“Cut the crap. If you’ve got guts, come at me.” Dustin raised one hand and made a challenging gesture.
“You’ve got a death wish, kid!” Bill’s anger flared instantly.
Just as he was about to attack, he recalled something and stopped. He glanced at Oron warily and forcefully restrained his rage.
In a fit of impulsiveness earlier, Bill had been blasted nearly to death by Oron’s Stormcraft. Although he was now in the battle ring, Oron hadn’t signaled the start of the match.
If Bill acted rashly, it would only allow Oron a reason to intervene. He knew better than to mess with Oron again.
“What’s the matter? Afraid to make a move? Is that all you’ve got?” Dustin scoffed.
“You-” Bill bared his fangs, and his chest heaved with fury. He was visibly furious and resolved to torture Dustin once the match began.
“Are you ready?” Oron looked at them with a blank expression.
“I’m ready,” Dustin replied with a nod.
“Ready,” Bill snarled, glaring fiercely at Dustin.
“Good. The eighth match begins now!” Oron said before stepping down from the ring.
“You’re finally in my hand.” Bill sneered as his sharp claws extended like blades.
He added, “I’ll give you one chance. Drop to your knees and beg for mercy, and I might spare your life and let you become my blood source. Otherwise, don’t blame me for killing you.”
“Is that so? I don’t think you’re up for it.” Dustin looked indifferent as he stood with his hands behind his back.
“Fine. I’ll grant your wish today since you insist on seeking your demise.”
The moment Bill finished his threat, he vanished and reappeared behind Dustin with lightning speed.
By the time the spectators realized what was happening, Bill had opened his bloody mouth and was ready to bite Dustin’s neck.
“Watch out!”
Alicia and Aurora’s faces turned pale while Crystal and Ruby stood up nervously.
Though they had only recently met Dustin, they had come to value him as a friend over their time together. Now that he was in danger, they were understandably anxious.
Just as Bill’s fangs were about to sink into Dustin’s skin, a loud slap echoed through the air. Then, Bill was sent flying backward. He tumbled across the ring before coming to a stop ten yards away.
“What happened?”
Everyone stared in confusion and couldn’t make sense of it. From their perspective, Dustin had been facing away from Bill and hadn’t moved at all. Yet, Bill had been inexplicably thrown back, which left them puzzled.
At that moment, Bill struggled to his feet in a daze. His cheek was red and swollen, and he was confused about what had happened. It felt like he had been ambushed, and his face throbbed with pain.
The area where he had been hit had a strange energy that suppressed his recovery ability. As a result, the swelling on his face worsened.
“Why you-” Bill glared at Dustin. Just as he was about to say something, his teeth began to fall out one by one. Even his vampire fangs were gone.
He stood frozen and stared at his fangs on the ground and then at Dustin. His face began to twitch uncontrollably.
Fangs were essential for feeding and symbolized the vampires’ noble status. Hence, getting them knocked out was the ultimate insult and a direct blow to their pride. Such an offense almost always led to a fight to the death.
“Bastard, I’m going to tear you to pieces!”
After a moment of shock, Bill let out a beastly roar. His face twisted into a menacing snarl. His body trembled as a large cloud of scarlet mist erupted from his body and enveloped him.
Shrouded in swirling scarlet mist, Bill lunged at Dustin. The mist shifted midair, and it finally transformed into the shape of a massive Crimson Skullhead.
The skull was over 30 feet wide. It moved with incredible speed and continued to grow larger. As it approached Dustin, it loomed overhead like a dark cloud, which made escape impossible.
“If I’m not mistaken, this is a vampire’s secret technique. If a human martial artist comes into contact with this scarlet mist, they’ll be reduced to nothing but blood, and no bones will be left behind. It’s extremely deadly!”
“That’s it. Looks like Number Eight is done for today!”
“Damn those vampires! We’re going to lose another expert!”
The spectators watched in frustration and dread as the massive Crimson Skullhead loomed over most of the battle ring. They could only watch as the skull swallowed Dustin.
