Slacovich and Ara waited patiently for new info on Blu's movements. He was last seen entering an abandoned warehouse next to a fishing port. According to the shadow guard who's been tracking Blu, there are many children inside the warehouse. Three of them have been confirmed as Ara's friends. Vera instructed her men to clear the area before taking action. Her men immediately set out for the fishing port, evacuating innocent people quietly to avoid causing a ruckus.
Once the area was clear and everyone had been evacuated, Vera, Slacovich, and Ara, along with the Black Knights' combat unit, proceeded to the site. It didn't take long for them to arrive. Everything was eerily quiet as the combatants circled the warehouse. The shadow guard informed Vera that Blu was currently feasting on the blood of some children, which enraged Ara.
"That fool! I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to them. Slacovich, we need to enter now!" Ara clenched her fists, unable to stay still out of her urge to take down Blu.
"Vera, let me and Ara handle this."
"Okay. We'll be here as backup."
"Make sure no one escapes alive from the enemy's side."
"I know. You don't have to tell me that."
Slacovich changed into his vampire form, spread his wings, and flew toward the roof. Ara did the same but preferred to enter through the door. She kicked the steel door, knocking it down. The warehouse was mostly empty, except for the bodies of recently drained children. She spotted Blu still sucking blood from a child who looked very familiar.
"ALI!!" she screamed. She rushed toward Blu, grabbing his head to forcefully remove his fangs from Ali's neck. She could hear the children's cries from inside a locked room. She tackled Blu, loosening his grip on Ali's body. Slacovich jumped down to help Ara free Ali from Blu's brutal grasp. Ali's bones had been broken by Blu's strength as he drained him. Ali managed to open his eyes briefly and smiled upon seeing Ara.
"Bi—g si—s A—ara—" Ali took his final breath and slowly turned into ashes.
"No! No! Ali, don't disappear on me!" she cried, hugging him tightly, but all that remained in her hands was ash. Slacovich pushed Blu to the ground, locking both his arms and grabbing his head in fury. A woman's laughter echoed throughout the warehouse as footsteps approached.
"What a heartbreaking scene. You could win a best actress award for this," Stacy said, stopping and clapping upon seeing Ara in despair.
"Stacy!" Ara stood slowly, gathering herself. In her mind, she vowed to make everyone who hurt those children pay. Blu turned around when he sensed Slacovich's distraction, then pushed him away and regrouped with Stacy.
"How does it feel losing someone important right in front of you? Satisfying, right? Hahaha." Stacy felt a twisted pleasure watching Ara break.
"Ali and the rest had nothing to do with our conflict."
"Being someone precious to you is enough to get them involved. Timothy died at Tyler's hands, now it's payback time. One kid down, two more to go." Stacy disappeared and reappeared in front of the locked door. The children's cries grew louder as she entered the room and pulled out a girl by her hair.
"ANIA! Let her go! Settle this with me, don't get them involved!"
"So her name's Ania. What a cute name. I told you, they're already involved."
"Let me go! Big Sis Ara, help me!!" Ania struggled as Stacy pulled harder.
"Ania, I'll save you no matter what. Where's Inka?" Ara asked, panic rising. Ania only cried, implying she was the sole survivor.
"Inka, she was killed by this woman!" Ania's struggling intensified, irritating Stacy, who threw her aside. Ara caught Ania just in time, taking the impact against the wall herself.
"A-Ania, are you okay?" Ara asked softly, caressing her cheek and wiping away her tears.
"Big Sis, you saved me." Ania buried her face in Ara's chest, sobbing. Ara stood, holding the girl protectively.
"All of you will pay for every life you've taken. These children were innocent, and yet you ended their lives like they were nothing." Slacovich reached for Ania, but she refused to let go.
Out of nowhere, Stacy and Blu's reinforcements arrived. The two were surrounded, but Vera and the Black Knight combatants entered the warehouse after receiving the report from the shadow guard.
"Slacovich, Ara, hand the girl over to me. I'll take her to safety," Vera stepped in.
"Ania, listen carefully. I'm letting Big Sis Vera protect you, okay? You'll be safer with her. She's a good person. I'll be with you once this is over. So be a good girl and follow what she says, alright?" Ara kissed her forehead, then appeared beside Vera in a blink.
"Big Sis Ara, please be careful. I can't lose you too," Ania said, wrapping her arms around Vera's neck and crying on her shoulder. Vera turned to leave, but Stacy ordered her men to attack.
"Don't let her leave this place alive. Kill all of them!" Stacy charged toward Vera, but Ara blocked her path.
"Leave them alone! You're fighting me!" Ara shouted, pushing Stacy back and landing a kick to her stomach, sending her flying several meters. Meanwhile, Blu and Slacovich stared each other down, observing the slightest muscle movement, waiting for a signal. Blu grinned in response to Slacovich's deadly glare.
"Well, well. Just a matter of who takes the first shot. Slacovich, my boy, I never thought you'd be so greedy for power. Mr. Volton Hellgazer was generous enough to share his powers with me. But I can't control the thirst... The children's blood is so tasty, I can't get enough." Blu licked his lips as if still savoring the taste.
"You disgust me. An old man like you should stay at home and read newspapers."
"That's not what I lived for. You've always been merciful, and that will cost you your life."
"It was never my choice to kill, you know why."
"That makes me want to strangle you even more."
"I treated you like a father."
"But you were never a son to me." Blu dashed toward Slacovich, who remained calm. Their eyes met, an unspoken tension thick between them.
"That's sad. Good thing you never treated me like one, makes killing you easier. I won't hold back just because you were once a friend."
"Be my guest. Let's see if you can even land a single blow. I'm the one who taught you how to fight." Blu grabbed Slacovich by the throat and slammed him into the wall, lifting him into the air. Slacovich gripped Blu's arm tightly and broke free.
Their attacks were so fast they were invisible to ordinary eyes, only the gusts of wind revealed their speed. Slacovich reached for his knife and slashed at Blu's waist. Blu narrowly dodged and stepped back.
"Oh ho, you think you're the only one with a weapon?" Blu pulled out a gun loaded with silver bullets. "Everyone, kill whoever gets in your way. Feast on their blood!"
He opened fire. Slacovich dodged and hid behind a nearby structure.
"Hiding like a mouse? How cowardly you've become. The Slacovich I knew never----"
"Who said I was hiding?" Slacovich reappeared suddenly, his knife aimed at Blu's throat.
"I saw you crawl into that hole. How did you get here so fast?" Blu growled.
"You're just a lowly third-gen vampire facing a pureblood. You're not even a match, but consider it an honor to die by my hand." Slacovich slashed his throat and shoved him down.
"You---hahaha..." Blu laughed, even as he began to suffocate.
"What's so funny? Have you gone mad? Did the serum fry your brain?"
"You fool... You've fallen into Mr. Hellgazer's trap."
"What do you mean?" Slacovich grabbed his collar.
"Your beloved hunters... They'll all fall tonight. Volton knew you'd chase me. Without you, they won't live to see tomorrow."
"Heh. You think so? Does Volton know Queen Sofie is back with the Black Knight Society? His army will be the one to fall."
"Don't get cocky. That's exactly the plan. Sofie will fall into Volton's hands. One of his trusted Reapers is a master of hypnosis. She'll be alert around vampires, but the real threat is already planted, inside Sun University. Once she faces Volton... she'll be trapped."
Slacovich chuckled darkly.
"Li, did Sofie hear all that?" he asked, speaking into his watch.
"Loud and clear. Don't worry, Slacovich, we'll keep an eye out. If anyone suspicious sneaks close, we'll be ready," Li's voice replied through the loudspeaker, for Blu to hear.
Everyone at Sun University had already been alerted. Tyler began running thorough scans. The hunt for the spy had officially begun.