«Big brother… today is your eighteenth birthday and you still haven't gotten me my present!»
Yuzu grumbles as she clings to her brother — Ren Toya — and squeezes her small breasts against his arm.
Classes had ended later than usual, so they decided to eat out. Now they're walking along a path through a small forest that leads to their home.
«Let me get this straight… it's my birthday, and I'm the one who has to get you a present?»
Yuzu's face, framed by her long black hair, turns sulky. Her hazel eyes glare threateningly at Ren.
«Of course! You and I are basically the same, get that into your head! So it's my birthday too!»
«You already turned fifteen two months ago! How many birthdays are you planning to celebrate this year?»
«Big brother… you really don't understand girls at all!»
Ren shrugs.
«If you say so…»
All of a sudden, his faint, amused smile disappears.
«Yuzu, stay back!» Ren orders.
He extends an arm in front of his sister and pushes her behind him.
«W-What's going on, big brother?»
Before she can finish speaking, a cloaked figure emerges from the trees and blocks their path.
A simple plastic mask covers his face, the kind you'd find in cheap Halloween stores.
But it isn't the mask that scares Ren — it's the man wearing it. Behind the slits, a pair of sinister blood-red eyes gleam in the darkness.
Vampire eyes.
«Ren Toya, the time I gave you is up. What have you decided?»
«My answer is the same as last time — and it's still no!»
«That's not what I was hoping to hear.»
«D-Did you hear what my brother said? We have no intention of joining you! Get lost if you value your life!» Yuzu snaps.
«I'm not talking to you, stupid little girl. My boss isn't interested in a weak succubus like you. He only cares about Ren and Iris.»
«All the more reason to refuse your offer,» Ren snaps. «I would never abandon my sisters for anything in the world!»
«What a shame. The idea of fighting you doesn't excite me. But if you won't come with me willingly, then you'll come by force!»
As he speaks, a deep wound opens in his palm. The blood flowing out begins to float and writhe, until it takes the shape of a crimson rapier.
He immediately lunges at Ren.
The blade of solid blood is about to strike when... CLANG!
The vampire's slash is blocked by a gigantic sword of pure violet energy crackling with lightning. Ren wields it so easily it seems as light as a feather.
But that's not all.
Ren's entire body is now wrapped in purplish lightning, and massive bat-like wings spread from his back.
The vampire counters with a thrust, but Ren dodges and slams a kick into his stomach so violently that it sends him flying several meters before he crashes to the ground.
«You're strong, Ren Toya. But I expected nothing less from someone trained personally by Raelor Valraen.»
At hearing that name, Ren grits his teeth in anger.
"How the hell does that bastard know Raelor?!" he thinks.
But there's no time for questions.
Ren attacks again, and the clash continues with overwhelming ferocity.
They move so fast that a normal human eye could never follow them. Even Yuzu struggles to tell who has the upper hand.
Suddenly, the vampire extends his left arm toward Ren and... «Blood Manipulation: Spikes Barrage!»
The blood flowing from his palm turns into a barrage of razor-sharp spikes that shoot toward Ren.
But he isn't caught off guard.
He cuts through the air with his blade, instantly dispersing the rain of sharpened blood.
Yet not all of the spikes are deflected.
One pierces his left arm. Another strikes his right thigh.
A sharp pain runs through his body, but he knows he can't afford to give in.
The lightning around him crackles even more violently — and… SLASH!
Agonized, piercing screams burst from the vampire's mouth.
A moment earlier, Ren had been over twenty meters away.
The next instant, his gigantic sword rips open a deep gash from the vampire's left thigh to his right shoulder.
«D-Damn it… why isn't the wound regenerating?!» the vampire snarls. «Wait… d-don't tell me you can use that magic too?! I-I was sure Raelor was the only living incubus capable of it…»
«You said it yourself. That damn bastard taught me everything I know — and I'll owe it to his teachings when I kill him! But for now…»
He points the gigantic sword at the vampire.
«…I'll settle for killing you!»
Just as Ren is about to bring down the finishing blow, the vampire pulls a small red sphere from his pocket and throws it to the ground.
FLASH!
When it shatters, a blinding explosion erupts, forcing Ren to cover his eyes.
When the light fades a few seconds later, nothing but traces of blood left behind by the fleeing vampire remain.
Ren could follow them and finish him for good. But for all he knows, the vampire might not be alone — and someone could use that opening to hurt Yuzu, unconscious after seeing Ren's blood.
It's a risk he isn't willing to take.
And as Ren limps away with his sister in his arms, a boy with hair darker than night and glowing crimson eyes watches the scene from afar.