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"Wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."
Leaving those words behind, Edgar's figure blurred and vanished from the spot.
In an instant, he had reached his destination.
Hovering high in the sky, he looked down.
A graceful figure immediately came into view.
She was a stunning beauty with long crimson hair tucked beneath a tricorne hat.
Her delicate features were flawless, her skin smooth as porcelain.
She was tall, with a perfectly proportioned, curvy figure that bordered on perfection.
A fitted black shirt accentuated her generous bust, the fabric stretched so tightly it looked as though it might tear apart at any moment.
Her slender waist only emphasized those flawless proportions, while her black trousers hugged her long legs, giving them an irresistible allure.
She was sprinting through the forest, every movement swift and elegant.
Even so...
Her face was pale.
It was obvious she had already been injured.
Not far behind her, several figures were rapidly closing the distance.
"Damn it..."
Mary glanced back, despair flashing across her eyes as her pursuers drew closer.
She knew that if they caught up to her...
She would die here.
As a vampire hunter, she had recently been ambushed by both human mercenaries and vampires.🧛♀️
Outnumbered, fleeing had been her only option.
Unfortunately, the enemy had planned everything in advance.
They had no intention of letting her escape alive.
She didn't even need to think to know whose handiwork this was.
It had to be that bastard Crimson.
To resurrect the Queen, he intended to eliminate her, a potential threat, ahead of time. 👑
"Hm? Someone's ahead..."
Mary's expression stiffened.
A handsome young man with black hair and black eyes stood in her path.
"Run! Hurry! The people behind me are dangerous!" 🏃♀️💨
Panting heavily, she shouted at Edgar.
The human mercenaries were bad enough.
The vampires behind them would never spare an ordinary human who crossed their path.
Clenching her teeth, she abruptly changed direction.
She probably wasn't getting out of this alive.
But at the very least...
She couldn't drag someone else into this.
The young man was still so young.
He didn't deserve to die here.
"Hahaha! Well, what have we here? Such a perfect meal."
One of the vampires noticed Edgar and grinned viciously.
"That woman isn't getting away anyway."
"I'll have a little appetizer first, then I'll..."
Boom!
Before he could finish speaking,a pillar of blazing magical power erupted directly in front of him. 💥
The earth shook violently.
A fierce shockwave swept through the forest, making countless trees sway wildly.
"AAAAAAAH—!"
A miserable scream echoed from within the pillar of magic.
Then, in the blink of an eye...
It stopped.
Silence engulfed the mountains.
An eerie, suffocating silence.
Mary...
The pursuing vampires...
Even the mercenaries...
Everyone froze in place, staring blankly ahead.
What...
Just happened?
None of them had expected events to take such a turn.
"He's... that strong?"
After a brief moment of shock, hope returned to Mary's eyes.
He had attacked a vampire without hesitation.
At the very least...
He wasn't her enemy.
Could she ask him for help?
Meanwhile, Edgar's eyes flickered.
Ah... so it's Mary.
The Blood Queen's right-hand woman.
I never expected to run into her here.
"Sir!"
Mary hurriedly called out.
"I'm being hunted by these people. If you're willing to save me, I'll pay you handsomely."
Very sensible.
She offered it herself.
"Deal."
Smiling faintly, Edgar walked toward the vampires and mercenaries.
At his feet lay the vampire who had been boasting moments ago.
His body had been blasted into a mangled, unrecognizable mess.
"Damn it..."
The vampires and mercenaries finally snapped out of their shock as Edgar approached, their expressions darkening.
The leading vampire stepped forward with a polite smile.
"My friend, we have no grudge against one another. There's no need for you to involve yourself in this."
Edgar's previous attack had frightened him.
As he spoke, he quietly signaled the others with his eyes.
The surrounding vampires and mercenaries immediately began shifting into position, forming a loose encirclement around Edgar.
Edgar said nothing.
He merely raised a hand.
"Damn you. Think this through."
The lead vampire's expression turned cold.
"There are so many of us. You don't stand a chance."
"Is that so?"
Edgar smiled.
His hand never stopped moving.
"Attack!"
The vampire roared.
The ground exploded beneath his feet as he shot forward like lightning.
His sword slashed through the air, leaving behind a brilliant streak of light.
He acknowledged Edgar's strength.
But he wasn't afraid.
Every person here was a seasoned veteran.
Perhaps...
A coordinated strike would be enough to kill him.
Bang!
Fist met sword with a dull explosion.
The next instant...
The lead vampire's face changed dramatically.
An unimaginable force surged through his blade.
It felt as though his internal organs had shifted inside his body.
He was blasted backward like a cannonball.
"W-What is..."
Terror filled his face.
An overwhelming tide of magic engulfed him, tearing through every inch of his body.
His vision blurred.
As consciousness faded...
He saw the black-haired young man casually waving his hand.
One after another...
His companions fell like wheat before the scythe.
His final thought before death was simple.
I should've run...
Meanwhile...
Mary stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.
She had been preparing to join the fight.
Now it was obvious she wasn't needed.
The vampires and mercenaries who had cornered her and driven her into despair...
In Edgar's hands, they were no different from ants crushed beneath a boot. 🥶
They posed no threat whatsoever.
She didn't even dare breathe too loudly.
Instead, she instinctively backed away several steps.
Just in case...
She got caught in the crossfire and was casually wiped out along with them.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Footsteps echoed through the silent forest.
Edgar returned to her side.
"It's over."
"T-Thank you for saving my life!" 🙇♀️
Mary shuddered and immediately bowed deeply.
"Why are you so nervous?"
Edgar blinked.
"Relax. I won't hurt you."
How could I not be nervous?
You're terrifyingly strong...
Swallowing nervously, Mary forced a smile.
"I know, of course."
"You're a good person."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have saved me."
"Let's skip the 'good person' part."
Edgar waved a hand and smiled.
"After all..."
"I'm a demon." 😈
"Huh?"
Mary stared blankly, unable to process what she'd just heard.
Then she laughed awkwardly.
"Sir, that's not a very funny joke."
"Demons are just legends. There's no way they could..."
Whoosh.
Before she finished speaking, a pair of jet-black wings unfolded behind Edgar. 🪶🐦⬛
"So..."
"Do you still have any doubts?"
Mary's pupils contracted sharply.
Her mouth opened.
But no words came out.
Her expression froze completely.
A demon?
He really was a demon?
What kind of joke was this?
After being driven into a dead end...
The one who had saved her...
Was actually a demon.
Was that...
Good news?
Or very, very bad news?
"..."
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