Asia and I stood in our usual training spot, a small clearing surrounded by towering trees. But today, the atmosphere was anything but peaceful. A girl y unconscious on Asia's p, her body marked with bruises and wounds that told a story of struggle. Her breathing was shallow, and her pale skin glistened with sweat under the dappled sunlight.

  Who the hell is she? I thought, kneeling beside them. Her appearance was striking—short blonde hair that made her look like a big sister of Asia. But what caught my attention were her fangs. Sharp, slightly elongated, and unmistakably vampire-like. Great. Just what I needed. First it was a Dragon and now it's a vamp.

  "Kazuya," Asia said, her voice trembling as she looked up at me. "She's hurt… really badly."

  I nodded, my tone calm but firm. "Heal her, Asia. Use your Twilight Healing."

  Asia's hands glowed with a soft green light as she activated her Sacred Gear. The air around us seemed to hum with energy, and I watched as the wounds on the girl's body began to close. The cuts faded, the bruises disappeared, and her breathing steadied. But despite the healing, she remained unconscious.

  Why isn't she waking up? I frowned, pcing two fingers on her neck to check her pulse. It was faint but steady. She's alive, but… Then it hit me. "Senzu beans," I muttered, reaching into my pocket. I pulled out one of the small, green beans and carefully pced it in the girl's mouth. As I did, I noticed her fangs again. Definitely a vampire. This day just keeps getting better.

  The girl's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped, sitting up abruptly. Her crimson eyes darted around, wide with confusion and fear. "W-Who are you? Where am I?"

  I held up a hand, my tone calm but firm. "Easy. You're safe. I'm Kazuya, and this is Asia. We found you hurt in the forest. Who are you, and who did this to you?"

  Before she could answer, a new voice cut through the air, cold and menacing. "Well, well. Look what we have here."

  My head snapped up, my eyes narrowing as two figures emerged from the shadows. Both were vampires, their pale skin and glowing red eyes giving them away instantly. The taller one, a pure-blooded vampire, exuded an aura of arrogance, while the other grinned sadistically, his fangs glinting in the dim light.

  Fantastic. Just what I needed. More vampires.

  The girl stepped in front of us, her voice trembling but defiant. "Stay back! Don't hurt them! They saved my life!"

  The pure-blooded vampire sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your life? You think we care about that? Our orders are to bring you back. As for these humans…" He gnced at his companion, who licked his lips hungrily.

  "Oh, I'll have fun with the girl before I eat her," the second vampire said, his grin widening. "And the boy? He'll make a nice snack."

  My jaw tightened, my grip on Lostvayne tightening. Dead. Both of you are already dead. I stepped forward, my movements calm but deliberate. She turned to me, her eyes pleading.

  "Please, don't fight them! They're too strong!" she said, her voice trembling.

  I pced a hand on her shoulder, my expression unreadable. "Stay back. This won't take long."

  The second vampire ughed, stepping forward with a mocking grin. "Oh, this should be fun. You think you can take us on, human? How cute."

  I didn't respond. Instead, I moved. In a blur of speed, I closed the distance between us, Lostvayne fshing in the sunlight. The vampire barely had time to react before my bde sliced through his throat. Blood sprayed like a fountain, spttering across the forest floor with a sickening spt. The vampire colpsed, lifeless.

  The vampire's eyes widened in shock, and even girl and Asia stared in stunned silence. I stood over the fallen vampire, my expression cold and unyielding. Blood dripped from my sword, and my eyes glowed with a dangerous light. To them, I probably looked like a devil—bathing in blood, unrelenting and terrifying.

  Shit, I thought, gncing at them. I went overboard. I scared them.

  The remaining vampire snarled, his body dissolving into a swarm of bats that lunged at me from all directions. I didn't flinch. With a flick of my wrist, ice spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the bats mid-flight with a series of sharp thwacks. The vampire reformed, his body riddled with wounds, blood pouring from his injuries.

  "Y-You…!" the vampire stammered, his voice filled with rage and fear. He turned to flee, his wings unfurling as he attempted to take to the air.

  I didn't give him the chance. I hurled Lostvayne with pinpoint accuracy, the sword piercing the vampire's chest with a wet thunk and sending him crashing to the ground. The vampire twitched once before falling still, his lifeless eyes staring into the void.

  I walked over, pulling Lostvayne from the vampire's body with a sickening squelch. I turned back to them, my expression softening as I saw the fear in their eyes. Asia was trembling, her hands clutching her dress, while girl looked at me as if I were a monster.

  [ You have not responded to the quest. It's no longer avaible ]

  What?! I was too focused on killing that bastard I lunged straight for kill. Fuck.

  Double shit, I thought, running a hand through my hair. I really scared them.

  I sheathed Lostvayne and approached them slowly, my tone gentle. "Hey… it's okay. They're gone now. You're safe."

  Asia nodded shakily, but girl took a step back, her crimson eyes wide with fear. "Y-You… you killed them so easily. Who… what are you?"

  I sighed, my shoulders slumping. "I'm just someone who protects the people I care about. And right now, that includes you."

  She hesitated, her fear slowly giving way to curiosity. "My name… is Valerie. And… thank you. For saving me."

  I nodded and gestured them to leave, "Don't mention it. Now, let's get out of here before more of them show up."

  . . .

  The walk back to my house was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves underfoot and the soft murmurs of Asia comforting her. Valerie Tepes, as she'd introduced herself—was still shaken, her crimson eyes darting around as if expecting more vampires to jump out at any moment. Asia stayed close to her, offering gentle words of reassurance, while I kept my guard up, Lostvayne resting comfortably in its sheath but ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.

  Valerie Tepes, I thought, gncing at her from the corner of my eye. I should've known. If I'd bothered to study the light novel more, I might've recognized her. But no, I had to wing it like an idiot. Now I'm stuck pying catch-up.

  Her appearance was striking—short blondehair that shimmered like moonlight, delicate features, and a slender frame. She looked like she'd stepped out of a gothic fairy tale. But what caught my attention were her fangs. Sharp, slightly elongated, and unmistakably vampire-like. Great. Just what I needed. Another vampire.

  When we finally reached the house, I ushered everyone inside, locking the door behind us with a soft click. Espeon trotted over, his purple fur glistening under the light as he nudged my leg. I scratched behind his ears absentmindedly, my mind racing with questions.

  "Alright," I said, turning to Valerie. My voice was calm but firm, and I made sure to keep my body nguage open to put her at ease. "You're safe here. But I need to know why those vampires were after you. And don't leave anything out."

  Valerie hesitated, her hands clutching the hem of her dress. She looked at Asia, then at me, her crimson eyes filled with a mix of fear and determination. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.

  "I… I escaped from my brother," she said, her voice trembling. "He's the leader of the Tepes Faction. He's been forcing me to use my Sacred Gear, Sephiroth Graal, for his own gain."

  Sephiroth Graal, I thought, my mind racing. The fuck is that?

  Asia's eyes widened, and she leaned forward, her hands csped together. "What does it do?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with concern.

  Valerie looked down "It… it allows me to manipute souls. I can heal them, damage them, or even… destroy them. My brother wants to use it to strengthen his faction and eliminate his enemies."

  Damn, I thought, running a hand through my hair. This is worse than I thought. If her brother's willing to go this far, he's not going to stop until he gets her back.

  "How did you escape?" I asked, my tone calm but firm.

  Valerie's hands tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "I… I tricked him. I pretended to cooperate, and when he let his guard down, I ran. I couldn't take it anymore—the constant abuse, the shackles, the way he treated me like a tool instead of a person. I just wanted to be free."

  Asia reached out, pcing a hand on Valerie's shoulder. Her touch was gentle, almost motherly. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You're safe now, okay? We'll protect you."

  Valerie looked at Asia, her expression softening. For a moment, it seemed like she might break down, but she held it together, nodding slowly. "Thank you… but I don't want to put you in danger. My brother… he won't stop until he finds me."

  I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall. The wood creaked softly under my weight as I shifted my stance. "He already knows about us. Those two vampires I killed? They were his ckeys. He's going to come after me regardless. So, here's the deal: you can walk away if you want. I won't stop you. But if you stay, you're welcome to join my group."

  Valerie's eyes widened, and she took a step back, her hands csped together nervously. "Your… group?"

  I nodded, gesturing to Asia and Espeon. "Me, Asia, and Espeon." The purple feline was happily munching on a bowl of cat food in the corner, his tail flicking zily. He looked up at the sound of his name, his eyes meeting Valerie's for a moment before he went back to eating with a soft crunch.

  Valerie gnced at Espeon, then back at me. Her crimson eyes were filled with doubt. "But… what about my brother? He's powerful. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."

  I smirked, my tone confident. "Let him come. I'm allied with the Gremory family, and they're not exactly pushovers. Plus, there's someone else I… let's say, have a connection with. Someone who could wipe out the entire Tepes Faction if they wanted to."

  Valerie's eyes widened in shock, and she took a step closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who… who is it?"

  I shook my head, my expression serious. "Just trust me when I say you're safer with us than out there on your own."

  Valerie looked down, her hands trembling. I could see the conflict in her eyes—the fear of putting us in danger versus the desire for freedom and safety. Finally, she looked up, her crimson eyes filled with determination.

  "I… I want to join you," she said, her voice steady. "But are you sure it's safe? For Asia? For you?"

  I walked over, pcing a hand on her shoulder. My grip was firm but reassuring. "You don't have to worry about that. As long as you're part of this group, I'll protect you. That's a promise."

  Asia smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. She reached out and took Valerie's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We're in this together, Valerie. You're not alone anymore."

  Valerie's lips trembled, and for a moment, it looked like she might cry. But she held it together, nodding firmly. "Thank you… both of you. I won't let you down."

  I gave her a small smile, my hand dropping back to my side. "Welcome to the team, Valerie. Now, let's get you settled in. We've got a lot to talk about—starting with how to deal with your brother."

  As Valerie and Asia moved to the couch, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. She's safe for now, but this is far from over. Her brother's not going to let this slide. I need to be ready.

  I gnced at Espeon, who was now curled up on the floor, his tail flicking zily. "What do you think, buddy? Think we can handle a vampire faction?"

  Espeon let out a soft purr and I chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

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