The mere presence of Kauã Alves caused the atmosphere inside the mansion to collapse under an overwhelming gravity.
The pressure emanating from the Holy Knight was so dense that it seemed to suffocate Old Man Bon, the young blonde girl, and Arata himself, crushing whatever remnants of courage remained in the room.
Go...! Finish her, Kauã! We're counting on you! - Arata exclaimed, forcing a confident smile to drive away the remnants of his fear.
All right, Arata. Leave it to me - Kauã replied in a calm voice.
I'm just going to hunt a monster.
Yumi, regaining her stance among the debris, narrowed her black eyes. Her sadistic smile faltered in the face of the nobleman's aura.
Your power level is absurd... Could the rumors about the Holy Knight really be true?!
Find out for yourself, vampire - Kauã declared, bending his knees.
In the blink of an eye, before anyone could follow his movement, Kauã disappeared.
In a fraction of a second, he appeared right beside Yumi, as if he had broken through the barrier of space.
The red-haired man threw a direct punch toward the assassin.
Yumi, driven purely by her survival instincts, made an awkward leap backward.
Kauã's fist struck the mansion's thick wall head-on, breaking through the stone structure and opening a colossal hole.
The knight pulled his arm back, brushing the dust from his gloves, and calmly turned toward his opponent.
In an act of desperation, Yumi hurled several consecutive blasts of her highly corrosive poison at him.
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Kauã did not even move.
The toxic fluid struck his face head-on, sizzling against his skin, but did not cause the slightest scratch or burn.
Your poison has no effect on me - he stated, using the back of his hand to wipe the viscous residue from his cheek.
Before Yumi could retreat, he moved again, materializing directly in front of her.
The Holy Knight delivered a brutal punch straight into the assassin's face, instantly breaking her nose and sending blood spraying everywhere.
Without giving her time to fall, he followed with a devastating side kick that sent the vampire's body crashing into the main counter.
The impact destroyed part of the pinewood structure.
Yumi vomited a massive amount of blood, but her nighttime regeneration acted quickly, realigning the bones in her nose.
Using the remains of the furniture for support, she staggered to her feet, fixing her eyes on Kauã.
The red-haired man brought his hand to the golden hilt at his waist, but after assessing the villain, he let out a disappointed sigh.
What a shame... You're not worthy. Kamikiri will remain in its sheath today.
In a blur, he disappeared from everyone's line of sight.
Yumi sensed danger to her left and, in a desperate reflex, thrust her purple katana forward, aiming to pierce the knight's abdomen.
However, the sound that echoed was that of metal shattering.
The tip of the poisoned blade broke upon colliding with Kauã's skin, and the small tear that had formed in his off-white overcoat instantly regenerated, as if the fabric itself were alive.
So the legends of Karakiri were true...! You're unbelievable! - Yumi exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock and admiration.
A being that goes far beyond the capabilities of a conventional warrior! You possess the gift of...
My Blessed Magic consists of manifesting whatever abilities prove necessary for me - Kauã interrupted her coldly, having no patience for the assassin's monologue.
My combat level goes far beyond the strength of Kamikiri.
For this confrontation, I activated: clothing regeneration, piercing-proof skin, super strength, toxin immunity, and instant displacement.
Once again, he disappeared into thin air.
Before Yumi could process the information, Kauã appeared behind her, delivering a right-handed punch that sent her crashing into the other side of the hall.
You said you came to hunt a monster, Kauã... but you're much more terrifying than any monster I've ever faced!
Arata commented from the back, wide-eyed at the display of power.
Coming from you, Arata, I'll take that as a compliment - the knight replied with a faint smile.
Concentrating his energy, Kauã manifested a new ability.
A violent blast of pulsating blue electricity shot from his hands, tearing through the air toward the villain.
Yumi leaped, using the air itself as a point of support to propel herself upward, attempting to escape the spell.
However, with a mental command, Kauã altered the trajectory of the lightning.
The electricity changed angles and struck the vampire directly in midair.
The mansion was illuminated by bluish flashes as Yumi was brutally electrocuted.
Her body began to burn and melt under the high voltage, turning her biological tissues into ashes before she even touched the ground.
The assassin's charred remains fell like dark powder onto the pebbles.
But the night still belonged to the full moon.
Almost immediately, the red powder and ashes began to gather together again on the ground, reconstructing the bones, muscles, and purple garments of the Ripper Assassin, bringing her back to life for the third consecutive time.
Yumi rose, catching her breath and facing the Holy Knight head-on.
Looks like this fight isn't going to end as quickly as I imagined - Kauã observed, crossing his arms.
I had never faced a member of the vampire race before. This is my first time, and I must admit that you are a formidable opponent.
Yumi spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, staining the dry mud red, and wiped her lips with the side of her hand.
Very well... Let's finish this already.
Kauã Alves once again adopted his combat stance.
Let's go.
End of Chapter 18...
To be continued in Chapter 19...