Freyen returned to the Hunter's Guild, holding the bag of materials from Cynthia, ready to settle the task at the task settlement window. However, he couldn't shake off a strange feeling, as though he were being watched by some dark force.
Freyen squinted and scanned his surroundings, but saw no suspicious individuals. Yet, the instincts of a hunter told him this was a warning signal of danger.
"Excuse me, sir, may I help you with a task settlement?"
"Freyen, low-level task, seeking magical potion ingredients, client: Sun Witch."
"Understood, please wait a moment."
Freyen wanted to settle the task quickly, but the woman in a lacy outfit at the window moved slowly, as though she were an eighty-year-old grandmother. The sense of unease grew stronger. He watched her, who seemed to be looking for the task list, and frowned.
Almost as soon as Freyen moved to the right, the woman swung a heavy chain through the air, slamming it into the marble floor, leaving a crack. The sound was loud, but Freyen carefully listened to the surrounding atmosphere—there were no gasps or signs of panic from the crowd.
He was ambushed!
At that moment, five hunters surrounded him, their eyes fixed on Freyen, each one an elite hunter. Freyen felt a chill down his back. Who were these people?
"That's him, the hunter who knows the whereabouts of the impure vampire!"
The voice came from behind, and as soon as the words were spoken, the elite hunters drew their weapons, aiming them directly at Freyen.
Freyen immediately heightened his vigilance. His blood seemed to flow backward. These weapons, designed to hunt vampires, were now being turned against him.
The voice belonged to none other than Charles.
How did Charles know about the impure vampire? Had he been following him? Did that mean Cynthia might be in danger?
Freyen's mind instantly flashed to the image of the red-haired woman, her smiling face. Could she be in trouble?
The man with yellow curls narrowed his eyes, his gaze calculating. It seemed that Freyen's suspicion was right. If it weren't for his sharp instincts, he wouldn't have realized that Freyen had been in contact with vampires all along.
"Charles," Freyen said, his face turning grim, not expecting his partner to betray him.
Charles sneered, "Freyen, I can't stand that indifferent look you always have."
"But don't worry, it'll be over soon."
Before Freyen could ask what he meant, pain shot through his body. It was the woman in the lacy outfit! He turned around to block the chain.
The woman lost her balance as Freyen yanked the chain back, half her body caught on the window. Pain surged in her abdomen, forcing her to let go. Freyen seized the opportunity to get a weapon, but as he looked around, the hunters' eyes were full of greedy desire.
The temptation of the impure vampire's blood was simply too great. This vampire's blood, which only existed in rumors, could not only allow vampires to walk in the sunlight but could potentially give the humans who drank it powers similar to those of a vampire king.
On the left, one of the hunters held a bow and arrow, the silver arrow already drawn, aimed at Freyen. Freyen made the first move, throwing the chain and ducking his body low.
He avoided a sword strike from behind and pulled down the archer, but when he tried to reel the chain back in, he paused. The black barrel of a gun was now aimed directly at him.
Freyen froze, knowing he could never outrun a gun.
He couldn't help but self-mock. It seemed that he truly had no escape.
The archer, who had been knocked down, retaliated by shooting an arrow into Freyen's knee. Freyen faltered and fell to one knee, groaning in pain.
"Stay away from my sister, don't hurt her," Freyen's voice was cold, with a hint of pleading.
"Then you'll be disappointed," Charles replied, looking down at Freyen. "Your sister is waiting for you in the dungeon."
Freyen's heart sank as he saw the shocked and angry expression on his face. He had been completely betrayed by his partner.
Where did the strength come from? Freyen rose, pulling out a silver gun and pointing it at Charles. A gunshot rang out.
Freyen's other knee was hit, and the silver gun fell from his hand. He no longer had the strength to rise.
"Freyen, you're not the only one who knows how to use a gun."
The last thing Freyen saw was Charles's victorious grin before he was knocked unconscious.
When Freyen regained consciousness, he found himself in the dungeon. How was he so sure? The floating light spheres in the room were the best proof.
He hadn't expected to return to the dungeon in this way. Leaning against the stinking, rusted bars, Freyen could smell the blood.
He thought of his gentle sister, wondering what might be happening to her. The pain in his heart only deepened, and his hatred for Charles intensified.
Alice's admiration for Freyen had been clear to him, but he hadn't expected her to misjudge someone so terribly. Another sigh escaped Freyen.
"Master, he's awake."
A muffled voice came from above. Freyen looked up and saw people standing above, their figures casting shadows on the glass above.
Three hunters stared down at him, and the one in the middle, an elderly man, had murky eyes. He must be the elder of the Hunter's Guild. Freyen had never imagined that he would meet the elder under these circumstances.
"Let's begin," the elder ordered, and soon there was a sound coming from outside the iron bars.
Freyen's legs were in immense pain. He no longer had the ability to fight, and even turning his head was difficult.
Trying to ignore the pain in his legs, he focused on the sound coming from outside the bars.
"Brother!"
Hearing Alice's hoarse voice, Freyen turned his head despite the pain.
His sister was being dragged on a leash like a dog, her hands and feet bound in chains, forced to crawl. Her once pale face was now covered in tears and grime. And holding the leash was none other than Charles!
"Alice!" Freyen's voice was filled with urgency. Charles saw this and sneered, pulling the leash harder.
Alice's delicate neck was already covered in blood.
"Charles, why?" Alice's cracked lips emitted a faint, powerless voice.
Shortly after Freyen left, Charles had visited. At that time, Alice was overjoyed and even confessed her feelings to him. Thinking he had been accepted, Charles smiled gently.
So, when Charles offered to let her visit the dungeon, Alice didn't hesitate to agree. But she never imagined that the man she had admired all along would imprison her to threaten her brother for his own gain.
Alice's eyes were full of despair. Seeing her, Freyen felt his heart break.
"Freyen, don't be so quick to grieve. I haven't done anything to Alice yet," Charles said with a twisted, sick expression, tightening the leash again. Alice was forced to crawl a few more steps.
"Of course, if you don't want me to do anything to your lovely sister, you'd better tell me the whereabouts of the impure vampire."