Humanity has triumphed over the monster race, a reality evident in the world's complete ignorance of monsters and their existence. Yet, despite this victory, humanity has always envied the unique powers of monsters.
The ability to transform, to defy aging, to wield magic—these gifts have stirred an insatiable desire within humanity. As technology and medicine reached unprecedented heights, those in power sought to uncover the secrets behind these gifts, yearning to harness them for themselves.
Among all these coveted traits, none has been more alluring than the unholy power of the vampire.
Beautiful.
Immortal.
Powerful.
These three attributes define vampires, embodying everything humanity desires but cannot achieve. Their allure is undeniable.
Surprisingly, despite their pride and strength, many vampires were open to cooperation. Tempted by promises of blood, wealth, and influence, some willingly allowed themselves to be studied. Through these partnerships, humanity made a groundbreaking discovery: monster blood, particularly that of vampires, but also as a whole, possessed transformative properties.
Humans who ingested monster blood often gained traits from their patron. And no blood was more potent or desirable than that of a vampire.
Through this collaboration, humanity eventually developed an artificial imitation of vampiric blood. This synthetic blood granted its users a semblance of vampiric abilities—enhanced strength, agility, and durability—though more limited than those of a true vampire. However, the imitation came with significant drawbacks: debilitating weaknesses that all vampires possess and the risk of monstrous transformation if consumed excessively.
Thus, humanity unlocked a piece of the supernatural world, not through conquest, but through a fragile, mutually beneficial arrangement with the beings they had once feared and envied.
Unfortunately, not all monsters agree with the cooperative arrangement between their kind and humanity. Many still believe the world rightfully belongs to them, leading to rogue monsters scattered across the globe who actively harm humans.
To ensure monsters never regain dominance, hunters and slayer organizations emerged, either founded by humans who survived monster attacks or funded by powerful human entities. These groups work tirelessly to suppress the lingering threat of rogue monsters.
Lucas, a member of the Black Hounds organization, was one such hunter. Proficient in the use of Anki, he was regarded as an adept mage, capable of wielding mid-circle spells. These spells allowed him to physically contend with weaker monsters and outsmart stronger ones.
However, mid-circle spells were far from sufficient to challenge even a below-average vampire. Lucas also carried silver weapons, a traditional counter to vampires but they alone wouldn’t be enough. Unfortunately, he hadn’t brought saltwater—one of the vampires' key weaknesses.
To defeat a vampire, even an ordinary one, Lucas knew he would have to use their own power against them.
His last resort was the single dose of vampire blood stored within his silver rosary—a rare and exceedingly expensive item. Injecting himself with the blood, Lucas hoped to harness its borrowed power to level the playing field.
Yet despite all his preparations, as Moka’s spear hand drove toward his chest, Lucas realized the truth. Hundreds of years of human innovation and collaboration with monsters were still not enough to overpower the unholy and overwhelming strength of the vampire goddess before him.
Damn it, Lucas cursed internally.
Time seemed to slow as his artificial vampire senses surged into overdrive, desperately trying to help their human host find a way to evade the impending doom. Every possible escape route narrowed as Moka’s deadly strike closed in, and one by one, avenues of survival became impossible. Desperation crept in, and for a brief moment, Lucas considered a dangerous experiment.
Unlike natural-born monsters, artificial ones like Lucas lacked innate mastery over their monstrous abilities. Skills like youki enhancement and skin reinforcement didn’t come instinctively; they required intense training and adaptation. But such training came at a cost—repeated doses of vampire blood. And with each additional dose, the risk of succumbing to a monstrous transformation—and eventual death—increased exponentially.
At this moment, Lucas had only limited access to the abilities granted by his artificial vampire nature. His youki enhancement was rudimentary at best, nowhere near the level of mastery Moka exhibited. Even with his heightened physical abilities, it was clear that his imitation paled in comparison to her authentic vampiric power.
Still, the blood’s effects did grant him one significant edge: an overwhelming reservoir of youki. It dwarfed his Anki reserves, providing five to eight times the energy he could normally harness. Yet, this power came with a critical limitation.
The magical trinkets hidden in his clothes, which carried his spell circles, were designed to run on Anki. Youki, by its very nature, was a destructive force—far too volatile and corrosive to serve as a stable energy source for magical enchantments. While it excelled in empowering the self, channeling it into spell circles or magical items came at a cost. Slowly but inevitably, it would erode and destroy whatever contained it.
Faced with no other option, Lucas steeled himself. He would have to gamble everything on this unstable energy, even if it meant destroying his precious tools in the process.
Instead of commanding his Anki to fuel his enhancement circles, Lucas channels his youki into the hidden defensive charms embedded in his clothes. The sheer surplus of youki surges through the charms, instantly creating an invisible barrier at maximum power.
Time seems to snap back into motion as Moka’s attack connects. The barrier flares outward, stopping the full force of her deadly strike for a fleeting moment. However, the overwhelming strength behind her blow shatters the barrier almost instantly.
In that split second, Lucas twists his body, narrowly avoiding the full brunt of the attack. Even so, Moka’s strike carves deep into his side, tearing flesh and leaving a searing wound where her hand grazed him.
Using the brief reprieve, Lucas stumbles back to create some distance, his breath heaving with exertion. Relief is short-lived, though, as Moka immediately resumes her relentless pursuit, her crimson eyes blazing with anger.
“Where did you get the blood?” she demands, her voice sharp and furious as she launches another assault.
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Lucas doesn’t answer. His focus is entirely on survival as he blocks, dodges, and weaves through the onslaught. Each strike from Moka carries the weight of certain death, and Lucas has no illusions about the gap in their power. Whenever she closes the distance enough to end him, he pours his youki back into the defensive charms, momentarily activating the barrier to shield himself from lethal blows.
"If silence is your only answer," Moka says, her tone colder and more menacing with each passing moment, "then there is no hope for you."
To Lucas' horror, Moka's speed increases further. Her youki flares violently, manifesting as crackling, dark-colored lightning that arcs around her body. The atmosphere grows heavy with oppressive power as Moka presses her attack with newfound ferocity.
Every move Lucas makes feels more desperate, the gap between them growing ever wider as Moka reveals the depths of her monstrous strength.
“The way you move… the way you react… This isn’t the first time you’ve taken my kin’s blood, is it?” Moka asked, her voice as cold and sharp as a blade.
Lucas frowned, his expression tightening as he realized she had seen through him. He didn’t respond, knowing that silence might serve him better than words in this deadly situation.
“Do you keep my kin in some horrid basement?” she continued, her tone trembling with barely suppressed rage. “Draining them of their blood for measly scraps of power like this? And here you hunters dare call us monsters, when your kind is more than willing to enslave other intelligent beings.” Her words carried memories of the past, a reminder of the very words thrown toward her family many times before.
Lucas pursed his lips, forcing himself to focus despite the venom in Moka’s accusations. As a vampire hunter, he knew better than to let his guard down in a confrontation like this. The origin of the blood dosages he used was a tightly held secret, one he wouldn’t reveal to any vampire, especially not one unaffiliated with his organization.
“Silence won’t make me spare you,” Moka warned, her power surging outward in waves. “Do you think your barrier will protect you? It’s weakening with every use.”
Lucas cursed internally as he felt the spell circle in his charm deteriorating.
Youki is too corrosive. I’ve got maybe… two uses left.
The barrier flared to life again just as Moka’s next strike came inches from severing his head. The force of the attack sent him staggering back, his chest heaving with exertion.
Damn it—one last use, he thought grimly.
Pouring his remaining energy into a desperate burst of speed, Lucas tried to create distance between them, stabbing at Moka with his silver knife to keep her at bay. But she moved with a grace and familiarity that outpaced his every attempt. Her crimson eyes burned with a mixture of disdain and fury.
“Did you really think this measly weapon would give you an advantage?” she sneered, deflecting his strike effortlessly. “Silver may be a weakness, but it’s not a death sentence. Not like the silence you insist on keeping.”
Despite his efforts to escape, Moka closed the gap in a flash, her presence overwhelming. Her youki surged again, its oppressive weight choking the air around him.
How much power does she have?!
The barrier flared one final time as her fist connected squarely with his chest, the impact shattering the protective spell entirely. Lucas felt the charm’s spell circle disintegrate, leaving him defenseless.
“I felt that break,” Moka said coldly, her gaze locking onto his. “This is your last chance, human. Speak.” Her voice was steady, but the edge of her fury was unmistakable, her demand as much a promise as a threat.
Lucas’s breath came in ragged gasps. His youki was still there, still strong, but it had lost the raw overpowering power it had before. He stared at Moka, his chest tightening with a mix of fear and something he didn’t want to admit—respect.
Out of all the vampires I’ve faced… she’s the strongest.
Vampires were his specialty as a monster hunter. They weren’t common, but they were his bread and butter. Over his career, he’d faced three. Four now, if you count Moka. He didn’t kill them, though—couldn’t. Vampires were too rare, too valuable. Their blood alone was worth more than most hunters made in a year.
And Lucas hated them. God, did he hate them. But even that wasn’t enough to justify throwing away something so valuable to humanity as a whole. So instead of killing, he’d done the next best thing—knocked them out. Not easy and honestly? Harder than just outright killing them. Still, his hunter skills and vampiric edge always pulled him through.
But now? Looking at Moka, he had nothing. No idea how to beat her. No plan.
What do I even do? Is there no way to take her down?
Moka paused. Her sharp crimson gaze softened for just a moment as she exhaled slowly.
Calm down. Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment, she told herself, frustration bubbling under her cool demeanor. One reckless move is all it takes to lose.
Lucas scanned the area, desperately searching for anything that might give him an edge. In hindsight, attacking Moka while she was unsealed was a huge mistake.
That was stupid... I shouldn’t have assumed she was like the other three vampires.
A dozen different plans raced through his mind. He could’ve waited for Moka to be sealed, approached her then, but no—his pride had pushed him to face her in her unsealed state.
Moka walked toward him, her expression calm, unreadable.
He has no intention of answering my questions…
A dark thought flashed through Moka’s mind as she recalled the screams of her family’s prisoners.
He’ll be more cooperative with broken legs...
“I believe it’s time to stop.”
A voice, deep and layered, like a chorus of dozens—or hundreds—of others, rang out across the space. In the blink of an eye, a tall figure appeared between Moka and Lucas. Dressed in a sharp suit with white gloves, and a full mask that covered his entire face, the figure stood like a silent sentinel.
What...?
Tsukune and the others froze, startled by the sudden appearance of this unfamiliar figure. The man was easily seven feet tall, exuding an almost tangible menace.
Lucas, however, recognized him immediately.
Cottus?? Did the headmaster send him?
Confusion flickered on Lucas’s face. Moka, however, frowned, sizing up the newcomer.
Is this an ally of the hunter? she wondered, but the flicker of uncertainty she saw on Lucas’s face made her quickly dismiss the idea.
Cottus, clearly irritated at being pulled out of his office, turned to face Lucas.
“I was sent ahead because of a mistake.”
Lucas, still reeling from Moka’s relentless attacks, managed a strained response. “Mistake?”
“The vampire you’re hunting.”
Lucas frowned, confusion mixing with frustration.
Moka kept her gaze fixed on Lucas. She had no intention of letting him go but she had to account for the newcomer.
He’s radiating a huge amount of youki… but it’s suppressed. Interesting.
“What do you mean? All the evidence pointed to the vampire enrolling at the academy at the start of the year. There’s no mistake,” Lucas said, his tone sharp. He then pointed at Moka, “And there’s the vampire. The academy, being part of the Sleeping Parade Convention, should hand her over without any problems. You know the laws.”
Cottus stood unmoving, but there was a subtle shift in his aura that made Moka’s eyes narrow.
What power… He’s… not going to be an easy opponent.
Moka dropped into a combat stance, prepared for anything, just in case Cottus decided to attack.
Lucas, however, frowned deeply.
Shit… did I just piss him off?
Cottus’s aura sharpened, like the calm before a storm, but just as quickly, it faded. With a heavy sigh, he responded to Lucas, “The academy has looked into its recently enrolled students. At first, we couldn’t find a vampire that matched your description.” His gaze briefly flickered to Moka, “This one didn’t commit any crimes before coming here.”
Moka ignored Cottus, her focus still on Lucas.
“Then why are you only showing up now?” Lucas demanded, his tone more controlled but still laced with frustration. “I’ve been here for days, investigating these three, only to find out, only one of them is a vampire.”
Ignoring the silver-haired vampire, Cottus fixed his gaze back on Lucas. “The reason it took us so long is because the vampire you were hunting wasn’t a vampire at all.”
Lucas blinked in confusion. “What?” His eyes darted to the unconscious Junya and back to Cottus. “The vampire I was hunting was a fake?”
Cottus nodded. “Junya Inui enrolled as a second-year at the start of the school year. The academy doesn’t reject monsters as long as they follow our rules. He didn’t have a record because we knew he was an onimodoki. Him pretending to be a vampire wasn’t against the rules, so it wasn’t stopped.”
Lucas’s teeth clenched. Everything clicked into place. He’d been chasing the wrong lead, allowing his hatred for vampires to cloud his judgment. Deep down, he’d known Moka wasn’t his target, but because she was a vampire, he’d ignored his instincts.
Damn it…, He clicked his tongue, frustration draining the fight from him.
Realizing the situation had shifted, Moka relaxed her stance, keeping Tsukune and the others behind her.
“Now that you’ve realized your mistake, pick up your target and leave,” Cottus said coldly. “Unless you want to inconvenience your organization by having them pick up your broken body. I don’t mind taking care of it.” He turned to Moka, “Or perhaps I’ll let the vampire continue her work.”
Moka, arms still crossed, tapped her fingers impatiently. She spoke up, her voice sharp. “I assume you’re with the academy?”
Cottus gave a brief nod.
Lucas froze, waiting for what Moka would say next.
“This student attacked me without provocation,” Moka said, her gaze steady. “And if I’m not mistaken, students are all under the academy’s jurisdiction, yes?”
Lucas frowned.
What is she doing?