‘What do you mean, Nicole?’ the soldier asked.
Before Nicole could answer, the question answered itself:39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvE4pxOqKV
The commander cried out again.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwiKq5Q9Ul
He was helpless against his foe.
The soldier’s face went pale.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9cmAs4t2E
Their commander was dying.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmG0XzCAIe
Their strongest warrior was losing.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRZAdfTiPv
Humanity wouldn’t make it.
Nicole, too, was speechless.
Dracule, seeing their reaction, burst into hysterical laughter.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xQ1i5Uptf
He even had to clutch his stomach.
The winner was decided.
Or was it?
Yes, the sun had turned red.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58QZUY86A5
But the sun wasn’t the only thing that visited Earth.
Behind the clouds, a silver light broke through.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMYwciI66u
The commander smiled as his body overflowed with power.
He flexed his muscles and focused on purging the cursed blood within him.
Then it appeared—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mX9xXho8F
the full moon.
‘We have not lost yet!’ Commander Nootra bellowed.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNqIBG7ghs
‘We have not lost yet! Fight! Fight and survive! My soldiers! My friends! My love!’
Silver light erupted from his body.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qaoLRxKxY
His fur shimmered. His wounds healed.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nS4e2m7b0
And the war cry that followed shook the heavens.
The ghouls froze.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKCR3s8ldD
Even Dracule had to swallow hard.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoitCuVrvGx
But his fear turned to joy.
‘That’s the beast I know! A king candidate—the true King of the Beasts, who once challenged the King. Let us bathe in blood and end the world while fighting!’
Dracule rose into the air. The sky turned blood-red as if drenched in gore.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIL4au1Pl6p
Then—giant blood worms shot down from the sky.
Their fangs were forged of demon energy.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXtZSpd1Ie
They came in great numbers.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPoqXZFYwF
Each fired energy blasts at the soldiers—at the commander.
But it only took one swing of Nootra’s powerful arm.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhXKpnIdfu
A wave of silver energy blasted forth, destroying all incoming attacks.
His soldiers’ morale soared.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDD0awPr4hS
Even Nicole smiled—until her joy vanished just as quickly as it had come.
(Nicole: Will he recognize us in that state?)
She couldn’t afford to dwell on the thought.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1oJihCZXD
The ghouls had resumed their assault.
The soldiers formed a protective circle around Nicole, who needed time to recover her strength.
‘I knew that would be enough!’ Dracule roared.
His blood worms lunged at the commander.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYTuR1pBYO
Nootra retaliated, tearing them apart with razor-sharp claws.
Meanwhile, Dracule concentrated demon energy between his hands, slowly shaping it into a spear.
In the Past
Dracule lay on the ground—defeated.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZwTq9mcAp
No amount of growling could change that.
The King of the Beasts turned his back to him and said:
‘You were truly strong, my friend. But I fear I’ve become too powerful.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NEmfN9VLi
Only a king candidate—or the King himself—can satisfy my hunger now.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTKhhwojR4
Grow stronger. One day, we’ll face each other again.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyymUGHz3o
I’ll always accept your challenge.’
‘Just wait! One day, our positions will be reversed. You’ll be the one at my feet!’
‘If that day comes, Dracule, I’ll gladly train again to face you.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqyzITtD9b
See you then.’
In the Present
Commander Nootra had effortlessly destroyed the blood worms.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7iRBpSxhq
Their blood floated in the air—just as Dracule had foreseen.
The blood morphed into chains, wrapping around the commander.
They wouldn’t hold him for long,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDWJ1VrxBh
but they’d buy Dracule enough time for one final attack.
He held the energy spear in his hand.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uzYAI1xa4
It was so powerful that the hand holding it was slowly falling apart.
‘I will defeat you, King of the Beasts—even if it costs me my life!39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0QvnIjBz8
I prepared this special gift just for you.
O cursed bone, carved by judgment—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uUKOyitcY
Trace the guilt in flesh and soul.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc7pzzyYi6
Twist the heavens. Tear through fate—
Akzhareth, pierce without mercy!’
He threw the spear.
Just as the commander broke free, the spear struck—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXUnrkWh04
piercing through his body.
A burst of light exploded, bathing the sky in violet.
Nicole began to cry.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47xUfU1qiJ
Dracule, on the other hand, rejoiced.
He formed a fist and thumped his chest.
‘I did it. I finally beat him! After all these years of hellish training—it paid off.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfthZts3AA
My friend, who is now the loser—’
The light dimmed.
And revealed the commander.
He was alive.
The spear had pierced his chest—left a gaping hole.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO50FV9JMzy
But he was still standing.
Dracule, already pale, turned ghostly white.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9NS2Yh1Kj
He had put everything into that final attack.
‘Hahaha… it seems it will be like last time.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGJ7gEJl4Z
I am the loser.’
The commander surged forward at terrifying speed.
Dracule didn’t move.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXIJLh2D87
What use was fighting now?
The King of the Beasts had survived his final blow.
Dracule spread his arms wide, like a father welcoming his son.
Commander Nootra drove his claws through Dracule’s chest—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyk0I3UBw1
ripped out his heart—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm3XytLOkM
and raised the bloodied organ in his hand.
He crushed it.
Blood spilled across his face.
The ghouls fled.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4ccRoAhj1
The soldiers cheered.
Only Nicole remained silent, watching the commander.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJacqm3P0wg
Waiting for him to speak.
As a human.
But the commander let the heart fall—and turned to the soldiers.
Nicole’s eyes widened.
‘His eyes…’ she whispered.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcrrhAa16n
‘That’s not our commander. RUN!’
The next moment—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTbh8Exh40
the commander fired a silver energy blade at the group.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Td1DSwWeA
