Not a vampire! But what exactly is this kid doing? Did he really intend to enter a vampire gathering place?
The man watching had a big question mark hanging over his head. However, his curiosity did not deter him from taking the next action. He remained hidden, observing the boy's every move with growing intrigue.
Lin Mei, unfazed by the danger ahead, swiftly melted the silver jewelry he had collected with his bare hands. Using his raw but unrefined magical abilities, he attempted to mold the molten silver into a weapon. Unfortunately, Lin Mei had yet to fully master the power of the dragon, which made his control over fire-attribute dragon-killing magic appear clumsy and unpolished. As a result, he could only form a crude, short silver cone instead of a more sophisticated weapon. If he had truly mastered his fire-based abilities, he might have been able to forge something more effective—perhaps a dagger or even a sword. But for now, this would have to do.
With his makeshift weapon in hand, Lin Mei advanced towards the vampire gathering point, his expression calm and resolute. The deeper he ventured into the eerie, dimly lit alley, the more palpable the air of dread became. Soon, he found himself standing in front of a rusted iron door that reeked of old blood and decay. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and something more sinister—something unmistakably inhuman.
Lin Mei raised his fist and knocked decisively on the door. The sound echoed in the silence. He waited, his pulse steady, his stance unwavering.
Unlike Bob, the vampire inside did not immediately open the door. Instead, there was a moment of hesitation, followed by the sliding of a small peephole. Through the narrow opening, a pair of glowing red eyes peered at Lin Mei's youthful face, partially concealed under the hood of his cloak.
"Go away! Shoo! Shoo! There are no costume parties here!" The vampire inside snapped impatiently.
Clearly, the creature saw Lin Mei as nothing more than an annoyance, a lost child who had wandered into the wrong place. After all, what business did a seemingly ordinary boy have in a den of vampires? In such a sinister and secretive place, a lone child was more than suspicious—it was almost laughable.
But Lin Mei did not waver. Lowering his voice to sound more composed, he responded smoothly, "I have something to discuss with Bob. He told me there was a carnival party here tonight and invited me."
The vampire behind the door hesitated. There was a brief silence as he considered Lin Mei's words. Eventually, curiosity and the lure of fresh blood seemed to win over his caution. The iron gate groaned as it slowly opened a crack, and a pale, skeletal hand emerged, gesturing for Lin Mei to enter.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Mei swiftly slipped through the opening. Once inside, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim lighting, revealing the looming figure of a vampire standing just beyond the threshold. The creature was large and imposing, his eyes gleaming with an unmistakable hunger. His gaze was locked onto Lin Mei, filled with a twisted sense of desire, as if the boy were a rare delicacy.
"So, Bob invited you, did he?" The vampire sneered, licking his lips. "Very well, come with me."
Lin Mei remained expressionless. Deep inside, he could feel the insatiable hunger in the vampire's eyes. These creatures had likely lured many unsuspecting victims into this place under the guise of parties or gatherings. He knew that if he let his guard down for even a moment, he would become nothing more than another unfortunate soul devoured by these monsters.
"Where is Bob?" Lin Mei asked, feigning impatience. "I don't see him. He said he'd be here."
The vampire smirked but did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned and began walking towards the stairway that led deeper into the building. It was clear that he had no intention of letting Lin Mei leave alive. He was luring him further in, away from the exit, where he could feast at his leisure.
Lin Mei's mind raced. He could not afford to let himself be trapped. He needed to act now.
Summoning the power of lightning into his left hand, he moved with speed and precision, closing the gap between himself and the vampire in just two quick strides. The vampire sensed the movement and tensed, but he had been too preoccupied with his hunger to expect an attack.
Lin Mei leapt onto the vampire's back, his left hand clamping over the creature's mouth and nose to prevent any sound from escaping. At the same time, his right hand, gripping the silver cone, drove the weapon straight into the vampire's heart.
There was no scream. No struggle. Only the silent disintegration of the vampire's body into fine ashes that scattered onto the cold stone floor.
Lin Mei did not waste a second. Without pausing, he moved deeper into the gathering place, his every sense on high alert.
Unbeknownst to him, someone else had been watching.
From his hidden vantage point, a figure observed Lin Mei's swift and efficient movements with interest. The figure, known as Blade, had been tailing Lin Mei for quite some time. Through the crack in the door, he had witnessed the boy's ruthless precision—the way he executed his kill without hesitation. It was impressive.
As soon as the iron gate lost its guardian, Blade made his move. With the confidence of a seasoned hunter, the Sun Walker vampire hunter stepped inside, blending effortlessly into the darkness of the vampire gathering place.
"Interesting," Blade murmured to himself. "This kid moves like a seasoned warrior... but who is he, really?"
Unaware of Blade's presence, Lin Mei pressed forward, determined to uncover the secrets lurking within this vampire stronghold. But little did he know, his actions had already drawn the attention of forces far greater than he had anticipated.
At the same time, Blade's curiosity about Lin Mei's identity deepened.
Who was this boy who could mold a short silver weapon with his bare hands and execute a vampire with such ruthless efficiency? It was not a skill just anyone possessed. Watching from the shadows, Blade narrowed his eyes, making a mental note to keep an even closer watch on him.
Meanwhile, after eliminating the vampire guarding the entrance, Lin Mei proceeded down a narrow, winding staircase. The air grew heavier with each step, carrying with it a blend of metallic blood, damp stone, and something else—something sickly sweet and unnatural. His heightened senses quickly picked up on the pulsating sound of loud electronic music booming from deeper within the underground structure.
As he reached the end of the passage, an overwhelming sight unfolded before him.
Lin Mei found himself standing at the entrance of a massive underground hall, illuminated by flashing neon lights that painted the space in surreal colors. It was a strange and twisted scene, resembling an underground nightclub, complete with a bar and a dance floor. The vampires within were lost in a frenzied revelry, their movements both hypnotic and grotesque. Some danced with unnatural fluidity, their limbs twisting in ways that defied human anatomy, while others moved at impossibly high speeds, a blur of shadows under the pulsing strobe lights.
The suffocating scent of blood hung thick in the air, mingling with alcohol and other unknown substances. For Lin Mei, whose sense of smell was especially keen, the intensity of the odor was almost nauseating. He instinctively brought a hand to his nose, trying to suppress the discomfort as he surveyed his surroundings.
His eyes scanned the room, quickly taking stock of the number of vampires present. Around the dance floor, sleek bars were scattered, where vampires lounged casually, sipping from wine glasses filled with a thick, crimson liquid. Occasionally, they raised their glasses in eerie toasts, the clinking of crystal reverberating through the air like an ominous melody. The liquid inside shimmered under the flashing lights, its deep red hue betraying its true nature—human blood.
Lin Mei's gaze drifted to a far corner of the room, where a sight far more disturbing awaited him. Several humans sat bound, their bodies marked with fresh bite wounds. Their vacant eyes reflected only despair, their once-vibrant spirits drained away with every sip their captors took. Blood trickled from their wounds, pooling beneath them as they sat in silent agony, used as nothing more than living blood bags for the monsters surrounding them.
Lin Mei took a sharp breath. There were easily hundreds of vampires here.
Not that he was afraid—he had witnessed the horrors of war in the Fairy Tail world, where the Dragon King Festival saw the slaughter of countless dragons and humans alike. He had been in the presence of overwhelming power before. However, the sheer number of adversaries in this confined space gave him pause. This was no ordinary battle.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind.
"Maybe I should retreat, craft something stronger, or even rope in Tony Stark to deal with this nest of vampires."
Just as he was considering his next move, a sudden shift in the atmosphere made his muscles tense.
A vampire had spotted him.
The creature's glowing red eyes locked onto Lin Mei, and a sinister grin stretched across its face. "A human, walking willingly into our den? How delightful."
And of course, it wasn't just one vampire that had noticed him.
The entire room of predators possessed an acute sense of smell, honed to detect even the slightest foreign scent. Within seconds, more heads turned, more crimson eyes fixated on him, and a hungry murmur rippled through the crowd.
Lin Mei clenched his fists. So much for slipping in unnoticed