"I didn't ask for your permission to send your men on that mission. I'll admit that much."
Ashera's voice was measured, controlled, the tone of someone trying to maintain authority. "But right now, your subordinates are in serious danger, and you want me to keep you here waiting?"
Even the normally composed Guren Ichinose had reached his breaking point.
Ever since his girlfriend had been taken from him and his closest friend had fallen in battle, Guren had changed. The weight of those losses had transformed him. Now, his three remaining subordinates weren't just soldiers under his command, they were his family. His only family left in this world.
Ashera wasn't backing down. "They're soldiers, not children! It's their duty to obey orders! They hold weapons, which means they fight for me!"
His expression hardened as he gestured toward Guren's injuries. "And as for you, look at yourself. You're wrapped up like a mummy. Do you honestly think you're in any condition to run out there and save anyone?"
The argument between the two had escalated to the point where it drew the attention of everyone else in the command center.
No one even noticed when Victor and his group arrived.
It wasn't until two deliberate coughs cut through the tension that everyone's attention shifted to the doorway.
"Ahem! Lord Ashera, Lord Krul has arrived."
"Krul?!"
Ashera's eyes lit up instantly. He spun around to face the entrance, and sure enough, there stood his beloved sister.
"Krul! Victor! Thank god you're finally here!" Relief flooded his voice. "If you hadn't shown up, I was starting to think the world was going to end."
At the same time, Guren's attention had also snapped toward the newcomers. But his focus zeroed in on one figure in particular. When his eyes landed on her, they widened in disbelief.
"Mahiru... Is it really you?"
"Ah, Guren. Surprised to see me?" Mahiru brushed a strand of hair away from her ear, offering him a gentle smile. "Though you're right to be shocked. It must be jarring to see someone who's been dead standing in front of you."
That familiar gesture. That familiar way of speaking. That familiar tone.
It was unmistakably Mahiru.
The confirmation sent a surge of emotion through Guren. Ignoring the pain radiating through his injured body, he pushed himself forward and opened his arms to embrace her.
Mahiru took half a step back, easily avoiding him.
Guren's arms closed on empty air. Confused, he looked at her.
"Mahiru? W-why?"
The small rejection, that single half-step backward, it hurt worse than any of his injuries.
Mahiru sighed softly. "Guren, I'm not the person I used to be. The relationship you and I had... that's not what we should have anymore."
As she spoke, she unconsciously took two more steps toward Victor's side.
"I think it's better if we don't stay in contact. I'd hate for there to be any... misunderstandings."
Victor, who had been quietly observing the drama unfold, blinked. "???"
Watching this scene play out, something inside Guren shattered.
"No. This can't be right. You're not Mahiru. The real Mahiru would never say something like that!"
His gaze snapped to Victor, fury blazing in his eyes. "It's you, isn't it? You must have done something to control her mind!"
Before anyone could react, Guren stormed toward Victor, reaching out to grab him by the collar.
Victor's expression darkened. His hand began to move, preparing to deliver a lesson in respect.
But before he could act, Mahiru stepped forward and caught Guren's arm mid-reach.
WHAM.
With a fluid over-the-shoulder throw, Mahiru slammed Guren into the ground.
She crouched down beside him, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "You're wrong. I was the one whose mind was controlled before. But now? This is the real me."
Whenever Mahiru thought back to the time when her consciousness had been suppressed, rage bubbled up inside her. She wanted nothing more than to drag the Four-Scythe Boy out of whatever hole he was hiding in and beat him senseless.
It was all his fault. Because of him, she'd given her first kiss to Guren, someone she now felt nothing for.
Still... technically, she'd been reborn since then. So in a way, her first kiss was still intact.
The thought cooled her anger slightly.
"Pffft!"
Guren's already fragile mental state couldn't withstand this final blow.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot, knocked unconscious by sheer emotional devastation.
Mahiru released his arm, and within moments, a group of soldiers rushed over to carry him out.
Once the brief commotion died down, it was quickly forgotten by everyone present.
Victor refocused on the matter at hand. "Alright, let's talk about your current situation."
"It's bad. Really bad." Ashera's expression turned grim. "Nagoya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Osaka... dozens of regions have fallen. The enemy has occupied more than ninety percent of Japan's territory."
"Our forces have taken heavy casualties from repeated battles. We're down to less than fifteen thousand people total, and of those, fewer than four thousand are combat personnel."
"About two thousand vampires and a thousand humans."
Under the relentless assault of the otherworldly creatures, ancient enemies, vampires and humans, had set aside their grudges and formed a resistance coalition.
Unfortunately, the gap in strength between them and the invaders was too great. Even united, they'd been unable to stop the enemy's advance.
"Don't worry," Shinoa said firmly. "Now that we're back, we'll wipe out every last one of them."
This was her homeland, after all.
Seeing it ravaged like this ignited a fire of anger in her chest.
Just then, ten human soldiers burst into the command center.
"Report to Lord Ashera! We've received the latest transmission from the Moon Demon Company!"
Ashera straightened. "What's the situation?"
"The mission failed, sir. They couldn't get close to the Blood Nest."
"Tsk. Figures..."
Ashera had expected as much.
Victor frowned. "What's a Blood Nest?"
Before Ashera could answer, Von Skruud stepped forward to explain. "The 'Blood Nest' is what we're calling the enemy's dimensional portal."
"It looks like a spire made of flesh, blood, and bone. That's why we call it the Blood Nest."
Ashera nodded. "The Blood Nest continuously transports creatures from the other dimension into our world."
"In order to cut off the enemy's reinforcements, I sent an elite team to destroy it earlier. Unfortunately, as you just heard, the mission failed."
"A portal to another world? Interesting."
Victor's interest was immediately piqued. "Where's this Blood Nest located? I'll go take a look."
If they could use the Blood Nest to cross into the enemy's dimension, they might be able to launch a counterattack on their home turf. Maybe they could even wipe out the entire invasion force at its source.
A complete, permanent solution.
"The Blood Nest is inside the former Third Vampire City of Sanguinem."
Krul's eyes flashed with fury.
"Those bastards occupied my city!"
"Master, I'm coming with you too!"
"No problem."
"Me too!"
"And me!"
Both Shinoa and Mahiru voiced their desire to join the mission, but Victor shook his head.
"You two stay here. Protect the people at this base in case the enemy launches a surprise attack."
"...Alright."
Though neither of them wanted to stay behind, they ultimately accepted Victor's decision.