Kurumu held Tsukune tightly in her arms, her innate charm clouding his thoughts as he wrestled with his feelings of loss. She knew that, if she wanted, she could take him now. With her succubi powers, she could make him forget Moka entirely, leaving him hers forever.

Tsukune…

But instead of kissing him and claiming his love, Kurumu suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and lunged forward, bashing their foreheads together with a loud thud.

“OW! What was that for?!” Tsukune groaned, clutching his forehead as he dropped to his knees, reeling from the impact. If she had hit him with any more force, his skull might have cracked.

Kurumu, now throwing a full-blown tantrum, waved her arms wildly in frustration. “I WON’T DO IT! I WON’T! I WON’T GO AFTER MOKA’S SCRAPS!”

Grabbing Tsukune by the shoulders, she began shaking him violently. “Tsukune! I don’t want you while you’re pining for her! I’m not going to be your rebound!!”

Tsukune, shaken like a ragdoll, stammered, “K-Kurumu… s-stop… I’m gonna—” He clamped a hand over his mouth, trying not to throw up.

Kurumu released him with a huff, crossing her arms in frustration. “Tsukune, you idiot,” she snapped. “Are you really going to let some stupid law—one that only a handful of vampires even care about—stop you? I thought you had more guts than that!”

Tsukune looked down, Kurumu’s words cutting through his haze of self-pity. Memories of Moka’s warm smile flashed in his mind. He wanted to argue, but before he could, Kurumu leaned closer, her face just inches from his.

Her voice softened, but her conviction was as fiery as ever. “The man I fell in love with wouldn’t give up so easily. And when I win you over, Tsukune, I want to do it the right way. Not because you settled for me, but because you chose me. Got it?”

This is my determination, Kurumu thinks.

Tsukune blinked, taken aback by the intensity of her gaze. For a moment, his lingering despair dissipated. Kurumu’s words reignited something inside him.

She’s right.

His thoughts snapped back to Moka—and Junya.

“Kurumu!” Tsukune suddenly exclaimed, startling her.

“W-What?!” she stammered, her cheeks flushing as she saw that endearing determination return to his eyes.

“I need to get Moka back. Thank you!”

Before she could respond, Tsukune pulled her into a quick hug. Kurumu’s face turned crimson as she let out a shocked squeak.

“W-Wah—wha—what?!” she stammered incoherently, her mind spinning from the unexpected affection.

Releasing her, Tsukune turned on his heel and sprinted back toward the direction he came from, leaving Kurumu standing there, dazed but smiling faintly.

“That idiot…” she muttered under her breath, watching him go. “You’d better fight for her, Tsukune. Or I’ll make her regret it.”

Without the weight of self-pity holding him back, Tsukune felt his body come alive, each stride pushing blood through his veins with renewed vigor.

Drawing deep, practiced breaths, he quickly found his rhythm, his movements fluid and purposeful. Months of dedicated exercise—guided by tips from his body-building enthusiast PE teacher—had honed his body well above the average. Adding to this, the youki-infused dorm he lived in had supercharged his progress, effectively tripling the benefits of his training, as if he’d been working out in a state-of-the-art gym.

With surprising speed, Tsukune sprinted forward, the world around him turning into a blur as he raced back toward Moka.

As Tsukune arrived at the scene, the sight of Junya's monstrous form caused his heart to skip a beat. The grotesque display was terrifying, but Tsukune pushed through the fear, driving his body forward as he sprinted toward Moka with everything he had.

I’ll reach her.

His unwavering determination proved critical. Just as the distance between him and Moka closed, Junya lunged at her, his monstrous arm stretching toward its target. Tsukune, lacking youki, remained undetected by Junya, who was fixated solely on Moka.

In the split second before Junya’s claw could strike her, Tsukune surged forward, reaching Moka just in time. With a burst of strength and momentum, he scooped her up, lifting her out of harm’s way. Time seemed to slow as Tsukune carried her, his adrenaline amplifying every detail.

He caught sight of Junya’s massive claw, mere inches away, primed to crush anything in its path. For a fleeting moment, death loomed before him. He imagined his body being obliterated by the overwhelming power of a vampire. He knew that if Junya’s strength was anything like Moka’s, even a glancing blow would be fatal.

But as Tsukune dashed onward, carrying Moka to safety, he noticed something odd.

Slow?

The monstrous claw moved slower than he anticipated—both in speed and its reaction to him. It was as if Junya was completely lacking compared to the unsealed Moka. In addition, Tsukune’s lack of youki presence allowed him to slip past unnoticed. All of these combined created a small gap in Junya’s overwhelming power, but for Tsukune, it was enough.

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With Moka cradled in his arms, her eyes closed, Tsukune darts past Junya’s outstretched arm. Pivoting sharply on his heel, he seamlessly maneuvers into a tight circle around Junya, who remains fixated on his missed strike, his tunnel vision blinding him to Tsukune’s rapid movements.

After Tsukune’s bold declaration, Junya's expression twisted into a grin, which quickly morphed into a low chuckle before erupting into malevolent laughter. His mouth revealed unnervingly large vampire fangs, causing Tsukune to instinctively flinch, though he kept his stance firm, shielding Moka behind him.

“Hahaha, so you think you can just disregard our law?!” Junya mocked, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. Slowly, he raised his grotesque, clawed arm, its monstrous fingers pulsating as hot blood coursed visibly through the fleshy tubes intertwined with his muscles.

Junya flexed his clawed fingers with deliberate, menacing precision, then curled them into a crushing fist. His voice dropped to a cold, ominous tone. “But tell me… are you familiar with the second part of it?”

“Wha—”

Before Tsukune could finish, Junya lunged forward in a blur of murderous intent. The sheer force of the attack sent a gust of wind roaring past them. Junya’s thunderous voice accompanied his lightning-fast movement, “The price for breaking it… is death!” His massive fist arced upward in a lethal uppercut, aiming to obliterate Tsukune’s head in one devastating blow.

It’s so fast…

Tsukune’s body and mind raced at full speed, processing the imminent danger. He knew the truth: Moka’s raw strength alone could render him to nothing more than a bloody smear, and Junya’s power was similar to hers. Every rational instinct screamed that survival was impossible.

Time seemed to slow. Tsukune moved on pure adrenaline, shoving Moka to the side to ensure her safety. Even if he somehow survived, she had to remain unharmed. Yet despite his efforts, Junya’s focus locked on him with unrelenting precision. Tsukune was simply not fast enough.

Damn it!

Realizing dodging was impossible, Tsukune shifted his focus. He braced himself, raising his arms in a desperate attempt to block the incoming strike. He prayed fervently, not for survival, but for mercy—that Junya’s attack would only cost him his arms and not his life. Another thought flickered through his panicked mind:

I hope Mayumi can regrow limbs…

Junya’s strike lands with devastating force, and Tsukune feels the impact ripple through his entire body as though he’d been hit by a speeding truck. His vision blurs, the world spinning chaotically as he’s launched backward. He crashes into a cluster of gravestones, the brittle stone shattering under the sheer force of his body moving through the air. The sharp edges of the rubble scrape against him as he lands in a crumpled heap, coughing violently as blood sprays from his lips.

“You dare to love a vampire?!” Junya snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. “A weak nobody like you?!”

Tsukune’s consciousness wavered like a flickering candle, his thoughts struggling to coalesce.

Arms... Head... Still intact... Stand up... Moka… needs... me...

Every movement sent jolts of pain radiating through his battered body, but he refused to rest and sleep.

As Tsukune fought to stay awake, Junya’s laughter echoed through the air, his every step deliberate and menacing. His youki radiated outward, oppressive and suffocating, like a rising tide. Moka ran toward him, grabbing his arm in desperation. “Junya! Stop it!” she cried, her voice breaking.

Her pleas were ignored as Junya continued his slow march toward Tsukune, his sneer deepening. His monstrous aura radiated unchecked, each pulse vibrating through the ground. Moka clung to his arm, her efforts growing increasingly frantic.

“I kept my promise!” she yelled, her voice trembling with frustration. She pulled with all her strength, but without the ability to draw on her youki, her efforts barely budged him.

“I obeyed our law!” Moka shouted, planting her feet and throwing her weight back in an attempt to stop him. “You swore you wouldn’t harm Tsukune!”

Those words pierced through Tsukune’s haze.

What…?

Tsukune forced himself to stand up, swaying as he pushed off the rubble. His legs trembled, one heavily bruised arm hung uselessly by his side, and his head pounded with every heartbeat. Yet he stood, his determination burning brighter than the pain coursing through him.

However, Junya was already in front of him. Without giving Tsukune a moment to catch his breath, Junya grabbed him by the collar and effortlessly lifted him off the ground.

Behind Junya, Moka trembled as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. Pressing her forehead against his back, her voice emerged, soft and raw with emotion.

“Junya... when you told me how lonely you were...” she began, sniffling as her voice quivered. But the sadness in her tone quickly gave way to steely determination. “I understood... because I was lonely too. Until I came to Spirit Academy...”

Her words grew louder, carrying a weight of conviction. “But Tsukune changed all that! He’s my first friend… my best friend!”

An unseen force began to ripple outward as Moka’s rosary trembled in resonance with her rising anger. Power surged from her, unrestrained and overwhelming, as her voice echoed with righteous fury.

“I don’t care whether you’re a vampire or not! Hurt him, and I’ll make you regret it!”

Junya froze. At that moment, he felt as insignificant as a small animal caught in the eye of a raging storm. His grip on Tsukune’s collar tightened reflexively as his body trembled under the sheer weight of Moka’s raw power.

What… is this?

Fear coursed through Junya as he stared at Moka. Her frame quaked under the pressure of her own unleashed strength, but the energy emanating from her dwarfed anything he could muster.

No... this can’t be...

A dark realization crept into his mind, one he refused to accept.

Is this what a true vampire is?

While Junya grappled with the implications of Moka’s overwhelming presence, Tsukune’s own awareness flickered back to life. The familiar sensation of Moka’s power awakened him, and as he pieced together her words and actions from the past few days, understanding dawned.

Moka… you’ve been doing all this for me?

The truth hit him with full clarity. She had distanced herself, endured Junya’s company, and faced unimaginable strain—all to protect him.

But Junya’s fear soon twisted into denial. His pride refused to acknowledge Moka’s superiority.

“It doesn’t matter how much youki you have,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. “If you don’t know how to use it!”

Fueled by spite, Junya let out a mocking laugh and slammed Tsukune into the ground with inhuman force. The impact reverberated through the air as Tsukune’s body struck the earth.

By some stroke of luck and instinct, Tsukune managed to position himself just enough to spread the force of the blow across his body. But he was still human—his bones fractured under the strain, and he groaned in agony, coughing up blood that splattered across his face and neck.

“Nooo!!” Moka screamed.

Moka’s power flickered and dimmed, her concentration shattered by the sight of Tsukune’s bloodied form.

Junya seized the moment, his confidence bolstered by her hesitation.

“Don’t make me laugh!” he roared, his laughter echoing in the clearing.

To him, Moka’s overwhelming potential was useless if she couldn’t wield it. And with that belief, his fear gave way to cruel satisfaction.

Junya’s kicks rained down mercilessly on Tsukune’s curled-up body. Each brutal strike landed with enough force to bruise and batter, though Tsukune’s enhanced training and determination helped him endure. Junya’s voice rang out, dripping with mockery and rage.

“Lonely?! You think I’d actually be lonely?! That was just a trick to win you over!” he sneered, laughing maniacally. “You fell for it! And now, you’re mine! You’ll never escape me!”

Moka stood frozen in horror, her heart pounding as she watched Junya’s relentless assault. The sight of Tsukune, battered and bleeding, coupled with Junya’s vile words, sent a surge of fury through her body.

Without thought or technique, her instincts took over. In a blind rage, Moka lunged forward, her supernatural strength propelling her into Junya with staggering force. Her body slammed into him, sending him hurtling across the clearing like a ragdoll.

As Junya tumbled through the air, Moka’s feet carried her forward automatically, her steps heavy with rage. But before she could reach him, a familiar voice stopped her.

“Moka…”

She turned abruptly, her anger dissipating as she saw Tsukune struggling to rise. His body trembled from the strain, blood streaking his face and clothes, but his eyes held a calm resolve.

“Tsukune!” she gasped, rushing to his side and wrapping an arm around him for support. Her fingers trembled as they brushed against his bloodied skin.

No! This can’t be happening... Please, don’t let him be…

“Hey,” Tsukune said softly, his voice steady despite the pain wracking his body. “Moka.”

The unexpected calmness in his tone made her pause. She looked at him, her tear-filled eyes meeting his gaze. Despite his injuries, Tsukune’s face held a quiet strength, his lips curling into a faint, reassuring smile.

His hand lifted toward her rosary, fingers curling around it with a familiar touch.

“It’s okay,” he said firmly, his confidence cutting through her panic. “Don’t let him fool you, okay?”

“Fool me?” Moka whispered, confused.

Tsukune nodded, his smile widening despite the pain etched across his face. “He’s a fake. He’s no vampire.”

And with that, Tsukune pulled her rosary free.