‘What do you mean, Nicole?’ the soldier asked.
Before Nicole could answer, the question answered itself:92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QpYG7Crt4
The commander cried out again.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4TOtsWsEn
He was helpless against his foe.
The soldier’s face went pale.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSy8g9RHt6
Their commander was dying.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNIQJNyhRC
Their strongest warrior was losing.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxtTmwRGKw
Humanity wouldn’t make it.
Nicole, too, was speechless.
Dracule, seeing their reaction, burst into hysterical laughter.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pcl4munEw
He even had to clutch his stomach.
The winner was decided.
Or was it?
Yes, the sun had turned red.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxv5lreU4z
But the sun wasn’t the only thing that visited Earth.
Behind the clouds, a silver light broke through.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwCbUhmuqv
The commander smiled as his body overflowed with power.
He flexed his muscles and focused on purging the cursed blood within him.
Then it appeared—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW0YqVnaMV
the full moon.
‘We have not lost yet!’ Commander Nootra bellowed.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP8Qp563sj
‘We have not lost yet! Fight! Fight and survive! My soldiers! My friends! My love!’
Silver light erupted from his body.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MMWqTrLvL
His fur shimmered. His wounds healed.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrv41KdmfP
And the war cry that followed shook the heavens.
The ghouls froze.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUyaXzKmTu
Even Dracule had to swallow hard.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aP4cPBt1N
But his fear turned to joy.
‘That’s the beast I know! A king candidate—the true King of the Beasts, who once challenged the King. Let us bathe in blood and end the world while fighting!’
Dracule rose into the air. The sky turned blood-red as if drenched in gore.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlF2tUWds1
Then—giant blood worms shot down from the sky.
Their fangs were forged of demon energy.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ga79u9S9c
They came in great numbers.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gNsAToq8C
Each fired energy blasts at the soldiers—at the commander.
But it only took one swing of Nootra’s powerful arm.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ8Iy9ud4j
A wave of silver energy blasted forth, destroying all incoming attacks.
His soldiers’ morale soared.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpSmXnbYjj
Even Nicole smiled—until her joy vanished just as quickly as it had come.
(Nicole: Will he recognize us in that state?)
She couldn’t afford to dwell on the thought.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErjZoyZRsS
The ghouls had resumed their assault.
The soldiers formed a protective circle around Nicole, who needed time to recover her strength.
‘I knew that would be enough!’ Dracule roared.
His blood worms lunged at the commander.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCwpssEmXR
Nootra retaliated, tearing them apart with razor-sharp claws.
Meanwhile, Dracule concentrated demon energy between his hands, slowly shaping it into a spear.
In the Past
Dracule lay on the ground—defeated.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIW6RqjHSa2
No amount of growling could change that.
The King of the Beasts turned his back to him and said:
‘You were truly strong, my friend. But I fear I’ve become too powerful.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oDTa7u2gN
Only a king candidate—or the King himself—can satisfy my hunger now.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHL3md6LVK
Grow stronger. One day, we’ll face each other again.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qV2GHIPSL
I’ll always accept your challenge.’
‘Just wait! One day, our positions will be reversed. You’ll be the one at my feet!’
‘If that day comes, Dracule, I’ll gladly train again to face you.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIx2Ch5rWW
See you then.’
In the Present
Commander Nootra had effortlessly destroyed the blood worms.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3OFhJMQ9Y
Their blood floated in the air—just as Dracule had foreseen.
The blood morphed into chains, wrapping around the commander.
They wouldn’t hold him for long,92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDwtrgMcnm
but they’d buy Dracule enough time for one final attack.
He held the energy spear in his hand.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWRVHmHsbA
It was so powerful that the hand holding it was slowly falling apart.
‘I will defeat you, King of the Beasts—even if it costs me my life!92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3P4yO1NDV
I prepared this special gift just for you.
O cursed bone, carved by judgment—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XZhk2E9yd
Trace the guilt in flesh and soul.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOyNjT7gnd
Twist the heavens. Tear through fate—
Akzhareth, pierce without mercy!’
He threw the spear.
Just as the commander broke free, the spear struck—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEUwx4EG0C
piercing through his body.
A burst of light exploded, bathing the sky in violet.
Nicole began to cry.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5r0TvhGYGE
Dracule, on the other hand, rejoiced.
He formed a fist and thumped his chest.
‘I did it. I finally beat him! After all these years of hellish training—it paid off.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkOPPQXl5n
My friend, who is now the loser—’
The light dimmed.
And revealed the commander.
He was alive.
The spear had pierced his chest—left a gaping hole.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8Ls7im48v
But he was still standing.
Dracule, already pale, turned ghostly white.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGsBdFQ9Dp
He had put everything into that final attack.
‘Hahaha… it seems it will be like last time.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk0W9RAhRB
I am the loser.’
The commander surged forward at terrifying speed.
Dracule didn’t move.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL69ZHcCFX
What use was fighting now?
The King of the Beasts had survived his final blow.
Dracule spread his arms wide, like a father welcoming his son.
Commander Nootra drove his claws through Dracule’s chest—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPB47l5ZMfm
ripped out his heart—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfBzHDwf6F
and raised the bloodied organ in his hand.
He crushed it.
Blood spilled across his face.
The ghouls fled.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsmVv7oF8i
The soldiers cheered.
Only Nicole remained silent, watching the commander.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMWara3964
Waiting for him to speak.
As a human.
But the commander let the heart fall—and turned to the soldiers.
Nicole’s eyes widened.
‘His eyes…’ she whispered.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpKDI5MnS7
‘That’s not our commander. RUN!’
The next moment—92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oL1aQu7x8
the commander fired a silver energy blade at the group.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWWNra15Br
