Avrora felt it first—that suffocating surge of mana tearing through the atmosphere.
Her brows tightened in irritation, clearly uncomfortable.
And she wasn't the only one. Even Le Fay and the others sensed it instantly.
"Wh-what an insane amount of mana…"
"This… this is at Maōu-class!!" Le Fay gasped.
To her, Maōu-class was already an unreachable height.
Well, to be fair, she had never actually seen a bona fide Transcender, so she didn't know what true power looked like.
Asia and Megumi tightened their posture as well.
Especially Megumi—she shot Izumi a deep, resentful look.
"Is this the 'guest' you mentioned…?"
"They're obviously not here with peaceful intentions!"
Izumi only chuckled at her reaction.
"Well, you're not wrong. But it's nothing serious."
"It's just some washed-up vampire relic from the old era."
Saying that, Izumi stood and walked toward the door.
Megumi and the others exchanged looks, then hurried after him.
Outside Izumi's home, a handsome blond youth hovered in the air, standing upon a massive serpentine familiar.
The overwhelming mana earlier—there was no mistaking it came from him.
The moment he noticed Izumi's group, Dimitrie's gaze zeroed in on Avrora.
"Prototype No.12, huh?"
"Well then… I've come to retrieve you."
"Be a good girl and come with me."
A fanatic glint—part madness, part bloodlust—coursed through his eyes.
It was obvious he had no good intentions whatsoever.
Izumi raised an eyebrow, didn't bother speaking, and without hesitation projected a long crimson spear straight at the idiot.
The speed was absurd—instantaneous.
With a sharp crack, the spear skewered the serpent familiar, which let out a pained shriek and disintegrated on the spot.
The sudden attack left Dimitrie completely stunned—so much so that he toppled from the sky.
Face-first.
A perfect dog-eat-dirt landing.
Izumi clicked his tongue impatiently.
"Oi, who the hell told you you're allowed to look down on me?"
"You come to my house and start acting cool? Did I say you could?!"
Normally, Izumi wasn't the type to curse outright.
But this damn hentai was simply begging for it.
And Izumi had zero tolerance for arrogant idiots.
Megumi and Le Fay froze.
…This?
This was the terrifying "old-era vampire"?
He looked ridiculously weak right now.
Their fear toward vampires dropped at Mach speed.
Too embarrassing!
Even Avrora was more impressive—and she was mostly just adorable and gluttonous.
They exchanged glances, and unanimously, their eyes filled with contempt as they watched the blond vampire struggle to his feet.
Dimitrie glared at Izumi.
"Y-you… who are you?"
Having spent his days obsessively tinkering with magical devices, he had no idea who Izumi was.
So being crushed instantly left him genuinely confused.
Izumi scoffed.
"Your ancestor."
Blue light instantly erupted behind him, forming a sky full of magic circles.
In the next heartbeat, countless anti-vampire weapons manifested and launched themselves toward Dimitrie.
Izumi didn't feel like wasting a single sentence on this clown.
Killing him outright was faster.
Dimitrie's expression twisted.
"Sagare! Takshaka! Vasuki!"
Three serpentine familiars burst from within him—
—and were immediately shredded by the incoming weapons before they could even roar properly.
Not even a second on the stage.
Izumi snapped his fingers, and the weapons curved midair and drilled straight through Dimitrie.
The vampire's eyes widened.
He… lost?
Just like that?
Am I really this weak…?
What is this human?
He tried to gather mana to repair himself, but the moment he did, the weapons inside him dissolved his magic.
His body dropped to its knees… and then collapsed entirely, lifeless.
The weapons vanished as well.
Even in death, Dimitrie's eyes remained wide open, filled with confusion.
He died without understanding anything—how Izumi was so strong, why those weapons were absolute vampire-killers…
A ridiculous end for a supposedly Maōu-class vampire.
Megumi and the others simply stood there, speechless.
Megumi's gaze drifted to Izumi, her feelings a tangled mess.
Izumi had just defeated a Maōu-class opponent like nothing.
The Fallen Angel they fought previously was also Maōu-class—back then Izumi needed a secret technique to win.
But now?
A few days later?
He didn't even break a sweat.
Megumi felt pressure tightening on her chest.
Can someone as weak as me… really stand beside him as a teammate?
But she exhaled, steadying herself.
If Izumi was going to keep growing stronger…
Then she would grow too.
Enough to stand by him—enough to be someone worthy of being at his side.
Izumi, unaware of her inner conflict, turned toward a quiet corner of the yard.
"Well? You're here already. Not planning to come out?"
"Or do all of you from the Lion King Agency enjoy spying from the shadows?"
Le Fay and the others blinked, turning toward the same spot.
The air twisted—warped.
A girl in a neighboring-school uniform, glasses perched on her nose, and an unfashionable ponytail stepped out, expression cool.
She bowed slightly.
"Nice to meet you, Izumi-kun.
I am Koyomi Shizuka of the Lion King Agency."
Izumi shrugged casually.
"Yeah, yeah, one of the Lion King's 'Three Saints,' right?"
"So? What are you here for?"
"You're here to take Avrora as well?"
"The last one who tried got turned into pavement."
His cold voice echoed.
Weapons silently materialized behind him—every one of them already aimed right at Koyomi.
Sweat began dripping down her forehead.
She hadn't even moved, yet Izumi had already locked her down completely.
And she realized—
—this boy was far more dangerous than any report had stated.