The first scavenger that lunged out to him has a half-rotted body, its veins bulging black with corruption. Matthew squeezed the trigger that wet with rain water as the sky roared with thunder.

Bang!

The silver bullet punched through its skull, and the creature erupted into a violent explosion, tearing apart two more that had crowded too close behind it.

The blast shook the wet pavement, chunks of ash and blood splattering across the rain-slick ground.

This was the vampire hunter gun, designed for destroying low rank vampires in one burst without needing to point out their Vitalis Core.

"Reload faster! Keep your distance!" Matthew barked, moving forward as he fired again to his teammate who fired behind him.

Another shot, another explosion with three scavengers blown into pieces in one attack, their bodies scattering across the steps of the university gate.

Matthew had his Vitalis Core in him, but it was better to save it for later when the situation turned out of control.

The hunters around him fought with blades and crossbows, but the scavengers were relentless. Their claws tore through walls, smashing glass windows, sending sparks and debris into the storm.

One slammed its body against a lamppost, bending the iron like it was nothing before turning on a pair of hunters.

"Help them!" Matthew shouted, cutting across the courtyard.

His bullets ripped through the scavenger's chest, and when it burst, the wave of force sent the creature sprawling into the others behind it, knocking them down like collapsing dominoes.

The rain poured harder, soaking through his coat, dripping into his eyes, but Matthew didn't falter. Every shot lit the dark day with a flare of fire, each blast echoing like thunder alongside the storm above.

Still, the destruction was overwhelming. The scavengers' bodies regenerated in slow pace, some even faster and tearing apart the stone path, ripping through the gates, their screeches blending with the storm until the entire campus felt like a battlefield carved out of hell itself.

This was the fight without Pharos like Maria. Some couldn't kill the vampires completely because of their lack of skills and proper weapons.

"Is the reinforcement not coming yet?"

"Is the main branch leaving us here?!"

"Fuck, I should have just leave this town!"

The hunters mentally shattered as the relentless attack didn't stop at all. These scavengers are clearly under order of some commanders since they know where to attack. They surely targeted the city center and made even bigger chaos.

But Matthew stood unshaken, silver fire in his hands, cutting through the night. He believed the reinforcement from the Velstarth would come soon.

The courtyard was drowning in chaos. For every scavenger that exploded under Matthew's silver bullets, more crawled out of the shadows, their grotesque bodies twisting and dragging across the rain-soaked ground.

Hunters screamed as claws slashed through their lines. One man was hurled against the university wall with a crack that silenced him instantly. Another hunter tried to stab a scavenger's throat, only to be ripped apart mid-motion.

The situation became even more chaotic when their agents mixed with normal officers. Some were good at handling weapons, some only made the panic within their ranks.

"Hold the line!" Matthew roared, his pistols blazing until the barrels smoked.

Explosions rattled the air, but the storm drowned everything, the downpour washing blood into rivers that streamed across the broken stone.

But even his firepower wasn't enough. His magazines ran thin. The scavengers pressed harder, their numbers endless.

Matthew and a handful of hunters were driven back to the shattered steps of the university, their backs scraping against the cold stone columns.

"They're too many!" one hunter cried, slashing wildly as the creatures surged closer.

Matthew grit his teeth, firing point-blank into the mob. The blast tore half a dozen apart, the shockwave nearly throwing him off his feet.

He reloaded with trembling hands, silver cartridges slick with rain. "We don't back down! Not while this town's safety is in our hands!"

But deep down, even he knew, they couldn't hold on. The scavengers clawed up the steps, drooling and shrieking. Even when he used his power now, it would only save him.

CRACK.

The sound split the chaos like a shattering mirror.

One by one, the scavengers froze mid-charge. Their bodies stiffened, their screams caught in their throats as jagged frost crawled across their skin. The rain itself seemed to harden, turning the battlefield into a graveyard of ice.

Matthew blinked, lowering his pistol. "What the hell…"

The hunters stared in shock as the courtyard of death became an eerie sculpture garden, every scavenger locked in crystal silence.

Matthew knew this power well. His chest loosened as a graceful woman stepped out from the shadows near the building where the scavengers had emerged.

Her red eyes glinted, her smile soft and luminous, like water in an oasis. Hunters and officers alike let out quiet sighs of relief. They knew they were safe now.

"Hello," she said gently, her voice carrying through the storm that was dissipated with her appearance.

"I'm not late, am I?"

As she walked forward, every scavenger shattered at once, their frozen bodies crumbling into fragments like broken crystal.

Matthew stepped closer, his breath misting in the cold air. "Of course not, Lady Leah. You arrived just in time."

"Oh, good. I was afraid my sister would scold me for being late."

Leah crossed her arms, idly twisting a lock of her curly hair around one finger.

"Honestly, she insisted I come out here while I was busy with my business. Ridiculous, isn't it?"

Matthew allowed himself a small smile. "Yes. You must be occupied with your growing company."

"Finally, someone who understands." She sighed with mock dramatics.

"Since vampires can't get drunk, my 'liquor' is practically sacred to them. Some even risk death just to get their hands on it! And yet my sister thinks I should pause it all." She clicked her tongue.

Matthew smiled faintly again. Unlike her elder sister, Leah was far more easygoing, so much so that she often lacked any sense of urgency at all.

"Lady Leah," he said after a pause, "I should move to another sector. This one's secured. But with the hunters so spread thin, any help would be invaluable."

"Oh, you don't need to worry." Leah waved her hand dismissively.

"My sister has already dispatched reinforcements. Vampires from our ally are on their way. They'll be fine."

"Really? That's good. We still need to treat—"

He never finished. A group suddenly emerged from the building. Matthew recognized most of them, except for one, the middle-aged man with brown hair and cold gray eyes.

His body was splattered with thick black vampire blood, and his very presence made Matthew stiffen. The man's gaze was sharp, cutting, and Matthew instinctively averted his eyes.

"You," the man's rough voice barked. "Take care of David. His wound is serious."

Matthew's eyes widened as he rushed forward. He caught the weight of the chief as he sagged against the pink-haired vampire supporting him. Blood gushed from the torn wound in David's stomach, soaking Matthew's gloves.

Reading the atmosphere—how the man clearly wanted him to leave and give space to Leah—Matthew quickly said, "Dylan, Lulu, come. You both need treatment as well."

The two obeyed. Dylan in particular looked hollow-eyed, as if he'd witnessed something unbearable. Without a word, they followed Matthew, leaving the man and Leah alone.

"Where is Isolde?" Andrew asked suddenly, his tone low but firm.

"My sister has a guest at the manor, so she's—"

But before Leah could finish, Andrew was already striding away, his steps heavy, his face twisted with anger. The ground seemed to tremble with the weight of his fury.

***

"YOU LIED TO ME! WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT AND YOU VIOLATED IT!"

Andrew's voice thundered through the dark chamber, rattling the windows just as a flash of lightning split the sky.

For a brief instant, the illumination revealed the silhouette of a woman seated by the window, a glass of red liquid in her hand.

She hummed softly, a tune he recognized at once, his wife's lullaby.

"Enough, Isolde, or—"

"Or what?" Her head tilted gracefully, almost mockingly.

The shadows peeled back as the bloody moonlight spilled through the glass, painting her skin in crimson hues. Her face—flawless, porcelain-like—gleamed in the glow, her beauty sharpened into something cruel.

"You're dying, Andrew," she said, voice smooth as silk, though her frown curled with disdain.

"And I thought you still wanted me. Lusting after me like you did our first night… or during our honeymoon."

Andrew chuckled, low and bitter. "Love? Lust? All of it was an act. A game to make you think I had surrendered my grudge. That I was broken and given up on life already… so you wouldn't use me. Or my son. As you promised."

"Use you?" Her lips curved in a cruel smile. "You're already useless. And your little performance?"

Her eyes narrowed. "It disgusts me. Did you really think you could fool me?"

Her heels clicked against the marble floor, the sharp sound echoing like the ticking of a clock as she approached. The scent of iron and perfume mingled in the air as she drew close.

"You're the one being fooled, Andrew." Her smirk widened, the crimson light shimmering across her eyes.

"Do you remember our little reunion?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.