‘Yes, a demon,’ the woman replied.
Dean slowly made space for her. But the woman teleported behind him.
‘But what are you? You're not human, yet you don’t give me the feeling of an immune one. Weird.’
Dean struggled to his feet. He shook out his hand and fingers, then rolled his shoulder.
‘Come on,’ he mumbled to himself.
The woman gave him a wide smile—then teleported again.
Dean was on guard. He didn’t know where she would appear, but she had to show up. He spun quickly, peered over his shoulder, then to his right and left—but no woman.
Only when he looked up did he see it—a leg came flying toward him, smashing him to the ground.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvdErw7Wzz
The woman stepped back from his bleeding face.
‘Yes, you’re not human. I went for the kill with that attack—yet you're still alive. For now at least. Before I end you, tell me who you are.’
Dean chuckled as he stood up. He raised his arms.
‘Well then—die!’
The woman summoned two grey daggers. She bounced in place and inhaled deeply. The moment she emptied her lungs completely—she vanished.
Dean braced himself to face her head-on.
But ten of her appeared at once, pouncing on him from all directions.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3xUyauuMy
There was no way he could survive the assault.
The woman closed in, and Dean had no idea which one to focus on.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIjwcTQGx2
Then he felt it.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYNUz9LOeT
A raging storm inside him.
The storm surged into his fist, which began to glow golden.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhEo82q25m
Dean suddenly knew what to do.
The light slowed the woman for a moment—but she pressed on regardless.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxEBuoQXIW
All the afterimages went for a thrust.
Dean slammed his fist into the ground. Energy burst out of his hand and shot into the enemies.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQM83Z01W7
All the clones vanished—leaving only the real woman before him.
She was stunned.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTu949BU97
A blessing.
Dean wasted no time. He lunged forward, gathered all the energy into his fist, and struck her.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxJsYBAHbK
Light exploded from the impact—destroying the woman completely.
Nothing remained.
Dean collapsed, gasping hard.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS0Bspd41E
Before he blacked out, he saw men in suits rushing toward him.
In the Forest
Fighting such a number of ghouls turned out to be harder than Nicole had expected.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlWQsEDO7Z
Luckily, she'd already been possessed once—so when a ghoul bit her, it only wounded her. Still, better not to get bitten at all.
Meanwhile, the commander and Dracule had taken the fight to the skies.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkfe9W1BKR
The commander went for a slash—Dracule deflected.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqb94zKHOR
Another slash—this time it grazed Dracule’s arm.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PH2UGT7ZN
And another.
The commander didn’t stop. He became faster, each strike aimed closer to Dracule’s heart.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYThBowH1f
Dracule chose to put more distance between them.
Immediately, the commander gave chase—unaware of the tiny blood droplets surrounding him.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LlwvwfYML
They morphed into long spikes and pierced his body.
At the same time, the blood that had entered him coursed through his veins and paralyzed him.
‘You lacked patience! Look where that got you,’ Dracule taunted.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZk5vH1TSIQ
‘You’re a beast, no doubt. But I know there’s more inside you!’
He gathered demonic energy in his palm and let the orb grow before firing it at the frozen commander—booooom.
When the smoke cleared, the commander was wounded but still standing.
Dracule fired again. And again.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxwqkltvFJ
His laughter echoed through the sky.
Nicole noticed. But her hands were full—ghouls surrounded her.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJOWee0Df4
Tears formed in her eyes, but she couldn’t run to help.
‘Fuck!’ she cursed, beheading a charging ghoul.
She formed a giant scythe and swung it in a wide arc, slicing the ghouls before her in half.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LQshZMtWQ
From behind, she shot blood blades at ghouls trying to flank her.
A powerful attack—but it came at a price.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJlXm3xrBJ
Nicole collapsed for the first time.
She gasped for air.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS50NfPPPx
When she raised her head to the heavens, it felt as though a force was pressing it down.
She needed a break.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ffhANC4pn
But Dracule was toying with the commander.
Then the commander screamed.
It wasn’t a war cry.
‘He’s in pain!’ Nicole realized.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsEvgqZg4m
‘You bastard!’
Forget the ghouls. She was going to tear that bastard apart—even if he was a Celestial.
Fueled by rage, she launched upward.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZH7zE14Pf
She didn’t notice the giant ghoul that had emerged.
It leapt—landing above her—and slammed her back to the ground. Baaaamm.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB7vzAlOzy
It landed hard.
Nicole’s head bled. She coughed up even more.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54MKgkgAPb
Her right arm was mangled—useless.
Another giant ghoul emerged behind her.
Still, when she heard the commander’s tortured cry, she rose again.
She wasn’t done.
But she was unlucky.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ82WAZqb6g
She was only facing ghouls—meaning she couldn’t drink their blood.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppmP2lUemn
It was rotten. Foul.
Vampires grow stronger by drinking blood. Depending on the quantity and compatibility, their power can double—or more.
The ghouls closed in.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzxhg559vq
Their grunts were drowned out by the commander’s howls.
Peng, peng, peng…31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLb8fFmwXD
One after another, ghouls dropped.
Soldiers had come to help.
One ran to Nicole and held her upright, reporting:
‘Some of the soldiers—and Dean’s group—they made it out. They’re heading to the White House!31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP40Jm50n3
We need to finish up here and join them!’
‘Yes… we should,’ Nicole said, breathing heavily.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOOQOQF556
She hesitated, then added, painfully:
‘I doubt we’ll make it out alive.’31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNXqd1AqUM
