I appeared above an abandoned house.
My body floated in the air, and with a wave of my right hand, a swarm of scarlet bees began infiltrating the building. The place had a reasonably large underground floor.
My mission before the great battle was to eliminate three vampire strongholds. It was true this could alert the enemies in other bases, but leaving a significant number of vampires behind could allow them to reinforce other locations. While this might not pose a massive problem for my group, if they focused on Daredevil's team, Pet, or Luke, things could go south quickly.
This was the first location.
Upon arriving, my primary mission to stop Dracula was updated, adding a sub-mission:
Sub-Mission: Eliminate the vampire strongholds.
Objective: Destroy the three locations.
Rewards:
⅓: Basic Light Magic Control (Genius Summoner) ⅔: Disguised Light (The Man Reborn by the Gods) 3/3: Beam of Light (Reader)
Description: Your enemies have many bases, but your numbers are few. Leaving these strongholds intact poses extreme danger to your allies. The best strategy is to eliminate a few key locations ahead of time. Act swiftly, for tonight is the night to hunt vampires.
The mission suited me perfectly, and I smiled with satisfaction. The third location would be the largest, while the first two were manageable.
I still had some time saved from my training room, and I planned to use it after each mission, especially after claiming the first reward. Blade was also dealing with a smaller outpost tonight.
Observing the place, I could see the vampires were inside the house or underground, numbering between 20 and 30.
The wind carried me down softly, landing beside the house. With a gentle touch of my hand, I opened the Air Door and stepped inside, hiding in this unique dimension.
As I walked, my Daedric Sword with a distinct phoenix emblem rested in my right hand, while my Jedi Saber glowed in my left. My Zetsu ability was already activated. Passing through the walls, everything seemed to act like a door for me, opening as I moved.
I soon came across the first two vampires. Silently, I exited the dimension.
"Are the captives secured?"
"Yes, all are well-contained… though it's a shame we can't drain their life force or blood yet."
"It's what we have for now. Once our Lord returns, we'll have countless humans as sustenance. I'm tired of living in hiding. Without the Lord, we're forced to act cautiously, especially with these mutant humans appearing with powers that threaten even our kind. And don't get me started on their weapons and technologies… that Tony Stark is a particular nuisance."
"Agreed… I remember the 18th century when it was so simple to drain blood and life energy from anyone on the streets. No surveillance, no armed mobs, no telepaths trying to control us, nor elemental attacks. But once our Lord returns, we'll reign supreme again. At the very least, we'll revive the Vampire Kingdom and enslave its humans."
"Indeed."
Listening to them, I paid no heed. Channeling Soul Energy imbued with flames into my sword, the blade shimmered with a silvery-black aura, surrounded by flickering orange and red flames. With a swift, silent slash, the vampires were bisected before they could react. The flames consumed their remains, reducing them to ash with soundless screams of agony.
The Daedric Sword in my right hand vibrated with its silvery-black glow and fiery edges, as if it could cut through anything in the world. Meanwhile, the activation of my Jedi Saber left bright laser marks on the walls, accompanied by its distinct hum.
Moving with deadly precision, I eliminated the vampires quickly and stealthily, alternating between the Jedi Saber, the Daedric Sword, and waves of orange-red flames amplified by strong winds infused with natural energy.
Of course, not all encounters were seamless. One vampire's claws clashed against my prismatic blade while another met my refined Kyber Crystal Saber. In such moments, oppressive mental energy emanated from me, manifesting a spectral crown above my head that stifled and immobilized my enemies.
Reinforced by internal energy and wind-based techniques, I pierced through their defenses, devastating them one by one. Bodies were split apart or engulfed in flames, leaving nothing but ash. My fiery serpent conjuration annihilated the last one, its orange-red brilliance consuming the creature entirely.
"Let's keep going," I murmured, suppressing a fleeting sense of guilt. Despite the carnage, I couldn't allow thousands of lives to be sacrificed, knowing negotiation with this faction—intent on reviving Dracula—was impossible.
After clearing the first stronghold, I retreated into my training space to claim my first reward. Sitting in a magnificent white temple surrounded by crystalline waters, angelic statues, and luminous yellow and white crystals, I spoke:
"System, distribute the reward, please."
Light spheres materialized, flooding the temple with radiant energy. They enveloped me, merging with my body and mana. My innate light energy expanded, gaining new properties and deepening my understanding of light magic.
I welcomed the insights calmly, planning to train further before proceeding to the next target.
Later that night, I arrived at the final stronghold—a large abandoned prison on an isolated island. The structure was dilapidated, with moss and vines crawling over its gray, cracked walls. My scarlet bees had already scouted the area, gathering all necessary intel. The sheer number of vampires—around 50 or more—concerned me.
Cloaking myself with light-bending magic and Zetsu, I descended silently, wand in hand. Closing my eyes, I channeled soul energy into a spell, fortifying it with light magic. Memories of joyful moments—family dinners, travels, meeting my adorable younger brother, and starting my relationship—fueled the spell.
As I basked in these emotions, golden-white energy coalesced around me, radiating purity and happiness. The vampires, sensing danger, emerged from their lair. My disguise shattered, revealing me as a radiant, terrifying figure emanating light and fire like a miniature sun.
One of the leaders sneered.
"Who are you? This hostility against vampires will be seen as an act of war, punishable by death and torture!"
Ignoring his threats, I solidified my spell. His distracting words were meaningless. When a shadowy claw struck from behind, aiming for a stealth attack, I unleashed the spell with a calm, commanding voice:
"Expecto Patronum."
Blinding light exploded outward, forming a magnificent three-legged crow enveloped in flames of orange and red. The ethereal being glided effortlessly through the air, annihilating every vampire it touched. Their bodies disintegrated into ash, unable to withstand the spell's purifying power.
As the final embers settled, I turned my gaze to the leader. His pale face was drained of all color, his energy completely depleted.
"Let's finish this. Bombarda Maxima."
With a final movement of my wand, his body met its end.
After that, I sheathed my wand. Though the energy expenditure wasn't as excessive as when using my flame directly, it still caused considerable fatigue.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on my Black Lotus lineage.
On my back, the Lotus glowed, aiding my concentration and helping to replenish my depleted soul energy.
The wind carried me gently downward.
Dense mental energy enveloped my eyes, allowing me to see everything within the prison. Despite the distance—or perhaps because of the residual strength of the enemy—there were still a few weaker vampires remaining in this base.
I didn't hesitate. Having expended minimal physical energy during the previous attack and barely any mental energy, my internal and soul energy levels were manageable and steadily recovering.
Reaching the prison, I used the Doa Doa no Mi ability to open the walls and entered with a smile on my face.
A large, powerful spear of light had already formed in my right hand, while a beautiful whip of wind coiled in my left.
My steps were calm and deliberate. However, the wind whip was destructive, its lethal natural energy swirling beautifully, while the spear of light radiated an aura capable of piercing through any creature of darkness.
With the help of my bees, my Observation Haki, and my divine eyes, I systematically hunted down every vampire. Some attempted to flee, but their speed was hindered by the weakness induced by earlier events.
"At least the test with Expecto Patronum proved useful… and I even managed to enhance it with my newly gained light magic proficiency and my ancient flame," I thought, satisfied with the discovery and ready to deliver a significant blow to the vampires tomorrow.
The next day, we all gathered at 10:56 PM.
This time, the location was different. We met on a rooftop a short distance from the primary invasion site.
To any outside observer, the area appeared deserted.
Using my light magic, I personally manipulated the light and cast spells with my wand to render the location undetectable and entirely stealthy. These preparations had been made in advance.
At the time, I was observing the base that my group was about to infiltrate from a distance.
My divine eyes pierced through the distance, carefully examining the mansion.
It was a grand structure spanning several meters, designed with medieval architecture. The mansion featured tall, pointed sections and numerous rooms and chambers.
The surrounding garden was beautiful but unnervingly adorned with gargoyle statues.
Beneath the mansion lay a large, well-decorated space with a refined atmosphere, complete with streams of a red substance resembling iron. Symbols of dark magic covered the interior.
There were multiple levels, seemingly guarded by dangerous vampires with a voracious thirst for blood.
In some sections, I could see people of all ages and genders bound by chains and ropes, seemingly used as food or sacrifices.
Focusing my gaze on the main hall, I quickly retracted it after sensing that some of the stronger vampires seemed to notice my investigative presence.
10:57 PM
Turning back, I found my allies, all slightly tense but clearly ready for battle. Each wore unique outfits reflecting their identities, along with a singular device symbolizing their allegiance to the Guardian Sword group.
Some of them had a different, weaker device indicating their temporary status within the group. Beyond these items, they each carried small enchanted papers that I had personally imbued with protective and guardian spells.
10:58 PM
A bee was discreetly hidden in their clothing, alongside tiny auditory devices that would allow me to gather all necessary information.
All eyes were on me. Smiling behind my mask, I called everyone to the front.
"I'd say this is our first large-scale and official mission as the Guardian Sword group. To the permanent members, I hope this moment helps you understand some of the responsibilities we may face in protecting the city and the Earth. As for the temporary members…"
I glanced at Deadpool and Domino, knowing that Blade was more of an ally than a definitive member, so I didn't press the matter further.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Peter seemed the most serious and excited, but I could see that the entire group was focused and attentive. Even Deadpool, whom I had come to know as more playful and ironic than I initially thought—a trait that was amusing but occasionally made me want to freeze him into a small popsicle—was paying attention.
"Bearing all this in mind, let's begin."
With that, everyone leaped from the rooftop and moved toward their designated positions.
For those further away, I used Kai Kai to teleport them directly to their spots.
Taking a deep breath, I was left with Blade, Domino, and Deadpool.
A small bee landed on my finger, and I placed a gentle kiss on it.
"Let's get started."
10:59 PM