[Author Note (Sorry for the inconvenience)]
The majority has voted, and I, like Commodus watching from beyond the world of Rosario Vampire, together with the others, have rendered my judgment. Thumbs down! The prisoner shall be spared!
Roleplaying aside, the vote/poll I opened Wednesday has been answered, and I thank all of you who voted and even those who only read and voted in their minds (I'll get you next time).
We have 49 votes for Yes (Kill this annoying perverted werewolf trying to steal our waifus).
We have 85 votes for No (He can be redeemed, still useful to the story).
So, without influencing the vote by telling you who to vote for, I myself shall respect the winners, even if this leads to upsetting some of the ones who wanted Gin killed (you can stop reading for all I care, or leave me a 1-star review (no one will care or see it because it's a troll review that doesn't say anything about the story based on the judgment criteria; your feelings don't matter)).
Now that we've got this off my mind, I have taken the liberty to redo chapter 38 and extend it further, steering the wheel toward a more palpable Gin (and also explaining some of his reasoning for what he has done). To appease some upset readers who might not have dropped the story by now, I will punish Gin for what he has done (it was planned for the previous chapter 39, but when you lack patience, shit happens).
Now, without further ado, we will resume with the story. We shall have our darling Yuki-onna make her appearance in the following chapters and have a satisfying death.
[End of the Note]
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Chapter 38: Fangs and Claws (II)
The rooftop fell silent after.
Not the kind of silence that comes from peace, but the heavy, suffocating silence that follows violence. The kind that presses against your ears and makes you aware of your own heartbeat, your own breathing, the tiny sounds of gravel settling after the shockwave of impact.
Gin's body crashed against the low wall, cracking the stone, and he slid to the ground in a heap. For a moment, he did not move. The moonlight caught the blood matting his dark fur, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, the way his fingers twitched against the gravel as if even unconscious, he was still trying to fight.
Inner Moka stood over him, her silver hair floating in an invisible wind, her crimson eyes glowing with barely contained fury.
In that moment, staring at her, I could not help but watch. The way the moonlight caught the edges of her silver hair, the sharp line of her jaw, the curve of her lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line. She looked like something out of a painting, something eternal and untouchable. For a moment, I even forgot to breathe.
'Ahh, snap out of it.'
But I could not. It had been a while since I had seen Inner in all her beauty. Not the glimpses through the rosary or the brief moments we had while sparring where she would beat the crap out of me.
This was her unleashed, unbound, and every inch of her radiated power and grace. The way her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, the way her crimson eyes seemed to hold entire constellations of fury and control. It was distracting in the best possible way.
Her fists were still clenched, her knuckles white, and I could feel the heat radiating off her like a furnace, the residual energy of her Yoki still crackling in the air around us.
"You should have stayed in your den, wolf," she said, her voice cold and quiet. "Now you will learn what happens to those who threaten my dear ones."
Her words hung in the air, sharp as blades. There was no anger in her voice, not anymore. Just certainty. The certainty of someone who was aware of her own powers and was confident she would win this fight before it even started.
Gin groaned and pushed himself up, his body trembling violently.
His Touki flickered around him, no longer the solid silver aura it had been at the start of the fight. It was thin now, patchy, like a candle struggling against a storm. The wound in his side was still bleeding, the dark energy from All-Black preventing it from closing, and his gold eyes were dull with exhaustion and pain.
Blood dripped from his chin onto the gravel, each drop a small dark stain in the moonlight.
"You... you think this is over?" He spat blood onto the gravel, the red liquid mixing with the dust.
"The moon is still high. As long as I fight under the moon, I am invincible. I can still fight both of you without problems."
He tilted his head back, staring at the full moon blazing above us. His eyes widened, and his body convulsed as if something was flooding through him. The fur on his back bristled, and his muscles swelled, veins bulging beneath his skin.
The wound on his body stopped bleeding except for those caused by the blows of All-Black which had left those wounds oozing a dark, symbiotic fluid that was corrosive in nature. The black liquid seeped from the gashes, sizzling where it touched his fur, and Gin growled in frustration.
"Tsk, that cursed sword hinders my regeneration."
His Touki flickered, then flared, the silver aura thickening around him like a second skin. He was channeling more Yoki, drawing directly from the moon's power, and I could feel his presence growing heavier, more oppressive.
"I will fight and prove to you that I am your Club President for a reason. And after I defeat you, I will win Moka's heart. You are just getting in my way at every step."
"That is not how it works," I said, my voice flat. "You do not win someone's heart by kidnapping them and beating up their friends."
'Aside from how delusional this idiot werewolf that is pulling power-ups from his ass… How does he even manage to draw power from the moon?'
'Could it be that he's masking it calling Moon's power but he is in fact consuming a portion of his Life-Essence to unlock the potential of his Werewolf Race?'
'It does not make sense at all.'
Inner Moka did not even blink at the delusional remarks said by Gin. Her crimson eyes remained fixed on him, cold and unyielding, and her arms stayed crossed over her chest. She looked like a queen watching a peasant grovel.
"Oh, really? You think you can fight us both at the same time?" she let out a soft, dismissive scoff. "But the question is… you can still what? Bleed? Beg? Die?"
Gin's lips curled into a snarl, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "You talk big for now Moka-chan. I am surprised that you're also a S-Class Yokai which makes you more appealing to me. Also, I like this personality more than your day-to-day one. I'll make you my girlfriend after taking care of Tsukune-kun."
"Hmph, you're talking too much. Has all that muscles and fur reached your brain?"
Gin threw his head back and howled. The sound was not like his previous howls, which had been calls to the moon or expressions of power. This one was different. It was a hunting call, a challenge, a declaration of intent.
"That is hurtful. Even now you try to reject me. But no worries, I will show you, Moka-chan, that choosing a stronger male would be for your best. There are many guys in the Academy who would do all sorts of deranged things to get to touch a girl like you."
He stepped forward, his claws scraping against the gravel. "I did tell you that I am sorry for my straightforward approach when I took you from your dorm room. I just wanted some quiet moments with you, so you could listen to my heartfelt confession."
Another step. His Touki flared, silver light casting harsh shadows across his furred face. "I can give you everything while in the Academy. Even if that Kuyo bastard takes interest in you, I will protect you."
Inner Moka rolled her eyes, the gesture so exaggerated and dismissive that it seemed to carry more weight than any insult. "Delusional," she said, the single word dripping with contempt.
He lunged.
The speed was blinding, even for me. One moment he was ten feet away, the next, he was in front of Inner Moka, his claws aimed at her throat.
"Amusing," Inner Moka said, not flinching. "Is this how you protect someone? By attacking me or even taking advantage of the other me's weakness to abduct her?"
"You will understand me!" Gin roared, his voice raw with conviction.
His movements were sharper than before, fueled by the moon's renewed blessing, and for a moment, I thought he might actually catch her off guard. I tensed, ready to get involved even though her body language suggested she wanted to fight alone.
She did not flinch.
She tilted her head, just a fraction, and his claws passed through the air where her neck had been. Her hand shot up, palm open, and caught his wrist. The impact sent a shockwave through the rooftop, cracking the gravel beneath their feet.
"Fast," she said, her voice unchanged. "For a mutt."
She twisted his arm, and Gin howled. His Touki flared, pushing against her grip, but she held. Her crimson eyes never left his.
"But speed without control is just chaos."
She released his wrist and drove her palm into his chest. The blow was not powerful, not in the traditional sense. It was precise, aimed at the exact spot where his Touki was thinnest. Gin staggered back, gasping, and Inner Moka followed.
Her hands and legs moved in a blur, each strike targeting a weak point, a joint, a pressure point. Her palms slammed into his shoulders, his elbows, his wrists, and I heard the crack of bone, the grunt of pain.
She was dismantling him, piece by piece, showing him exactly how outmatched he was.
Gin tried to counter, his claws swinging wildly, but she was always a step ahead. She ducked under his swing, drove her knee into his stomach, and elbowed him in the spine. He stumbled forward, and she spun, her leg sweeping his feet out from under him.
He crashed to the gravel, and she stood over him, her breathing unchanged, her expression bored.
Being a spectator and having some understanding of this fighting style that was best suited for Vampires. I couldn't help but marvel that it was not a bad idea to invest more training into the Shuzen-ryu.
'She is way better than me at melee fighting. No wonder even after I got a grip on the Shuzen-ryu, she still embarrassed me. Even with his moon boost, he cannot touch her.'
But Gin was not done.
He pushed himself up, his body trembling, and his gold eyes locked onto hers. The Touki around him flickered, then surged, and I realized what was happening and my own theory that he was consuming his Life Essence became tangible.
"You are strong," Gin admitted, his voice ragged, "far stronger than I actually thought. I might have to rethink my game."
"It will not change your ending," Inner Moka said, her voice flat.
His speed had increased, his strength had returned, and his Touki was burning brighter than before, and even Inner Moka was having to work to stay ahead.
Inner Moka disengaged, leaping back to create distance. Her chest rose and fell, just slightly, the first sign of exertion I had seen from her. Her crimson eyes narrowed, studying Gin with a new intensity.
He stood in the center of the rooftop, his chest heaving, his fur matted with blood and sweat. But his eyes were burning again, and his smile had returned.
"What is wrong, vampire? Running out of tricks?" He spread his arms wide. "The moon is my pack. It will never abandon me like so many of them did when things got tough."
"I can fight like this all night. You might be stronger than me, but I have endurance."
"I have the moon itself backing me."
Inner Moka did not respond. She simply stood there, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She was watching him, studying him, and I could see the gears turning behind her crimson eyes.
Gin laughed, a harsh, barking sound. "You know, I have been thinking. Maybe I do not need to defeat you. Maybe I just need to wear you down. And when you are too tired to fight, I will take you both. Your little boyfriend can watch. I promise you, I will be gentle with you."
He stepped forward, his claws extended.
Inner Moka's expression did not change, but her voice cut through the night like a blade. "Again. You talk too much."
Inner Moka raised one finger. Just one. Almost lazily.
Gin froze mid-step.
His body convulsed, his hands flying to his chest, and his eyes went wide with panic. He tried to move, tried to swing his claws, but his limbs would not obey. It was as if something inside him had seized control of every muscle, every nerve, every fiber of his being.
"What... what is this?" His voice was choked, strained, barely a whisper. "I cannot... move..."
"Blood Dominion," Inner Moka said, her voice calm, almost bored. "Your blood answers to me now. Every beat of your heart, every pulse in your veins, is mine to command. I can speed it up until your heart explodes. I can slow it down until your brain starves. I can make it boil inside your own skin."
She tilted her head, studying him like a scientist examining a specimen. "You know, this is the first time I am facing a werewolf. Being Vampires fated foes and all of that myths nonsense I had heard when little, I was curious to see how your kind would react to a Shinso's Blood Magic."
She uncrossed her arms and walked toward him slowly, her heels clicking against the stone.
"I must admit, I am disappointed. You did manage to push Tsukune around, but that is mainly because he has not fully transformed himself. You got overconfident and are acting just like the bullies you claim to despise in the club's meetings."
She stopped in front of him, looking down at his frozen form. "And here I thought I would get some workout out of you. Instead, I find a mutt who cannot even control his own emotions and instincts when the full moon arises."
"You howl at the sky and think yourself powerful, but you are just a dog chasing a light you will never catch."
I watched as Gin's body jerked and spasmed. Blood seeped from his nose, his ears, the corners of his eyes. His own life force was turning against him, attacking him from within, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"Don't place me in the same boat with those bullies!" Gin roared, his voice raw with fury.
His Touki flickered wildly, trying to push back against the Blood Dominion, but the silver energy was weak, overwhelmed by the crimson power of a Shinso.
'That is an impressive ability. Is this one of her Shinso Abilities?'
'Why does it feel that in the manga and anime, I didn't see even 10% of what Inner Moka can do?'
'I also want this type of ability… My Wealth of Power feels too amateurish.'
Even under the effects of the Blood Dominion, Gin fought like a beast, roaring to the moon.
"It's only the truth. You have acted worse than that Orc idiot who got his head cut. At least that one was direct and went for what he desired, you instead took pleasure in your strength and seniority to play with Tsukune and Kurumu."
She leaned down, her face inches from his. "Still, I am curious about something, dog. Have you ever thought about the consequences of messing with me? Can you really say you are ready to face death?"
Gin's eyes blazed with defiance, even as blood dripped from his nose. "I have faced death more times than you can imagine, Vampiress. I ran from my clan, fought their pursuit, I fought and ran from Monster Hunters they hired to kill me. I faced so many dangers that you can't even imagine. I built myself from nothing. I am not afraid of a vampire who hides behind a seal."
"However, I will say this. You are the hottest vampire chick I have ever seen."
"So stupid," Inner Moka said, her voice cold. "Just because you like my appearance does not mean you will like my personality. I take it back. You might be an idiot in heat, just like that Orc who tried to put his filthy hands on me."
"Hmph, you think I would drop so low as to force myself on any girl I fancy?" Gin spat, his voice cracking. "I have my own standards. At most, I would admire flowers from a distance! Just like I did with the Kendo Club girls."
I stepped forward, All-Black still in my hand, my voice cutting through the tension. "So you admit it? You were the one causing distress among the girls from various clubs? The peeping? The photos?"
Gin's lips curled into a snarl, and in this state of adrenaline coursing through his veins, he did not bother to deny it. "Yes, it was me. And I have no regrets. Those beauties from the Kendo and Archery Clubs deserved to be admired. I captured their grace, their elegance, their perfection. It was art, not perversion."
"You are just a lowly pervert," Inner Moka said, her voice dripping with contempt.
She raised her hand, and the Blood Dominion intensified. The pressure around Gin increased twofold, crushing him from the inside out. His body convulsed, and a scream tore from his throat. But it was not a sound of pain. It was a sound of defiance, of rage, of a will that refused to break.
His Touki exploded outward, silver light burning through the blood magic like a star going supernova. The connection snapped, and Inner Moka stumbled back, her eyes wide.
Gin's chest heaved as he gasped for air, his gold eyes wild with fury. "I have been looked down on my whole life. I will not be stopped by a spoiled vampire's parlor trick!"
"Spoiled?" Inner Moka's expression flickered, and I saw the first crack in her composure, a flash of genuine anger. "You don't know anything about me."
Then Inner Moka's eyes widened, just for a moment, and Gin lunged.
"Aegis," Inner Moka whispered, her tone urgent as she called out her ability.
His fist slammed into her chest, and with her eyes blazing with crimson light, blood started to pool around her bosom, taking the form of a shimmering shield. The Aegis of condensed blood reduced the force of the impact, yet, with the full might of an S-tier Yokai, the impact was still immense.
The blow sent her flying across the rooftop, her silver hair trailing behind her like a comet's tail.
She crashed into me, and I caught her, wrapping my arms around her to steady us both. The force of the blow had been immense, and I could feel the vibration in my bones, the ache in my muscles. I held her close, her body warm against mine, her silver hair brushing against my cheek.
"I have you. Are you alright?"
Her crimson eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something other than cold fury. Surprise, maybe. Or confusion. She was looking at me, but also at my arms around her, at the way I was holding her. Her lips parted slightly, and I could have sworn I saw a flicker of pink on her pale cheeks.
She did not respond to my question immediately. She just stayed there, in my arms, her body tense but not struggling. It was as if she was experiencing something she had not felt before, something she could not name.
"Mmm, I have not expected this mutt to resist the effect of Blood Dominion." Her voice was quiet, almost thoughtful, and she spoke more to herself than to me. "Maybe my skills have turned rusty since I got sealed six years ago. But back then I had just finished my own training."
She frowned, her crimson eyes narrowing as she glanced at the rosary still clutched in my hand. "Perhaps it is because of the seal. My powers still have to return to their full strength."
Then she blinked, and the moment passed. She pushed away from me gently, her expression hardening once more.
"I did not want to get you involved," she said, her voice quieter than before, "but it is inevitable." She looked at me, her crimson eyes sharp and assessing. "You may join. But be careful not to let yourself be exposed. If you find openings to attack with that sword of yours, all the better."
I nodded, gripping All-Black at my side. "Understood."
The fight resumed, and Inner Moka took the vanguard position. Her silver hair trailed behind her like a banner as she moved, each step precise, each strike calculated. The way she fought, you could say that she was performing on a stage.
Every punch, every kick, every shift of her weight was a lesson I was receiving on Shuzen style, a masterclass in hand-to-hand combat that left no room for error.
And from the small, almost imperceptible curve of her lips, I could tell she was enjoying it.
'She is in her element. I think she feels more alive fighting foes and getting her own dopamine rush.'
Gin swung his claws wildly, trying to land a hit, but she flowed around his attacks like water around stones. She ducked under a sweeping strike, drove her palm into his ribs, and spun away before he could counter. Her movements were fluid, almost lazy, as if she had all the time in the world.
'Now. I see an opening.'
A Sanguine Spear materialized in my hand, the blood hardening into a jagged crimson projectile. I pulled my arm back and hurled it at Gin's exposed ribs. The spear punched through his weakening Touki like paper, burying itself in his flesh with a wet, sickening thunk.
Gin howled, stumbling forward, and Inner Moka was there.
She did not waste the opportunity. Her fists drove into his stomach, his chest, his face. Each blow was precise, brutal, and I could hear the crack of bone, the grunt of pain. She followed with a knee to his diaphragm, an elbow to his spine, and a spinning kick that sent him crashing to the gravel.
'That is my girl.'
But Gin's recovery was something to be impressed by.
Even with the spear in his side, even with Inner Moka's relentless assault, he did not stay down.
He pushed himself up, his body trembling, and his Touki flared again. The silver aura was thinner now, patchy, but it was still there. He was still fighting.
'This guy fights like we have done some injustice to him, and not the other way around.'
'He just will not quit.'
He fought against both of us, and he was not losing by much. His speed and strength were still elevated by the moon, and his endurance seemed endless. Every time I thought we had him, he found a reserve of power I had not anticipated.
But I was starting to feel the strain.
My mana reserves were dipping dangerously low. Each Sanguine Spear I threw cost me, and I had been throwing them frequently to snipe him. Taking into consideration that I was also approaching the end of my rope, flashes of crimson flickered at the edges of my vision, almost as a reminder that I was running on borrowed time.
[The user's Mana Pool has reached the lower limit of 20%.]
[Certain functions of the Annihilation Maker will be limited.]
'If this continues, I will be out of the fight, I only have 10 minutes left. After that, Moka will be alone in this.'
By this point, Gin had taken care of my remaining summons. The Vampire Lord and Vampire Lady had been destroyed, their forms crumbling into ash during the earlier exchange. The Ghosts were gone. The Sorcerer was gone. It was just me and Inner Moka against him.
'This bastard for sure is resilient even if he's on crack.'
'Still standing speaks a lot of how tenacious an S-Class Monster could be.'
'Or… it just means I am too weak to defeat them in an instant.'
Inner Moka's eyes narrowed. She raised her hand, and crimson energy gathered around her palm. It was darker than before, more focused, and the air grew heavy with pressure.
"Blood Shatter," she said.
The energy exploded outward, a wave of crimson light that slammed into Gin's chest. His Touki shattered like glass, and his body convulsed. Blood seeped from his nose, his ears, the corners of his eyes. He collapsed to his knees, gasping.
But he did not fall.
His body began to heal, the wounds closing, the flesh knitting, and if not for the wounds I have given him with All-Black he would appear to be in pristine condition, except for the blood marks on his fur.
His Touki flickered, then flared, weaker than before but still present, and even Inner Moka was starting to show signs of exhaustion.
Her chest rose and fell faster now, and I could see the strain on her face. Her crimson eyes were still sharp, still focused, but there was a tightness around her mouth that had not been there before.
'This has turned into a war of attrition. We need to seal off his access to the moon if the clouds don't want to be on our side.'
I looked up at the sky. The full moon was still bright, still full, still pouring its silver light onto the rooftop. There were no clouds, no cover, nothing to block it.
'What a tenacious bastard. Makes you think you're the villain in his own life story or something.'
'You dumbass, just drop down already. Making it harder for me to defeat you will just tilt the scale toward me killing you.'
I turned to Moka. "Babe, if we continue fighting like this, we will just exhaust ourselves and lose by default."
"He is like an immortal cockroach."
"We need to cut off his access to the moon. Can you do it? Cover the whole battlefield in mist with your Wealth of Power?"
Her eyes met mine, and I saw understanding dawn. She considered the idea for a moment, then shook her head. "Using Wealth of Power right here? Even if I cover everything in a Blood Mist, he can still use a shockwave attack to disperse it. It would be a waste of energy."
"Then I will try something with my Sacred Gear."
"Actually." She paused, her crimson eyes flickering toward Gin, who was already rising, his body trembling with rage and pain. "I have another Shinso Ability that I rarely use. Blood Sanctuary. It is a domain-type ability that can enhance our strength. It will cut him off from the moonlight at the same time."
I blinked. "You have such a powerful ability? Why have you not used it from the beginning?"
She hesitated, and for a moment, I saw something almost like embarrassment flicker across her face. "I do not know."
"I just wanted to stretch my body and test myself against this mutt." She glanced at me, then away. "Besides, it is an ability that I need to prepare. It will take time. And I cannot sustain the activation while fighting. I will need you to hold him off."
I looked at All-Black in my hand, then at Gin. The symbiote pulsed against my skin, hungry, eager to consume more essence and begin its own return to power. My mana was thinning out, whereas my body was aching from the bruises and wounds that had healed thanks to my Vampiric Regeneration.
What was more concerning was that All-Black's symbiotic attachment had increased. The right hand holding the sword was covered from palm to shoulder in a sort of symbiotic exoskeleton, dark tendrils pulsing with the same hungry energy as the blade itself. It felt heavy, powerful, and deeply wrong all at once.
She glanced at me, more specifically at my crimson eyes that still had fight in them, then swiftly turned away as if she could not face me for too long without showing an emotion. Her profile was sharp against the moonlight, her jaw tight, her lips pressed into a thin line.
'Ahh, why am I such a masochist for pain? But, how could I reject my awesome, baddie vampire girlfriend?'
"I can do that."