"A vampire hunter."
As Blade's words fell, the entire atmosphere in the ballroom turned eerily silent.
Gwen and Kira, hearing the term vampire hunter, immediately understood that the situation was far more complicated than they had initially thought. Moreover, after witnessing the sheer slaughter the man had caused, they were certain of one thing—his hatred for vampires ran deep.
"Damn it… must every mission be this complicated?" Kira grumbled inwardly, silently wondering why their luck was always this terrible. Of all people to run into, they had encountered a vampire slaughterer. And the worst part? Their friend was one.
Gwen's eyes narrowed slightly at Blade's introduction.
Surprisingly, she wasn't scared.
If it came down to a fight, she believed they could subdue him and escape with their friend. It wouldn't be easy—but it was possible.
"How we deal with our friend is none of your business, Mr. Hunter," Gwen retorted after a brief pause, giving Blade a wary, cautious glance. "And why should we trust you? For all I care, you could be a villain."
Blade heard her words and couldn't help but agree.
She was sharp. Perceptive.
Nothing about the way he spoke or acted screamed hero. And the massacre he had just carried out was more than enough for anyone to label him a villain without hesitation.
He glanced around at the carnage he had caused, then back at Gwen and Kira's guarded expressions. With a quiet sigh, he shook his head and thought to himself, Yeah… maybe I overdid it a little. Then again, it wasn't really my fault. This lineage of vampires doesn't turn to ash after being killed.
Sensing the awkward tension hanging in the air, Blade made a decision.
He sheathed his katana and holstered his gun, deliberately making the motion slow and visible. Raising one hand in a non-threatening gesture, he spoke calmly.
"I mean no harm, kids. I'm not the bad guy here. Let's talk it out."
His words—and more importantly, his actions—caught Gwen and Kira off guard. They had expected resistance. Violence. Another attempt to kill them the way he had slaughtered the others.
It seemed you really couldn't judge a book by its cover.
"Sure…" Kira replied, her voice trailing slightly as the tension in her body eased. Gwen followed suit, relaxing just a fraction.
Blade nodded internally, satisfied to see their wariness lessen. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again.
"So… mind telling me how your friend turned into a bloo—" he paused, correcting himself, "—I mean, a vampire?"
Gwen and Kira exchanged a glance. Seeing no immediate harm in telling him, they explained how their friend had been tricked by Necrolai. They left out certain critical details—things far too important to reveal—but otherwise, nothing was omitted.
Blade listened carefully, taking in every word. By the time they finished, he already understood what had happened.
To him, it was simple.
MJ had been selfish.
You knew how painful—how catastrophic—it was to be turned into a vampire, yet you still dragged your friends into it for the sake of a promise to "always be together." No one was happy being an immortal, blood-sucking creature. Who in their right mind would willingly abandon their humanity just to live as a servant, craving blood every moment of their existence?
And worse—she hadn't even asked for help. Or opinions. She had simply gone through with it.
That was Blade's view.
Still, he didn't voice it. Not in front of the kids standing before him. It was obvious they cherished this friend deeply.
"Sigh~, another melodramatic drama," Blade mumbled inwardly.
Blade exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders finally easing as he looked at Gwen and Kira. His gaze was sharp, but no longer hostile.
"I get it," he said calmly. "You're not wrong for protecting your friend."
Both Gwen and Peter stiffened slightly, clearly not expecting that. Blade continued before they could respond.
"I'm not some mindless butcher who kills anything with fangs," he added, his voice firm but controlled. "I'm a dhampir. Half-vampire."
The words hung heavy in the air.
"I hunt the dangerous ones," Blade went on. "The ones who hurt people. The ones who hurt me. Every vampire I've killed had committed a major crime one way or another. Murder. Trafficking. Mass slaughter. I don't kill innocents."
Gwen and Kira exchanged a brief look.
So he wasn't lying.
So he wasn't a villain.
A quiet sense of embarrassment crept over them as they realized how quickly they had judged him. Kira lightly nudged Gwen with her elbow, and Gwen gave a subtle nod in response. No words were needed—they both understood.
"Sorry," Gwen said after a moment, her tone sincere. "We misunderstood you."
Blade merely shrugged. "Happens a lot."
The atmosphere shifted, the sharp edge of hostility finally dulling. Gwen took a small step forward.
"I'm Gwen," she said. "And this is Kira. We're… heroes too."
She deliberately left it vague. No code names. No affiliations.
Blade caught that immediately but didn't push. He respected secrecy—he lived by it.
"Blade," he replied simply.
For a few seconds, silence settled between them—not awkward, but thoughtful. Seeing the tension had mostly dissipated, Blade decided to press the real issue.
"So," he said, his tone turning serious again. "How exactly do you plan on taking care of your friend?"
Gwen and Kira's expressions darkened.
"You know once a person is turned," Blade continued, "there's no such thing as a normal life anymore. Hunger. Bloodlust. Immortality. That curse doesn't just go away."
The words hit harder than either of them expected.
They had known it would be difficult—but hearing it spoken so bluntly made the weight sink in.
Kira clenched her fists.
Gwen didn't respond immediately. Her eyes drifted downward, thoughts racing. Normal life… impossible…
Then, almost instinctively, both of their minds went to the same person.
Zayne.
The image of him flashed through Kira's thoughts—calm, composed, almost untouchable. He was always ten steps ahead, always prepared. In her mind, he bordered on godlike. If anyone could solve something like this… it was him.
"He'll have a solution," she thought firmly. "He always does."
Gwen clearly reached the same conclusion. Her posture straightened slightly, resolve returning to her eyes.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Gwen looked back at Blade.
"Thanks for the advice," she said steadily. "But we have a way to cure our friend. You don't need to worry."
Blade froze.
For a split second, he thought he'd misheard.
"…A cure?" he repeated slowly.
His breath quickened just a little, eyes narrowing—not in suspicion, but disbelief. In all his years hunting vampires, he had never heard of a true cure. Suppressants? Yes. Temporary solutions? Plenty. But a cure?
His mind immediately went to the small capsules hidden inside his coat—experimental pills designed to repress vampiric urges. He had been planning to offer them.
Now, that plan shattered.
"They have a way? Blade thought, heart beating faster. An actual way?"
For the briefest moment, another thought crept in. "If that's true… maybe I could ask for their help."
Then his mind shifted again—dark, focused, burning with purpose.
Revenge.
A certain someone flashed through his thoughts, dragging him back to his lifelong mission. The weight of it crushed the curiosity before it could bloom.
Blade inhaled sharply, forcing his thoughts back into order. He shook his head once, clearing it.
"…I see," he said at last.
He didn't ask how. Didn't demand answers.
Instead, he nodded, accepting their words at face value. If they were lying, he would know eventually. And if they weren't…
Then the world was about to change.
"Then I hope it works," Blade said quietly. "For her sake."
Gwen and Kira relaxed just a fraction, grateful he didn't press further.
Blade straightened, slipping back into his composed, hunter-like demeanor. Then, as if remembering something important, his eyes sharpened again.
"There's something else," he said.
Both girls tensed instinctively.
"Have you guys seen anyone named Deacon around?"
--- ✦ ---
(Omni-base)
The moment Tommy and Zayne returned to the headquarters, the shift in atmosphere was immediate.
The chaos of battle, the weight of Mephisto's schemes, the corrupted Sensei Watanabe—all of it faded into the background as the base's systems hummed steadily around them. The mission was complete. The threat had been neutralized. And more importantly, the Dino Gem had been secured.
Tommy exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as if finally allowing the tension to drain from his body. Even after everything he had endured, the lingering presence of the gem was impossible to ignore. It pulsed faintly, like a living thing, resonating with his very soul.
"Zayne," Tommy said, turning toward him. His tone was calm, but there was an underlying seriousness beneath it. "I need a safe place. Somewhere isolated. I have to fully assimilate the power of the gem."
Zayne didn't hesitate.
He gave a small nod, already understanding the implications. Power like that couldn't be absorbed casually—not without risk. Left unchecked, it could spiral out of control.
"Follow me," Zayne replied simply.
The headquarters shifted at his silent command. Walls slid apart with smooth precision, revealing a hidden passage that led deeper into the facility. The lighting dimmed as they entered a private section—one reserved only for trusted team members. Reinforced barriers. Layered suppression fields. Energy stabilizers hum softly in the background.
"This area was designed for situations like this," Zayne explained. "No external interference. No distractions."
Tommy studied the room briefly, then nodded in approval.
"This will do," he said.
Without another word, he stepped forward, determination settling into his expression. Whatever came next—pain, resistance, or revelation—he was ready to face it.
Zayne watched as Tommy moved deeper into the chamber, the doors sealing shut behind him with a heavy finality.
Once Tommy was gone, the headquarters fell silent.
Zayne stood alone in the control room, the vast holographic displays flickering softly around him. For a few seconds, he said nothing. Then he let out a long, quiet sigh.
"Power down," he said.
A ripple of light passed over his body.
The Omni-Ranger suit dissolved into streams of data and energy, retracting back into the Grid. The overwhelming aura vanished, leaving behind only his true self—his civilian form. No armor. Just Zayne.
He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back slightly, allowing himself a rare moment of calm.
Then, something materialized in his hand.
The UPP.
A fragment of Mephisto's curse rested there innocently, compact and unassuming, yet Zayne knew better than anyone how dangerous—and valuable—it truly was. He stared at it thoughtfully, his expression unreadable.
"So," Zayne muttered to himself, eyes narrowing slightly, "now… how should I take care of you?"