Goro's heart sank as he watched in helpless agony, the life force draining from Miyuki. The vampire's fangs pierced her delicate neck, extracting the essence of her existence. The pain in Goro's chest intensified, not just from the physical wounds but from the profound loss unfolding before him.
In that moment, time seemed to slow, each second stretching into an eternity as he replayed memories of their shared laughter and whispered promises. He could feel the weight of regret settling on his shoulders.
Miyuki's eyes, once vibrant and filled with life, now stared into nothingness.
Goro screamed, his mind going blank. Turning away, he dashed to save Miyuki. But how could Kraft let such a sweet opportunity go?
**SWISH!**
"AAAARHGGG!"
A sharp claw ruptured through his skin, drawing a cut behind his back, splattering blood.
"Can you feel it?"
"Khummm!"
Goro crashed onto the floor as his back was opened by another brutal slash.
"Now, do you feel the agony... The agony of seeing your beloved dying before your eyes..."
"Muahahah!"
"This pain... This unease... This is the same thing I felt when you abandoned her..."
Kraft's voice grew louder.
Kraft had been on the same team as Goro since the beginning. He respected Goro as team captain, but that respect started fading since the fateful day when he decided to abandon a teammate for a mission.
That day, he came to know the true face of this guy. He could do anything to get to the top and earn contributions and flattery from others.
Kraft tried to surpass him, but it led to a dead end. Instead of getting promoted, he was demoted to an ordinary watchdog under suspicion of leaking information he had never done.
"I know, Goro. It was you who accused me and suspended me. Do you know how I have been feeling since that day?" Kraft's eyes became dark and lifeless.
"As a man who has been serving the country for the past 12 years, is this what I deserve in return?"
"Kraft, don't lose it. You are bewitched. You were a good agent." Goro shouted with a quivering voice trying to find a way.
"Stop your fucking hypocrisy."
"Let's leave it. You won't understand, you will never understand my agony," Kraft laughed and stepped forward.
Goro's body tensed up in pain. His back burned, and his vision became dizzy.
The Vampire claws were lethal and poisonous, causing a status ailment effect.
"I am very much sane. In fact, I have never felt better. That day, on a search mission. It was I who extended a helping hand." Kraft smiled craftily and raised his claws to stab.
Yet before he could do that, his senses felt danger, and he immediately jumped into the air.
**SWISH!**
A beam of fire passed through the place where he stood.
Goro, instead of sighing in relief, stared at the figure with hateful eyes.
"Why... Why didn't you attack sooner?"
"You disgusting, why didn't you go all out and help her... us..." Goro screamed at the top of his lungs, glaring at the red-eyed woman.
"My mission is to kill the Vampire, not babysit you bunch. Secondly, you don't deserve my sympathy as you are reaping what you sowed."
Goro's expression changed on hearing this.
Kratos, Helsa, and Linglin, struggling with the horde, were unable to keep up with appearances.
You are tasked with a mission where your life's on the line. On top of that, you get stabbed in the back, and the reason for that was the leader doing as he wished.
Wasn't that too much? If only Goro kept himself in check, they wouldn't have caught up in this mess and would have faced the Vampire alone. But now they had to face an undying army they needed to decapitate, or they would keep coming.
Having experienced the true darkness and bloodiness of society, none of them were naive.
So, there is not a tint of sympathy for Goro.
"And don't forget, it was her wish to take on the Vampire even though I warned her repeatedly not to." Feng Ruoxi shouted.
The sound of rain got heavier, and the atmosphere became solemn.
Kratos and Linglin back-touched one another as they huffed and puffed in restlessness.
Helsa raised both her daggers, preparing for battle.
"Since it came to this. It seems I need to use my trump card."
**BOOOM!**
A fiery explosion emerged, surrounded by a radiant aura.
Feng Ruoxi started taking a step forward. The ground beneath her cracked, catching fire.
The ghouls jumping on her started burning until nothing but ashes were left behind.
Her body burned more furiously, and her hair burning in crimson flames rose towards the sky.
As her whole body was illuminated with an intense crimson glow, Feng Ruoxi unleashed a powerful surge of energy.
"Take cover," Feng Ruoxi shouted as a warning.
Feeling a grave sense of danger, Linglin, Helsa, and Kratos ran for their lives.
Goro, gritting his teeth, stared at the lifeless body of Miyuki getting sucked dry by the Vampire.
'Miyuki forgive me. I will take revenge once I get stronger. As for your death, you can only blame yourself for being too confident.'
Goro groaned in pain as he got up on his feet and fled away in fear.
The sheer brilliance of her thermal energy bathes the battlefield, casting an ethereal light on the destruction and chaos unfolding.
**BOOOOOOOOOM!**
With a thunderous roar, flames emerged like waves crashing down, screeching ghouls exploding into ashes.
Buildings crumbled, and vegetation was wiped away.
A wave of flames crashed on everybody, blowing them away.
"ARGHHHHH!" Kratos screamed, wriggling, and flopped onto the ground.
His eyes turned towards Linglin who emerged from debris.
Noticing her gaze, Linglin forced out a smile.
"My suit is fireproof."
"Fuck!" Kratos cursed aloud.
Then both of them searched for Helsa buried somewhere among the flames, which were extinguished by the rain.
After a few moments, when the dust dispersed, Feng Ruoxi looked around for a possible sign of the enemy.
"You are surely a gutsy woman."
A cold voice emerged from the top.
As black clouds from flames dispersed, a human figure hovered in the air.
"Perfectly suited to become a slave of mine."