Chapter 08: Fighting | Part 1

"You'd better speak up before I lose my patience. Tell me your master's name," he demanded menacingly. "Dealing with your kind is nothing but a nuisance."

"Hold on a sec," I replied earnestly. "I haven't had my dinner yet."

Taking out my groceries, I started munching on potato chips, even though they tasted awful, worse than crap. I forced myself to swallow, feeling queasy, nauseous with sweat pouring down my face.

The man, who was about to pounce on me earlier, looked at me perplexed, as if he couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing.

"...Can you actually eat human food?"

"Yep, can't let my money go to waste. Ahh, you're the reason I had to buy this crap." With a grim expression, I rolled my eyes at him.

Despite the danger he posed, I was surprised at how calm my mind remained. His aura sent shivers down my spine, as if a thousand bugs were crawling beneath my skin.

His presence made me more uneasy than the sunlight. However, unlike the vampire and werewolf I encountered before, fear wasn't really what I felt.

It was more like a mix of anxiety and excitement, as if I actually enjoyed the thrill of danger.

Something was definitely wrong with me.

After fighting off the nausea, I chugged the juice and tossed the empty container aside. He was still there, observing me calmly.

After several seconds of silence, without breaking his gaze, the man finally broke the ice.

"You're a weird one," he said, his eyes gleaming eerily in the moonlight. "First off, a vampire can't eat human food. It would trigger an uncontrollable bloodlust after 'intoxication', sending them into a frenzy."

He paused, locking his gaze onto me. "But you clearly retain your sanity. You're not like the others of your kind. There is something different about you."

I stayed silent, maintaining eye contact, though internally I pondered what he meant by calling me a vampire.

After sharing his observation, the man reached under his coat and pulled out an object. With my night vision, I could clearly see that it was a cross.

However, upon closer inspection, I noticed it differed from the ones found in Christian churches. The upper crossbar bore a solar symbol, and the crucified figure had black chains with elongated spikes tearing at his flesh. Dark, repulsive blood stained the wood.

An unpleasant sensation traveled down my spine upon seeing it. Despite the crucified man's gentle eyes, seemingly filled with empathy towards mortals, his image only intensified my unease.

The man tightened his grip on the cross, studying my reaction.

Yet, his earlier words echoed in my mind.

"A vampire? What are you talking about? I'm a werewolf."

"A werewolf...? Pffft- Hahaha!" Far from believing me, he erupted into a sarcastic laughter that reverberated through the alley. Coming to a halt, he looked at me again with disdain.

"You think you can fool someone like me, who's been hunting bloodsuckers for decades?" He spat out the words. "I would never mistake one of those bastards, whom I despise with every fiber of my being!"

His face twisted into a grimace of pure hatred. It was evident that this man, clutching the cross as if he wanted to exorcise me, wasn't motivated by religious beliefs but driven by an all-consuming thirst for revenge. At least, that's what I could gather from his reaction.

"Enough with the beating around the bush," he said coldly. "From the look on your face, it's clear that you're oblivious to your true nature. You're just an outcast, a vampire without a clan or a home."

I furrowed my brow. I neither denied nor confirmed his words. Frankly, I didn't know what to think at that moment. Just a few minutes ago, I believed I was a werewolf, but the man's words had stirred up doubts.

And those doubts weren't baseless. In fact, I would dare say that my cravings for blood and aversion to sunlight aligned more with vampires.

"Well, that simplifies things." After saying that, he held the cross with devotion, though his eyes flickered with something other than faith.

"God of the sun and embodiment of goodness, grant me the strength to vanquish that which defies your will. Bestow upon me the power to eradicate the evil lurking among us and cleanse the world of these abominable heretics."

As if the god he prayed to had heard his cringe-worthy speech, a golden glow enveloped him, condensing into a radiant shield.

"You're doomed, monster. But first, you'll learn the name of the one who will purify you: Vancha, Inquisitor of the Church of the Sun God."

*Shhhhs!*

A hiss sliced through the air as the energy transformed into a sword of golden light between his fingers.

I assumed a defensive stance. Fighting this man now was inevitable.

Without hesitation, Vancha charged forward with superhuman speed, causing the ground beneath him to shatter violently. His form blurred as he moved.

Shit, he's fast!

In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of me, bent over and swinging his weapon down with deadly precision.

Instinctively, I executed a body rotation and countered with a fist attack on the blade, parrying his strike. His sword clattered to the ground, sending sparks flying. I seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, but he swiftly retreated, ready to lunge again.

The energy emanating from Vancha subtly weakened me. This is frustrating! It felt no different than being exposed to sunlight. Despite this, I managed to narrowly evade his assaults, holding my breath.

Feinting to the right, his sword grazed my face, causing a searing pain that shot from my cheeks to my brain. A crescent of golden light shot forth from the sword, crashing into a nearby house, creating a large opening.

I seized the opportunity presented by the opening. Channeling all my strength into my legs, I propelled myself forward at breakneck speed.

Just as he raised his weapon again, I delivered a powerful kick, causing his shield to crack. While it didn't shatter, the force of my kick sent him flying backward, crashing into a wall.

Debris showered down on top of him. Thinking I had an advantage, I quickly realized my mistake as I heard low laughter emanating from beneath the rubble. A glow erupted, and all the broken concrete was forcefully ejected.

This time, I wasted no time and launched another attack before he could regain his footing. My leg muscles contracted with overwhelming speed. It was a shame that the golden energy weakened me; otherwise, I would have been even faster.

With a grunt, I struck the cracked shield once more. I felt my fingers sink into it, but I couldn't break through. Concentrating all my strength into one arm, I unleashed a powerful blow. A resounding crack filled the air as the shield shattered.

Taking advantage of Vancha's momentary vulnerability, I relentlessly pummeled his face with my fists, causing his head to explode into pieces.

Internally, I celebrated what seemed like an easy victory, but an unsettling feeling nagged at me.