It's been months since I got reincarnated as Yuu. Honestly, it's been a pain trying to act exactly like how Yuu did, but I think I've done a good job so far. Keeping up appearances, mirroring his stubbornness, his impulsiveness—it hasn't been easy. But today… today is the day we escape.
I've been waiting for this moment, preparing for it ever since I realized what was coming. The events that happened in the manga—the massacre, the loss—I won't let it happen again. I've trained this body relentlessly, pushing its limits despite the natural constraints of being twelve. Maybe I've read too many stories to think I could surpass the limits of this young body, but I've managed to achieve some decent results. My raw strength has barely reached that of an adult, at least without the use of any special powers. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.
Good thing I have my experience from my past life to rely on. With that, I might just be able to hold off that damn vampire Ferid long enough for the children to escape in one piece. I can't let them face the same fate they did before.
"Yuu, did you understand everything?" Mika asked, looking at the map in his hand.
"Of course I understood everything. What do you take me for?" I shot back, trying to maintain Yuu's usual attitude.
"You've gotten smarter, Yuu." Mika gave me a look that suggested I wasn't always the brightest, and I could feel the weight of his teasing behind it.
"Of course I'm smarter! I've always been smart," I retorted, crossing my arms defensively.
Mika chuckled softly at that, his laughter easing some of the tension in the air for a moment. But then, just as quickly, his expression grew serious again. "Anyway, tonight we escape."
"Yeah," I agreed, my tone matching his seriousness. "Tonight, we get out of this damn place." I hesitated for a second before adding, "Mika, if we're discovered, you and the others need to run as fast as possible. I'll hold them off."
Mika's eyes narrowed, giving me a look like I was out of my mind. "Are you insane? How could you possibly stop them? They're ten times stronger than us."
I sighed, half expecting that reaction. "I know, but if it comes down to it, I'm not going to let you all get caught. I'll buy you time."
Mika's gaze softened, but there was still a glint of determination in his eyes. "Yuu, don't be stupid. We stick together. No one's getting left behind."
I responded, my voice firm. "If you guys are able to escape, it doesn't matter if I get left behind. If we all stay, we're all dead. You know they won't spare us, Mika. You know that."
Mika fell silent, his gaze dropping to the floor. I could see the gears turning in his head, wrestling with the idea. He knew I was right, but accepting it was another thing entirely. After what felt like an eternity, he sighed, a heavy sound filled with resignation and frustration.
"We'll see what happens, Yuu," he muttered, his voice quieter now. "But let's not talk about that. Not now."
I could hear the strain in his words. Mika was determined to protect everyone, just like I was. The difference was, I had already seen the worst possible outcome. That knowledge sat in the back of my mind like a storm cloud.
"Alright," I finally said, letting the subject drop—for now. No sense in pushing him. Not when tonight was already looming over us like a guillotine ready to fall.
"lets wake up everyone then mika."
Hours passed, we gathered everyone. Fifteen of us—me, Mika, and the other children, all standing in the cold, oppressive darkness of the underground city, preparing to make a run for it.
We reached the gate—massive, ironclad, and looming over us like a final challenge. It was our way out, and we had to trust the map. The one that he had given us. Ferid, the vampire noble who thought of us as nothing more than livestock. The fact that we had to rely on anything that monster said made me sick, but there was no other option.
If the map was a trap, we'd know soon enough.
"Everyone, get in. Quick, before they find us," I ordered, my voice low but urgent. Mika was at the front, guiding the younger kids. They all looked so small, so fragile, huddling together in fear as they slipped through the opening in the gate.
But then, just as the last of us was moving through, my blood ran cold.
"I think it's a bit too late for that, my poor little lambs."
That voice.
I turned sharply, heart pounding in my chest, to see him. Ferid Bathory, the twisted vampire noble who had been toying with us since the beginning, stood casually at the top entrance to the tunnel. His sharp, crimson eyes gleamed with amusement, as if this whole escape plan had been nothing more than a game to him.
He smiled, a cruel, predatory grin, his white hair shining in the dim light as he stepped forward with the ease of someone who knew they were in control. "Going somewhere without saying goodbye? That's so rude. I thought we were closer than that."
"Everyone, run!" I shouted, Before any of them could react, Ferid moved—so fast, it was like a gust of wind had blown through us. His presence shifted, and suddenly, he was right next to one of the younger girls, his crimson eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
I knew what was going to happen next. I'd seen this scene before. The exact moment in the manga when he drained her dry, her body collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut. My chest tightened with dread, but I couldn't let it play out again. I wouldn't.
Without thinking, I pushed off the ground with all the strength I had. gritting my teeth as I jumped, aiming straight for Ferid. I swung my leg with every ounce of power in my twelve-year-old body, launching a kick at his side just before his fangs could sink into her neck.
The impact wasn't much—he was a vampire noble, after all—but it was enough to knock him off balance for a split second, enough to stop him. Ferid's body twisted in the air, graceful and fluid like a predator toying with its prey. He landed lightly a few feet away, his mocking smile never wavering.
"RUN! EVERYONE RUN!" I shouted again, my voice booming with raw desperation. I couldn't let them freeze up—not now. The kids snapped out of their daze, and without another moment of hesitation, they bolted. The air was thick with panic, their footsteps loud in the echoing tunnel.
My breaths were heavy, every muscle in my body screaming for air, but I didn't care. My eyes stayed fixed on him—on Ferid. He was still there, watching us with that eerie, bloodthirsty grin, like a predator enjoying his prey's final moments of hope. I could feel the bloodlust radiating from my body as I locked my gaze on him.
Ferid tilted his head, amused, a cruel gleam dancing in his crimson eyes. "It's so rude to not let me finish speaking," he said, his voice as calm and casual as if he were discussing the weather. That twisted smile stretched wider. "I want to see your faces twist in despair."
And then, he moved.
In a flash, he was gone from where he stood, reappearing in the blink of an eye right beside one of the boys at the back of the group. I knew what was coming. The same sickening scene from the manga, where he'd slice the boy's neck in one fluid, effortless motion, leaving the child crumpled and lifeless in a pool of blood.
But not this time.
Something clicked inside me. The panic drained away, replaced by an eerie calm. My body moved on its own, instincts from my past life taking over. Every muscle relaxed, and before I could think, I was already moving, my vision narrowing on Ferid's raised hand, seconds away from taking the boy's life.
I summoned my sword, my old friend, in a brilliant flash of golden light, and without hesitation, I swung.
Steel met flesh.
My blade cut through Ferid's arm just before it could reach the boy's neck. His hand flew off in a spray of blood, splattering onto the cold stone ground as he recoiled. The boy, Haruto, stumbled forward, his eyes wide in shock, but he was alive. He collapsed to his knees, breath coming in ragged gasps, trying to comprehend what had just happened.
Ferid's eyes widened, but not in pain—no, in amusement. His expression twisted with sick delight. He glanced at the stump where his hand had once been and then… he laughed. It was a chilling sound, echoing in the dim, cold tunnel like a predator toying with prey.
"Oh my, this certainly has become more interesting," he purred, his voice oozing with dark curiosity. His gaze locked onto me with a newfound intensity, like I'd suddenly become his favorite plaything.
"Get up and run, Haruto!" I shouted, not taking my eyes off Ferid for a second.
Haruto, still shaking from the near-death experience, snapped out of his shock and scrambled to his feet. Without another word, he darted into the shadows, following the others. My chest heaved with the weight of the situation, but there was no time to rest.
I glared at Ferid, and before he could make another move, I lunged. My body moved on instinct, fueled by everything I'd learned in my past life. I swung my sword in a deadly arc, aiming to cleave him right in the middle.
But he was faster.
Just before my blade could connect with his torso, Ferid shifted with fluid grace, dodging to the side. The air whistled as my sword missed him by mere inches. His red eyes gleamed, not with fear, but with pure, twisted interest.
"Well, well," Ferid said, his tone dripping with amusement. "You're not just a foolish child, are you? This... is fascinating." He tilted his head, smiling as if we were having a pleasant conversation.
I didn't respond, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I swung my sword at him over and over. Each strike was met with nothing but air. Ferid danced around my attacks effortlessly, his movements so fluid that it felt like I was slashing at a phantom. My vision blurred, exhaustion setting in as blood dripped from countless cuts and wounds across my body. I could feel my strength waning, but despite it all, a smile tugged at my lips.
They escaped. They were free. That's all that mattered.
Ferid noticed the smile and tilted his head, his crimson eyes gleaming with sinister amusement. "Oh, finally! An interesting face." His voice was a mockery, as if this entire fight had been entertainment for him.
"They all escaped," I said, my voice hoarse but resolute. Even if this was the end for me, I could die knowing they had gotten away.
But then Ferid laughed—a sound that twisted my stomach into knots. It wasn't just amusement; it was the laughter of someone who knew something I didn't. "Are you sure everyone escaped, little lamb?"
My heart stopped. I stared at him, the cold sinking in as his words hit me. "What do you mean?" I asked, barely able to get the words out.
Ferid's grin widened, and with a snap of his fingers, two more vampires stepped forward from the shadows. Between them was Mika, his face twisted in agony, his arm… completely gone.
"MIKA!" I shouted, my voice breaking.
Ferid smiled, putting his hand on Mika's shoulder like a trophy. "You see, my little lamb, I always have a Plan B. Just in case, you know."
Mika, barely conscious, looked up at me with half-lidded eyes. Blood soaked his side where his arm had been crudely removed, and I could see the life draining from him with every second. My mind raced with panic, my body frozen in horror.
"What… what do you mean?" I stammered, my voice trembling as I struggled to process what was happening.
Ferid looked down at Mika as if he were a broken toy. "What happened to his arm? I don't like it when my toys are damaged." His voice carried a casual cruelty that sent shivers down my spine.
One of the lesser vampires spoke up, their voice laced with fear. "My lord, he had a gun. We had no choice but to remove his arm."
Ferid's eyes narrowed in disappointment. "Tch. Useless, the lot of you. You can't even handle a child properly."
Then, as if remembering I was still standing there, Ferid's gaze shifted back to me. "You see, I lost a significant amount of my precious blood because of you." His smile grew darker, more twisted. "And it's only fair that I take it back from your dear friend here. After all, I can't regenerate my hand without some compensation."
My grip tightened on the sword, my entire body shaking with rage and fear. I had to stop him. But my legs felt like lead, my vision was starting to blur, and I knew I was already on the verge of collapse.
Ferid stepped closer to Mika, eyeing him with that same sadistic grin. "Don't worry, little lamb. I'll be gentle… for now."
Ferid's fangs sank into Mika's neck, and the sound of Mika's scream cut through the air, pulling me back into the moment. Mika, who had been nearly unconscious just moments before, was now wide awake, his eyes locked onto mine. The agony in his gaze was enough to tear me apart.
"Yuu... run!" Mika managed to choke out, his voice strained with pain as Ferid greedily drank his blood.
I clenched my fists so tightly around the hilt of my sword that my knuckles turned white. Everything in me screamed to fight, to tear Ferid away from Mika, to stop him from draining the life out of him. But I knew. I knew that if I stayed, if I tried to fight now, it wouldn't save Mika. It wouldn't save anyone.
Ferid was too strong. I was already at my limit. My body screamed in protest, blood still seeping from my wounds. My vision blurred as exhaustion tugged at me, threatening to drag me into unconsciousness.
I gritted my teeth, a growl of frustration bubbling in my throat. My plan had always been to change things—this wasn't supposed to happen. Mika wasn't supposed to become like he had in the original story. I wanted him to stay human, to escape, to live a life free of the chains of vampirism.
But... I knew. Krul Tepes was watching. She was always watching. And if I stayed, if I fought Ferid, it would all be for nothing. I'd die, and Mika wouldn't have anyone left to save him.
The weight of that realization settled heavily on my shoulders, and as much as it killed me, I made the only decision I could. I turned and ran.
I sprinted into the darkness, my heart pounding with each step, the pain in my body nothing compared to the anguish in my chest. I could still hear Mika's screams behind me, and each one felt like a knife twisting in my gut.
I'm sorry, Mika... I'm so sorry.
I forced myself to focus, knowing that Krul would approach mika soon. She'd offer him the chance to live, to take the power of a vampire and survive. And in the future, Mika would become something far darker, far more tragic than the boy I had known. But at least he would live.
That was all I could cling to as I ran—knowing that this wasn't the end for him. Not yet.
The world around me was a blur, the tunnels of the underground city twisting and turning as I pushed my body beyond its limits. I could barely feel my legs anymore, but I couldn't stop. If I stopped, if I hesitated for even a second, I'd break down, and I couldn't afford to do that.
Not yet.
I had to survive, to regroup. I'd find a way to destroy the vampires from within. That had always been my plan—my role. Mika was supposed to be the hero of the human world, and I was supposed to take mika role as a vampir and infiltrate and tear the vampire society apart from the inside. I hadn't wanted Mika to go through what he did in the future, to become the very thing he hated. But now...
Now, I had no choice but to let things unfold.
As I finally stumbled out into the bright daylight, the sun's warmth felt foreign on my battered body. My vision swam as I struggled to stay upright. The underground city's oppressive darkness was far behind me, but the weight of everything that had just happened pressed down on me, suffocating.
Suddenly, I heard familiar voices—small, innocent voices that cut through the haze of my exhaustion. "Big brother!" A group of children rushed toward me, their faces a mix of relief and fear as they threw themselves against me.
I tried to smile, to reassure them, but I could barely keep myself standing. Seeing their faces—the ones I had fought so hard to save—flooded me with a sense of bittersweet relief. They were safe. At least for now.
As I held onto them, my blurred vision caught sight of figures in the distance—men and women clad in black, green, and crimson uniforms. Soldiers. The remaining humans. They were part of the resistance against the vampires, stationed here to protect the survivors. They must have spotted us.
I stumbled forward, the children clinging to my arms, and I tried to call out. My voice cracked, barely more than a hoarse whisper. "Please... help," I managed to say before my legs finally gave out beneath me.
The last thing I saw before darkness overtook me was the blur of the soldiers rushing forward, their concerned voices growing fainter as I slipped into unconsciousnes