‘What do you mean, Nicole?’ the soldier asked.
Before Nicole could answer, the question answered itself:75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWYiA4MgOS
The commander cried out again.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEdF9soQi5
He was helpless against his foe.
The soldier’s face went pale.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlpAITbT0w
Their commander was dying.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiZfTPMOZb
Their strongest warrior was losing.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq53DsLHX6f
Humanity wouldn’t make it.
Nicole, too, was speechless.
Dracule, seeing their reaction, burst into hysterical laughter.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRiTlZwLSB
He even had to clutch his stomach.
The winner was decided.
Or was it?
Yes, the sun had turned red.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblWpYSf9Q0
But the sun wasn’t the only thing that visited Earth.
Behind the clouds, a silver light broke through.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XSRo24dOz
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—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikBmEwwmAR
the full moon.
‘We have not lost yet!’ Commander Nootra bellowed.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGXs8lytjd
‘We have not lost yet! Fight! Fight and survive! My soldiers! My friends! My love!’
Silver light erupted from his body.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAUzE7DO7Q
His fur shimmered. His wounds healed.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBDckre3yI
And the war cry that followed shook the heavens.
The ghouls froze.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1M8jTJcUh
Even Dracule had to swallow hard.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcU7FLjQn7
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNupMHxjLk
Then—giant blood worms shot down from the sky.
Their fangs were forged of demon energy.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLO6LZ6j7Tq
They came in great numbers.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOrxZE4bvT
Each fired energy blasts at the soldiers—at the commander.
But it only took one swing of Nootra’s powerful arm.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsePymFyWr
A wave of silver energy blasted forth, destroying all incoming attacks.
His soldiers’ morale soared.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmr5cKjkn4f
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXl90zYHZmx
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡre8RzCFpUm
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoejg7ebIXz
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrMm4AfhdL
Only a king candidate—or the King himself—can satisfy my hunger now.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5vPSZMJOH
Grow stronger. One day, we’ll face each other again.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM8lrjc6uM
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbpofr1eLc
See you then.’
In the Present
Commander Nootra had effortlessly destroyed the blood worms.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppQOlxOPrH
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,75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHsVSFQfpv
but they’d buy Dracule enough time for one final attack.
He held the energy spear in his hand.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLKXjuVVvo
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!75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjxox74Rx0
I prepared this special gift just for you.
O cursed bone, carved by judgment—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItMnDq1hPf
Trace the guilt in flesh and soul.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1C4AokSui
Twist the heavens. Tear through fate—
Akzhareth, pierce without mercy!’
He threw the spear.
Just as the commander broke free, the spear struck—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFxd5t0ALX
piercing through his body.
A burst of light exploded, bathing the sky in violet.
Nicole began to cry.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaB3bFmu5h6
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVThR4xjrRB
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAunxwWuq2V
But he was still standing.
Dracule, already pale, turned ghostly white.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl0Jqj2dWV
He had put everything into that final attack.
‘Hahaha… it seems it will be like last time.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaZFL6qCHK
I am the loser.’
The commander surged forward at terrifying speed.
Dracule didn’t move.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3QQodXwSu
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—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkGGNtaiMM
ripped out his heart—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBY9JN2h8x
and raised the bloodied organ in his hand.
He crushed it.
Blood spilled across his face.
The ghouls fled.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsN84CI7MZH
The soldiers cheered.
Only Nicole remained silent, watching the commander.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBFEbmeeEk
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.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb9HsrDCEv
‘That’s not our commander. RUN!’
The next moment—75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsom65VmE89
the commander fired a silver energy blade at the group.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfix4MTY2P0
