[https://i.imgur.com/sfHqwWT.jpg]

“Who is the ugly guy?” Drac asked Flida.

“Count Mountworth. Collector of rare beasts. He is... my problem.”

“Honey! I have been searching far and wide for you, and you can’t be bothered to say hi?”

Flida put a middle finger up. “Here is my hello, you repulsive bastard.” Marina laughed in the background.

There are almost a hundred fools. Let's do this quickly.

Wait, what is behind the noble?

“Still mad about getting put in a cage?” He smiles with a nasty smile. “Sorry about that. I have a habit of keeping my possessions where I can see them in case they run away. I learned my lesson this time. Add stronger locks. But I didn't come without a peace offering. Bring him!” With heavy chains, they pull an injured wolf forward.

“Gideon!!” Flida shouted, running to her wolf. Drac blocked her way with a copy. The large wolf's matte black coat was scarred with pale skin lines. Its golden eye pleads with Flida to stay away.

Beautiful… Is that a dire wolf?

It looks big enough to ride!

“Is it about a dragon?”

Florida twisted her head towards Drac in shock. She squeezed her mouth closed before she could retort.

"It would make sense for a noble to search for new dragons and harvest their crystals. But to go to this extent? Sacrificing so much life to this degree with a smile still on his face means the reward is much greater than I could imagine.”

Wow! The chicken coop cleaner has a big brain.

Chicken?

Flida nodded her head.

Drac sighed and looked to Marina, who shrugged.

It's Axton's first day, and he is about to witness his second massacre.

Drac flared his aura.

“Woah there.” The noble took out a knife from his waistcoat and pointed it close to the weak wolf. “I just want the girl. Look how much trouble she has caused you already. Are you ready to have a squad of hundred and noble chasing you back?"

Drac stood in silence, listening to the sonic booms that blew water from the falls onto the party.

“And you, Flida, your boy misses you so much. Are you going to abandon him again? Come with me and-”

"Have you heard about what happened in Foushire?” Drac interjected.

“Ah yes, the young stupid duke. I lost so many friends and customers due to man's incompetence!”

“So you share my disdain for useless aristocrats?”

“Disdain is too kind of a word I would use for the upstart.”

A copy tapped Flida’s shoulder and smiled. “Look up.” She looked up and saw a Drac walking on the ceiling. With Levitation, his up was down.

“Don't make it obvious,” Marina whispered through Loqui. “Look at the moustache ranting instead. You’ll get used to his unusual genius.”

“The boy thought that because his family rose because of the war, he could act without impunity. Vampires! The fucking gall!”

Drac interjects again. “I heard it was one man who toppled his criminal kingdom.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Ah, the hero of Foushire. It sounds like a folktale. A black man in the North saves slaves? Total hog…wash… “

Drac pulled down his sleeve to reveal dark brown skin. “Hero of Foushire? Not noble killer, or a freer of slaves?”

Horrible name. So bland.

We have a nickname!

“H-h-h-HOOD!”

Now, that's an elegant name!

Mountworth takes a step back. A loop fell on him and was pulled, taking the noble metres in the air by his neck. Mountworth dropped his knife and scratched at his throat as the blue rope was pulled tighter. Several caped fighters shoot arrows at Drac, and he lets go of the Murus rope; the Count falls badly on a leg and breaks a bone. In the middle of the scream. Drac unsummoned the copies that stood with his party. A copy waves goodbye to Flida before dematerializing into flecks of white light.

Drac stood upside down, deflecting arrows. None get past his guard, and he splits into four. From the rocky ceiling, Drac pulse-stepped from above, crashing into the enemy holding the chains. Shoulders and heads were cut on the way down. In the middle of a hundred, only four face them.

Drac turned around. The count wiggled on the floor in pain. While his copies were slaughtering, Drac stepped on the man's back.

Behind.

Heilong blocked a long slim sword. The enemy's aura forced Drac's feet off the count’s back.

“Why did you take so long, Guard?! Kill him!!”

The caped guard zig-zagged with aura steps.

He is going to attack from the left.

Drac blocked the blade from the left.

Pulse step now!

Like a stone skipping across water, Drac pulse-stepped close, slicing the neck of the guard.

“No!!! Okay, okay! I will leave you alone! I will keep my word!! Flida!!”

The fear that was on her face turned to anger, and with a sigh, she moved on, running to her wolf.

“W-w-wait!”

Marina and Bob walked past the count, completely disregarding his pleas for help. “I’ll get the wolf; get the old man.”

Drac nodded and started running for the waterfall before stopping himself. “Ah, I almost forgot something.” Drac pulled out a throwing knife, and with an aura condensed to his forearm, he flicked the knife at the count's chest. Meat and blood exploded everywhere, turning the noble’s ribs and sternum into explosive debris.

Drac winks at Flida. “Problem solved.” One pulse-step and he flew through the waterfall to meet Axton's master.

A dripping, wet Drac flies in the air. Levitation floats him above the stream and pebbles a few metres below. Ventus pushes him along, drying him off.

Finally flying…

I just want to let you guys know that you are really amazing!

The sonic booms grows louder. The ravine transforms into a battlefield; evidence of an aura wave fight is everywhere.

Where is he?

Calm down. Over there.

In a cloud of stone dust, two shadows swing at each other. A large, broad sword slashed up, and the handler flew out of the dust. He hit the stones and rolled before skidding to stop on his back. Several waves were shot at the old man.

GO!

Drac tuned Ignis, Ventus, Murus, and Levitation. A Murus platform behind him to push off with explosive fire. Venus to guide him and push the wind away. Levitation for the extra boost. In a blink, Drac crashed onto the pebbles and created a second Heilong. With both coated in Drac aura, the waves are bounced off using the pulse technique on the blades. The waves stopped. A large caped man with white cropped hair runs out of the dust. With quick steps, the opponent closes in fast.

“Move Grandpa!”

The old handler struggled to get up. His arms shake, leaning on his cane. Blood leaked from his temple.

It's because of the fight earlier...

Shit.

“Hang back.”

“Axton wait!”

"Grandpa, you said we were good enough.”

Drac flared his aura. His soul burns softly. A white flame envelopes his body, flowing calmly like water cascading down a stream.”

“Together, we will be more.”

The caped warrior yelled, pulling back his heavy sword and swinging with his aura.

Drac intercepted with a pulse step, closing in, redirecting the clunky sword to the ground with his right Heilong, and thrusting with his left. The caped warrior's right shoulder was wet with blood, and he backed away.

Drac rushed in. The enemy swiped at Drac. He pulse-stepped backwards and forward, slashing with the left sword at the chest of the brawny man. The cut was shallow.

Drac flipped his left blade to his reverse grip and pulse-stepped into a jab. Heilong’s point slammed against the flat of the chunky blade. The collision blew stones away from the feet.

Using his superior strength, the enemy shoved Drac off and slashed down. His sword hit stones as Drac pulsed away to escape to the right. Another pulse and Drac lunged forward with both blades. The blades clashed again, and their ringing exploded in the air between them.

“Big man, Haven’t wondered for a second why I am here and not with your boss?”

A little hesitation in the enemy's grip made for a chance. Drac pulsed the sword away and rushed in for the kill.