Chapter 73: Sheffield’s Demonic Claw (1)

In the end, after teaching the purple-haired Bloodkin a most severe lesson, the rage in Aibrune’s heart finally subsided a little.
He hesitated for a moment, considering whether he should deliver the final blow.

“Tsk, for the sake of us being kin, I’ll spare your life.”

He raised the corners of his mouth in a self-mocking smile, sheathing the sword at his waist.
Glancing down at the mottled bloodstains on his work uniform, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Even the apron got this dirty… can it still be washed clean?”

As for the purple-haired Bloodkin, he was already in so much pain he had nearly passed out, lying paralyzed on the ground without a sound.

It wasn’t until Aibrune clapped his hands, having dealt with everything, that a member of the Rose Squad spoke up hesitantly:

“Is it over, Captain?
We should return to the unit as soon as possible.
We must at least remember one thing: we are soldiers of the Rose Legion, and tonight, humanity is our enemy.”

Aibrune did not respond immediately.

He merely gazed in the direction Su Xiao Zi and Tina had left—they had long since vanished into the night.

He ruffled his somewhat messy blond hair, his tone slightly troubled, “This is a problem… I still wanted to check on Tina’s condition.
If she’s a mechanical construct, those legs should be fixable, right?”

A squad member crossed his arms, his tone serious, “Captain, have you really thought this through?
Your current actions have already violated the laws of the Rose Legion.
You will face the corresponding punishment.”

“No, there won’t be.”
Aibrune’s reply was decisive.

“Why?”

“Haven’t you noticed yet?
The Rose Legion can hardly protect itself now.
Our military strength was already insufficient, yet we rashly attacked a human city—our Staff Officer, Julius, has never been such an ignorant person.”

“So, what’s your guess?”

“If you ask me,” Aibrune said, his voice calm as he looked up at the cold moon in the sky, “after tonight’s battle, the Rose Legion will cease to exist.”

This was said without a hint of jest.

The squad members exchanged glances for a moment, and in the end, could only sigh softly, “Is that so… what a pity.”

They all knew in their hearts that regardless of victory or defeat, the Rose Legion was destined to pay the ultimate price tonight and eventually fall apart.
Who would have thought that the Rose Legion, once ranked among the top ten legions, would meet its end so swiftly.

“However, I’m curious,” Aibrune continued, “who on earth could coerce someone like Julius into launching an attack so completely out of character for him?”

“He’s not an ordinary Bloodkin like us—his bloodline is noble, his strength is immense, and his strategic mind is even more outstanding.
I’d really like to see for myself who could make him yield.”

“Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a figure like the Staff Officer being threatened, unless—Cap-Captain!
Danger!”

Before the words could even fade, an almost suffocating pressure descended abruptly from the heavens!

A figure moving so fast it was but an afterimage plummeted straight down, its target none other than Aibrune—

[Falling Sheath: Sakura Slash]

Scattering cherry petals dispersed like snow.

Aibrune felt only a tearing pain in his back as a cold blade pierced through his chest!

“What… how…”

His pupils contracted; he had no time to dodge at all.

The next instant, a flash of sword light swept past, and Aibrune’s head flew into the air—thudding onto the steps in front of the school building before rolling to a stop at his squad member’s feet.

And the assailant, unhurriedly sheathing his blade, wore a chillingly confident smile.
An ethereal blue extermination aura surged from his body like a tide, instantly enveloping the entire building.

The very moment he descended, the remaining ordinary Bloodkin in the vicinity—even the dying purple-haired Bloodkin—were annihilated in an instant, turning to ash as if utterly erased.

This was not an actively cast extermination ritual at all; the power emanating from his mere presence was potent enough to cause the weak to perish in an instant.

Just what kind of oppressive extermination aura was this!

A young and composed voice was heard speaking slowly: “Your speculations are quite interesting.
That’s right, the Rose Legion is indeed being coerced—and unfortunately for you, that person is standing right before you now.”

“I heard someone took it upon themselves to let the person I came for escape?
A bunch of incompetents are truly useless.”

“—Sheffield.”

“Before you die, remember this name well, you weakling vampires.”