Chapter 41: Incredible Coincidence
Arriving at the auditorium, Alexander Smith held a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, taking the lead at Kate's left side.
Kate's face was serious and she said nothing, only signaling with her eyes that it was time to begin. Seeing Alexander unmoved, she picked up the gavel and rang the bronze bell that marked the start.
"Dang Dang Dang!" The sound echoed.
"Bang!" All the torches outside the auditorium were extinguished. The entire castle suddenly turned into a dark and eerie hunting ground. It was no longer clear who was the hunter and who was the prey.
If bats began flying through the dark corridors, it might mean vampires were hiding among them.
Alexander and Kate chose the passage to the second floor. Alexander walked ahead, occasionally waving the silver sword around clumsily like a novice, while keeping the iron shield firmly forward.
"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" The bats made a constant, annoying racket.
Spider webs occasionally brushed his face, and his silver eyes reflected growing impatience. In order to fully immerse himself in the experience, Alexander had shifted into the persona of a Muggle detective.
According to this role, he should appear careless and bold—bait to lure a vampire into attacking. The experience itself was valuable, enhancing the magic of the heart.
Yet even after reaching a corner on the second floor, Alexander found no trace of vampires using his normal vision.
Elsewhere, Salvatore had heard the bell and leisurely climbed out of his coffin in a room on the third floor.
His eyes glowed red, as did the eyes of several bats scattered throughout the castle—Salvatore's scouts.
"Two players, four hands. I won't be as unlucky this time. I'm ready for anything," Salvatore said confidently.
But then: "Silver Net? Who would choose Silver Net? That's not a normal choice!" he exclaimed in surprise.
One bat on the first floor showed him a shocking image: a short witch was holding a Silver Net and hiding behind the others. Without his many 'eyes,' Salvatore might have missed it.
Torches and silver swords were expected. Most tourists used them for light. Wizards who knew vampires could consume garlic didn't wear garlic necklaces like Muggles. And yet—
Now all three items had appeared together: the torch, the garlic necklace, and the Silver Net.
Salvatore felt uneasy. "This is no coincidence. That ghost hunter—Sir Kate—must have figured it out. But how?"
"Fortunately, the Silver Net is in the hands of the short witch," he thought grimly. "Time for Salvatore Stefan to get serious."
He pressed a knob near the coffin. A secret passage opened in the corner of the wall.
"Let me try a sneak attack. Little wizards—your nightmare is coming!"
One step, two steps, scuff, scuff—quiet, cautious steps of a vampire.
Salvatore, linking his vision between his own eyes and those of a bat on the second floor, wiped cold sweat from his brow. Operating two perspectives simultaneously was already his limit.
"Luckily, this little wizard looks easy to handle. Damn pretty boy... Why can't I look that good?" he muttered, forgetting that he got the job because of his average looks.
"Ha!" A claw sliced through the air as a pale-faced vampire suddenly lunged from around the corner.
The attack targeted Alexander's garlic necklace—but was stopped by the iron shield.
Alexander controlled his strength carefully. If not, the vampire's claws would've snapped from the impact alone. He didn't follow up with an attack, instead stepping aside for Kate, who held a torch and waved the Silver Net.
"Damn it!"
"This pretty boy reacts too fast. Each garlic clove is slightly crushed—so pungent. And now this other brat is closing in with a torch and Silver Net!"
Salvatore's entire body ached from the smell of garlic and the sting of the approaching flame. He tried to transform into a bat—but the Silver Net blocked him.
At the last second, he noticed a small gap left open by Alexander on purpose.
With a puff of black smoke, Salvatore and the ceiling bats escaped through it.
Kate did not pursue but looked confused.
"Kate, we've still got all morning. Catching him now would ruin the fun," Alexander explained.
"You're right," Kate nodded seriously.
"Danger, danger, danger! What just happened?!" Salvatore shivered among the bats.
Normally, he'd be chasing tourists through hidden passages or divebombing them in bat form. By now, they'd be hiding in the auditorium.
But today, everything was reversed—he almost got caught.
Vampire hunters were typically half-vampires. Their other parent was usually a Muggle, almost never a wizard. They hunted using Muggle tools.
Half-vampires with wizard blood rarely faced vampire attacks—wizarding families offered some protection. Most resulted from romances between vampires and wizards.
That's why true vampire hunters, those with real strength, were exceedingly rare.
Salvatore now strongly suspected one of these two kids had a vampire hunter ancestor—and had kept up the training.
"This is insane. Ever since the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures established the 'Code for the Treatment of Non-Wizards and Semi-Humans,' vampire attacks on humans have almost disappeared. So why… Why did I meet them today?"
Still, he comforted himself: These weapons are all enchanted. They don't actually hurt!
"Last time, I got chased by a Quidditch Beater turned wizard! Come on, I want to become a vampire star!"
Salvatore took a deep breath, pushing down his fear.
"This isn't just for the paycheck—it's about the dream! The destiny! Another legendary battle between vampires and hunters!" He psyched himself up and reverted to human form in a dark corner.
He pressed the secret switch again and tiptoed forward. The bat above Alexander's head lit up faintly red—Salvatore was watching closely, preparing for a second ambush.
"Alexander, what if he doesn't come back?" Kate asked, her childish face filled with longing.
"I just survived the hell of exams. I'm ready for some action!"
"Shhh. He's already here," Alexander whispered innocently.
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