‘What do you mean, Nicole?’ the soldier asked.
Before Nicole could answer, the question answered itself:21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPYfz0bXsP
The commander cried out again.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxghelLGlJ
He was helpless against his foe.
The soldier’s face went pale.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4RJ80wYih
Their commander was dying.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZurZ8N8yd9
Their strongest warrior was losing.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbKUT1ZdYF
Humanity wouldn’t make it.
Nicole, too, was speechless.
Dracule, seeing their reaction, burst into hysterical laughter.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9ug4QFWOf
He even had to clutch his stomach.
The winner was decided.
Or was it?
Yes, the sun had turned red.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LhFEwErq4
But the sun wasn’t the only thing that visited Earth.
Behind the clouds, a silver light broke through.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDuiShgHQ0
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—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGEwrihLG2
the full moon.
‘We have not lost yet!’ Commander Nootra bellowed.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfio6T9eDck
‘We have not lost yet! Fight! Fight and survive! My soldiers! My friends! My love!’
Silver light erupted from his body.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawvouHaGmG
His fur shimmered. His wounds healed.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01z6b9i5cO
And the war cry that followed shook the heavens.
The ghouls froze.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupCwhGMQxx
Even Dracule had to swallow hard.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwiIhXJBid
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Qo3WkTUAp
Then—giant blood worms shot down from the sky.
Their fangs were forged of demon energy.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqrj5NvNdI
They came in great numbers.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPrvVJfgZr
Each fired energy blasts at the soldiers—at the commander.
But it only took one swing of Nootra’s powerful arm.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkzmSY7wi7
A wave of silver energy blasted forth, destroying all incoming attacks.
His soldiers’ morale soared.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOsaSOvyow
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpK5U1ujLB
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSwCDPXUjM
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLic6DfUEg
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFLe19FyMP
Only a king candidate—or the King himself—can satisfy my hunger now.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXXwRgxES9
Grow stronger. One day, we’ll face each other again.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaiq6wKgEn
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecr7h5jTmU
See you then.’
In the Present
Commander Nootra had effortlessly destroyed the blood worms.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSFuYfqjdi
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,21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtSc4YgaIG
but they’d buy Dracule enough time for one final attack.
He held the energy spear in his hand.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwxQtfzkHw
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!21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia5fJmGSEs
I prepared this special gift just for you.
O cursed bone, carved by judgment—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TH1JYWjui
Trace the guilt in flesh and soul.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRkh51S3EC
Twist the heavens. Tear through fate—
Akzhareth, pierce without mercy!’
He threw the spear.
Just as the commander broke free, the spear struck—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbaOJ74GSO
piercing through his body.
A burst of light exploded, bathing the sky in violet.
Nicole began to cry.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvh3eKV3dK
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBCfFBM6AD
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RJtNzJg1d
But he was still standing.
Dracule, already pale, turned ghostly white.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid30tFRtSF
He had put everything into that final attack.
‘Hahaha… it seems it will be like last time.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7HB6fC9qQ
I am the loser.’
The commander surged forward at terrifying speed.
Dracule didn’t move.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sibv8xzdG
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—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tNP3V6t8W
ripped out his heart—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjMaGM0O2X
and raised the bloodied organ in his hand.
He crushed it.
Blood spilled across his face.
The ghouls fled.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsZUSkcHMC
The soldiers cheered.
Only Nicole remained silent, watching the commander.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TLSnKhIoD
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8MX0xiBu7
‘That’s not our commander. RUN!’
The next moment—21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRNXq2bX2M
the commander fired a silver energy blade at the group.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58otdzbGWz
