...Huh?!
What the heck just happened?!
Okay, I'll try to not sound completely insane while recounting this, but I think all the vampires just fell!
Just like that!
Just like that, they were all killed!
Or if killed is even the right term... Dismembered into tiny pieces and slaughtered might be more accurate...
I glanced all around, and everyone seemed as stunned as I was. The vampires they were fighting against until a few seconds ago were killed just like that!
Of course, I knew who was behind all of this.
A few moments ago, I thought I saw Master. Before I could dismiss what I saw as mere hallucination, Master's figure suddenly materialized a few meters in front of me.
He killed the high-vampires standing there near the towering crimson cross upon which Liz was impaled.
Kl'Drog managed to escape, but the rest were dealt with as if they were helpless cattle headed for slaughter.
God of War? No, a moving slaughterhouse seems like a more fitting title for him!
Anyway, as soon as the vampires met their end, Leo swung his sword and shattered the crimson cross into fine scarlet dust without somehow harming Liz in the process.
Liz was now unconscious, and it was reasonable to assume she would remain that way for a few weeks or months at least.
Nero, even though he could barely move himself, rushed to Liz's side, barely holding back tears.
Gosh, seeing him in such a state almost made my heart ache in guilt... almost.
Leo handed Liz's unconscious body to the medics and instructed them to take Nero to the infirmary along with her.
Just then, several massive mechanized robot frames rushed in through the arena entrance or descended from the sky above to secure the perimeter.
Several more instructors and medics arrived from helicopters that filled the night sky.
Kai discreetly signaled the NWO members to move, and in an instant, they vanished from sight as though they had never been there, to begin with.
A few of the defense personnel who had just arrived shouted at this sight.
– "Hey! Some people just disappeared! Secure the area and search for them!"
– "Ask Athena to track the use of Teleportation Gates as well while you're at it!"
– "Vampires can conceal themselves in shadows, so search every corner of the arena meticulously! I swear to god, if a bloodsucker jumps at me from the side, I'll kill all of you myself!"
Amidst all of this, I saw Leo casually walking alongside a member of the defense personnel, engaged in conversation.
As they moved closer to me, I happened to catch a glimpse of their conservation.
"...Yeah, and don't bother trying to look for those individuals who managed to escape. I can't sense their presence, so they've likely already left the city. My guess is that one of them must possess some kind of spatial teleportation Gift. Instead of them, use your people to search for any vampires lurking in the shadows, although I doubt there are any I missed but better to be safe than sorry."
Leo's brow furrowed for a few seconds before he continued:
"And keep an eye out for a traitor. This couldn't have happened without a spy among our ranks. I want you to also seize any Teleportation Gate activity to prevent anyone from escaping or getting into the city. I want full-on lockdown. This matter should be settled by tomorrow. As for the media… don't answer any of their queries. The Global City Council will handle them on their own."
The man next to Leo continued to bob his head up and down in agreement with each word that came out of Leo's mouth.
By the time they approached me, the man appeared as if his head was attached to a spring.
Noticing my kneeling figure, Leo's expression lit up as he stepped closer and said with a bright smile:
"Oh, hey, Lucas. Meet this gentleman. He's the head of defense for the Global Military Academy, Private Warren."
I nodded to the man named Warren, who stood beside Leo and managed to painfully rise to my feet.
Leo went on, "Partly thanks to his not-so-great security measures, the vampires made this attack possible."
Private Warren, who had been nodding until now, abruptly stopped as a sour expression washed over his face.
Leo chuckled. "I'm just messing with you, Warren. I know your security measures are top-notch. Nevertheless, I'd appreciate it if you could apprehend that pesky traitor, alright?"
Private Warren nodded again while Leo shifted his gaze to me and inquired with a hint of concern, "Lucas, are you injured anywhere?"
"No," I shook my head. "I'm exhausted. After the final match, just being able to stand is a miracle, let alone fight."
Leo surveyed the scene, noticing the fallen bodies of two vampires. His gaze then fell on me as he saw the blood splatter on my shiny golden armor. He nodded, "Hmm, well done."
After a brief pause, he asked playfully, "So, did you emerge victorious or taste bitter defeat?"
I lingered for a moment before replying with an even expression, "I'm sorry, master. I lost. I was a single step behind."
Leo's facial expressions softened slightly at my response, but his amused smirk soon returned, "Nope, that's the wrong answer."
I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean? I genuinely lost."
Leo shook his head as if I were missing an obvious point and said matter-of-factly:
"You might have lost the match, Lucas, but in life, the one who remains standing is always the victor. So look around and tell me again, did you lose?"
Pausing for a single second, I drew in a deep breath and scanned my surroundings. I saw cadets being carried away on stretchers or being tended to by medics.
Some were whimpering, while others struggled to suppress their cries of pain. A few had broken down upon witnessing their friends' deaths.
Unlike in the novel, thanks to NWO's intervention and the majority of the vampire force being focused on Liz and Damian, there weren't many cadet casualties in this reality.
However, that didn't mean there were no losses. While the death toll was low, the injury count was significantly high.
As I observed their conditions with an indifferent gaze, a soft sigh escaped my lips as I admitted, "Perhaps I didn't lose after all."
I mean, even Nero, the protagonist of this world, was battered and bruised.
And the emotional turmoil he must be experiencing after seeing the only maternal figure in his life at death's door was unimaginable.
Quinn and Anastasia didn't fare much better. Their bodies were littered with injuries and bruises.
I didn't even bother to look out for Chase, knowing that he would be lying unconscious somewhere.
I could also spot Amelia's unconscious figure being transported to the hospital building.
Her injuries weren't severe, but the deadly poisonous and corrosive effects of Bloodpolis had taken their toll on her.
A smirk danced on Leo's lips upon hearing my response, and he remarked, "Excellent. So, shall we go?"
I looked at Leo, a perplexed expression on my face, but I had a feeling he was about to suggest something rather absurd.
With a hint of hesitation present in my voice, I asked, "Go... where exactly?"
"Where else," Leo tightly gripped the back of my neck and lifted me up effortlessly as if he was holding a puppy.
As my feet left the ground, I involuntarily tried to wrestle free of Leo's grip.
However, before I could even grasp the situation, an azure bubble made purely of mana enveloped us and Leo spoke up:
"We're off to hunt a high-vampire commander!"
The tone Leo used this time was akin to how grandfathers invited their grandsons to go fishing with them.
However, before I could offer a retort or attempt to break free, Leo stomped his foot onto the ground, and the next instant, we were floating through the sky, thousands of meters above Global City.
The whiplash from traveling at that speed alone should have knocked the breath out of my lungs and turned my insides to mush.
Yet, the mana barrier seemed to shield us from all kinds of resistance. Of course, that didn't mean I wasn't rendered utterly speechless.
Before I could even manage to let out a startled yelp or a shocked mewl, Leo's voice cut through the rush of air:
"Today, I want you to observe two things, my dear disciple. Watch how a real clash between two high-level entities goes down. And witness my secret technique, one you'll soon inherit as my disciple."
As soon as Leo said that, he kicked the air itself this time and the scenery around us changed once again.
This time, we found ourselves on the edge of a port harbor, full of sleek architecture and polished surfaces, devoid of any people in sight.
The mana barrier fell down, allowing me to feel the crisp ocean breeze carrying a faint metallic tang, ruffling my clothing in a gentle dance.
Beneath my feet, the ground was a seamless network of panels, gracefully blending into the horizon.
The silence was soothing yet eerie, only disturbed by the soft hum of hidden machinery and the undulating waves of the distant sea.
The soothing silence and the serene atmosphere did not last long, however.
Soon, the tall form of a grotesque creature entered our field of vision. The creature was clearly trying to escape into the great ocean.
It was none other than our target, Kl'Drog, the high-vampire commander from earlier.
In its desperate path of escape stood Leo and me.
Well, mostly Leo, as I shamelessly hid myself behind him.
Truth be told, I wanted no part in this. What I truly wanted was to get some sleep. Yet, when have I ever been granted my wishes?
With a resigned sigh, I listened as Master spoke to the high-vampire with a trace of amusement in his tone, "I'm afraid entry into this city isn't free. So don't mind if I levy a hefty tax upon you, yeah?"
