As Olorun, Chiyo, and Timmy followed the muddy trail of vampire footprints, the wind whistled low around them, leaves skittering across the cracked dirt path.
Olorun casually glanced at Chiyo and said, "Alright, Chiyo... real talk. If it's like an army of vampires at the end of this trail, you think we can take 'em all?"
Chiyo smirked, twirling a strand of her white hair between her fingers. "Pfft, obviously. You saw me back there. I turned those guys into chopped liver. What? You scared or something?"
Olorun puffed his chest out. "M-Me? Scared? Please. I'm just making sure you're ready, that's all."
He turned look up at Timmy, who was in a weirdly straight posture, his small hands in his pockets.
"And what about you, little man?"
Timmy, with the coldest Kenji-level stare, said, "I'm not scared either."
Olorun squinted at him. "Mmmhmm. Sure you're not. Mr. Stoic over here."
The trail ended abruptly in front of a rocky cliff wall. Chiyo cursed under her breath. "Goddamn it. Led to a dead end."
Olorun narrowed his eyes and pointed. "Nah, look... there."
Out in the open field, standing beside a towering, jagged rock shaped like a giant fang, was an old man.
He wore a tattered black robe that barely clung to his bony shoulders, the fabric whipping lightly in the wind.
In his gnarled hands, he cradled a wrinkled, ancient-looking turtle... and was whispering to it, like he was sharing the world's greatest secret.
The trio immediately dropped into a bush nearby. Olorun whispered, "I can't hear jack. What's he saying?"
Chiyo tapped her ear and grinned. "Relax. Vampire hearing. I've got this."
She tilted her head, focusing, then whispered back what she heard.
"He's sayin': 'Sir, I know I asked for a lot, but basically... all the vampires you sent me? Uh... they're dead.'"
There was a sudden loud voice — but it came from the turtle.
"WHAT!?" it bellowed.
Chiyo continued translating, whispering quickly.
"'I know, I know, bad news! But somehow the Ascendants caught wind we were looking for Chiyo, and now they're probably planning an attack on your base, thinking you're prepping for the Ritual.'"
Timmy leaned close and whispered, "Wait... Chiyo. What's he talking about?"
Olorun frowned, "Yeah, give us some damn context, woman."
Chiyo sighed heavily, clearly annoyed. "Like I told you, if I go back to my father... it's over. Not just for me — for everyone."
Olorun leaned back, blinking. "Okay but... why would everyone be doomed?"
Chiyo hesitated, staring into the distance. Her voice was quieter now. "Because... my father's planning something huge. He needs my body — I don't know all the details — but if he gets me, he'll have enough power to destroy... basically everything."
Olorun blew out a long breath. "Yeah... that's bad. That's real bad."
Timmy asked seriously, "But... why your body? What makes it special?"
Chiyo's fists clenched. "I don't know. I just know that whatever he's trying to do, it can't happen. Period."
Olorun rested a hand on her shoulder, surprisingly gentle. "Then screw it. You should join us."
Chiyo blinked. "Huh?"
Timmy nodded, a small hopeful smile creeping onto his face. "Yeah! Stay with us! We can protect you."
Chiyo stared at them like they were crazy. "You two... are insane. You're nowhere near my father's level. His goons would crush you. And what if you do betray me? What if he offers you money? Power?"
Olorun grinned wide, flashing sharp teeth. "Woman, please. You think I'm scared of some fancy vampire daddy? Nah. We ain't cowards, and we sure as hell ain't sellouts."
Timmy chimed in, deadly serious, "We would never betray you."
Chiyo looked down, unsure. "I barely even know you."
Olorun crossed his arms. "Maybe. But sometimes the people you just meet are better than the ones you've known your whole life."
Chiyo opened her mouth to respond—
—but a raspy voice cut through the air behind them.
"Oh, but I'd sell you to your father."
They spun around in pure panic. Standing right behind the bush, smiling like a corpse, was the old robed man, his turtle glowing faintly in his hand.
All three of them screamed and sprung out of the bush like startled cats. Olorun pulled out his twin daggers instantly, his whole body shifting into a low combat stance. Timmy summoned tiny green energy from his palms. Chiyo's crimson claws snapped out like whips.
The old man chuckled darkly. "Don't worry... I'll even give your father a discount."
Chiyo snarled, her fangs baring. "You're gonna wish you stayed talking to that damn turtle."
The air grew heavy. The ground cracked beneath their feet as the energy between the three surged, the old man's robe fluttering unnaturally as if stirred by a different kind of wind.
Olorun smirked and said under his breath, "Alright, team Not-Olorun — let's dance."
Chiyo was the first to rush him, a burst of wind swirling behind her steps. She aimed a quick palm strike to the old man's face, but with a flicker of movement, he teleported behind her, smirking.
With a sharp wave of his hand, he conjured jagged blood shards and fired them like bullets toward Chiyo's back.
She twisted her body midair, barely dodging the deadly projectiles, the shards slicing strands of her hair as they missed.
Olorun quickly set Timmy down behind a tree and roared, "FINGER KNIFE!"
His fingertips glowed faintly blue, and he dashed forward, blurring slightly with speed.
Each stab of his pinky came like a miniature rapier thrust, precise and brutal, aiming for the old man's vital points: throat, heart, liver.
The old man, grinning slyly, sidestepped and weaved, his robe billowing like smoke around him.
"Now why," the old man chuckled, "would I let a whelp like you touch me?"
He clapped his hands together, and a massive blood sphere the size of a boulder materialized behind him.
With a cruel laugh, he launched it at Olorun like a cannonball.
Olorun's eyes widened—he lunged to the side, barely avoiding it, his boots skidding against the dirt.
Chiyo tried to flank him, leaping high for a dropkick to his head—but the old man teleported midair, and countered with a spinning kick to her ribs.
She gasped as she was hurled into Olorun, who caught her with a grunt, stumbling back.
Without hesitation, the old man unleashed a Blood Missile Barrage —sharp, dart-like blood constructs that hunted through the air like homing missiles.
"Hold on!" Olorun grunted, still cradling Chiyo. He sidestepped left, then dropped low, narrowly avoiding the missiles as they exploded in bursts of red mist against the ground and trees around them.
"That's it," Olorun growled, setting Chiyo down carefully.
He planted his feet, sparks crackling at his fingertips.
"LIGHTNING SPEAR!" he roared.
A bolt of zig-zagging electricity shot from his palm like a divine lance, tearing through the ground as it raced toward the old man.
The vampire elder smirked and conjured a Blood Shield, thick and reflective like crimson glass.
The spear slammed into it with a loud CRACK, sparks flying, but the shield held strong.
The old man chuckled, brushing dust off his robe.
"Ahh, so you have lightning magic, boy. How delightful."
Olorun grinned and shot back, "Yeah? And you've got blood magic. Cute trick for a dusty grandpa."
Chiyo, catching her breath, yelled, "Olorun, listen! Blood magic's insanely powerful in the hands of a pure vampire! Don't take him lightly!"
Olorun grinned defiantly. "Yeh, well I ain't about to lose to some dusty old bastard."
The old man's eyes narrowed. "You have spirit... Such a shame."
He raised his hand, blood swirling into a dozen crimson swords floating behind him.
"Hand her over," he said coldly, "and I'll spare your life."
Chiyo froze, glancing at Olorun.
He just scratched his head and said, "Hmmmm."
Chiyo screamed, "DON'T YOU DARE BE THINKING ABOUT IT!"
Olorun laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. "Relax, Woman. I ain't selling nobody out."
The old man's face twisted into a snarl.
"Fine, then you've chosen death."
He fired the blood swords like a volley of arrows, each one whistling through the air.
At that moment, a small plop sound was heard, and a rock smacked the old man in the forehead.
He turned, furious, to see Timmy—stone-faced, holding another rock.
"Take that, you bloodsucker!" Timmy shouted.
The old man's jaw clenched. "Why, you little—"
In that split second, Olorun blurred across the field with a burst of speed, closing the distance in an instant.
With a fierce roar, "FINGER KNIFE!!" he struck.
His pinkies pierced through the old man's defenses like twin daggers, slashing across the elder's arms and shoulder with precision.
Blood splattered—but not the old man's magic blood, real blood—and he staggered back in shock.
Before he could recover, Olorun twisted midair, grabbing the old man's head with both hands and slamming him into the ground so hard the earth cracked.
"BOOM!" A shockwave rippled outward.
Olorun, panting, flopped on top of him, pinning the old man down with his full weight.
Chiyo and Timmy both cheered from the sidelines.
"Take that, you ancient bastard!" Olorun barked, fists still ready in case he moved.
The old man weakly muttered, "I... underestimated you..."
Olorun smirked, "Damn right you did."
Chiyo crossed her arms, grinning, "Not bad, Olorun... not bad at all."
Olorun stood proudly over the defeated old man, flashing a cocky grin at Chiyo and Timmy.
"Thank you, thank you!" he said, bowing dramatically like he was on a stage.
He turned back to the groaning elderly vampire and crouched down.
"Alright, grandpa. Now you're gonna start answering some questions."
Olorun tapped his pinky threateningly against the old man's forehead. "Real quick, like."
The old vampire chuckled weakly and muttered something under his breath.
Timmy leaned in closer, squinting. "Uh... what's he saying?"
Chiyo's face paled. "He said... 'summon.'"
Immediately alert, Chiyo grabbed the old man by the collar and yanked him up.
"Summon who!?" she snapped. "What the hell are you summoning!?"
The old man just grinned slyly and shifted his eyes to the left.
Chiyo and the others turned—and there, stepping out of the mist, were two figures clad in deep crimson:
Miss Red and Mr. Red.
Miss Red, a tall woman with a cruel smile, cracked her knuckles. "Well, well, Chiyo... we meet again."
Chiyo gritted her teeth. "Of course it had to be you two..."
Olorun slapped his palm against his forehead.
"Great! More vampires. 'Cause fighting one wasn't already enough cardio today!"
Timmy, trying to sound brave but still hiding behind Olorun's leg, piped up:
"Yeah! We'll beat you guys up too!"
Olorun glanced down at him.
"Kid, you're literally using me as a human shield right now."
Mr. Red chuckled darkly. "Oh, you'll get your fight, alright."
He gestured behind them. "Just as soon as you deal with... him."
Miss Red snapped her fingers sharply.
A deep, rumbling thud echoed through the clearing as a massive snow-covered beast shifted from its rocky perch above them.
The "rock" it had been lying against crumbled away as the yeti—easily the size of a house—hopped down with a ground-shaking crash, landing on all fours.
It slowly stood upright, towering over them, thick white fur bristling, cold yellow eyes staring hungrily.
Timmy's knees knocked together. "Th-that's... that's... that's a legendary beast!" he squeaked.
Olorun gulped loudly, eyes wide. "Y-yeah, it definitely looks legendary. Like, 'make your life flash before your eyes' legendary."
Chiyo took a deep breath, steeling herself.
"Alright, Olorun... I think if we work together, we can handle th—"
She turned—and froze.
"Olorun?"
Where he had been standing was now just a cloud of dust.
Off in the distance, she could see him sprinting away at full speed, arms pumping wildly like he was running a marathon for his life.
As he ran, Olorun screamed back over his shoulder:
"YOU GOT THIS, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!"
Chiyo's eye twitched violently.
"You have GOT to be kidding me."
She glanced down at Timmy for backup—only to see Timmy already following Olorun in a full-on panicked sprint, his little legs moving comically fast.
"TIMMY!?" Chiyo shouted.
From far away, she heard Timmy's tiny voice shout back,
"SORRY, CHIYO, SELF-PRESERVATION!!"
Chiyo stood there, fists clenched, veins popping on her forehead.
"Unbelievable! Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!" she yelled.
The yeti let out a thunderous roar, shaking the trees around them.
Chiyo cracked her neck, turned toward the beast, and muttered under her breath,
"Fine. Guess I'll solo this damn thing..."