"What is your definition of a villain?
Is it the one who sheds more blood...
Or the one who started shedding it first?"
This is what the old man Takami once said to Yamato.
Six years ago – The lost island of Arcalis.
Under a blazing sun, Yamato was training in silence.
His muscles were tense, his breaths heavy, and sweat poured down his cold face.
Standing before him was his trainer, Takami… one of the last surviving vampires.
Takami muttered quietly:
"I'm sorry for being harsh with your training...
But you need to grow stronger... to finish what others started."
Raive, the power unique to vampires, was their core technique…
But Yamato didn't have it.
Therefore, he had to compensate with physical strength.
Year after year, Yamato grew. And with each year, his strength doubled.
Yet, he was never assigned any missions—simply because he lacked Raive.
---
A year ago:
Yamato sat beside Takami, both exchanging stories, laughter on their faces.
Takami said:
"Do you remember the first time I saw you? You were so small..."
Yamato replied:
"I'll never forget it for the rest of my life."
A few days later, Yamato woke up to find a strange man in his house.
A tall man, scars covering his nose, sitting silently.
Yamato was surprised, and before he could speak, the man said:
"Drink this."
He handed him a cup… Yamato took it, finding inside a red liquid resembling blood.
Yamato:
"...What is this?"
The man:
"Drink it… if you want power."
Yamato drank the cup, tension clear on his face.
Suddenly, he started coughing violently, sweating heavily, then collapsed unconscious.
When he woke up, he found himself in a cell.
Someone spoke to him:
"Yamato Zeno... you're accused of killing the old man Takami. You drank his blood and stole his Raive."
Yamato froze, muttering faintly:
"...Father? He's dead?"
Then he screamed:
"What kind of nonsense is this? I killed my father?"
His shouting was interrupted by approaching footsteps.
Yamato turned and saw the same strange man entering, speaking:
"Takami wasn't your father…
And if you want to atone for your sin, there is something you can do."
Yamato thought:
"...Something I can do?"
The man said:
"My name is Raizo... and I saw in you the ability to carry out a great mission.
Consider it atonement for your crime."
Yamato:
"...What is this mission?"
Raizo:
"The extermination of humans."
A long silence…
Yamato was struck by the shock, his mind refusing the idea, yet it settled inside him.
He knew he didn't have enough strength…
Even Raizo didn't expect his reply.
But Yamato said firmly:
"I will do it."
Then he repeated in his mind:
"I will do it… No, I've already come close to doing it."
---
Now – Vampire Combat School:
Yamato, his face stained with red liquid, was on his knees.
He had just drunk the principal's blood.
He stood up with difficulty, exhaustion consuming his body.
He said:
"I must get out of here..."
He rushed out before anyone could see him.
---
Three days later:
Yamato walked through one of the streets with calm steps.
His mind was busy, speaking to himself:
What's the next step?
How will I exterminate humans?
What power do I need?
No… I must not lie to myself…
I'm still far from achieving this mission.
But I will achieve it… even if I'm destroyed doing it.