasty," Aradhal continued, "word is that the Ninth Prince has come. He may already be on the island."
Vattler's brows rose.
"Iblisveil Aziz, is it?"
Iblisveil Aziz—the Ninth Prince of the Extinction Dynasty, lord of the Caucasus Fortress. A Second Generation vampire, direct heir to the Second Primogenitor, the Eye of Extinction.
Proud and unruly, he showed warmth only to those he recognized, yet held a deep fascination with foreign cultures, traveling abroad frequently.
Vattler knew him well enough—they'd met months earlier at the Blazing Banquet. Vattler had represented the War King's Domain, bringing all its Fourth Primogenitor base bodies, while Iblisveil had come on behalf of the Extinction Dynasty with two base bodies of his own.
He'd been attacked, lost them both, and thus lost the right to participate in the Feast. Later, discovering his own sister Maivea had betrayed him, he returned home, defeated her, and devoured her—claiming the power of yet another Second Generation royal.
In other words, his current strength might well rival Vattler's.
Vattler bared his fangs, barely containing his delight.
Aradhal could only sigh again, glancing toward Itogami.
"Let's see if you can survive what's coming, Beast King."