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In a luxurious hall, several well-dressed people of different skin tones sat around a round table.
"Q's been taken."
One of them spoke slowly, without a trace of emotion in their voice—like a robot.
"Taken? Fays, what the hell are you doing?! Do you even realize how important Q is?!"
As soon as the words came out, one of them lost it, slamming the table and shouting in rage.
Another person nearby glanced at the guy who was yelling, a look of disdain in his eyes.
"Watch your tone. Do you even know who you're talking to?"
"Hah! Jonas, your master hasn't said a word yet, and here you are barking already. Trying to show your loyalty like a good little dog?"
A mocking, sarcastic voice chimed in. The man leaned back in his soft chair, grinning weirdly at Jonas.
"Krapen, are you itching for a beating? Want me to loosen up your bones for you?"
"Ooh, someone's mad now. What a good dog you are. Lord Fays, I'd really love to know what kind of kibble you've been feeding him to make him this loyal."
"Krapen, you bastard!"
Jonas couldn't take it anymore. He slammed the table and stood up, ready to go at him.
Seeing Jonas stand, a vampire who sided with Krapen immediately stood too—clearly ready to throw down.
The rest of the vampire leaders just looked on with amused expressions, like they were watching a circus.
"That's enough, Jonas. Sit down."
Finally, a man sitting in the corner—Fays—spoke.
He stood up slowly and gave the other vampires a polite, gentlemanly bow.
"About Q—I apologize to everyone. This was my mistake. I didn't expect those two self-proclaimed Kamen Riders to stir up this much trouble.
But I promise you all, I'll handle the Kamen Rider issue. They won't interfere with our plans again."
One of the vampire leaders gave Fays a playful smirk.
"And why should we believe you? You swore to us you'd 'convert' those two little pets of yours and make them work for us. But now your pet dog and pet fish have not only betrayed us—they took a big guy with them, too. So how do you explain that?"
A flash of irritation crossed Fays' eyes, but he hid it well.
"Relax. Those two are nothing but clowns. Let them make noise—it won't amount to anything."
Another vampire leader chimed in with a laugh.
"Oh yeah? Didn't you say the same thing about the Kamen Riders? And now they've taken out thousands of our vampire soldiers—plus two of your elite Ascended—and stole Q right from under your nose. How do you know your little 'pets' won't turn into the next Kamen Riders?"
That one hit a nerve. Fays' expression darkened. After all, those two elite Ascended were his people. No doubt about it—these other leaders were ganging up to put him down.
"I already said the Kamen Rider situation was my mistake, and I've already apologized to everyone—"
"Apologies don't solve problems."
One of the leaders cut him off mid-sentence.
"Then what do you want?" Fays asked through gritted teeth.
"A plan. A real solution. We won't rest easy until the troublemakers are taken care of. So tell us—do you have a way to deal with the Kamen Riders?"
Fays' fists clenched at the guy's taunting tone, but the next second, he smiled.
"A plan? Of course I have one. In fact, it's already in motion."
"What?" the leader looked genuinely surprised.
"The Blood God Array."
The hall immediately burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Fays, have you completely lost it?"
"If you didn't have a real plan, you didn't need to dig up that failed one just to save face!"
"Haha! Funniest joke I've heard in decades!"
As the others laughed, Jonas couldn't take it anymore. He transformed into a Fang Vampire on the spot.
"How dare you mock Lord Fays—you're dead meat!"
"Hah, bring it on. I'd love to see what tricks a loyal dog like you has up his sleeve."
The vampire leaders didn't back down at all—they transformed too, and it looked like the whole meeting was about to explode into a brawl.
"ENOUGH!"
A hoarse voice boomed through the room. An old bald man in a black robe, hunched over, walked in.
"Elder!"
The leaders all stopped and turned to look at him.
The old man scanned the room, looking at all the leaders in their vampire forms.
"Times have changed, huh? You've all grown so bold. I guess the future really does belong to you lot."
He muttered as he walked to the head seat, which had been left empty.
"Sit down, everyone."
At the Elder's words, the leaders finally canceled their transformations and sat.
Only Jonas stayed in his vampire form, until a look from Fays made him revert and sit too.
"Alright, Fays, tell us your plan. I don't think someone of your intelligence would only have a failed plan to show."
Fays gave the Elder a respectful nod and began.
"Thank you, Elder. Leaders, let me explain my real plan—it's called 'Luring the Snake from the Hole.'"
The Blood God Array was just bait to lure the Kamen Riders out.
Fays knew that the white Rider, Ixa, was none other than their old acquaintance, the vampire hunter Blade—Erik. Since Erik had been involved in stopping the Blood God Plan before, there's no way he'd let it happen again.
As for the red Rider—Fays didn't know his true identity, but he did know he was Erik's partner. Wherever Erik showed up, that guy would follow.
So the plan was simple: use the Blood God Array to draw them out, then wipe them out in one blow.
The Elder nodded slowly after hearing the plan.
"Well? Anyone else got something to say?"
None of the leaders spoke. What was there to say at this point?
"Then this meeting is over."
The Elder stood to leave.
"Wait! What about Q?"
One of the leaders suddenly asked.
The Elder replied calmly.
"That's your problem. Whoever catches Q gets to keep them."
Fays' expression froze. That was a warning. Q had always been under his control. But now the Elder was saying it's up for grabs—that meant he'd lost trust.
"That's it. Go on, now. Don't come bothering this old man unless it's something important."
With that, he left the hall, supported by his attendants.
"Lord Fays."
As they walked out, Jonas caught up to Fays.
"What is it, Jonas?"
"There's something I don't understand."
"Go on."
"Why didn't the Elder evolve like the rest of us?"
A flicker of disdain crossed Fays' eyes.
"Hah. He's just an old relic the world left behind. He just doesn't want to admit he's obsolete. How much longer do you think he can keep that Elder seat, anyway?"
"....."