On my command, the ambush launched, lightning and ice raining down from above, and wind and flame tornadoes swirling in from either side. The Vampires began firing red blasts, those must be their Blood Magic, at the attacks barreling towards them, partially canceling them out, but several of the Vampire Minions got caught up in the tornadoes and blasts from above. I didn't see any attack nullified……good, the Evil Number leading this group wasn't Zero. I gulped and wiped the side of my mouth, as a drop of drool began to leak out……seriously, why am I salivating so much?

  "Twenty Vampire Minions are dead, do not let up now!" Urged Atticus.

  Well, that proves it, not that there was much of any doubt to begin with……he really wasn't on the Vampire's side.

  "Well done, ambush squad, now……launch the second wave!"

  On my command, another volley of large scale attacks burst out towards the Vampires……when suddenly, a red outline formed around the Vampires……and then solidified, forming a red defensive barrier all around them, which completely absorbed the impact of the attacks.

  "Tch, it is Eighty-Seven," Remarked Atticus with a grim expression.

  Yeah, I figured as much.

  "So, uh……how wide is her range? I mean, she literally just covered all hundred plus Vampires in an instant……and what was with the outline before the barrier formed?"

  "I believe that was close to the upper limit of her range……as for the outline, it appears an instant before the barrier forms, you could consider it a weakness……it gives her opponents a hint of an opening to see her barriers coming before they actually materialize."

  "Right, got it……don't worry, ambush squad, fire another volley as soon as their barrier goes down!"

  Right on cue, the barrier disappeared, the five seconds up. But right as they launched another wave of attacks, dozens of Vampire Minions shot towards the directions of the attacks, firing several blasts of Blood Magic as they flew at them. A few more attacks were launched, killing a few more Vampires……and then they ceased. The ambush squad, all of them were dead.

  "Damn it……get ready everyone, they're going to attack!" I yelled out, drawing out my blades, "Atticus, their numbers?"……

  huh, now that I think about it, I'm kinda leading this army. Cool.

  "Forty-seven Vampire Minions dead, that is all. There are still about ninety Minions left."

  The Vampires then began moving towards us as a rapid pace, many of them flying……that ravenous feeling I was getting was growing even more intense……come on, just ignore it! Alright, we need to……I was snapped out of my thoughts as Eighty-Seven shot towards us at an incredible speed, closing the gap in seconds. Shit, she's fast!

  I started to enter Vampire Mode, when suddenly, that red outline formed around us at the front line. Wait, no……before I could react, a barrier formed around us, trapping us inside.

  "Fuck, damn it!" I exclaimed in frustration.

  The others were striking the barrier, trying to break it, but it wouldn't budge. I should have reacted faster, but……that feeling, it was getting hard to ignore, getting hard to think straight. The Vampire Minions flew past us overhead, firing a barrage of Blood Magic bolts at the Adventurers behind us, who fired off Elemental Magic in retaliation, but it had little effect, many pained screams ringing out from our side. Some Wind Magic users trying flying up, but quickly got shot back down.

  The Adventurers atop the wall then began firing the large crossbows and cannons, trying to shoot the Vampires out of the sky. A few Vampires fell, but most of them evaded or blasted the projectiles with ease, before destroying the weapons atop the wall with a barrage of Blood Magic blasts and flying over the wall, heading into the Rustlands. Well, the cannons and crossbows turned out to be a lot more useless than I'd hoped……and after we spent months building the cannons too, what a waste.

  There was clear panic among our ranks, and chaos was starting to spread, meanwhile, the Vampires were extremely well coordinated, they weren't helping each other, but they were seamlessly staying out of each other's way……the difference in experience was clear, plus the Vampires had, you know, the high ground……or high air, no that doesn't sound right……my point is, they were literally above our army, and given our numbers, they'd have to have incredibly poor aim to miss hitting someone with every attack.

  "Damn it, why won't this break!?" Exclaimed Neo in frustration, pounding on the barrier with lightning-coated fists.

  "It is useless, my Cross, Absolute Defense is impenetrable. Hm, but I must say, you humans are all quite well prepared……if I had not been the one leading this group, that surprise attack would have likely wiped them all out," Remarked Eighty-Seven, pulling back her hood as she approached those of us trapped in the barrier.

  She had long, straight waist-length black hair with a horizontal streak near the end of the back of it, the front covered her forehead and eyebrows, and she wore a black tank top that showed off her midriff, along with dark blue trousers, under a black cloak that was red inside. And as she spoke to us and got closer, the craving I was feeling further grew stronger, I could barely contain myself anymore.

  It's already been five seconds, looks like she was making this one last longer……she must have figured that we're the strongest of everyone here, and trapped us to let the Minions fly into the Rustlands with minimal casualties. Along with her, there were three Vampires wearing capes, presumably the Vampire Knights, nine with black and red neckbands, I'm assuming the Vampire Generals, and about thirty or so Minions, that weren't showing any signs of moving towards the Rustlands.

  I see, so the ones that were still out here planned to take out the Adventurers who were outside the gate, our main offensive force, while the rest, a little over sixty of them, would subjugate the Rustlands from the inside……the larger number had taken the latter task since our hands would be tied if they ended up taking a bunch of people hostage or something. Only Minions had headed into the Rustlands, while all the stronger ones were out here. Everyone was in a frenzy, unsure of what to do or how to react. Damn it, I gotta snap them out of it or we're fucked. I quickly turned around and yelled at the top of my lungs……

  "ALL ADVENTURERS AT B-RANK AND BELOW, HEAD BACK IN! INEXPERIENCED A-RANKS TOO! FORGET ABOUT KEEPING THEM OUT, IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T LOST YET……YOUR JOB NOW IS TO HEAD BACK IN, SEARCH AND DESTROY THE VAMPIRES THAT INFILTRATED OUR WALLS, AND PROTECT THE CIVILIANS! GOOO!!!!"

  Ahh, my throat. Good, it looks like most of the Adventurers were rushing back in through the gate. We still don't have any real cause to panic, without the use of teleportation, the Vampires weren't getting to the south end of the Rustlands anytime soon, so we still had a chance. And Vampires' Blood Magic is very different to Mana, they couldn't use it to activate human spells.

  "Impressive……you remained calm despite us having dismantled your plan."

  "Heh, you're mistaken……I've simply already considered this possibility, actually, it's more like I expected it……defeating nearly a hundred and fifty Vampires with just the ambush would be too good to be true, after all," I remarked with a smirk.

  That intense craving was flooding my desires, I was salivating like crazy……it was getting harder and harder to ignore it, and keeping myself from drooling wasn't easy either.

  "It matters not, for you will all die now……the instant my barrier deactivates, I shall reduce you all to ash," She remarked, charging up a massive sphere of Blood Magic above her, her eyes glowing menacingly.

  "Yeah, that's it, underestimate us, Vampire……," I taunted, my eyes glowing red as I began to enter Vampire Mode.

  I hadn't grown out my wings and tail yet, this way my time limit won't start ticking, and I'll be able to use my Scarlet Lightning attacks, though I won't have the speed or strength boost active until I fully transform.

  "What……ah, so you are the human that King Lazarus mentioned, are you? Generals! If this human survives my attack, all nine of you will engage and kill him!"

  "What's the matter, too afraid to fight me yourself?"

  "If you are incapable of defeating them, you do not stand a chance against me."

  "I call bullshit……why would you waste nine Vampire Generals just to prove a point?"

  "Actually……she considers all Vampires below the Vampire Knights to be inferior beings. So this makes sense," Remarked Atticus with a sigh.

  "Hm, who are y……wait, it is faint, but I can sense it when I look at you……tch, Atticus Rhain! So this is where you disappeared to, you self-centered bastard! Have you allied yourself with the humans!?"

  "It is a long story, but……yes, I have. What are you going to do about it?" He remarked tauntingly.

  "Tch, you have not changed……I shall take pleasure in killing you as well. Now, all of you, die- arghhh!" She exclaimed, beginning to swing her arm down, before a flash of black shot towards her, tearing arm off, the sphere of Blood Magic dissipating as her arm fell to the ground.

  "Persia!? What are you doing, get out of here!" I yelled in exasperation and worry.

  She fired a blast of wind at Eighty-Seven's face, before sprinting away rapidly to the north. She had unleashed the full extent of Anima. The other Vampires began to go after her, when……

  "No! I shall kill that one myself! Generals, do as I told! The rest of you, attack and kill them all!" Growled Eighty-Seven, before zipping after Persia, her arm rapidly growing back.

  Her barrier then disappeared, we were finally free. Before I could chase after Eighty-Seven, the nine Vampire Generals had me surrounded, firing blasts of Blood Magic around me to force the others to spring away. Damn it……

  "Az, Atticus……go after Eighty-Seven!" I yelled, noticing that the two of them had an opening to go through.

  Atticus nodded……no, wait, I think that was Fuo. They then entered their Vampire Mode, before grabbing Az's shoulders and flying off rapidly in the direction of Eighty-Seven and Persia.

  "Not so fast, traitor!" Remarked one of the Vampire Knights, beginning to fire a blast up at them, before springing away as Ekai fired a massive fireball at him.

  Instructor Tabbs, Neo and Yuur attacked the other Vampire Knights while the rest engaged the Vampire Minions that had stayed out here. The Adventurers who hadn't gone back inside the Rustlands were now rushing over……good, it doesn't look like any of the Vampires were going after Atticus and Az.

  The Vampire Generals were watching me warily, each of them had Blood Magic bolts charged up in their hands, but they seemed almost afraid to make the first move and start this fight. I get it, I'm a human that their king had taken an interest in, probably the first one ever……their caution was understandable. But I was having my own issues right now……that intense craving was growing unbearably intense, I couldn't ignore it anymore.

  And what's more, my Vampiric element was screaming at me, aching to enter Vampire Mode……

  Red lightning began to crackle all around me, my fangs and claws starting to grow out……wh-what's happening to me? I was drooling like crazy right now, as I entered Vampire Mode before I could stop myself or think twice about it……my fangs and claws extended, as my ravenous desire reached a boiling point……oh, I see……what I was craving was……these Vampires……

  The Vampires then all began firing their charged up blasts at me, which I evaded or deflected with lightning-enhanced hands. Their blasts packed a punch, but it was nothing that my Healing Factor couldn't deal with. Tch, I don't have time to waste on these extras, I need to get after Persia! As I turned my gaze towards one of them, he flinched and stumbled back, before firing a poorly-aimed Blood Magic blast at me in a panic, which I easily knocked away with my hand before zipping towards him and slipping behind him.

  Good, even with their level of experience, they could still panic and lose their cool when faced with dire odds……looks like none of them could even follow my movements, or maybe they could, but they just couldn't react to them. As I snuck behind the Vampire I'd shot towards, I licked my lips before grabbing his shoulders, streaming lightning into his body to paralyze him before sinking my fangs into his neck……and draining his life force.

  He let out a yell of pain, before his screams faded as I drained him in seconds, his body going up in red flames and disappearing. Oh, wow……that was delicious, way better than human life force……ahh, I see why I was craving it so badl……I then stiffened as I felt my power level spike rapidly and suddenly……I felt like I was currently at x30 my normal state, double my usual power level at Vampire Mode……hm, I felt like this would only last about ten seconds, but on the plus side, my regular Vampire Mode time limit felt like it was paused in the meantime……

  "Wh-why, you-!" Yelled one of the other Generals, as he and two of the others shot towards me.

  Wow……they're so slow. I felt like I could make myself a sandwich and still have time before they'd reach me. This incredible power level……it felt intoxicating. If I drain the rest of them, will my power increase even further, or would this current boost last longer……well, only one way to find out!

  As the three Vampires finally reached me, I drove my claws into the chests of two of them, and my teeth into the shoulder of another one, draining all three of them at once……ah, I see, it looks like my time limit with this power boost had increased by another thirty seconds. And their life force……it was so incredibly, irresistibly delicious……I wanted more……

  "Good, there's still four of you left……," I smirked with a slight laugh and a lick of my lips, "Ohh, I'm going to enjoy this!"

  I'll consume all of their life forces, satisfy this ravenous craving, and then I'll go after Eighty-Seven and Persia……

  ———————————————————————————


  Point-of-View: Persia Gerit

  ———————————————————————————


  Woah, that Vampire is really fast, she's gaining on me at an alarming rate, even though I was at my full power and speed. I could follow her movements since I had sparred with Kuro in Vampire Mode a few times, but……she might be even faster than he is. I shouldn't keep my back to her much longer, she's getting too close.

  I swiftly halted on all fours and spun around, firing six consecutive compressed air blasts from my mouth at her. She evaded them all, before firing a large red Blood Magic blast at me, I sprang away to the left and fired a blast of Propulsion in that direction to evade faster, narrowly avoiding her attack, as it burst onto the snow.

  She then shot towards me rapidly, firing another couple of blasts at me before swinging her claws at me. I evaded the blasts, and ducked under to dodge her claws, getting grazed on the forehead as I did, before forming a compressed wind sphere in my palm, the attack that Kuro called 'Expansive Wind Sphere', driving it up towards her right, tearing the right side of her abdomen into shreds as my rapidly rotating attack expanded.

  She let out a cry of pain before gritting her teeth and swinging her tail up at me. I quickly sprang back, the edge of her tail grazing my cheek, as I increased and extended my backwards momentum using Propulsion, as she shot towards me with a snarl, her right side regenerating rapidly. I suddenly halted with a gasp as my back crashed onto something……a barrier?

  Crap, she's too fast! She closed in and swung a kick at my right side, I began to block, but she was too quick, her foot slamming against my side and sending me crashing across the snow, I let out a pained gasp as my back hit the ground hard……oww, I think a couple of my ribs were broken. I sprang away as she fired a volley of red blasts at me, but I couldn't fully evade her attacks, wincing as I got struck on the left shoulder and left hip.

  I began to use Propulsion to get away, but I was too slow, as she fired another barrage, hitting my right wrist, thigh and ankle, the sharp, stinging pain causing me to lose my balance and collapse onto the ground. This really hurts……the spots where her blasts had struck me ached like crazy, the skin completely scorched off, and I could feel my strength slowly getting sapped. Even trying to move sent waves of pain through my body, I couldn't get up……

  "I shall make sure to kill you slowly and painfully, you may be strong for a human, but for one so much weaker than I am to injure me so……is unforgivable!" Exclaimed the Vampire, before firing a blast onto my back.

  I let out a hollow gasp of pain, as the sharp pain burst across my back. She then fired another, at my lower back, followed by another at the back of my knees……I was completely floored, my body writhing in pain, barely able to move at all……damn it, this hurts so much that I can't even focus on channeling Mana, I can't use any magic right now……

  She then walked towards me with a large Blood Magic blast charged up, if that hits me, I'm dead, and I can't move at all right now……but before she could fire it, she stopped and sprang away as a large shard of ice came hurling towards her. It was Az and Fuo, who was in Vampire Mode. Oh, I guess it's probably her Vampire who's in control right now. I painstakingly reached into my pouch on my lower back and activated a healing spell to cure my wounds with a wince, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as the pain faded.

  "Good of you to come here traitor, it saves me the trouble of hunting you down," She growled, glaring at Fuo.

  "You're as pleasant as always, Eighty-Seven," She……he remarked with a smirk, before firing a barrage of red ice arrows at her, and then shot forward, forming a long red ice spear in his hands.

  Eighty-Seven evaded the arrows and shattered the spear as he drove it towards her, he then went low and swung a kick at her ankles, she sprang over it and fired a blast down at him. He rolled away backwards while spitting out a red ice needle from his mouth, his attack grazed her cheek as he got partially caught up in the blast, his left side taking a strong hit. The armor around the area got burnt off and his skin looked red and seared too. It felt a bit strange saying 'he', since he still looked just like Fuo.

  "You good?" Inquired Az, walking up to me, keeping a close eye on the fight.

  "Yeah, I'm fine. Um……shouldn't we help?"

  "Nah, we've never fought with her, or him, before, so we'll probably just get in each other's way if we try to help. I guess you and I will have to attack after he loses."

  "You don't mince words, huh……'after' instead of 'if'."

  "Well, she's clearly stronger than him, and I don't think he has much time left with his Vampire Mode after flying here."

  Oh, that's right, Kuro could only use it for a minute, and Fuo had only trained with it for a few months. Atticus formed two more red ice spears as Eighty-Seven sprang at him, one of them grazed her arm, but she shattered both of them, before firing a red blast at him. He couldn't evade, the blast striking him directly and knocking him out.

  "How pitifully weak! It is time for you to die, traitor!"

  "Guess that's our cue," Sighed Az, before created a massive trail of ice spikes shooting towards Eighty-Seven, forcing her to spring back before she could kill Fuo.

  I raced around towards her as Az fired a rapid and massive icicle at her……I was feeling a bit woozy after healing so many injuries, plus my back was exposed to the cold……but I can still help. A red outline appeared in front of her, before a red barrier formed in its place, the icicle crashing onto it and shattering into small shards.

  Az made the shards zip up and over the barrier and shoot down towards the Vampire behind it, she quickly fired a Blood Magic blast to vaporize the shards, as I sprang up a few meters away to her left and fired a powerful, massive concentrated blast of wind from my mouth at her.

  She swiftly put up another barrier, another red outline appearing before it formed, and as her first barrier disappeared, she shot towards Az at an incredible pace. I chased after her, but she was too fast, closing in on him rapidly, a red blast charging up between her hands. He then stomped on the ground, a large mass of ice bursting out of the ground and barreling towards her.

  She halted and sprang back, before spreading her wings and quickly flying up, the ice rapidly chasing after her, with a sharp, jagged edge, a literal mountain of ice growing in her direction at an incredible speed. He then closed his fist, the entire mountain of ice shattering into small, sharp shards, before he swung his arm out swiftly, the thousands of ice shards shooting towards her at a blinding speed.

  She began to put up another barrier in alarm, several shards piercing through her body and riddling her full of holes as the red outline appearing, before the rest got defected off as the barrier formed. She had a panicked expression on her face as she tentatively placed her hand on the base of her neck, just above where one of the ice shards had pierced her. That must be where her core is.

  She let out a furious yell before firing the blasts she'd been charging up in the form of several rapid and consecutive shots, raining down on us. I evaded as best I could, but took several hits on my back, shoulders and legs, hissing in pain as each shot scorched my skin off, gritting my teeth in dismay as one of the blasts destroyed my pouch, which held my healing spell. Damn it, my legs are in bad shape, even moving them slightly sent twinges of pain all over my body. And I'm already low on stamina after healing earlier.

  Az had formed a massive protective wall of ice in front of himself, but she was now firing solely at him since I was down, targeting a single spot in his wall with a series of continous, piercing blasts, firing them faster than Az could repair his ice, until one finally burst through, striking his right shoulder badly. She then flew up higher and higher, well out of reach, as he fired a barrage of icicles up at her.

  "Damn it, I can't reach that high," Muttered Az with a look of concern.

  She then began forming a red sphere above here, growing it larger and larger……

  "That doesn't look good……," I remarked nervously.

  "Yeah……I don't think I can make enough ice to block all of that."

  This is bad, it's still growing, the air was shimmering violently around it, she looked like a speck in comparison to the size of that red sphere she was forming……

  "Hey, maybe we should run away……," I began, before trailing off as a massive and rapid flash of black and red erupted across the sky towards her, her sphere dissipated, and the next thing I knew, there was a massive crash on the ground ahead of us, blood splattering all over the snow.

  Eighty-Seven was on the ground, her midsection smashed flat and her guts strewn all over……what just happened? That same flash of black and red then shot straight down, a couple of meters away from her. Wait, Kuro……? Was it just me, or was he way more powerful than usual? He was in Vampire Mode, red lightning was crackling all around him, with a hint of a black aura around the lightning.

  Something was definitely different, the lightning around him was significantly more intense than normal, and the red streaks around him looked like they had black highlights and outline, as they sparked and crackled around him. Eighty-Seven slowly got back on her feet, her body repairing itself, before she stiffened and stumbled back, pure terror in her eyes as she stared at Kuro……

  "Wh-what……what is th-this? What……are y-you?"

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  Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote, and feel free to leave a comment, I appreciate any and all feedback and criticism!

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