Zhou Yi's sudden and violent display of power instantly shattered the tenuous composure of the room.
The Vampire butler, still painfully adhered to the wall, was incandescent with fury but entirely immobilized. The force of the blow had caused massive internal damage, rendering him immobile until he could begin a lengthy Vampire healing process.
The old man and the car mechanic exchanged amused glances, clearly content to remain spectators. Blade, with an impassive face, subtly moved to block the alternate passage, sending an unmistakable signal: any Vampire attempting to call for reinforcements would have to go through him first. It was clear that Blade and his two companions were enjoying the chaos, thoroughly pleased to see someone else violently dealing with the bloodsuckers.
Zhou Yi continued his advance toward the Grand Duke, only to be abruptly stopped by an unexpected obstacle: Nysha Makinos.
She had shed her fear entirely. She stood directly in front of her father, leaning forward, her fangs and claws momentarily visible, resembling an enraged animal guarding its territory. This primal protective instinct, overriding her profound terror of the Dawn Knight, was a development Zhou Yi hadn't anticipated.
He paused. He appreciated the sheer audacity of the action; he was willing to grant her a moment for her courage. However, he couldn't let a woman's desperate obstruction completely halt his goal. If the Grand Duke didn't intervene, Zhou Yi was fully prepared to clear the room, deal with the Lycanthrope threat solo, and then figure out what this whole farce was about.
The Vampire Grand Duke, Alida Makinos, a creature who had lived long enough to master the darkest aspects of power dynamics and human psychology, finally moved.
He reached out and placed a surprisingly firm hand on his daughter's shoulder, stepping out from behind her protective shield.
"Please quell your anger, Dawn Knight!" Makinos bowed low, spreading his hands in an exaggerated posture of humility. "I deeply regret my inappropriate words. I implore you to forgive an old man's ramblings. The current situation may seem trivial to a powerhouse such as yourself, but for us, and for ordinary mortals, it is critically important. I beg your forgiveness for my unintended error."
Such profound humility from a creature reputed to rule the New York underworld was shocking. Zhou Yi, however, wasn't fooled. He suspected the Grand Duke had extraordinary ulterior motives, but since the old creature wanted to put on a theatrical performance, Zhou Yi decided to play along and see the wicked plot unfold.
After taking one final, deliberately provocative step toward the fragile father and daughter, Zhou Yi silently flicked his cloak and returned to his original position. Blade grinned—a quick flash of unnervingly bright teeth—and casually stepped away from the doorway.
The Vampires in the room now understood the reality: neither of the two most notorious Vampire hunters truly respected the so-called Vampire Grand Duke. His authority was a joke in this subterranean room.
Makinos placed one hand dramatically on his chest, while the other was discreetly clenched behind his back, his knuckles visibly straining. He was clearly seething, but his decision to express rage through such tiny, controlled gestures meant he wouldn't explode yet.
The Grand Duke's iron grip on Nysha's shoulder caused her a momentary pang of pain, which was enough to curb her impulse to reprimand Zhou Yi's rudeness.
Makinos then clapped his hands toward an archway behind him. A neatly dressed, scholarly blond man emerged.
"Hello, everyone." The man was outwardly composed, though his gaze kept flicking nervously toward Zhou Yi. Despite his internal turmoil, he maintained the smooth cadence of a professional speaker.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kaelo Conan."
He extended his hand toward Blade. Blade met the gesture, not with a handshake, but with a sudden, vise-like grip and a violent twist. Blade's eyes locked onto a small, tattoo-like mark on Kaelo's hand.
"Are you human?" Blade's voice was frigid.
Kaelo struggled to pull his hand free, failed, and gave up with a forced, witty smile. "Almost. I'm a lawyer. Legal counsel for the European Healthcare Financial Conglomerate."
His flippant words darkened Blade's expression further. People like Kaelo no longer considered themselves fully human; they worshiped creatures like Vampires, hoping their masters would grant them the 'gift' of eternal life. These human traitors were the scum Blade despised most, as they were the root of endless complications in his hunt.
Blade released Kaelo's hand. Kaelo immediately massaged his throbbing joints, unused to such rough handling.
When Kaelo approached Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi simply crossed his arms over his armored chest. "When you finally become a Vampire, make sure you let me know. I'll give you an experience you won't forget."
The unvarnished threat was clear: Zhou Yi harbored murderous intent and was simply waiting for Kaelo to complete his self-degradation by becoming a Vampire—at which point he would cease to be human, and his demise would be certain.
Kaelo laughed awkwardly, unable to offer any witty retort. Faced with such raw power, eloquence offered zero security.
The Grand Duke rushed to his retainer's defense, subtly intervening by drawing the attention of his volatile guests. He walked silently to a bizarre specimen on display, feigning deep admiration.
"As you all know, the Vampire's blood-drinking habit is like an infectious virus, transmitted through the predator's saliva," Makinos began, smoothly redirecting the conversation.
His method was clever; he didn't address the insult to Kaelo but used a more pressing, universal topic. Both Zhou Yi and Blade instantly abandoned the minor figure and focused on the Grand Duke's discourse.
"This virus can permeate human blood vessels within 72 hours, generating proliferating parasitic tissues. In short, it takes only three days to create a new Vampire." The Grand Duke's expression was almost intoxicated. This viral method of transmission was the foundation of his Empire's expansion, vastly superior to the species' pitiful natural birth rate.
Blade ground his teeth. "Like cancer cells!"
Blade's hatred was deeply personal. He was a 'Daywalker,' a legendary anomaly born with half-Vampire blood. His mother had been attacked while pregnant; the virus infected him in utero, sealing his fate. He was not human, possessing Vampire strength and the thirst for blood.
Yet, he was immune to sunlight and silver, forever suspended between two worlds. The tragic loss of a normal life fueled his relentless, decade-long quest to hunt and destroy the species that created him.
Makinos gripped his hand in a flash of displeasure, a hint of his fangs showing, but quickly suppressed the gesture. He corrected Blade in a pedagogical tone: "It should be said, purposeful cancer cells." Cancer cells proliferate infinitely and consume everything; the term 'purposeful' implied a conscious, directed evil.
Seeing the Grand Duke pause, Kaelo, relieved to return to his professional role, stepped in.
"Unfortunately, viruses also evolve," Kaelo said, adopting a sudden, grave professional demeanor. "We have discovered a new evolutionary variant, which we are calling the Alien Species."
He pulled a small, portable holographic imaging device from his coat. "Like all good pathogens, it quickly finds carriers and spreads infection!"
The holographic image displayed the surveillance footage of Chadnomah (Sabretooth) attacking the subway blood bank. The silent figures watched the creature's attack until it finally revealed its strange, bifurcated oral cavity.
Kaelo pointed to the final, monstrous image. "That is him. Chadnomah."
The Grand Duke glanced at Blade. "A natural Vampire, but like you, a very rare Alien Species. Unlike the rest of us, however…"
Makinos adopted a look of profound disgust, as if confronting a spoiled, meticulous creation.
"It not only feeds on humans, but it can also survive by feeding on Vampires. This, gentlemen, is the root of all chaos!"