They were so weak, Draven thought, standing over the remains of the fallen vampires.
> I should probably do something about the corpses...
He paused for a moment.
Then shrugged.
> Huh. No need. They'll disappear when the sun comes up anyway.
Still, something nagged at him.
> I do wonder what those three low-rank vampires were trying to do.
He shook his head.
> No need to overthink it. I'll just tell the old man when I get home.
With that, he leapt into the trees, moving swiftly and silently from branch to branch as he headed toward the castle.
But then—
he stopped.
Below him, in a small clearing, two more vampires stood talking quietly.
Draven crouched on a high branch, watching them with narrowed eyes.
> Looks like there are more than I thought...
He dropped down.
His feet touched the ground softly behind them.
"I didn't think there were more of you," Draven said casually.
The two vampires spun around.
Without saying a word, they attacked.
One lunged forward with a punch.
The other attacked from the side.
Draven leaned backward, letting the first fist pass inches from his face.
He twisted his body and stepped between the two attacks, avoiding the second vampire's strike as well.
"Attacking without saying a word?" Draven asked, looking at them with disbelief. "Are you seriously trying to kill a kid?"
One of the vampires snarled.
"Do you think we're stupid? What kind of kid walks alone in a forest?"
Draven smiled.
"So you're not as foolish as the others."
He began walking toward them, completely relaxed.
"You're vampires, right?"
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"Then why aren't you using blood magic?"
He stopped.
"And more importantly—what the hell are you doing sneaking around my castle?"
"To kill a brat like you, we don't need magic," one of them said with a sneer.
He glanced around the forest.
"And what do you mean, your castle?"
Draven scratched the back of his head lazily.
"Suit yourself."
He looked up.
His eyes began glowing bright red.
"You came all the way here without even knowing who lives in this place?"
His voice became colder.
"I'm not going to repeat myself."
His gaze locked onto them.
"Why the hell are you lurking around my castle?"
"And why the hell would we tell you?" the second vampire snapped.
Draven disappeared.
The vampire blinked.
A gust of wind passed through the clearing.
Then—
he looked up.
Draven was already above him.
The vampire's eyes widened.
He threw himself to the side just as Draven's fist came crashing down.
**BOOM!**
The ground shattered where Draven's fist landed.
The vampire rolled across the grass and quickly pushed himself back to his feet.
"What the—"
Draven looked at the crater beneath him.
Then back at the vampire.
> He actually dodged it.
A small grin appeared on his face.
"Not bad."
The vampire barely had time to react.
Draven vanished again.
He appeared directly in front of him.
The vampire raised his arms to block.
Too late.
Draven's fist slammed into his guard.
**BOOM!**
The impact launched the vampire backward.
He crashed into the ground and skidded across the grass.
Before he could recover—
Draven was already above him.
His fist came down.
**CRACK!**
The vampire's skull was crushed into the ground.
Blood splattered across the grass.
Draven slowly straightened.
His crimson eyes locked onto the remaining vampire.
"Are you going to talk..."
He took a step forward.
"...or am I going to make you?"
The vampire trembled.
Sweat ran down his face.
His body refused to move.
His mouth opened—
but no words came out.
Draven's smile widened slightly.
"Looks like you're not going to talk."
He stepped forward again.
"Well then… I guess I'll just have to make you."
He cracked his knuckles.
His eyes glowed like embers in the darkness.
"Since you can regenerate..."
His smile widened.
"...I'll make sure that this is going to be fun."