Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

212 Chapter 47.3 - Her Change

As the blood realm crumbled, the once-vibrant landscape of torment dissolved into nothingness.

The crimson hues faded, leaving only a void of emptiness in its wake. The vampire's tortured screams echoed in the empty space, haunting in their absence.

In the aftermath, as the echoes of suffering subsided, I stood alone amidst the ruins of the collapsed blood realm. My surroundings were devoid of life, the silence accentuating the emptiness that now enveloped me.

"Haaaah…..Haaaaah….."

Breathless and spent, I gazed upon the remnants of the vampire, a mere lump of flesh that was once a creature of the night.

'It is over….'

I felt something different inside me. As the vampire met its end, I saw something red entering me and enveloping me.

However, at that moment, intoxicated by that madness, I didn't care about what it was.

'It is empty.'

And now the madness that had fueled my actions waned, replaced by a sense of hollowness. The storm within me had abated, leaving behind a desolate calm.

"Huuuuuu…."

I took a deep breath, the air heavy with the scent of blood and decay. The battle, both physical and emotional, had taken its toll.

As I surveyed the scene, the weight of my actions settled upon my shoulders, and the reality of what transpired seeped in.

But that weight wasn't something feeble like guilt. Contrary to how a human is supposed to be, there wasn't even an ounce of guilt that could be felt. My heart was empty, and the only weight I felt was how to deal with the repercussions.

'Didn't I come here for something?'

And as those turbulent feelings slowly left my heart, I asked myself this question. Following that, amidst the fading echoes of the vampire's demise, a sudden realization struck me like a jolt.

The purpose that had brought me into the depths of the tunnels surged back into focus.

'Senior Maya!'

As if awakening from a trance, I shook off the remnants of the battle's intensity. The initial quest to save Senior Maya had taken a backseat during the tumultuous fight. My hatred and feelings of vengeance clouded my judgment.

'Where is-'

SWOOSH!

Just as I was about to look around, suddenly, my senses had picked up something. An incredibly fast projectile was approaching me at a rapid speed.

'!'

THUD!

But it happened so fast that even before my reflexes could react, I felt a weight upon me.

The impact knocked me off balance, and before I could fully comprehend what had happened, a searing pain radiated from my shoulders. It was accompanied by the sound of tearing fabric and a guttural growl.

'What…?'

My heart pounded as I struggled to turn and face whatever had latched onto me. There, clinging to my shoulders with a fierce grip, was a creature with bloodshot eyes and elongated fangs.

'Another vampire?'

My mind raced as I grappled with the assailant.

The creature's strength was astonishing, even much higher than the original vampire, its fangs sinking deeper into my flesh.

No, it was not. While fighting with the vampire count, I always had the upper hand. Even from the start, I was actually using the vampire's initial arrogance to slowly inject vampire-

disturbing oil into its body.

However, right now, I couldn't wander with those thoughts.

BITE!

As the vampire's fangs entered my shoulder, a sensation unlike pain surged through me.

"Ah…."

It was an odd mix of pleasure and discomfort, a disconcerting experience that left me momentarily paralyzed. I even released a groan without my control.

'What… is this?'

Rather than draining my strength, the vampire's bite seemed to draw me into a bizarre trance. The pleasure-pain sensation lingered, and with each passing second, I felt an inexplicable connection to the vampire.

GULP! GULP!

The sound of the vampire gulping constantly entered my head. I could feel my strength leaving my body with each second. I was also getting comfortable at the place.

'No.'

However, I refused to stay like that in the presence of a demon. I slowly manipulated my mana and focused on my arms.

'I need to break free.'

Summoning every ounce of willpower, I pushed against the creature, determined to escape its grasp. The pleasure-

drenched pain intensified, making it challenging to focus.

'Hmm?'

However, at that moment, amidst the disorienting sensations, a familiar scent wafted through the air, cutting through the lingering aroma of blood.

'Is that...?'

Even amidst the chaotic mix of scents, I recognized it. It was a scent ingrained in my memory, a fragrance that made me bring back to reality.

With a surge of realization, I looked at the head of the vampire who had buried herself in my shoulder.

'Purple hair…'

Despite the vampiric transformation and the bloodstains, I saw it – the familiar cascade of purple hair flowing down to her waist. The familiar slender body, a slightly soft feeling on my chest. Then, as I looked at her fingernails, even though they were slightly worn off and ragged, they were the same familiar ones.

The delicate fingers that were now touching my chest and possibly my back were also the same. Her skin, even though a little paler, gave the same feeling.

'Senior Maya…'

The vampire before me, now feeding on my essence, was none other than Senior Maya.

'She became a vampire?'

At that moment, my thoughts came to an abrupt.

GULP! GULP!

She continued to drink my blood, and I also started losing consciousness. If not for Sylvie's [Blessing], I think I would have already lost my consciousness from the start.

However, I knew for a fact that this couldn't go like this for a long time. After all, even now, I was on the verge of anemia, and the more this went on, the more critical my condition would become.

'But…'

However, at the same time, I also didn't want to use force. I didn't want to kill her.

Right now, from the state she was in, I knew if I wanted to stop her, I would need to use vampire oil, but that would make her most likely die.

'That…..'

GULP! GULP!

She continued to drink my blood, and I knew I needed to act. With my now free right hand, I grabbed the dagger imbued by the vampire oil.

'I am sorry….'

I raised my hand, the dagger pointing at Maya's back. The gravity of the situation and the reality that I might need to harm Senior Maya, who was nothing but an innocent person, weighed heavily on me.

But as I lowered the dagger, my hand came to an abrupt.

"Astron."

Maya's face began to overlap with another face, a face that I had never once forgotten– the face of someone who had once spoken to me with a warm smile.

"You're not a selfish person."

In that fleeting moment, I was transported back to a conversation with her.

'Why…?'

As the memories flashed before my eyes, my hand holding the dagger began to shake involuntarily.

'Just do it.'

I wanted to lower the dagger. I still had so much to do. I had yet to achieve my goals. The revenge I had swore to take…..The filth that needed to be cleansed in this world.

"No matter what you tell yourself, you will always be my good brother; you are not someone to hurt innocent, are you?"

That smile.

CLANK!

"Please always stay like this…..Stay as my innocent brother."

I couldn't overcome that smile….Neither in the past nor in the present.

I couldn't lower the dagger, neither could I hold it.

As the dagger fell to the ground, I turned to face Senior.

There I saw it. Senior Maya's eyes, while still a deep crimson, held an unmistakable glint of tears—the crimson droplets mixed with the blood she was consuming, creating a surreal scene.

The tears fell, leaving a trail down her cheeks, lost in the darkness of the cavern.

'Yeah….'

It was a paradoxical sight—the act of feeding on my blood while shedding tears of sorrow. At that moment, the reality of Maya's torment became painfully evident.

Her transformation into a vampire was not a choice she willingly made but a fate forced upon her.

'She's suffering…'

The realization hit me like a tidal wave. I couldn't bring myself to harm her, not just physically but also emotionally.

'Wait.'

At that second, I realized that if she wanted to drink blood, she also could have gone to the vampire. But, instead, she came to me.

'Maybe…'

There was a chance that she wanted to drink my blood.

'Then….'

I decided to try something. I put my mana into my hand and patted her from the back of her neck.

I couldn't put much strength into my hands, nor much mana. But, even then, it was fine.

"Senior…Calm down."

FLINCH!

The moment my hands touched her back, the reaction was immediate. I felt her flinch and squirm against my touch.

Her face remained buried in my shoulder, but for a moment, the act of drinking my blood paused. It was as if my touch had disrupted the trance she was in.

'Why is she flinching?'

I couldn't help but wonder about her reaction. Was it a reflex from her vampiric state, or did my touch stir something within her?

"Senior Maya, it's me, Astron," I whispered softly, my hand patting her back a little more. Since she had stopped drinking my blood, I felt like life was returning to me.

FLINCH!

She continued to flinch and squirm.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Then, I started hearing a small mumble. The voice was too small that any normal person wouldn't hear it.

Her words were a whispered mantra, a lament that echoed through the cavern.

'Even now, she is trying her best.'

It was evident that she wanted to drink more blood. I could feel from her body shaking that she was still in an abnormal state. I also wasn't getting the same feeling I got from the original vampire, as if she wasn't a complete vampire yet.

'Yeah…She is not a bad person…'

With a gentle yet firm grip, I reached for Senior Maya's face, gently pulling her away from the crook of my shoulder.

Her blue eyes, normally so warm and familiar, were now clouded with inner turmoil. Her lips quivered, and a silent battle waged within her.

'She should live.'

"Senior Maya," I spoke softly, meeting her tearful gaze. "It's fine. Everything will be fine."

Tears shimmered in her eyes, reflecting the dim light of the cavern. The struggle was evident, and I could sense the internal conflict tearing at her.

"It's okay. You can drink if you need to," I reassured her. "I'm here for you."

"B-but…..I will h-hu-"

Her hesitation lingered for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty in her crimson eyes.

"I am okay now."

However, after a gentle pat on her back, she yielded, and her eyes turned the vivid hue of a vampire.

"S-sorry…."

BITE!

She dove into my body once again, this time attacking me from my neck.

"..."

I didn't make any sounds this time as her fangs buried in my neck.

As Senior Maya continued to drink my blood, I felt a strange sensation welling up within me.

It wasn't pain; instead, it was a peculiar warmth, a weird connection that seemed to be deepening with each passing moment.