The word echoed in Rex Viper's mind, sharp and unmistakable.
Vampire?
At the same time, another notification surfaced, overlapping with the first and sending a ripple of tension through his thoughts. The unconscious girl lying on the bed in front of him had just been identified as a bronze-level target.
Prey.
That single word carried weight. It wasn't just a label—it was a judgment.
Rex's eyes lingered on the girl's pale face, his mind racing. Was there something fundamentally wrong with her, or was it simply because she had been turned? If it was the latter, then even the weakest vampire would automatically qualify as a bronze-level target.
That realization alone was enough to make him pause.
For a brief moment, conflicting thoughts collided in his head. He could end it right now, eliminate the threat, and claim whatever reward came with it. Clean, efficient, no risk.
But as he looked at her—unconscious, helpless, not yet fully transformed—he made a different choice.
"I'll try to save her first," he muttered under his breath. "If that fails… then I'll take the reward."
Digging through fragments of knowledge from his past life, something clicked.
Garlic. Not the kitchen kind—the compound. Allicin.
"David," Rex said sharply, turning his head, "get pharmaceutical-grade allicin. Now."
David didn't waste a second. "On it."
As one of the best hackers in the city, locating a nearby pharmacy was trivial. Within minutes, he was already on his way, moving fast and without hesitation.
Rex stayed behind, watching the girl carefully, measuring every twitch of her body. Her breathing was uneven, her skin too pale, veins faintly visible beneath the surface like something trying to break through.
When David returned, Rex took the vial without a word and prepared the injection.
He worked quickly but precisely, pushing the allicin into her system and stepping back as he finished. Now, there was nothing left to do but wait.
In his memory, a scene surfaced—the film Blade. In it, a newly bitten victim had her transformation slowed by allicin injections, buying time before a proper cure could be administered.
But the success rate had been low. Even when it worked, it was only temporary.
David crossed his arms, watching the entire process with a skeptical expression. "That's it?" he asked. "I thought exorcism involved holy water, crosses, chanting… something dramatic. This just looks like medicine."
Rex shot him an annoyed look and lowered his voice. "She's not possessed," he said. "She was bitten by a vampire."
David blinked, caught off guard. "Vampires? You're serious? Those actually exist?"
"They've existed for thousands of years," Rex replied calmly. "Stronger than us, richer than us, and they survive by feeding on humans. Compared to them, even the worst corporations look almost harmless."
David's expression shifted as the implications sank in. "So what—you're saying they control everything?"
"Not exactly," Rex said, shaking his head slightly. "The night belongs to them. The day still belongs to us. Anything that can't face sunlight eventually gets pushed into the shadows."
He paused, then added quietly, "But they're powerful. And they don't operate alone."
Rex turned toward him, his tone sharpening. "Find out where she went last night. Who she met. I want the vampire who bit her—and where it lives."
David nodded immediately. "Got it."
While David worked, Rex didn't sit idle.
Using the money they had taken from Wolfe, he secured a large, abandoned dock along the Hudson River. It became a makeshift armory, stocked with everything they had gathered—firearms, ammunition, and specialized equipment.
Among the collection was a sniper rifle once used by Bullseye, a reminder of just how far things had escalated.
Rex set up an electric furnace and began melting silver.
The liquid metal glowed as it pooled, and under his steady hands, it was reshaped into something far more lethal. Bullet after bullet was coated in silver, each one prepared with precision. Alongside them, he forged a pair of sharp daggers, their edges gleaming faintly with a deadly sheen.
He moved with practiced efficiency.
Despite the title of "fighter," his abilities extended far beyond simple combat. Any conventional weapon—firearms or blades—felt natural in his hands.
Vampires in this world were dangerous. Stronger, faster, and nearly immortal compared to ordinary humans.
But they weren't invincible.
Ultraviolet light. Silver. Allicin.
Each one could kill them.
Rex loaded the silver-plated rounds into magazines one by one, the soft clicks echoing in the empty dock. Two Glock 17s settled comfortably at his waist as he finished.
By the time David called, everything was ready.
"I found something," David said. "The girl went to a bar in Hell's Kitchen last night—Blue Rose. Around three or four in the morning, she left through the back with a guy. Late teens, maybe."
Rex listened silently as David continued.
"There was a camera back there," David added. "One you placed earlier."
The footage played out clearly in Rex's mind.
A dark alley. The two figures pressed close, kissing under the cover of shadows. Then the shift—the boy biting into her neck, the sudden panic, her struggling, begging, crying.
None of it mattered.
When he was done, he dropped her like trash.
Two hours later, she staggered out of the alley, barely conscious.
David kept going. "I tracked the car he used. Ferrari. Got the plate. Found the owner."
"Where?" Rex asked.
"Brooklyn. High-end neighborhood."
Rex didn't hesitate.
Driving his battered pickup truck, he circled the target villa three times, studying every detail. Locked doors, sealed windows, heavy curtains blocking out sunlight.
Perfect for creatures that feared the day.
He parked in the back garden and moved quickly, vaulting over the two-meter wall with ease. The second-floor window was slightly open, hidden behind thick curtains.
The exterior of the villa offered plenty of handholds.
Climbing up was effortless.
Inside, steady breathing confirmed his target was still asleep.
Rex slipped through the window silently.
The bedroom was lavish, almost absurdly so. Expensive furniture, soft lighting, everything arranged with careless luxury.
On the bed, the boy lay motionless.
Without hesitation, Rex moved.
In a single fluid motion, he pinned the boy down, straddling his chest while pressing a silver-coated dagger lightly against his throat.
The reaction was immediate.
A faint sizzling sound filled the air, followed by the unmistakable smell of burning flesh.
The boy's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly red as pain shot through him. He froze instantly, sensing the danger.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice tense.
Rex didn't answer directly. "A girl was bitten at Blue Rose last night," he said calmly. "That was you, right?"
The boy's expression shifted, suspicion flashing across his face. "Who are you?" he repeated. "Council enforcement? She was just some nobody from Ohio. No one would care if she died."
Rex's grip tightened, his fingers digging into the boy's jaw. "I'm not here on behalf of anyone," he said coldly. "I'm here to kill you. And everyone like you."
Fear flickered in the boy's eyes.
"Why… who are you…" he stammered.
Rex raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing the trembling. "You're scared?" he said softly. "Good."
Without warning, he drove the dagger forward.
The blade pierced straight through the boy's throat.
A wet, choking sound escaped him as his vocal cords were severed. Blood spilled instantly, and the silver burned deep, draining his strength almost immediately.
Rex didn't give him time.
He dragged the boy off the bed and toward the window, ignoring the weak, desperate attempts to resist. Blood smeared across the floor as the boy struggled, his movements growing weaker with each second.
The curtain was yanked open.
Even under a cloudy sky, daylight spilled in.
Smoke began to rise from the boy's body.
He writhed violently, trying to crawl back into the shadows, but Rex grabbed him by the collar, ripped the dagger free, and threw him out.
The transformation was brutal.
Skin cracked. Flesh melted. Bone collapsed into ash.
Within seconds, nothing remained.
Behind Rex, a door creaked open.
He turned slightly.
A little girl stood there, clutching a ragged doll.
For a split second, he hesitated.
Then she screamed.
The sound was sharp and inhuman as she launched herself forward, scaling the wall like a spider. Her speed blurred her form, closing the distance in an instant.
Rex reacted without hesitation.
Three shots.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Since reaching mastery with pistols, his accuracy had improved dramatically. Against targets far faster than ordinary humans, he could now maintain a hit rate close to ninety percent within effective range.
And at this distance, there was no chance of missing.
The bullets struck.
Her leg and foot were torn open, and she collapsed instantly, hitting the floor hard.
Sunlight streamed in, and smoke began to rise from her body.
Rex moved quickly, pulling the curtain shut again.
The girl's screams softened into confused whimpers as the burning sensation eased. Her eyes, still tinged with red, flickered with uncertainty.
Then a needle pierced her neck.
Diluted allicin.
It wouldn't cure her—but it would keep her alive long enough.
Footsteps thundered down the hallway.
A man and a woman appeared at the doorway, their presence filling the room with sudden hostility.
The woman's face twisted, sharp fangs extending as her nails lengthened into claws. She lunged forward without hesitation.
Beside her, the man raised a shotgun, leveling it directly at Rex.
"Boom!"
....
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