As Lin Mei stepped into the dimly lit underground venue, an unsettling feeling washed over him. The pulsating beats of manic music thumped through the room, but it wasn't the rhythm that unsettled him—it was the piercing gazes of the vampires fixating on him. Their predatory eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and hunger, sizing up the small figure who had dared to enter their domain.
Some of the vampires, unable to suppress their instincts, began moving toward him, weaving through the crowd with an eerie grace. Lin Mei's pulse quickened. He had expected trouble, but the intensity of their attention confirmed his worst fears—he had been exposed. His cover was blown, and now he had to act fast.
Thinking quickly, Lin Mei decided on a strategy. He needed to lure them away from the open floor into a narrower passage where he could use his magic effectively. If he could trap them, his "Destroy the Dragon" spell would make quick work of them. With that in mind, he started backing away, his steps deliberate yet subtle, trying not to make it obvious that he was retreating.
Just as he reached the entrance to the exit passage, he collided with someone. The impact was solid, like hitting a brick wall. Lin Mei spun around quickly, his muscles tensed, ready to fight or flee.
"Boy, this is not a place for children," came a deep, almost amused voice.
Lin Mei looked up to see a man clad in a black vest and long coat, two curved blades strapped across his back. He wore dark sunglasses despite the low lighting, his presence exuding an aura of controlled lethality. His skin was dark, and his posture was rigid yet calculated. The realization hit Lin Mei like a thunderclap.
Blade! The infamous vampire hunter!
Relief flooded through Lin Mei. If there was anyone in the world he wanted to be stuck with in a vampire den, it was Blade. The man was a living legend, a force of nature when it came to eradicating vampires. With Blade here, there was a high chance Lin Mei wouldn't have to fight his way out alone.
Feigning a carefree attitude, Lin Mei smirked and shrugged. "Sir, as far as I know, the bar only prohibits minors from drinking, not from dancing."
With that, he began moving to the rhythm of the music, keeping up the facade of a reckless youth. Blade observed him with a mixture of skepticism and intrigue. Lin Mei could tell the vampire hunter wasn't entirely convinced, but he also wasn't stopping him.
"Kid," Blade said, his deep voice carrying over the music, "you know where you are, don't you? This isn't the kind of place you just stumble into." His eyes swept the room, scanning for potential threats.
Lin Mei nodded nonchalantly. "Of course I know. One of the vampires here has crossed me, and I need to take care of some unfinished business. But with an expert like you here, I don't think I have much to worry about."
Blade didn't react immediately, his expression unreadable. Lin Mei knew that while the vampire hunter might save a life here and there, he wasn't anyone's personal bodyguard. He operated on his own code, and Lin Mei wasn't naive enough to believe he was under Blade's protection. But right now, the presence of the legendary hunter was enough of a distraction for the vampires.
Then, the murmuring started. The vampires had taken notice of Blade.
"Blade! The Daywalker!" One of them snarled, their voice barely audible over the music.
A ripple of unease spread through the crowd. Whispers turned into hushed conversations. Some vampires began backing away instinctively, while others—more confident or perhaps more foolish—bared their fangs in hostility. The tension in the air thickened, the atmosphere shifting from eerie curiosity to outright confrontation.
From the center of the dance floor, a deep, guttural voice cut through the noise. "Blade! You dare step into our territory again?"
The crowd parted as a towering figure emerged. He was taller than the others, his physique imposing and his eyes burning with barely restrained rage. His presence commanded attention, and the other vampires instinctively moved aside, making way for him. The flickering neon lights cast grotesque shadows on his face, accentuating the sharp contours of his cheekbones and the predatory hunger in his gaze.
Blade remained unfazed. His stance didn't shift, his expression remained impassive, but Lin Mei could feel the energy in the room crackling like a storm about to break.
All around them, the vampires tensed, their bodies poised to strike. Most of their focus was on Blade, but Lin Mei wasn't entirely forgotten. A few of the weaker vampires still had their eyes on him, their hunger evident. He knew he couldn't let his guard down just yet.
The battle was about to begin, and Lin Mei had a choice to make—stay and fight alongside Blade or use the distraction to slip away. But as he watched the vampire hunter prepare for combat, something inside him stirred. Maybe, just maybe, this was his chance to prove himself.
The music blared on, oblivious to the imminent bloodshed, as the two sides stared each other down. The dance of death was about to begin.
The atmosphere instantly thickened with tension, an almost tangible weight pressing down on the room. The vampires, eyes gleaming with a mixture of hostility and bloodlust, prepared to strike. But standing in the center of it all, Blade remained unfazed. A cold smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he surveyed the creatures before him.
"Looks like it's a full house of filthy bloodsuckers tonight," Blade muttered, his voice laced with dark amusement. "But don't forget—I came here for a reason."
His words carried a quiet menace, reinforced by the silver blade in his grip. Under the dim neon lights, its surface glistened ominously, a weapon forged to slice through the darkness with ruthless precision.
Standing to the side, Lin Mei's mind was racing. His gaze locked onto a particular vampire in the crowd—Bob, the target he had come for. This was personal. Lin Mei knew that as long as Bob lived, he would never have peace. He clenched his fists. If there was ever a moment to eliminate this vampire nest, it was now.
Though Lin Mei had taken precautions by covering his head with a hood, he couldn't be sure that the vampires wouldn't recognize his scent or remember his face. These creatures had a long history of seeking vengeance against their enemies. Even Blade, for all his expertise, had suffered from vampire retaliation when his secret hideout was exposed—his partner, Abraham Whistler, had paid the price for that mistake. Lin Mei didn't know if that particular event had already unfolded, but he wasn't willing to take any risks. Every vampire in this room needed to be exterminated.
A sudden, piercing whistle shattered the tension. A female vampire, her eyes flashing with malice, had sounded the call to attack.
The room erupted into chaos as a swarm of vampires surged toward Blade, their snarls merging into a monstrous cacophony. Blade's eyes, hidden behind his signature sunglasses, narrowed slightly. Taking on so many vampires at once was a risk—even for him.
Without hesitation, he reached behind him and drew a sleek shotgun. The moment Lin Mei saw it, a smirk crossed his face.
"Oh? So you've brought out the great equalizer," Lin Mei quipped, watching as Blade cocked the weapon.
Blade glanced at him, intrigued. "Equalizer? That's a strange way to put it... but I like it."
Without another word, Blade pulled the trigger. A silver-infused shell exploded from the barrel, its deadly payload ripping through the nearest vampire. The force sent the creature sprawling, its body convulsing as it disintegrated into dust. The blast didn't stop there—the silver beads spread outward, catching several other vampires in the vicinity. Screams filled the air as they, too, crumbled to nothing.
The remaining vampires recoiled momentarily, stunned by the sheer brutality of Blade's assault. But their survival instincts quickly kicked in. Their movements became more strategic, spreading out in an attempt to surround both Blade and Lin Mei from multiple angles.
Lin Mei's eyes gleamed with a cunning glint. A low humming sound crackled through the air, followed by sizzling bolts of electricity snaking from his body. In an instant, arcs of lightning lashed out, striking several vampires who had been creeping toward them. The electricity immobilized them, their bodies frozen in spasms as they fought against the paralysis.
"Looks like I'm not completely useless, huh?" Lin Mei grinned at Blade, his hand still crackling with energy. A faint glow flickered in his palm, signaling his readiness for the next wave of attacks.
Lin Mei understood the terrifying resilience of vampires. Even if grievously wounded, as long as they had access to blood, they would heal. The only true way to eliminate them was through complete destruction—turning them to ash. Otherwise, they would simply regenerate and return to wreak havoc once more.
An idea sparked in Lin Mei's mind. Would his "Light Dragon Destroying Magic" be as effective against vampires as sunlight? He had never tested it before, but there was only one way to find out.
No more hesitation. He would act now.
"Light Dragon's Horn!"
With his body enveloped in brilliant golden light, Lin Mei launched himself forward. The immobilized vampires stood no chance. As he crashed into them, their bodies ignited instantly, crumbling into ash like fragile paper caught in a firestorm.
Lin Mei landed gracefully, staring at the aftermath of his attack with wide eyes. "It worked...!"
His initial surprise quickly gave way to exhilaration. Though the spell had consumed a significant amount of energy, it had proven to be the ultimate weapon against these creatures of the night.
This power—his "Light Dragon Destroying Magic"—was now their worst nightmare.