Mesmerized by Shaft, who had somehow survived the earlier defeat, Richter betrayed his people and resurrected Dracula: "Dracula rises once a century. One chance for each Belmont to shine, and then we're finished, forgotten. If I bring him back now, the battle can last for eternity!". It was Alucard who arose from his slumber, braved the evil castle, and with Maria's help freed Richter from his delusion. Shaft later revealed that he brainwashed Richter because, due to his status as a Belmont, he was supreme among vampire hunters and thus could not be defeated in a straight up fight between various ones, effectively acting as a deterrent regarding anyone trying to stop Dracula's resurrection.