"Hahaha, I can't believe my death is taking so long," the killer's voice rang out from the woods. "Let's play a game where you can try to catch me and kill me. Come on, let's have some fun."
Jin remained silent, uninterested in entertaining the killer's twisted games.
"What is a vampire like you doing in our world?" Jin asked, his gaze piercing the forest. "Are you alone?"
"If you want answers, then play with me," the vampire's voice sounded irritated.
"You know very well you won't escape me, so why bother?" Jin's lips curled into a cynical smile. "Let me end you swiftly and painlessly."
Jin didn't wait for the killer's response. He located the source of the voice and swiftly lunged, aiming to strike down the killer in a single blow.
"Is Grandpa getting impatient? Don't worry; you'll never catch me," the vampire's voice turned cold and confident.
Jin reached the location in an instant, but his attack missed.
"I told you, even if you're stronger than me, you'll never catch me," the vampire's laughter echoed through the forest, sending shivers down the spines of nearby creatures.
Jin surveyed his surroundings, trying to pinpoint the vampire's concealed presence. It seemed as if the vampire was melded with the very essence of the forest itself. The chilling echoes of the vampire's laughter reverberated through the dark, eerie woods, instilling fear in any creatures that dared listen.
"You're right," Jin admitted, sheathing his sword.
"Giving up already?" The vampire sneered.
The vampire had tried to establish dominance from the start, asserting that a mere mana cultivator like Jin could never capture him. However, little did he know that Jin was always a step ahead.
"Who said anything about giving up?" Jin's grin dripped with sarcasm. "You can't hide in the shadows forever, can you? I know your stamina is waning. Save what little you have left for actual evading."
"You knew about my ability?" The vampire's disbelief was palpable, his wariness of Jin growing.
"After living for ten thousand years, you learn and encounter new things," Jin's voice carried the weight of age and experience. He sat on a nearby rock, his gaze locked onto the dark forest surrounding him. To any onlooker, it might seem like he was conversing with thin air.
The vampire was rendered speechless, confirming the veracity of the old hero's tale.
"Now, let's address the important matters," Jin continued, resting his chin on his hand. "What brings you to our planet? We have an agreement with your king. Vampires like you aren't welcome here."
At the mention of 'king,' a pained expression crossed the vampire's face. "King? You think he controls me? That vampire king is a fool," the vampire spat into the shadow he had conjured.
Jin was puzzled by the vampire's reaction. The Kurayami Clan, to which the vampire belonged, held the vampire king in reverence and would never speak ill of him. Observing the vampire's adept utilization of their clan's unique ability, Jin deduced, "He must be an outcast from the main branch of the Kurayami Clan."
'An outcast? How did he end up here?' Jin wondered, contemplating whether this provided him the freedom to eliminate the vampire without consequences.
From within the shadows, a few meters away from Jin, a figure emerged, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat.
"It seems your time is up. Are you going to flee?" Jin questioned, a smile playing on his lips.
"Nah, I've grown bored of this game. I don't care what happens to me anymore. Kill me, torture me, it's all the same to me," the vampire maintained the same crazed smile and psychotic demeanor.
"Look, you've broken him," Anos smirked, pointing a finger at the vampire.
Jin didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the vampire who now lay on the ground, exhausted. He then turned his attention to Anos. "Restrain him. I want to interrogate him."
'Angustii.' Anos incanted the spell.
Anos conjured a blue magical circle over his palm. Four additional circles emerged around the vampire, enveloping him from head to toe.
"Now, where were we?" Jin approached the immobilized vampire. "Are you ready to meet your end?" The vampire showed no fear.
"No, killing you outright would be too easy. I want answers first, and once I have them, I'll subject you to such torment that you'll beg me for death. And when the time comes, I'll execute you in front of the families of those you've slaughtered," Jin's demeanor appeared amicable, but his intentions were far from it.
"Didn't you claim the vampire king would die?" Jin queried.
"Yes, he'll die like a pig being led to the slaughter," the vampire licked his lips, relishing the imagery he evoked.
"A new era has dawned, and we vampires shall reign over the universe."
Jin and Anos exchanged glances before responding, "Yes."
Anos struggled to contain his laughter, a reaction that could rival any curative medicine. As the saying goes, "Laughter is the best medicine."
"Ever heard of the Uranashi Clan from our world?" They both nodded, signaling their awareness.
The Uranashi Clan was exceptional even among ancient vampire clans. Its members possessed a unique ability: clairvoyance.
The more potent the vampire, the deeper their insight into the future.
The vampire king kept the Uranashi Clan close and concealed from the world for obvious reasons.
"One of the elders from the Uranashi Clan prophesied the rise of a new mighty king, who isn't even a vampire," Jin shared, intrigued by the vampire's claims.