Chapter 132: Kneeling in Submission

No one had ever imagined that war could be waged in this manner. The vampires, mounted on Whispering Bats, cast their spells and then dove downward. When the bats reached a height of a hundred blades above the Cyclops, they released their Large Fireballs. The Whispering Bats then ascended again, never entering the airspace below a hundred blades. If only one or two vampires employed this tactic, its effect would have been negligible. However, with over a hundred vampires forming an unbroken bombing net, it became devastating. This was dive-bombing—a strategy seen only in modern warfare. After the first wave of bombings, the airborne vampires released a second spell, and after another round, they began casting anew. Boom! Boom! Boom! Terrifying Large Fireballs rained down from the sky. Each explosion was at least five times more powerful than a Small Fireball, capable of effortlessly demolishing half a house. Their power even surpassed that of TNT. A sea of flames engulfed the area. The intense heat melted the surrounding snow into water. In the central area of the concentrated bombardment, the Cyclops endured wave after wave of attacks. The female Cyclops shielded the juvenile Cyclops beneath them, but the scorching heat still caused the young ones to emit piercing screams. Those Cyclops who had initially attempted to flee turned back upon seeing the juveniles being relentlessly attacked, returning to protect the six underage Cyclops. Though they possessed high magical resistance, fear inevitably spread among them under the vampires’ overwhelming assault. After all, they were sentient beings. Though not highly intelligent, they were still capable of experiencing fear. Most importantly, the vampires were too agile. Even though the Cyclops hurled boulders that could reach heights of a hundred blades, the vampires' nimble bodies allowed them to evade easily. And even if an unlucky Whispering Bat was struck, its robust physique enabled it to withstand the Cyclops’ attacks. Even if injured, the vampire riding the bat could simply switch to another Whispering Bat and continue fighting. From the outset, the battle entered a white-hot state. The vampires, after casting spells in the air, rode their bats downward to bombard the ground. The Cyclops on the ground, enraged amidst the sea of flames, hurled various boulders and trees toward the vampires. One fireball after another exploded on the ground, enveloping the Cyclops in a massive ring of flames. Protecting the juveniles, those Cyclops who hadn’t fled immediately now found escape impossible. The raging flames around them emitted a bluish-white glow, their terrifying heat capable of melting rock. The battle without air superiority was undoubtedly a futile and brutal resistance. Under the vampires’ magical bombardment, the ground had become a fiery inferno. Whenever a Cyclops attempted to escape, Emi, hidden in the shadows, punished them with Tier 3 spells. Under the relentless bombardment, the Cyclops tribe couldn’t even raise their heads. Li De hadn’t lifted a finger yet, merely issuing orders from the sidelines to adjust the frequency and altitude of the vampires’ bombing runs. This was the first time he had implemented his modern warfare concepts in a vampire battle. In the memories of the Vampire Progenitor, vampires traditionally fought by clashing directly with enemies. Even with air superiority, they couldn’t achieve suppression. By integrating modern warfare strategies, he maximized the vampires’ advantages against ground-based races lacking air superiority. Of course, this approach was only effective against races like the Cyclops who couldn’t threaten the vampires’ dominance in the skies. It would be ineffective against beastmen riding Wyverns. But even so, the potential the vampires displayed left Li De in awe every time. This was truly a superior race—powerful and domineering. At night, the vampires’ combat capabilities reached their peak. Each vampire could cast the Tier 2 Large Fireball about fifteen times. After drinking Mana-Infused Blood, this number doubled, and their mana recovery rate skyrocketed. No one cared about mana consumption. After enduring twenty-five waves of bombardment, the resilient Cyclops finally approached collapse. The Cyclops possessed Ancient Giant bloodlines, granting their skin extremely high magical resistance. A Cyclops Lord could nullify spells below Tier 3, while adult Cyclops could nullify spells below Tier 2. But no matter how strong their resistance, there was always a threshold. Once surpassed, their immunity failed—just as Li De could melt Anti-Magic Stones immune to Tier 4 spells using a Tier 1 spell. After continuous bombardment with fireballs, the ground had become a fiery inferno. The incessantly exploding fireballs raised the temperature to unimaginable levels. Aside from Kosso, the Cyclops Lord, the other Cyclops could no longer endure. The scorching flames rapidly depleted the air, making each breath feel like burning their throats. Thud... Thud... Thud... One Cyclops after another collapsed weakly into the sea of flames. Barely alive. Kosso Thunder’s eye brimmed with despair. Turning to look at his fallen tribe, not a single Cyclops stood, and fear overwhelmed him. If he had died gloriously on the battlefield, he might not have felt fear. But being trapped in place and burned alive, unable to retaliate as death approached, was an anguish beyond words. "Kosso Thunder. I am Kachar, the Progenitor of the Saintlight Vampires. Unless one side chooses submission, the war will continue until your Cyclops tribe is exterminated. Your children, your women, everything you hold dear will turn to ash under the magic of the vampires!" What had seemed like powerless, even somewhat childish declarations now carried immense weight. The suffocating pressure forced Kosso Thunder’s mental defenses to crumble bit by bit. Li De’s gaze remained cold as he slowly formed a massive fireball in his hand, its explosive magical energy several times greater than the Large Fireball spell. With a thunderous roar, it hurtled toward the ground. Bang! The fireball exploded before Kosso. A terrifying shockwave erupted. Scorching elemental energy swept across the land once more. Flames towering over ten blades high threatened to consume the Cyclops Lord. This final blow shattered Kosso Thunder’s resolve completely. Turning his head, he looked at the fallen Cyclops, coughing violently even in unconsciousness, nearly dead. He knelt on one knee. His enormous eye revealed despair. Already gravely wounded from his fight for the chieftain position, he no longer had the strength to resist. "I submit to you, Progenitor of the Saintlight Vampires." Upon hearing these words, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Li De’s lips. There was no unconquerable race—only insufficient strength. "Halt the attack." Li De stopped the vampires from launching another assault. Over a hundred vampires, holding massive fireballs, watched the ground coldly. With a single command, they would let the Cyclops taste their magic’s fury once more. The dark night sky glowed red. Alone, flapping his enormous bat wings, Li De descended from the sky. Amidst the roaring flames, Li De, with his bat wings, resembled a great demon emerging from a lava-filled hell. An awe-inspiring force radiated from him. The weakened Kosso gazed at Li De with deep fear. This vampire had annihilated their tribe without even engaging them directly. Strength commanded respect. The vampires’ might filled him with awe, fear, and reverence. "Kosso Thunder, submission is not shameful. I will make your tribe stronger. Swear your oath." Kosso’s enormous eye stared at Li De, flickering with hesitation before finally settling into calm. He could no longer afford to gamble. "Oipfnq, mighty deity who governs death and souls, I am your loyal servant, your most devout believer. I willingly borrow your power to sign a Soul Contract with my master. If the contract is broken, I will offer my soul to serve you eternally, oh great God of Death" When Li De sensed the flicker of a soul in his Mental Sea, he immediately relaxed. The Soul Contract, devised by the God of Death, tapped into the most fundamental rule-based powers of Glory. Not even the God of Death himself could annul this contract. Moreover, after signing the Soul Contract, the subordinate would gradually develop affection for the master, culminating in absolute loyalty. This was why the Soul Contract had spread throughout the World of Glory. "Ding~ You have gained the allegiance of the Cyclops tribe. Dawn City’s power grows. You gain 1,000 character experience points." "Ding~ Your strength has earned Kosso Thunder’s reverence. Your legend rating in the Underground World increases by 1 point." The system notifications made Li De’s eyes widen abruptly. Legend rating in the Underground World???