‘Yes, a demon,’ the woman replied.
Dean slowly made space for her. But the woman teleported behind him.
‘But what are you? You're not human, yet you don’t give me the feeling of an immune one. Weird.’
Dean struggled to his feet. He shook out his hand and fingers, then rolled his shoulder.
‘Come on,’ he mumbled to himself.
The woman gave him a wide smile—then teleported again.
Dean was on guard. He didn’t know where she would appear, but she had to show up. He spun quickly, peered over his shoulder, then to his right and left—but no woman.
Only when he looked up did he see it—a leg came flying toward him, smashing him to the ground.202Please respect copyright.PENANAYCq8aZvolc
The woman stepped back from his bleeding face.
‘Yes, you’re not human. I went for the kill with that attack—yet you're still alive. For now at least. Before I end you, tell me who you are.’
Dean chuckled as he stood up. He raised his arms.
‘Well then—die!’
The woman summoned two grey daggers. She bounced in place and inhaled deeply. The moment she emptied her lungs completely—she vanished.
Dean braced himself to face her head-on.
But ten of her appeared at once, pouncing on him from all directions.202Please respect copyright.PENANAk8IeYjAiAu
There was no way he could survive the assault.
The woman closed in, and Dean had no idea which one to focus on.202Please respect copyright.PENANApzvZvXdnja
Then he felt it.202Please respect copyright.PENANActdZaPJgLf
A raging storm inside him.
The storm surged into his fist, which began to glow golden.202Please respect copyright.PENANAILQ8OXdF5F
Dean suddenly knew what to do.
The light slowed the woman for a moment—but she pressed on regardless.202Please respect copyright.PENANAxPs02HTbzU
All the afterimages went for a thrust.
Dean slammed his fist into the ground. Energy burst out of his hand and shot into the enemies.202Please respect copyright.PENANADcfz1PBfyy
All the clones vanished—leaving only the real woman before him.
She was stunned.202Please respect copyright.PENANAZqWjAFtb3b
A blessing.
Dean wasted no time. He lunged forward, gathered all the energy into his fist, and struck her.202Please respect copyright.PENANAXSFpiFXB0S
Light exploded from the impact—destroying the woman completely.
Nothing remained.
Dean collapsed, gasping hard.202Please respect copyright.PENANAUOiaDwf2gn
Before he blacked out, he saw men in suits rushing toward him.
In the Forest
Fighting such a number of ghouls turned out to be harder than Nicole had expected.202Please respect copyright.PENANAvXb9wwb7Hw
Luckily, she'd already been possessed once—so when a ghoul bit her, it only wounded her. Still, better not to get bitten at all.
Meanwhile, the commander and Dracule had taken the fight to the skies.202Please respect copyright.PENANAmTkEmx8e11
The commander went for a slash—Dracule deflected.202Please respect copyright.PENANA4PQQACReOq
Another slash—this time it grazed Dracule’s arm.202Please respect copyright.PENANAwuWDZ1U2y9
And another.
The commander didn’t stop. He became faster, each strike aimed closer to Dracule’s heart.202Please respect copyright.PENANAsyVcQw3R0g
Dracule chose to put more distance between them.
Immediately, the commander gave chase—unaware of the tiny blood droplets surrounding him.202Please respect copyright.PENANAKcmmWmsWMq
They morphed into long spikes and pierced his body.
At the same time, the blood that had entered him coursed through his veins and paralyzed him.
‘You lacked patience! Look where that got you,’ Dracule taunted.202Please respect copyright.PENANAguoBb51QzT
‘You’re a beast, no doubt. But I know there’s more inside you!’
He gathered demonic energy in his palm and let the orb grow before firing it at the frozen commander—booooom.
When the smoke cleared, the commander was wounded but still standing.
Dracule fired again. And again.202Please respect copyright.PENANAGEaclb2Yzm
His laughter echoed through the sky.
Nicole noticed. But her hands were full—ghouls surrounded her.202Please respect copyright.PENANADqifLoQcZ2
Tears formed in her eyes, but she couldn’t run to help.
‘Fuck!’ she cursed, beheading a charging ghoul.
She formed a giant scythe and swung it in a wide arc, slicing the ghouls before her in half.202Please respect copyright.PENANAtst3y6BZRc
From behind, she shot blood blades at ghouls trying to flank her.
A powerful attack—but it came at a price.202Please respect copyright.PENANApPIW1nTQ1M
Nicole collapsed for the first time.
She gasped for air.202Please respect copyright.PENANAblQQHHL907
When she raised her head to the heavens, it felt as though a force was pressing it down.
She needed a break.202Please respect copyright.PENANAMxE3TaHDXM
But Dracule was toying with the commander.
Then the commander screamed.
It wasn’t a war cry.
‘He’s in pain!’ Nicole realized.202Please respect copyright.PENANAQBllf3WzqX
‘You bastard!’
Forget the ghouls. She was going to tear that bastard apart—even if he was a Celestial.
Fueled by rage, she launched upward.202Please respect copyright.PENANAJpTUTheLS9
She didn’t notice the giant ghoul that had emerged.
It leapt—landing above her—and slammed her back to the ground. Baaaamm.202Please respect copyright.PENANAOlZIeLdals
It landed hard.
Nicole’s head bled. She coughed up even more.202Please respect copyright.PENANAvsES80sDXq
Her right arm was mangled—useless.
Another giant ghoul emerged behind her.
Still, when she heard the commander’s tortured cry, she rose again.
She wasn’t done.
But she was unlucky.202Please respect copyright.PENANAC2sd9wdrFl
She was only facing ghouls—meaning she couldn’t drink their blood.202Please respect copyright.PENANAE8QHpSfVfK
It was rotten. Foul.
Vampires grow stronger by drinking blood. Depending on the quantity and compatibility, their power can double—or more.
The ghouls closed in.202Please respect copyright.PENANAO8aQZfBBIB
Their grunts were drowned out by the commander’s howls.
Peng, peng, peng…202Please respect copyright.PENANANIWCaV1pSX
One after another, ghouls dropped.
Soldiers had come to help.
One ran to Nicole and held her upright, reporting:
‘Some of the soldiers—and Dean’s group—they made it out. They’re heading to the White House!202Please respect copyright.PENANAY9hirQmzRO
We need to finish up here and join them!’
‘Yes… we should,’ Nicole said, breathing heavily.202Please respect copyright.PENANAfPP606cANG
She hesitated, then added, painfully:
‘I doubt we’ll make it out alive.’202Please respect copyright.PENANAIB7CN484Aw


