‘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.28Please respect copyright.PENANA1uMFmxHa1P
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAbUl0KassnN
There was no way he could survive the assault.
The woman closed in, and Dean had no idea which one to focus on.28Please respect copyright.PENANAF680hdqgPn
Then he felt it.28Please respect copyright.PENANAhjTiFx1YYy
A raging storm inside him.
The storm surged into his fist, which began to glow golden.28Please respect copyright.PENANAExewUhyt8Q
Dean suddenly knew what to do.
The light slowed the woman for a moment—but she pressed on regardless.28Please respect copyright.PENANAlT8fXBJoCh
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAtL5VMF5blE
All the clones vanished—leaving only the real woman before him.
She was stunned.28Please respect copyright.PENANAzwjb1D8sQx
A blessing.
Dean wasted no time. He lunged forward, gathered all the energy into his fist, and struck her.28Please respect copyright.PENANAAqtJ8gwJJt
Light exploded from the impact—destroying the woman completely.
Nothing remained.
Dean collapsed, gasping hard.28Please respect copyright.PENANAQPgDJA3umr
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ee1rEFgN6
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAL8vVXfdey3
The commander went for a slash—Dracule deflected.28Please respect copyright.PENANARM1rfyNfFz
Another slash—this time it grazed Dracule’s arm.28Please respect copyright.PENANAFCuHw3NvOa
And another.
The commander didn’t stop. He became faster, each strike aimed closer to Dracule’s heart.28Please respect copyright.PENANAiZkThRcJNh
Dracule chose to put more distance between them.
Immediately, the commander gave chase—unaware of the tiny blood droplets surrounding him.28Please respect copyright.PENANAh6eiD2Qwxw
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAea5YdlKYF1
‘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.28Please respect copyright.PENANApQG2RnLw2A
His laughter echoed through the sky.
Nicole noticed. But her hands were full—ghouls surrounded her.28Please respect copyright.PENANAiW37yyqGNm
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAHdjspKOzbK
From behind, she shot blood blades at ghouls trying to flank her.
A powerful attack—but it came at a price.28Please respect copyright.PENANAgGKpJKwMCe
Nicole collapsed for the first time.
She gasped for air.28Please respect copyright.PENANAM3rYII1iKz
When she raised her head to the heavens, it felt as though a force was pressing it down.
She needed a break.28Please respect copyright.PENANAx5H6TUtIuP
But Dracule was toying with the commander.
Then the commander screamed.
It wasn’t a war cry.
‘He’s in pain!’ Nicole realized.28Please respect copyright.PENANA3fhaPPN4kx
‘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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAmchibtzT45
She didn’t notice the giant ghoul that had emerged.
It leapt—landing above her—and slammed her back to the ground. Baaaamm.28Please respect copyright.PENANAQOWb9n91LS
It landed hard.
Nicole’s head bled. She coughed up even more.28Please respect copyright.PENANAYpkazdWjU7
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAZxoIULY8sk
She was only facing ghouls—meaning she couldn’t drink their blood.28Please respect copyright.PENANA2KqXjnBjkq
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.28Please respect copyright.PENANAqI4Z0KkuYc
Their grunts were drowned out by the commander’s howls.
Peng, peng, peng…28Please respect copyright.PENANA68LCNZnyjq
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!28Please respect copyright.PENANAPSi76G7Kfl
We need to finish up here and join them!’
‘Yes… we should,’ Nicole said, breathing heavily.28Please respect copyright.PENANA7UbQn13G8A
She hesitated, then added, painfully:
‘I doubt we’ll make it out alive.’28Please respect copyright.PENANA3ArM7SLFt5