Hybrid- Reboot Version.

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 49: Ninetails.

Hidden:

"Woah, hold your horses! Ninetails is your mother?!" Shouted Johnnathan.

"Your mother is a Dark Lord?!" Shouted Vanilla.

"Everyone shut up!" Ninetails gave a shout that echoed the whole castle.

"...Wow. She is a big deal."

"You...You are a mother?" Said Shiiha. "And a mother of a Youko? Why didn't you told me?"

"...You never asked." Responded Ninetails.

"Why would I ask something like that?!"

"Enough of that. Now let's focus on what's important." She focus her sight on Sanzuke. "Hello, son. How have you been these past years?"

"...Complicated, mother. I have been with conflicts with...your kind." Replied Sanzuke.

"So do I heard. You were Tenkai, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I see. I understand your actions. I think anyone in your situation would do the same. I am no different."

"How did you knew I was coming?"

"Call it a gut feeling. When I heard about the dragon yesterday I couldn't think of anyone else. By the way, you've been on that place, right?"

"And you didn't bothered checking out?"

"No. I wanted to take this opportunity to have a talk with you. Sanzuke, why don't you join me?"

"Excuse me?"

"No one needs to know about your origin. You are a Youko. Neither human or kitsune. There is no real good reason for you to be on the side of the humans."

"Sorry, mother. But I cannot help you with your bloodshed. That's not what father would want."

"...Really?" Blue flames started to appear around Ninetails. "Not what he wanted, huh? So...Did he wanted...To have to die? Did Akechi had to die by the hands of his own kin?!"

With a burst of fire around her, the whole room became a blue inferno.

"Akechi? The one who Lady Ninetails had a son was Akechi Yoshimetsu?!" Shiiha got astonished by the revelation.

"Maybe I should act like a parent and discipline you then!" Ninetails summoned a blue fireball from her index finger pointed upward and it gradually grew larger and larger. "Blue Star!"

She pointed towards them and the giant fireball went straight at them.

"Guys! I am not fireproof!" Said Edward.

"Blizzard!" Vanilla sent a snowstorm at the fire, but it only shrunk a little. "Darn it. Too hot."

"That's good for me!" Johhnathan went to an assault. "Red Rampage!"

"Hidden Strike: Phantom Flame!" Sanzuke alongside Johnnathan managed to dispel the fireball.

"So, you managed to get yourself a Hybrid...Of course you would." Ninetails dashed towards Johnnathan and attacked with one of her tails on flames.

Johnnathan manages to block, but it is sent upwards. Ninetails then turns into a fireball and charges at Johnnathan, pushing him all the way to the top of the castle.

"Okay, that's not good." Said Edward.

"Aaand it's getting worse." Said West as the room got filled with Kitsunes.

"Lady Shiiha, what's the meaning of this?" Asked one of them.

"T-There is a very reasonable explanation for this-"

"Traitor!"

One of them tries to attack her, but Edward intervenes and delivers a electric stab at the Kitsune, stunning him in the process. "We gotta protect ourselves and somehow help Johnnathan, guys!"

"Sanzuke kinda went already so that's half of the trouble done." Said West.

"He did what?! Who authorized that?!"

"I did." Said Florencia.

"...Fair."

Meanwhile, Johnnathan blasted through the castle's ceiling. He landed on his two feet and picked his swords. "That could have gone better."

He was then attacked by several tails from above that hitted like flails. Johnnathan dodged by doing backflips until he was out of that tail's range.

"You are quick." Ninetails landed from above. "So let's try to take this dance a little too closer."

Ninetails picked two fans with four blades on each one, covered with blue fire.

"Kamikaze!" She shoots her fans as of they were two massive saws. Johnnathan manages to block, but it's pushed away.

"Nghhh...This is bad." Johnnathan pushes the fans upward and Ninetails jumps to get them.

"Meteor Shower!" With a swing of her fans, several blue fireballs falls at Johnnathan. He dodges it by running through the ceiling, avoiding being hit.

Ninetails turns into a fireball and flies straight at Johnnathan. She attacks with one of her fans, but Johnnathan manages to block. "You managed to dodge my attacks. How did you do that?"

"I don't know. Hybrid stuff, I guess?"

"A red jacket...You must be the infamous Red Beast, huh? " Ninetails pushes him away with a burst of flames. "My son is walking with bad company, I see."

"In my defense, we aren't that much acquainted."

"Good. That means I can prevent his mind to be corrupted even further." She concentrate a large quantity of foxfire in one of her fans and a large fire blade was created. "Firestorm Sword: Murakumo!"

With a horizontal swing, a huge blue wall of fire went straight at Johnnathan really fast.

"Oh bloody hell!"

"Hidden Strike: True Flame!"At the last second, Sanzuke appears and cut the fire in the middle. Two remaining portions were still flying and hit two different parts of the city, creating two conflagrations. "Are you kidding me? That will cost a lot to repair."

"Seems like you need help." Said Sanzuke.

"Yeah, but I could have dealt with that one." Said Johnnathan.

"Eh. Of course you could."

"You will point a blade right at your mother, Sanzuke?" Said Ninetails. "The very own blade your father wielded."

"You leave me no choice."

"Your father never had his hand on the hilt of that sword when he was next to me. At first I was vigilante that maybe one day he would pull off the sword out of the sheath. In the end he never did. Who knew the one who I was supossed to look out for was actually you? How disappointing!"

She sent all of her nine tails at the two fo them. Sanzuke pushes one of them away and Johnnathan manages to do the same. As they advance, Ninetails created another huge fireball.

"Blue Star!"

The fireball is sent straight at Sanzuke.

"Hidden Strike: Kagutsuchi!" Sanzuke leaps directly at the flames and cuts it from inside. He advances further towards Makoto who guard herself with her fans, but Sanzuke leap into the air right when Johnnathan came right behind him ready to attack.

"A feint?!"

"Hidden Strike: True Flame!"

"Red Spiral!" Johnnathan and Sanzuke both attacked Ninetails, sending her fly away covered in a body of blue fire. "Dude. Did we just pummeled your mother? Because that's pretty messed up."

"Don't low your guard. She is a Dark Lord."

The fire surrounding Ninetails fades away and reveals her with all of her nine tails were proteciting her like a shield. Bruises and cuts were covering her tails.

"Hmpf! It seems a Hybrid and a Youko is quite a disadvantage even for the Nine-Tailed Fox." Her tails then turn into pure flames and grow longer. "But even so...it's still only two."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 50: Azure Soul.

Hidden:

"I've been the head of the Kitsunes for almost a thousand years." Said Ninetails. "If you think two brats who didn't even lived a hundred years can stop me...Well, I am not in the mood of calling my own son an idiot."

"Something tells me the "idiot" wasn't really the word." Said Johnnathan.

"It's time for you two to understand what is the power of a Dark Lord." The giant tails started to change the shape of their tips and they turned into angry fox heads. "Inari Dance!"

She sends her tails at them with the heads trying to crunch them.

"Hidden Strike: Phantom Fire!" Sanzuke cut the tails, but the heads grows back. "These fires are too strong."

"None of you will ever get closer to me." The heads then opened his maws. "Nine Stars!"

Nine big fireballs were shot from their mouths. Johnnathan and Sanzuke split, running in different directions to avoid them. Everytime one of those flames landed on the floor, a giant pillar of fire appeared.

"That's certainly a bother." Said Johnnathan. "It's bad to try to get close and bad to be too far....In that case..."

Johnnathan broke the floor with his sword and entered the attic. He used his Dark Senses to pinpoint Ninetails's location.

"Found her!" Johnnathan shoots one of his Red Spirals at her, but she manages to deflect it with one of her fans.

"What cowardly tactic." Ninetails jumped down to the attic and tossed her fan at him. "Kamikaze!"

Johnnathan blocks it with his swords, but it's sent upward from the impact.

"Ooof! How are you doing there, Sanzuke?"

"Not nearly as good as I wanted."

Ninetails came back from below. "Isn't it enough? Or do you really want to die, Sanzuke?"

"If I wanted to die, I would have done 9 years ago. Probably messing with those damn hornets."

"You two desperately needs therapy." Said Johnnathan.

"Anyway, a man worth his name shouldn't die like that when there is so much to be done." Sanzuke then summons a small blue ember on the tip of his finger. "I wanted to try to avoid this, but it can't be helped."

Sanzuke's whole body is covered in blue flames. The flames then disappears and his form changed with a blue fire tail and fox ears made of blue fire.

"What the bloody hell is up with this look?" Asked Johnnathan.

"So you are looking like a Kitsune now. Was that supossed to trick me or something like that?" Said Ninetails.

"No. Deceit is a kitsune thing." Sanzuke lights his blade on fire. "I like to do things head-on."

He dashes towards Ninetails and she sends her tails at Sanzuke, but in a blur he cuts them down.

"What?!" Ninetails tries to attack with her fans, but Sanzuke leaps above them and attacks.

"True Flame!" With a horizontal swing, he attacks Ninetails and she is launched away of the rooftop. She turns into a fireball and flies back.

"Don't get too cocky!" She sents her tails again, attacking from nine different angles.

"Phantom Flame!" In a single moment, he cut all of the tails.

"Wow! He suddenly became faster and stronger." Said Johnnathan.

"...How exactly did you reached this level?" Asked Nonetails.

"You do know what Foxfire is made of, right?" Said Sanzuke.

"Of course I do. It's made of all the three components of life."

"What are those?" Asked Johnnathan.

"There are three sources of primal energy that feeds the living beings. Chi. Aura. And Mana." Said Sanzuke.

"I know of the last one. It's from where magic comes from."

"That's correct. Chi is what measure your physicak strenght, in other words your body. And Aura is what your Soul is made of."

"The Foxfire is actually made of out of those three components." Said Ninetails. "Usually Chi and Mana are separated by your Aura like a wall. But for us Kitsunes, our soul works as some sort of bridge. You could say Foxfire is what we are truly made of and our bodies are just illusions. In Youkos, the Chi is supossed to be separated from Mana by their Aura, but...That doesn't seem to be the case."

"Since Youkos have far superior strenght, I can now pass that to my flames. So they now burn hotter than ever."

"...Magnificent." Ninetails shed a tear. "I could only expect as most of this from my own flesh and blood...Too bad you have to perish."

The tails appears again and the heads started to charge a blue fire ball in their mouths.

"Rising Blue!" The heads breath a massive blue heatwave.

"This is bad. Johnnathan! You have to get out of-"

Johnnathan pushed Sanzuke away and took the fire head on.

"No!"

A sudden burts of darkness rose from Johnnathan and dispeled the fire.

"Sorry pal. I can't have you stealing the spotlight here." Johnanthan had entered in Desperation.

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 51: Piercing Darkness.

Hidden:

"Don't come closer!" Edward furiously attacked the kitsunes with lightning-fast attacks with his sword. He had several wounds and burning marks on his body.

"Yeah, come closer to me instead!" West was attacking the enemies with his claws in wolf form. He was on the vanguard with Edward while Florencia and Vanilla where on the rear guard.

"Isn't me or those two are a little bit too hyped?" Asked Vanilla. "I mean, West is being West, but Edward looks like a hungry hobo at a buffet."

"Well, I do heard humans goes into panic easily when they are in risk of dying." Said Florencia.

"I am already done with all those cursed foxes!" Shouted Edward. "I swear if I get burned again, I'll pierce my sword into their-"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't ruin the surprise to them Eddie. Hahahaha!" West laughed at Edward.

"Sooo....Maybe bullying that human was a bad idea." Said a kitsune. "Maybe it was smarter if we took care of the werewolf first, but right now...I don't...Know...'

Suddenly all the kitsunes fall asleep.

"Woah. I didn't they got tired so easily." Said West.

"Wheeew. Thank...goodness." Edward straight-up falls to his back. "Just send only the rogue vampires at me from own."

"Not that we usually had a lot of them sent at us"

"Is it safe to leave?" Shiiha appeared from a trap door.

"Well, well. What a merry bunch of youngsters." From the door of the room, Master Shen appeared. "Glad I came here on time, this place feels like a maze."

"Who's the old coot?" Asked West.

"This man...is a hybrid." Said Florencia who sensed the dark magic inside him.

"A...hybrid?" Said Edward. "Why is there one of them here?"

"And who are, kind sir?"

"Shen." Replied Shen while he was picking inside his ear.

"Shen...Wait! Aren't you Master Shen of the Dark Channeling Fist aren't you?"

"I am know of that, yes."

"Master Shen? As in that guy Johnnathan told it may be the strongest Hybrid alive?!" Said Edward.

"Bah. That brat from Jarghem is certainly stronger since he is way younger."

"Well, whatever. If you are here, then it means you help us, right? Alright! Master Shen got this guys!"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I have no obligation on taking on Ninetails, if that's what you think. I mean, don't you have any shame? Asking for an old man to fix your problems. You will never score with a babe with that attitude, you bitch brat."

"He has a point." Said West.

"Shut up, West." Said Edward.

"Then why are you here for?" Asked Florencia.

"It's an elder's job to give guidance to the youngsters. Or sometimes, a little push." Said Shen.

Meanwhile at the top of the castle, Ninetails faced Sanzuke fused with his foxfire and Johnnathan on Desperation.

"So. You can somehow fuse with your Darkness as well?" Asked Ninetails.

"Well, it's more like the darkness inside me quickly reacting to the surrounding danger." Said Johnnathan.

"Oh, I see. That means I am closer to killing you, right?"

"...I guess you can put that way."

"Do youngsters those days too desperate to die? Such a waste of youth!" She waved one of her tails like a flail at Johnnathan. He dodges it and tries to cut it. The flames weaker when it contact with his darkness. "Guh!"

Sanzuke then dashed towards Ninetails while burning away the tails with his own flames in the blade. He strikes Ninetails and she blocks with one of her fans. "Johnny! Now!"

"On it!" Johnnathan attacks from behind, but Ninetails blocks it by putting her other fan right behind her neck.

"You play dirty." She glared at Johnnathan.

"What do you expect? I am a bloody pirate." Johnnathan and Sanzuke started to engage Ninetails in close combat. She managed to parry both of them with her fans, fighting as if she was performing a dance, spinning and jumping around, attacking with both of her tails and fans. "Huff. It's like fighting my mom alongside Drake back in my child days."

"Something stills feels off here." Said Sanzuke. "It's like she is waiting for something."

Ninetails spawn several flame orbs around her that came from her fans. "Firestorm Sword: Su Yari!"

After one spin with her fans, the orbs turned into blue fire beams that flew towards Johnnathan and Sanzuke.

"Oh dear!" Johnnathan and Sanzuke started to parry the beams with their blades. "Shoot. Is it me or those seems heavier than they look like?"

"Quit complaining. Kagutsuchi!" With several quick attacks, Sanzuke dispels the remaining beams.

"You are open!" Taking the opening, Ninetails attacked Sanzuke with one of her tails. He tries to defends it, but it's pushed away.

"Guh!"

"Blue Star." Ninetails summoned a large fireball that had a more darker tone of blue and launched at them.

"This looks bad. Red Spiral!" Johnnathan sends a Red Spiral at the Blue Star, but it only manages to split in smaller orbs. He unleashes a fury of attacks in time to destroys the fire orbs.

"What is going on?" Said Sanzuke. "Why does her flames burn hotter?"

"It's quite simple, actually."You see, the Foxfire grows together with us as we adapt with our lives. It recognize that both your flames and your friend's darkness to be quite a bother so by facing the stress of fighting both of them, it became stronger enough to resist both of them."

"...Wat?!"

"That's a load of bull-" Before Johnnathan could finish, she tosses her fans at him and launches him midair. "Ooof!"

"Now, begone already you half-bloodsucker freak!" She sends all of her tails at Johnnathan to burn him into cinders.

"Oh bloody hell...I can't dodge this." Johnnathan thought while the tails were coming closer to him. While he was in midair, the time around him seemed to have slowed down. "Is this it? I mean, there is nothing I can...No. No! That can't be it! There is too much for me to do yet in this godforsaken life of mine! Let's see...There is nine of them and I have...two swords. Do I cut two at a time? No. I wouldn't be fast enough. If I only I had like seven more swords. But I would need seven more arms. Wait....Wouldn't I? Why do I have the feeling that I....Well, here goes or nothing."

The dark aura around Johnnathan grows stronger and seven fragments of darkness spawns from it, surrounding Johnnathan. These dark masses take the shape of swords and points at the tail. "Red Pillage!"

Johnnathan manages to destroys two of her tails, while the seven swords pierces the other tails, covering them in darkness.

"G-Gaaaaaah!" Ninetails felt pain through her tails and they shrunk to normal size. She glares at her tails and see the swords of darkness stuck on her tails. "You...What the hell did you do?!"

"You are not the only with the cheap shots." Said Johnnathan. "I play dirty too, remember?!"

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 52: Reaching the Truth.

Hidden:

"I didn't knew you could do that."

"Yeah, it's a surprise for me too."

"Huff...You insolent brat...Do you expect to go away alive after this? To reduce me, a Dark Lord to such a state....How humiliating!"

The two remaining tails that weren't pierced by the darkness fused together to become a fire arm. "I'm gonna grind you until you become scraps for the pigs!"

She attacked Johnnathan with her new tail. Johnnathan and Sanzuke both dodged to different sides and advanced towards her.

Ninetails then closed her fans, making them look like a pair of blades. Flames covered them, and she had two long fire swords on her hands. "Die, worm!" She attacked Johnnathan and he reacted by bending his body backward with the fire instantly burning the front of his hair. "Oh jeez. Not in the forelock."

Ninetails started to attack like a dance with her wielding her own fire like swords. She pushes back both Sanzuke and Johnnathan next to the border of the ceiling.

"This is getting bad." Said Sanzuke. "I suposse your strenght isn't being drained as well, aren't you?"

"You should have told me that sooner because I was about to let you do the whole work." Said Johnnathan. "Well, it cannot be helped. Try to keep your distance. I take the vanguard."

"What? No! It's not only a few hair strings that will be missing if you get reckless."

"Am I reckless?"

"More then most people."

"You don't get to be me by being like most people."

"Are you two done?!" Ninetails used her tail to grab Johnnathan. She then knocks down Sanzuke with her feet, pinning him to the ground. "Don't you ever speak to me or my son ever again, you hear me, Red Beast?!"

"......"

"Why the silent treatment?"

"You said to not speak with you."

"Stop playing smart!" She burn her tail, scorching Johnnathan in the process.

"Youch! Youch!"

"Any last words?"

"Y-Yeah...Duck."

"Duck?" She looks around. "Where?"

Suddenly a sword of darkness hits her knee. "G-Gaaaah!"

"Well, I warned you." Johnnathan manages to free himself with a burst of darkness.

Sanzuke then holds the leg above him and tosses her away. "Ooof!"

"I'll be damned, it actually worked." Said Sanzuke.

"You...Had one more of those damn knifes hidden, huh? Can you ever...Stop being so annoying!" Ninetails created a wildfire that later concentrated on one ball of fire. "This...is the last straw! Azure Judgement!"

She pushes the ball at them and Sanzuke quickly put his sword back on the scabbard and put every foxfire possible on his palms. He holded the fire ball and tried to push back as it slowly pushed him. "Grrrrr!"

"....No." Said Ninetails while she cried. "You can still save yourself. All you need to is go away!"

"Unfortunately....I have to save someone first."

"Huh?"

"I...We need to save you. Johnnathan!"

"On it!" Johnnathan jumped on Sanzuke's back and jumped over Ninetails's attacks. "Now let's do this!"

He put a lot of Darkness on both of his swords and got closer to Ninetails.

"Impossible!"

"Ghost Sword!" With one swing of both swords, a giant sword of darkness was launched from them at Ninetails. She tries to protect herself with her big tail, but the sword easily passes through and finally hit her chest.

"A-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" A mass of darkness started to come from inside of her and she falls to her knees in pain. "Huff....Huff..."

Just after that, Johnnathan's darness fades away and he falls, supporting on one of his swords. "Haaa...That one took quite a lot."

"But...it wasn't enough!" Ninetails gets up and kicks Johnnathan in the face, still under effect of his darkness. She then summons a fireball from her palm. "I...I'll not be stopped by you!"

"Then how about be?" Sanzuke sneaks behind her and strikes her head with his scabbard.

"Ah....San...zuke....Urgh..." Ninetails falls unconscious.

"Whew! it actually worked." Sanzuke looks at Johnnathan. "Are you alright, Johnnathan?"

"He is gonna be fine." Agni came out of Johnnathan. "A foot in the face never killed a Hybrid. But still, I am impressed."

"By what?"

"I thought he was gonna sleep for three days again, but it seems he is getting the grip."

"You are talking like this is new to a Hybrid."

"I don't know about you Youkos, but the ammount of Darkness a Hybrid is born with is different from being to being. And this guy...it's almost like he was born with a reserve tank."

"Yo! Sanzuke!" Edward appeared from a trapdoor in the ceiling. He and the rest of the crew managed to reach the rooftop. "This place has too many doors in their roof in my opinion."

"Is that Johnnathan?!" Florencia was astonished seeing Johnnathan's state. "Does he needs help?!"

"A little fairy touch would be welcome here, dear." Said Agni.

Florencia then started to heal Johnnathan. Soon he wakes up.

"Woah. Feels good feeling my skin again." Said Johnnathan. "Oh. You guys are here. How have you been?"

"Better than you it seems." Said West. "We had a little assistance back there."

"That sounds like an interesting tale."

"Is that Ninetails over there?" Said Vanilla. "Did you two...won against a Dark Lord?"

"Barely." Said Sanzuke. "I still have a last thing to do."

Sanzuke picked a paper charm hidden in his clothes and placed over Ninetails's forehead. After a while she opened her eyes and got on her feet.

"....Guys. Should we like...Get out of here now?" Said Edward.

"Urgh...What is this?!" Ninetails tried to take over the charm stuck on her forehead with no apparent success.

"A Exorcism Charm." Said Vanilla. "A relic created by spellcasters from the East that seals Mana. I heard a thing or two about it."

"You know I can still kill all of you, right?"

"You are free to try, but now there is not only two." Said Sanzuke.

"....Damnit. So that's how it ends. So, are you gonna be man enough to kill your mother or you are gonna be a coward and let someone else do?"

"I did not come here to kill you. I came to tell what happened that day."

"What day?"

"The day my father died. I was there."

"Huh?"

"I saw it, you know."

"Is that supossed to be a joke?! Nonsense! Why would you say this just now after all this time?!"

"Because instead of listening to me you would be trying to leash me out with a barbed wire. Have you ever wondered why I needed this charm in the first place? It's so that you would try to shut my mouth with a wildfire."

"...Alright. Deep breaths." Ninetails gave a long sigh. "Let's say that what I know about your father was wrong all along. Why I would give time to let my own son, who says witnessed his father's death, to explain it."

"Because you wouldn't care."

"...Sanzuke, dear. You are making no sense at all."

"It's you who didn't wanted to listen to logic."

"E-Excuse me?"

"Don't you see? This War. This Nation. You wanted this. All along. All you need was an convenient excuse. Like the death of Akechi Yoshimetsu."

"Don't give me that crap!" She angrily holds Sanzuke by his collar. "Listen up! I...I loved Yoshimetsu! I had you with him! And as the child of both of us, you have the guts to I took advantage of his death to wage war?!"

"Is it really that unbelievable? Think about it. How many years has the Kitsunes and Humans in conflict? Hundreds? Thousands? And how old were you when you first met my father? For how long have you hated humans before meeting my father in person?"

"Why...Why are you making all those questions?"

"You said it yourself. The Kitsunes and the Foxfire are the same being. The cursed flame created by the demon Izanami, it kept burning split among their bearers, the Kitsunes. For aeons, the idea of enemy of mankind has been imprinted deep into their souls ever since the Era of Immortals."

"What are you babblering about? We aren't wasps with a hive mentality!"

"No. But not all Kitsunes are the same. Most Youkos are born from weak Kitsunes. Because the flames are too weak. And so is the idea. But in cases of strong ones, they met a wind so strong, it brings a whole rain. That was my father to you. He kept your flames at bay and you were open for a peaceful era on Izumo. But then the wind faded and the rain went away. And the flames took over the body once again. The proof is right here. With the charm on your head, your flames are weak once again. And you wouldn't be standing right in front of me, listenign to every word I say."

"I'm just like standing here listening to all of this and getting more depressed every time you two says a setence." Said Johnnathan.

"That's...I...I just...Urgh!" Suddenly she gets a major headache.

"Mother?"

"Uuurgh...Voices...In my head."

"DoN'T lIstEn tO hIM...." An apparition of a fox head made of blue fire appeared behind her. "YOu HavE....TO...FiNIsh...WhAT ThoSE beForE yoU....NeVEr DiD....KILL! KILL! KILL!"

"Mother! Please! Surpress the feelings!"

"I...I have to..."

"Good grief." A clap if hands was heard and a black wind made the apparition fade.

"Huh? They...are gone." Said Ninetails.

"Honestly, I don't know very much about vampires even though I am half one, but I do know quite a while about kitsunes." Master Shen appeared with a bottle of sake. "Sorry for the late. I needed a drink."

"You...Master Shen?"

"Wait...You mean...The master of Channeling Dark Fist?" Said Sanzuke. "You were him?"

"Hold up! He's Master Shen?" Said Johnnathan. "And...you knew him?"

"I went to Zhar once. I heard about an ancient one who could create a very powerful charm. I didn't you were the Master everyone talked about it."

"Nyeh. You never asked it." Said Shen.

"What did you do exactly?" Asked Ninetails. "Somehow I feel really tired for being angry at pretty everyone. Everyone at all."

"What I did was surpress the wrath you harbor deep inside of you. But it's not completely gone you see. The only one who can truly extinguish the fire of rage is you."

"...I see. Sanzuke?"

"Yes?" Replied Sanzuke.

"Tell me what you know."

"Very well then."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 53: Lost Lives and Lost Parts.

Hidden:

"You may do not know, but..." Sanzuke started to explain. "Back in Amaterasu, it is believed that the Kitsunes betrayed them by killing my father. But here in Tsukuyomi is the opposite, right?"

"Are you saying that Amaterasu is in the right?" Asked Ninetails.

"No. The one who killed father wasn't a kitsune. That I can tell."

"You were there, right? In Karasu Village, where it happened. Why were you there in the first place?"

"You see...Father kind of forgot a letter scroll he was supossed to deliver to a messenger in Karasu later that day. So I called Wataru and he took me there."

"Sigh. How typical of him."

"Anyway when I arrived in Karasu, I couldn't find my father. I thought he would be already around, but I could feel something was off. Just a little far out from the borders, I could hear the sound of two blades clashing each other."

"You mean..."

"Yes. I saw it. My father bathed in blood fighting an unknow assailant."

"How did they look like."

"I don't know. They were covering their entire body in a dark cloak. All I could see was one black blade coming out of the sleeve. But I could tell it was an extremely strong individual. From the look of it, my father engaged them in an extensive battle. All I could do was watch on a safe spot at a distance."

"And you watched when...You know."

"Yes. Later on a witness came. It was a messenger from Amaterasu. After that the words that a Kitsune killed him was spread."

"And what did you do next?"

"I...I was in so much shock that I ran. I don't know what happened, but...I felt that was attacked."

"Huh?! By who?!"

"I don't know. I thought it was the killer, but I just felt a cutting wind pass through my back. I was unconscious for almost a day, but Wataru managed to carry me out of the area. He also took my father's katana. By the time I awoke, the news was spread like a wind."

"I understand. Come to think of it, I only checked the house you used to live just once after that. For a moment I thought you died alongside him, but...If I was a mother worthy of salt, I would have tried harder."

"So that's an interesting tale and all, but something does not fit very well." Said Johnnathan. "Why did the Kitsunes thought it was Amaterasu who planned his death and why did Amaterasu thought it was a Kitsune in the first place?"

"I was thinking the exact same thing. How could they thought it was Kitsune? Everything seemed to be planned way ahead of the time. I can only think that it was supossed to make it like it was a Kitsune."

"Like...an illusion." Said Ninetails. "...Where is Shiiha?"

After a short while, they returned to the room where the key was supossed to be kept. Shiiha was standing facing a wall holding a bottle containing some sort of clear red liquid.

"Shiiha, you there." Said Sanzuke who arrived alongside Ninetails and Johnnathan.

"Ah!. Shiiha got stunned and quickly hides the bottle. "AH! N-Ninetails?! What are you-"

"Don't panic. I just need to confirm something." Said Ninetails. "Would you take off your mask?"

"Oh? Fine." Shiiha removes her mask. "So...what?"

"This might be out of nowhere, but...Are you still with a mask?"

"Ah...So that's how it is." A blue flame appeared above her left eye. Then it disappears and shows a wound over her left face with her eye missing."

"Oh dear. Since when you had that?"

"Since HE appeared."

"You mean..."

"Yes. The man who killed Yoshimetsu."

"You met the one who killed my father?"

"It was at the night before. He appeared out of nowhere, demanding my help. Before I could even scream for help, he destroyed one of my eyes. He also said that he would pluck the other before killing my children right in front of me if I didn't helped him."

"Hold up." Johnnathan interrupted. "Did you said...Children?"

"Shiiha is the best at creating illusions among our ranks." Said Ninetails. "She may look like a little girl, but she is actually an adult and a mother even."

"You see, my husband has quite the youthful look despite his age." Said Shiiha as her body transforms in a more adult-like appearance. "So I always put an illusion on myself so he doesn't feel impaired."

"And do you know who this stranger was?"

"He didn't said it, but...He wasn't human, I guess."

"What do you mean?" Asked Johnnathan.

"I remember him pulling a sword right from inside his chest."

"...Raven."

"Huh?"

"Raven. He is the only one who could pull that out. Somehow, I should saw that coming. Did the sword had a hilt shaped like a bird?"

"Y-Yes, it had!"

"Well, case closed. Grass grows. Sun shines. Raven kills parents."

"It's....too much to take." Said Ninetails who had small embers rising from her body. "All this time...It was him? And I let his own devils enter my domains?!"

"No. I did." Said Shiiha as he picks up the bottle she had. "If only I had told you, none of this would reach this point."

"Huh? Shiiha, what is-"

"I betrayed your trust that day. I should have done this ages ago."

"Oh no...That's....Red Lotus Extract isn't it?!"

"This is the only way for me to repent of my actions. It has been a honour, milady."

"Nooooo!"

Before she could drink it, Johnnathan sweeped away the poison with a clear hand movement.

"Huh. Who would knew those pickpocketing lessons would be useful." Said Johnnathan. "Red Lotus. I heard that if it has anti-magic properties. Good for curses and that stuff. And to a being that most of their bodies is made of magic...It could be a lethal poison, huh? I guess I'll sell for a Diamond Piece."

"W-Why did you do that?" Asked Shiiha.

"You said you had children, right? Have you ever thought about them before trying this dumb shit?"

"I...never considered that."

"You can't fix a mistake you done by giving up your life. You only go away forever leaving up a scar doesn't heal. Bad actions can only be undone by performing good actions. And you can't do good actions if you are dead. I'm out." Johnnathan left the place while Shiiha looked he go.

"...Shiiha." Said Ninetails. "I'll overlook this."

"Huh? Why?" Replied Shiiha.

"I am just guilty of all this than you...No. I'm worse than this. If I had a clear head back there. You were the one who gave me the report. At that moment, I...I should have doubt even if it a little bit."

"L-Lady Ninetails..."

"But you are not out of the loose, yet. Both of us have too much work to fix this mess. I wish you could be next to me until things gets better. It's...a hard road to travel."

"...Yes...Yes! I'll be!" Shiiha replied with a smile returning from her younger form.

"Good. And we have to do the first step now. Sanzuke?"

"Yes?"

"We need to have a talk with Soma."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 54: Yomi.

Hidden:

It was the middle of the afternoon and Amaterasu was set in a camp in the same area they fought Tsukuyomi the day before. At the border, a lone guardsman is looking at the distance with spear in hand. He dozes a off a closes his eyes for a brief moment. Suddenly he sees three figures approaching at a distance and panics after they get a little too close.

On the biggest tent, Soma was observing a map alongside his top officers when the sentinel comes rushing in panic.

"Milord! It's...Ninetails! She is here!"

After that single statement was made, the commanders rushed outside calling every soldier available to fight. Right in the middle of the camp, Ninetails was alongside Sanzuke and Johnnathan surrounded by a whole army pointing their weapons at them.

"I knew this would happen." Said Johnnathan.

"Give me one good reason to not kill you right here and right now." Said Soma pointing his bow and arrow at her.

"I didn't came here with the intention to harm. Also, this whole lot you have isn't enough to kill me anyway."

Some shoots his arrow at her, but Johnnathan picks the arrow and breaks it. "...Sanzuke, could we...you know."

"Fine." Sanzuke snaped his fingers and Wataru came straight from the sky. The samurai were in shock being overshadowed by the creature.

"Alright, everyone lower your weapons! We have a dragon!" Shouted Johnnathan.

"Dude, really?"

"Don't try to tell me you wouldn't wanna say that."

"...Fine. What's your game, Ninetails?" Said Soma.

"Gentlemen. This war is over." Said Ninetails.

"....What?"

"There is no need for it. I decided on destroying Amaterasu anymore."

"Are you saying you surrendering?"

"I didn't said that!"

"By definition, you technically are." Said Johnnathan.

"Not helping, Johnnathan." Said Sanzuke.

"Ahem! Sanzuke, could you take this over it?" Said Ninetails.

"Fine by me." Sanzuke approached Soma with his scabbard on hand.

"Wait a minute...this sword...This was general Akechi's sword wasn't it?!" Soma was astonished. "Who are you?"

"I am Akechi Sanzuke. Akechi Yoshimetsu's only son."

The samurai literally fallen over the revelation.

"The general's son?! Yoshimetsu wasn't married, but...since you have this sword, it might be true. Why didn't we had knowledge of you?"

"It's because he is my son as well." Said Ninetails.

Soma then got pale and passed out.

"L-Lord Soma!"

After a little while, Soma woke up. "Ooof! That's a lot to take in one blow."

"Anyway, Lord Soma. There is something I need to tell you." Sanzuke tells what happened. About Raven and the consequences of killing Yoshimetsu.

"I see. So that's what happened. It were those nasty Rogues all along, huh?"

"But I do carry the guilt over this. I still got played right in their hands. I was a pawn in their game. A VERY good pawn. I would understand if you still wanna shed my skin and cut my head. But at least let me repay for all I and my people have done."

"How?"

"This cursed Raven had caused too much sorrow and despair to all Izumo for too long. I wanna give all my support to take down that fiend. So I want to have both Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu together as one Izumo to fight alongside other nations to stop that monster."

"...A Dark Lord to fight another one. I do like the idea, but...what would others think?"

"I am okay with that." Walther appeared with Shepherd.

"General Walther."

"Drakland is using Werewolves anyway. And she does seem to have a clear motive. I just gonna advice that we should see her as a lead figure instead of a subordinate."

"I wouldn't mind being a subordinate." Said Ninetails. "After all, the flame of the war I allowed to spread, took over your eye and your father wasn't it? All I care is...to settle things with the man who took my beloved."

"...No. At times like this we need to forget the past and think of the future." Soma then extended his hands. "Let's end this quarrel here and now, so we can focus on a bigger picture. As two sides of one big nation."

"I wouldn't want this any better." Ninetails shaked his hand and a chapter of strife and hatred ended in Izumo.

"By the way, what about the Rogues?"

"Oh! An ally of ours is taking care of them."

"Yaaaaaaah!" On Tsukuyomi, Master Shen was single-handed taking care of all the Rogues around the city. "Yaahahaha! If you wish to die before reaching one hundred years then you are free to stay here!"

Meanwhile the rest of Johnnathan's crew is watching at a distance.

"Man, look at him go." Said West, looking at it with a bored expression. "He hardly need our help."

"Well, we are seeing a Hybrid Legend in action so, I am not complaining." Said Edward. "Do you have any thoughts on him, Flor?"

"It seems he is a Defiant." Said Florencia. "And like he seems more of a Warrior, but he does seem to have a better over how he channels his Darkness. Expected no less from the master of the Dark Channeling Fist."

"He surely knows about control." Said Vanilla. "Perhaps he could give me a hint."

"Surely one things bother me. There is no signal of either Evening or Nightmare. What are they up to?"

Back at the camp, Soma and Walther were discussing about the actions that would be taken when they return to Amaterasu.

"Yo! Did I miss anything?" Drake appeared alongside his crew.

"The war is over. We don't need your services anymore." Said Walther without even looking at him. "Also, I want you out of this place by tomorrow or you are arrested. Your brother is here by the way....You still here? Fuck off."

"...Charming."

Outside of the camp, Ninetails was discussing the current events with Johnnathan and Sanzuke. "Yeah, that went well."

"You can't say no to a dragon." Said Johnnathan.

Wataru then approached Ninetails, poking her with his nose. "Gao."

"I missed you, too Wataru." She started to caress his nose with a sweet smile.

"Sooo...Do you have the key?"

"Johnnathan, you need to learn about courtesy." Said Sanzuke.

"What? It is the only reason I almost died again in my pain in the ass of a life."

"Don't you care about the fact you changed a whole nation in one day?"

"Nope. I just want the key."

"Heh." Ninetails gave it a little laugh. "You two seems to getting along just fine."

"We do not!" Said the two of them all together.

"Anyway, I suposse this is better off with you anyway." Ninetails took the key out of her clothes and gave it to Johnnathan. He picks the key and it started to shine. "Huh? What is this reaction?"

The key then floted and went straight to Sanzuke's hands. "Huh?" The key gave it a stronger shine and a golden glowing orb flew off the key. The orb then turned into a golden shield. "Is this a sprite?"

The shield glowed and a sleeve appeared attached to it. The piece of cloth then started to take shape and turned into a small figure wearing a white cloak with long sleeves with the shield attached to the right sleeve. In it's face there could only be see a pair of glowing green eyes. "Hmm...So I awoke." Said the figure.

"Uuuuh...Hello?"

"So you are the one who woke me." The sprite started to look at him. "Over full examination, I confirm that you are...A Youko. That's perfect for me. I thank you."

"N-No problem."

"I knew there was power inside of it, but I wasn't expecting to be...someone. Are you perhaps a sprite?" Asked Ninetails.

"Ah. A Nine-Tailed Fox. I figured out one would have me. I am Yomi, the Great Spirit Sprite. And I sense one of my own around here." Yomi then chaged his look at Johnnathan. "...Oh. Of course." An expression of disappointment could be seen in his eyes. "Agni, I know you there and I know you know I'm here. Come on. Get out of it."

No response could be heard out of it.

"....Urrgh." Yomi sent a golden blight at Johnnathan and Agni was launched out of it.

"Ouch! Yomi, you little firefly! You can't kick out a Sprite out of a Host!" Shouted Agni.

"Still a stone in a shoe, right?"

"Like you would know. You don't wear shoes. Heck, only Gabo has feet in the first place."

"And you got yourself a Hybrid. You always wanted the better ones around, right?"

"It's not that I had a choice."

"Hey you. He is an annoying prick, right?"

"It is uncomfortable that he is inside me, so yeah." Replied Johnnathan.

"Don't you say that a Great Spirit!" Said Agni. "Specially the one who you gave you your blessing!"

"You Sprites are certainly nothing that I had in mind." Said Ninetails.

"Jooooohnnny!" Suddenly Vanilla appeared all of the sudden, crying rivers.

"Vanilla? What's wrong?" Asked Johnnathan.

"I-It's horrible...Edward he...He....Eeeep! A Ghost!" Vanilla knocked Yomi with her staff.

"Ouch! I'm not a ghost you...Hold on. I guess I am one." Said Yomi.

"Thank goodness we found you." Florencia appeared with West.

"So you guys returned." Said Johnnathan. "What's the matter? Did Edward done something naughty?"

"Tch. I wish." Said West. "It's far worse then that."

"Johnny...Edward was captured by Evening." Said Florencia.

[KageKageKing]

Special Chapter: Wagner's Winter.

Hidden:

It's December, the last month of the year. It's the best time of the year for some, since it's the period for the Days of Wonders, where people from all over the world makes the last days of the year the most wonderful. The meaning is to fill their spirits with hope for the next year.

But sometimes in a white canvas of hope has a small dark stain. In Damaon, capital of Drakland, where at this time of the year it's winter, and snow is constantly falling over the streets and the rooftops. It was the night before the last day of the year and the streets were filled with civilians going into store after store looking for gifts and food for banquets with family and friends.

Among the residents, there was figure moving smoothly through the crowd, dressed with an old trench coat with a scarf and a ragged cap covering his face.

That man wasn't a regular one. He was a vampire in disguise. And not any vampire, but a Higher ranked one and a Prince. He was Wagner Lecarde, the 4rd Prince of Hollowgrounds. Everyday at this time of the year he would walk through Damaon to check the overall state.

"That time of the year again." Said Wagner. "People walking through to the street without a single worry about the world. Selfish little creatures, but who can blame them?"

He walks to an alley and jumps into the walls, arriving at the rooftop. He looks at the houses covered in snow with light coming out of the windows.

"Still, a beautiful scenery. Is this what tenders the hearts of those humans? Perhaps." He then looks around and see something that picks his attention. He leaps through the roofs and watches an alley where two thugs were tormenting a child dressing just like him holding a loaf of bread.

"Alright kiddo. How about handing over what you stole from our boss!" Said one of the thugs.

"I-I have nothing! I got this bread fair and square! You....Tosspots!"

"You little twerp!" The other one picked a stiletto and pointing right at the eyes. "You know it's not a random bread we are talking about you dirty pickpocketer."

"E-Eeep!"

"Stop right there." Said Wagner who appeared. "Don't you two have any shame in ganging on a child?"

"Get lost stranger! This has nothing to do with you!" Said one of them.

"You know, you can't call yourself a man just because someone weaker than you is being a bother and that upsets you. Only the cowards and weaklings would try to get revenge on something so trivial."

"That's it! You made me mad!" One of the thugs try to punch him, but thanks to Wagner's superior reflexes he easily dodges it and grabs his face, slamming him into the wall. "Ark!"

"Another thing. If I was a like you, I wouldn't have tried to taunt before putting you into your place." Wagner delivers a perfect kick angled at ninety degrees, knocking out the thug.

"Frank! You will pay for this! Yaaaaaah!" The other man with the stiletto tries to attack, but Wagner grabs him by the neck and delivers six punches in one second on his face and finishes by knocking him down with a kick.

"Blimey!" Said the child.

"How disppointing. It was supossed to be a time of "hope" and and all that and there still this filthy around here."

"Come on, don't say those. It's because these sort of things happen that we must look foward for better ones, pal."

"Optimism was never one of my fortes."

"Anyway, as a respectful lady for all those who deserves, I have to give my thanks." The child removes her cap and reveals her feminine face and a short red hair. "I'm Tina. Thanks for saving me suspicious-looking stranger...Wait. You aren't gonna to do something to little old me, will you?!"

"I would have already done it if I could. What are you doing this late outside?"

"We were short on bread back home so I came to buy some. That's all."

"And your parents?"

"Mom worked all day so she is resting."

"So she doesn't know where you are, right?"

"As long as I get home before she wakes up, then it's fine."

"You remind me of...someone important. Alright, I'll escort you home."

"Oh! Thank you mister....Uhmm...Uhhhhmmm..."

"...Nox."

"Nox! Right! Nox!"

The two of them walks along the streets. Tina walking in the lead with Wagner a step behind.

"Where do you live anyway?" Asked Nox.

"At the outskirts."

"That's a long way."

"I'm already used to it. Oh!" Tina looks at the windows of a bakery and sees a large cheesecake covered in a strawberry layer. She then starts to drool. "Wow. Every year they put a better-looking dessert....Ah! 2 Pieces of Gold?! Uuurgh! I barely have one piece! Sigh. Should have take another route."

"Those thugs said you stole from them? Wasn't not a lot?"

"No. It's just...Hey! For your information, those were already stolen money and I was needing it more."

"I am not judging you or anything. I have no place for it."

"Huh. You are a thief?"

"Not really. It just that if there is something that I may need at the moment, I'll take it. But money isn't one of those. And it never will."

"Oh! So you may be like me, right? A Good Thief."

"Good Thief?"

"Yeah. You see, Bad Thiefs steals from everyone, but Good Thiefs steals only from bad ones."

"That's not really the impression I wanted to make, but I found the term quite absurd. By that logic, without Bad Thiefs there wouldn't be Good Thiefs."

"Then, there would have no need for thieves at all."

"...You are smarter than you look."

"Teehee. Thanks. Oh! Take a look." Tina points at a Butcher Shop. "They have a whole Dodiche. Oh my. 3 Pieces of Gold for this one."

"Who sells a Dodiche on a shop in the city?"

"I know. The owner of this shop don't know how to make money. Only fancy restaurants have those. If he would only sell them this."

"There is always someone crazy enough I guess."

"I bet me and my mom would pass two weeks without hunger with that."

"...How is the life for you two exactly?"

"Mom works at the factory. Cleaning services. My father is probably dead under a bridge for drinking too much."

"You don't know?"

"He left 5 years ago and never returned. Better that way, one less mouth to feed. What about you, Nox? You have family?"

"Yeah. 5 brothers and 2 sisters."

"Wooooow! You need like a whole lot of bread every day!"

"We do fine by ourselves."

"Blimey. I can't even imagine how." She takes another look at the cheesecake. "When I grow up...I want to be a baker."

"A baker?"

"Yeah. I would make delicious breads and sweets. And then makes lots of money. So much that my mother would never need to work. I made some homemade cookies the other day that were pretty good in my opinion."

"Can you really do it?"

"The first thing I need to do is to not disbelief."

"That's seems something Corvus would say." He thought in silence.

"Hmmm? Something is on your mind?"

"It's nothing. Let's keep going."

They soon arrived at a district located at the outskirt made out of cheap houses. The streets completely filled with snow and poor people.

"My house is nearby." Said Tina. "Do you wanna enter for avoid the cold."

"It's better not."

"Fine then." They soon arrive at her house. Not too different from the others. "Well...I guess this is goodbye."

"...I do not understand."

"What?"

"For a whole month, people seems to forget about all the suffering that is filled around the world. And forget people like you even exists. And yet you live with positive thinking that everything will be fine as long as you believe. It's just...almost childish."

"You can't think like that, mister. They say that those who misbehave and forgets the meaning of the Wonders will be taken away by a big horned demon to never be seen again."

"Haaahaha. I've seen demons all the time, kid."

"Then I guess you need this." She handles over a golden coin for Wagner.

"...I can't accept this."

"From the looks of it, you need it more than me. After all, rewarding those worse then yourselves is a reward to yourself...So, accept for me, will you?"

"....Fine."

"Good. Have wonderful days, Mister Nox!" She enters her house by the window and locks it.

"...Rewarding those worse than yourself, huh?" He picks up four silver daggers, each one with scabbards mede out of gold that he was hiding on his clothes. "...I wonder how much this worthy."

At the next day, Tina woke up early as soon as the sun rose.

"Yaaaaawn....Huh?"

She spots the fireplace of the house and see black stains.

"Footprints? Did someone entered from the chimmey....Aaaah!"

She looks at the dining table that was nearby and saw filled with food. The Cheesecake and the Dodiche from yesterday were there. There was even a brand new oven and a teddy bear.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! C-Could it be...Someone came down the chimmey to deliver me presents because I was well-behaved?! T-This is a wonderful miracle!" She rushes to wake up her mom and on the top of her roof, Wagner was standing next to the chimmey hearing her down there.

"Couldn't you like just break the stores and steal?" Said Specter who appeared right behind him.

"So you were spying on me. Not that I wasn't suspecting. Anyway, you are the smart one. You should know that stealing would call too much attention."

"True, but I still fail to see the logic of your actions."

"Isn't it obvious? I didn't wanted the horned demon to kidnap me."

"...Hahaha. And here I thought Corvus was the funny one." Specter transformed into a bat and flew away.

"Perhaps there is a meaning for all this." Wagner gazes to the rest of Damaon far away.

10 years later, in Damaon at the next-to last night of the year, Wagner, now know as Noir was once again blending through the city disguised as a human. This time he was dressed with a long blue coat and a silk hat, hiding his vampire features with a Mirage Ring.

"Everything seems the same this year." Thought he. "...Except for that." He spots a bakery that wasn't familiar to him. For curiosity he enters the shop and sees a young lady dressed with a yellow dress, a white apron and a cloth covering her hair.

"Oh! Good evening, sir!" Said the lady. "We were about to close, but you came at the right time. Something you fancy?"

"I don't remember this place."

"Well, it is rather new. We have been here for about a year. But bussiness keeps booming! Specially at this time of the year." She picks up a panettone on a box to the stand. "This is the famous Nox Panettone. It's only 10 pieces of silver per box!"

"...I think I'll take one."

"Thank you. It was the last one in stock, so consider yourself double lucky!" Noir tosses a golden coin at her and picks the panettone that she put in a bag. "Eh? S-S-Sir! Don't you wanna have your change?!"

"You can keep it...Have a wonderful new year."

"T-Thanks." She then looks at the coin he gave her. "Why does this particular piece of gold looks so familiar?"

Above in the rooftops, Noir takes a bite on the panettone. "...I taste good, I guess."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 55: Invintation.

Hidden:

"Edward got kidnapped?! Hold on a minute." Johnnathan pulls out a list titled "Things that according To statistics are bound To happen" and risks "Edward being kidnapped by a woman" item on it, right in between "Drake adopting a weird pet" and "Quitting smoking". "Can I have more details of what happened?"

"It was! Then! Swoop! Whaaam! Wooosh!" Vanilla explained by shouting a bunch of senseless words.

"Er, maybe I should explain." Said West. "It was just after the Rogues were gone when suddenly he was caught by one of her chains. I tried to help, but Nightmare appeared right after it. And you know how hard is to deal with that guy."

"I see. And how did you guys got here so fast anyway?" Asked Johnnathan. "Last time I checked, Tsukuyomi is still hours from here."

"I can't explain, but..." Said Vanilla. "I kind of teleported."

"I didn't you could teleported so far."

"Neither did I. I was trying to bring back Edward with my magic when suddenly, I got the three of us teleported."

"It appears it was a stress-inducing spell." Said Florencia. "She desperatedly tried so hard to bring Edward back that caused a disturbance in her mana. Well, good thing we got here fast."

"S-Sorry about that." Said Vanilla. "I do feel that I emptied my entire stock of magic, so sorry again."

"Oh yeah. She actually sent this." West picked up what seems to be an invintation card folded. "She tossed in a rock at us before leaving on top of Nightmare."

"Is that so?" Johnnathan unfolded the card and it read the following:

"How do you do, hot stuff? Are you looking for a good time?

Well, if you are feeling lonely, follow the coordinates for this location. I recommend you ask a Gremlim friend to read it.

Come here anytime. I have all my free time reserved just for you.

And remember. It's only for you.

With love, your favourite rogue vampire, Evening.

xoxo"

Ninetails then peeked at the card Johnnathan was reading. "Hohoho. Is it me or it is getting a little too hot here."

"By the way, there is one thing we forgot to report." Said it West. "Before leaving, Nightmare was carrying something."

"What it was?" Asked Ninetails.

"It was like...a giant sword on a red scabbard."

"Whaaat?!" Ninetails was astonished. "That's...Seimei's Seal."

"What is that?" Asked Sanzuke.

"A Magic Seal casted by a Shinto named Seimei. It was used long ago to seal away a powerful being know as an Oni."

"Sounds like something I wouldn't want Raven to have it." Said Johnnathan.

"Urgh. I am regretting even more letting those bloodsuckers get inside my city like this."

"Mother. There is something I wish to speak with General Kagutsuchi. Should I tell them about it the Seal?"

"No. Let me handle the bad news."

"Very well."

"If it is alright, I want to have a word with and you, Johnnathan. There is something else I have to give you."

"Fine by me." Said Johnnathan.

Later thar day, Sanzuke paid a visit to the tent that Asuka was recovering from her injuries. She was laying on a mat with ber body covered in bandages drinking a cup of sake. When she saw him, she gave a simple smile and raised her cup.

"So how are you feeling?" Said Sanzuke as he sits next to her.

"Like a pile of shit." Said Asuka. "It seems there are a few tendons in my arm that are beyond healing. "

"I'm sorry for that."

"Don't need to feel that way. It wasn't fault. It was the big vampire man."

"Even so, its unfit for a general."

"Nah. I'm still good. I still have one arm. But enough about me. It seems like you finally did it what you wanted after all these years."

"And yet there is still too much to be done. With that Raven out there, Izumo or anywhere is safe."

"So you wanna be the one to bear this burden?"

"No. It's not something one man alone can do. But I still wanna do my part of this."

"You mean..."

"I thinking of following Johnnathan along. He is on Raven's sight already. So maybe he and his brother can do something about it. Besides...He was the one who actually helped Izumo. So it's only natural I repay this debt."

"Gosh, you are stupid."

"Huh?"

"If you what you wanna say is travel with him and his friends because it would be fun, just say it."

"That's not it! And why would I say that! I met them for like a few weeks or so!"

"You were always the competitive one. I'm pretty sure you wanna see for yourself if you can surpass that Hybrid."

"N-Nonsense...I'm pretty sure I already that level yet and-" Out of nowhere, Asuka steals a kiss from Sanzuke. "Hmmm!"

"Just make sure you come back alive, you coward bastard."

"As you wish, you disgusting drunkard."

Meanwhile, Johnnathan and Ninetails still talking with Ninetails holding what seems to be a stone tablet with glowing blue glyphs on it.

"What is it?" Asked Johnnathan.

"We do not know." Replied Ninetails. "It has been into our protection alongside the key for just as long."

Johnnathan then picked up the tablet. "...That's a Sky Rune. I'm fairly certain."

"You know of the object?"

"I have an Acquilla friend. He once told me that his people used to live in cities floating in the skies long ago."

"Flying cities?"

"They were more like outposts, as I heard of it. Apparently those cities were made of this material. Sometime during the Immortal War, those cities were destroyed and ever since those parts were scattered all over the world. There is a Gremlim in my brother's group that has interests in those."

"There are still many things that even an ancient being like doesn't know."

"You don't usually get out home that much, right?"

"No...But I have plenty of time left I guess."

"You only called me over for this?"

"No. I wanted to ask what do you plan to do with Raven. He seems to reaaaaally want those keys."

"Yeah. The fact I didn't see him personally after all this time concerns me a little."

"He is not a enemy everyone would like to have."

"We are two on this one...Which reminds me. On our fight...You were holding back, right?"

"...Why would you say that?"

"First off all, you didn't try to do any illusion or something like that. Also, there is no way you would kill Sanzuke, do you? And...You certainly didn't wanted to burn all that stuff stored on the room below the roof, isn't it? What were those, anyway?"

"...Gifts. Yoshimetsu gave it to me."

"...Say what?"

"I didn't knew much about the outside world. So Yoshimetsu would always bring stuff that merchants that came from the West would sell it at Amaterasu. Heh. I wonder how much he must have spent on those. But every single one of them cannot be replaced it."

"...My mother was a vampire. If isn't too much, would you tell me how did you and Sanzuke's dad got together? I always want to know what makes two beings from different races in conflict with each other to find love. "

"...It all started one day when he captured one of my spies. After an interrogation he decided to spare and release him."

"Huh? Why?"

"Yoshimetsu was a reasonable man. He didn't saw any meaning for Humans and Kitsune to be against one another. So he saw an opportunity to start making the first steps. He relased the spy with the condition to a meeting with only he and me."

"And you accepted?"

"Yeah. You see, everytime a Kitsune is caught as a spy, they are executed without a second thought, but for the first time in aeons, Yoshimetsu broke that streak. We Kitsunes may be enemies, but we praise honor and duty. So he invited me to visit him on his house. He used to live not too far from the city. I was astonished how when I arrived there were no guards nearby. When I first met him, he certainlty didn't strike what I used to think of him."

"How so?"

"We all knew him as the Demon Swordsman, but he was a rather polite man. If I could describe him at that time, I would call him...Adorable."

"Really?"

"He was such a dork. Almost like he didn't felt talking to a dark lord right in front of him. And I do have thing for this kind of man. I did like the time I had to know him at that night. When we less expected...We fell in love with each other. Ever since, I gave my support and we arrived at a cease fire for a time...Until a certain Mr. R ruined everything."

"Gross."

"Now that I think about it...He was the first man I ever told my true name."

"True name?"

"You honestly thought that Ninetails was my real name? After a ninetails dies, their flames are passed to another and a new Nine-Tailed Fox appears."

"Oh. Interesting."

"...Makoto."

"Who?"

"That's my name. Ryusei Makoto."

"Are you sure you should be telling me this?"

"...Yoshimetsu once said that I had a beautiful name. Fitting for a woman with beautiful eyes. I never felt so flustered all my life, haha...It's weird. Just yesterday I felt that everything about him was just a dream. Now that my mind is clear, I...sniff...I wish he was here...Sob...Sob..." Makoto starts to cry out of the sudden.

"Oh dear...I don't like seeing a woman crying...Specially when I technically did it."

"...Say, that woman who kidnap one of your own...I think she may have said something about you while she was drunk."

"Ah....Ah! Y-You mean Eve, huh?! W-Well...What kind of things you heard?"

"...Be simple and short with me. Do you love her?"

"...Yes. Definetly."

"I see. I really should meddle on this sort of stuff, but it is clear that all you need is to be direct with her. I know she is Raven's sister and you two may be on a dire situation, but Yoshimetsu was in the same boat as you. And he got ME of all people. And I'll have you know, I am NO easy woman."

"Are you giving me relationship's advice?"

"Yes, you little turd. So how about you go ahead and say to her that you wanna hold her in your arms forver already, you coward!"

"...You don't even need to say it. Now if you excuse me, I have a date." He turns his back and walks away.

"...Wow. I was exaggerating a bit...The kid has moxie."

Later on Drake and the other pirates were reunited on a tent.

"Okay, all things are packed now." Said Drake. "All that it is missing that little tramp. Anyone willing to leave him to die, raise your hand."

"We aren't leaving Edward behind!" Vanilla protested hard. "I'll fucking murder anyone who dares raise a hand!"

"Woah! Easy there, tigress. I was just kidding. I couldn't face my beloved Hildr if I let her little bro die."

"I always knew that lad would be problem." Said Aladdin. "But I didn't knew it would be that bad."

"We had it worse Aladdin." Said Shadewing. "But, it is pretty bad for the boy in particular."

"I'm pretty sure if we works on this together, our chances of suceess will rise." Said Drake. "Ley's just wait for Johnny, shall we?"

"There is no We on this." Johnnathan just arrived.

"Hey Johnny! We were waiting for you. And what do you mean by no We?"

"I'll be short and straight here. What I'm gonna say will piss off you Aladdin, so you shut up for three minutes, okay?"

Aladdin looks to his two sides and creates a floatinf hourglass with black sand inside of it by snapping his fingers.

"Alright then. Here is the plan. I'm going out there. Alone. And I'm not returning without them, get it?"

"...Wow. This plan is dumb." Said Drake. "I mean...It's super dumb. Even for me."

"Did you forgot that you said that I shouldn't never turn down a request from a lady?"

"...I did?"

"It certainly does looks like something you would say, boss." Said Coela.

"She did mention for him to go alone." Said Florencia. "It does looks like a trap, but I'm certain that things will go worse if we arrive in a large group. Remember that it's a hostage we are talking about here."

"Gosh, I hate when she makes sense." Said Drake. "So, you are sure there isn't an ambush or anything?"

"I wouldn't say that." Said Johnnathan. "But I don't think there will be any cheap tricks."

"I see."

"Look, this is actually a good opportunity for me. I want to...Set things with her."

"Oh. You are talking about that "Second Base" thing, right?"

"Pretty much. It's time to end this dillema. For good or for bad."

"Hmmm...You speaking like a true man now. So when are you starting?"

"...Right now. Gonna pick Sanzuke's dragon and then I'm borrowing the Dolphin."

"The Dolphin again, huh? Alright, at least it isn't a lie this time. Hold just a minute." Drake opens a nearby chest and picks a long red leather coat similar to the one he uses it. "Here you go."

He tosses it to Johnnathan. "...What is it?"

"Something I wanted to give to look more like a proper captain when you looked like an actual badass, so better give it now. After all, you have to look cool on your first date and that plain old jacket needs to be retired."

"Hmm...Very well." He drops his old jacket and puts on his new coat. "How do I look?"

"Eeeh....About 20 percent cooler."

"Jeez, boss! That's so low." Said Coela.

"Probably a bit jealous that he nows looks better than him." Said Nikolai.

"As if you knew about it!" Said Drake.

"He certainly does looks cooler and tougher." Said West.

"Well...Thanks." Said Johnnathan. "Now...I have to somehow steal a woman from her brother's claws. All in a pirate's life."

[KageKageKing]

Extra Chapter 4: Proposal.

Hidden:

After an intense surgery, Cornellius managed to save Alex's life. They were on a safe location inside a hollow tree. He managed to stop the bleeding and Alex's whole abdomen was wrapped in bandages. Far next to him, pieces of his colon that were incised from inside his body were wrapped on a piece of cloth, dripping blood out of it.

"Whew. What a bothersome patient." Said Cornelius as he was cleaning the blood out of his arms. "And what about you now?" He looked at Ruby who was patiently waiting.

"...Thank you. For saving him when I couldn't have done it." Said Ruby who bowed her head in gratitude.

"I am a doctor. It's what I do. You aren't owning me anything."

"Even so, I...I just don't know what I would do if the worst would come."

"You seem pretty attached for a guy who just met. And a human who you tried to kill."

"Things...happened."

"Mind you if I asked one last thing?"

"What?"

"I have witnessed something nasty on the way back...Apparently there was a vampire infiltrated as a captain from Blitzreign. You know something about it?"

"Huh?! That's looks something big! But still...My superior, Lady Diamanta, is the one in charge of the military tactics. If she would pull something like that, allof us Red Swords would know about it."

"It seems they were responsible for what happened in Gali. It seems they didn't even bothered with his fellow vampires."

"Then there is some sort faction that has a secret agenda? This is awful for both sides."

"What are you gonna do now?"

"I...I don't know. They wouldn't believe me without evidence. Whoever is pulling the strings here is a very influential person. And what scares me the most is...they would know sooner or later who were there. Who were supossed to die there."

"So you can't return home."

"It's certainly better if I don't."

"Aaaaah...Can you two tone down the voice." Alex woke up. "I'm trying to sleep here."

"You awoke!"

"Already? You weren't supossed to be awake until tomorrow." Said Cornellius. "It's like you aren't even human."

"You are the one to talk." Said Alex. "Wasn't expecting to be in the same team as a Werewolf."

"So you were still conscious that time as well. Please tell me you at least took a nap while I cut up your whole belly."

"Oh. That's explain why I feel a bit empty inside."

"Still up for jokes, huh? Here. Take those." Cornellius hands him over three vials containing a transparent green liquid. "Those are antibiotics. Drink one each day to prevent an sepsis, starting tomorrow."

"Tell me it's at least mint-flavoured."

"Also, avoid eating anything too much fatty and just be safe, cut the alcohol."

"Fine. I wasn't into those things."

"Also...I would cut your work time."

"By how much?"

"About...One Hour at most."

"Bloody hell."

"Well, my work here is done...Can you look after him?"

"I will." Said Ruby.

"Fine. Just after the border there is a small village where a second platoon of soldiers are stationed. If I remember correctly, they were paying you big time for this, right?"

"You wanna share? I do not mind." Said Alex.

"Nah. You gonna need more than me. Anyway, I have to check out for more survivors so I'll see you some these days, okay? Take care!" Cornellius turns into a wolfman and leaps out to the woods.

"Hmm...Just now I bonded with a human and a werewolf. Both of my bitter enemies and yet I feel no shame." Said Ruby.

"I once shared a barn with a group of goats. At this point of my life, I would share a room with a Black Dragon." Said Alex.

"Pfft! Hahahahahahaha! A room...with a Black Dragon...Hahahahaha!"

"...I didn't knew vampires even had sense of humor."

"Heh! You don't know Prince Corvus then."

"You know him? I heard he is a weirdo among the monsters."

"Yeah, kinda like that. I personally think he is misunderstood, but I guess he is actually crazy sometimes. Anyway, I think we should move on."

"I don't think I am in shape for do that."

"Don't worry. Leave it to me!" Later, Ruby was carrying Alex on top of her back, with his luggage below her arm. She was also covering her body with a spare mantle Alex had.

"...This is kinda embarassing." Said Alex.

"Usually I would run, but I never carried a human who just had a surgery." Said Ruby.

"That's fine. I am not too excited to reach a village."

"You hate villages or something?"

"No it's...I just don't feel like I belong there. Everywhere I go, they only see me as a Vampire Hunter."

"I'm pretty sure there are more hunters."

"Yeah, but most of them do other sort of stuff. Like, I once met this one dude from Araukarias that was a gambler when he was off-duty."

"I don't know about gambling, but I don't think that's a real job."

"The thing is...they all know me as the Red Demon. Nothing much, nothing less. Killing vampires for a penny."

"...I heard the reward is big this time. Maybe if you could, try to invest on something."

"I was thinking about it. In fact I kinda have been saving quite a bit already. About....50000 gold or so."

"Woah! And what were you doing before that?!"

"Tending horses on a stable in Drakland, a bit far away from Damaon."

Ruby then stopped walking and turned her to glare at him. "You got all that gold and you were wasting time taking care of horses?!"

"What do you know about economy anyway?"

"Blood is my coin! We vampires are the capitalists of nature! I also lived enough for you to live and die at least eight times, so I do know a thing or two about money management."

"Alright then smartass. What do you suggest?"

"I suggest you stop having fear of people." Ruby continued her walk. "That's all."

"I don't fear people. People fear me."

"No. You fear people having fear of you."

"You were still technically wrong about me having fear of people. Just because I don't trust them, it does not mean I'm a sociopathy."

"Then work this out before you turn into one. Listen, pick all your money and buy a house somewhere...small. And it's not need to be right in the middle, you can live not too far. And then invest on a business. And the another. Lend money to someone and you get a chunk of it. In the future, you may have your own business and quit your Vampire Hunting job."

"Well...it certainly sounds easier than killing vampires."

"You mean killing in general? You are talking with one, remember?"

"Oh...Sorry."

"No problem."

"Still...I wonder if I'll manage to live alone surrounded by four walls. Maybe I could fill the house with animals if necessary."

"Or maybe..." Ruby started to slow her pace. "You could live with someone."

"Yeah, right. Like that would happen."

"...You mentioned something rather surprising back there with the Mantis."

"Huh?"

"You said...You had a thing for redheads."

"Ah. I really did it, huh? Heh. Sorry about that. I mean...You may be a vampire, but you are still a woman."

"Funny you say that because I think that was the first time treated me as a woman."

"Taking the blow by a oversized insect?"

"Just the self-sacrifice in general."

"I see...I have to admit that you are someone very...remarkable on the outside...And from the inside as well from what I see."

Ruby then stopped again. "You do know I am not going back to Hollowgrounds because of what happened in Gali, right?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"I really am not in the mood for wander around the globe like a hermit. I could find a place to live...alongside someone who wouldn't mind. So what I wanna ask is..." She then turns back her head and looks at Alex with a piercing look. "Wanna marry me?"

"...Bloody hell. Why not?"

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 56: Rotten.

Hidden:

Onboard of the Death Crow, Raven was making contact through the small mechanical crow he has. "Evening? Are you there?"

"...Yes." Evening responded through the bird. "I am on that place."

"I see, I see. And you sure he is going there."

"Absolutely. I got a bargaining chip with me."

"Ohoho. Devious."

"Also, sorry about Izumo."

"That's alright, that's alright. We got what we really wanted from them anyway."

"Is that all you wanted to talk to me?"

"Eeeer...Not exactly. I just wanna give a warning."

"What is it?"

"Just....try to keep him under your thunbs this time."

"This time?"

"....You think I'm an idiot?"

"I don't follow."

"Do you really think I didn't noticed that you purposely let Johnnathan get away last time?"

"Huh?! But that's-"

"Please. Do you think I don't know your Not-Boyfriend? There is no way in hell he wouldn't let you like a slaughtered lamb. Am I right?"

"Buuuut no reason to get upset about that after so long. I'll let that pass because you are my sister, but....Distrust your own family such a pain in the ass that I rather destroy a city or two to relieve the stress."

"...Alright then."

"Good. Now if you excuse me, I have a literal garbage dumpster to visit. Raven, out."

After shutting off the communicator he goes outside and sees a island surrounded by green waters. From the deck, he could smell the reek of death and rotten.

"Hey brother, what are you-" Blanc showed up at the deck sensing the smell. "What the? Sniff. What is this smell?! Sniiiiiiif!"

After a strong act of smelling, Blanc gets nauseous and passes out.

"I wasn't even aware this was possible to vampires." Said Noir who showed just after it. "By the way, are you sure about this?"

"I have no idea." Raven turned into mist and went to the island.

"Uuuuugh. This smells worse than the crematorium of the castle." Said Moonlight who appeared from above. "What is in there anyway?"

"That island is know as Dead Land. For some reason corpses of whales, fishes and other creatures gather on the beaches on that island. And then suddenly gets dragged on inside the jungle, as if someone or something is eating those."

"Gross! But I still don't get why a few corpses can cause this stench."

"Raven once told me that long ago he visited the place. I wonder what he discovered."

Meanwhile, Raven arrived at the center of the jungle and struted around as if it was a walk in the park.

"Doodododorodorooooo...." He casually passes through a skeleton of a whole sea dragon and jumps over it. He sees smoke rising it from a distance. "Where there is smoke, there is fire."

Raven arrives at an open space in the area. There was a mountain of dead rotten meat from several creatures and a large figure was eating all of those. It was a large fat dark creature with a body that had a skin hard like metal and spotted a pair of tall horns and sharp fangs of iron. The inside of it's eyes and mouth were filled with a red glow and fire was leaking through them. Overall he looked like a giant walking furnace.

When Raven approached the beast, it stopped eating and started to sniff around. He turned back and saw Raven.

"Hey there, pal. Enjoying whatever is pilled up there." Said Raven without fear of him.

"Ahhh...This smell...Are you a vampire?" He started to slowly walk around Raven. "You do smell like one, but smell like a Dark Walker as well."

"I am surprised you can smell considering you don't seem to have a nose."

A stream of fire then appeared from two small holes below his eyes.

"Oh! There they are."

"You...You came here before, didn't you? Many, many years ago."

"So you noticed me back there."

"I though I gone crazy when I smelled a vampire around. Hrm! I don't even know how much I've been here? Decades? Centuries?"

"Try Millenias. I did heard stories of you, Baal. One of Astaroth's finest generals. Well, finest might not be the word here."

"Aaaaaarrr...Yes. I was exiled here in the middle of a war for eating hundred of my fellow Fire Demons. Punished by eating only leftovers of life for eternity. Aaaaaar...Tell me. Why would you think I wouldn't try to devour you?"

"Let me show you why." Raven picked his sword from his chest and sent a bird-shaped flying slash at Baal that knocked him down on his back and quickly lands over him, pointing his sword at his face. "There is no way you could do that."

"Aaaah. I see. You are one of Camilla's children."

"Grandchildren, to be exactly." Raven gets off Baal's belly. "Her and most of the Great Immortals are no longer. Only Titania and Curupira seems to remain."

"So Astaroth is no more. Punishing him to this garbage disposal may have been his doing, but my only king he still was. I rather die to become your subordinate."

"Luckily I have no need to for you. What is really important is to take you out of this despicable place."

"You know that after that I'll be free to do whatever I seem fit."

"And I am totally okay with that!"

"Hahahaha...Camilla surely had some twisted spawn."

"Buuuuut, maybe you could do me a solid first."

"I should've seen this coming. What is it?"

"You know of Gel? That place next to Fairyland. I need to pick something in there and if those fairies would appear while I'm there....It would be problematic."

"I see where this is coming. It's about Harvok isn't it?"

"You know much. Expected no less from someone from the Immortal Era. So...Are you in?"

"I don't see why not. I do like fairies, you see. But until we reach there...A little snack from time to time wouldn't be bad, right?"

"Hmm...I have a vampire or two to spare."

"That will do."

At a different location in the sea, Johnnathan was boarding the Dolphin alongside Nikolai who was piloting it.

"Sooo...Thanks for the lift, Nik." Said Johnnathan.

"I am just doing this because I don't trust you. Specially after you stole the Dolphin from that time way back."

"I didn't stole it. I asked for it, didn't I?"

"With a lie. Which is the same damn thing. Funnily enough, just like this time, it was for the same goddamn reason. A damn woman. Oh. Well."

"Dude, I'm sorry."

"I can't understand how humans and their variations keep insisting on make the same mistakes every single generation because of a female. Gross, it's so disgusting."

"Huh...Aren't there female gremlims as well."

"It does. And we HATE each other. Trust me, if a male gremlim and a female gremlim interact with each other, something bad will happen. They always think what is better and what is not."

"Then how does a new generation of Gremlims is born?"

"Unfortunately we are organic lifeforms and so we also have to follow the instinct to keep our species prosper and abundant. But it's one hundred percent a biological factor. There is like no love in this. No love at all."

"Okaaaay...Did something like that happened to you."

"Huh? What is that all of the sudden?"

"I mean, what do I know about you other than you were born in Nighville and built two superships for me and my brother which by the way it's kind of impressive now that I think about it?"

"...I used to work on a project alongside a....woman.Things were going pretty great until we had an argument. I...don't remember what it was, but I know that in the next day she...Didn't showed up anymore."

"Nik..."

Nikolai then stopped the Dolphin for a while. "The only thing I realized was that..."Yep, Nik. You really done it, this time." Man I never felt like a stupid in my life."

"...Heh. You know, this is unusual. Comical even. Never thought I would having this kind of talk with a Gremlim of all people."

"Hahahaha! And I always thought your brother would put me in this kind of situation...Johnny. Don't make the same mistake that I did it."

"For once, I'll obey you."

"You better, you half-breed bastard."

Nikolai started the boat again and kept following the route.

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 57: Sweet.

Hidden:

It was dark, empty and lonesome. Only a void covered his mind at that moment. But slowly his eyes opened and his consciousness came back. Edward woku up inside a very fancy-looking bar, complete with a chandelier and a piano. Only him was around, sitting on the stand with a barman dressed in a tuxedo, with a moustache and sunglasses juggling a bottle of liquour that he fill a glass with it.

"Where...am I?" Thought Edward while he looked around the place. "Last time I remember there were chains and...I don't know what else."

The barman then made the chalice slide through the stand. It passes Edward and it's get taken by Evening. "Thanks, Nestor."

"Eeeek!" Edward panicked and almost fell down his chair. "D-Don't hurt me!"

"Easy there, friend. If I wanted to do anything at all, I would've done while you were asleep."

"Wow. You sound like a pervert." Evening then picked his hand and twisted his arm. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Sorry!"

"Hmpf!" Evening released him. "It's not like I feel pity. In fact I kinda already did that."

"What do you mean?"

"I kind of tasted a little of your blood. And let me tell you...That was disappointing."

"W-What?"

"Your blood had a bland flavor. I could only feel the iron on it. Like if you are a slave in Hollowgrounds, you would be lower than the supplies we give to the lowest of the low level vampires."

"Oh...Right. Right." He put his arms and started to leak a tear on his left eye.

"Huh? You are crying?"

"Tasting like a leftover...Suit me very right...Sniff.." He covers his eyes with his right hand. "Even a vampire would rather die from thirst than drink me."

"W-W-Wait! I didn't mean that you were Bad in general. Sometimes being bland is not necessarily bad. I seen some bland humans who became...decent."

"Please. A vampire trying to cheer me up saying I can be decent enough to kill isn't helping."

"When you put like that I can see why...Nestor! Pour him a mug of our finest beer."

Nestor filled a large mug with beer and delivered to Edward. "Sniff...What is it?"

"It's a brand from Jarghen."

"Woah! Jarghen?! I never tasted one from there. I heard it most men can't handle two mugs."

"I recommend you take it easy at you first try because-"

Edward dives in with one big gulp. "Buuurp....What the hell is even an Edward...Uuuur..." He then falls asleep on the stand.

"...Johnnathan has interesting taste for crewmates."

Later on, Johnnathan and Nikolai arrived on the island that was marked in their destinations. At first glance it didn't seem very noticeable. It had a beach and a jungle like many otheres.

"...Is this the place." Said Johnnathan.

"Yup. I'm no navigator, but I can easily read things like numbers." Said Nikolai.

"But how can you be so sure?"

"Look." Nikolai points with his tail at an large arrow-shaped sign filled with lightbulbs reding "This way, Johnny!" pointing at a path.

"Huh. Was that always there?"

"And here I thought you were the observant one. So, I'm giving you a day okay?"

"You will wait here? In the nothingness?"

"I came prepared." His mechanical tail shot a blue beam that created a small housefrom it. "It turns invisible so I'll be fine."

"Okaaay. So in the hypothetical scenario that I don't come back in a day, what happens?"

"I'll assume you kicked the bucket and we are gonna mourn like crazy for you. Not me though. Or Aladdin." Nikolai then went to enter this house. "Buuut, I'll certainly not gonna forgive you if you decide to give up after coming this far."

"Now you are giving smart advices for once. Alright then. Enjoy yourself on your sorry excuse for a shelter." Johnnathan goes on his way.

"You wish you could fit inside here."

After following an open path in-between the trees, Johnnathan spots a big red clubhouse with an orchad of palm trees right next to it. The club had shining letters above the door spelling "Sweet Prison". The sun was already setting off at the horizon.

"It's almost night, huh?" Thought Johnnathan. "Fitting. But what is a sophisticated place like that doing in the middle of the nowhere?"

As he approaches the place, he saw Nestor standing right in front of the front door.

"Greetings, Mr. Highlander." Said Nestor who bowed down on his presence. "Mistress Lercadre has been patiently waiting for you. Allow me to thank you for granting us with your presence on her place."

Nestor then opened the door and let Johnnathan pass upfront. "Please, enjoy yourself."

"Well, didn't seem that coming." Johnnathan entered the house and saw it's amazing interior. "Now that's what I call class if I ever saw it."

Looking around a bit longer, he saw a sight that surprised him. It was Evening sitting on a table for two with two wine glasses and one bottle on the table. When Evening looked at him, she smiled and called for him with a gesture with her index finger.

"Oh no, she is so hot..." Thought Johnnathan while he walked towards her trying to keep a straight face. "Alright, Johhny. Remember what Drake told you. No matter the cost, keep your pants on."

He then sat down on his chair.

"....I like the new coat." Said Evening.

"Thanks. Drake said I should look the best I could.

"I guess he is really good at this sort of stuff then."

"Allow me." Nestor poured the two glasses with the bottle containing a red drink.

"Thanks, Nestor." Said Evening. "Now would you excuse us?"

"But of course." Nestor then went to the piano and started to play it.

"I meant to ask." Said Johnnathan. "Is he a-"

"Rogue? Yes." Said Evening. "Don't expect them to be all like Raven."

"I know that. He...plays that quite well."

"Yeah, that's a really good score."

"What is this place anyway?"

"You heard about those places far away from the reach of kings and emperors where their rules have no power?"

"You mean a lawless zone? Yeah, I hang out on those all the time."

"This one is like a deluxe lawless zone. This island used to be a storage for smuggling goods. After a few aristocrats from Blitzreign decided to throw a few "donations" it became a Black Market paradise. Not too long ago, they used to auction slaves here of all kinds and sizes. Of course...Raven couldn't resist to take it all without spending a penny."

"Of course he wouldn't. Anyway, where's Eddie?"

"Eddie? Oh! Edward, right? He is right over there." She points at Edward sleeping on a sofa.

"Wow. So majestic. Why did you took him anyway?"

"Trying to capture the Werewolf or the Fairy would be risky. The spellcaster was the easiest target there, but even though I wanted to taste her blood again, I didn't wished to cause her more harm. Have you tasted her blood? It's like Ice Cream!"

"I don't have fangs, so yeah, no deal."

"Speaking of which will you drink? I brought it specially for you."

"If you say so." He picks his glass and senses it's fragrance before drinking it. "This is...blood, right?"

"Yeah. Any problem? If I remember correctly, you aren't into alcohol, right?"

"Hmm...I suposse it's the the most fancy drink I can have here, so I really can't complain." The two of them drank it at the same time. "...This is human's, right?"

"Oh? So Hybrids can tell?"

"Kind of. I don't know how it is with vampires, but...the taste kind of changes with the mood of the host."

"I see. Do you drink very often."

"Sometimes. There is a few of poor souls out there that bleed themselves for emotional reasons or want to grab a quick cash. It's illegal in theory, but...no one gives a shit for them."

"And you like it doing this?"

"Not in particular, but I feel good. When I do this, it kinda like...I take whatever burden that is weighting on them."

"You try to be a good man, Johnny. But good man, don't make good pirates. Don't make good vampires."

"I always thought I was never cut for this pirate stuff anyway. But I have to admit, I catched up pretty well."

"Yeah. You don't get to be worthy 100 pieces of gold by doing nothing, right?"

"I admit. This kind of life can be quite fun."

"...I wish I could say the same. It just starts to get painful after a while. Specially when you lose that you can't repose it."

"Oh boooooy. I knew she would bring the C-Issue here." Said Agni from inside of Johnnathan's head.

"Be out of this for once, Sparkle." Replied Johnnathan through his thoughts. "I have to be honest with you here, Eve. I can't regret for what I've done. He may have been your little brother, but...In my viewpoint, I was in a cave under the ground fighting off a venomous monster. And I understand if you wanna hate me forever for it."

"...I've been thinking about something recently." Evening took another sip of blood. "When we went from Vampires to Rogues...I could feel all of us became different people if only a little. But Chill was definetly different from Miller. But don't get me wrong, I still acknowledge him and the others as family, but...I just can't look at them the same way other families usually see each others. So if you had to do what you did because you life was at risk then...I cannot hate you to the point I have to murder you."

"Wow. You seem very...stressed about this."

"I might think that...I may be the same."

"Say again?"

"Even though I still have my memories as an old vampire...I may not be the same "Eve" you met years ago at Mians."

"...Of course you are."

"You really seem certain? Why is that?"

"Evelyne, the Old Vampire or Evening, the Rogue Vampire. They are two sides of the same coin, but it is still the same coin." Johnnathan then put his hand over her's.

"Johnny?"

"There is no way you aren't the same girl I met that night. Because when I am close to you...I feel the same thing I felt for you 10 years ago...I love you, Eve."

Evening was shocked and her heart bumped. "H-Huh?!"

"All these years, I...I couldn't pass a single day without thinking how you were doing it. If you really were different from how you were in the past...I couldn't be saying this to you now. Do you...accept me the same way as you?"

"Johnnathan...." She quickly gets on top of the table on her knees and kisses Johnnathan. "....."

"....."

"...You really have to make things hard, huh?"

Evening picks the bottle of blood, breaks it and tries to stab Johnnathan with it. Johnnathan swiftly dodges with a backflip and swings his chair, sending the bottle away from her hands and almost hitting Nestor who dodged at the last second.

"Did I missed something on our dialogue?"

"I may forgive you, but Raven don't." She then summons one chain on each of her palms. "It would be better for both of us, if you would act under hm now."

"...I just confessed and we already are having a discussion. Bloody hell."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 58: Pleasure.

Hidden:

Johnnathan pulled out his swords and went to attack Evening. She dodges his attacks with graceful moves and catches the piano in the corner with her chains, throwing it at Johnnsthan who cut the piano in two with one swing of his sword.

"I must say this isn't exactly on I wanted my first date to happen." She swings her chains like whips and tries to smash Johnnathan with them.

"Don't blame me! You started by trying to stab with a broken bottle!" Johnnathan dodged her attacks by tilting from side to side. "Why do that anyway?!"

"Because I know very well you wouldn't come to Raven's ship if I asked you!"

"It's all about your brother, huh? At least you know me well."

"No be a good boy and just quit being on his bad side!" Evening turned the tip of her chains into arrow-shaped blades and thrust them at Johnnathan, scratching the left of his face.

"You know, since you fear your brother that much, it doesn't make sense being close to him."

"I do not fear him. I respect him! " She starts to swing her chains like flails who caused several damages to the floor, while Johnnathan dodged by rolling out of the range of her attacks.

Meanwhile Nestor sneaked out of the club by crawling like a worm. "I'm out."

"If the feelings were mutual, he would let you follow your own choices you know." Said Johnnathan.

"He may do, but he would certainly try to murder me after it." She summons a chain at the tip of her leef foot and she swings with a kick that delivers a stronger impact.

"Tch! Of course it would be stronger on her leg."

"Iron Net!" Evening launches five chains from her right palm at Johnnathan, trying to trap him, but he pushes them back with his swords.

"Time to pull my new tricks." Johnnathan created five swords of darkness floating next to him.

"Huh? Since when he-"

"Red Pillage!" He sends his swords at Evening who defended herself by spinning her chain around herself.

"Nice trick. But unless you are my sister, every sort of projectile is useless against me."

"Sorry for inform you, but you missed one." He points at a smaller sword piercing he left leg.

"W-What?!" She then loses the strenght of her leg and falls to her knee. "I can't move it.."

"Sorry in advance. Red Spiral!" He delivers a red spiral at Evening who couldn't move fast enough. She tries to defend with her whip, but is blow away by the impact, crashing at the stand of the bar.

"Urgh!"

"Usually I would give enough force to tear a limb, but I prefer not doing that. Can we please get over this on good terms? Or should I be cliche and kidnap you with ropes and a cloth in the mouth?"

"You saying you holding back? Don't fuck with me!" She picks one of the chairs and toss it at Johnnathan who quickly dodged.

"Uuuuh...What's going on-" Edward started to wake up, but the chair hits him in the face and he passes out again.

"I am aware you have feeling for me, but don't forget it, darling. I am a fucking Rogue Vampire! Any mistake, as small as it is could cost your live! Why don't I teach you how to proper fight against one?" Evening's body started to emit a crimsom aura around it.

"Hmm? This sensation..."

"If you killed Chill...Then he obviously done this before his demise. Activate Sin: Pleasure!" Scarlet chains spawned from her hands. Those chains were covered in spikes grim-looking spikes.

"So you put some spikes on those chains. So what-" Johnnathan gets hit in the face by one of the chains who moved too quick for him to react. "Argh!"

The impact left a scratch that didn't seemed to heal.

"Those chains are like an extension of my body." Said Evening. "When I activate my Sin, everytime they come in contact with living flesh, it takes away their blood and feed on them."

With the nail of her index finger she scratches her own face that just regenerated. "And every damage I take is healed depending of how much blood I take."

"...You cheater."

"I'm a pirate as well, sweetie!" She started to attack with her chains that were faster and more destructive. At one moment, she catches Johnnathan's wrists and his blood is frained through the chain.

"Urgh." Johnnathan quickly break the link of the chain with his sword. "I guess it is a bad idea to be far away from her...Kinda how things between me and her were."

"Blood Hunt!" She launches a chain foward from her palm that started to change directions, confusing Johnnathan's sense of direction.

"Good...But not enough." Johnnathan manages to pass through the chain and gets closer to Evening. "Got ya!"

He cuts one of Evening's arms off with his sword. "...Hmpf!"

From her severed arm, several chains came off from it and binded Johnnathan. "What the?!"

"Did you really think you could cut off my arm so easily without that being a bait?"

"Don't blame me. It usually works on most Rogues I faced."

"What really shocks me is that you actually had the guts to cut my arm."

"I know you are a vampire. An amputed arm is just a flesh wound."

"Whatever. It's not like you are gonna last for too long anyway."

"I'll let you know I still have the strenght of-" Johnnathan starts to feel weak. "...A dolphin's offspring."

"Usually I would give you the choice to submit, but I know that would be waste of saliva. So I'll just keep draining you until you pass out."

"Damn you know me so well..."

Meanwhile, inside Johnnathan's soul, Agni was standing in front a grim-looking door that had the figure of the red head of a beast.

"That same thing from before." Said Agni. "This time it turned into a door instead of a chest. I don't like how it's quiet in there."

He looks around, waiting for something to appear. "And that weird woman is not around. Well, if I don't do anything that idiot is gonna die anyway so..."

Agni touches the door and it slowly opens it. A mass of pure darkness slowly leaks out of it and the area gains an extra tone of black later being followed by a scarlet light.

"...What could possibly go wrong now?"

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 59: Inner Beast.

Hidden:

While Johnnathan seemed to be wrapped on a critical situation, Evening's chains started to shackle. "Woah! Woah! Woah! What's the deal with this shaking?!" Asked Evening.

Johnnathan's whole body became engulfed on a vortex of darkness. This vortex then shapes itself with the appearance of a horned beast with sharp fangs that became red. The raw energy shackled Evening's chains."What even is this?" From her wound, she spawned a chain and picked her severed arm, joining it together to her body.

The beast gave it a howl and disappeared. Johnnathan stood up with a red aura around his body. Both of his eyes were glowing with a red color and fangs appeared on his upper arch. "That form...Are you.."

Johnnathan grasped his swords and they started to glow red. He gets in position to deliver a Red Spiral and releases one with a deep red color. Evening dodges it by tilting her body and the attack pierces the wall, flying to outside the house. "That attack. I know that. Only something a vampire could do. More specifically...an Old Vampire."

Evening radies one of her chains at Johnnathan, but he avoids the attack and went running straight at her.

"Yikes!" Evening tries to desperately push him back by waving several of her chains, but Johnnathan manages to avoid them without slowing down. "Oh no!"

Johnnathan attacks with his sword, but Evening avoids it by backfliping and landing on top of a table. The blow of his sword still left a massive fissure on the floor.

"His strenght sharply rose. And his darkness is now red, just like how the vampires were before the Rogues. But the weird part was...When he dodged my attacks, never for a single moment he averted his sight at me. Like a beast who never let their prey get away." Evening then graps her hands tightly. "This sort of barbaric animal...Is not the same man I love!"

Evening sent several chains under the floor. The chains then appeared surrounding Johnnathan. "You can't escape!"

Before the chains could catch him, he leaped through a small open spot, before it could close him inside. "Shoot!" He went to the offensive again by getting up-close with Evening, but she summoned two chains and started to spin them, attacking Johnnathan at close range with two wheel of chains.

"I don't need to keep myself far to fight." Evening clashed her chains with Johnnathan's swords, pushing him back little by little.

"As long as you don't get the chance to attack, you are not a threat!" Evening manages to kick Johnnathan in the face, sending him flying at a wall.

"Let's end this already. Violet Carnival!" From both of her palms, she summons several spiked chains with arrow tips on them that constantly changed directions while going after Johnnathan. When the chains were very close to Johnnathan while he was on his knees, he gave it a glare and red swords appeared around him, fending off the chains.

"I-Impossible!" Johnnathan went to attack Evening again. She reacts by extending her right arm behind her and summoning a really large chain that pierced through the walls and had a sword blade at the very tip of the chain. "Pierce Heart!"

When Johnnathan came close, Evening pulled back the chain to a straight thrust to pierce Johnnathan with it. As it came up-close, Johnnathan quickly stopped and defended with one of his swords, wielding it on a reverse grip. When the chain striked the sword, it reacted a massive shockwave that shattered all the windows and almost took down the walls.

"Graaaaah!" With his other sword Johnnathan manages to cut off the chain much to Evening's surprise.

"N-No way..."

"Graaaaaaah!" Johnnathan dropped his swords and held Evening on her arms and bited her neck.

"Gah!"

Johnnathan continued by taking her to the floor, pinning on top of her while bitting her neck and drinking her blood.

"Aaaaah! Y-You brute! Release me right now!" Evening struggles to break herself free, but she has no success. "Guh! Y-You indecent!"

Slowly Evening's strenght and life fades away as Johnnathan feeds on her blood.

"Please...Please..." Evening starts to cry. "I give! I give up! I am coming with you! Just...Don't...Kill me..." She starts to lose her consciousness.

"Snap out of it!" Agni's voice echoed and suddenly Johnnathan's body started to burn from inside.

"Graaaa! Graaaaaa!" His body stops burning and he falls right next to Evening.

"Urrrrgh...My head. What did happened-Ow!" Edward woke up, but a piece of the ceiling fell right on top of his head, knocking him out again.

Hours later, Johnnathan woke up when it was night-time. "Hmmmm....I feel like shit."

"Finally woke up, Sunset." Said Agni who was right next to him.

"Oh. Agni. I suposse you did something to me?"

"Yeah. I had to stop before it was too late."

"For what?"

"Before that became a bigger problem." He points at Evening, whose body was starting to turn into ashes.

"E-Eve!" Johnnathan quickly hold Eve in his arms. "W-What happened?"

"Did you forgot? You went crazy and almost killed her by drinking her blood. Right now she is using all her remaining strenght to avoid turning her body into dust."

"Oh, bloody hell...I remember."

"Really?"

"No...I do remember the feeling. Just like that time. What the hell is going on with me Agni?"

"Uuuh...Don't you have better things to look after?"

"Ah! Right!" Johnnathan gave it a flesh wound on his arm, making a large quantity of blood to leak through it and falling into Evening's mouth. After a certain quantity was consumed, her body stopped to decay and she woke up, quickly feeding herself from the blood leaking from his arm. As she drinks it like a beast thirsty of blood, Johnnathan calmly stared while passing his hand on her hair. "...Welcome back."

"Haaa....Haaaa..." Evening started to recover her breath after drinking it enough. "I thought....I sure was..."

"Yeah. Me too." Johnnathan then went to check on Edward. "...I'm sure he wasn't like this. By the way, how are you feeling, Eve?"

"I still feel very weak. It's taking too much for my strenght to regain, but it is slowly returning."

"Good...good."

"Er...What is this, by the way?" Said Evening who noticed Agni around.

"You, an ancient being do not know me? Agni, the...Urgh. Nevermind." Said Agni.

"That's Agni. He is a sprite that lives inside my head or something." Said Johnnathan. "Do not mind him."

"I see. So you really do exist, huh?" Said Evening.

"I hope one day, you and your entire species becomes a myth as well, thank you very much." Said Agni.

"Welp. I guess I can leave him here until tomorrow." Said Johnnathan.

"Why tomorrow?" Said Evening.

"Tomorrow someone might come and take him. Better that than having to say goodbye."

"What do you mean?"

"...I am joining Raven."

"W-What?! But why?!"

"I'm positive now that if we are not on the same side, one day I might make a bigger mess to you than what I did today. And such a thing is something that I can never live one damn day after doing it. I...do not wanna make you feel like that anymore."

"...Then we are on the same page here."

"Say what?"

"Right now, you were just like how an old vampire used to be. But since you apparently were devoid of conscience, you were more of a Rogue Vampire than an Old. Raven definetly would turn you into that. And that's something I certainly wouldn't allow it. And if I would become the reason for you to be chained to him then...I'm leaving the Death Crow!"

"So you...are coming with me?"

"Yes!"

Johnnathan then passes out for a bit and falls to the floor.

"J-Johnny!"

"Okay. Okay. I'm...fine." Said Johnnathan. "It just that...it felt so quick that my poor brain couldn't take it."

"Hehehe...And all we needed it was to kill each other to reach this point."

"Right...So, what now? Should we try to wake up Edward?"

"Well...speaking of rest, I do wanna go to anywhere else other the floor."

"I see. Any ideas?"

"There is a room upstairs. One that has a very large bed..." Evening delivers a rather innocent smile. "Can you...carry me there?"

"W-Well...Sure. Why not?"

Johnnathan then lifted Evening and carried her on his arms while Agni watched it.

"...I'm just gonna hit the bar then." Agni picked a bottle of whisky and poured it on his whole body making the flames stronger. "Oh yeaaah. That's the stuff."

[KageKageKing]

Chapter 60: The Other Day.

Hidden:

Before the sun rose, Nikolai was sleeping inside his small hidden house until he hears someone knocking his door.

"What? How the hell did someone...Urgh. I go take a look." He gets off his bed and answers the door. He is greeted by West. "Well, look who it is. Is isn't the Werewolf. How did you found this place anyway?"

"We had him to help." West points above his head and Gabo appears.

"Gabo!"

"Most important, where is Johnnathan?"

"Eh...Follow the signs." Nikolai points at the big and shiny sign.

"Huh. It stands out so much that even I didn't noticed." Said West. "Let's just hope the worst didn't happened."

Meanwhile, back in the Sweet Prison, the place was still in pieces over the battle between Johnnathan and Evening. Edward was still unconscious from the being hit by a piece of the ceiling.

In the bedroom that was located upstairs, Johnnathan was sleeping on a bed. The sun rays bathed on his face from a single window located inside and he opened his eyes. All of his clothes were scattered on the floor and his lower body was covered by a comforter.

He notices that next to him was Evening, embracing him while sleeping with a naked body, laying her head over his chest.

"...I can't believe I actually did it." Said Johnnathan. "Not that I am complaining."

He procceds by gently pushing her arm away over him and starts picking up his clothes. When only his red coat was left for him to put, he looks at Evening again and see a smile on her sleeping face.

"She is happy about it. I guess that counts as a success." Johnnathan picked a cigarette and lighted it. He layed his back on a wall and started smoking. "...I shouldn't get that over my head."

"Yo! Johnny! You there!" West came crashing the door of the room, carrying an unconscious Edward on his shoulder. Johnnathan acted quickly and tossed the cigar on the floor and stepped on it.

"W-West?! What the bloody hell are you doing here?!"

"They forced me to come here and take a look at the things. Good thing Sanzuke lend me his dragon. He's a good fella. Also, Drake is sailing this way and we meet with the Vitoria on the way back."

"I-I see."

"And what are you doing here anyway? And what about the woman-"

"Yaaaaaaawn!" Evening gave it a yawn and turned over to the other side, continuing sleeping.

West finally notices Evening after that and sees her sleeping, only looking at her back. West then look at her and alternatively at Johnnathan multiple times until he finally gets the idea. "Oh Damn! High-Five, Captain!"

"N-Not now!" Said Johnnathan. "I don't really wanna wake up and have another man to see her naked."

"Please, you know there is only naked body that I care about."

"That doesn't prevent accidents. Besides, you do not wanna have any other man to look at Florencia naked, do you?"

"Good point."

"By the way, have you seen Agni? I think he has been out of my head for a while."

"Oh. I saw him down there. Apparently he has been pouring himself with booze. And he is turning into a whole conflagration."

"Huh. Surprisingly it didn't burned the whole building."

"About that, why does it feels like this place looks more beat down than a college student's house."

"I guess it could be the prelude of...this." Johnnathan points at the bed with his thumb.

"Oh dear. By the way, she sure is taking her time, huh?"

"She certainly isn't used to awake at the daytime. Also I may have been too much rough on her."

"Dude. Like...Dude! I hope it isn't what I think it is. So, what are you gonna do with her?"

"First I gonna put some clothes on her and carry her out of here."

"You mean...this?" West picked up Evening's dress who was in shreds. "Not gonna point finger, but you shouldn't undress a woman like an animal. Yeah, that's rich coming from me."

"Hey! She didn't complained it. Well, time for plan B."

Later on, West and Johnnathan left the house, with the former carrying Edward and Johnnathan pulling a coffin.

"Why would there be a coffin there?" Asked West.

"At the end of all, vampires will be vampires."

"I know we are gonna have an actual vampire as our companion instead of just half one, but the fact she is one of the royal rogues it just feels nuts."

"Yeah, right? All of this feels so surreal to me."

"And speaking of surreal..."

"What?"

"...I'll show you when we return to your brother's ship."

Later that day, Johnnathan and the others arrived with Edward and Evening inside her coffin on the deck of the Vitoria.

"Okay, West. What do you wanna show me?" Asked Johnnathan.

"Check it out." West pointed at a Thunder Lioness licking her paws at the deck. "Johnny...Meet Jayce."

"....Did...Did Drake somehow stole a Thunder Lion from Blitzreign?"

"Yes. He did it."

"...Okay." Johnnathan picked up his list and risked the item "Drake gets a weird pet."

[KageKageKing]

Extra Chapter 5: New Life.

Hidden:

It has been over a year since the events on Ceranze. On the harbor town of Mians, the usual days have been changed after the coming of certain newcomers right after the last crusade.

Early in the morning, an old fisherman returned from the sea with his net filled with herrings and went to his shop. "Today wasn't half-bad."

As he was storing his bounty, he hears the sounds of someone entering his establishment. "We aren't open yet, mate. Why do you need a fish at six in the morning."

"I was just passing by, Mel." Said Alex who appeared carrying a large suitcase.

"Alex? Jeez, you came back. So what it was this time?"

"A High. And a few lows. I still got the knack for it. I wanted to know how bussiness is doing."

"Pretty darn well. And I just remembered it." Mel went to pick a bag of gold below a desk. "Here is the money I owned you."

"Great. Wanna loan some more?" Alex hands over a bag almost at the same size.

"Jeez. You earn that much on a single trip?"

"That's about a third of it."

"Well, well. I know hunting bloodsuckers is quite the hot take these days, but aren't they charging a little too much?"

"It may look I'm doing a public service here, but actually very powerful people is investing on it. You see, one of them hidden around humans is kinda bad for business."

"I heard about that. Something about 100 pieces of gold lost a day per one, right?"

"You could call that Philantropy, I guess."

"Still...Isn't time you got enough to buy your own shop?"

"Sorry. I got a lot of loans."

"Are you kidding me? Well, you certainly would have it by now if you didn't bothered buying the residence far away in the mountains rather than one in downtown, huh? Oh yeah, your wife said you were afraid of people, right?"

"...Is she leaving very often?"

"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't she? You wanted her to get locked all the way up there. What a horrible man you are."

"No, it's just...It's quite the walk."

"Damn straight! You should have thought about that as well. Bah! Whatever. At least you doing your part as her husband."

"So are you taking the money or not?"

"....Bah! Fiiiine. I guess I can save it for the bait."

After the war, Alex settled down on Mians. A harbor town located at the northwest land of Blitzreign. Until last year, it was a moderate small town, but Alex used his wealthy he accumulated over the years to invest on the market of the town. As much as the town's fortune keeps growing, he gains some incoming of it.

"So Alex, my sister, Elma started to grow her own fruits. Maybe she could use a little of your money."

"This place doesn't seem ideal for fruits."

"Her palor is a bit far from the town. But those things take a little time."

"Hmm...Doesn't hurt looking at it."

"...If the me from last year could see how things changed ever since you arrived, he certainly wouldn't believe he was living on the same planet. You done quite a deal for this place."

"Please...I'm just a guy trying to settle down. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Heh. Well, you better try to really adapt very soon."

"Why?"

"Just a hunch. Have a good day and welcome back."

Mel went to check his storage while Alex went on his way home.

Leaving the town, he steps on the road in the mountains on the way to his house. When he gets up a few feet away, he looks back and see the town from a distance. "It certainly looks different from after a year."

After a long walk, he arrived at home. A big house behind a fence. "...Darn it. I still hate the paint job."

When he passes through the gate, he sees Ruby sitting on a bench at the right part of the garden surrounded by birds on her shoulders and left hand. She showed signs of relief and happiness. Her appearance was different, spotting a brown hair and green eyes.

"...Now that's worthy the bad painting." Alex then went to see her. "Hey there, sunshine."

"Ah! You returned it!" Ruby gave him a very affectionate hug while still filled with birds.

"Glad to know someone else cared if I was alive."

"And glad to see you still the same stoic man from last week."

Alex then sat next to her. "So, is it me or there is more birds than before?"

"I don't know why, but those little guys are very attached to me."

"They make you happy, right?"

"Yes. Back home there weren't birds at all. Just crows and ravens."

"Uuuh...I'm pretty sure those are birds."

"I wished they had half the charisma of these small ones. Oh! That's right! Wait here for a second." She goes inside the house and comes back with a bowl filled with heart-shaped chocolates. "Tadaaa! I made it for you!"

"You...made it?"

"Yep!"

"Not wanna be that guy, but...How can a vampire know if it's good?"

"I went to town and gave it to the children. They were delighted by it."

"Children knows best about this. But why is this?"

"I heard that humans demonstrate their love like this to the people they have feeling for. I really wanted to try it."

"I see." Alex then ate one. The taste was a bit bitter, but still tasty. "It's...really good."

"Yes! Sucess!"

"...I see you are still wearing the Mirage Ring."

"Well, duh. It's my wedding ring as well."

"Yeah, I know. But still...I kinda liked the original."

"Weren't you supossed to be the cautious one?"

"Sigh. Alright, I see your point...It has been over a year already. I think we are doing pretty good for now."

"It could still be better. You sure spent a lot with blood bags lately didn't you?"

"As if this house was not too salty in the first place."

"Well, you are too much cautious for your own too good."

"You are talking to me while still losing a whole chunk of my guts."

"...How is that affecting you?"

"I'm still fine. But how do you feel about I'm going out killing your people?"

"It's feels wrong, but...I bet I already killed more humans then you killed vampires. Besides there isn't a lot of my kin I am too attached anyway."

"Oh. Just now I thought about this."

"...You know, I still uneasy about this." Ruby rests her had on Alex's shoulders. "I do fear that onw day you will pass through that gate and never return."

"...And I'm kind of uneasy about leaving you alone for too much time. At least it's good to know you are leaving more often."

"...Well, about that...You may not need to fear about that in the future."

"Hmm? Why?"

"...I'm pregnant, Alex."

"...Ah. So that means I'll be a...Father?"

"Pretty much."

"...Yeah. This is fine."