‘Yes, a demon,’ the woman replied.
Dean slowly made space for her. But the woman teleported behind him.
‘But what are you? You're not human, yet you don’t give me the feeling of an immune one. Weird.’
Dean struggled to his feet. He shook out his hand and fingers, then rolled his shoulder.
‘Come on,’ he mumbled to himself.
The woman gave him a wide smile—then teleported again.
Dean was on guard. He didn’t know where she would appear, but she had to show up. He spun quickly, peered over his shoulder, then to his right and left—but no woman.
Only when he looked up did he see it—a leg came flying toward him, smashing him to the ground.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0bOVqLkJU
The woman stepped back from his bleeding face.
‘Yes, you’re not human. I went for the kill with that attack—yet you're still alive. For now at least. Before I end you, tell me who you are.’
Dean chuckled as he stood up. He raised his arms.
‘Well then—die!’
The woman summoned two grey daggers. She bounced in place and inhaled deeply. The moment she emptied her lungs completely—she vanished.
Dean braced himself to face her head-on.
But ten of her appeared at once, pouncing on him from all directions.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuPXAJqk6U
There was no way he could survive the assault.
The woman closed in, and Dean had no idea which one to focus on.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3PUXzloBq
Then he felt it.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkkHnXGV67
A raging storm inside him.
The storm surged into his fist, which began to glow golden.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUqSJb7wTM
Dean suddenly knew what to do.
The light slowed the woman for a moment—but she pressed on regardless.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJefTKpmmAp
All the afterimages went for a thrust.
Dean slammed his fist into the ground. Energy burst out of his hand and shot into the enemies.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL9zjZPySZ
All the clones vanished—leaving only the real woman before him.
She was stunned.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4OuQwUTYv
A blessing.
Dean wasted no time. He lunged forward, gathered all the energy into his fist, and struck her.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP67XjB6yoU
Light exploded from the impact—destroying the woman completely.
Nothing remained.
Dean collapsed, gasping hard.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zw0vFkJWe
Before he blacked out, he saw men in suits rushing toward him.
In the Forest
Fighting such a number of ghouls turned out to be harder than Nicole had expected.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fgrYxstIt
Luckily, she'd already been possessed once—so when a ghoul bit her, it only wounded her. Still, better not to get bitten at all.
Meanwhile, the commander and Dracule had taken the fight to the skies.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4H84TaGYi
The commander went for a slash—Dracule deflected.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdcnec1NE9
Another slash—this time it grazed Dracule’s arm.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtO2FKkrg4Z
And another.
The commander didn’t stop. He became faster, each strike aimed closer to Dracule’s heart.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrJjlyld5o
Dracule chose to put more distance between them.
Immediately, the commander gave chase—unaware of the tiny blood droplets surrounding him.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7LBJab0mN
They morphed into long spikes and pierced his body.
At the same time, the blood that had entered him coursed through his veins and paralyzed him.
‘You lacked patience! Look where that got you,’ Dracule taunted.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RBautYNTC
‘You’re a beast, no doubt. But I know there’s more inside you!’
He gathered demonic energy in his palm and let the orb grow before firing it at the frozen commander—booooom.
When the smoke cleared, the commander was wounded but still standing.
Dracule fired again. And again.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrj6YlZGfN
His laughter echoed through the sky.
Nicole noticed. But her hands were full—ghouls surrounded her.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu8iirLBaA
Tears formed in her eyes, but she couldn’t run to help.
‘Fuck!’ she cursed, beheading a charging ghoul.
She formed a giant scythe and swung it in a wide arc, slicing the ghouls before her in half.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGk7oTKrbw2
From behind, she shot blood blades at ghouls trying to flank her.
A powerful attack—but it came at a price.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGn1GA8saV
Nicole collapsed for the first time.
She gasped for air.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqggeDAdb1
When she raised her head to the heavens, it felt as though a force was pressing it down.
She needed a break.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxr3lSM9A3A
But Dracule was toying with the commander.
Then the commander screamed.
It wasn’t a war cry.
‘He’s in pain!’ Nicole realized.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSlgjno0ZE
‘You bastard!’
Forget the ghouls. She was going to tear that bastard apart—even if he was a Celestial.
Fueled by rage, she launched upward.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vE6U3JqQj
She didn’t notice the giant ghoul that had emerged.
It leapt—landing above her—and slammed her back to the ground. Baaaamm.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OAyYPBbaz
It landed hard.
Nicole’s head bled. She coughed up even more.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB3MsNYcBH
Her right arm was mangled—useless.
Another giant ghoul emerged behind her.
Still, when she heard the commander’s tortured cry, she rose again.
She wasn’t done.
But she was unlucky.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUox5IqaKkF
She was only facing ghouls—meaning she couldn’t drink their blood.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMIOFjhVS4
It was rotten. Foul.
Vampires grow stronger by drinking blood. Depending on the quantity and compatibility, their power can double—or more.
The ghouls closed in.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh3hupbv65
Their grunts were drowned out by the commander’s howls.
Peng, peng, peng…26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn02dq5BpBI
One after another, ghouls dropped.
Soldiers had come to help.
One ran to Nicole and held her upright, reporting:
‘Some of the soldiers—and Dean’s group—they made it out. They’re heading to the White House!26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFA5an0PAMd
We need to finish up here and join them!’
‘Yes… we should,’ Nicole said, breathing heavily.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlH1RMJ8kY
She hesitated, then added, painfully:
‘I doubt we’ll make it out alive.’26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJJ8J6qIRC
