As if that wasn't enough, Godfrey handed over the last core to Ballista, who, after absorbing it, rose to Tier 6.5 from 6.0!

"Those summons of his do not obey the structure we thought applied to all summons. Some might need days, some weeks, some months to assimilate and grow. Rarely do we see some summons assimilate in hours, but it's instantaneous when it comes to these Golden Order Knights," Sebastian said, crossing his legs.

"…That's why Godfrey grows so fast."

Sebastian's calm expression distorted in absolute shock, just like the others in the room, when they saw Godfrey arrive at the final boss' castle, Dracula's Den!

Godfrey's eyes gleamed as he scanned the vast expanse filled with countless stakes piercing through people. It looked like farmland of the dead, as the stakes were lined up in rows.

Beyond it stood a towering castle.

'I can sense the overpowering being inside the castle,' Godfrey thought, slowly clenching his fist. Sweat beads appeared on his forehead, a sign of fear.

Looking at his slightly trembling hands, Godfrey clenched his teeth. 'Feels like back when I still hadn't awakened.'

Though he accepted his fear, he didn't let it stop him. As he took bold steps off the paved street and onto the soil, a being watching through one of the massive castle windows raised an eyebrow.

Dracula stood at an impressive height of nine feet, wearing a black coat over a red shirt. His blood-red eyes narrowed.

"A lost boy wandering… wrong place to wander into, boy," he whispered, revealing his fangs.

But just then, three portals appeared, two beside Godfrey and one above him. From them, Mountain, Tempest, and Ballista emerged, their Black-Out States activated.

Ballista, now at 7.5 in Black-Out State, summoned a hundred and fifty Bow Knights, while Mountain summoned a hundred and fifty Heavy Infantry Knights before them.

Tempest floated above these three hundred armored troops, his lightning wings illuminating their golden armor and chasing away the darkness.

Dracula frowned at the sight. "Is this a crusade?" Then, suddenly, he smiled. "What an impressive-looking army."

As if challenged, he tapped the long fingernail of his index finger on the window sill.

Black smoke rose from the ground, and furry claws burst out from beneath the earth, underneath the stakes, in the hundreds!

Werewolves pulled themselves free, growling as they locked eyes with the Golden Order Knights. From behind the castle, a dark cloud of six-foot-tall bats emerged, flooding the skies as they swarmed toward the knights.

Both land and air forces were of 5.5 to 6.0 High Tier, but the werewolves numbered about five hundred, while the bats were up to two thousand!

Seeing such a massive horde, Godfrey felt chills. This was bigger than anything he had ever faced.

"Mountain, Ballista, you both will handle the army while I head inside with Tempest."

Nodding at Godfrey's order, Mountain launched his shield, Bastion, into the air. It transformed into a translucent dome that protected the entire army.

The werewolves clawed at the dome while bats swarmed above it, trying to force their way in.

All the Bow Knights raised their bows and began to unleash one powerful arrow after another. Ballista lifted his giant bow and drew an arrow to the limits of his massive bow.

Godfrey thought he was about to unleash Trailblazer, but the moment Ballista fired, his hands became a blur, launching arrow after arrow so quickly that all Godfrey could see was motion.

The pressure of the bowstring releasing created gales around the Knight-Captain, who released two hundred and forty arrows per minute.

After three minutes, the dome shattered and unleashed a repelling wave that blasted the werewolves and bats backward. Under Ballista and his archers' rapid fire, one thousand two hundred bats were slain!

As the dome's repelling wave faded and rematerialized into Bastion in Mountain's grasp, the Heavy Infantry Knights charged, earth trembling under their hundreds of several-hundred-pound armored forms as they clashed with the werewolves.

Tempest spotted a massive werewolf, twelve feet tall, with claws sharp enough to carve a gully in the ground. He conjured a spear made of golden and black lightning and hurled it. The spear obliterated the giant werewolf's head, wiping out twenty-five more around it in a single strike.

Eventually, as the battle raged, Godfrey stood before the castle doors, his armor stained with blood. Tempest hovered above him. With one hand, the Chief Knight pushed the massive doors open.

Both summoner and summon entered a vast hall, their eyes settling on Dracula, who stood at the far end in the shadows.

Dracula stepped forward, a calm expression on his pale face.

'Tempest,' Godfrey commanded inwardly.

The Chief Knight flew forward, unleashing a great downward slash. The ground caved open as if struck by an earthquake, but to Godfrey's shock, Dracula was suddenly behind Tempest.

The vampire's hand pierced through Tempest's chest from behind! He pulled it out just as Godfrey charged, lightning crackling through his body.

Growling, Godfrey swung his sword with all his might, but Dracula caught the blade barehanded. With a slight clench, the sword snapped.

He was a 9.2 Lord Tier. Though Godfrey didn't know that, he quickly realized the gulf between them was immense.

Tempest's tendrils lashed toward Dracula, but the vampire burst into a flock of ravens, circling around Godfrey. His lightning couldn't faze them, the birds sliced through his armor with their wings.

Seeing the desperate situation, Tempest unleashed his light. It shone so brightly that Dracula recoiled in irritation. As the final boss turned toward the badly injured knight, Godfrey swiftly retrieved Tempest.

An arrow flew past Godfrey, but Dracula simply caught it. In the next moment, he transformed into a fifteen-foot-tall wolf, lunging after the retreating Godfrey.

The giant wolf was far faster, its claws swiping at him. The strike sent Godfrey crashing against the far wall. Even his lightning-fast reflexes weren't enough to dodge the attack.

Grunting through clenched teeth, Godfrey looked down at the deep claw marks on his left thigh. That leg was already useless, but he had no time to dwell on the pain, the wolf's jaws closed in.

He summoned Bastion, which transformed into a dome.

The dome shattered instantly, but it bought him just enough time to leap away. However, the wolf's tail slammed into him mid-leap, sending him crashing through a pillar.

Godfrey groaned as he hit another wall, fracturing his shoulder blade from the impact. Flames erupted throughout the hall, engulfing him. Dracula grinned as Godfrey's loud, pained cry filled the air.

His tier was much lower, he couldn't even comprehend Dracula's abilities.

Tendril wings burst from his back, propelling him through the wall. Pikes shot from the ground, aiming to pierce him. At that moment, Godfrey understood how so many had ended up on stakes.

Even through the pain clouding his mind, he managed to evade the pikes. Upon crashing to the ground, several bats dived toward him but were slain by arrows.

Godfrey grunted as Ballista lifted him. All the Golden Order Knights swarmed forward, engaging Dracula's army.

"Do not let him leave! Bring him here!" Dracula's furious roar echoed from the castle.

Lightning struck multiple times as dark clouds thickened over the city. Unfortunately, the final boss couldn't leave his castle.

Looking up at the hazy sky, Godfrey sighed inwardly. 'I went ahead of myself. I've seen the reason we're told to avoid Dracula… but isn't my situation already above me? I walk free in a world that brainwashes humanoid summoners, and Mom said it's because of Dad's sacrifice. How can the same people who tore down his statue allow me, a threat, to walk free, when they'd even poison her for wanting to leave?'

Godfrey's heart pounded. 'I'm not a naïve kid anymore. What was the cost? What is my mother not telling me?! If I can't kill a dungeon boss, how can I protect her?!'

Despite his fading mind, his will burned like metal in a forge. 'Dad protected her from a hundred thousand… can't I do the same? I… I want to do the same.'

'…Why…'

Gregory sighed. "This was a predictable outcome. He should be taken out of the tournament. He's gravely injured, and his strongest knight is in the same state. His greed has made him fail."

Evangeline looked at Sebastian, who nodded with a regretful sigh, but Edwin shot to his feet, pointing at the screen.

Everyone turned, and their eyes widened. Godfrey's wounds were healing, the flesh knitting until only scars remained.

Gregory was speechless. "Since when could he self-heal?!"

"I guess one of his summons has gained an Ascendant Skill," Edwin said. Never in his life had he felt this happy for Godfrey. His eyes even moistened.

A/N: Thank you for reading so far! We're almost at 700 golden tickets and will definitely cross 1300 powerstones by the end of the day!

Also...the reviews have been really helpful. A special thanks to reviewers!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.