"Well."
Dracula grimaced in pain. Blood flowed from his severed arms, but Kaneki Ken was astonished to see the arms regenerating. Cells seemed to form out of thin air, weaving into flesh and bone as Dracula's arms reattached and healed at an astonishing rate.
"This is why I live forever. I am the immortal lord of vampires," Dracula proclaimed, flexing his restored limbs with a smug grin.
The alley echoed with Dracula's taunting laughter. His powerful regeneration allowed him to confront even the most deadly foes with confidence.
Kaneki Ken snapped his fingers and gave a peculiar smile. "Really?"
Before Dracula could react, a small hole appeared in the same spot, expanding into a web-like crack that burst open, propelling Kaneki Ken forward with incredible speed.
Boom!
The air exploded with a muffled blast as Kaneki Ken's dark red limbs whipped through the air, delivering a barrage of six rapid strikes aimed at Dracula's head.
The strikes pierced Dracula's head almost simultaneously, each one less than a second apart. Dracula's head was obliterated, blood erupting from his neck like a fountain.
The headless corpse staggered, collapsing against the wall. Kaneki Ken approached slowly, his dark eyes fixed on the scene.
"Hiss…"
A strange, guttural sound emerged from Dracula's neck. Kaneki Ken's eyes widened in shock as an eyeball appeared above Dracula's neck, glaring at him.
A second eyeball followed, and human muscle cells began to grow and reconnect, pulling blood vessels from the severed neck.
"This is the true immortality of Dracula. Rebirth doesn't quite describe it. It's more of a curse of eternal life," Dracula's voice echoed, now coming from his neck.
From the shadows emerged a middle-aged man with deep hatred in his eyes, a blade warrior named Eric Brooks. He watched as Dracula's head slowly healed, his expression filled with fury.
Eric Brooks, whose mother was bitten by a vampire and died giving birth to him, was a vampire hunter by birthright. His goal was to eradicate all vampires.
"Only silver can slightly hinder this regeneration," Eric said as he thrust a silver blade towards Dracula's heart.
Dracula's hand, pale and slender, caught Eric's wrist with ease, preventing the attack. "I knew it. You always try to take advantage of the situation but fail."
With Dracula's head restored, he stood upright as if defying physics. He waved his hand, sending Eric crashing into the wall, burying him under a pile of rubble.
"What if you know? I am the undead king. No one can kill me."
Dracula dusted himself off, his demeanor shifting from defeated to nonchalant. He spread his arms, a gentlemanly gesture with a self-satisfied smile, vastly different from the defeated figure moments ago.
"Not dead yet? That's quite impressive," Kaneki Ken said, his expression blank but his thoughts filled with anticipation.
RC cells, present in both humans and ghouls, were significantly more abundant in ghouls. An immortal vampire could mean an endless source of RC cells.
Kaneki Ken was eager to find out.
He didn't intend to kill Dracula outright; he was more interested in what this fight could yield. Two of Kaneki Ken's limbs began to transform, their surface covered with thick, protective carapaces, resembling giant centipedes.
Dracula, sensing Kaneki Ken's intent, felt a surge of anger. His eyes burned with fury as Kaneki Ken regarded him as if he were merely a meal.
"Boy!!"
Dracula's skin darkened, his white visage disappearing. His clothes shredded as wings sprouted from his back, transforming him into a massive bat. His fangs lengthened, and his claws grew deadly sharp.
"Roar! I will drain every drop of your blood and leave you a lifeless corpse!"
The bat-shaped Dracula roared, his wings spreading to cover the sky. Bats from the distance swarmed around him, forming a dark cloud.
"Squeak…"
The swarm of bats descended upon Kaneki Ken, their fangs gnawing at him.
Kaneki Ken shook his head, sneering. "A mere trick."
He swept his limbs through the swarm, causing many bats to fall dead. The sky was soon littered with their remains.
"Foolishness!"
Deafening wind roared as Dracula's wings sliced through the air, tearing towards Kaneki Ken with incredible force.
Kaneki Ken flipped backward, his centipede-like limbs slashing upwards, striking Dracula's chin with precise, ferocious force.
Despite the increased defense and strength of Dracula's bat form, Kaneki Ken's speed made aiming unnecessary.
Kaneki Ken observed the ground, noting three deep cracks left by his attacks, contemplating his next move.
As the battle raged on, Eric Brooks got up from the rubble and threw a silver spear at Dracula.
A small bat tried to intercept but was swiftly crushed by Eric's whip.
"Hey, boy, I won't let you escape." Dracula, now wary of the silver weapon, recognized that Kaneki Ken's speed and power were overwhelming.
Relying on his eternal regeneration, Dracula believed himself invincible. However, he chose to retreat when he couldn't win, intending to hide and recover.
As Dracula attempted to flee, a black and red figure leapt from the roof, a cold glint in its eye.
The silver spear struck Dracula's heart, chilling him to the core. His limbs went weak as the night seemed to freeze around him.
Kaneki Ken approached, observing Dracula's heart pierced, still barely clinging to life. A cruel smile appeared on his face.
"How much is 1000 minus 7?"
With the vampire in such a state, he was ripe for the picking.
After all, Kaneki Ken was not a devil—but he could still savor the challenge.