BOOM!!!
A terrifying explosion ripped through the corridor, engulfing everything in electric fire. The ground trembled as if on the verge of collapse. But—Jack stood firm. His Last Light Blade was plunged deep into the stone floor, radiating a protective aura that enveloped the three of them. A blinding wall of light slammed against the colossal lightning strike unleashed by the Vampire Mage…
In that split second, John instinctively pulled Mira into a tight embrace… They prayed… and waited for their fate. She looked up, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Jack's back, the only shield between them and annihilation. His body absorbed the full brunt of the electric storm. Light flared, thunderous cracks echoed around him, each lightning bolt seeming to devour him whole…
Mira froze. A memory flashed through her mind—her father, on that horrific day, using his own body to shield her from the rampaging Vampires. A scene no child should ever witness… But he hadn't survived. His blood had stained her face… His eyes had slowly lost their light… His hand had grown cold…
"NO!!!" She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, burying her head in her hands, overwhelmed by the horrifying flashback.
Jack gritted his teeth, enduring the onslaught. The electric storm ravaged his body, scorching his skin, tearing through muscle and sinew. A chilling realization dawned on him—no matter how powerful he became, direct hits of sufficient force could still wound, even kill him… Yet, his body was healing. At an astonishing rate. A normal Vampire would have been reduced to ash long ago.
Jack glanced down at the Last Light Blade—its light still blazed fiercely. Faint golden energy continued to flow along his arm. Perhaps… the sword itself was amplifying his regeneration.
THOOM!!! The final blast of lightning detonated. The corridor was charred black, debris rained down, and dust filled the air. But—Jack still stood. He had successfully protected John and Mira.
But—the radiance emanating from Last Light Blade was fading… As if the sword itself needed rest. Jack exhaled sharply, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. Though he hadn't sustained mortal wounds, the pain from the previous attack gnawed at his body. He wasn't immortal. He still had limits.
Jack loosened his grip on the sword, his body swaying slightly from fatigue. He turned back towards John and Mira, rushing to their side.
"Phew… Are you both alright?"
John nodded. But Mira remained hunched over, her hands clutching her shirt, her entire body trembling. Jack frowned, crouching down to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Mira… are you okay?"
She flinched, her eyes snapping open. Jack could see the raw fear in her gaze. But—beneath that fear, he also detected a flicker of… emotion. She stared at him intently, then bit her lip and looked away, silent. Jack didn't understand, but he didn't press. He offered a small smile, then stood up, his eyes hardening as he faced their remaining enemy.
"One left. Let's finish this."
Jack's eyes scanned the scorched corridor. "Huh? Where did he go???"
The hallway was blackened, ash hung heavy in the air, but… the Vampire Mage had vanished. John sighed, shaking his head.
"That idiot…"
THWACK! He lightly smacked Jack on the head.
Jack winced. "Hey! What was that for!?"
John crossed his arms, a wry smile on his face. "What do you think? He obviously bolted! No Vampire in their right mind would expend all that mana on one attack without a good reason!"
Jack blinked for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. "Oh… right…"
Then, a thought struck him—Jack lowered his voice, his gaze fixed on the empty space where the Vampire had stood.
"He killed his own comrades just to escape… I can't believe I used to be one of them."
Suddenly—"Well, you still are one of them."
Mira's voice was sharp as a knife, causing Jack to frown and turn towards her. She was a strange girl indeed. Just moments ago, Jack had saved her life, and now she was throwing such a venomous statement his way… No one wanted to be a heartless bloodsucking monster…
John stepped between them, his expression serious.
"No!" He looked directly at Mira. "He's not one of them anymore. He has now been cleansed by Last Light – Blade of the Sun's Wrath."
Jack frowned, looking bewildered.
"Man, this sword's got a long name… doesn't it have a shorter one, old man?"
John stroked his beard thoughtfully, ignoring the question, and continued, "If my guess is correct, the sword has chosen him as its master and inadvertently created a new kind of being—"
"A Half-Vampire. Half human, half Vampire."
Jack's jaw dropped.
"What the—!? So this is all your fault for stabbing me!?"
John offered an awkward, apologetic smile. "Well, yeah…"
Mira rested her chin on her hand, nodding slowly. "That sword's name is way too long… Hmm…"
Jack sighed, rubbing his temples, feeling like his head was a swirling mess. So much had happened in the past few hours.
Just before all this, he was still Jack the Butcher, tasked with seizing this fortress. The metallic tang of fresh blood still lingered in his memory. He could still feel John's fatal stab… And then the recent fight. A sudden thought struck him—the memories of his human life…
He muttered, "What about my memories as a human? Why can't I remember anything…?"
Mira and John fell silent. Jack closed his eyes, and an image flashed through his mind—his wife and children. A little boy. A little girl. They were taken by Vampires… And he—was transformed. The scene hit him hard, causing Jack to grit his teeth and clench his fists. That was all he could remember right now, but it felt like it had just happened yesterday…
John sighed softly. "That's what we need to figure out. This is the first time in nearly seventy years that the sword has chosen a new master… Even I don't fully understand it."
Jack took a deep breath, his eyes growing cold. "So, where do we go now?"
John offered a faint smile. "I know a place that holds the answers to all your questions."
Jack nodded. "Hmph… Alright, I'll follow you."
He turned to Mira, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "What about you? What are you following us for?"
Mira immediately looked away, avoiding his gaze, scratching her cheek awkwardly. "Oh, um… It's simple. I want to survive, that's all. Besides, you guys seem… safe."
Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Oh yeah, that sounds totally believable."
John chuckled, while Mira shot Jack a glare. The trio began to walk, heading towards the horizon of unknown mysteries.