Chapter 4. Moonless Night (4)

The moment I took a step forward, Seo Yeon-hee was already withdrawing her outstretched hand. Standing protectively in front of her, I came face-to-face with the tall man. His expression was one of obvious bewilderment. Without taking my eyes off him, I asked her,

"Boss, are you sure?"

"Probably? Even after looking pretty closely... I don't think there's any way I can help fulfill that kid's wish."

"That's more than enough reason to classify him as a threat."

"Right?"

Seo Yeon-hee replied with a tone laced with amusement, then issued her command plainly.

"Take care of it."

"I'll make it quick."

I answered firmly and advanced toward the enemy step by step. The man, who had been standing frozen in shock, finally raised his voice in horror.

"What the hell is this? I've never even thought about betraying you!"

"Yeah, I get it. Not right now, you haven't."

"Is wanting fame and success such a huge crime? Boss, this is unfair. I would never—"

"You'll only know when the time comes. Right now, the Boss and I know better than you do yourself."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Don't believe me? Fine by me."

No matter how much he denied it, it wouldn't change the decision Seo Yeon-hee and I had made. We knew his public identity. We knew the wish he desired. The condition that he could only borrow her power under the premise that it wouldn't harm Phantom. And the hologram's mention of a "threat." Putting it all together, the answer was simple.

This guy... would betray us someday. Or, even if not directly, he could drag all of Phantom into danger.

There couldn't be a clearer reason for expulsion and summary execution from Phantom, and I had no intention of explaining it all to him in detail. Sometimes, words become meaningless. There are moments when only one's life path, inner thoughts, and a few key facts matter.

Like right now.

"You have to fight me, and this can't be undone. I'll give you three seconds to draw your weapon. My final act of mercy."

So that this man, doomed to die for deeds yet to come, could at least face his end properly. That was the extent of what I could offer. I shoved aside the guilt gnawing at me for having to kill him. You couldn't get anything done if you dwelled on that sort of thing.

Not when trusting the hologram's intel and operating as a member of a criminal organization.

"3, 2—"

"Boss! Just one more—"

"These guys are no good. No need to hesitate."

While the man and I exchanged words, Seo Yeon-hee, who had made contracts with the other two, muttered to herself. And finally, I declared with certainty.

"...1. As the one granted execution authority by the Boss, I declare: from this moment, Phantom's official members number seven."

"Shut up!"

Boom!

He struck first. Weapons suddenly in both hands, he charged at me with blinding speed. In his right hand, a sword shimmering with blue mana. In his left, a short spear barely reaching a man's height. He swung them alternately, shouting,

"Kill you, and it'll be seven again!"

"If you can."

I brushed off his venomous words—worlds apart from his usual slick talk—and quietly gathered my power. I had no intention of dragging this out. This wasn't like roughing up that careless brute earlier; the situations were night and day. I'd take some damage too... but ending it in one blow was still best.

For him, and for me.

Clang!

I deflected his thrusting spear with my left hand. My wrist throbbed, but over seventy percent of the mana I'd gathered still lingered in my free right hand.

Shuuuaaa!

His sword came down to cleave my skull. Dodging would create an opening. I twisted my body just enough to block with my sword's wing, then drove my right hand straight for his heart...

An instant so brief it couldn't even be called a flash. A scene flickered through my mind. At the same moment, the Rabbit Mask woman approached with speed I couldn't react to. She lashed out with her hand. An exceedingly thin, flexible blade of mana extended from it, intercepting the path of the man's swinging sword.

Slash!

His right arm, gripping the sword, severed as naturally as if it were meant to be. Clang, slice! The blue-mana sword shattered into pieces. His left arm and both legs detached from his body.

The result of Rabbit Mask's ambush. As his limbless torso tumbled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to the ground, my right hand pierced through his heart.

"Gahk!"

A dying gasp of agony. Then, he rasped his final words.

"I just... wanted..."

And at the end, he turned his gaze. Toward Seo Yeon-hee, who watched silently. He'd shown subtle affection toward her since joining.

That was when the hologram appeared.

"Hoo..."

I exhaled once to steady myself, then questioned Rabbit Mask.

"Why'd you interfere?"

"...Just... no need to get hurt if you don't have to."

She answered haltingly in a low voice, like an excuse. As the one who'd benefited, pressing further would be rude, so I kept it short.

"It worked out this time, but don't do it again."

"..."

Rabbit Mask didn't reply. Instead, she stared at me piercingly with her crimson eyes. Before I could read the emotion in them, she turned away.

"What was that just now? Was that woman always that strong?"

"From what I saw... she got backup."

"Hmm, that's what I think too."

"Does a wish have that kind of power?"

"If it's a really strong wish, maybe?"

Conversation among the three male members. Fox Mask remained silent, and I looked to Seo Yeon-hee. I'd asked if it was truly the power of a "wish," but she just smiled brightly. Not that I'd expected much. I hadn't heard much about Rabbit Mask from her. Something about personal privacy—don't pry.

Shoooo...

A sound like air leaking out. A change in the corpse of the man I'd dealt with. His body was shrinking, his hair turning blonde. The disguise hiding his identity had unraveled.

"I was curious who this guy was. Can we find out now?"

The brute strode forward and removed the mask from the man's face. Then he tilted his head, muttering,

"Huh? I think I've seen this face before..."

"Ah, that guy. You know, the hunter blowing up JR lately. Saw him on TV—what's his name?"

"Robert Green."

I provided the answer. Robert Green, a promising hunter even in America's largest Awakener guild, JR. Twenty-eight this year, Rank A. A young powerhouse rumored to reach S-rank within a decade. Rising from slums and streets, he'd seized wealth and fame through sheer talent alone. And he'd craved far more than he had. That's why he'd accepted Phantom's scout offer—and died without achieving it.

Dry sentences to sum up a life. But as the one who'd killed him, I couldn't say more.

Seo Yeon-hee approached lightly and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"...Good work."

"No problem."

Words sometimes carry deeper meaning than they show. Our brief exchange said it all. She'd apologized, and I'd said it was fine. That was enough for us.

"Shall we clean up first?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Seo Yeon-hee raised her right hand. Flames erupted, consuming Robert Green's body. To leave no traces. In mere seconds, his flesh turned to ash.

Yet the flames didn't die.

"Huh?"

Seo Yeon-hee voiced her surprise. The ashes that had been Robert Green didn't scatter; they solidified. Blue light leaked from within. Mana still lingering in his body.

And the hologram warned me.

"Get down!"

The moment I shouted, a mana blast of overwhelming power reduced the entire small fortress to rubble.

'This is getting tricky...'

Seo Yeon-hee repeated the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thought inwardly. The sun had set, the sky pitch black without even moonlight. Far above, dozens of hunters hovered in the air. No need to guess who they were.

'JR.'

Robert Green's guild. They'd detected his death and teleported here via spatial magic. Probably a prearranged protocol. She could think of several such spells off the top of her head.

'They don't know it's us, though...'

For them, this was an unexpected windfall. And she acknowledged they had the qualifications to think so. She knew the names of the two leading the hunter group.

Joseph Leonard. Rick Gadell.

Fellow members of the 36 Heroes, just like her. JR took the first letters of their names. Unlike Yeom Ui-jun, they were still active and retained much of their prime strength.

Lee Dojin stepped forward and said to her,

"I'll handle it, so just get everyone back safely."

He meant he'd hold them off; prepare magic to send the members home. But Seo Yeon-hee playfully refused.

"Nah."

"...Pardon?"

"I called you here. Least I can do is handle this."

Two main reasons for brushing off his consideration. First, even sending them back risked tracking unless she completely neutralized the enemy. Second, and most importantly—she didn't want Lee Dojin getting hurt.

So, for the first time in ages, she stepped forward as captain. The fact that it was a moonless night was a slight issue, but...

'There's romance in this too, right?'

Taking on the burden for her precious one. From that angle, it felt rather endearing.

"Look after me a bit."

She asked Lee Dojin in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠coy tone, then lightly kicked off the ground. Rising into the air, she faced Joseph Leonard and Rick Gadell. They finished their preparations and dove toward her.

And the next instant.

They halted abruptly and looked back. In the jet-black sky.

In place of the moon.

Crimson eyes had risen.

The novel I wrote, World Guardian. In its setting bible—which posits that I didn't create the world myself but merely transcribed a story from another universe—there are records on the Long-lived Species.

They weren't born on this planet. They came from the satellite in the sky beyond: the moon.

Lifespans stretching centuries. All strong and beautiful. But this world and the moon differed vastly in environment. The energy from the moon weakened with distance. Once perfect beings, they felt their perfection fade over time. Some impatient ones found a solution.

The race on Earth most akin to them. Humans. By consuming human blood to replenish losses.

It started undetected, but rumors spread. People whispered in fear of monsters hunting humans. And they began calling them "vampires."

Long ages passed. Now, no Long-lived Species remain in this world. The once-beautiful and mighty all perished, vampires reduced to legend.

All but one.

The most beautiful and perfect throughout their long history, never once tasting blood. The designated next queen of the Long-lived Species.

Vampire Queen Seo Yeon-hee gazed down upon the world with blood-red eyes in the moon's stead.