Chapter 25 - Their History

LUNA ASTERBELLE’s POV

The bullet that I first shot didn’t head over to the monster’s heart. It was unfortunate but I still had a lot of chances to bounce back. I knew for sure that it wouldn’t take too long before I grow accustomed to this, so I made up my mind to stay focused.

“These bullets did a lot of damage to those creatures…” I mumbled to myself as I closely watched how one of them turned back to their human forms. “Is this what it means to be hit with a silver bullet?” I added as a query to the man who served as my tutor.

He nodded his head once. “You can also use it to shoot yourself if ever you’re placed in a tight spot someday. It’s the only weapon that can calm the monstrous soul inside you," he answered.

I never ran out of ammo as he kept on supplying me with a new magazine. Half an hour passed, and I think that I only have to take down about ten of them before I complete my task.

I was required to shoot more than once the bigger that my opponent got. "Out to my last target," I said at the same time that I aimed directly at its head.

However, it was able to dodge my attack as if he saw right through me. Compared to the other creatures who merely stopped resisting, he seemed more capable of defending himself. This thing might be yearning to survive against death's hands.

“No matter how many times I attempt to shoot this one, my bullets don't hit him at all…” I blurted my thoughts out.

“You have to either move close to him to control your aim better, or face him head on with your bare fists. Those are your only choices whether it be a real battle or a practice just like this one,” he advised.

He’s right. It’s not like I have an infinite stock of ammos that I can carry around with me all the time.

I breathed in and out excessively before I made up my mind to drop the gun to the ground as I released it from my grip. My vision darkened as I approached the creature whose fangs were bigger than mine. He kept on drooling and the spot where he was on was already filled with his viscous saliva. I wouldn’t deny that I’m scared, but something inside me tells me that this would only be a piece of cake to take down.

“Bring it on,” I provoked the wolf, then he roared as loud as he could, which echoed all throughout the underground.

My muscles on the right arm grew larger and before I was able to process things, it was too late for me to realize that I already punched the wolf. The impact that it created led him to smash the wall with his gigantic body. It wasn’t enough, considering how my fists weren't even made out of silver. With the time that I have, I went back to the position where I dropped the gun, then picked it up. I swiftly returned in front of the wolf while it was still forcing himself to stand up with his remaining strength.

“Farewell.” I shot his head without any second thoughts. His blood reached out to my face and I know that by now, my body would most probably appear as if I had literally taken a bath filled with blood instead of water.

I sensed my limbs wobbling. It’s finally over, I cleared the first task.

Those thoughts were enough to make me feel relieved mentally, but my physical strength was no longer able to sustain whatever it was that’s making me feel weak.

“You’ve done well, Luna Asterbelle. It’s time for you to take a short rest before we move on to your next task,” the man informed me as he was clapping his hands to congratulate me on my accomplishment.

***

I was brought to another room which was still located in the underground facility of the Dark Shadow Clan. Joseph accompanied me along the way. He told me about the history of these people down here.

They didn’t actually belong to the said clan, not all of the vampires knew of their existence down here. These people only infiltrated this place as they had the superiority when it came to number, however, they weren’t that powerful to defeat King Dawn, which made them recognize him as their boss.

When I heard that King Dawn was their boss, it was only then when I realized how he was the one who told these people about my weaknesses. Of course, he was the only one here who knew about the relationship between me and Yve.

They were called the underground organization, the mafias who preserve justice between the different living beings that reside within Grimstone. They are mainly the ones who have taught all of the humans how to properly handle weapons as they knew that it would be beneficial for us to have the capability to defend ourselves and how to not be reliant on other people.

Their mission is the exact opposite of what I imagined them to be. I initially thought that they existed for the sole purpose of destroying the packs and the clan of vampires, so that they would be the one to rule the country. But they proved me wrong.

“If they really sought for peace… Then, why did that man earlier give me a task to kill those hundred wolves?” I asked.

Joseph leaned his back on the wall, then crossed both of his arms in front of his chest while he maintained our eye contact. “Those are the ones who failed to control their inner wolves. I’m sure that one of them tried to resist and fought to save his life until the end,” he answered, waiting for me to respond as well.

I nodded my head. “The last one didn’t seem like he had the will to die at all.”

“That one was the same as you. He had the blood of a vampire running on his veins, and at the same time, he was born as a pup who had no parents to support him as he grew up. He didn’t know what to do, no one told him the difference between what was right and what was wrong, so he ended up creating a massacre. Fortunately, the disasters stopped when the organization captured him alive,” Joseph continued.

He suddenly stepped forth, which made me step backwards until I was pinned onto the wall, leaving me with no choice other than to stare at him nervously.

Joseph’s eyes were clearly filled with interest in putting his lips on mine, so I attempted to push him away from me. Though, it was worthless.

It was the only moment wherein I knew that there was no point in pushing him away, I had no energy left within me after all of the hours that I’ve spent practicing my shooting skills earlier.

“H-hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t want to see you locked up in their prison just like that beast…” he whispered to my ear. “At least, give me a bit of your blood so that we can share the same pain and be as one.”