Amid the Tepes Castle's underground colosseum, chaos reigned.
Cloaked in darkness and echoing screams, the circular arena was consumed in battle.
At its center stood Cao Cao, holding the unconscious half-vampire girl tightly in his arms.
Valerie's frail body trembled weakly, her short blond hair sticky with sweat, her ragged breaths barely audible above the clash of steel and the crackling energy of holy light.
Around them, the vampires closed in like wolves, hundreds of High-Class knights clad in crimson and black armor, their fangs bared and eyes glowing with bloodlust.
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and called over his shoulder.
"Connla! Can you get us out of here?!"
His True Longinus hovered beside him, stabbing and lancing out with beams of searing holy energy, each strike obliterating vampires in flashes of silver fire.
The spear's light was relentless, burning through shadows and driving the creatures back.
Connla, on the other side of the battlefield, Aeon Balor in full drive, his black shades discarded, revealing his abyss black eyes.
Shadow tentacles erupted from the ground, slashing and strangling vampires.
A massive shadow cyclops loomed behind him and crushed multiple enemies under its massive fists.
In Connla's hands were two jagged spears of darkness, which he spun and hurled with lethal precision, decapitating more vampires as their blood painted the arena in streaks.
He growled in frustration.
"I can't focus while we're getting surrounded! We have to clear them out first!"
Overlooking the slaughter was Marius Tepes, seated comfortably in his elevated throne above the colosseum.
With casual arrogance, he sipped fresh blood from a crystal goblet, the corners of his mouth curved into a lazy smile as he watched the two intruders fight for their lives.
"The two of you are amusing. Watching humans struggle is always delightful. But let's not drag this out, shall we?"
Marius drawled.
He leaned forward, voice echoing with mocking gravity.
"Hand over the girl, and we'll consider making your deaths quick. What do you say?"
Cao Cao spun mid-air and unleashed a holy beam that vaporized a charging vampire knight.
He gritted his teeth as Valerie's hand weakly clutched his cloak, her voice barely above a whisper.
"P-please... d-don't..."
She was suffering from being here, and that made his grip on her tighten.
"How about this, asshole? You let the three of us walk out of here, and we'll make sure our boss leaves at least a few of your kind alive instead of wiping out your entire race tonight."
Cao Cao snapped, floating slightly above the ground, now using his spear.
Marius chuckled.
"A hollow threat. The Red Dragon Emperor is nothing to us. So what if he slew a god? It's nothing compared to what we will achieve very soon."
Down below, Connla stabbed another vampire through the chest and flung the corpse into two more behind it.
Marius raised his goblet again, eyes gleaming with mad confidence.
"We have the Holy Grail and the support of the Old Satan Faction. With that… a new age of chaos shall dawn. A world ruled by the true masters of darkness. The Tepes Faction shall be its new rulers."
More vampires flooded in through the archways, hundreds upon hundreds forming tight formations around the intruders.
Connla appeared beside Cao Cao in a blur of shadow, breathing heavily as he slashed another knight's throat before catching his breath.
They stood back-to-back now, surrounded.
"This is bad. We're getting nowhere."
Connla muttered.
Marius tilted his head mockingly.
"Looks like the end of the line for you. Any last words?"
Cao Cao glanced over his shoulder.
His expression had shifted to calm as he sighed in resolve.
"Connla... Take Valerie."
Connla blinked, startled, as Cao Cao passed the unconscious girl into his arms.
"What? Why?"
"Trust me. I'm about to do something crazy."
Cao Cao's voice was firm, and his eyes didn't leave the circling vampires.
His floating spear returned to his grip with a slow hum of holy energy.
Connla adjusted Valerie, holding her with care.
"What are you planning?"
Above them, Marius sneered.
"Whatever you're about to do, it will amount to nothing. You're surrounded by hundreds of my finest knights. What exactly is that glowing pointy stick going to accomplish?"
Cao Cao smirked.
"This."
He raised his True Longinus toward the sky.
A sudden wind swept across the colosseum, and then...
"BALANCE BREAKER!!!"
A pillar of golden-white light exploded upward from his body, illuminating the arena like the sun had erupted beneath their feet.
The holy aura surged outward, forcing back the approaching vampires with sheer radiance.
Many recoiled in agony, shielding their eyes, hissing as their skin began to smoke.
Even Marius flinched and covered his face with his cloak, cursing under his breath.
Connla quickly activated his Aeon Balor again, casting a dome of shadows to shield himself and Valerie, his shades returned just in time to soften the blinding blast.
When the light died down, Cao Cao stood transformed.
Now clad in a radiant golden Centurion armor that shimmered with divine energy, and ten angelic wings behind him, making him hover in the air.
"True Longinus Götterdämmerung."
Marius' eyes widened in disbelief at the overwhelming power Cao Cao was emitting.
"That… That's not possible. Even with the True Longinus, you're just a human! How can you achieve such power?!"
Connla's eyes widened behind his shades.
"You had a Balance Breaker this whole time?"
Cao Cao glanced down at him, still calm.
"This is the first time I've used it. I was saving it for a proper spar with Arthur."
He cracked his neck and snapped his fingers; the feathers from his angelic wings detached and transformed into hundreds of light spears.
"But I suppose now's the perfect time for a test drive. These bastards are perfect for target practice."
Marius's eyes darkened.
"Kill them! All of them!"
But even the vampire knights hesitated.
The holy light Cao Cao emitted was agonizing to them.
Just standing near him made their skin blister and bones ache.
Still, driven by orders and fanaticism, they began to move.
Cao Cao flew higher, his light spears aimed towards the vampires.
He pointed one directly at the charging front line.
"Say your prayers, leeches... Not that it'll change a damn thing."
The spears rotated like a drill, and then Cao Cao fired.
The spears of holy light flew down from the sky, tearing through the vampire army, causing bright explosions.
Screams echoed as holy light tore bodies apart, obliterating dozens in seconds.
The battle for survival had become a one-sided massacre, and it was only just beginning.
DxD
Some time before the battle.
Far from the Tepes Castle, under the moonlight, a silent town lay shrouded in an unnatural stillness.
The streets were empty, not a whisper of wind, not a single bark or chirp.
There was no life in this place, only the heavy sense of dread, but walking calmly down the cobbled path were two figures.
Siegfried, with his Demon Swords sheathed lazily behind him, and Heracles, arms behind his head as he looked around with boredom in his eyes.
Siegfried let out a long, tired yawn, stretching his arms behind his head.
"So... remind me again why we got stuck with this job?"
Heracles didn't even look at him.
"Because we lost the draw, remember? Now it's our mission to poke around this creepy little village and find out if the kiddos or anyone that is not after their necks are here."
Siegfried frowned and glanced around.
"I don't like this place. It's too quiet. You feel that?"
"Yeah... They're watching us. From behind the windows and the alleys."
Heracles muttered.
From behind drawn curtains and barely cracked shutters, pairs of fearful eyes glinted in the gloom.
No one made a sound, no one dared speak, but the atmosphere wasn't one of hostility.
It was fear.
"Weird. Wouldn't they usually try to rip our throats out by now? I mean, come on. We're two hot-blooded humans, and this is vampire territory. But all they do is watch cautiously."
Heracles muttered.
Siegfried nodded, his expression darkening.
"Let's try something out."
They turned and walked toward one of the larger homes in the street, still small, but better maintained than the others.
Siegfried stepped up and knocked three times.
"Hello? We've been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty."
There was a pause, then a feminine and mature voice replied.
"Go away!"
Heracles rolled his eyes and stepped forward.
"We're not here to cause trouble, ma'am. Just have a few questions. Be great if you could help us out."
The voice snapped back with more force.
"I said, go away!"
Siegfried sighed and leaned closer to the door.
"Listen, lady. We're looking for missing kids. We're not leaving until we find them. So, either you open up and help us, or we break in and make this super awkward."
There was a long pause.
Then a series of locks clicked from the other side.
The door opened cautiously, revealing a woman standing in the doorway, tall, elegant, and strangely beautiful in a worn-out sort of way.
Her hair was a deep brunette, cascading over her shoulders, and her skin was pale.
But it was her light red eyes that caught both boys off guard.
"You're a vampire?"
Heracles blinked.
The woman narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed.
"What I am is none of your concern. What matters is that you two shouldn't be here. Humans aren't treated well in this town."
Siegfried stepped back slightly, his hand never far from the hilt of his sword.
"Yeah, we kinda figured that out already. But we're not tourists. We're here on business. And we'd really appreciate your help if you have anything useful to offer."
She hesitated.
She looked around, her eyes moved from house to house, checking windows, rooftops, and shadowed corners.
Then she stepped aside.
"Get in. Quickly."
Siegfried raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah... we're not doing that."
"You want my help or not?"
She snapped without looking back.
The two boys exchanged a silent glance before stepping inside.
She shut the door immediately and began locking it again.
She wasn't taking chances.
The interior was sparse.
A small kitchen, a modest sitting room, and a long dining table that looked like it hadn't been used in years.
"Sit."
The woman gestured to the chairs and disappeared into the kitchen.
She returned with two glasses of water and placed them gently in front of them.
"This is all I can offer."
She said, sitting across the table.
Siegfried declined with a shake of his head.
"Thanks, but I'm good."
Heracles grabbed his cup without hesitation and chugged it down before reaching over and swiping Siegfried's.
"Sorry. Kinda thirsty."
The woman watched them carefully before placing her hands on the table.
"So, what do you want to know?"
She asked quietly.
Siegfried leaned forward.
"We're looking for missing children. Possibly dragged here by vampires. Did you see anything?"
She frowned.
"Sorry to say this, but I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary that catches my attention. But... a few nights ago, I saw a black carriage pass through town. Driven by the vampires from Tepes Castle. They were moving wooden boxes into the town hall, where they used it as a base."
Heracles and Siegfried locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between them.
"You think they're in the boxes?"
Heracles asked Siegfried.
"Maybe. We might as well check it out, just in case.
Siegfried murmured.
The woman's face fell slightly.
Her voice dropped.
"If they're here… it may already be too late."
Heracles narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
She looked at them carefully.
"When you came into the town… did you see a single human?"
Siegfried shrugged.
"No. Obviously not. This is a vampire town, isn't it?"
"You're wrong... This isn't a vampire town."
She said softly.
They stared at her.
"It's a town for damphirs like me."
Silence.
She continued slowly, her voice steady but laced with bitterness.
"Some time ago, the high-ranking vampires realized something. They couldn't just roam the world hunting humans or other species anymore. Too many pantheons. Too many eyes. The Church. The Grigori. Even other Devils. But if they can't hunt for blood, they'd be wiped out."
Heracles frowned.
"Why not just drink animal blood?"
She looked at him with resentment.
"They can. But they won't. Among vampires, drinking animal blood is considered weak. Shameful. Degrading. So... the Tepes family figured out a better way. They started kidnapping women, human women, mostly. Sometimes Fallen Angels. Sometimes even Devils. For variety."
Siegfried's voice dropped.
"...What did they do?"
The woman didn't blink.
"They raped and impregnated them. All of them."
Heracles stood up slowly, fists clenched.
Siegfried went silent, his jaw clenched from the horrible image.
She continued, voice low.
"The babies were born. Damphirs. The mothers were kept alive only to be used as living bloodbags and sex slaves. Eventually, they died. And when the children were old enough, the vampires did the same thing to them. In this place, a town was built as a blood factory and a prison. Most of us are female damphirs. Raised to be obedient and to serve."
She placed a hand on her chest.
"I'm the last of the first generation. The first batch. And if those children you're looking for are here... they're probably the next."
She paused.
"Because, from what we heard from the previous visitors, the current generation is going stale."
The silence that followed was crushing.
Heracles' expression was pure rage.
"Those sick pieces of bat shits."
"Looks like we know where to go next."
Siegfried stood abruptly, and they walked to the door.
"Wait!"
The woman called out, standing as well.
"The town hall is not just a normal building. It's a fortress. Dozens of powerful vampires are stationed there. If you two go in there... you'll die."
Siegfried paused at the door, one hand on the knob.
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"Thanks for the help, miss. We appreciate it."
Heracles gave her a determined look.
"And thanks for the water. Don't worry. We'll be back. And when we do, we'll save all of you."
They stepped out and shut the door behind them.
The woman stood alone in the silence.
She stared at the closed door for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she turned, slowly sat at the table, and whispered to herself.
"...Fools."
She exhaled and rubbed her face, voice breaking slightly.
"Don't give me hope... I've already lost too much doing so."
...
"So… this is the place?"
Siegfried asked, adjusting the grip on his sheathed blade.
Heracles squinted at the heavy gates.
"Maybe. Looks ugly enough to be it."
The building in front of them didn't look like a typical government building.
Instead, it stood like a fortified castle rather than a town hall.
Siegfried exhaled through his nose as he and Heracles stood before it, their boots sinking slightly into the damp stone path.
"How exactly are we gonna do this? Break in and go guns blazing? Or… I don't know, sneak around ninja style or something?"
Heracles grinned ear to ear like a man who had never once considered stealth an option.
"Simple."
He took a deep breath and bellowed with all the subtlety of an elephant.
"HOT MILFS IN YOUR AREA! WHOLESOME AND RIPE MOTHERS WITH CHILD-BEARING HIPS AND FRESH BLOOD READY TO BE SUCKED DRY! COME AND GET 'EM!"
The echo rang across the entire square, bouncing off the buildings.
Siegfried stood there frozen, his jaw halfway to the ground.
"What the actual-WHAT THE FUCK, DUDE!?"
He shouted, turning to Heracles with a look of shock.
But before he could ask, a chorus of shrieks rang out in the distance.
The doors of the town hall groaned open like a beast waking from slumber, and from the shadows, a swarm of vampires emerged with red eyes glowing and fangs flashing.
They came from alleys, from windows, from the rooftops, a flood of bloodthirsty predators surrounding the duo like sharks encircling prey.
Siegfried turned back toward the horde, wide-eyed.
"Holy shit, it actually worked."
He muttered, his jaw dropped.
Heracles puffed his chest out with a grin.
"Told ya. Never underestimate good marketing."
The vampires laughed as they closed in, amused by the scene in front of them.
"Are you two idiots lost? This isn't some tourist attraction for suicidal humans. Or maybe you want to die, eh?"
"Pathetic. You thought shouting would get you somewhere in our hunting territory?"
"Maybe they're just snacks trying to look tough. How adorable."
The laughter grew louder, more cruel, surrounding them in a circle of mockery and malice.
Heracles simply tilted his head.
"Good evening. Would any of you lovely degenerates happen to know where the nearest stolen orphans are being held?"
That caused a pause.
Then, more laughter erupted from the vampires.
"What's it to you, meatbag?"
"And what if we don't tell you?"
"Yeah! What if we just rip your guts out and paint the ground red?"
Siegfried finally let out a slow sigh, brushing his fingers along the hilt of his blade as he shook his head.
"Then we might as well force you pricks to talk."
A second later, Heracles raised his foot and stomped down.
The stone bricks beneath his boot exploded, and a brilliant surge of orange aura erupted from his body.
It radiated outward like an explosive aura, his muscles flexing under his coat as the ground beneath them trembled.
Siegfried, not to be outdone, unsheathed his Demon Sword, Gram, which shimmered as it pulsated with dragonic malice.
The vampires hissed and recoiled for a moment, sensing that these humans weren't ordinary.
Heracles cracked his knuckles, fire in his grin.
"So… who wants to volunteer to die first?"
Siegfried rolled his neck, the light of Gram flickering across his sharp eyes.
"Let's dance, you bloodsuckers."
With a shriek, the vampires charged.
And the battle began.
DxD
Hello readers!
I have discovered the power of Grammarly!
Also, here's another chapter for the troubles, so empty your pockets for Power Stones.
Thank you, everyone, and see you later!