Chapter 785: The Shaman’s Protection
Chaloem was using his Legendary-Grade Staff against the Vampire Knights, who were equipped with armor and had stronger vitality.
However, against the common Vampires, his palm strike was more than enough. Each strike created a shockwave that shattered bone and burned away the unholy essence of vampires.
Indeed, as a Monk, Chaloem didn’t need the Holy Water or equipment with the essence of light to deal with the Vampires. The prayer beads around his neck were more than enough to deal with the Vampires!
"Shaaaa!"
He leapt into the air, slamming his staff into the ground with such force that the ground had even cracked.
BOom!
The shockwave burst outward, toppling a cluster of vampires.
At the same time, his chants filled the surroundings. He was using a Buddhist mantra, reinforcing the spirits of the survivors around him and weakening the vampires’ defenses.
"Defenders! Strike with me!"
The soldiers, Warden Units, and even battered super soldiers rallied at his back.
Together, they changed the momentum and pushed through the remaining vampires still trapped inside the barrier.
Every strike from Chaloem’s staff cracked skulls or shattered chests of the Vampires, while the Warden Units cut down any that slipped through.
Survivors who had once been on the brink of despair were also healed by the medics, and they now felt stronger and better! With Chaloem’s lead, the morale had already reached its peak...
In just minutes, the tide shifted.
The remaining vampires inside the shelter were forced into corners, beaten down, and purged one after another.
Nonetheless, Shinja and Statham were still battling within the Residential District!
However, everyone knew that in just a few more minutes, only Statham would be left inside the shelter, and they could all work together to eliminate him.
***
In the meantime, while the battle raged outside, blood began to seep into the deepest chamber of Eclipse Domain.
The chamber was silent, and there was only the faint buzz of the Shelter Crystal that was giving off a mysterious energy to the whole shelter.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The blood that had trickled down from nowhere pooled on the ground...
Then, the blood slowly writhed and crawled together.
After a few moments, when more blood gathered, they were more like flesh knitting itself as it formed into a humanoid shape.
Soon, a tall, familiar figure emerged with crimson eyes...
The figure was another Statham!
"They hid it well," he muttered, scanning the chamber with a smile...
"Not in the center of the shelter... but beneath the granary. Tsk... I’m almost tricked." Statham sighed as he indeed took a lot of time and sacrificed numerous Vampires just to find this place.
Shane was truly incredible as he knew how to handle a shelter unlike the others he had destroyed.
’He deserved to be the number one, I guess. However, that will end today.’ Statham muttered as he looked at the Shelter Crystal.
It pulsed softly in the middle of the room... Then, it was surrounded not by soldiers or machines, but by rows upon rows of paper talismans strung across the chamber. All of them had handwritten words he couldn’t understand.
Still, they swayed faintly despite the still air within the chamber...
And in front of it stood a single figure.
A child.
No older than twelve, dressed in simple robes, with long black hair tied back neatly...
She had small hands that held a string of prayer beads, and her eyes seemed to see through everything in front of her... It certainly did not match her age.
Statham tilted his head as he chuckled upon realizing the guard of the crystal.
"A priestess? You’re guarding this place alone? That Shane sure is cruel."
The girl didn’t flinch as she calmly looked at the Vampire Lord.
"So you’ve finally arrived."
Her presence was strangely eerie, even though her voice was soft.
"I am Aya, Shaman of Eclipse Domain. This crystal... will never be yours."
The chamber vibrated faintly as the talismans around her swayed more aggressively, as though responding to her will.
At this time, there were over ten thousand paper talismans within this chamber... Even Shane wasn’t confident of winning against Aya within this chamber.
This was Aya’s territory, and it would not be easy for Statham unless he had infinite blood reserves.
As Statham stepped forward, each paper shimmered with a faint golden light, filling the chamber with a sanctified or holy aura.
For the first time, Statham’s grin faltered as he looked at each Paper Talisman carefully.
He felt it. There seemed to be an ancient sealing power woven into the chamber itself.
’Tch... this isn’t some child’s game.’
Statham realized just now that many of the Paper Talismans were actually made from the wood of the World Tree!
’Those Elves.. Did they bring a World Tree with them? How is this even possible?’ Statham cursed as he felt about two hundred paper talismans with the same mana or aura of the Elves he had seen before.
That was not good news when fighting in this tight space.
Even with the Blood Mist, Statham didn’t feel confident as he might get sealed while transformed as a blood.
Still, Aya didn’t plan to wait...
Aya raised her beads and chanted softly.
Suddenly, the talismans around the chamber lit up all at once, creating a beautiful ray of light that formed a barrier between her and the Vampire Lord.
"You will not touch the crystal..." Aya said firmly...
Statham laughed as he found it funny how this young girl was threatening him.
"Brave words, little priestess. But do you think paper scraps can stop me?"
He reached forward and gathered his energy...
Then, he tested the strength of the Paper Talismans with a swing of claws...
He released a wave of vampiric energy that slashed across the talismans!
However, there was no way the young Shaman would let that happen.
Fssshhhh!
The seals burned brightly and absorbed the strike, then rebounded the energy back into Statham’s chest, blasting him backward a step!
Just like that, smoke hissed from his skin!
"It got reflected?" Statham muttered in confusion as he looked at his closing wounds.