Chapter 72: Heavy Punch

“Is the captain already calling her Tina so affectionately? So chummy, when she clearly doesn’t even see him as a friend—just a target to annihilate the moment she gets the chance.”

“Honestly, I don’t think the captain should be fighting the Rose Legion guys, but we couldn’t stop him. He’s already taken out an entire squad. There’s probably no turning back now.”

“I just want to get out of here. Whatever happens to the captain, fine, but I’m ready to take his place.”

The three members of the Rose Squad, as usual, stood off to the side, watching indifferently, muttering among themselves as if the events unfolding had nothing to do with them.

It’s none of their business, so they just stood back, content to be spectators munching on metaphorical popcorn.

After all, this was Aibrune’s personal conflict.

But, what a coincidence. They’d initially thought Aibrune was joking, but he actually seemed to have genuine feelings for that humanoid weapon named Tina.

They couldn’t wrap their heads around it. She was just a hunk of metal—could this really be love for a machine?

“I bet the captain’s just after Tina’s body. He’s such a creep.”

“You’re not after girls’ bodies? What are you, a eunuch?”

“What? You really want to get beat up by a steel plate?”

In stark contrast to the trio’s calm banter was the scene unfolding before them.

Aibrune and the purple-haired Bloodkin had both bared their killing intent.

No one else wanted to get dragged into this mess. They’d all seen how the last guy got his head chopped off in an instant.

So, no one dared step forward to intervene. Instead, they backed away, clearing a wide space in the center.

“What’s going on? Where’s Lord Julius? Why are members of the Rose Legion fighting each other?”

“No idea… seems like some personal grudge. But at a time like this, when we’re attacking a human city, that blonde noble is way too reckless.”

“Don’t get close—you might get caught in the crossfire and killed by mistake.”

Many Bloodkin from the Rose Legion noticed the commotion but didn’t dare interfere. Under their watchful eyes, the purple-haired Bloodkin held his breath, focusing intently, his eyes locked on Aibrune.

But in the next moment, Aibrune’s figure vanished from his sight.

“So fast!”

It was like a duel, but not quite—because the battle was entirely dominated by Aibrune’s overwhelming force.

The purple-haired Bloodkin’s lineage wasn’t noble, and his combat strength paled in comparison to Aibrune’s. His eyes couldn’t keep up with Aibrune’s speed. After a few exchanges, a sword flash severed his arm, sword and all.

“What…”

Then, Aibrune appeared behind him, expressionless, pressing a hand on his head. With a loud bang, he slammed the Bloodkin’s head into the ground, leaving a shocking crater.

The fluid sequence of moves left no room for the Bloodkin to react. By the time he realized what was happening, his head was embedded in the ground, pinned down mercilessly.

Aibrune responded with a cold sneer.

He snapped the purple-haired Bloodkin’s legs with ruthless force. Though vampires had powerful regenerative abilities, that didn’t mean they were immune to pain. In that moment of breaking, excruciating agony flooded his senses.

“Stop! Stop it!!!”

“Feeling the pain now? Too late.” Aibrune said indifferently.

“You enjoy making others feel despair, reveling in the thrill of hunting and toying with your prey?”

“Learned that nasty habit from Auston? Or is it your own obsession? Well then, let me show you what it’s like to know your limbs are about to be broken, yet be powerless to resist.”

“Stop, stop!!! Spare me! I was wrong, it’s my fault!”

The Bloodkin’s wails echoed around them, chillingly desperate.

But Aibrune showed no mercy. This guy had broken Tina’s legs, so Aibrune shattered his four limbs without hesitation.

Even the other three members of the Rose Squad were shocked. They hadn’t realized their captain was this strong.

He usually seemed so indifferent to everything, making them think he’d never get serious. But now, he was truly showcasing his noble strength.

Both were captain-level, but the purple-haired Bloodkin was beaten to a pulp, utterly defenseless. This was a completely different Aibrune from the one who’d faced Tina that morning—like a different person entirely.

Timid against a loli, but throwing heavy punches at his enemies.

“Ahem, yeah, better not mess with loli fans, huh?”

“Got that right…”

“Uh, yeah, I guess… kinda…”

This time, Team Member Three didn’t dare voice his usual desire to kill the captain and take his place.

Seeing the purple-haired Bloodkin’s miserable state under Aibrune’s one-sided thrashing, his face paled, and his words came out haltingly. He might need to hit the convenience store for an ice cream to calm his nerves.