‘What do you mean, Nicole?’ the soldier asked.
Before Nicole could answer, the question answered itself:22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eqXtXUHWD
The commander cried out again.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJH54MYiY2n
He was helpless against his foe.
The soldier’s face went pale.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8b92oJciS
Their commander was dying.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2TvZfqSzz
Their strongest warrior was losing.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cR99lNOOe
Humanity wouldn’t make it.
Nicole, too, was speechless.
Dracule, seeing their reaction, burst into hysterical laughter.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBpTmvsrzz
He even had to clutch his stomach.
The winner was decided.
Or was it?
Yes, the sun had turned red.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPLalOGiNa
But the sun wasn’t the only thing that visited Earth.
Behind the clouds, a silver light broke through.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzeXuYXlB0
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWeGbDazb2
the full moon.
‘We have not lost yet!’ Commander Nootra bellowed.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqEWjp1bpw
‘We have not lost yet! Fight! Fight and survive! My soldiers! My friends! My love!’
Silver light erupted from his body.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLgrvP1jZ6
His fur shimmered. His wounds healed.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyhUqRqxvm
And the war cry that followed shook the heavens.
The ghouls froze.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDToundpff3
Even Dracule had to swallow hard.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6TOq90t4e
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiOHFlwAFR
Then—giant blood worms shot down from the sky.
Their fangs were forged of demon energy.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ik7q6N1Dk
They came in great numbers.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgNtB3Hjom
Each fired energy blasts at the soldiers—at the commander.
But it only took one swing of Nootra’s powerful arm.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1s9UEKWBqT
A wave of silver energy blasted forth, destroying all incoming attacks.
His soldiers’ morale soared.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhW70gagyX
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCUJDBkfjG
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBa8O7pmDs
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQU9bmMo5Et
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMjOcJmD85
Only a king candidate—or the King himself—can satisfy my hunger now.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImtMdASGpH
Grow stronger. One day, we’ll face each other again.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4T1mfK0rr
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2YrXQ8qHw
See you then.’
In the Present
Commander Nootra had effortlessly destroyed the blood worms.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBaUr5tKeu
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,22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdgJqX9qKh
but they’d buy Dracule enough time for one final attack.
He held the energy spear in his hand.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAzcWmAo7B
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!22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArFBDu4915
I prepared this special gift just for you.
O cursed bone, carved by judgment—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxYLKx9D4F
Trace the guilt in flesh and soul.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuR53aKRs2
Twist the heavens. Tear through fate—
Akzhareth, pierce without mercy!’
He threw the spear.
Just as the commander broke free, the spear struck—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF8Gar1LRi
piercing through his body.
A burst of light exploded, bathing the sky in violet.
Nicole began to cry.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCD2i2454f
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMH6tVIQZpr
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdexn30SWvq
But he was still standing.
Dracule, already pale, turned ghostly white.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTukFpn9OGn
He had put everything into that final attack.
‘Hahaha… it seems it will be like last time.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK4HwdJilq
I am the loser.’
The commander surged forward at terrifying speed.
Dracule didn’t move.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN6bZA9Vs0
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NtqMceOK6
ripped out his heart—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxKm2pPmSk
and raised the bloodied organ in his hand.
He crushed it.
Blood spilled across his face.
The ghouls fled.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqJVv3VT0F
The soldiers cheered.
Only Nicole remained silent, watching the commander.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFHuWpBxZL
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcABTniX2I8
‘That’s not our commander. RUN!’
The next moment—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntpA0Gxltv
the commander fired a silver energy blade at the group.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqnHFVl5yb
