"So... you're Aven."
Her voice was soft, but clear enough to be heard over the creaking of the warehouse door that was slowly closing.
Aven snorted. "If you already know, why are you still asking?"
The girl shrugged her small shoulders. "Formation."
She followed Aven out of the warehouse into a narrow street filled with empty buildings and flickering streetlights. Silence. Their footsteps echoed.
Aven walked quickly, hoping the girl would stop following him. But no—she kept walking behind, as if she didn't care about Aven's cold gaze that occasionally glanced over.
"I'm Hana."
"And I didn't ask."
She raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but not offended. "Are you always this cynical, or is it only towards cute people like me?"
Aven stopped walking. Turning around with his usual cold expression. "Cute?"
"Yeah. I mean, look at me," he said, touching his own cheek, "I got a 98 in Ethics and can shoot a target from fifty meters away."
Aven took a deep breath. "I don't care about your test scores."
"I'm a vampire hunter too."
Silence.
Aven stared at her, longer this time. "If you're a vampire hunter, why don't you have a mark?"
"Because I haven't officially joined the guild." Hana grinned. "But I know a lot about you, Aven. You're the best student in the hunter academy. You managed to kill an A-level vampire when you were fifteen. You—"
"Stop."
Aven's voice was low but sharp. His eyes stared straight at Hana.
"I said, I don't care who you are. So don't force me to care. And one more thing..." He walked closer. They were only half a meter apart now.
"Don't call my name."
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Hana remained silent as Aven approached, not moving back, not avoiding. She looked directly into the young man's eyes.
"Okay," she said finally. "Then I won't call your name anymore."
Aven turned around and walked again, but only a few steps…
"Aven."
Suddenly he stopped. His right hand immediately reached for the handle of his knife.
"... I said don't call my name."
"I know. But this is important."
Aven didn't turn around. "Speak quickly before I decide to slit your throat."
"I know who killed your mother." His voice was calm, not sounding panicked even though the threat was real. "And I know how you can find him."
Aven turned around slowly. His expression was flat, but his black eyes began to glow coldly.
"Then why aren't you dead yet?"
Hana smiled thinly. "Because you need me."
Aven studied the girl up and down. Messy brown hair, shabby clothes, not looking like a professional hunter. But the look in his eyes... was sharp. Too calm for a girl her age.
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Too young to play with fire."
"And you're too old to keep running from the past."
Click.
Aven's knife was at Hana's neck in an instant. Sharp. Cold.
"I don't run from the past," he whispered. "I buried it all... in their blood."
Hana didn't move. Didn't even blink.
"I know that," he said softly. "And now it's time for you to dig that grave again."
Aven pulled out his knife. Groaned softly.
"...talk."
Hana lowered her small backpack, unzipped it, and pulled out a tattered map. She pointed to a red mark forming a triangle in the northern area.
"Here, there are three noble vampire families who are allied with each other. They control not only blood... but also information. One of them knows about your mother. Or rather—why she was killed."
Aven narrowed his eyes. "Do you want me to go into their lair alone?"
"No. We're going in together."
"We?" Aven chuckled, sarcastically. "You mean I have to work with a kid who doesn't even have a hunter's license?"
"I can be more useful than you think. But..." Hana looked down for a moment. "There's one thing you need to know first."
Aven was silent. Observing.
"The vampire we're looking for... he's no ordinary noble."
"So?"
Hana looked up. Her eyes shone strangely.
"He's your father's former partner. And he's... half human."
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"My father never had a partner."
Aven said it softly, but the pressure of his voice made the air around him feel tense.
Hana gripped the map tightly. "That's what you've always known."
Aven stepped forward, forcing Hana back until her back was pressed against a rusty iron pole. His gaze was piercing, as if he were peeling away the truth.
"My father was killed in an ambush. My mother followed a week later. There was no one left. No 'colleagues' came to help. No one."
"Because he was betrayed."
Aven suddenly stopped. His expression didn't change, but for a split second, his pupils dilated.
Hana looked straight into his eyes. "The vampire you're looking for isn't just a killer. He was also... once human. He joined the hunter's guild, disguised himself. And he was close to your father."
Aven looked away. The night wind grew stronger, whipping around his messy hair.
"Do you have any proof?"
Hana pulled out an old photo from her book. It was blurry, but clear. Three people in the picture—two adult men and a woman.
One was Aven's father. The other... a tall, handsome stranger with a big smile.
"His name is Lucien."
Aven was silent for a long time. Very long.
"I've seen this man," he finally said. "In a dream."
"It wasn't a dream," Hana whispered. "It was a locked childhood memory."
The silence hung.
"... why do you know all this?" Aven finally asked.
Hana lowered her head. Her fingers clasped the notebook like she was praying.
"Because my mother... was also killed by the same vampire."
Aven turned quickly.
"He burned our house down two years ago. I was the only one who survived. And before my mother died..." Hana's voice began to tremble, "she said that 'Lucien' would come looking for me. Because I... have special blood."
Aven stared at the girl closely. "You didn't tell me everything, did you?"
Hana bit her lower lip.
"...no."
"Good." Aven turned around. "Because if you lied completely, I would have killed you on the spot."
"You talk about killing people so easily, huh?" Hana muttered half-annoyed.
Aven didn't answer. But his steps stopped when another voice interrupted from behind them.
Someone clapped their hands softly.
"You two are too noisy for hunters."
The voice was soft... almost a whisper.
They both immediately went on alert. Aven drew his knife. Hana held a small rifle under her coat.
From the shadows, a young man appeared. Silver-blond hair, pale skin, and red eyes—bright. Too bright for a human.
"Good evening," he said with a casual smile. "My name is Ren. And I am... Lucien's envoy."
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Ren didn't move. But the atmosphere changed instantly when he smiled.
That smile... wasn't a friendly one.
It was a smile that chilled the skin. The smile of a predator who knew his opponent had no way of running.
"Lucien's messenger?" Aven grinned sarcastically. "Lucien was too cowardly to come himself?"
"Lucien was too busy taking care of big business," Ren replied calmly. "He asked me to deliver a message to you, Aven."
Aven didn't answer. He simply raised his knife, eyes unblinking.
Ren remained standing still. "He said... he regretted letting your mother live too long."
CRACK!
Aven had already dashed forward.
The knife in his right hand slashed through the air, but Ren disappeared like mist. In a split second, laughter erupted behind Aven.
"You're fast... but too angry."
Aven spun around, throwing a second knife from under his coat. The knife nearly hit Ren's face—but the vampire man caught it in midair, like catching a tennis ball.
"So sweet," Ren murmured, kissing the blade. "Your blood… smells so good."
Bang!
A bullet hit Ren's shoulder. Hana fired without hesitation from behind the container.
"I don't like guys who act romantic."
Ren turned. His eyes glowed bright red. But his smile remained.
"And I don't like chatty humans."
With an impossible move, Ren darted toward Hana. But before he could touch her—Aven jumped, kicking Ren in the side.
CRASH!
Ren flew into the concrete wall, leaving a large crack in the air. Dust flew.
Aven stood in front of Hana.
"I can fight him myself," Hana said quietly.
"Shut up," Aven replied flatly. "I can leave you here too."
Ren rose from the rubble. This time, his friendly laugh was gone. His face was beginning to crack. Literally.
His pale skin showed black lines. His eyes were completely red now, his pupils constricted like snakes.
"I came politely," he muttered. "But you... chose violence."
Aven readied himself. Hana rewound her bullets. The distance between them and Ren was only five meters now.
Suddenly... a loud sound cut through the air.
CHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKK!
The sound was like metal clashing... or bones twisting.
From the shadows, a third figure appeared. Someone—no, something—stood straight behind Ren.
Tall, wearing a long black coat, his face covered by a white mask with no mouth.
Aven felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The creature's aura... was like the air at the bottom of the sea. Pressing, heavy, deadly.
Ren glanced behind him. "Oh. You've arrived..."
He smiled—a little awkwardly this time.
"I guess our conversation is adjourned. You're still not ready for... that."
Ren turned around. And in an instant… he and the masked creature were gone.
There was no wind. No sound. Only silence remained.
Aven lowered his knife slowly. His shoulders rose and fell.
"Was that… a vampire too?" Hana asked softly.
Aven didn't answer. But he knew one thing: that creature was no ordinary vampire.
That creature… was not something that could be fought with an ordinary knife.
And now, everything had just begun.
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