The hulking figure moved with extraordinary speed, leaving behind afterimages as it reached Melis in the blink of an eye.
As the children screamed, the giant hand with elongated claws swung fiercely at the woman in front of it.
At this critical moment, a loud shout echoed from the tunnel entrance: "Monster, look at the light!"
As the words fell, a man holding a UV lamp rushed into the dark cavern, throwing a spherical object at the Blood Master.
The object exploded mid-air, emitting a blinding purple light that illuminated the entire cavern.
"Roar!"
The Blood Master's crimson eyes oozed blood, and thick black smoke rose from the areas exposed to the purple light. It let out an agonizing roar, and the intense, foul-smelling wind brushed Melis's hair as she and the children fell to the ground.
The thick flesh tendril missed her by a hair.
The Blood Master, engulfed in black smoke, curled up and transformed into a blur, diving into the blood pool with a splash, sending blood spraying in all directions.
Seeing his attack succeed, Gus rushed towards the blood pool, taking out another UV explosive and pressing the button, about to throw it into the pool when a bloody tendril shot towards him, sending him flying.
Reacting instinctively, Gus dodged the blood tendril with his extraordinary reflexes, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Roar!"
Eichhorst let out a ferocious roar, his cheeks splitting open to reveal grotesque tendrils shooting out from his mouth!
But Gus was prepared. He immediately activated a specially designed UV shield, which emitted a purple light. The tendrils collided with the shield, knocking Gus backward, even though it was just one tendril, its strength was incredible!
Eichhorst was in even worse shape. The tip of his tongue-like tendril was burnt to a crisp. He retracted it, clutching his mouth as beast-like gurgling sounds came from his throat.
"Gus! How dare you! Have you forgotten your mother is still in the hospital waiting for you?"
Eichhorst curled up in pain, his body covered in wounds from the brief exposure to the UV light.
Meanwhile, Melis was paralyzed with fear from her recent experience. She stared blankly at the grotesque tendril as thick as a human leg, which had scared her out of her wits!
"Run!"
Gus shouted at Melis, who was surrounded by children.
"Ah, yes, thank you, thank you, sir!" Melis stammered, getting up in a panic and grabbing the nearest child.
"Children, run!"
"Roar!"
A thunderous roar echoed through the cavern, and Gus felt the ground shake. Even his normally resilient and brave heart was gripped with fear.
The next moment, a massive figure, dripping with red liquid, burst from the pool and charged towards the children near the door.
Seeing this, Gus's eyes widened in horror. He frantically took out a UV explosive and threw it towards the children, hoping to stop the Blood Master. Then, gritting his teeth, he charged at the Blood Master with the UV shield.
The UV explosive emitted a dazzling purple light, and the hulking figure reeled back. Gus sighed in relief, but then his expression changed drastically!
A blur shot towards him, and in an instant, the Blood Master, towering over two meters tall, was in front of him. A thick tendril shot towards his neck.
It seemed the Blood Master's primary target was him! Just as the tendril was about to pierce Gus's face, a scorching flame swept in from the side.
A blazing cannonball struck the Blood Master's massive body, knocking it to the ground and sending Gus sprawling from the impact.
At the door, John, with a rocket launcher on his shoulder, tossed the empty tube aside and dashed past Melis and the others towards Gus.
His speed was astonishing, almost on par with Eichhorst.
Seeing the trembling Blood Master on the ground, John threw another UV explosive onto its bloody body.
John reached Gus and pulled him behind, his eyes fierce as he watched the Blood Master burn under the UV light.
"Who are you!"
The Blood Master's roar echoed in the cavern. Curled up under a blood-soaked black robe, it let out a heart-wrenching scream as the UV light faded. John turned on the UV spotlight on his head.
His eyes fixed on the monster under the black robe.
A clear voice echoed through the cavern.
"Greetings, Blood Master. My name is John Smith!"
Before he finished speaking, a tendril shot towards him from the side, but a flash of a sword intercepted it.
"Ahh, a silver sword!"
Eichhorst screamed in pain, clutching his bleeding mouth as he fell to the ground.
John elegantly swung the sword, shaking off the blood. His enhanced vision spotted tiny wriggling worms in the blood droplets! The sword in his hand turned into a lightning bolt, piercing the Blood Master who was attempting to move.
"Roar!"
Ignoring Eichhorst's screams, John walked towards the trembling Blood Master, pinned to the ground by the sword.
"Deprive!"
His hand hovered over the Blood Master, emanating an invisible wave of energy. The Blood Master let out a beast-like howl, echoing through the cavern.
"It's you!"
In John's shocked eyes, the Blood Master's black robe flew open, and a grotesque hand shot towards his chest!
But John was ready. He sidestepped and countered with a punch to the Blood Master's blood-soaked chest.
Bang! In an instant, John followed up with a lightning-fast kick, sending the Blood Master flying.
As it flew back, it turned into a black shadow, but John, sensing something, stood protectively in front of Gus. The shadow darted past them and grabbed Eichhorst.
The black shadow, carrying Eichhorst, disappeared into the dark tunnel!
"Don't chase it!"
John pulled Gus back, regretfully watching the dark tunnel. That path likely led to New York's sewers, now a haven for monsters!
(End of Chapter)