The rooftop fell silent after.
Not the kind of silence that comes from peace, but the heavy, suffocating silence that follows violence. The kind that presses against your ears and makes you aware of your own heartbeat, your own breathing, the tiny sounds of gravel settling after the shockwave of impact.
Gin's body crashed against the low wall, cracking the stone, and he slid to the ground in a heap. For a moment, he did not move. The moonlight caught the blood matting his dark fur, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, the way his fingers twitched against the gravel as if even unconscious, he was still trying to fight.
Inner Moka stood over him, her silver hair floating in an invisible wind, her crimson eyes glowing with barely contained fury.
In that moment, staring at her, I could not help but watch. The way the moonlight caught the edges of her silver hair, the sharp line of her jaw, the curve of her lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line. She looked like something out of a painting, something eternal and untouchable. For a moment, I even forgot to breathe.
'Ahh, snap out of it.'
But I could not. It had been a while since I had seen Inner in all her beauty. Not the glimpses through the rosary or the brief moments we had while sparing where she would beat the crap out of me.
This was her unleashed, unbound, and every inch of her radiated power and grace. The way her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, the way her crimson eyes seemed to hold entire constellations of fury and control. It was distracting in the best possible way.
Her fists were still clenched, her knuckles white, and I could feel the heat radiating off her like a furnace, the residual energy of her Yoki still crackling in the air around us.
"You should have stayed in your den, wolf," she said, her voice cold and quiet. "Now you will learn what happens to those who threaten my family."
Her words hung in the air, sharp as blades. There was no anger in her voice, not anymore. Just certainty. The certainty of someone who was aware of her own powers and was confident she would win this fight before it even started.
Gin groaned and pushed himself up, his body trembling violently. His Touki flickered around him, no longer the solid silver aura it had been at the start of the fight. It was thin now, patchy, like a candle struggling against a storm. The wound in his side was still bleeding, the dark energy from All-Black preventing it from closing, and his gold eyes were dull with exhaustion and pain.
Blood dripped from his chin onto the gravel, each drop a small dark stain in the moonlight.
"You... you think this is over?" He spat blood onto the gravel, the red liquid mixing with the dust.
"The moon is still high. As long as I fight under the moon, I am invincible. I can still fight both of you without problems."
He tilted his head back, staring at the full moon blazing above us. His eyes widened, and his body convulsed as if something was flooding through him. The fur on his back bristled, and his muscles swelled, veins bulging beneath his skin.
The wound in his side stopped bleeding, not healing because of my All-Black corrosive powers, but the blood flow slowed. His Touki flickered, then flared, the silver aura thickening around him like a second skin. He was channeling more Yoki, drawing directly from the moon's power, and I could feel his presence growing heavier, more oppressive.
'How does he manage to get a power-up from the moon? Does he really draw power from the domain of the Moon Goddess?'
'It doesn't make sense at all.'
Inner Moka did not even blink. Her crimson eyes remained fixed on him, cold and unyielding, and her arms stayed crossed over her chest. She looked like a queen watching a peasant grovel.
"Oh, really? You think you can fight us both at the same time?" she let out a soft, dismissive scoff. "But the question is… you can still what? Bleed? Beg? Die?"
Gin's lips curled into a snarl, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "You talk big for a bloodsucker who has been hiding inside a trinket all this time, letting your other personality have all the fun."
"I guess you are from the Shuzen Clan based on your Yoki since I have faced other lesser vampires before. But even if you're one of the Noble Clans. So what? You are just a girl playing dress up."
"Even now you try to reject me. But no worries, I will show Moka-chan what a real man looks like. When I am done with you, I will show her that I can give her everything."
Inner Moka rolled her eyes, the gesture so exaggerated and dismissive that it seemed to carry more weight than any insult. "Delusional," she said, the single word dripping with contempt.
He lunged.
The speed was blinding, even for me. One moment he was ten feet away, the next, he was in front of Inner Moka, his claws aimed at her throat. His movements were sharper than before, fueled by the moon's renewed blessing, and for a moment, I thought he might actually catch her off guard. I tensed, ready to get involved even though her body language suggested she wanted to fight alone.
She did not flinch.
She tilted her head, just a fraction, and his claws passed through the air where her neck had been. Her hand shot up, palm open, and caught his wrist. The impact sent a shockwave through the rooftop, cracking the gravel beneath their feet.
"You are fast," she said, her voice unchanged. "For a mutt."
She twisted his arm, and Gin howled. His Touki flared, pushing against her grip, but she held. Her crimson eyes never left his.
"But speed without control is just chaos."
She released his wrist and drove her palm into his chest. The blow was not powerful, not in the traditional sense. It was precise, aimed at the exact spot where his Touki was thinnest. Gin staggered back, gasping, and Inner Moka followed.
Her hands and legs moved in a blur, each strike targeting a weak point, a joint, a pressure point. Her palms slammed into his shoulders, his elbows, his wrists, and I heard the crack of bone, the grunt of pain.
She was dismantling him, piece by piece, showing him exactly how outmatched he was.
Gin tried to counter, his claws swinging wildly, but she was always a step ahead. She ducked under his swing, drove her knee into his stomach, and elbowed him in the spine. He stumbled forward, and she spun, her leg sweeping his feet out from under him.
He crashed to the gravel, and she stood over him, her breathing unchanged, her expression bored.
Being a spectator and having some understanding of this fighting style that was best suited for Vampires. I couldn't help but marvel that it was not a bad idea to invest more training into the Shuzen-ryu.
'She is way better than me at melee fighting. No wonder even after I got a grip on the Shuzen-ryu, she still embarrassed me. Even with his moon boost, he cannot touch her.'
But Gin was not done.
He pushed himself up, his body trembling, and his gold eyes locked onto hers. The Touki around him flickered, then surged, and I realized what was happening. He was drawing on the moon again, pulling more power from the silver light above.
His speed had increased, his strength had returned, and his Touki was burning brighter than before. The moon was feeding him, replenishing his reserves, and even Inner Moka was having to work to stay ahead.
Inner Moka disengaged, leaping back to create distance. Her chest rose and fell, just slightly, the first sign of exertion I had seen from her. Her crimson eyes narrowed, studying Gin with a new intensity.
He stood in the center of the rooftop, his chest heaving, his fur matted with blood and sweat. But his eyes were burning again, and his smile had returned.
"What is wrong, vampire? Running out of tricks?" He spread his arms wide. "The moon is my pack. It will never abandon me. I can fight like this all night. You might be stronger than me, but I have endurance."
"I have the sky itself backing me."
Inner Moka did not respond. She simply stood there, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She was watching him, studying him, and I could see the gears turning behind her crimson eyes.
Gin laughed, a harsh, barking sound. "You know, I have been thinking. Maybe I do not need to defeat you. Maybe I just need to wear you down. And when you are too tired to fight, I will take you both. Your little boyfriend can watch while I show you what a real man can do."
"I will be gentle with her. Eventually."
He stepped forward, his claws extended, his Touki flaring.
Inner Moka's expression did not change, but her voice cut through the night like a blade. "You talk too much for a mutt."
Inner Moka raised one finger. Just one. Almost lazily.
Gin froze mid-step.
His body convulsed, his hands flying to his chest, and his eyes went wide with panic. He tried to move, tried to swing his claws, but his limbs would not obey. It was as if something inside him had seized control of every muscle, every nerve, every fiber of his being.
"What... what is this?" His voice was choked, strained, barely a whisper. "I cannot... move..."
"Blood Dominion," Inner Moka said, her voice calm, almost bored. "Your blood answers to me now. Every beat of your heart, every pulse in your veins, is mine to command. I can speed it up until your heart explodes. I can slow it down until your brain starves. I can make it boil inside your own skin."
She tilted her head, studying him like a scientist examining a specimen. "You know, this is the first time I am facing a werewolf. And one that is powered by the moon, no less. I was curious to see how your kind would react to a Shinso's Blood Magic."
She uncrossed her arms and walked toward him slowly, her heels clicking against the stone. "I must admit, I am disappointed. I expected more from a creature that claims to be chosen by the moon goddess. Instead, I find a mutt who cannot even control his own blood. You howl at the sky and think yourself powerful, but you are just a dog chasing a light you will never catch."
I watched as Gin's body jerked and spasmed. Blood seeped from his nose, his ears, the corners of his eyes. His own life force was turning against him, attacking him from within, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
His Touki flickered wildly, trying to push back against the Blood Dominion, but the silver energy was weak, overwhelmed by the crimson power of a Shinso.
'That is an impressive ability. Is this one of her Shinso Abilities?'
'Why does it feel that in the manga and anime, I didn't see even 10% of what Inner Moka can do?'
'I also want this type of ability… My Wealth of Power feels too amateurish.'
Even under the effects of the Blood Dominion, Gin fought like a beast, roaring to the moon.
It was not a sound of pain. It was a sound of defiance, of rage, of a will that refused to break. His Touki exploded outward, silver light burning through the blood magic, and the connection snapped.
Gin's chest heaved as he gasped for air, his gold eyes wild with fury. "I have been looked down on my whole life. I will not be stopped by a spoiled noble's parlor trick!"
Inner Moka's eyes widened, just for a moment, and Gin lunged.
His fist slammed into her chest, and with her eyes blazing with crimson light, blood started to pool around her bosom and took the form of an Aegis. The shield of condensed blood absorbed most of the impact, but the force was still immense. The blow sent her flying across the rooftop, her silver hair trailing behind her like a comet's tail.
She crashed into me, and I caught her, wrapping my arms around her to steady us both. The force of the blow had been immense, and I could feel the vibration in my bones, the ache in my muscles. I held her close, her body warm against mine, her silver hair brushing against my cheek.
"I have you. Are you alright?"
Her crimson eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something other than cold fury. Surprise, maybe. Or confusion. She was looking at me, but also at my arms around her, at the way I was holding her. Her lips parted slightly, and I could have sworn I saw a flicker of pink on her pale cheeks.
She did not respond to my question immediately. She just stayed there, in my arms, her body tense but not struggling. It was as if she was experiencing something she had not felt before, something she could not name.
"Mmm, I have not expected this mutt to resist the effect of Blood Dominion." Her voice was quiet, almost thoughtful, and she spoke more to herself than to me. "Maybe my skills have turned rusty since I got sealed six years ago. But back then I had just finished my own training."
She frowned, her crimson eyes narrowing as she glanced at the rosary still clutched in my hand. "Perhaps it is because of the seal. My powers still have to return to their full strength."
Then she blinked, and the moment passed. She pushed away from me gently, her expression hardening once more.
"I did not want to get you involved," she said, her voice quieter than before, "but it is inevitable." She looked at me, her crimson eyes sharp and assessing. "You may join. But be careful not to let yourself be exposed. If you find openings to attack with that sword of yours, all the better."
I nodded, gripping All-Black at my side. "Understood."
The fight resumed, and Inner Moka took the vanguard position. Her silver hair trailed behind her like a banner as she moved, each step precise, each strike calculated. The way she fought, you could say that she was performing on a stage. Every punch, every kick, every shift of her weight was a lesson I was receiving on Shuzen style, a masterclass in hand-to-hand combat that left no room for error.
And from the small, almost imperceptible curve of her lips, I could tell she was enjoying it.
'She is in her element. I think she feels more alive fighting foes and getting her own dopamine rush.'
Gin swung his claws wildly, trying to land a hit, but she flowed around his attacks like water around stones. She ducked under a sweeping strike, drove her palm into his ribs, and spun away before he could counter. Her movements were fluid, almost lazy, as if she had all the time in the world.
'Now. I see an opening.'
A Sanguine Spear materialized in my hand, the blood hardening into a jagged crimson projectile. I pulled my arm back and hurled it at Gin's exposed ribs. The spear punched through his weakening Touki like paper, burying itself in his flesh with a wet, sickening thunk.
Gin howled, stumbling forward, and Inner Moka was there.
She did not waste the opportunity. Her fists drove into his stomach, his chest, his face. Each blow was precise, brutal, and I could hear the crack of bone, the grunt of pain. She followed with a knee to his diaphragm, an elbow to his spine, and a spinning kick that sent him crashing to the gravel.
'That is my girl.'
But Gin's recovery was something to be impressed by.
Even with the spear in his side, even with Inner Moka's relentless assault, he did not stay down. He pushed himself up, his body trembling, and his Touki flared again. The silver aura was thinner now, patchy, but it was still there. He was still fighting.
'He just will not quit.'
He fought against both of us, and he was not losing by much. His speed and strength were still elevated by the moon, and his endurance seemed endless. Every time I thought we had him, he found a reserve of power I had not anticipated.
But I was starting to feel the strain.
My mana reserves were dipping dangerously low. Each Sanguine Spear I threw cost me, and I had been throwing them for minutes. Taking into consideration that I was also approaching the end of my rope, flashes of crimson flickered at the edges of my vision, almost as a reminder that I was running on borrowed time.
[The user's Mana Pool has reached the lower limit of 20%.]
[Certain functions of the Annihilation Maker will be limited.]
'If this continues, I will be out of the fight, I only have 10 minutes left. After that, Moka will be alone in this.'
By this point, Gin had taken care of my remaining summons. The Vampire Lord and Vampire Lady had been destroyed, their forms crumbling into ash during the earlier exchange. The Ghosts were gone. The Sorcerer was gone. It was just me and Inner Moka against him.
'This bastard for sure is resilient even if he's on crack.'
'Still standing speaks a lot of how tenacious an S-Class Monster could be.'
'Or… it just means I am too weak to defeat them in an instant.'
Inner Moka's eyes narrowed. She raised her hand, and crimson energy gathered around her palm. It was darker than before, more focused, and the air grew heavy with pressure.
"Blood Shatter," she said.
The energy exploded outward, a wave of crimson light that slammed into Gin's chest. His Touki shattered like glass, and his body convulsed. Blood seeped from his nose, his ears, the corners of his eyes. He collapsed to his knees, gasping.
But he did not fall.
His body began to heal, the wounds closing, the flesh knitting. His Touki flickered, then flared, weaker than before but still present. The moon was still feeding him, still replenishing his reserves, and even Inner Moka was starting to show signs of exhaustion.
Her chest rose and fell faster now, and I could see the strain on her face. Her crimson eyes were still sharp, still focused, but there was a tightness around her mouth that had not been there before.
'This has turned into a war of attrition. We need to seal off his access to the moon if the clouds don't want to be on our side.'
I looked up at the sky. The full moon was still bright, still full, still pouring its silver light onto the rooftop. There were no clouds, no cover, nothing to block it.
'What a lucky bastard. Clearly he has that aura of a cast member that is protected by the plot.'
I turned to Moka. "Babe, if we continue fighting like this, we will just exhaust ourselves and lose by default."
"He is like an immortal cockroach."
"We need to cut off his access to the moon. Can you do it? Cover the whole battlefield in mist with your Wealth of Power?"
Her eyes met mine, and I saw understanding dawn. She considered the idea for a moment, then shook her head. "Using Wealth of Power right here? Even if I cover everything in a Blood Mist, he can still use a shockwave attack to disperse it. It would be a waste of energy."
"Then I will try something with my Sacred Gear."
"Actually." She paused, her crimson eyes flickering toward Gin, who was already rising, his body trembling with rage and pain. "I have another Shinso Ability that I rarely use. Blood Sanctuary. It is a domain-type ability that can enhance our strength. It will cut him off from the moonlight at the same time."
I blinked. "You have such a powerful ability? Why have you not used it from the beginning?"
She hesitated, and for a moment, I saw something almost like embarrassment flicker across her face. "I do not know."
"I just wanted to stretch my body and test myself against this mutt." She glanced at me, then away. "Besides, it is an ability that I need to prepare. It will take time. And I cannot sustain the activation while fighting. I will need you to hold him off."
I looked at All-Black in my hand, then at Gin. The symbiote pulsed against my skin, hungry, eager to consume more essence and begin its own return to power. My mana was nearly gone, my body was aching, and blood still trickled from the gash on my shoulder where Gin's claws had torn through.
The symbiote was knitting the wound closed, but slowly.
She glanced at me, then away.
'Ahh, why am I such a masochist for pain?'
'But, how could I reject my awesome, baddie vampire girlfriend?'
"I can do that."
She nodded, and without another word, she stepped back. Her hands began to weave, tracing complex patterns in the air, and crimson energy gathered around her like a shroud. The air grew thick, heavy, and I felt the pressure building.
'Here we go.'
I charged at Gin, All-Black leading the way.
Gin's gold eyes locked onto me, and a snarl twisted his lips. "You think you can hold me off alone? You could not even scratch me before your girlfriend stepped in. What makes you think you can do anything now?"
I did not answer with words. I let All-Black speak for me.
He met me head-on, his claws clashing against the Necrosword. The impact sent shockwaves through my arms, and I gritted my teeth, holding my ground.
He was still stronger, still faster, but the gap had narrowed. His wound was still bleeding, his Touki flickering, and every exchange cost him.
'I just have to keep him occupied and give Moka time for her cast.'
'There is no need to try to hurt him. It would just waste my energy.'
We circled each other, and I changed my approach. Instead of meeting his charges head-on, I used the environment.
I kicked gravel into his eyes, forcing him to blink, then darted to the side. All-Black's tip traced a shallow line across his flank, not deep enough to cripple but enough to make him snarl.
"You fight like a coward," Gin spat, swiping blindly.
"Says the coward abducting innocent girls for his sick pleasure."
"I fight like someone who wants to live and maybe enjoy his girlfriend's company afterward. Something you'll never experience." I replied.
I feinted a thrust at his chest, and when he raised his claws to block, I dropped low and swept his legs. He stumbled but did not fall, his werewolf balance too good. But the half-second of instability was enough. I drove my shoulder into his wounded side, and he howled, staggering back.
His claws raked across my forearm in retaliation, tearing through the symbiote's reinforcement. I hissed in pain, but I did not retreat. I pressed forward, All-Black swinging in a tight arc that forced him to block with his Touki-coated forearm.
The silver aura sizzled against the dark blade, and I saw him wince.
But Gin was relentless. He pushed forward, his claws raking across my chest, and I felt the burn of his Touki. I stumbled back, gasping, and he pressed his advantage.
"You are alone now, little bloodsucker," he snarled. "Your army is gone. Your Yoki is almost empty. What can you do?"
I spat blood onto the gravel. "Plenty to stop you, idiot."
I lunged again, feinting high then striking low. All-Black carved a line across his thigh, and he howled, stumbling. I pressed forward, driving him back, step by step. But he retaliated immediately, his fist slamming into my gut.
The impact folded me over, and his knee rose to meet my face. I barely got my forearm up in time, the symbiote absorbing most of the blow, but the force still sent me reeling.
'Just a little longer.'
Behind me, I could feel the energy building. The air was thick with crimson light, and I could see the dome beginning to form. Inner Moka's voice echoed across the rooftop, low and steady, chanting words I did not recognize. They sounded like Latin, ancient and resonant.
"Blood Sanctuary."
The dome erupted around us, a sphere of shimmering crimson energy that blocked out the moonlight. Gin screamed as his connection to the moon was severed, his Touki flickering and dying.
"What... what have you done?" His voice was raw, desperate.
"Cut you off from your crutch," Inner Moka said.
She walked toward him slowly, her heels clicking against the stone, and blood began to spread like a tidal wave around the rooftop with her as the source. It enveloped everything your eye could see, taking the shape of a dome, thick and impenetrable.
The moonlight that seeped through was quelled, weakened, and I could feel Gin's aura dropping like a stone.
The blood dome pulsed, and Gin's body convulsed. He tried to crawl away, tried to force his way out of the dome, but the energy held him in place. His claws scraped against the crimson wall, but it did not budge.
"You are strong," Inner Moka said, almost conversationally. "For a mutt. But strength without control is just violence. And violence without purpose is just noise."
She raised her hand, and the blood that had splattered across the rooftop began to move. It pooled together, forming a crimson circle around Gin, and I felt the air grow heavy.
I had this metallic taste flooding my mouth, sharp and cold, like I had bitten down on a mouthful of old coins. My skin prickled, every hair on my arms standing on end, as if the air itself had become charged with static electricity.
The temperature dropped.
The wind died, and the crimson light from Inner Moka's gathering spell seeped into my vision, staining the world red, and for a moment, I could not tell where the blood dome ended.
"What... what are you doing?" Gin's voice was raw, desperate. He tried to crawl away, but the blood circle pulsed, and he froze in place.
"Cutting you off from your crutch," Inner Moka said.
The blood circle flared, and a dome of crimson energy rose around us, enclosing the rooftop in a sphere of shimmering red. The moonlight that seeped through was muted, weakened, and I could feel Gin's aura dropping like a stone.
[❗]
[Inner Moka has activated Blood Sanctuary. Full Moon empowerment to Gin has been severed. Gin's threat level is degrading from S-tier to A-tier.]
Gin screamed. His body convulsed, and I watched as his fur receded, his muscles shrank, and his form shifted back toward human. The golden light in his eyes faded to a dull yellow, and his Touki sputtered out like a candle in the wind.
"No," he whispered. "No, no, no..." His voice cracked, raw with desperation. "It cannot be like this! Not like this!"
He collapsed to his knees, his hands pressed against the gravel. His chest heaved, and I could see tears in his eyes, or maybe it was just sweat. His body was human now, still retaining the distinct features of a werewolf, pale and trembling, and he looked small.
'Still, he has the power of an A-tier Yokai. He is not done yet.'
The moment Gin tried to stage a comeback, his eyes flared with a desperate fury. He lunged toward Inner Moka, his claws aimed at her throat, trying to take her down and dismiss the Blood Sanctuary before it was too late.
"I can't lose. Not until I prove myself to everyone who had mocked me. I will tear you apart and burn this bloody cage to the ground!"
Even cut off from his source of power, Gin's rage ignited. His eyes flared gold, and his body swelled, fur sprouting, muscles bulging. He was forcing himself back into his werewolf form through sheer will, the silver aura flickering around him like a dying flame.
"Futile," Inner Moka said, her voice cold and unimpressed. "You cannot break my Sanctuary with willpower alone."
She did not even move to block him. She simply stood there, her arms crossed, her expression bored.
But it was not enough. His transformation halted halfway, his body caught between forms, and his Touki guttered out completely. He collapsed to his knees again, gasping, his chest heaving.
Inner Moka, standing inside the Blood Sanctuary, looked exhausted. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and sweat beaded on her forehead. But she was not done.
She moved.
One moment she was ten feet away. The next, she was in front of Gin, her leg already rising. He barely had time to blink before her foot connected with his chest, and her voice cut through the night like a blade.
"Learn your place, scum!"
The impact sent him crashing against the wall of the Blood Sanctuary. The crimson dome rippled where he struck, and he slid to the ground, gasping.
Inner Moka walked toward him slowly, her heels clicking against the stone. She stood over him, her leg pinning him to the ground, her crimson eyes cold and unyielding. The Blood Sanctuary pulsed around us, casting everything in shades of red.
The golden light in Gin's eyes was gone. His Touki was gone. His power was gone. He lay there, spent, his chest heaving, his body refusing to obey his commands.
While holding onto All-Black, I forced myself to stay on my feet. The symbiote clung to my body, reinforcing my muscles, keeping me upright. My arm still throbbed where Gin's claws had torn through, and blood seeped from a dozen smaller cuts across my chest and shoulders.
Honestly, if it were not for the reinforcement, I would be done, even in my Vampire form.
'Finally. This fight is over. It felt like an intense hardcore-mode boss fight where even a mistake could seal my death.'
I just had to do the final touches.
"Now, Tsukune." Inner Moka's voice was cold, as if she had made peace with herself. "While he is weak, finish it."
I looked down at Gin. He was not fighting anymore. He was not even trying to mount a comeback as he lay pinned beneath Moka's leg. He just stared at the blood sky formed by the Sanctuary, his eyes dull, his expression blank, waiting for his doom.
'One swing. That is all it would take.'
And then, from inside my mind, a voice I thought would not show up made his presence known.
['What are you waiting for, Tsukune-kun? Do it. Kill him. Take his power and grow stronger. But before that, drink all of his blood to rejuvenate yourself. Werewolves, since the past, have been a race that held a lot of power in their bloodlines.']
Alucard's voice slithered through my thoughts, dark and seductive. I could feel him pressing against the edges of my consciousness, trying to push through, to take control.
'Shut up.'
While Alucard was trying to tempt me, I noticed how All-Black's symbiote started to stir. The dark tendrils pulsed against my skin, reacting to the presence of the ancient Vampire Lord within me.
['Hmph. A mindless beast wants to consume me?' Alucard's voice dripped with contempt. 'While I am the Lord of Darkness, it is undeniable that I am also your master. Do you not think so, Tsukune? You have enjoyed my gifts so far.']
'Your gifts? Do not make me laugh. I only found out I have Wealth of Power, and it is a C-tier ability at best.'
['Huhuhu. Poor child. You did not even finish embracing my gift. What did you expect? A handout?']
'Screw off. Do not make me bring Kuriboh. He can hurt you again with a punch.'
['Insolent!']
I ignored Alucard for now, but the thought of slaying Gin and claiming most of his essence instead of being satisfied with a portion was tempting.
One swing of All-Black, and it would be over. He would never bother anyone with his perverted antics again. He would never hurt anyone by pursuing his deranged hobbies. The girls would be rid of a massive headache.
'But...'
I remembered what Shizuka-sensei had said. 'Do not do something you will regret later.'
Regardless of what the Headmaster's reaction would be if I killed Gin, I knew that at most I would get reprimanded or punished, maybe even expelled. But I had my own doubts about murdering this idiot.
I remembered the state I found Kurumu in when she came to me for comfort. I remembered tonight, when he knocked her unconscious without a second thought. I remembered how he had abducted Moka, tied her up, and touched her face like she was already his.
It would be normal to kill him. Eye for an eye, right?
But I knew this guy had potential. He had the heart to change. Maybe send him to a monastery and let him forget about the temptation of the flesh?
And from his own outburst, I could tell he was not a monster without morals. He was a broken boy who had never been loved. And just like in my first world, even a dog who could become your most loyal friend could turn feral when mistreated and abandoned.
Feed it, and it will be your loyal hound.
However, that did not excuse what he had done. But it explained it.
"No." I lowered All-Black. "I am not going to kill him."
Inner Moka's eyes widened. "What?"
She stared at me, her crimson eyes searching mine. I could see the confusion in them, the disbelief. She had expected me to finish it, just like with Saizo Komiya. I had killed that netorare orc champion without hesitation. Why was I hesitating now?
"I did not expect you to let go of the kill," she said, her voice quieter than before. "But again, you do not seem to have been corroded by the Shinso blood. You have passed the dangerous stage where a vampire would fail their transformation and become a Ghoul."
Gin weakly turned his head to look at me as I approached with the abyssal blade in my hand. His gold eyes were dull, unfocused, but there was still a flicker of fear in them.
"There are plenty of people in this Academy who are worth killing," I said, stopping a few feet away from him. "But for this dog in heat?" I let out a dry laugh. "Should we just sterilize him?"
"He is the cause of all the distress the girls in the clubs have gotten. Peeping around, taking photos. It should only be fair we sterilize him and give him to the girls. Haru-senpai would love to skin him alive."
Gin's eyes went wide. His whole body shuddered, and he tried to scramble back, but Inner Moka's leg held him in place.
"Please, no!" His voice was high, desperate. "Anything but that! I cannot… not being able to use my tool!"
'Of course that is what he is worried about. Priorities take precedent. He doesn't mind being skinned alive by a hot babe.'
I knelt beside him and grabbed his chin hard, forcing him to look at me. His gold eyes flickered open, dull and unfocused, and I saw the fear in them. The fear of a cornered animal waiting for the killing blow.
"Do not worry," I said, my voice cold. "I do not have such shitty tastes." I released his chin and stood. "Instead, I can give you a chance to escape from Death's grip."
I looked down at him, All-Black still in my hand, its blade pulsing with dark energy in anticipation for the final blow where he could have a returning feast.
"You lost. Even after cheating with your moon power-up, you lost. So here is your choice." I met his eyes, letting him see that I was not bluffing. "Submit to me. Swear to become my servant, and I will let you live. Fight again, and I will end you for good."
The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.
"Now, it is your moment to choose, Gin-senpai."