Monster Gacha System: Becoming The Final Boss

In the distance from the desolate village was a brewing snowstorm. It was a surging blizzard threatening to submerge the whole mountainous area into an eternity of freezing cold. Alas, it was approaching the two Jaegers investigating the missing villages of the northern fringes.

"What a coincidence," Damien muttered under his cold breath while staring at the snowstorm looming over them. Hecate raised her eyebrows and remarked. "I didn't notice this blizzard before. I don't remember anything forming when we landed near the empty village."

"Like I said, a nonsensical coincidence." The black-suited young man gave up trying to make the weather somewhat sensible. It didn't do him any good, so he turned his attention towards his partner. "Let's head to the second missing village and conclude our inspection there."

"Alright, I'd rather not have my hair undone by some blizzard." The crimson-haired vampire followed her partner as they walked towards Fafnir, who waited for them with patience and grace.

Damien hopped onto its back and gave a hand to his partner while noticing the snowstorm fast approaching. Hecate accepted the hand and was pulled into the back of Fafnir. Their mounting position was the same as before, with Damien behind her.

"Fafnir, head to the second coordinates." He commanded, prompting the Wyvern to flap its wings and soar through the turbulent white skies. "Hold tight, Hecate. The flight is bound to be rough for us."

The crimson-haired girl nodded in understanding and held tightly to the Wyvern. Damien narrowed his sable-tinted gaze and felt the blizzard following them for some reason. The wind seemed attracted to them, which made him somewhat displeased.

"The blizzard isn't of natural origin, Hecate. It appears that our movements weren't unseen, which is to be expected." Flying out of the fortified colony with a Wyvern attracted attention. There was no denying that. However, it also proved that their suspects weren't some ordinary folks.

"Is it a Brand?" Hecate held the strands of her crimson hair as she asked a question to her partner. Her velvet gaze quivered amidst the cold winds of the blizzard as she glanced at the black-suited young man behind her.

Damien furrowed his eyebrows and pondered the possibility. It wasn't out of the potential chances, but the snowstorm felt different. "I don't think so... Brands capable of manipulating or conjuring elements tend to leave substantial traces of personal Aether into the evoked element."

"This feels a bit natural. Too natural." Without any hesitation or delay, the black-suited young man lightly tapped the Wyvern, which prompted it to fly faster. It pierced through the blizzard like a knife through butter. It didn't take long for the two of them to escape from the grasp of the snowstorm.

They were met with the blue skies while the blizzard bellowed from behind them. In mere moments, the snowstorm dissipated as though it didn't even exist.

Damien glanced at their rear and sighed to himself. "It seems that our conjectures have been proven. Someone or something does not want us snooping around the missing villages. We are on the right path in the investigation."

"Right path, huh? I wonder if the Abominable Cult was the one that brought the snowstorm." Hecate took a deep and cold breath, feeling the winter sky seep into her bones. It didn't feel good at all. Despite being a vampire, she felt chilly for the first time.

Noticing the behavior of his partner, Damien patted her head and attracted the crimson-haired vampire's attention. "Do you need help? Is it time, Hecate?" What he meant was simple. It was their agreement that his blood would supplement the vampire.

"No... It should be for emergencies only." Hecate shook her head and didn't find the need to puncture her fangs into the neck of her partner. "I only feel a bit cold. We should have brought winter coats with us."

Hearing her complaints, Damien couldn't help but chuckle and comment. "Well, no one would have expected a cold-blooded vampire to be freezing in the winter skies. You surely must be one of a kind, Hecate."

Hecate didn't hesitate to softly elbow her partner and clenched her teeth in annoyance. "Are you calling me a weirdo, Damien? How are you not even feeling cold? Are you resistant to the cold weather?"

"I am not... I don't have that much resistance against temperature, but my clothes are a bit special. They can resist the heat and cold, keeping my internal temperature steady." Damien explained while barely holding his stomach from bursting out to laugh.

"Wait, what? Are we given the same clothes? What is this preferential treatment?" Hecate decided to keep this memory entrenched in her mind as she wanted to complain later to her Master. But before she could do so, she felt a black suit draping from her shoulders, embracing her.

It felt warm, like a portable heat embedded into a piece of clothing.

"D-Damien, are you sure about this? Wouldn't you feel cold?" The crimson-haired vampire felt a bit flustered, but noticed Damien's unbothered expression. His lips curved up into a smile as he responded calmly. "My buttoned shirt has the same thermal feature."

"Oh..." Hecate could only absentmindedly nod her head as Fafnir promptly descended from the blue skies and landed in the edges of another empty village. Damien stretched his limbs and hopped off the Wyvern, observing their surroundings with a scrutinizing gaze.

"It looks to be no different from the first missing village we visited." He asserted and walked towards the village square, which was empty of life. The crimson-haired vampire tucked his black-suit tightly while following behind him like a duckling. "The exodus seems to be the answer we are finding."

"You're right... I'd want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but nothing implies abduction. All of them left on their own terms, dragging personal belongings and even some furniture with them." Damien shook his head, disappointed at the conclusion they had reached.

"We should return to Cambridge Bay and handle the cult-affiliated locals." He uttered and walked away from the desolate village square. Hecate was about to follow him, but noticed a peculiar presence. "We aren't alone, Damien. Something is watching us."

"Come out. Or I'll drag you out myself." She warned, glaring at one of the empty houses. Damien halted and glanced in the direction of her gaze. He then indifferently questioned. "Is it an aetheric beast, or something else?"

"It shouldn't be an aetheric beast. Even predatory beasts would immediately escape after being noticed by something more powerful than themselves. Either the one watching us is stupid, or perhaps they are arrogant." Hecate answered, posturing her body to dash forward and catch the observer.

The two of them promptly heard a crunch as a shadow bolted from house to house, intending to escape from them. Obviously, the two Jaegers didn't plan on letting anyone watching them amidst the wilderness withdraw. In mere moments, Hecate dashed forward, becoming a blur.

On the other hand, Damien summoned another Terrestrial Monster. It was called the Hellhound, which he appropriately named Hound. The ground cracked as a giant canine from the depths of hell emerged. It growled, following the scent left behind by the observer.

Near the outskirts of the empty village, Hecate noticed the shadow slowing down. It didn't take long for her to catch its neck and pummel it to the snowy ground. Flakes fluttered as she distinguished a small figure beneath the hold of her pale fingers.

"What are you doing! I am the daughter of the Howling Village Chief! Damn you, vampire! Let go of me!" The little girl resisted, baring her canine fangs to the crimson-haired vampire.

Hecate tilted her head and noticed the upright dog-like ears on the little girl's head. There was also her tense tail, which seemed to be anxious and on guard. It didn't take long for the vampire to piece together the identity of the little one. "A cryptid species, huh? The Lycanthrope."

"Good job on catching her, Hecate." Damien emerged from a corner, following a giant hellish dog that growled at the sight of the little girl. The young one flinched upon seeing the Hellhound and felt tears threatening to drip from her eyes. "Oh, a Lycanthrope."

"This is the first time I saw one." He smiled at the little one, who looked at him with fear. Even though the young man in front of her appeared human, she felt a sense of oppression emanating from him. It was as though she were staring at an Aberrant.

In any case, the Lycanthropes were amongst the cryptid species introduced by Heaven's Fall. However... Unlike the plague-like Vampires who infiltrated society in mere weeks, the Lycans migrated north and avoided contact with humanity.

They were considered as Werewolves, the natural rivals of the Vampire species. Most of them were born with a special constitution, capable of naturally resisting Aether and Blood Techniques. If one wanted to contend with the Lycans, they would have to rely on their physical status.

Otherwise, they stood no chance.

"A young one at that." Damien crouched beside the restrained little girl with one knee on the ground. The little one's wolf ears and tail were, without a doubt, intriguing. It made him want to ruffle her hair with his hand while also playing with her ears.

"Don't be afraid. The two of us wouldn't hurt you." He chuckled when he noticed the anxious expression of the little girl. "How about we ask you a question? If you answered honestly, we will let you go?"

The little girl's tense wolf ears relaxed slightly as she nodded in agreement. There was no choice but to answer the questions of these strange fellas.