"Who's there?"
While Jefferson bellowed, his other hand reached behind his waist where his communicator was clipped.
He hadn't touched the communicator moments ago because he hadn't spotted the enemy. If he didn't reach for it now, he'd likely never get another chance!
But obviously, his movement didn't escape the notice of the unknown enemy ahead.
Accompanied by a piercing scream, a gust of wind hurtled straight toward Jefferson's face. Unable to reach the communicator in time, Jefferson instantly withdrew his left hand and, gripping the dark iron rod, swept it directly in front of him.
"Vampire, die!"
From the enemy's piercing shriek, he instantly identified it.
Clearly, it's another damned vampire.
But Jefferson, unable to see his enemy's position, was at a massive disadvantage; his sweeping blow hit nothing but air. The vampire before him, leveraging its superior vision and speed, easily dodged Jefferson's sweep with a swift sidestep.
It was as if they were toying with him. Several vampires in the air around him launched sporadic attacks, nimbly dodging his counterattacks.
Damn it, these beasts are trying to wear me out!
After swinging his club with all his might a few times, Jefferson quickly realized the vampires' intention.
He slapped his waist, and five crystals, each etched with a Guardian Formation, instantly appeared in his hand.
Jefferson, now with a moment to rest, leaned on his weapon with one hand while activating a crystal in the other with Spiritual Power. A transparent barrier instantly enshrouded him.
Fuck, if I make it out of here alive, I've got to carry more of these things!
Jefferson discarded a Guardian Crystal, shattered from the vampires' repeated attacks, and cursed bitterly to himself.
Now that I'm temporarily safe, it's the perfect opportunity to alert the Boss!
Jefferson's right hand released the iron rod and reached for his back waist, only to find a fragment of the communicator.
Fuck, it must have broken when I fell!
Seeing his hope of contacting Jessica and the others dashed, Jefferson's heart sank.
Is it time to use my trump card?
The vampires nearby, noticing the barrier was destructible, suddenly increased their attack frequency. In just a short time, Jefferson had thrown four shattered Crystal Stones to the ground.
These damned beasts!
Just as Jefferson's last Crystal Stone was about to shatter, a sharp WHOOSH cut through the air.
"AAAH!"
Amidst the vampire's ear-piercing howl, Jefferson glimpsed a flash of fire—there and gone in an instant.
And as the firelight faded, the vampire's cries abruptly ceased.
"Jefferson! I finally found you!"
Hearing Jessica's familiar voice from above, Jefferson's heart swelled with immense relief and joy.
"Boss! Did you hear the call of my heart?"
After flinging another short spear that turned a vampire to ash, Jessica simply jumped down with a THUD, landing beside him.
Walking over to Jefferson, she kicked him. "Shut your mouth and get up there!"
Propelled by Jessica's kick, Jefferson tumbled back into the wine cellar above.
As the darkness before his eyes gradually lifted, Jefferson, finally able to see his surroundings, heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Fuck, I thought I was going to go blind this time!
Once his vision cleared, Jefferson immediately spotted a short spear embedded in the ground beside him. Where the spear shaft met the ground lay a handful of pale ashes.
Looking back, he saw at least a dozen patches of ashes lying silently on the ground.
Clearly, Jessica's journey here hadn't been smooth either.
Where the hell are these beasts coming from?
Aside from that final sarcophagus, where else could these vampires be hiding?
Right, that sarcophagus!
That bizarre sarcophagus is still down there. I wonder if the Boss can handle that unholy thing inside it on her own.
Just as a worried Jefferson was about to peek below, a figure suddenly sprang up from the hole in the ground.
"Run!"
Jessica, her face grim, had barely scrambled up and uttered a low shout before she bolted towards the exit they had used.
"Huh?" Hearing her, Jefferson was momentarily stunned.
Seeing something was seriously wrong, Jefferson suppressed his questions, snatched up his iron rod, and hurried after her, not even daring to glance back down.
The Boss, the strongest among us, is running for her life! I have to keep up, or I'm dead for sure!
The two leaped back to the upper level, hurried through the narrow corridor, and had just reached the altar when a group of vampires, appearing from nowhere, blocked their path.
Judging by their attire, this group of vampires had clearly once been residents of the town. For some reason, they had all turned into bloodthirsty monsters.
But having seen the sarcophagus beneath the church, Jessica and Jefferson both arrived at the same grim conclusion. The strange events in town must be connected to that sarcophagus.
"Fuck! If I can't beat that thing underground, you think I can't kill you damn beasts?"
Seeing that these ordinary vampires, clearly weaker, dared to block their way, Jefferson, who had just narrowly escaped death, swung the iron rod in his hand and charged straight forward.
I need to vent this frustration. These vampires came at just the right time.
This is the first time since my revenge that such uncontrollable rage has surged within me.
The feeling of death hanging over my head is truly unbearable!
THUMP! With a heavy stomp that cracked the stone bricks beneath his feet, Jefferson's figure blurred, appearing in an instant before a vampire.
The pitch-black iron rod swung in his hand smashed down like a meteor.
CRACK! The vampire, which had just been screeching defiantly at them, its fanged mouth wide, had its head instantly driven into its shoulders by the force of the blow.
Its body crumpled, then erupted in flames.
In the blink of an eye, all that remained before Jefferson was a slowly dispersing pile of ashes.
Jefferson's devastating blow was the first strike of the battle.
The vampires blocking their path, mouths agape to reveal their fangs, roared and surged forward as one.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
Jefferson swung his iron rod relentlessly. For these vampires, a mere scrape was a grievous wound, a direct hit meant instant death.
For a time, the swarm of vampires couldn't even get near him.
Meanwhile, Jessica wasn't allowing the vampires before her to distract her.
After casually thrusting her short spear forward, turning another vampire to ash, Jessica's head involuntarily turned to look back.
In that dark, narrow corridor... it feels like something is in there, watching me.