Chapter 1929: The Vampires Come For Harumi

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As everyone scrambled to form a plan, several figures rushed toward them from all directions, cutting down Nightmare Monsters and keeping the Nightmares at bay.

"Young Lady! Are you alright?!" A trio of werewolves landed first, searching for Erika. "Your father is in grave danger. We must get you and him out of here!"

"You guys— Eh?! Wait, what’s wrong with my dad?! He’s invincible! What are you even talking about?!" Erika asked.

"Let’s take her out of here first," said one of the werewolves.

"Wait! We must stay together. If we split up, we’ll all die!" Olivia tried to stop them. "I am this girl’s teacher. She is my responsibility!"

"Don’t get in the way, human!" they roared, reaching to grab Erika and flee.

"Hahah, is this how the dogs behave when their king isn’t watching?" Another voice echoed from the distance. Darkness coalesced, revealing the slender, tall form of a vampire woman with long black hair, red eyes, and pale, candlewax skin. Her dress flowed like living shadows.

"Lady Shadow, please don’t bother with these lowly dogs."

"Young Lady, this way!"

Two other vampire soldiers called out to Harumi.

"Auntie Shadow...!" Harumi muttered, running to hug her. "What’s going on? I’m so worried!"

"A great deal is happening. Not only has a Nightmare Entity breached our defenses with Nightmares running rampant," Lady Shadow said, "but several powerful beings are constantly endangering your mother and the others. We must leave quickly. This is no place for someone like you."

"I know, but my mom..." Harumi gazed into the distance. "Is she okay? She’s fighting something..."

"Your mother possesses an impervious body thanks to her Adamas Physique," Lady Shadow explained. "She has the Eyes of Petrification, and her magic alone surpasses even the greatest Magus Families. She will be fine. Come with me, young lady."

"But my friends... and my boyfriend..." Harumi said.

"We can only afford to take you," Lady Shadow replied. "Please think of your own safety first."

"B-But..."

"It’s fine. Go," Frank nodded. "We’ll manage."

"No!" Harumi snapped, rejecting Lady Shadow. "If we’re getting out, we’re doing it together!"

"Young lady, what do you think you’re doing?!" Lady Shadow hissed, baring her sharp vampiric fangs.

"Yeah, like she said! I’m NOT leaving my besties!" Erika declared, rushing to Harumi’s side and pressing her back against hers.

The young heirs of the werewolf and vampire families refused to be taken away so easily, especially while all their friends remained in danger.

"T-Thank goodness we made it! Matsuo! Son!"

Just then, Matsuo’s father appeared with two other Onmyōji at his side. He looked utterly exhausted.

"Father! You made it...!"

"Son, everyone, we have to get out of here— Ah! I’m glad you’re all safe! Olivia, thank you for watching over the kids!" Matsuo’s father said.

"I... I barely did anything. Someone else protected us..." Olivia replied. "Elayne...! Where is she?!"

"Mom’s..." Elena closed her eyes, sensing her presence to the west. Her eyes widened as she saw her mother battling Berserker and Assassin once more, locked in the same deadly match from the start of the Holy War. "She’s fighting two Heroic Spirits?! Berserker and Assassin! Harumi, call yours right now!"

"Ah! E-Eh? Okay!" Harumi nodded, drawing angry glares from her kin as they learned she was a Master in the Holy War.

"What does she mean by Heroic Spirit?!" Lady Shadow demanded. "I cannot believe this! Young Lady! Did you enter the Holy War without your mother’s permission?! Do you have any idea how dangerous that war is?!"

"Only the most suicidal fools participate..."

"And we vampires are forbidden from joining anyway. Our unstable mana would create imbalances and errors within the War."

The other two vampires—two handsome young men with short white hair and red eyes, Lady Shadow’s Right Hand and Left Hand—nodded in agreement with their master.

"I-I...! I just wanted to make a wish to heal my brother!" Harumi cried angrily. "You and Mom... none of you are doing anything to save him! You all gave up on him and left him to die slowly! Did you think I could just accept that?! I love Mammon! He’s my dear big brother! We don’t always get along, but... he’s family. I grew up with him! I can’t abandon him!"

"Y-You insolent little girl... I told you— Enough. You will destroy that Command Spell and unsummon that Heroic Spirit right now!" Lady Shadow seized Harumi’s hand. Darkness seeped into her skin, beginning to disrupt the binding.

"Let go of me!" Harumi hissed. Her aura surged, and with her newfound strength, she shoved Lady Shadow back, shocking her. "I’m not as weak as I used to be! I’ve been fighting, training, and drinking my boyfriend’s blood for a while now...!"

Harumi, who had long hidden her true power, erupted with immense blood energy that surpassed even Lady Shadow’s.

"Young lady... ugh! That human again?!" Lady Shadow groaned as Frank stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Harumi.

"It’s okay, Harumi. No need to get tense," Frank said. His cosmic aura flared, forcing Lady Shadow and her attendants to retreat a step. "Let’s cooperate. We can survive this together. As the bridge between all three clans, I guarantee it."

"Tsk..."

"The bridge?" Elena wondered aloud.

"In the past, our clans weren’t on the best terms," Erika explained. "But Frank united all three and confronted their rulers. He even fought my dad. Though Dad beat him, Frank showed incredible resilience and determination, so my father chose to trust him."

"He also entered a tournament against several powerful vampires," Matsuo added with a sigh. "And he dragged us into it too... but in the end, he won against the Vampire Queen—mostly because she held back. Still, that victory earned their trust. And he had already proven himself as a valuable member of the Amaterasu Clan before that."

"Since then, thanks to him, the clans have grown more unified, working together on everything," Harumi said with a smile. "And that won’t stop now. You hear me?"

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