Kiss of the Vampire
"The Girl with the Sharp sword"
Volume 2
Mission 30 : Adapt!
Dozens of new figures emerged from the shadows—fangs bared, eyes glowing red, and bloodlust heavy in the air. The alley seemed to shrink under the weight of their presence. But Deyviel didn't flinch.
Instead, he cracked his neck once, then grinned.
The vampire with the exploding blood—eyes wide, lips trembling—took a step back. "H-He adapted to it…? That's not possible! Not even a vampire progenitor can—!"
Deyviel rolled his shoulders. His shirt had been torn in places from the earlier clash, revealing pale skin unmarked by any burn or fracture. Not even a hint of heat radiated from the explosion site.
His tone turned cocky. "Heh. Let's figure out that mystery later."
He lowered his stance, energy coiling around him like a serpent ready to strike.
"But for now… let's dance!"
BOOM!
He shot forward with explosive speed—pure physical force, no tricks, no gimmicks. Just raw momentum and sharpened instinct.
The first vampire didn't even react in time. Deyviel ducked low under his swipe, pivoted on one foot, and drove a fist into the vampire's gut with a crunch of broken ribs. The man folded like paper and was flung back into two of his comrades.
A second attacker tried to strike from behind. Deyviel spun, grabbing the attacker's wrist mid-swing, twisted it until the joint cracked, and then hurled him over his shoulder like a ragdoll into the alley wall.
Another launched forward, mouth open, blood magic charging. It was another user of the exploding blood technique.
"Too slow," Deyviel muttered.
He swiped the air with his palm, and in that instant, his body's aura shifted—like a ripple through reality. The vampire's exploding blood backfired, fizzling against Deyviel's skin like harmless fireworks.
"What is he…?" the vampire gasped.
Deyviel gave no answer—only a glare.
And then he moved.
Each step he took was precise. He danced through a blur of attacks—slashes, spells, claws, bursts of blood magic—and countered with brutal grace. His body didn't just defend—it reacted, evolved. Every technique aimed to hurt him was neutralized, as if his very existence denied the concept of pain or damage.
One vampire attempted to explode himself as a suicide attack—blood magic charging up, body ballooning with volatile energy.
Deyviel was already there.
He pressed a hand to the vampire's chest, and whispered, "Denied."
The explosion didn't come. The magic ruptured internally, imploding instead of detonating—harmless to Deyviel, fatal to its wielder.
The rest of the vampire gang faltered.
Deyviel exhaled deeply. Not even winded.
"I don't know what the hell is happening to my body," he muttered. "I'm not supposed to have this power… not this way."
For a moment, his smile faded. His brow creased as he felt it again—that strange tug deep inside his chest. A presence. A force that wasn't his ki… something older, more dangerous.
But he shook it off.
"Later," he told himself. "Not now."
And then, turning toward the terrified remains of the vampire gang, he raised his fists again.
"You wanted a hunt? Come on, then. Let's see who survives till dawn."
Inside the Bunker – Underground
The ground above shook. Dust fell from the ceiling.
"Damn it!" Denver slammed his fist on the wall. "We need to help him!"
"No, we can't!" Alex grabbed him by the collar. "Do you see what's out there? Those aren't just rogue vamps. Those are ability users from the vampire families! We'll just be a burden!"
Denver clenched his teeth, his fists trembling. "But he's alone out there!"
Alex gritted his teeth too. "Mizuno and Ethan are on their way. We hold the line here and protect the girls until then!"
From the back, Elisia stepped forward. Her voice was firm, but her eyes trembled.
"Don't worry, Denver. Deyviel's got this. He's not just strong—he's something else entirely. You felt it too, right? When he looked at them... when he stepped outside... it was like... like a god walking into battle."
Denver closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"...Alright. We hold."
---
Back Outside – Deyviel's Counterattack
The vampires regrouped, circling him.
One of them whispered, "He's a monster... a freak..."
"No," said the blood bomb vampire. "He's evolving. That's what his ability is. He's adapting mid-battle... to anything that can kill him."
Too late.
Deyviel blurred into the circle and erupted like a thunderclap—his fist glowing with hardened Ki. He landed a clean strike to the gut of the blood-bomb vampire, and the body detonated instinctively—but the flames curled around Deyviel harmlessly.
A new ability triggered.
Deyviel's skin shimmered briefly, absorbing the energy, converting it, and redirecting it through his veins. He opened his palm, released the stolen energy as a blinding Ki wave, and vaporized three attackers.
Then he spoke low, his voice calm but resolute.
"You brought this war to my doorstep... and now, I'm bringing hell to yours."
And he charged into the next wave without hesitation.
Meanwhile at Ethan's side.
The hum of the engine filled the tense silence inside the armored military truck, its reinforced tires grinding over gravel as they raced down the half-lit forest road. Red emergency lights blinked steadily from the dashboard. The radio crackled, but no one spoke. Everyone inside felt it—the dread creeping under their skin.
"We're close," Ethan muttered, eyes narrowing as he checked the GPS mounted on the dash.
Mizuno sat beside him, arms crossed, silver tattoos on his forearm glowing faintly. "His message was urgent. He wouldn't have called us unless things were going sideways."
Cymac sat near the back, strapping on his gauntlets. "Three vampires is one thing. A dozen? That's a goddamn raid squad."
Christine, checking her sniper rifle, looked up. "You think they're after the girls?"
"They are," Ethan said. "But they picked the wrong house."
Andrew glanced up from loading mana rounds into his sidearm. "We're going in hard, right?"
Ethan nodded. "Deyviel's buying time. Once we're there, we secure the area, protect the civilians, and back him up."
The low-rank hunters tensed. Some were nervous—this wasn't the usual clean-up mission. One of them whispered, "Are we really fighting bloodline vampires?"
"No," Mizuno replied coldly. "We're hunting them."
The truck jolted as it hit a pothole, but no one flinched. The mission had begun.
Ethan's grip tightened around the steering wheel. "Hang on, Deyviel. We're coming."
The truck screeched to a halt just a block from the target house.
Ethan was the first out, his boots hitting the pavement hard. He raised a clenched fist—signal to stop. Everyone froze.
Across the street, under the dim orange glow of a flickering lamp post, a group of vampires stood like statues. Feral grins, glowing red eyes, fangs dripping with anticipation.
But what made Ethan's blood run cold was the man at the center. Apollo Muscat.
Dressed in a long black coat with red stitching, his pale skin gleamed like polished marble. Short, slicked-back silver hair. Eyes like crimson glass. His presence was suffocating—calm, composed, and terrifying.
Ethan's jaw clenched. "Shit… it's a leader type."
Apollo took a slow step forward, smiling. "You're late, hunters. And I don't like delays."
"Everyone listen up!" Ethan barked. "Man, prepare for combat!"
He pointed sharply. "Andrew, call back for reinforcements—now! Christine, patch through to Denver. I want a full status report. Cymac, Mizuno—you're with me."
"ON IT!" Andrew ducked behind the vehicle, radioing command and flipping open his field communicator.
Christine already had her earpiece in. "Denver, this is Christine. What's your sitrep? Over!"
"Still holding! But Deyviel's surrounded—we're guarding the girls!" Denver's voice came through, crackled but alive.
He drew his longsword, the blade humming with mana.
"We take the big one."
Apollo chuckled, flexing his gloved fingers. "How cute. You think you can handle me?"
Ethan didn't flinch. "The rest of you—push forward! Get into the house! Force your way in no matter what!"
The low-rank hunters nodded and broke into formation, weapons drawn. Some were shaking, but none ran.
"MOVE!" Ethan shouted.
The street exploded into chaos.
Apollo raised one hand, and the road beneath them cracked. A blast of pressure erupted from his palm, launching two hunters off their feet. Ethan dove sideways, rolled, and came up slashing—his blade clashing against Apollo's forearm with a thunderous ring.
Mizuno blitzed from the side, tattoos flaring blue as he landed a kick at Apollo's ribs. The vampire twisted mid-air and caught it with one hand.
"You'll need more than ink and nerves," Apollo growled.
Cymac's gauntlets roared to life as he slammed down from above, fists blazing with kinetic energy.
Apollo grinned. "That's more like it."
He stomped the ground—exploding it—and forced all three back with a wave of violent heat.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team made their push toward the house, breaking through vampire resistance under gunfire, spells, and desperate teamwork.
Inside, Deyviel was still fighting—and the cavalry had just arrived.
"A noise?! Heh too bad for yah fouks the party is here time to clean you up!" He said then charge a large ki energy to his fist and punch the air in front of him. and a large surge of ki energy blast envelope the vampire Infront of him, killing them in an instant.
Meanwhile back at Ethan's group
BOOOOOM!!
The shockwave threw the hunters back, but Mizuno reacted first, creating a kinetic shield with a twist of his spear.
"YOU GOOD!?" he shouted to Cymac, who was already on the move.
"ALWAYS!" Cymac leapt over burning debris and slashed at Appolo's side.
But the vampire was fast—unnaturally so. He ducked under the blow and drove his palm into Cymac's chest. A spark of red light flared—
—BOOF! Small explosion sent Cymac flying, armor cracked but alive.
"Cymac!" Mizuno shouted.
Ethan used the moment. "Now!"
He slid in from the blind spot, his blades slicing—one high, one low.
Appolo blocked the low one but grimaced as the upper blade nicked his face.
"Hoh... you're not just bark," Appolo whispered with a smirk. "But can you bleed without fear?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "I don't have time for your edge-lord monologue."
The two clashed again—exploding blood versus calm, trained ki.
Behind them, the low-rank hunters spread out and made a push toward the bunker. Their job: break through the vampire grunts and reinforce Deyviel's location.
But Ethan knew... unless they took Appolo down fast, there wouldn't be a line left to break through.
BOOOOOM!!
The shockwave threw the hunters back, but Mizuno reacted fast, slamming the butt of his spear into the ground as water surged and wrapped around them—forming a dense kinetic shield.
"YOU GOOD!?" he shouted.
"ALWAYS!" Cymac barked back, already blinking through space. He reappeared behind Appolo and slashed low toward his side.
But the vampire was faster than expected—inhumanly fast.
He ducked under the strike, eyes gleaming crimson, and drove his palm into Cymac's chest.
A flicker of red light pulsed—
BOOF!
A controlled explosion launched Cymac backward, cracking his chestplate and sending him crashing into a pile of broken concrete.
"Cymac!" Mizuno called out, but Ethan didn't waste the opening.
"Now!"
He darted in, twin blades slicing through the haze. One high, one low. Swift. Clean.
Appolo caught the low strike with his bracer, but the upper blade grazed his cheek—drawing blood.
The elder vampire paused.
"Hoh… you're not just bark," Appolo muttered, licking the blood from his lips. "But can you bleed without fear?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "I don't have time for your edge-lord monologue."
They clashed again—exploding blood versus calm, disciplined ki. Sparks flew.
Behind them, the lower-rank hunters regrouped and pressed forward, trying to break through the grunts and reach Deyviel's location. Their blades flashed, cutting a bloody path.
But then…
The air twisted.
The scent of iron thickened.
And the world changed.
A ring of crimson sigils ignited beneath Appolo's feet as his voice deepened with power.
"You thought I was being serious earlier? No… this is serious."
The sky above darkened unnaturally as blood leaked upward, forming jagged, floating spires. The earth trembled as walls of crimson light boxed them in—a dome of malice made real.
Blood Authority: Detonation Tomb.
A high-tier blood magic technique passed down through the Muscat family—like a domain expansion.
Ethan immediately felt it.
The pressure.
The burning weight crawling under his skin.
Inside this Blood Authority, every molecule of air felt ready to explode. Even the blood in his veins tickled like it might combust.
"Shit," Ethan muttered, grounding his stance. "A real one…"
Mizuno slid beside him, sweat dripping from his temple. "Cap… this is like a coffin waiting to blow."
Ethan didn't respond right away. He glanced back—his team was still pushing toward the house. Toward Deyviel. Toward the two girls.
They couldn't fall here.
Not now.
"Listen up," he said, eyes never leaving Appolo. "This isn't a normal attack. They want something from those girls—maybe even Deyviel. We don't back down until we know what. We protect them at all costs. Got it?"
"Roger that!" Cymac and Mizuno shouted in unison.
"Cymac, Mizuno—you take the other vampire knight. I'll hold off this bastard until reinforcements arrive."
"You sure about that, Cap?" Cymac asked, already adjusting his breathing.
Ethan nodded.
"Yeah. I am."
And with that, he stepped forward alone—into the heart of the Detonation Tomb.
Cymac spat out blood, smirking despite the cracked armor and bruised ribs.
"He's fast…" he muttered, warping beside Mizuno with a flicker of blue light. "But not faster than us together."
Mizuno gave a curt nod. His eyes glinted, and water surged from the air, wrapping around his spear like a serpent. "We've handled worse. Focus on the timing."
Appolo stood tall inside his Blood Authority, that crimson domain swirling like liquid rage. Crimson spikes emerged, twitching like they were alive, mirroring his will.
"He's not just any knight," Mizuno said under his breath. "This Blood Authority… it reacts to our thoughts. Like it's hunting us."
"Then we stop thinking," Cymac said, vanishing again.
FLASH. Cymac reappeared behind Appolo, blades drawn mid-swing.
Appolo's eyes twitched toward him, but before he could move—SHHRRRK! Mizuno's spear thrust forward from the front, water bursting from it like a cannon.
CLANG! Appolo twisted, catching Cymac's strike on his vambrace while using his foot to redirect Mizuno's thrust. Still, the water blast splashed across his body, steaming as it reacted to his blood.
"Smart," Appolo muttered. "But not enough."
BLOOD SPIKE—SURGE.
Spikes erupted from the domain floor like a reverse rainstorm. Cymac blinked out—barely—landing with a wince.
Mizuno cartwheeled back, water forming a dome around him to deflect several barbs. "Cymac, got a plan?"
"Yeah," Cymac said, wiping sweat and blood from his brow. "One of those stupid-but-it-just-might-work types."
"I'm listening."
"You distract him. Pull his senses forward."
"And you?"
"I'll pierce the domain. No blood magic can match a direct point-fold warp. But I need two seconds where he can't see me."
Mizuno inhaled, then nodded. "You'll get three."
The moment hung still—then the two burst into motion.
Mizuno twirled his spear, sending a sharp spiral of water cutting through the air toward Appolo's head. Simultaneously, he slammed his foot down, erupting jets of pressured water from the ground.
Appolo blocked with fluid grace—but his eyes never left Mizuno.
That was his mistake.
BLINK.
Cymac was already gone.
CRACK—
He reappeared inside the edge of the domain, inches from the wall of blood. His blade hummed with ki as he stabbed into the crimson veil.
TSSSSHH—!!
The domain shuddered. The blood pulsed erratically.
Inside, Appolo's eyes narrowed. "You… meddlesome—"
"NOW MIZUNO!!" Cymac roared.
Mizuno poured everything he had into one final spiral—a full-body throw of his spear, water compressing around it until it whistled through the air like a drill.
SCHINK!
It slammed into Appolo's arm—piercing flesh and bone.
"—GAH!"
The Blood Authority wavered.
The spikes melted. The cage blinked like a light flickering.
Ethan, watching from a distance while holding off two other vampire elites, barked, "THAT'S IT! PRESS HIM!"
The tide turned.
Even the low-rank hunters pushed forward again, sensing the break in the enemy's momentum.
But deep in Ethan's gut, a chill crawled.
Because Appolo hadn't even transformed yet.
And something about that wound… was healing far too fast.
"Deyviel," he muttered under his breath, eyes darting toward the hilltop bunker. "You better not die on me, you idiot."
Shadows shifted.
And Appolo… started to laugh.
"Damn it… This is turning into a suicide mission."
Ethan muttered under his breath, blood trickling down his temple, steam rising from the cuts on his arms. The atmosphere within Appolo's blood domain—the cage of red—was suffocating, the air dense with killing intent and warping pressure.
Appolo stood at the center like a monarch of death, crimson veins pulsing in the ground, his gaze amused yet focused.
"You're not bad," he said calmly, brushing blood off his lips. "But this domain is mine. This is my authority—my kingdom of slaughter."
"Then I'll tear it apart," Ethan hissed, raising his hand slowly. His aura shifted—calmness giving way to something heavier, divine.
He slammed the butt of his blade into the cracked pavement. "Soul Weapon: Spear of Horus."
In an instant, the ground trembled as light surged around him. His dual blades evaporated into gold particles, converging into a single weapon—long, sleek, wrapped in ancient sigils. The spear glowed with radiant energy, its tip shaped like a falcon's beak, blazing with azure and gold fire.
Appolo's smile finally faded.
"You've bonded with your soul…" he murmured, eyes narrowing. "That's no ordinary weapon."
"Nope. It's judgment."
Ethan surged forward like a meteor. The Spear of Horus pierced through Appolo's blood tendrils, disrupting their form as divine light clashed with cursed blood.
Meanwhile—
"Right flank, Mizuno!"
"Got it!"
Cymac teleported behind a vampire knight, slashing deep into its spine while Mizuno swept his water spear in a wide arc, ice shards firing in all directions. Together, they flowed like a machine—strike, vanish, freeze, break.
"Left side clear!" Cymac called.
"Right side flooding!" Mizuno shouted. He stomped, and a wave burst from his feet, crashing into another blood knight. The creature screeched, frozen mid-roar.
Cymac teleported onto the ice, sliding with perfect balance and slicing the knight's head clean off.
They fought like brothers—not just coordinated, but instinctively bound. Mizuno's calm timing meshed perfectly with Cymac's erratic, high-speed style.
"Back Ethan up?" Mizuno asked.
Cymac flicked blood off his blade. "Nah. Not yet. He's serious now. That crazy bastard might actually kill that smug vampire."
The ground cracked again. The pressure inside the domain intensified—but this time, the light from Ethan's spear began to push back.
Ethan thrust his spear forward, and the image of a falcon's wings spread behind him—golden, divine.
"Spear of Horus: Piercing Sun!"
A beam of concentrated light fired from the tip, aiming straight at Appolo's heart. Appolo formed a barrier of writhing blood—
BOOOOM!!
The explosion shattered part of the domain. Red mist and gold light clashed, pushing the boundary back, breaking the walls.
Appolo stumbled, coat singed, one arm hanging limp. He looked up, eyes glowing.
"You're not what I expected, Ethan. Fine. Let's see how far that light goes before I crush it."
Cymac appeared beside Mizuno in a flicker of blue light. "He's strong."
Mizuno wiped blood from his cheek, water already coiling around his arms. "Too strong. But he bleeds. That's enough."
"Got your back," Cymac said, cracking his neck.
Together, they launched forward again—Cymac blinking behind Appolo, Mizuno surging ahead like a tidal wave, spear leveled for the heart.
Appolo's smile didn't fade.
With a sudden twist, his arm flared with crimson veins. He blocked Cymac's ambush with just his forearm, then turned to catch Mizuno's thrust barehanded. Water hissed and steam rose—but he didn't budge.
"You're coordinated," Appolo muttered. "But you're still human."
A pulse of red exploded from his body, tossing them both back.
"Damn it!" Mizuno growled.
"He's playing with us," Cymac added, panting. "That bastard's stalling."
Then—
A golden glow erupted behind them.
Appolo paused.
Cymac and Mizuno looked back just as Ethan stepped forward, his body surrounded by a burning aura, gold and white intertwining like fire and starlight. He gripped a long, radiant spear etched with falcon wings and an ancient eye near its hilt.
"Soul Weapon..." Mizuno whispered. "Captain's finally using it."
"The Spear of Horus," Ethan said, his voice steady. "Blessed by the heavens. Forged from my will."
Appolo's smirk faltered for the first time.
"You've been holding that back?" he asked.
Ethan's eyes burned. "Because now... I'm done holding back."
He raised the spear skyward. Lightning sparked above, then focused down into the weapon like divine judgment gathering form.
Appolo stepped into a low stance.
Cymac took one step back. "Everyone clear the way—!"
FLASH.
CRACK—!
"SEVER!"
Ethan hurled the Spear of Horus straight toward Appolo's heart—light bending and warping around its path like reality itself couldn't keep up with the sheer speed—
And then—
BOOM.
Everything vanished in a pillar of gold and white light.
And when the light faded—
Someone was still standing.
But they couldn't tell who.
To be continued...