**Chapter 21: Trap II**
—
Golden eyes darted through the darkness at incredible speed. Senri met the ferocious strike of a claw with his sword, deflecting it with precision.
Senri’s sword was not merely made of silver. Its materials were—blessed holy silver. This rare metal, sometimes referred to as *MissLiル*, boasted power that surpassed ordinary silver against the darkness, was far harder, and possessed the unique property of easily transmitting blessings and magical energy. Few outside the Order of the Final Knights ever wielded such a treasured object.
The golden eyes widened in shock as Senri effortlessly repelled the attack and closed the distance.
A strike that came from his blind spot carried tremendous speed and weight, yet Senri’s physical abilities were enhanced beyond their usual limits. The *Cycle of Light* technique allowed him to circulate blessings through his body at high speed, granting him physical prowess equal to or greater than that of the dark minions.
“Damn it…!”
Realizing the disparity in power after just one exchange, Albatos turned to flee.
In their initial confrontation, Senri’s abilities had been significantly diminished. He had lost considerable blood to End just before the battle, leaving him slightly dizzy, and more importantly, his blessings had been drastically reduced.
This was a grave handicap for Senri, who was exceptionally skilled in handling blessings. The effectiveness of *Cycle of Light* relied heavily on the amount of blessings available. Now, Senri was far stronger than he had been then.
His body felt light. Though the room was dim, Senri could clearly perceive his surroundings. By weaving thin threads of blessings throughout the area, he had gained an additional sense.
This was the wide-area detection technique—*Koushi*. Now, there were no blind spots for Senri Silvis.
He spun to deflect a cross-shaped sword that flew at him from behind. Water splashed from the wet blade, but he avoided it with minimal movement. He could hear the sound of the droplets hitting the ground, and he noticed the discoloration. It wasn’t holy water… it was poison. A substance that should have no effect on him, as it was a rare object.
“Seems you’re not just putting on a brave face…”
A voice filled with suppressed frustration reached his ears, but the attacks did not cease. Expanding his detection range, he realized that nearly invisible threads were strung throughout the area. It was a trap.
The Master Beast’s strike was far too light for Senri now. However, even a grazing wound could allow the poison on that blade to seep into his body.
He understood how to fight. The End Knights could exhibit physical abilities comparable to the dark minions due to their blessings, but they remained human at their core. The poison that would not affect a vampire could harm him, and his regeneration abilities paled in comparison to theirs. His stamina was not limitless.
But there was no problem. He deflected the descending cross sword with a powerful strike. The blade, shaped like a cross, was thin and incredibly fragile. It was not designed for a proper sword clash. If they fought with all their might, it could easily shatter.
And the Master Beast understood this as well. Releasing the cross sword, the Master Beast smoothly drew a new weapon.
As Senri attempted to pursue, Albatos, having scaled the walls and ceiling, lunged at him from above. Senri clicked his tongue, forced to divert his attention.
—Strong.
“Hunting humans… what a troublesome endeavor.”
But… this level of challenge was manageable.
He channeled blessings into his blade. A sudden extension of light surged along the sword’s edge as Albatos twisted to evade, but the extended blade grazed his side.
For an instant, pain twisted Albatos’s expression. He spun in the air before landing on the ground, dark crimson liquid dripping onto the floor. The blade of light carried destructive power of a physical nature. Maintaining it for long was difficult, but it was a potent technique.
*Photoblade*.
A technique that was a precursor to his master’s ultimate move, *Annihilation*.
Within the expanded perception, one of the threads suddenly snapped taut. Senri received a silver arrow from all directions, including his blind spots, completely unguarded. A sound like a thick metal plate being pierced echoed repeatedly.
The Master Beast let out a low growl for the first time.
“…As expected of Epe’s pupil. A monster, indeed.”
“An arrow… it can’t possibly pierce me.”
The arrows, deflected by his blessed attire, clattered to the ground. While defensive techniques often fell short against dark minions, they posed no problem against human weapons. In fact, a mere cross sword attack might not even leave a scratch on Senri, wrapped in blessings.
The Master Beast drew a gun and fired with blinding speed. Senri used his sword to slice through the barrage of bullets. The silver projectiles, now split in half, rolled across the carpet.
“…Alba, this is troublesome. Combat mode activated. Formation B. Ambush.”
“…!”
Albatos’s eyes widened in shock. His heart raced, and his slender arms swelled with muscle. Black, glossy fur sprouted all over his body. The bulging muscles tore through his clothing, leaving shreds that fell away.
There was a chance to pursue. However, Senri took a step back.
—Cursed.
“If you are an End Knight, you should know well. The unique ability of the earliest Ancestor, *King of Beasts*, is—werewolf transformation.”
Werewolves. A foe one must learn about when battling vampires. He stepped back. His face contorted, bones twisted, and his soul returned to its primal state. The transformation from man to wolf was horrifying, no matter how many times one witnessed it.
*King of Beasts* was one of the oldest and most renowned Ancestors.
Among the various special abilities possessed by vampires was the power known as *Wolf Transformation*, which allowed them to turn into wolves. Originally, it only transformed the individual into a beast, but that Ancestor had the additional ability to transfer the curse to their *kin*. Those bitten by that Ancestor would become werewolves, bound to absolute obedience and immense power.
The *King of Beasts* had countless subordinates. Though the Ancestor himself had long since perished, those who inherited his power spread throughout the world, tormenting many End Knights to this day.
Senri had fought them before. Yet, upon witnessing the transformation before him, he took another step back.
“Not a wolf…!?”
In the darkness, a large black dog panted heavily. It was clearly different from the werewolves he had seen before. Its physique and face were distinct, but what stood out most was the undeniable rationality still present in its eyes.
Werewolves, when transformed, were consumed by their primal instincts, yet Albatos did not immediately attack. Instead, he glared at Senri warily.
The Master Beast stifled a laugh.
“How pitiful. Someone thought they could further mutate the werewolf curse… it seems there was a fool. Perhaps we should call it a dog-man. Albatos is a unique—victim.”
“…!?”
It moved like a black wind. There was no sound of footsteps. Senri met the incoming claw with his sword. Even in human form, Albatos had boasted inhuman strength, but the strike from the beastly form was even heavier and faster. Those golden eyes, unchanged from his human self, widened as they peered closely at Senri.
The blade of light sliced shallowly through the fur-covered body, but no blood spilled. Had it regenerated? The werewolf’s weakness was silver. Unlike the unique objects, pure holy energy would not affect it.
He extinguished the blade of light and slashed with the holy silver blade. However, Albatos deftly parried the flash of the strike with his front claws. Landing on all fours, he vanished with the speed of a whirlwind.
Taking a deep breath, Senri further spun the blessings circulating within him. He expanded his perception range. From what he had experienced, he still held the upper hand in strength. However, he was at a disadvantage in agility. Werewolves surpassed vampires in pure physical ability. The dog-man should not be much different.
He aimed to finish it with one blow. The Master Beast stood behind him, making no move to prepare, and spoke calmly.
“The Ancestor who transformed Albatos is dead. The curse was a failure. The moment the power was used, it self-destructed. A common fate for creations of an immature necromancer. And now, Albatos has become the lone dog-man. Don’t you feel pity for him?”
“…”
He could not afford to listen. The fully black-furred Albatos blended into the darkness. It was difficult to perceive with his vision. He had to concentrate—
Yet, the Master Beast’s voice penetrated his mind.
With a small sigh, the Master Beast spoke as if revealing a secret.
“It’s the scent, Epe’s child. What I used was the scent. While werewolves excel in physical abilities—she, on the other hand, possesses an acute sense of smell. Far sharper than an ordinary dog… She can discern scents and detect presences.”
“I have already sensed your presence. As long as Alba is alive, no matter where you hide or how far you run, you will never escape. Alba harbors a deep… resentment towards the Vampire who transformed her like this. Heh heh heh, even curses… can be useful in their own way.”
It was a troublesome ability. For End, who was in a position to flee, it was nothing short of a nightmare. And if such power existed… the price must be steep.
The Master Beast walked slowly around the room. While focusing on him, I remained wary of Alba. I could not afford to take a hit from his claws. Without my sword, if I were to be knocked down to the ground, the small Senri would be at a severe disadvantage.
“She is cursed… During the day, she cannot return to her human form. And… little by little, with each use of her power, she is drawing closer to becoming a complete beast… Eventually, she will be unable to revert back. Is she not the Weakling you should protect? You are aiming your sword at the very one you were originally meant to save.”
“…The curse can be lifted.”
“The curse of a Vampire cannot be undone. That is why the Order of the Final Knights believed they were purifying the victims… or was I mistaken?”
It was Sei’s argument. I bit my lip, steeling myself.
However, I would not let my guard down. It was indeed a pitiful circumstance. But the one who created Alba was another Vampire, not End.
I glared at the Master Beast. I had thought it was a strange name, but… was it Alba who had been kept as a pet?
If the use of power was gradually consuming her wildness, then she should not be forced to fight.
“…You are using that to your advantage.”
“Indeed. But rather than using her, I would say we are in a cooperative relationship. Hunting Vampires is her will. Besides—Weaklings must not be alone.”
The Master Beast smiled deeply and picked up the fallen cross sword from the ground.
At that moment, Senri realized something.
It was too late. Alba was… not attacking. Even as a strategy, it was far too…
“Did you think I was babbling on to evoke your sympathy?”
“N/A…!!”
Before Senri could dash forward, black threads were woven around her. These were not silver threads. They were steel threads designed for combat against humans. Following that, with a creaking sound, arrows rained down from all directions. Senri unleashed a Blessing, halting the impossible movement and dodging.
The sound of the wind slicing through was different from when I had carelessly taken the first hit. The black arrows that missed their mark had embedded themselves deeply into the ground. Even with the Blessing enhancing my abilities, I would not emerge unscathed if I took a hit unprepared.
This was also designed for combat against humans—more specifically, against the Knights of the End. If it were merely hunting ordinary humans, such power would be unnecessary.
I had failed. I had unconsciously dismissed that possibility. Because—
“It can’t be… You abandoned me?”
I muttered in disbelief. The combat mode was Doro. Formation B. Ambush. Everything had been a bluff.
Against the Master Beast alone, Senri could not hope to contain him. It was only with two people that we could barely hold our ground. The disparity in strength was clear. No matter what means I employed, it would only serve to buy time. If the Master Beast faced me one-on-one, he would undoubtedly perish.
One of the arrows had lodged itself in the corner of the room. From it, white smoke began to flow, gradually filling the chamber.
In the midst of it all, the Master Beast frowned and spoke, sounding offended.
“We are Vampire Hunters. Of course, we stake our lives on this.”