The Final Desperation

EverNight

Background:

This is a world embraced by darkness. With daylight being a foreign concept, vampires run rampant, bringing terror to all. Everyone prays they won't be the next target, but even without the vampires, the lack of light makes life grim and miserable.

Yet, in this despair, a group of hunters arose to face the challenge with the sole goal of wiping out all vampires in the world. The emergence of this group gave people hope, but the powers of these brave souls were inadequate in the face of their adversaries.

Participating Realms: Ever, Omega, and Mana

Mission: Kill one of the three vampire princes.

Note 1: Due to your rule-breaking behavior in the Spatial Battlefield, the other realms have called for a heavy punishment. Your mission difficulty has increased drastically.

Note 2: May you survive the unnaturally difficult task

Deadline: None. You can not leave until you finish the mission.

Restrictions: All technology beyond the Cold Era is banned.

 

---

 

In a flash, three days passed. Genji spent his time carving wood with Alysha and catching up with his two assassin friends. At his insistence, they agreed to drop the issue regarding Kosa, leaving her very happy. As for Alysha, she had grown accustomed to his short stays, leaving him with a simple 'Come back soon.'

Genji, of course, gave the same vague response and returned to EverRealm. It was a brief respite, but he felt fully rested and ready for the challenges before him.

From the mission and background, Genji knew he was in for a difficult time. He might not have been familiar with the structure of vampire society, but 'prince' seemed like a significant title reserved for the privileged. It might even be a title that signified power, making it akin to a boss fight.

However, Genji understood that this mission couldn't be as straightforward as killing a boss. With his current equipment setup and skills, a boss fight might be challenging, but not punishing. If the other realms wanted to punish him for the crazy stunt he had pulled, they would have assigned him a mission that went beyond mere difficulty, attempting to kill or trap him.

If that were truly the case, what made this mission so difficult? Genji didn't have the answers yet, but he assumed the worst, such as the possibility of facing all three princes simultaneously or contending with a large group of vampires guarding them.

Setting aside the mission details, Genji noticed a few peculiarities as he surveyed his surroundings. The most striking was the unusual behavior of his energy. It was exceptionally active, far more so than during his usual frenzy state. It felt supercharged, granting him instincts beyond his usual abilities.

This change could be attributed to the fact that this place was in perpetual nighttime. Genji knew that he gained a significant boost during the night, as that's when the shadows were most intense. Therefore, it made sense that a location in constant darkness would provide an even stronger boost, making it feel like he was in his natural habitat.

Secondly, he observed that there was no one in sight. Unlike his previous experiences, he was entirely alone this time, which didn't surprise him. It seemed that each time he entered a new world, something about the start was different.

Surveying the surroundings, Genji found himself in the midst of a gray forest. However, calling it a 'forest' was generous. The 'trees' had an ashen hue that blended seamlessly with the surrounding fog. Wooden branches and sticks protruded haphazardly, devoid of leaves. The ground consisted of black mulch, created from the fragments of broken sticks and wood. It was a barren area.

With each step, his boots crunched against the mulch, releasing a musty odor into the air. It was as depressing as it sounded, making it an inhospitable place to live. As he walked, Genji's heightened senses picked up on a metallic smell — the unmistakable scent of blood. With no other idea where he was, Genji followed the scent in hopes of finding someone who could provide directions.

Leaping over a fallen trunk, Genji found himself near a person hunched over a lifeless body. At the sound of his landing, the person's head snapped upward."

"No, this isn't what it looked like," the person explained frantically, clearly distressed over something.

Genji quickly realized that this person was far from ordinary. Glowing red eyes, two sharp fangs, and pale skin left no doubt — this was a vampire.

"What happened? Why was there a dead body? Did you stumble across him on your way back?" Genji pretended not to notice the signs and offered an excuse for the person's actions.

"Ah yes, yes, that's exactly what happened," the vampire said, visibly relaxing as he eagerly accepted the offered explanation.

"In that case, can I ask for directions to the nearest town?" Genji inquired. Since the person was already suspicious, denying his request would only worsen his perceived situation.

"Town. It's... um... yeah... um... It's that way," he replied, pointing in a random direction, fully aware that he had no idea.

"Thanks. I'll get going now. Just don't hover over the body like a creep next time, or people might mistake you for a vampire," Genji warned, turning around and leaving the questionable person. He knew the direction was useless, but he didn't want to get involved right then.

Hearing his words, the person froze for a moment before bursting out in shouts.

"What do you know! I didn't want to become like this. You think becoming a vampire is easy?!? It's all his fault. If he hadn't stolen Vanessa from me, none of this would have happened!"

"Chill out. I didn't ask," Genji placated him as if he hadn't just admitted to killing the person and explaining his motives.

"No, you must know something. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so quick to leave. If I don't want to be hunted down..."

Then his eyes glowed a crimson red, and he pounced at Genji, causing him to let out an annoyed sigh.

"Of all people, why do I have to run into someone so mentally unstable?"

Genji sidestepped the attack, drew his saber, and decapitated the vampire.

"When considering whether to silence someone, understand if you can first," Genji said to the falling head.

"I guess there's no point in leaving anymore."

Genji then walked over to the first body and examined it. It was an adult man in his twenties wearing a brown, tattered shirt. Clusters of dirt and grime could be seen on his calloused hands, showing his laborious schedule.

From his pained expression, Genji knew his experience had not been a pleasant one. Genji flipped over the body to reveal two pitch-black holes punctured into the jugular.

A small stream of blood seeped out as the remaining crimson fluid left the body. Examining the wound, traces of saliva coated the surrounding area. Knowing that he needed to look for clues, Genji searched the body but came up empty-handed.

"Strange. This guy felt well-built but didn't have anything. Maybe he was a farmer or something?"

Genji flipped the body one last time when he heard the echo of footsteps. Looking up, a man in leather armor and a black cloak stopped 15 meters away from him. In his hand, a crossbow made from an unknown wood was aimed at Genji.

"Who are you?" he asked, vigilant as he observed Genji hovering over a dead body. This was reminiscent of the previous encounter when Genji stumbled upon the scene.

Genji slowly rose from his crouch, keeping his hands visible the entire time. He didn't want to start a conflict right now.

"When I arrived at the scene, that guy was hovering over him. When I tried to leave, he suddenly attacked me, so I defended myself," Genji said, pointing to the deceased vampire.

The man cautiously approached the body, keeping his crossbow trained on Genji. Retrieving a vial of silver solution, he poured a drop onto the severed head. A sizzling sound and a foul odor reached Genji as smoke emitted from the point of contact. Then the head gradually dissolved, all while Genji observed with interest.

"That's quite a potent acid you have there. May I take a closer look?"

To Genji's surprise, the man capped the vial and tossed it to him. As Genji reached up to catch it, a bolt zipped by, shattering the vial and showering its contents over him. Genji swiftly leaped back to avoid the concoction before eyeing the man once more.

"That wasn't very nice," Genji commented as the man reloaded his crossbow.

"It wasn't meant to be. Now, tell me, are you a vampire?"

"Even if I said no, would you believe me?"

"No, but there's one way to prove it. Touch the silver solution with your skin. If you're truly not a vampire, you'll be fine."

"If you say so," Genji shrugged and slowly removed his glove. He then crouched down and dipped his finger into a puddle.

"Is that sufficient?"

"Yes," the man replied, relaxing slightly, though he didn't lower his crossbow.

"So why are you still prepared to shoot me?" Genji wiped his finger and slipped the glove back on.

"Because you're suspicious. Why are you in the middle of a forest?"

"I suppose the simplest answer is that I'm from EverRealm." Genji hoped this explanation would satisfy the man, but it appeared he wanted more information.

"EverRealm? Where's that? I've never heard of such a place."

The response indicated to Genji that this person was unfamiliar with the realm. Either he was too weak or this world had no knowledge of it. For now, it was too early to confirm, so Genji chose to stop mentioning it.

"Just think of it as a remote place. Can you tell me where the nearest town is? I got lost while traveling."

"Traveling? Then you must be quite strong."

In a world ruled by vampires, only the strong could afford to travel. For someone to be alone, it meant either the person was confident in their strength or they were bait placed by the vampires.

"Would this count as strong?" Genji's voice came from behind him, causing shivers to crawl down his back.

Out of instinct, he jerked the crossbow to shoot behind him before drawing his sword. Then he spun around, only to miss the attack.

'Since when?!' he asked as he finally registered Genji's disappearance from his previous position.

"Quite jumpy, but that's fine," Genji's voice came from his side, making the man quickly back off. "So, how is that?"

Realizing Genji meant no harm, the man lowered his weapon. If Genji had wanted to kill him, he could have done so instead of letting him go.

"Fine. I'll believe you. I'll lead you to town."

With this issue cleared up, things became a lot easier.

"I don't think I got your name," Genji said, following behind the man.

"Call me Clark."

"I'm Enigma."

Clark then led Genji out of the forest and past a gray river. The river felt odd to Genji, but he didn't know why.

"That's silver shade water. It tastes strange, but it's supposed to ensure people are safe when getting water. Vampire Hunters started spreading silver shade around towns in an attempt to ward off these bloodsuckers."

"So, does it work?"

"Kind of. The concentration isn't high enough to fend them off, but it can deter them. Shouldn't you know about this, since you're a hunter yourself?"

"Well, I'm not."

"That explains so much."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Genji asked in confusion.

Clark reached inside his hood and pulled out a metal chain connected to an animal bone.

"This is an identification tag that Vampire Hunters use. You can typically tell the strength of the hunter by the material of the tag. I thought you were just an idiot when you didn't show yours, but it seems like you never had one. What's someone of your strength doing alone?"

Genji understood what Clark meant. If Genji had shown such an item, he wouldn't have had to go through so much to convince Clark that he was friendly.

"The area I'm from is a remote place. I only left when I got strong." Genji created a background for himself, knowing full well that it couldn't be confirmed.

"So, are you interested in joining the Vampire Hunters? We could use someone of your power in hunting those leeches."

"Why not?" Genji agreed for a simple reason. He needed information. His goal was to kill a prince, whatever that meant, so what better way to get that information than to join a group that had spent who knows how long fighting vampires?

"That's good. There's a branch in the town, so the process will be relatively easier."

After a few more minutes of walking, they reached a small town surrounded by wooden fences. The fence was well-built, but it was very short. At best, it could keep out some stray animals that wandered too close. There wasn't much they could do with the technology of this era.

Clark opened the fence at one spot and led Genji through the town. During the walk, he noticed the villagers giving him wary glances, but they did nothing as Clark was leading him. He had pulled out his hunter tag, and people recognized him as a hunter who protected them.

Soon they arrived at a basic building and entered, jingling the bell on the way in. A buzz of sounds filled Genji's senses as he entered the dark place brimming with the scent of cheap, fermented beer.

"Clark, you're back," some people called out to him.

Clark greeted them before leading Genji to the front, where the bartender was.

"Samuel, we have a newcomer."

"Name?" the bartender asked.

"Enigma."

"Very well. Here's your tag." After recording some information, the bartender handed Genji a wooden tag held together by twine. The process is relatively easy since a Veteran hunter introduced him.

In the Vampire Hunters, people are classified into ranks denoted by the tags they carry. Right now, Genji was considered a novice hunter, signified by his wooden tag. This rank consisted mostly of newcomers and individuals who were too weak to fight actual vampires. Due to a shortage of members, the hunters couldn't afford to turn away these brave souls who stepped up to risk their lives.

Next in line was the Veteran rank, marked by a tag made of bone. To attain this rank, a hunter had to have killed a vampire before, using either traps or other means. Clark belonged to this rank. They were the main combatants of the hunters and were also responsible for guiding novices and teaching them how to survive against vampires.

In a few days, Genji would join a group of novices led by some veterans to gain field experience. This way, they wouldn't be easily killed when they went on actual vampire hunts.

Above the veteran rank was Iron, characterized by tags made of the same material. These hunters were capable of hunting elite vampires that terrorized an area. Not much was known about hunters of these ranks as they rarely come to this part of the land.

Above Iron, there were Bronze, Silver, and Gold ranks, but I won't go into the details for now.

"Do you need any weapons?" the bartender asked out of courtesy.

"I think I'm good."

"Then gather at the north part in two days."

Genji nodded and found a place to stay for the duration, paid using money he exchanged with some gold. Right now, he needed to get used to his newly acquired energy state to make the best of it. Exploring the town was low on his priority list. There wasn't much to see in this medieval setting, especially when it was always dark out.

Days passed quickly, and Genji walked into the designated gathering spot. When he arrived, he saw a large crowd consisting mostly of newly promoted realm members from all three realms. Everyone appeared willing to cooperate on this excursion, which gave Genji an odd feeling. Shouldn't they be enemies right now? Why were they getting along so well?

Upon asking, he realized that this world wasn't about competition but cooperation between realms. The world was already dangerous with so many vampires around, so adding competition would only result in massive casualties. In fact, many members had missions similar to his: killing vampires of a specific rank. Therefore, cooperation was the best option.

Apart from the realm members, there were a few natives scattered throughout the crowd. Most of them were teenagers who wore nervous expressions, preoccupied with the worries of the upcoming hunt. Genji couldn't blame them, as this exercise would involve actual combat of hunting down a vampire. The best way to learn was through experience.

That's why the determined face of one particular teen stood out to Genji. Unlike the hesitant glances of the others, this teen appeared fearless and ready to face the challenges life might throw at him.

Of course, there were other features that set him apart, such as the large scar on his forehead and his bright blue hair with streaks of indigo. Genji typically didn't judge others by their appearance, but he felt that this person was special.

"Who's he?" Genji asked, slipping some money into a teenager's hand.

Feeling the coarse texture of the coins, the teen's eyes lit up, and he enthusiastically explained the person's background.

"That's Connor Hemlock. He joined the Vampire Hunters a while back. Rumor has it that a vampire broke into his home one night and went on a killing spree. At the time, his mother hid him inside a closet, allowing him to survive the encounter. Unfortunately, the rest of his family wasn't as lucky and were all killed. The worst part is, he witnessed the entire tragedy. Frustrated with his own weakness, he joined the Vampire Hunters to become stronger, hoping to get revenge on that very same vampire. It's a tragic past."

"I see, thank you."

"Of course. Is there anything else I can answer for you?"

"No, that's everything."

A few minutes later, three men in similar attire to Clark appeared. Bone necklaces hung around their necks, signifying that they were the Veterans in charge of this exercise. They waited a few more minutes as additional people trickled into the area. Once they were certain there wouldn't be any more participants, the man in the middle spoke up.

"Hello, everyone. I am Hans, the leader of this exercise. Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear: in times of danger, we are not responsible for your lives. If you are afraid, you can still back out, because once we walk past that fence, you are at risk."

Hans paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in and giving people a chance to reconsider. However, despite their hesitant expressions, nobody left. The realm members couldn't leave because their mission would become more difficult, and the teenagers were too embarrassed to leave. 

Everyone else is staying so what would others think if they were the only one to leave? Would they be thought of as a coward? Would they give up being a hunter just because one person said so? No matter what, they refused to give up, a telling sign of their rebellious phase.

Seeing no one leave, Hans shook his head. A bunch of naive idiots. What does reputation matter if they are dead? With their current mentality, it would be a miracle if they survived against their first vampires. But he refrained from saying this out loud. The hunters were always short on manpower, so having more to bolster their numbers was required, even if only temporarily.

"Very well then. We will begin," Hans declared, opening the fence gate and leading the way out.