Abraham's breath hitched. The small wheels on his mechanical lower body spun out of control—whirrr, clank—rolling backward until they slipped over the edge of the high platform. His body tilted, and he plummeted straight down!
"Great-grandfather!"
Below the platform, Ericka, who had been anxiously watching the standoff, let out a scream and instinctively lunged forward.
Dracula sighed softly. He raised his pale, elegant fingers, a wisp of dark crimson magical energy swirling around his fingertips.
A gentle yet powerful force, like an invisible net, instantly caught the falling Abraham, lowering him slowly and steadily until he landed safely on the ground in front of Ericka.
Abraham stood there, shaken to his core. He looked up at Dracula—the monster he had dedicated his life to destroying, the monster he had almost killed moments ago. His old eyes were filled with confusion and a bewilderment he couldn't process.
"You... you saved me?" His voice was dry and hoarse. "But... why?"
Dracula walked over to Ericka and naturally took her hand. His scarlet eyes calmly regarded the exhausted old hunter.
"Abraham."
His voice was deep, carrying an ancient authority, yet strangely laced with relief.
"The times have changed. Just as Ericka once tried to tell us, the era of monsters hiding in the shadows, enemies of humanity, has ended."
He looked around the ruins—
Venom had retreated back into Vic's body, and Vic's colossal demonic form was slowly shrinking, laughing and joking with Wednesday and Enid.
In the distance, the Kraken was carefully using its tentacles to tend to its wounds, occasionally stealing a glance at Vic with eyes full of awe and terror—all aggression gone.
More monster passengers were poking their heads out from their hiding spots, their faces showing the relief of survival and curiosity about the future.
"We desire peace far more than humans do."
Dracula's gaze returned to Abraham, his tone sincere.
"Because a peaceful world is the only world where we can live without fear. The Van Helsing family mission—to stop monsters from hurting humans—has, in a sense, already been accomplished."
He paused slightly, looking at Ericka, who had tears in her eyes and was gripping his hand tightly. His voice became softer, yet firmer:
"It is time to retire, Abraham. Put down your weapons. Let go of the obsession. Rest."
"And..."
He took a deep breath, as if making a final resolution. In front of everyone, he spoke clearly:
"I love Ericka. This feeling has nothing to do with my identity as a vampire, or the fate of the Van Helsing family. It is simply because... she is Ericka."
"Oh, Drac..."
Ericka could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears of happiness shimmered in her blue eyes. She hugged Dracula's arm tightly, resting her head on his cold shoulder, her face radiating pure joy.
Abraham stared blankly at the couple embracing in front of him. He looked down at his own body—a vessel modified endlessly for the sake of hunting, covered in mechanical parts and scars.
For so many years, he had been like a clockwork machine, driven by family duty and ancient hatred, embarking on crusades again and again. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to rest, or even what it felt like to be human.
Many times, in the dead of night, alone, he had felt a bone-deep exhaustion. He had thought about giving up. But the heavy weight of his mission and his ingrained vigilance against monsters had always dragged him back onto the endless path of war.
But this time... the plan had failed completely. He had been crushed by overwhelming power. And now, Dracula's unexpected mercy and... those words that struck straight at his heart.
The string in his mind that had been pulled tight for centuries... snap... finally broke.
The near-paranoid conviction that had propped him up until today melted away like ice in the sun.
Replacing it was an unprecedented... emptiness. And also, a trace of relief.
The anger, unwillingness, and stubbornness faded from his face, leaving only deep fatigue and a bit of confusion.
After a long silence, he let out a long, deep breath. His shoulders slumped completely as if he had unloaded a thousand pounds of weight.
"Fine..."
Abraham's voice was as light as a sigh, carrying resignation, but also liberation.
"It seems... I really should retire."
He raised a hand covered in calluses and wrinkles, gently stroking his cold mechanical arm, his expression complex.
This defeat... didn't feel so bad. At least, he could finally stop.
"Actually, he just saved him because if the father-in-law dies, it makes Thanksgiving dinner really awkward."
Vic watched the scene of Dracula saving Abraham and whispered a precise roast.
"Vic! It's a romantic moment, don't ruin the vibe."
Enid touched his arm, but instead of skin, her fingertips met cold, slippery blue scales.
She looked up, her blue eyes holding a trace of hidden worry, and reminded him softly: "Vic, everything is resolved. You can change back now, right?"
"Oh! Right!"
Vic blinked his scarlet eyes, deliberately changing the subject with excited tones. He dug his claws into the seawater beside him like he was offering a treasure, stirring up a whirlpool.
"Enid, look! While I was fighting down there, I grabbed a bunch of shiny stuff! I bet this is the legendary Treasure of Atlantis! We're rich!"
He opened his massive claw. Several pieces of gold and gems, glowing with strange light, lay in his palm.
"Vic?"
Enid's heart sank slightly. Her voice became softer, a tentative call.
She keenly sensed that Vic seemed to be avoiding the topic of "changing back."
"Ah, I probably missed some. I'll go check again! Maybe there's even better stuff!"
As Vic spoke, he flicked his fish tail, posturing to dive back into the deep sea. His movements carried an almost instinctual attachment to the immense power and the deep-sea environment.
"Vic! Revert! Now!"
Wednesday's cold, firm voice cut through the air, carrying an unquestionable tone of command.
Almost the instant she spoke, she activated the Rabbit Talisman. Her figure moved like a phantom, appearing instantly beside Vic. Her pale, slender, yet surprisingly strong fingers clamped tightly onto his scale-covered wrist!
"Why should I change back?"
Vic lowered his massive head slowly, tilting it in confusion.
The red light in his pupils didn't fade; instead, it burned brighter, swirling with an ominous, pure sense of power belonging to a demon.
His voice rumbled like thunder, carrying a naive cruelty and absolute confidence:
"With this power, I can do anything! I can protect you better. I can make sure no one ever hurts us again! Is that not a good thing?"
"It is not good at all! Vic, please~"
Enid immediately stepped forward and hugged Vic's other wrist with both hands. She pressed her cheek against his cold, hard scales, her voice choked with tears and desperate pleading.
"You promised me and Wednesday that you wouldn't make us worry... We are scared of you like this..."
Wednesday didn't speak, but her abyssal black eyes were locked onto Vic's scarlet ones.
There was no fear in them. Only a near-stubborn determination and resolve. Her look said: If you lose yourself, we will drag you back, no matter the cost.
Vic's chest heaved violently. A wave of inexplicable irritation and violent impulse surged in his mind. He almost wanted to shake off these two tiny figures "hindering" him from embracing true power.
The powerful Demonic Chi roared inside him, tempting him to release it fully.
However, in the split second his strength flared, he saw it clearly—
Reflected in Enid and Wednesday's pupils was not the handsome teenage boy, nor the reliable Symbiote host.
It was a hideous, massive, ominous... Demon.
That reflection stabbed his heart like a knife.
Dammit, what am I doing? I almost used this power to scare the people I want to protect the most?
A chill instantly doused the restless demonic fire in his heart.
Without any hesitation, Vic focused his mind and fully activated the Sheep Talisman!
VMMM—!
A warm, peaceful white light—symbolizing the "Soul"—shone from his chest. Like the purest moonlight, it rapidly dispelled the spectral blue demonic energy clinging to his spirit.
The ominous blue tide receded, peeling away from his massive body and shrinking back into the ancient gourd.
The colossal demon body began to shrink rapidly. The covering Venom also obediently retreated back into his body.
A few seconds later, the familiar black-haired boy—wearing swim trunks and a Hawaiian shirt, with a look of lingering fear and apology on his face—reappeared.
The seawater gently lapped at his ankles. He let out a long exhale, as if dropping a thousand-pound weight.
He extended his arms and gently pulled them into a hug—Enid, who was still shaken with tears in her eyes, and Wednesday, whose face was expressionless but whose fingertips were trembling slightly.
"Sorry..."
Vic's voice returned to its usual clarity, filled with genuine guilt as he whispered in their ears.
"I got... a little high on the supply there. Won't happen again. I promise."
Feeling the real warmth and familiar scent in the hug, Wednesday's tense body finally relaxed. Enid hugged him back tightly, letting out a nasal "Mmhmm."
After a brief silence, Vic's face lit up with his usual heartless, brilliant grin. He let them go and stretched dramatically:
"Whoa! Finally done! This adventure was... way too stimulating! When we get back, I need Mavis to make me a feast to calm my nerves!"
Seeing his familiar, goofy behavior, Enid laughed through her tears. A faint, relieved smile ghosted across the depths of Wednesday's eyes.
"Welcome back, Vic," Enid said softly, holding his hand tight.