The next day, the Tri-Council had a problem.
And like every problem in Jack's new life, somehow it became his problem.
The problem's name? Mordrax the Half-Blood.
Half vampire. Half werewolf. All nightmare.
He was what happened when two species who hated each other got drunk, made bad decisions, and then raised the result in a swamp. With the speed of a vampire and the strength of a wolf, Mordrax was a one-man extinction event. For centuries, he'd been the bogeyman both sides warned their kids about.
And now? He'd broken loose.
The Council chamber shook as Mordrax howled outside, his claws shredding steel, his fangs dripping venom.
Lucian hissed, "He has slaughtered my kin for generations."Karen growled, "He devoured three Alphas last winter."Seraphina spat, "He once headbutted a tank."
Everyone turned toward Jack.
Jack blinked. "…Why are you all looking at me like that? No. No way. Not me. Send literally anyone else. Send Captain Thunderbullet. Send a Roomba with a knife taped to it. I'm busy, uh—folding laundry."
Too late. The Council shoved him into the arena.
First Attempt:(Energy Absorption)
Mordrax crashed through the gate, muscles rippling, eyes glowing like nuclear waste. He snarled, breath steaming in the cold air.
Jack panicked. "Okay, okay! Use the vampire thing. What was it? Absorb energy?"
He spread his hands dramatically, shouting: "吸星大法!!!"
Nothing happened.
Mordrax blinked, then laughed. A horrible, wet, hyena laugh.
Jack glanced at Lucian. "Am I doing it wrong? Do I need jazz hands?"
Lucian bellowed from the stands: "You must focus! Draw in his essence!"
Jack tried again, waving his arms like he was doing interpretive dance. "Essence! Come here! Daddy needs some batteries!"
Still nothing.
Mordrax lunged, slamming Jack into a wall. The audience screamed.
And then—pure accident. Jack coughed blood directly onto Mordrax's chest wound. The glowing Medallion energy inside him flared, sucking at Mordrax's lifeforce.
The monster howled, stumbling back as black smoke poured from his skin.
The crowd gasped.
Jack staggered up. "Holy crap… I just… vampired him?!"
Second Attempt: (Wereform Steel Body)
Mordrax roared, charging again.
Jack shrieked, "Okay, plan B! Werewolf mode!"
He flexed as hard as he could, veins popping, face turning tomato red. "金刚不坏… activate!"
Nothing.
Mordrax swung a claw. Jack screamed——and tripped over his shoelace again.
The claw should have ripped him in half. Instead, it scraped harmlessly across his skin, like nails on a chalkboard.
Jack blinked. "…Wait. Did I just tank that?!"
He slapped his own chest. It felt like steel. His hoodie had torn, but underneath, his skin gleamed faintly golden.
Karen leapt from her seat, fists pumping. "Yes! That's my mate! Golden Wereform, baby!"
Jack grinned weakly. "Guess I'm finally… built different."
Third Attempt: (Perfect Accuracy)
Mordrax, enraged, ripped a chunk of stone from the wall and hurled it. Jack dodged barely, yelping.
"Okay, last skill! Hunter mode!"
He spotted a crossbow lying in the dust—probably dropped by a fleeing guard. He snatched it up.
"Hundred Percent Hit Rate," he whispered. "Please don't fail me like my GPA."
He aimed at Mordrax's heart. His hands shook. His eyes squeezed shut. He fired.
The arrow didn't hit the heart.It hit a pebble.
The pebble ricocheted off a pillar.The pillar cracked and collapsed.The falling rubble landed squarely on Mordrax's head with the comedic timing of a Looney Tunes cartoon.
CRUNCH.
The hybrid monster collapsed in a heap of dust and rubble.
Silence.
Then the crowd erupted.
Aftermath
The arena shook with cheers. Vampires shrieked in awe. Werewolves howled in triumph. Hunters pounded their weapons against their chests.
Lucian whispered, "He absorbed his enemy."Karen roared, "He became steel!"Seraphina muttered, "He never misses…"
All three glared at each other, realizing the loser they'd mocked had just pulled off the impossible.
Jack, wobbling on his feet, raised his arms weakly. "Yeah… that's right… bow before your new king… or at least buy me tacos…"
Then he collapsed flat on his face.
Love Dick sauntered into the arena, heels clicking. She leaned over his unconscious body, lips curving in a wicked grin.
"Oh, darling," she whispered. "You have no idea how much trouble you're in now."