An abandoned shipyard on the Hudson River stood silhouetted against the darkening sky. This derelict industrial complex served as Blade's secret base, where he and Whistler—the veteran vampire hunter who had raised him—had established their headquarters.
Blade had ventured out to replenish his supply of serum. Unlike full vampires who required human blood, his hybrid nature meant he only needed regular injections of a specialized compound to control his thirst.
Whistler, who remained at the shipyard, detected something unusual in the shadows. He suddenly recalled Blade's recent warning that they should exercise heightened caution.
Those damn bloodsuckers! Whistler grabbed a submachine gun and assumed a defensive position. Several silhouettes darted between the massive shipbuilding equipment.
Before he could identify his attackers, he felt a rush of air behind him. A powerful force slammed into his back, sending him stumbling forward. He barely managed to maintain his balance.
Spinning around, he unleashed a barrage of bullets into the darkness, but hit nothing.
"Hahahaha... hehehe..."
Mocking laughter echoed from all directions, yet the enemy remained invisible.
Whistler gritted his teeth as murderous determination rose within him. If you want me dead, you'll have to work for it.
His eyes darted to the workbench beside him. With a swift movement, he slammed his palm onto a concealed switch. Instantly, the shipyard filled with the urgent sound of blaring alarms...
When Blade raced back to the shipyard, he found only a raging inferno. Most of the massive factory roof had collapsed into the blaze.
Whistler was nowhere to be seen amid the sea of flames.
On a nearby wall, someone had left a message alongside an address: a taunting invitation for Blade to rescue Whistler—if he could.
Blade, consumed with fury, immediately departed.
Not long after he left, a weathered hand emerged from the Hudson River. Whistler dragged himself ashore with tremendous effort, his body battered and severely injured. Looking at the blazing fire consuming their base, his heart filled with despair.
As he staggered toward what remained of the entrance, he spotted the message and address on the wall. In an instant, he realized it was a trap.
The fresh tire tracks nearby confirmed his fears—Blade had already taken the bait.
Rage and frustration caused him to cough up blood. Through the pain, he remembered a phone number that Blade had shared with him. Perhaps there's still hope. He forced himself to remain conscious, determined to find a telephone booth. Maybe that mysterious ally could save Blade where he could not.
At Hopewell Sanctuary, Jason was reviewing his abilities. After his expedition to the Vampire Archives, he had opened both bronze and Iron-tier gift packages.
[Name: Jason
Age: 22 years old
Bloodline: Human
Status: Normal
Power: 27
Speed: 30 (Human bloodline limit)
Defense: 20
Constitution: 24
Will: 30 (Human bloodline limit)
Skills: Combat Master, Pistol Master, Trap Proficiency, Swimming Proficiency, Basketball Proficiency, Assault Rifle Proficiency, Diving Proficiency, Sniper Proficiency, Singing and Dancing Proficiency
Abilities: Night Vision, Compound Eyes, Dragon Chi: Burst, Infrared Vision, Electrokinesis
Items: None
Instance: Locked
Alternate Universe: Locked
Main task: Those who are guilty must be punished
Iron-tier target: 13/27
Bronze-tier target: 9/27
Silver-tier target: 0/3
Latest mission:
Gold-tier target: 0/1
Creed: Kill to gain redemption]
His progression was slowing considerably. Finding silver-level target to hunt had become increasingly challenging.
Maybe I should crash the vampires' blood feast again? He considered, but Deacon Frost hadn't held another gathering since their last encounter.
As Jason pondered his next move, the phone rang. A dry, weak voice rasped through the receiver.
"Is this... is this Iron Man? Save... save... Blade!"
Whistler struggled to explain the situation, his words fragmented and urgent. Jason couldn't help but sigh. "Blade, you stubborn son of a bitch. Why didn't you call me when you walked into this trap?"
Don't you realize your mother is being held by the enemy? Can you really go through with this? Why couldn't you wait until I extracted her before confronting Frost? So impulsive!
Despite his frustration, Jason began gathering his equipment for the rescue mission. If his information was correct, Frost had captured twelve pure-blood vampire elders.
Eliminating them would yield at least two silver-level gift packages, plus various other rewards. With luck, this could significantly boost his abilities.
Before departing, he stopped by the hospital where Dr. Karen worked. At his request, she had developed an anticoagulant compound—a substance that was essentially lethal poison to vampires.
In the original timeline, this serum had been crucial to Blade's victory. Frost, after absorbing the La Magra's power, had shed almost all vampire weaknesses and became nearly invincible. Only with this anticoagulant had Blade managed to turn the tide and destroy him.
When Jason arrived at the address Whistler had provided, he found an empty building.
Shattered glass and bullet-riddled walls told the story of the fierce battle that had taken place. Jason rubbed his face in frustration. It appeared Blade had been captured without much difficulty.
What good is being nearly invincible when your mother is held hostage? The most devastating weakness is knowing your mother is helping your enemies. Right now, she's probably pouring Blade's blood over the ritual altar.
Jason immediately contacted David. "Have you located the altar?"
David's steady voice replied, "I've narrowed it down. There aren't many major construction projects around New York recently—about a hundred total. Excluding publicly documented construction sites, we're left with roughly a dozen possibilities."
"Further eliminating military and government installations leaves us with three potential locations. I hacked into surveillance cameras near your position and traced the direction their convoy headed. Only one site matches all criteria."
"It's a carefully concealed underground facility. I'm sending the route to you now..."
As Jason sped toward a heavily shielded building, his system chimed with a notification:
[Ding, temporary task issued: Kill the vampire!
Mission content: New York is in danger. Save it, Knight of the God of Punishment.
Mission duration: Indefinite
Mission Rewards: Reward packages will be given based on completion status.]
Jason felt a surge of anticipation. His last ability upgrade card had come from a Side Mission. If he could secure another, perhaps he could truly become the Electro he envisioned.
Or maybe even develop a dragon transformation? Let's do this, Frost—I'm coming for you!
However, the moment he infiltrated the underground altar, he realized something was wrong. There were far more enemies than anticipated.
And he had arrived too late—the sacrifice had already begun.
In the main ritual chamber, a dark mystical wind swirled violently, producing an ominous rumbling. With his spirit attribute at the human limit, Jason sensed the imminent arrival of a power beyond anything he had encountered.
After swallowing hard, he immediately revised his battle plan. Hold on, Blade. I'm here to save you.
In a hidden chamber above the altar, he found Blade trapped between two massive stones. Silver stakes pierced his hands and feet, his blood steadily draining away as his life ebbed.
Jason activated the mechanism that controlled the stones. They separated, allowing Blade's limp body to collapse to the ground.
In the original timeline, Dr. Karen had sacrificed herself at this moment, allowing Blade to restore his strength by drinking her blood, dramatically increasing his power before confronting the villain.
Of course, Jason had no intention of offering his own blood. He had come prepared. While at the hospital collecting the anticoagulant, he had also procured several bags of unclaimed blood. He hadn't expected to need them so soon.
After consuming the blood, Blade quickly regained consciousness. He looked up in surprise at his rescuer. "Iron Man? What are you doing here?"
"Saving your life, obviously. If I hadn't shown up, you'd be dead by now," Jason replied bluntly. "Whistler sent me to find you."
Blade's eyes widened. "He's alive?"
"If he hadn't called me, you would have died before him. For someone who's survived so many battles, your recklessness is astounding."
A hint of color rose in Blade's dark face. "I was trying to save lives! When time means life or death, there's no room for hesitation."
Jason tossed him the anticoagulant—a dozen syringes filled with turquoise-colored fluid.
"This is an anticoagulant serum. Inject it into a vampire, and they're done for. Save it for the vampires—not their human followers."
Jason stood up and stepped aside with a dramatic gesture. "Alright, hero. Now go defeat that bastard Frost!"