Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Shadow Guards

As agreed, Adonis and Valentina met outside the Academy gate.

Adonis was dressed simply in a black coat over a fitted shirt, paired with black trousers and sturdy boots suitable for travel.

The dark attire gave him a composed and somewhat intimidating presence, especially when combined with the calm confidence in his posture.

Valentina stood waiting for him nearby.

She wore her usual red dress, the deep crimson fabric flowing softly with the evening breeze. The hem reached just below her kneecaps, modest yet elegant. Two delicate earrings hung from her earlobes, catching the sunlight and sparkling faintly whenever she moved.

Compared to Mariana and Millia, she wasn’t particularly voluptuous.

Her figure was slimmer, more refined.

She possessed a charm that was uniquely her own: a quiet allure.

And ever since the vampiric bloodline awakened within her, that charm had only grown stronger.

Her skin had become smoother and paler, almost porcelain-like. Her ruby-red eyes carried a faint, mesmerizing glow, and her movements had begun to gain an unnatural grace.

Even the way she stood now felt different.

More confident. More predatory.

As if a dormant queen was slowly awakening within her.

“Are you okay, Adonis? You look lost,” she muttered, noticing the way he was staring at her.

“Ahem. I’m good,” Adonis coughed before starting to walk.

“Let’s start moving before the night catches us.”

Valentina followed obediently.

Their destination lay in the western district.

From the information he gathered, there was a C-tier dungeon there, and the monsters inside contained rich experience points.

Valentina was initially nervous about taking on a C-tier dungeon, but his confidence gave her courage too.

They walked for ten minutes straight through the main road.

However, when they reached an abandoned alleyway, all of a sudden the environment turned eerie.

His draconic senses immediately screamed danger.

So, he paused and signaled Valentina too.

Valentina felt something wrong as well, so she didn’t question him. Instead, she prepared herself.

However, even after waiting for a while, nothing happened. No movement, no whispers.

“I know you all are there. Come out!” he shouted while taking out his Harem Sword.

For a few seconds after Adonis shouted, nothing happened.

The alley remained silent.

Just a cold wind drifted through the narrow street.

Valentina’s crimson eyes scanned the darkness.

Then—

Clank.

A faint metallic sound echoed.

Another followed.

Clank. Clank.

Heavy footsteps.

Figures slowly emerged from the shadows at both ends of the alley.

One.

Two.

Five.

Soon—

A dozen figures stepped into the dim lantern light.

All of them wore black armor that covered their bodies from head to toe. Their helmets concealed their faces completely, leaving only narrow slits for their eyes.

Behind them dark cloaks swayed with each step.

Each knight carried a weapon.

5 held swords. 5 held spears.

The last 2 held large tower shields.

Their formation was tight and disciplined.

From the looks of things, these were trained soldiers.

Their strong aura also indicated a high level of power, most probably ranging from level 25 to level 30.

Valentina felt the threat toward Adonis, and so she held the Blood Devourer in a ready position to strike at once.

“Adonis, they’re surrounding us.”

Indeed.

Six stood before them. The other six blocked the path behind.

There was no escape route.

The leader walked over slowly.

His armor looked slightly more decorated than the others, with faint silver engravings across the chest plate.

He tilted his helmet slightly while looking at Adonis.

Then he spoke in a deep and cold tone.

“So you noticed us.”

Adonis rested the Chaotic Harem Sword on his shoulder casually.

“I noticed your killing intent from half a street away,” he replied calmly.

The knight chuckled darkly.

“Impressive. A mere Academy student detecting shadow guards.”

Valentina stiffened after hearing shadow guards. It appeared she knew something about these shadow guards that Adonis didn’t.

Despite that, Adonis remained completely calm.

“So, which noble brat sent you?” he uttered lazily.

The knight didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he slowly drew his sword.

The blade gleamed under the fading sunlight.

“Adonis Kingsbane. I know your father. But it’s a pity. You should not have crippled the sons of Duke Arthal and Marquis Hogarth.”

“Ah,” Adonis sighed softly.

“So it’s them.”

The other knights also unsheathed their weapons.

One of them spoke coldly, “The order was simple.”

Another added, “Break his limbs. And bring him back alive.”

The leader pointed his sword directly at Adonis.

“The girl is unnecessary here. We can let her go.”

Valentina’s pupils shrank. “No. I am not going anywhere.”

“Then it’s your loss, little girl. We don’t offer second chances.”

Adonis’s expression darkened slightly.

Then—he smiled.

Not nervously. Not arrogantly. But with a dangerous excitement.

“A dozen armored knights,” he muttered as he slowly lifted his sword, his crimson eyes shining.

“Good. I was just looking for some warm-up before the dungeon.”

The leader scoffed, “Naive child.”

He raised his hand.

“Kill the girl.”

“Cripple the boy.”

The shadow guards charged at once.

Their footsteps alone caused the stone ground to crack.

Adonis stepped forward. The Chaotic Harem Sword hummed in his hand.

He looked back.

“Valentina.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t hold back.”

A dangerous grin spread across his face.

“Let’s see how strong you’ve become.”

Valentina stopped restraining her power at once. Her vampiric wings emerged from her back.

While the Knights became shocked by the transformation, Valentina flapped her wings once, immediately appearing before them.

Time paused to a standstill as her ruby eyes glowed, charming and dangerous at once.

By then, the vampiric sword had cleaved through one knight’s armor like butter, slicing the tough muscles beneath.

“Devour!” she spoke coldly.

“Ahhh!” The knight let out a terrorizing howl.

The blood from his body began to drain out at an astonishing rate.

The other knights turned pale seeing this demonic art.

“Oh lord! She is a demon.”

The leader didn’t waste time in saving his comrade. His broadsword came sweeping down at Valentina in a vertical arc.

His brute force and magical amplification were strong enough to crush Valentina’s head like a watermelon.

Clang!

It was that moment Adonis stepped in.

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