-----
-----
"So that's how it is, huh."
After hearing Max's explanation, Moka Akashiya's eyes widened in sudden realization.
So that's what's been going on.
She had never known any of this before.
Then, curiosity sparkling in her eyes, she leaned toward him."Hey, Max… are there really a lot of evil spirits in the human world?"
"Quite a few, yeah."
Max thought for a moment before answering.
Moka blinked her big eyes."Are they really as scary as the stories make them sound?"
Max chuckled."They look terrifying, sure, but to us? They're just ugly."
"True."
Moka nodded in agreement. She hadn't seen one yet, but as a top-tier monster vampire, she didn't think she'd ever be scared.
"Um… Max…"
Suddenly, her cheeks flushed pink, her gaze flickering nervously. She looked at him with an odd mix of expectation and embarrassment.
"If you've got something to say, just say it."
Seeing her hesitate, Max couldn't help but laugh.
Moka bit her lip, her voice shrinking smaller and smaller."I was just wondering… could you maybe let me drink your blood again?"
Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. She even looked away, unable to meet his eyes, her pale face turning redder by the second.
She was clearly mortified.
But before she turned her head, Max caught it—a brief red glimmer in her eyes.
Inner Moka was stirring.
Outer Moka.Inner Moka.
Two sides of her personality. Strictly speaking, Inner Moka was her true self.
Outer Moka had been created as a protective persona after the seal was placed on her. The two shared most of their memories, but Outer Moka resembled her mother, Akasha, far more.
Looking at Moka's shy, downcast face, Max paused for a moment, then smiled."Sure."
"Really?!"
Moka's head snapped up, her face lighting up in surprise.
"Yeah." Max nodded with a grin.
"Thank you, Max!"
Before the words had even finished leaving her lips, Moka threw herself into his arms, wrapping both arms around his neck.
A faint, sweet fragrance surrounded him, and her soft hair brushed against his cheek, streaked with silver and pink.
Her red lips parted, her fangs lengthened.
She leaned in, smooth and natural, pressing her mouth against his neck.
But when she tried to bite—
Nothing happened. She couldn't pierce his skin.
Wait—what?!
"Eh???"
She pulled back with a confused, wide-eyed stare, a big question mark practically floating over her head.
Yesterday, she could bite him with no problem. Not even a full day had passed—why wasn't it working anymore?
"Hold on."
Max froze for a moment, then realized what was happening. Smiling faintly, he closed his eyes.
After all, his body had already been reforged into a perfect vessel to match his immortal soul.
His skin might look soft and pale like any normal person's, but its toughness was on another level.
He didn't know the exact limits, but honestly? He figured he could probably tank a nuclear blast and still walk away—maybe with a little dust on his clothes at worst.
Probably.
Watching Max close his eyes, Moka's gaze flickered.
Yes, she craved his blood. But mixed in with that hunger was another strange, swelling feeling she couldn't quite name.
A moment later, Max opened his eyes again and smiled."Okay, it's fine now."
Hearing that, Moka's eyes flashed red. Without hesitation, she leaned in again.
Her lips brushed his neck, fangs slipping in this time.
The moment the first drop of blood touched her tongue, her green eyes blazed crimson—like crystalized blood.
Her long pink hair shimmered and turned pure silver.
"…Huh?!"
Noticing the sudden change, Max frowned slightly, surprise flashing in his eyes.
That was Inner Moka!
And she'd surfaced without the seal being undone.
Completely unexpected.
Still… in a massive crossover world like this, weird things happening wasn't exactly shocking.
So he let it go.
From what he could sense, she wasn't draining much of his blood at all—what she was really pulling was his internal energy.
After about fifteen seconds, Moka finally stopped.
She braced both hands on his shoulders, straightening her slim waist as she locked eyes with him.
"You—mmm!"
Max was about to say something when Inner Moka's next move completely floored him.
She smirked slightly.
With one hand, she tilted up his chin—then kissed him.
"What the—?!"
Max's eyes flew wide open. Stunned. Disbelieving.
He'd just been force-kissed!
His very first kiss in this life—snatched away just like that!
By the time he snapped out of it and thought to push back, Outer Moka had already re-emerged.
"Mm!!"
Realizing she was kissing Max, Outer Moka's eyes went wide, her face going scarlet.
She froze completely, staring at him in shock, lips still pressed against his.
Max wanted to shove her off, badly.
But looking at the wide-eyed, blushing Outer Moka, he couldn't bring himself to.
The saying goes: every debt has its debtor.
Inner Moka, you dared to steal my first kiss? Fine. Be brave enough to show yourself again and face the consequences. Hiding like this? Coward.
The thought flickered through his mind, and he gently pushed her back instead. Smiling lightly, he said,"I'll go wash the dishes. Then I'll walk you home, Moka. Tomorrow's Monday—you've got school."
From their earlier chats, he already knew she'd just started high school like him, though not at the same school.
"…Okay."
Moka finally snapped back to herself. Looking at Max pretending nothing had happened, her face flushed even harder as she nodded quickly.
Her eyes darted away, too shy to meet his gaze.
If she remembered right… she'd just kissed him.
Oh no. Oh no. How did this even happen?!
Watching him head toward the kitchen, Moka's hand drifted to her lips almost on its own.
Her first kiss… gone.
Her heart swirled with complicated emotions.
Shyness. Happiness. Excitement.
All good things—no fear, no rejection, not a single negative feeling.
If anything, she was secretly glad Max was the one.
And maybe… maybe she wanted to try it again.
After all, that kiss had been nothing but lips touching. They hadn't really done anything yet.
The thought made her blush even harder.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Max was still replaying what had just happened in his head.
Normally, when Moka drank his blood, she'd enter a strange state where both personalities overlapped.
But this time, she had become fully Inner Moka.
And yet… the seal hadn't been undone.
Could it be that his newly strengthened body—his blood packed with that overwhelming energy—had helped her slip free temporarily?
Letting her emerge without breaking the seal?
Whatever the reason, one thing was clear: Inner Moka was as bold and domineering as ever. To actually kiss him like that—she had guts.
Sure, he hadn't exactly lost out.
But the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got.
He really felt like tearing off that rosary right now, letting Inner Moka come out—then kissing her back, hard.
"....."