The clearing was still covered in smoke.
Broken trees lay scattered across the ground.
Silver sparks from the hunter captain's holy attack still flickered in the grass.
Aarav knelt on one knee, breathing heavily.
His chest burned.
The mark beneath his torn shirt still glowed faintly.
Mia rushed to him first.
"Aarav!"
She knelt beside him and held his shoulders.
The moment her hand touched him—
A soft silver light spread across her fingers.
Then something strange happened.
The cut on her arm from the hunter's silver chain slowly began to close.
Everyone froze.
Mia blinked.
"My wound…"
Jack looked shocked.
Kai narrowed his crimson eyes.
Elder Seraphina slowly stepped forward.
Her purple eyes glowed.
"As I thought."
Aarav frowned.
"What happened?"
The old witch looked directly at him.
"Your blood is resonating."
She gently took Mia's wrist and looked at the healed skin.
Then she turned toward Aarav.
"Your blood now carries restorative properties."
Kai frowned.
"Vampire blood doesn't do that."
Jack nodded.
"Neither does wolf blood."
Seraphina's gaze deepened.
"That is because this power does not belong to either of them."
The clearing fell silent.
Aarav slowly stood.
"Then what is it?"
The witch elder slowly walked back toward the wooden table beside the house.
She took out a silver ritual blade.
Then, without hesitation, she cut her own palm.
A thin line of dark violet blood flowed down.
Aarav's eyes widened.
"What are you doing?"
Seraphina ignored the question.
She held her bleeding palm over a black stone bowl.
Several drops fell into it.
The blood shimmered with purple light.
Mia frowned.
"Elder?"
The witch finally looked at Aarav.
"There is another bloodline inside you."
Everyone froze.
Kai's expression changed.
"What?"
Seraphina slowly lifted the bowl.
Her voice became heavy.
"The Noah Witch Bloodline."
Silence.
Aarav stared at her.
Noah Witch?
Jack frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
The elder's eyes darkened.
"Because it is one of the oldest original bloodlines."
"Older than vampire clans."
"Older than moon-wolves."
Even Lyra looked surprised.
"That bloodline still exists?"
Seraphina slowly nodded.
"Very few know of it."
She looked directly at Aarav.
"The hybrid bite did not only awaken the three bloods you received."
"It awakened something already sleeping inside you."
Aarav's heart tightened.
Something already inside him?
Seraphina handed him the bowl.
"Drink."
He stared at the purple blood.
For a moment, hesitation crossed his face.
Then he slowly lifted the bowl and drank.
The liquid was cold.
Then suddenly—
BOOM!
A pulse of violet light burst from his chest.
His Blood Moon Mark glowed.
Then slowly—
It faded.
Everyone stared.
Mia blinked.
"The mark…"
Kai stepped closer.
"It disappeared."
Seraphina gave a faint nod.
"The Noah Witch bloodline conceals it."
She looked directly at Aarav.
"It hides your mark."
"It hides your scent."
"And it hides your hybrid bloodline from normal creatures."
Jack frowned.
"So people won't know?"
The elder nodded.
"Only powerful original creatures can still sense it."
Kai's crimson eyes narrowed.
"And if he consumes other bloodline essence in the future?"
Seraphina's gaze sharpened.
"It will conceal that too."
A cold silence spread through the clearing.
This changed everything.
Aarav slowly looked down at his chest.
The mark was gone.
At least on the surface.
For the first time, he could truly walk among humans again.
But Elder Seraphina's face suddenly darkened.
"There is another problem."
Everyone looked at her.
She turned toward the forest where the hunters had fled.
"The captain escaped."
Jack's expression turned grim.
Kai immediately understood.
"If he reaches the Church…"
Seraphina nodded.
"The Silver Cross Church will learn of Aarav."
"And once they do, they will not stop."
Her purple eyes moved to Aarav.
"Not only your life."
"Your family's life will be in danger."
A cold chill ran through Aarav's body.
His mother.
His father.
No.
He clenched his fists.
Seraphina's voice became firm.
"You must go after him."
Kai stepped forward.
"I'll come."
Jack nodded.
"So will I."
Mia immediately said,
"I'm coming too."
But Seraphina raised a hand.
"No."
Her gaze settled on Aarav.
"This is his first hunt."
Aarav slowly looked toward the dark forest.
The captain was injured.
He wouldn't have got far.
Kai stepped beside him.
"We track him."
Jack cracked his knuckles.
"And finish it."
Mia looked worried.
"Aarav…"
Aarav turned to her.
For the first time, his expression was firm.
"If he reaches the Church…"
He looked down for a moment.
"…my parents died."
The words hit everyone hard.
Mia slowly nodded.
"Then come back alive."
Aarav gave a faint nod.
Kai, Jack, and Aarav stepped into the moonlit forest.
Their footsteps disappeared into the darkness.
Somewhere ahead—
The hunter captain was still running.
And tonight—
The hunt had reversed.