Chapter 2023 2023. Worrisome Knowledge Nothing was comfortable about the fact that Walker was putting natural mana from all around them in to the mana gems. His mind was having a hard time focusing on the fact that the immortal king knew too much about what had been happening. From just the time that they had seen him until now, it was very evident that the immortal king had learned a great deal. The party was at fault for this. They had been doing things that were out of the ordinary. Gaining titles, uniting races, and so much more. This has caused the world to change as a whole. New races had appeared that were changing the ways that everyone looked at the world as a whale. Especially since there were monster races that lived and acted different overall. The spirit race was a new race that had been on hold for so long. The flow of mana being returned more and more was the reason for this. They had been the holders of the flow of mana for so long. But they were also born of mana and made their bodies from mana. They even grew by combining themselves or using more unique sub sets of manas to create their bodies. It was too much unknown to study. Too amazing. This all put aside, there was also the fact that certain parts of the world had changed. The flow of mana changing was a big part of why the immortal king may have made more breakthroughs in his experimentations. He had been more free to try things that might not have worked in the past. Getting him closer to being free from his self made prison. Having one mana gem full of natural mana, the immortal king stopped standing still and witnessing it. He spoke again as Su had take the books and was holding on to them carefully now. "They are weak in the daylight and have magic skills to block the sun. They enjoy the fog. Some are called mistwalkers and can even walk through the mist which will protect them from physical injuries. They are just weaker pawns to the real vampires." The immortal king was clearly remembering the wars fought between his race and the vampire race. It was already known that the vampires were not just a race. They were mostly beings that became monsters obsessed with power and blood. That had already been very clear from the many fairy tales passed down. From what the immortal king had already said. "Many times we failed to eradicate the noble vampire creating his armies. They would move to another place and start again. It would be months passed the last battle, and they would have an army of monsters yet again." This was something that none of them doubted. Many of the things that the vampires had at their disposal allowed them to create forces. Specifically, they would either control the minds or flat out create a monster. It was ideal for creating armies. "A rotten undead creating armies fighting another rotten undead creating armies then?" Remey's mocking tone made the immortal king lower his head and look at her carefully. The flames within his skill seemingly flaring up more than before. "You are too young and foolish. My people were necromancers and experimenters of life itself. Not undead. We were flesh and blood as you were. Vampires were a foolish race that had been better off remaining the monsters hiding within caves that they had been before they sparked the pathetic intelligence that led them to build castles. To create armies of blood thirsty monsters. You do not know the challenge of fighting a vampiric bear." While it seemed like that might be a metaphor, the immortal king truly meant a vampiric bear. It wasn't a metaphor for a large vampire at all. The vampires had created many different monsters with their skills. Had caused great harm when unleashing these monsters toward the living. Toward all that was around them. "We took the weak and gave their instances purpose. To discover true immortality. To bring new brilliant discoveries to this world. But vampires, they caused constant slaughter and destruction. Only the smallest group of them left that senseless destruction and obsession with blood and power. You have no mind that can comprehend that time. How many species were eliminated as their food." The scathing words were nothing that was wrong. Yes, the way that the immortal king and his people had acted was evil in a different way. Experimenting on living beings, terrible. Using lives as test subjects just to see if they could learn or manipulate skills of certain people, worse and worse. However, it was not the same as senseless death just to have more strength and power. To kill so that the lust for blood could be met, only to grow greater. This was a difference. The immortal king had the intelligence to do more with things than the vampires who would just kill and that was it. Not that either were good. "That's the third mana gem. Is there anything else you should tell us? We are finishing the war you started when you were not just made of bone." Walker stopped the ranting for the immortal king. He was certain that something else would be said. "Do not allow your little pet dragon to become food for them. Only a noble vampire, the proper race, not the minions they make can influence a dragon's blood. But when they do, you will need to face the vampire dragon. Worse than those rogue dragons or the skeletal undead dragons. Even worse than the death dragons I witnessed before they ceased to exist." None of what the immortal king said sat well with anyone one of the party. Midnight in particular felt the need to give in to her pride and growl. But as she saw that the immortal king was not tricking them, nor was he adding any mana to his words. They were true and blunt. A true warning. But knowing that the immortal king had witnessed undead dragons and death dragons, made all of them feel that he might know portions of history that no one knew. That only his race had delved in to. This also reminded them of how he had told them that his people had been to the Sigil continent before. But they had done nothing but gather materials there. It was unnerving. "Then we will be leaving." Gil made it clear that not a single one of them had the intention of remaining here. The immortal king laughed causing the entire tower to shake yet again. "Take weapons with you. In the courtyard opened by the undead, there are the remnants of a special tree. One that had been dead but was an ideal weapon against the vampires. Perfect for properly imbuing with light mana and stabbing their hearts." the tower ceased to vibrate with mana as the newly filled mana gems were scooped up by the immortal king. The sounds of undead moving to come to him already sounding outside. Seeing that they couldn't even be seen as something to watch right now, the party moved. They did not wish to see the immortal king rengage on his words. It was also very clear from his actions, that he disliked the vampires so much so that he didn't care to speak to the party of heroes that might one day be able to fight him. The staircase already had a line of undead bringing materials toward the immortal king. They moved out of the way for the party, but this was just so that they could keep moving. The party felt as if they barely existed any more. It was a drastic change but a better one than what would come of fighting the undead here. When they eventually made it to the entrance, the found that the lower staircase was blocked. Clearly, the immortal king did not wish for them to move downwards at all. Toward the many treasures and gathered experiments. But that was fine by them. The party also saw the line of undead. They were spaced out to keep them from going anywhere else. Compared to the last time. The undead were not free roaming or fighting. They were strict watchers that kept people from nearing anywhere that the immortal king did not wish them to go. It was an oddly strict take to happen fro a ruins. But that was all still fine. "Do you think that this tree will be as good a weapon against vampires that the immortal king things?" Su was worried, it was understandable. "The all around appraisal should tell us. I hope." Walker did not hide his own stress. Everyone had the same right now. ... n)/0Ve1bIn