what if I'm an undead! then so what?-Chapter 35: Bonus - : Trials of crimson flames: The day Akane wept!

Chapter 35: Bonus Chapter: Trials of crimson flames: The day Akane wept!

Just as Mr. Isagi’s hand impaled Akane’s chest, a frown suddenly creased his face. A violent red flame erupted from his palm, crackling with sinister energy. But to his surprise, Akane’s body burst into flames—only to disintegrate into cinders before his eyes.

From the dim corner of the room, a figure emerged, stepping into the light without a scratch. It was Akane—completely unharmed, not even a wrinkle on her clothing. Her crimson eyes glinted with eerie calm.

"That’s why I hate vampires," Mr. Isagi growled, withdrawing his hand. The flames vanished in a blink. "Undying scum with their pesky little tricks."

Hinata’s sharp voice sliced through the tension. "I’m quite curious about those hands of yours," she said, eyes narrowing. "I doubt a normal human should possess something like that. Spill it—what are you really?"

With a snap of her fingers, magic circles ignited across the room, their glowing inscriptions spinning wildly. Spears of ice shot out from every direction, streaking toward Mr. Isagi with deadly precision.

He reacted instantly. His fists became blurs, shattering the spears with explosive force, each strike cracking the air like thunder. Shards of ice scattered like glittering rain.

But the onslaught didn’t stop.

He quickly realized that countering each projectile was futile. They just kept coming. There were only two ways out—destroy the circles or take down the caster.

In a flash, Mr. Isagi surged forward. His speed warped the air, his form flickering through space like he was slipping between frames of reality. He aimed a punch straight at Hinata, nearing light-speed—only for Akane to appear in front of her, a crimson dagger clashing against his knuckles.

The collision sent a burst of flame and sparks across the room. Akane skidded backward, boots grinding against the ground, her arms trembling from the impact. Her dagger glowed red-hot from absorbing the kinetic force.

Yet she stood her ground. Hinata stepped up beside her. The two exchanged a knowing look and a faint smile, as if finally deciding to take things seriously.

Mr. Isagi’s eyes narrowed.

They’re planning something, he thought grimly.

With a snarl, he dashed again—this time faster, distorting the space around him. In an instant, he reappeared behind them and launched a brutal punch at Akane’s back.

The blow connected.

Akane was hurled across the room like a ragdoll, crashing toward one of the floating magic circles. A spear of ice awaited her—its tip glistening inches from her heart.

Then—

A red flash.

The world twisted.

Akane vanished.

In her place stood Mr. Isagi—his own body impaled by the very spear meant for Akane. Blood erupted from his mouth as the weapon burst through his chest.

He collapsed to the floor, coughing violently, only to be suddenly bound by radiant green chains that erupted from the ground. The chains coiled around his limbs like serpents, locking him in place.

Akane was on the move. She darted forward, blade drawn, aiming directly for his neck to end it once and for all.

But before her blade could reach him—BOOM!

An explosion tore through the space between them, reducing half the chamber to rubble. Dust and debris spiraled into the air, swallowing the battlefield.

"I think I’ve held back too much!" Mr. Isagi’s voice thundered from within the smoke.

"Release."

A black mark bloomed across his forehead. In a heartbeat, he appeared in front of Hinata, one hand gripping her throat, lifting her off the ground effortlessly. Akane, on the other hand, had dropped to one knee—unable to move a single muscle, her entire body paralyzed.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you both," he said coldly, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

Silence.

Neither Akane nor Hinata could speak. It had all happened too fast. One second they were confident—then utterly defeated without a chance to react.

Then Mr. Isagi started laughing.

He gently lowered Hinata to the ground and turned toward Masaru, lying unconscious nearby.

"It seems the kid’s made some powerful friends," he said, eyes falling on Akane. "You must be Miss Akane."

Akane struggled to rise, sweat dripping from her brow.

Mr. Isagi chuckled, noticing the confusion on their faces. "I overheard everything while I was frozen. You’re here for Masaru, right? And considering your strength, you’re definitely Akane Mikazuki. That makes this witch one of his friends too."

He smiled genuinely for the first time, steam rising from his palms as the wounds across his chest began to heal.

"I’m a friend of Masaru’s too. Used to be his boss. So it’s good to see he’s got people willing to risk their lives for him—especially a Mikazuki."

"If you knew, then why didn’t you stop the fight?!" Hinata snapped, still recovering her breath.

"I wanted to test your strength. Simple as that. You both pass," he said, wiping blood from his lips. "Although the vampire is a little sloppy... I get why."

He turned to Masaru and lifted his hand. Flames danced along his palm as he unsealed Masaru’s fire completely. A rush of blood-energy burst out, filling the room like a surge from a broken dam.

"You can take him home. Tell him not to slack off. In one month, I expect him to last at least ten minutes against me—using only Aether."

Mr. Isagi placed his palm over his chest, Aether glowing as it coursed through his body, accelerating his healing.

Hinata and Akane exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Aether?" they echoed.

Only humans—or rare hybrids—could use Aether. And Masaru wasn’t either.

"Well, even I don’t fully understand it," Mr. Isagi said. "But he came to me, desperate to grow stronger. I trained him in Aether... and surprisingly, he adapted. Fast."

He laughed softly, pride lining his features.

Without another word, Akane and Hinata walked toward Masaru. In a blink, green mana particles enveloped the trio—and they vanished.

The barrier that had protected the room flickered, then collapsed.

Within seconds, the entire room began crumbling.

Mr. Isagi stared up at the falling debris, groaning.

"Why does this always happen to me?!"

---

Masaru slowly opened his eyes to the familiar luxury of the room. Morning light streamed through the curtains, and he turned to the side—there she was. Akane sat in the chair beside him, fast asleep, her head tilted slightly.

"Oh? I thought she didn’t sleep," he mused to himself, smiling faintly.

As he sat up, he noticed something immediately—his body felt lighter, sharper, more attuned. His core... it had been unsealed. Energy flowed through him freely now.

Quietly, he stood, took a nearby blanket, and gently draped it over her. Despite the sunlight outside, the atmosphere in the room remained oddly cold.

After about thirty minutes of idle silence, he turned on the television, keeping the volume low so as not to disturb her. The large screen flickered to life, displaying a familiar face—his favorite celebrity.

The news showed the American actor currently filming in Shibuya, not too far but far enough. Masaru let out a small sigh. Had it been Shinjuku, he might’ve actually gone to try and get an autograph.

The man on screen had long crimson hair and blazing red eyes—not quite as deep as Akane’s or his own, but striking nonetheless. He always played the roles that stuck with people—tragic heroes, noble outcasts, selfless warriors.

To Masaru, he had once been more than an actor. Back when life was darker—when he was constantly bullied—he used to wish someone like that would swoop in and save him. But those days were behind him now. What remained was admiration. Respect.

"Michael Viremonthe..." Masaru whispered, staring at the screen.

Just then, the temperature in the room dropped noticeably.

He turned.

Akane was awake. Her gaze was locked on the screen, and the cold fury in her eyes could’ve frozen time itself. If the television had been alive, it would’ve died on the spot.

"You’re awake?" Masaru said, snapping her out of her trance. The channel switched shortly after.

"Do you blame yourself... for what happened that day?" Akane asked quietly, standing from the chair.

The sudden question—and the sharp shift in atmosphere—made Masaru step back slightly.

"If something had happened to you... it would’ve been my fault," he said with a faint chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Guess I wasn’t strong enough either way."

Akane’s voice lowered, barely above a whisper. "I’m the one to blame. All of it... it’s my fault."

Tears slipped down her cheeks. She didn’t wipe them away. Maybe... maybe she was tired of being the strong one.

"My selfishness—" she continued, voice trembling, "—At first I wanted to make you stronger but all of a sudden l lost interst. I convinced myself that maybe you inherited Dracula’s will because of that cape... but when it vanished, I thought there was no reason to keep you close. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to let go. I liked having you beside me... maybe too much. I didn’t want you to grow so strong that you wouldn’t need me anymore."

She turned away.

"I became blind to your growth. I kept telling myself it was for your own good, but the truth is... I just didn’t want to be alone."

Her next words came with visible guilt. "And then Severine... that thing came because of me. And you almost died."

Masaru walked up to her, slow and steady. She didn’t look up. But he didn’t need her to.

He pulled her gently into his arms and held her tight.

"Like I said before," he whispered, "I’ll always be by your side. I’ll be the pillar you lean on... and the shoulder you cry on, if you need it."

He held her tighter.

He rarely showed it, but the thought of losing her was unbearable. Akane wasn’t just an ally—she was one of the few people who truly mattered in his world.

"Hey, look what I fou—"

A teasing voice broke the moment. They both turned slightly to see Hinata standing in the doorway, Eve just behind her.

"Ah. Never mind. I’ll come back later and let you two finish whatever you were doing," Hinata said with a grin, her eyes full of mischief.

Akane’s face flushed red. Masaru sighed.

But neither of them pulled away.