In the dimly lit temple of the sea god, an imposing statue loomed, its benevolent face obscured by shadows, lending it an unsettling aura.

Upon the altar, a stout woman in a green tunic lay sprawled, her fingers clutching the edge desperately. The entire altar, and even the statue itself, shuddered violently in rhythm with her heaving body.

Her neck strained upwards, veins bulging, her fleshy face revealing familiar features, bearing a resemblance to the statue above.

A guttural gasp escaped her lips. Her features contorted in fierce contrast to the sea god's serenity—eyes rolling back, breath laboring—painting a vivid picture of ferocious struggle.

Behind her stood a youth, his face bearing the vestiges of adolescence, yet his eyes burned with fierce intensity. His bare torso was a canvas of mottled black scales, crisscrossed with countless scars and scabs, a dark red web marring his flesh.

A horn, thick as a child's finger, jutted from his forehead, drawing the eye. The young man stared at the sea god statue, fangs flashing as he snarled, "Is this you?"

"It is," the woman moaned.

The youth, satisfied with the answer, increased his pace, eliciting louder moans from the woman. Suddenly, a shudder coursed through his horned body. He grasped her head, forcefully pressing it against the table. With a fierce bite, he sank his teeth into her neck, causing blood to flow into his mouth. As he gulped it down eagerly, the wounds on his body gradually began to heal.

The woman convulsed, yet a look of perverse ecstasy bloomed on her face.

"Hiss! That feels good," the young man licked his lips, but then said,"I need more, I demand a grand elixir!"

Once practitioners advance beyond the First Realm, their bodies pulsate with celestial essence, making them coveted living elixirs for vampires.

The Sea God, panting and adjusting her clothes, touched the wound on her neck. A mix of admiration and fear filled her eyes. "The elixirs have arrived," she declared, "and they're even better than the last batch. Six in total, including two at the Wave Realm. Young and full of vitality. I won't let them escape. You'll be more than satisfied."

The youth raised an eyebrow. "Old rules apply," he said. "Those two are mine."

"Just help me hold one back," he continued, "and the remaining four at the First Realm are yours."

The Sea God quickly shook her head. "I wouldn't dare take your elixirs, my lord." Despite her superior aura, she adopted a posture of utmost humility.

The young man reached out and twisted her face. "What I give you, you take."

"Now go," he commanded with a pat on her butt.

"Yes!" The Sea God, though weakened, dragged herself outside.

… …

In the wood-fenced courtyard, the young widow carefully ladled soup into a bowl. She had fed the child, who was now in the cottage, sound asleep.

Since the earlier incident, the madman's frenzy had subsided. He crouched quietly next to the gate, sipping the fish soup in small, measured mouthfuls.

I sat in the courtyard, chewing on the bland fish, swallowing deliberately, as if willing every ounce of sustenance into my body.

If my instincts were correct, from the moment we entered the village, my team had become targets for the vampires. Danger lurked at every turn. One slip, and we could vanish without a trace like the agents before us, without even the chance to return a badge to Seattle.

… …

"Ah, there you are," Noa Atzmon's voice broke through my thoughts as she entered the courtyard. "I was wondering where you'd gone."

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Noticing another H.A.R.M. agent, a strikingly beautiful one at that, the young widow discreetly left the courtyard with her bowl, joining the madman near the exit.

"Is it good?" Noa Atzmon asked, her gaze fixed on me with curiosity.

She might not believe this young man could truly defeat Max Vierkant, but even forcing him to yield spoke volumes. Kane was clearly no ordinary First Realmer.

Furthermore, on his first mission, he was even more composed than her own younger brother. Perhaps it was blissful ignorance?

Regardless, even if he never witnessed the vampires' brutality firsthand before, this level of courage was commendable.

… …

"Remind the others to stay alert, don't get separated," I said, swallowing the last bite of fish and looking up. "There are vampires in the village."

"What?" Noa Atzmon was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "You're even giving orders now..."

Her laughter died in her throat under my serious gaze. "Got it," she said, her smile fading. "I'll go tell them right away."

She didn't question my source. As an experienced H.A.R.M. captain, even the slightest possibility warranted preparation.

… …

Noa Atzmon had barely turned around when a flicker of alarm crossed her eyes.

In an instant, a foul-smelling wind swept over, carrying a crimson mist that raced across the sky with terrifying speed, heading straight for the village. The two individuals who had been sitting near the exit moments before vanished without a trace.

"Don't wander off, go inform Ethan!" Noa reacted with lightning reflexes. The languidness in her eyes evaporated, replaced by steely determination. Without a moment's hesitation, she drew her short sword and gave chase.

To dare snatch someone right under the nose of H.A.R.M. was an act of blatant provocation!

She vaulted over the muddy path, covering dozens of feet in a single bound.

Out of the corner of her eye, Noa caught a glimpse of something that made her expression shift. Kane, his hair streaming in the wind and a black saber clutched in his hand, was running even faster than she was!

"What are you crowding here for?! You sure can run fast." Noa held her breath, watching helplessly as the crimson mist plunged into the small mountain forest overlooking the Desolation Sound.

Empowered by her Wave Realm, the vast aura within her surged, growing even more turbulent.

"I told you to go inform them," she muttered. "It is clearly a powerful Wave Realm vampire. Eagerness won't help."

Before she could finish her sentence, a sense of foreboding washed over her, and she spun around.

Beyond the fishing village, the sea roared, ten-meter-high waves surging towards the shore. A woman in green stood barefoot atop the waves, a veritable sea god capable of inundating the entire village with a mere gesture.

Damn it!

Gazing at that familiar figure, Noa couldn't fathom why she had abandoned her peaceful life of four hundred years.

The last vestiges of hope in Noa's heart dwindled. Kane had been right. Not only were there vampires, but they were also vampires who had come prepared.

When she looked back at the small forest, both the crimson mist and Kane had vanished without a trace.

It's over.

She bit her lip hard, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She had dedicated so much to H.A.R.M., how could she have made such an oversight?

And that kid, running so recklessly! Where did he find such courage?

... …

"Phew." I regulated my breathing, pushing my perfected Ape Playing with Python technique to its limits.

Climbing the mountain felt as effortless as strolling on level ground, and I was even faster than before. I had noticed Noa Atzmon falling behind and the ominous signs over the sea.

My mind wavered for a moment but quickly steadied. This was an ambush targeting the H.A.R.M. agents, likely aiming to separate the Atzmon siblings and pick them off one by one.

I wasn't acting on impulse. On the contrary, my thoughts were crystal clear.

If the Sea God was indeed a late-stage Wave Realm vampire, even the combined might of the Atzmon siblings might not be enough. Moreover, the crimson mist ahead was also a Wave Realm vampire.

In this scenario, even if all six of us banded together, it would be futile. Ultimately, someone would have to face one of these beasts alone.

The two vampires had meticulously planned this. Their elaborate scheme was likely to minimize any chance of injury.

And I was the wildcard.

I couldn't afford to worry about the villagers or whether the Atzmon siblings could defeat the Sea God. In this life-or-death situation, the slightest hesitation would be fatal.

I forced myself to focus on the present. Only by slaying the vampire before me could I carve out a chance for survival.

With that resolve, I unsheathed the black blade, its hilt gripped firmly in my slender fingers. The mountain wind howled, tugging at my body.

I held the Black Silver aloft and slowly came to a stop, watching as the crimson mist dissipated, revealing a figure clad in black scales.

... …

"Why you?" Maple Rex, the monster, roared, tossing the two unconscious bodies aside as he recognized my face. "Are you even qualified to pursue me?"

He hadn't anticipated a First Realmer being the first to catch up. This meant the Sea God would have to contend with two Wave Realm agents simultaneously.

Yet, Maple Rex's eyes held no fear, only a flicker of impatience and displeasure. Impatience stemmed from the delay in playing with the young woman's body and savoring her essence-rich blood.

His displeasure was simple: the agent before him was too weak. Compared to those two "treasures," he was so insignificant that he didn't even pique Maple Rex's appetite.

As a demon-infused Leviasaur, not just anything was fit for his consumption.