Chapter 2: Chapter 02: A Brutal End

I found myself completely cornered.

Though I had no desire to meet my end at the hands of these two monsters, all I could do was clench my jaw tightly and await my fate. The situation was grim.

To them, I was nothing more than prey, a disposable plaything for their entertainment.

"What's so amusing about you, bloodsucker?"

A deep, guttural voice reverberated through the area, accompanied by a low growl that sent shivers down my spine.

The voice came from the figure on the rooftop. It had a dog-like physique, but colossal in size, easily seven times larger. Its posture was hunched, with hind legs appearing deformed below the knees, and its bloodied claws only added to the terror in my heart.

"My friend, let's end this fight. I only took pleasure in your wife's body for a few hours. No need to be so outraged. Ah, I must admit, her blood and every holes brought me exquisite pleasure." The vampire's mocking laughter rumbled in the darkness.

"You treacherous bastard! After all the years of friendship, you had to deceive me like this? Don't think I'll let you escape after that! I'm done with my wife, now it's your turn!" The werewolf roared furiously, as if ready to pounce on the vampire at any moment.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you should have guarded what was yours more carefully."

The foul odor of decay that I had previously detected returned with even greater intensity near the werewolf. It was such a thick stench that I felt like I was about to vomit.

'I need to escape, I can't die here! Sophie needs me, I'm all she has left in this world.'

To make matters worse, a ludicrous scene straight out of a cheesy soap opera was unfolding before my eyes: a werewolf and a vampire were locked in a fierce battle.

In that moment, terror and the mounting invisible pressure turned my legs into jelly. Escaping seemed like an impossible dream.

As the two monsters threatened to clash, I cursed my damn luck. I bit my lip so hard that it started to bleed.

"!!!"

Two sets of crimson eyes then fixated on me with a terrifying intensity, as if they could pierce through my skin. Horrified, I swallowed hard as the two creatures bared their fangs in my direction, sniffing the air. Their nostrils grotesquely flared.

"Ahh~ This scent... I've never encountered such delectable blood before!"

"You damn bloodsucker. But I must admit, this blood possesses an unusually pure essence. If it were to become a werewolf, it would ascend to the highest ranks!"

"To become a mere dog? You're insane! Being my slave and offering me his blood should be more than sufficient for a lowly human."

I didn't waste a moment to listen to their conversation. Seizing the opportunity while they were caught up in their own fight, the immense pressure that had been crushing me eased just enough for me to catch my breath.

It was only then that I became aware of the cold sweat drenching my body and the trembling in my hands and legs. But I also knew that this was my only chance to escape.

Without hesitating to dwell on the havoc the fight had wreaked on the surroundings and the force that had thrown me back, I swiftly got back on my feet and sprinted away.

"Damn, they can easily track my blood scent. This is not good."

As I raced at full speed, I pulled out the first aid kit from my backpack. I wiped the blood from my lips and discarded the stained cloth in an alley, making sure to move in the opposite direction.

Next, I applied alcohol to the wound to cauterize it, despite the intense burning sensation, and covered it with a healing patch. I also took out the perfume I had bought for Sophie and generously sprayed it all over myself.

I wasn't sure if it would be enough to mask the smell of my blood, but it was all I could do.

I kept a constant watch on myself, feeling my heart about to burst out of my chest. My heart condition hardly allowed me to catch my breath between gasps. My vision blurred intermittently, and I nearly passed out on more than one occasion.

Still, despite the exhaustion, I pushed my legs to keep moving, driven solely by the need for survival. I attempted to force open doors and windows along my path, even resorting to using rocks to break glass, but nothing seemed to give way.

"What kind of messed up place is this where nothing can be destroyed?!"

When those monsters clashed, entire houses crumbled like a chain reaction of falling dominos!

I continued running, venturing into unfamiliar streets, my breathing becoming increasingly erratic. I knew I couldn't hold on much longer, so my sole focus was on putting as much distance as possible between myself and those creatures.

I could still hear echoes of battle and explosions in the distance, gradually fading away.

After about 20 minutes, I arrived at an open area—a park. Under normal circumstances, there would still be people around at this hour, but the eerie silence hung in the air.

My throat was parched, and my heart felt constricted by a cold grip. I halted my run and sluggishly made my way towards the fountain. I was desperate for water, even if I knew this place wasn't safe.

I quickly replenished my supply and scanned the surroundings under the flickering lights.

I recognized this park; I used to come here often with Sophie. A faint smile formed on my lips at the memory, but it abruptly froze.

A terrible shiver ran down my spine. I felt an unsettling presence behind me, watching my every move.

As I turned around under the unsteady light of the street lamps, a dark silhouette emerged from the shadows at a leisurely pace.

"Did you really think I'd let you escape so easily? Even though you're just a measly human, you've caused more trouble than you're worth," he taunted with a sneer.

Before me stood a stout, middle-aged man clad entirely in black. He was certainly not the vampire.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Wow, your memory is even worse than I thought. Let me remind you."

That's right. My mind was hazy, so I didn't immediately recognize him. But I was certain I had never laid eyes on him before.

Suddenly, the man's body started distorting in an inhuman manner. His mouth elongated and contorted, tearing his clothes to shreds as his skin became engulfed in thick black fur.

Before me stood the beast once again, transformed from his human disguise.

"I am a pure-blood werewolf by birth."

Though I didn't fully grasp the implications, I couldn't help but inquire, "What do you want from me?"

"You seem surprisingly calm."

And he was right. Perhaps my mind had overridden the fear as I realized that survival was not in the cards for me tonight. Or maybe I simply believed I was trapped in a horrific nightmare, one that aimed to strip away everything I had left.

"What happened to the... vampire?" I asked. My breathing grew heavier and my vision blurred.

"We werewolves are fiercely territorial. The moment that bastard laid a finger on what's mine, he sealed his own fate," he replied, flashing a devious grin that revealed his sharp teeth.

Suddenly, he reared up on his hind legs, unveiling an impressive wingspan of over four meters. To my astonishment, a golden object that emitted a radiant glow appeared in his furry palm.

"Vampires, unlike us, have a great weakness to the sun. This artifact possesses that very attribute. And the moment I used it, that bastard turned into ashes in an instant!"

As I watched him burst into laughter, causing the trees to tremble, I couldn't help but sigh in resignation. This situation was beyond my control.

"Why do you want to turn me into one of you? I'm just a weak human to you, right?"

"That's right, pathetically weak," he calmly admitted once he caught his breath. "This is my territory, sealed off from any intruders. Or at least, it was until you showed up."

"But that's what makes you special," he continued, giving me an assessing look. "In addition to that, your blood is exceptionally valuable, which will bring great advantages to my pack once your transformation is complete. Likewise, you will experience a tremendous increase in strength."

I understood that he was trying to persuade me by emphasizing the supposed benefits for others and myself. Yet, this wasn't some novel where I held my own fate in my hands. If it were, I would have escaped by now.

"What if I refuse?" I asked, my voice trembling, even though I already knew the answer in advance.

An arrogant, yet mocking smile twisted his lips, resembling those of a dog, as he replied in a mournful tone.

"You'd be pathetic prey, and you'd die without a trace. There are only two options here: willingly submit and join my pack as one of our own, or face the forceful transformation into a werewolf, becoming my slave until death."

Both possibilities sent shivers down my spine, but at least the first one would allow me to cling to life. Though not for long as a human. And as for the second... who the hell would want to become a slave?

"... How much time do I have left?"

"One minute," he replied, revealing his fangs in a sinister smile, seemingly relishing in my fear. "The full moon is tonight, the perfect time for a werewolf to be born."

With those words, he approached on all fours, the putrid stench of decay growing stronger as his face drew closer to mine. My body was paralyzed as I stared into his blood-drenched teeth and his piercing scarlet eyes, mere inches away from me.

'Does he have to scratch me to initiate the transformation? Sigh...'

Suddenly, I heard the wind whistle followed by an unpleasant "slash!" A sharp pain pierced my chest. Looking down, I saw a vision of scarlet: his arm was buried in my right torso, his fur now drenched in crimson blood.

Why the hell did he stab me? Wasn't he supposed to transform me? In the haze of my fading vision, I wanted to question him, but all that escaped my lips was blood. I weakly struggled to pry his arm away, but it was like pushing against a boulder.

*Plop!

He yanked it back, leaving a gaping bloody hole in my chest. My consciousness blurred as life slipped away.

When I regained a sliver of clarity, I found myself lying on the ground. His deep voice reached my ears.

"I changed my mind. Even if you joined willingly, you'd still be nothing but a damn slave. You're a risk to us, so I decided to eliminate that future problem."

"If you want to hold a grudge, then hate yourself for being weak."

I tried to speak, but only a feeble whimper escaped my bloodied lips.

The monster was right, I was weak.

If only I had been stronger, I wouldn't be dying like this.

My vision grew blurry with each passing second. The hole in my chest was a fiery pit of agony, sucking the life out of me.

As I teetered on the edge of unconsciousness, I started losing connection with my own body. It would be such a relief to fade away, I thought. But if that happened, I would die.

Am I really gonna die at this age? Am I gonna leave Sophie all alone in this goddamn world? Even though life was dull, I haven't even lived half of it. Only when faced with death's doorstep do I realize how much I well cherish her.

And if I vanish from her side, how would I be any different from my parents who ditched her? She's the only good thing I've got left. It can't end like this.

Though a newfound determination ignited within me, many parts of me were fading away along with my consciousness.

What's gonna happen at school tomorrow? Will my classmates be shocked? I highly doubt anyone will shed a tear for me. Truth is, I've always been a lonely outcast with no real close friends.

Sophie... she's gonna be devastated and sad. I still had so much left to do to bring a smile to her face. I never got around to bringing her flowers like I promised, or inviting her over for a moonlit dinner.

Her smile, even a faint one, had the power to make me want to be a better person. But now, I'm leaving her all alone in this messed up world.

'Forgive me, Sophie,' I thought as my soul faded away. 'I promised to take care of you, and I failed.'

But fate ripped that chance away from me. The last thing I caught a glimpse of before being consumed by eternal darkness was her tear-streaked face bidding me farewell.

And with that agony gnawing at me, the darkness finally swallowed me whole.

On the night of September 21, 2025, Damien Winters met his final demise. And from the depths of the dark abyss where his soul was dragged, emerged only the Monster that would send shockwaves through the entire world.

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