Chapter 25: A Bloody Introduction

“Bang—”

“Splat—”

Following the deafening gunshot, the scarred man’s palm, a gruesome mix of mangled flesh and shattered bone, struck the floor with a wet thud.

An immediate, chilling silence descended upon the Demon Hunter Guild. The boisterous laughter, the taunts, and every insolent remark aimed at Lovelenica were utterly obliterated by the sheer force of that single shot.

White smoke curled from the dark barrel of the gun Lovelenica held, aiming it steadily and horizontally at the scarred man. It was her shot, after all.

Each 3.5mm incendiary bullet, designed to explode upon impact, possessed destructive power comparable to a second-tier Flame Burst spell. Had it struck the scarred man’s head, that prominent scar—indeed, his entire skull—would have simply ceased to exist.

“Boss!!!”

“Ah—! You vile harlot… You! What in the blazes did you do!?”

The scarred man’s face twisted into a grotesque mask of agony. He doubled over, clutching his pulverized forearm as blood erupted from the wound like a crimson fountain.

He bellowed, his gaze fixed on Lovelenica with murderous intensity, his eyes bloodshot and inflamed with rage.

“It’s a gun! She’s a spy for the Principality of Hillerbach!!!”

One of the scarred man’s henchmen shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at the revolver clutched in Lovelenica’s hand.

“Heh, so wielding a gun automatically makes one a spy, does it? In that case, loathsome wretches such as yourselves must surely be heretics, wouldn’t you agree?”

Lovelenica regarded the startled henchman with utter disdain, then calmly aimed the white gun barrel directly at him.

Within the original narrative’s world, while rudimentary firearms did exist, their technological advancement paled in comparison to modern weaponry.

The Principality of Hillerbach was credited with their invention, yet common firearms proved utterly useless against individuals wielding magic, as their innate power could effortlessly deflect most bullets. Furthermore, these weapons were ineffective against fantastical creatures, incapable of inflicting even a scratch.

Consequently, firearms were typically relegated to conflicts between ordinary humans or those of the lowest magical aptitude.

Naturally, the scenario could shift dramatically if one possessed pre-crafted magic-infused bullets.

The arduous process of converting ordinary bullet casings into magic-infused projectiles demanded an immense investment of both energy and time, rendering it a thankless endeavor that few would ever consider.

Lovelenica, however, was an exception. Despite her strained relationship with the Crimson Family, Liliana’s direct command granted Lovelenica a degree of access to the family’s vast resources, making the creation of such specialized ammunition a relatively straightforward task for her.

Indeed, Lovelenica’s weapons were loaded exclusively with these magic bullets: her black gun chambered explosive incendiary rounds, while her white gun contained holy water bullets.

“Quickly! Seize her! A gun like that requires reloading after only a shot or two! Use this opportunity to eliminate her!”

Another of the scarred man’s henchmen bellowed, his finger jabbing towards Lovelenica as he commanded the others to attack.

In their estimation, Lovelenica was nothing more than an insolent child wielding potent weapons. They believed only the guns themselves were formidable, while she, personally, was merely a pretentious little hussy.

“Clang—”

“Look out!”

The sudden, sharp rasp of a blade being drawn pierced the air. It was the scarred man, who had cleverly feigned incapacitating pain and helplessness. In reality, he had been stealthily closing in on Lovelenica, poised to strike from behind. The moment Lovelenica’s attention was diverted by his henchmen, the scarred man swiftly drew the greatsword from his back and swung it with lethal intent towards Lovelenica’s pale, delicate neck.

The receptionist shrieked a desperate warning, but it was painfully obvious her cry came too late.

‘What did it matter if she was a noble?’ the scarred man thought with a sneer. ‘Once she’s dead and her body disposed of, no one in this chaotic cesspool of a Demon Hunter Guild would ever trace it back to us.’

‘Besides,’ he mused, a cruel glint in his eyes, ‘this little harlot’s face isn’t half bad. Her corpse will serve as adequate compensation for the excruciating pain of my severed hand!’

Despite Lovelenica’s youthful appearance, the scarred man harbored not a single shred of mercy.

Just as the cold, flashing blade was on the verge of cleaving Lovelenica’s nape, a truly bizarre sight unfolded before their eyes.

Lovelenica’s body suddenly arched downwards with an unnerving lack of warning. She leaned back, her gaze flicking sideways to meet the scarred man’s as he lunged. Then, with a sharp flick of her right hand, the gun’s heavy stock slammed forcefully into the scarred man’s remaining wrist. A cry of pain escaped him, and he instinctively released his greatsword. Propelled by its momentum, the greatsword continued its trajectory, burying itself deep into the shoulder of one of his henchmen who had been charging towards Lovelenica.

The receptionist stood agape, her mouth forgotten, and a similar shock paralyzed the onlookers throughout the hall. None had clearly perceived Lovelenica’s movements, and her posture was utterly bizarre. Ordinarily, for a human to execute a backbend-like maneuver demanded not only exceptional bodily flexibility but also immense core strength.

For Lovelenica to evade an attack with such a complex, high-difficulty movement while simultaneously launching a counter-attack seemed nigh impossible.

Her actions appeared utterly unburdened by the laws of inertia.

In truth, Lovelenica had not initially registered the scarred man’s attempt to ambush her; it was only when the receptionist’s desperate cry echoed that awareness finally dawned upon her.

Consequently, she had been forced to tap into her vampiric abilities.

Much like her previous transformation into a bat, Lovelenica’s physical form underwent an instantaneous activation, enabling her body to execute movements utterly unbefitting a human, seemingly devoid of all inertia.

That fleeting moment of evading the attack was but a mere glimpse of her true power. Were she to unleash this ability fully, even these seasoned demon hunters would undoubtedly discern her non-human nature.

And, naturally, if she were to regenerate after suffering decapitation, her true identity would be beyond any doubt.

“Puh… Boss… you…”

The henchman gasped, spitting out a copious gush of blood before collapsing to the floor, utterly unconscious.

“You! You dared to slay our brother!?”

“First, it was your boss who initiated the attack. Second, your brother is hardly dead yet. Are you so eager to curse him with an early demise?”

Observing the few remaining henchmen charging towards her, Lovelenica found herself utterly bored.

In the original narrative, the Demon Hunter Guild was similarly depicted as a veritable haven for outlaws and rogues of every stripe. Had the kingdom not found it expedient to deploy these dangerous, albeit untalented, individuals to explore hazardous territories, the entire profession of demon hunting would have been abolished long ago.

The Demon Hunter Guild, in essence, served merely as a tool for the kingdom to exert a degree of control over these volatile figures. Working as a receptionist within its walls was far from safe; encounters with aggressive demon hunters like the scarred man were not uncommon.

Even in the original storyline, Lucia herself faced significant trouble from demon hunters during her missions beyond the city walls. Nevertheless, within the confines of the Royal Capital, they still dared not openly challenge members of the three preeminent organizations.

Had they not harbored intentions of harming the receptionist, Lovelenica would genuinely have been too indolent to intervene.

During the brief span of Lovelenica’s contemplation, the remaining henchmen had already closed the distance, now standing directly before her.

Yet, Lovelenica remained utterly unperturbed. The moment she focused her concentration, the henchmen’s movements elongated and slowed to an almost glacial pace in her perception, akin to observing a scene in extreme slow motion. Every grotesque grimace, every intended vector of attack, was laid bare and perfectly clear to her.

This was the inherent dynamic vision of a vampire. Possessing such an ability, she could effortlessly evade the henchmen’s assaults, even without fully activating her enhanced physique.

Lovelenica, a blur of motion, weaved effortlessly through the flashing blades and menacing shadows. Even adorned in a flowing Gothic gown, the swords wielded by the scarred man and his henchmen failed to even brush the hem of her skirt.

“Damn it!”

The scarred man’s latest sword thrust whistled harmlessly through the air. He snarled in frustration, only to be met by the brutal impact of a gun stock smashing heavily into his face.

“Crack—”

“Oh? It seems you’re proving even less capable than a mere ‘little cake’ like myself, wouldn’t you say?”

“Everyone, cease this at once!!!”

At that precise moment, a cold, authoritative female voice cut through the commotion, emanating from the grand entrance of the Demon Hunter Guild.

Lovelenica executed a swift backward leap, gracefully escaping the scarred man’s aggressive encirclement. The instant her eyes fell upon the newcomer, her pupils constricted almost imperceptibly.

‘Lucia!?’

‘Why is she here?’

‘If she discovers I haven’t officially registered as a demon hunter… everything will be exposed!!!’