It is said that beneath the surface, there are always things lurking quietly.
This is why Maya likes to delve into what lies behind the surface of things. She has always been that kind of person, consistent in her ways.
The moment the team disbanded, Maya and her friend Emilia began to wander around the city.
"It's so nice that Mr. Jones invited us," Emilia said, looking around the city. Although she had her own purposes for joining the club, she didn't hate exploring new things. Especially as a curious student, she liked to encounter things that went beyond the ordinary.
West Sioux was such a unique place, filled with a fresh atmosphere.
"That's right, that's right," Maya replied happily, thinking that although this opportunity came through her father's connections, she also had to thank Mr. Jones for his favor.
Maya and Emilia strolled along the bustling streets, exchanging their observations of the day and recording them with their newly purchased smartwatches. This watch was the latest model, sending brainwaves through mana and even operating without the need to move a hand. Although the technology wasn't mature enough, they were trying to adapt.
The city's unique ancient atmosphere and the differences among the Awakened became the focus of their discussion. As second-year students, they were more sensitive to mana than the average person, especially Maya, who was a mage.
'But, what is this strange feeling?'
This feeling had been bothering her for some time. The city gave her a sense of unease, as if something unusual was happening in this city filled with a nostalgic atmosphere.
"Maya, Maya!"
Just then, her friend's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Why did you suddenly drift off?" Emilia asked.
Maya shook off that inexplicable feeling and refocused her attention. It was impolite not to listen attentively to others, and she didn't want to upset Emilia.
"Sorry, Emilia, I spaced out just now. What were you saying?"
Emilia smiled and gently waved her hand, patting Maya's head as if comforting a child. At least that's how Maya felt, although Emilia didn't mean it that way.
Her curiosity and willingness to help others grew in her heart.
Without hesitation, Maya walked towards the elderly woman, with a gentle smile on her face: "Excuse me, Madam, are you alright? Is there anything we can do to help?"
The woman continued to cry, not responding. Her friend stepped forward and said gratefully, "Thank you for your kindness. Her daughter hasn't returned home for three days, and we can't contact her. We're very worried, and the authorities haven't offered much help."
"Ah…" Maya gasped, her expression filled with sympathy. She exchanged a glance with Emilia and then nodded: "We're very sorry to hear that. If you don't mind, can you tell us more about the situation? We're students from the Arcadia Hunter Academy."
The elderly woman widened her eyes, her face showing a complex expression of surprise and a glimmer of hope: "Arcadia Hunter Academy? Really?" After all, the best academy in the Human Federation was famous, even the elderly had heard of its name.
Maya nodded, her expression sincere: "Yes, we might be able to help. Please tell us more about your daughter and what happened."
The woman sighed, her voice trembling with worry: "I don't know what happened. One night, my daughter, Millie, went out with her friends, and she hasn't come back since. We tried to contact her, but her watch hasn't responded. There are rumors of kidnappings all over the city, and we're worried that something terrible might have happened to her."
"Have you reported it to the local Security Bureau?"
"Yes, but they said we need to wait for the investigation results."
"I… I understand…" After hearing this, Maya couldn't help but feel somewhat conflicted. Although she was a powerful mage, the situation before her seemed different from what she had encountered in the past. Strength alone couldn't solve the problem.
She was silent for a moment, thinking about what she could do, or if she had overlooked something.
Just then, Maya suddenly felt a chill, a cold shiver ran down her spine, and an eerie feeling enveloped her. With her trained senses, Maya realized that in a nearby alley, something that didn't belong to this world seemed to be hidden, having found its way in.
Instinctively, she gripped her coat sleeve tightly and quickly glanced in that direction.
With her unique talent, Maya clearly saw that nature was repelling that energy, an energy she was very familiar with.
"Demonic energy," she whispered, her body trembling slightly, a flood of memories rushing back. Although the intensity of the energy might be different, its core essence remained the same.
She felt a sense of nausea. The existence of that energy, and the related things she had heard of, made her uncomfortable.
Emilia looked at Maya in confusion, her sudden change catching her off guard. "Maya, what's wrong? Why are you..."
Before Emilia could finish speaking, Maya quickly mobilized the mana within her body, creating a gust of wind beneath her feet. In an instant, she leaped into the air, swiftly traversing the cityscape.
Whoosh!
Her movements were swift and decisive, rushing towards the alley emanating demonic energy, and she left the spot.
......
"I need more, more, more…"
Darkness surrounded him. For him, who had been dormant for so long, darkness had long become a habit.
But even this comfortable darkness could not satisfy the hunger deep within his heart.
It was an uncontainable thirst.
"I'm thirsty, I'm thirsty, I'm thirsty…"
So, he stepped out of that comfortable darkness to satisfy his endless craving.
The night air was filled with an eerie silence as he skulked in the shadows. His eyes had long adapted to the darkness, searching for something entirely different.
In a quiet alley, he found his target, those unsuspecting souls in the serenity of the night. His predatory instincts grew stronger as he approached, like a silent ghost in the darkness. His fangs lengthened, and thirst pulsed through his veins.
A low whisper filled the air: "I need more, more, more…"
The first encounter was swift and silent, only shadows and stillness. The prey was oblivious to the approaching darkness, only feeling a chill down their spine. Before they realized the danger, he struck, fangs piercing their warm neck.
Crimson blood flowed into his mouth, that forbidden elixir awakening his ecstasy. The thirst was temporarily quenched, but the insatiable craving still lingered in his mind, haunting his every step.
The city became his hunting ground as he moved from one victim to the next. The streets echoed with hushed footsteps and suppressed pleas. Each encounter was an eerie silence, a dance between predator and prey in the quiet shadows of the night.
"I need more, more, more…" It was a curse, the more he drank, the less satisfied he became.
The insatiable hunger was destroying his sanity. None of his prey could satisfy him, and he grew more and more lost.
However, today, he felt something different. In this place filled with a strange atmosphere, he sensed a familiar aura.
It was an energy he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Ah… this is…"
It was as if he had met a long-lost kin. He sensed this energy and immediately began searching for its source. As he gradually approached, the energy became more and more obvious. Although it was no longer the familiar darkness this time, he still took a step forward.
That familiar energy led him to a place where the air seemed to resonate uniquely. As he drew closer, he realized that this encounter was not just a reunion with a kindred spirit. The energy was surrounded by an invisible barrier, unseen, yet palpable.
He could sense that this was a barrier constructed by a powerful force, protecting something precious. This made him curious, this different way of using energy than he had ever seen, and his uncontrollable hunger drove him to delve deeper.
With a predator's grin, he reached out his hand, feeling the resistance of the energy barrier, energy crackling in his palm.
"I need more, more, more…" The words echoed in his mind. He concentrated his mind, mobilizing his power. The barrier resisted, but the hunger within him was an unstoppable force.
He bared his fangs, biting at the invisible barrier, wanting to devour its essence. Energy surged through his body, stimulating his instincts.
After a moment, all the energy was absorbed into his body.
"Ah…"
His body trembled with ecstasy, the first time in a long time that his thirst had been momentarily satisfied.
"But it's not enough."
The feeling quickly disappeared, leaving only loneliness and emptiness.
Just then, his keen nose detected a different scent.
An aroma drifted in the air, different from the blood he was familiar with. It was a scent that awakened his ancient instincts, resonating with the most primal nature within him.
The scent grew stronger and stronger, delicate yet intense, stimulating his senses. He instinctively recognized what it was, an aura that transcended ordinary bloodlines.
This wasn't just blood, but something special that he had always craved in the past.
His crimson eyes widened, pupils dilating as the scent drew closer.
The scent guided him to a pool of blood, a small pool containing the essence of a Celestial being.
“A Lunarian.”
He realized what it was.
His heart raced, and he charged toward the pool of blood without hesitation, like a madman, driven by a craving that only this essence could quell.
Just as he drained the pool, a rustling sound suddenly echoed through the air, alerting him.
Before he could react, instinct told him something was approaching.
In the past, such a situation might have posed a threat, but the Lunarian blood flowed through him, awakening a dormant power within.
His senses became extraordinarily sharp, and a newfound strength surged through his limbs.
Bang!
His claws easily shattered the sharp cone, a combination of ice and earth elements, reinforced with wind.
“Heh heh heh… This girl looks delicious too…”
Then, without hesitation, he lunged at the attacker, his lips curling back for the first time. His crimson eyes could see the vast energy within the purple-haired girl, and her eyes, sparkling with extraordinary light, filled him with anticipation.
