Blade moved through the empty factory floor like a shadow, his sunglasses reflecting the cold industrial lights overhead. The massive hall stretched out around him, silent at first glance, but the tension in the air made it clear he wasn't alone. His black leather jacket creaked faintly as he walked, steady and unhurried, like a man stepping into a fight he had already accepted.
From the side rooms, shapes began to emerge. One by one, then in clusters, vampires poured out into the open space, their pale faces twisted with hunger and hatred. Their fangs glinted under the dim lighting as they bared them without restraint, their eyes locking onto Blade with the kind of fury reserved for a natural predator.
Blade didn't react. He simply raised his sword, settling into a stance that was as precise as it was effortless. His expression remained flat, emotionless, as if the growing crowd in front of him was nothing more than an inconvenience.
Then one of them broke.
With a savage roar, a younger vampire lunged forward, reckless and eager, his body moving fast enough to blur. His confidence didn't last long. Blade's arm flicked once, a silver arc slicing through the air, and the vampire disintegrated into ash before his momentum even carried him halfway across the distance.
That single strike was all it took.
The hall erupted into chaos as the remaining vampires charged at once, their shrieks echoing off the metal walls. Blade stepped forward to meet them, his movements fluid and controlled, weaving through the swarm with terrifying precision. His blade flashed again and again, each strike clean, each motion calculated, turning attackers into drifting ash before they could even land a hit.
Their speed, their strength—none of it mattered. Against his mastery, their advantages became meaningless.
Cries of rage and pain filled the air as more vampires fell. Some began to hesitate, their instincts finally catching up with the reality of the situation. Blade didn't give them time to recover. He cut down a larger vampire with a decisive strike, then immediately shifted his focus, locking onto one that had already turned to flee.
The fleeing vampire sprinted toward a nearby room, desperation driving every step. Blade followed without hesitation, closing the distance rapidly. Just as the creature reached the doorway and was about to disappear inside, something unexpected happened.
The vampire was suddenly hurled backward.
Its body flew out of the room like it had been launched from a cannon, crashing violently across the floor. Blade's momentum slowed for a split second, surprise flashing through his mind as he registered what had just happened.
Then the source revealed itself.
A towering figure stepped out from the room, clad in medieval armor that gleamed faintly under the factory lights. In his right hand, he held a massive broadsword, while his left carried a shield that looked like it had survived centuries of war. Without a word, he moved.
The broadsword came down in a brutal arc.
Blade reacted instantly, bringing his silver blade up to meet the attack. The clash rang out like a hammer striking steel, sparks bursting into the air as the two weapons collided. The force behind the strike was immense, far beyond what he had expected, and his body was driven backward under the impact.
His boots scraped against the ground as he stabilized himself, eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses.
Drake.
The ancient vampire stood before him, his armored frame radiating a presence that was impossible to ignore. They had crossed paths before, only days ago, but that encounter had been brief. There had been no real fight, no true test of strength. Still, Blade hadn't forgotten the impression the man had left.
This was someone who could force even Locke to retreat.
A faint, unsettling smile spread across Drake's lips as he studied Blade, his gaze sharp and almost curious. There was something in his eyes, something that gleamed with interest rather than simple hostility.
"A human… and a vampire," he said slowly, his voice carrying a strange amusement. "What a fascinating combination."
Blade didn't respond. He had no interest in conversation.
He moved first.
Closing the distance in an instant, he swung his sword with deadly precision, aiming straight for Drake's upper body. The ancient vampire raised his weapon to meet the attack, and the two clashed again, steel ringing through the hall as their battle escalated without hesitation.
They moved fast—faster than the eye could easily follow. Their blades struck again and again, the rhythm of their exchange sharp and relentless. Sparks flew with every collision, their figures weaving through the open space as they pushed each other without pause.
For a brief moment, something like approval flickered across Drake's face. Blade's skill had earned his acknowledgment, and his unique nature only made him more interesting in the ancient vampire's eyes. In Drake's estimation, Blade already surpassed most opponents he had encountered—perhaps even more noteworthy than Locke in certain aspects.
Above them, the chaos continued.
A vampire crouched along an elevated platform, a cruel grin stretching across his face as he raised a firearm. His aim settled on Blade, who was fully engaged in his duel and seemingly unaware of the threat from above. The vampire's finger tightened on the trigger.
Before he could fire, an arrow pierced straight through his body.
A flash of fire followed instantly, consuming him from within. His scream barely had time to echo before he collapsed into ash, scattering across the metal surface beneath him.
Albert lowered his bow, his expression cold and focused as he took in the shifting battlefield. From another passage, more vampires rushed in, drawn by the noise and the scent of blood. Their attention quickly shifted toward him.
He didn't flinch.
Drawing another arrow in one smooth motion, he fired again. The shot was precise, clean, reducing another vampire to ash before it could even get close. The remaining attackers closed the distance rapidly, forcing the fight into close quarters.
Albert switched seamlessly.
His bow shifted position, and a silver dagger appeared in his hand, its edge gleaming as he stepped forward to meet them. The vampires lunged, their movements quick and aggressive, but he met them head-on. His strikes were sharp and efficient, aiming for vital points without hesitation.
Still, these weren't mindless opponents.
They dodged his attacks with surprising agility, their coordination improving as they pressed him from multiple angles. One of them surged forward, attempting to overwhelm him with sheer force.
It didn't go well.
The vampire slammed directly into the bow in Albert's hand, and in the next instant, a burst of blinding white light erupted from the weapon. The energy tore through the creature's body, reducing it to nothing in a heartbeat.
The remaining vampire hesitated, instinct finally kicking in.
Albert didn't give him the chance to retreat. His dagger flashed forward, piercing straight through the vampire's throat. The creature let out a final, ragged roar before its body crumbled into ash.
More were coming.
From all directions, vampires began to converge on his position, drawn by the growing conflict. They avoided the clash between Drake and Blade, instinctively recognizing it as something beyond their level, and instead focused on the easier target.
Albert's expression tightened as he counted them. Six… maybe seven. Enough to make things complicated.
Then a voice cut through the tension.
"Miss me?"
Hannibal dropped into the fray beside him, a grin already spreading across his face. His silver dagger spun in his hand as he took in the situation, his posture relaxed in a way that didn't quite match the danger around them.
He didn't hesitate to open his mouth.
The moment he started talking, every vampire in the area seemed to snap their attention toward him. Their expressions twisted, their aggression spiking as his taunts hit their mark perfectly.
Albert shot him a look that promised violence later.
Right now, they didn't have time.
The vampires charged again, this time with even more intensity. Hannibal met them head-on, his movements surprisingly sharp as he engaged two at once. Despite his constant chatter, his combat ability was anything but lacking. He wove between attacks, blocking and countering with impressive precision.
His voice didn't stop either.
Insults, jokes, and commentary spilled out in the middle of the fight, creating a bizarre contrast with the brutality of the battle. The scene was chaotic, almost surreal, as he balanced humor and violence in equal measure.
Albert found himself with far fewer opponents as a result.
Three vampires moved against him, but compared to the swarm Hannibal had drawn, it was manageable. He fought with steady focus, dispatching them one by one as the battle spread across the hall.
Meanwhile, Hannibal began to realize he might have overdone it.
With more vampires closing in, his confidence wavered just slightly. Without waiting for things to get worse, he turned and bolted, retreating the way he had come while continuing to shout over his shoulder.
Below, the main battle raged on.
Blade slammed into the wall under a heavy impact, the force sending cracks through the surface behind him. He lifted his head, staring at Drake, who stood a short distance away, baring his monstrous fangs in a feral grin.
Blade's eyes flickered.
He shifted slightly, letting his body sag just enough to sell the illusion of weakness. Pain showed on his face, subtle but convincing, as if the last exchange had taken more out of him than it actually had.
Drake took the bait.
With a roar, he charged forward, his broadsword raised high as he brought it down in a crushing strike. The blade cut through the air with deadly force, aimed straight for Blade's position.
At the last moment, everything changed.
Blade moved.
His sword snapped upward, knocking the broadsword off its path with precise timing. In the same motion, his leg drove forward, slamming into Drake's abdomen with brutal force.
The impact sent the ancient vampire flying backward.
Blade didn't pause.
He surged forward, closing the gap in an instant, and delivered a powerful punch straight into Drake's face. The blow carried enough force to send Drake crashing through a glass display wall, the structure shattering into fragments as his body tore through it.
Drake's form slammed into the far wall, the impact echoing through the hall.
Mid-air, his face twisted.
Bone and muscle shifted beneath his skin as his features distorted, his body beginning to change. By the time he hit the wall, the transformation had already begun, his form taking on something far more monstrous than before.
Rage burned in his eyes.
The humiliation of being driven back had ignited something deeper, something far more violent. As he pushed off the wall, his movements became sharper, more aggressive, his presence intensifying with every second.
He launched himself forward again.
This time, he didn't hold back.
In a blur of motion, he closed the distance and grabbed Blade, wrapping his arms around him with crushing force. Before Blade could react, Drake drove him down into the ground.
Boom!
....
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