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Chapter Text

[ Inazuma - Higi Village - Afternoon ]

Shikanaoin Heizou. Was known as the greatest detective in Inazuma. An individual that managed to rise amongst other Doushins in the Tenryou Commission and successfully solved every impossible case imaginable. Until a tragedy fell onto him.

It was a sunless sky that fateful day. No ray of light that can penetrate the dark clouds hovering above him as the detective traveled his way to the island of Yashiori, along with his investigation team. There, he arrived at Higi Village, and trudged his way through the crowds of people gathering around the crime scene. His eyes laid upon the two lifeless bodies, covered in bite marks and blood. He caught murmurs amongst the village folks, stating it was animal attacks. But the detective knew, his intuition knew, that it wasn’t that simple of a conclusion.  

For weeks, he had been investigating this strange phenomena. And for days, he had been pondering whether the existence of such creatures roam on this land. Vampires , he thought to himself. An entity that hides among the shadows of the night, and out of all times, he managed to catch them lingering once or twice in the city. Would anyone believe his theory of a legend-like story? Just by what he saw and deduced? Unfortunately, no solid evidence was found to prove such a theory, thus leaving him with another cold trail. Disappointed, once again, but he never gives up on finding out the truth. He was determined. 

“Shall we head back, Doushin Shikanoin?” his colleague, Uesugi, informed him of their departure. The bodies were wrapped and laid into a cart, which was ready to be brought back to the city for further investigation. 

As they began their journey, Heizou caught sight of a miniscule dandelion petal fluttering amongst the soft wind. People would wonder how it got here. But for him, the sight of it made him remember two of his dearest friends. Twins , to be precise. 

He remembered meeting them for the first time as they arrived in Inazuma, to indulge his nation’s culture and tradition. But one of the twins, the girl, always had a close relationship with him. After she decided to further her study at his homeland, she would tag along and help him in several of his investigations. He could say that they have been partners in crimes since then. To the point that she and her twin brother were part of his family now. It felt so… natural. Like fate has brought them to him, to fill up the quiet space in his humble home. He has no mother… nor a brother. Just him, his cousin and his father. So why not make the household more lively by welcoming the two of them? 

Heizou chuckled at himself.

“I wonder how they’re doing right now?” he whispered his longing, hoping for them to visit him again. He gazed at the distance into the sea. To the direction where Monstadt was.     

Mondstadt.

[ Monstadt - Cathedral - Afternoon ]

The nun recited the final prayer to the only attended of the deceased, before leaving her to her grief. The young woman stood in front of the cathedral's aisle while she held the picture of a young man that shared the same golden hair and eyes as her. 

The world around her fell silent, empty and void. She lowered her head, as if she was quietly pleading for the gods to heed her wish– her wish to not be alone in this unknown world. For whatever reason that the world took away her dearest brother, she hoped that someday she would know the truth and find retribution. At this very moment, all she can do is weep for the hole in her heart. Without realizing, an unlikely bard approached her, sharing the same grieving expression as she was. 

"I am very sorry for your loss."

She did not mind his presence, although she found it odd that a bard such as him would be so gracious of her and her sadness. She decided to listen to him while she stayed quiet and maintained her gaze to the picture she was holding.

"Do you have any other blood relatives?" he asked but she denied, "How about a lover?" she denied once more. The bard was silent for a moment before asking her one final question, "How about a dear friend?"

Her eyes perked at the mention of a friend, turning her full attention to the bard. The image of his brilliant purple hair and kind viridian eyes emerged into her mind. The bard smiled as he noticed the little hope in her golden gaze. It was as if his presence was like an angel that flew down to give her the guidance she needed. 

He bowed. "May the wind protect you and lead you to your destination, child."

She returned his gesture with a bow as well, before she hurriedly exited the cathedral. 

[ Inazuma - Heizou’s Hometown - Evening ]

He never would have thought that once he arrived back to Narukami Island, a devastating event would await him. 

Heizou stood amongst the panic crowd and continuous screams of terror. His skin felt the heat of the amber that glared at him as he watched the raging fire burn his beloved hometown. His face was in shock, horrid and full of dismay. His mouth quivered, his hands quill into fists. His beating heart turned rapidly, as he mustered the voice to call out their name out loud.

“Father! Nana!” His feet were ready to bolt into the flames but his fellow Tenryou officers held him back, as if fate did not allow him to meet the same end as his loved ones. 

“Let go of me! I said let go!” He cried, but his cries did not reach them. So, he watched his hopes and dreams perished in front of him. 

Everything was quiet. Nothing but the sound of the cold wind, which blew the last flame before it disappeared. The officers gradually move in and carry all the bodies out of the rubbles, while the doctors tended to those who survived. The ashes that once burned a lovely small village left nothing but a wasted land filled with charcoal soils and dead carcasses.  

Time was still for the detective. Heizou couldn't remember how long it was as he kneel in front of the two bodies of his family. The bodies that were covered with a cloth that he wouldn’t dare to look at, or the image of their dead state would be replaced with the smiles that once were. His mind was blank, his face was tired from shedding an ocean full of tears. And the item; the haori of his father in his hands, was all that was left. He wondered if it was better if he hadn't left home for the strange case that he needed to solve. Then maybe... just maybe… he would have joined them too. Maybe, he wouldn't be alone.

Alone.

.

.

.

“ Jojo …?”

Heizou's head perked up slightly, as he heard the familiar voice that only one friend would call him by that nickname. He slowly rose from where he kneeled and turned around to the direction of the voice. There stood his long time friend, Lumine . He watched her examine the area around them before her eyes gradually filled with sadness and grief. She approached him, reaching out for his hands while tears fell onto her cheeks. She pressed her delicate hands onto the haori that the detective was holding, and hung her head over it. Heizou didn’t need to explain what had happened here. The sound of her desperate sob was enough for him to know that she understood the tragedy of his home. Their shared home. Their home that was once were. He wanted to grieve with her but all of his tears had dried up. Lumine can only cry for him. For his loss, and for whatever that was left for him.

“H-Heizou…” Lumine spoke up beneath her loud sob, “We… We only have each other.”

Huh…?

“ Aether …” she cried, “Aether is gone .”

.

.

.

His world suddenly stopped. Time seemed to have frozen. All he could hear was the sound of his heart crumbling, breaking— shattering.

Aether… 

The one who is dearest to Lumine, as well as the one who treated the detective like a brother– Gone . 

Gone from this world.

No way…

This has to be a joke!

One after another…

The bubble that kept his rationale— his sanity… began to break. 

How cruel that fate has begun to set this path for him… How much does the world want to push him off the edge? He didn’t want to believe it. He refused to believe it and yet— the tears from his dearest friend— dearest partner wasn’t lying.  

He bit his lower lip— trembling , whether it was fear of facing the truth or anger towards the world they live in. He asked, “How…?”

“Animal attack,” she answered, but her eyes seemed to be in disbelief as he was. She explained the bite marks she saw on his neck while he laid in the coffin. She didn’t understand, nor she couldn’t find the answer of how it happened. The people around her only told her one answer and one answer only— Animal attack. An accident. An unfortunate accident. 

Curiosity can kill a cat, they say. So how much will it kill him… if he checked the bodies of his loved ones? To confirm his theory? To actually know that he… was too late.  

Heizou passed the haori to Lumine and turned his attention to the bodies of his dead family. He kneeled down once more, and reached out for his cousin. He was hesitant. Only for the reason that his intuition tells him that his deduction may be true. But, in the end, he pulled up the cloth and revealed the face of the older woman. With a face that was barely recognizable, and skin that was covered in ashes. His stomach clenched. His desire to vomit after seeing the sight almost made him give in. But, his eyes trailed down at the bite mark on her neck. A bite mark that didn’t disappear during the fire. 

Heizou's mind began to race. His solemn expression gradually turned to rage. He clenched his fist and pulled down the cloth. He curled up in a ball and held his face, digging his nails into his skin, as his heart began to boil in anger. Ignoring the plea of his concerned friend, he felt something running down his cheeks. Was it tears? Or was it blood? All he knows, that everything he worked for, everything he had been doing— to pursue such a mysterious case was for naught. 

All because he was too late. 

All because he was hesitant. 

All because of his fear of believing a fictional story. 

.

.

.

But it wasn’t fictional. 

Creatures that are called vampires exist. He believed what he saw, yet he didn’t grasp the truth. Now the world mocks him. The world that was full of evil mocks him . He gritted his teeth. His eyes turned sharp like a razor. 

He will get rid of it. He will rid the evil that took away his haven. With no hesitation, no fear and no remorse. He will eradicate everything, by becoming evil itself.

Shikanoin Heizou. Was known as the greatest detective in Inazuma— Was the greatest . Until he was plagued by the tragedy of his past. So, his heart filled with nothing but rage and hatred. The beloved detective that people once knew has disappeared from the face of Teyvat. Now, born as a hunter that all living beings feared.

[ End of Prologue ]

Chapter Text

[ Liyue - Harbour - Midnight ]

BANG!

The sound of a gunshot echoed in the quiet atmosphere and the smell of gunpowder filled the air. The hunter glared at the figure with eyes as cold-blooded as a killer. The vampire was stunned in one place, before it limped and dropped to the ground. 

Thud.

Heizou lowered his gun and began walking towards the ‘lifeless’ body. His boots creaked onto the wooden platform of the harbor, before nudging the dead with a kick on its head.

“Get rid of the body,” he told his partner, with an emotionless and harsh tone, before he glanced at the side of where she was standing.

Lumine stared at the body while holding her rifle. Her expression had a mix of confusion as well as reluctance. She didn’t turn to him. Her golden eyes were glued at the body in front of them.

He softened his voice and mildly begged.  “Please, Lumine?” They had a long night. And he didn’t want his companion to feel the tension between them. 

The huntress finally peeled her eyes away from the vampire and looked at him. She simply nodded, putting away her weapon and joined him at his side. They both took one foot with the other, and then dragged the body to the sea by the harbor, before tossing it like a worthless drought. Heizou moved away while Lumine watched as the body sank into the ocean and disappeared from her sight.

She spoke, “You told him that you’d keep your words when he shared that information to you,” her tone turned sour, “Yet, you shot him in the end. You could have kept your end of the bargain.” 

Heizou knew that this would happen. He knew what she was going to say. It has always been like this every time they encounter a new lead. For whatever reason for Lumine to suddenly have an ounce of sympathy towards these vampires, Heizou had to lay it on her straight. Again. And again.

“My mission is to track down these vampires and eradicate them all,” he huffed, “That was what I trained for. That was what we were trained for, Lumine. Don’t regret these things. You’re a hunter. A hunter hunts vampires,” he seethed afterwards, “Remember that these things took away my home. My family. Your brother. So, what’s done is done.”

No reply. Only a long sigh. 

By the corner of his eyes, Lumine simply nodded at his statement.

Heizou quickly reloaded his gun and put it back into his leg strap. He then reached for his hat, lowering it a little before he spoke again, “Besides, this is the third vampire that has mentioned another vampire’s name— Kaedehara Kazuha. It’s bothersome. Suspicious, I’d say… that we don’t have a face for it.”

Lumine's expression turned complex. Her mind seemed to wonder about the words Heizou said to her. Her brows furrowed before she joined him at his side. She questioned, “Do you think he has something to do with the Harbingers? The… The Doctor, specifically?”  

The hunter clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, “Whether he has something to do with him or not, I am hunting him down. He is our only shot at finding Dottore.”

With that, he walked forward, away from the harbor, and Lumine followed him behind. His heavy footsteps echoed through the night until it disappeared as they entered the empty, quiet streets of Liyue. 

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Morning ]

The streets began to fill with laughter and chatter as the people of Liyue went by their mundane days without knowing what lies in the shadows. That was how Teyvat operated. That was how Heizou learned how ignorantly bliss these people were. It has been centuries that vampires roam the surface and hunted their victims in the night. And even after centuries have passed, it was a miracle that the world never knew of their existence. Only those who work in the darkness, such as the Qixing, as well as those who are unfortunate , knew of their presence. Heizou scoffed at the mere thought of categorizing himself as ‘unfortunate’ when it was a sign, a sudden realization, a warning – that the world they live in was not a safe place.

Heizou and Lumine exited their rented house above the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. They went down several stairs of the building before turning the corner of the street to enter the front door of the parlor. There, they were greeted by the director of the place at the front desk; Hu Tao, the 77th Director.

The woman with bright red floral eyes smiled at them, waving at them before she spoke, “Good morning. I assume you have… business with me, detective?”

Detective. A title he had long abandoned, yet his associates still call him that to this day. He never corrected them, nor he didn’t care if they called him that, but at the same time, he was far from being the detective he used to be. 

Heizou simply nodded at her question. Hu Tao grinned widely before she put away the documents she had in her hands. She walked out from the front desk and took off her black coat, replacing it with a white one by a rack. The director eyed the both of them, signaling them to follow her as she opened a door at one corner of the room. 

Her wicked eyes flashed as she glanced at them, “Shall we?” 

The parlor had an underground room, where the lady of the parlor kept her business regarding subjects that lurked in the shadows as buried as possible. Hu Tao was no mere business woman. The moment she opened the steel door to a room amongst a row of rooms, Heizou’s eyes lingered at the shelves with jars and bottles of organs. Specimens of what she kept for herself. To study. To investigate. To dissect– Everything within the confinement of this room held many secrets and unsettling truths. On the surface, she is a director of a parlor, but buried down, she is a coroner. Blood and organs are what excites her.  

“So, what can I do for you?” she smiled at them sweetly while her eyes reflected a disconcerting excitement. At this point, He and Lumine were so used to her eccentricity that they were unfazed by her. Normal everyday people would have been scared to death by her ominous presence.

Nonetheless, Heizou quickly got down to business, “Hu, what do you know about a vampire named Kaedehara Kazuha. Where can I find him?”

Hu Tao blinked, “Oya? Sounds like an Inazuman like you. For all I know, he could be in your lovely homeland of Inazuma itself.”

Heizou sighed annoyingly, “Not good enough. I need to know his actual whereabouts.”

The coroner shrugged, “I don’t have such information, dear detective. As resourceful as I am, I don’t have eyes and ears around Teyvat,” then she turned to Lumine who seemed to have the same thought as her. She grinned, “Unless….”

“Unless, we seek an audience with Lady Ningguang,” Lumine added, sounding rather defeated, “Only they have such information.”

Heizou clicked his tongue and rubbed his forehead, “I don’t want to deal with the Qixing, especially the Yuheng.”

The hunter’s confession made the coroner’s eyes flashed in curiosity. Her blossom eyes stared at Heizou before displaying a smile so mischievous, “Oya oya? What did you do to have you on her bad side?” 

Lumine snorted at the side, making the hunter twitch. His partner explained, in the most light-hearted and playful tone, “I quote from the Yuheng, ‘I do not approve of the way your partner does things. Please be more vigilant.’”

Hu Tao immediately laughed and clapped her hands. Heizou wasn’t amused in the slightest. The Qixing, especially the Yuheng, had a thing with the way he carried his mission. They told him that he was loud, sloppy and always leaves a trail of mess. Yet, these people ended up depending on him to hunt these vampires down. Hypocrites.

The coroner’s laughter dissipated and left with a grim expression on her face. She smiled again, while her eyes were full of wickedness. She made a suggestion, “Well, if you truly want to gamble on such information, Lady Keqing will be visiting the parlor soon,” she held her index finger and tilted her head, “Tick tock. Make your decision. It’s either you two run around like headless chickens with only one vague clue, or enter the lion’s dent. Pick your poison.”

Lumine shut her eyes and sighed. She glanced at him, “Heizou?”

The hunter grumbled. He really has no choice, does he? “Fine.” 

Like what Hu Tao told them, the Yuheng did visit the parlor. They were all at the front desk as Heizou and Lumine watched from the side. Even though both of them were morbidly curious as to why the Yuheng had some business with the director, Heizou knew he’d rather not pry on the matters of the Qixing. He let Hu Tao do the talking for him. 

Moments later, with several hand gestures and quirky tones from Hu Tao, Lady Keqing turned to the duo and huffed. Heizou lightly scoffed as a silent response. He could tell that even she doesn’t want to deal with him either.

Keqing spoke up, “Miss Hu told me you want to see Lady Ningguang? You’re in luck, because she wants to see you.”

Wonderful. The fact that the big lady wanted to see him meant it was something important. It’s not every day that the Tianquan would ask for the hunters to see her. He felt another dread loom over him. This better be quick. 

“We’ll be outside while you finish your business, Yuheng,” Lumine bowed and excused themselves as they both exited the parlor.

Hu Tao watched as her two companions left the parlor. She swayed her head side by side, smiling while her eyes lingered around the room until she stared at the purple haired woman in front of her. Keqing tried to busy herself looking at the documents that was handed by the director, but Hu Tao’s unsettling gaze made her a little uncomfortable. Hu’s heart gleed.

She finally spoke up, “It’s rare for Lady Ningguang to want to see one of the hunters.”

Keqing dismissed her, knowing full well what she was implying, “It’s confidential.”

For the first time, Hu Tao found herself frowning. She hummed in distaste, “I hope you’re not planning to use my dear friends, Yuheng. After all, people such as you will always find a way to get what you want.”

The Yuheng turned apprehensive and slid the document back to her, “I should say the same to you, Hu Tao. Surely you’re not using them for your own benefit as well? According to the records you’ve given me, I have my suspicion you’re not filling up what you know,” she then crossed her arms, eyes staring daggers at her, “Those two have information that they’re willing to give you, but not us. Well?”

The coroner giggled and peered closely to the other's face, “I know what I know, dear Keqing. And they know what they know. For all I know… I am just a director at a mere parlor. My job is to deal with the dead. Because the dead can’t speak for themselves, can they?” She laughed. 

Her laughter echoed in the quiet room of the front desk parlor. And it kept echoing. As light-hearted as it sounded, the Yuheng wasn’t pleased.

“Honestly, you…” she clicked her tongue and sighed in defeat, “I can’t have those two waiting for me any longer. Our business is done here. Farewell.”

With that, Hu Tao managed to scare off poor Keqing. How fun.  

[ Liyue - Jade Chamber - Morning ]

The Jade Chamber was nothing to be fascinated about, but his partner seemed to be at awe of its interior. This was the second time they came to the Tianquan’s humble abode. Humble is just an understatement. Nothing but gold patterns and expensive ornaments on display. The three of them were silent most of the time as they journeyed from the parlor to the chamber after several flights of stairs. As they went down to the spiral staircase situated in the middle of the room, they were welcomed by the Tianquan herself.

She was seated by her large desk, with her expensive pipe in hand and mysterious documents in front of her. The Yuheng went to her side and bent down to whisper in her ear. Heizou guessed Keqing was laying some info of their intention to see the lady herself. And true enough, it was quick before Ningguang turned to them.

“Welcome. We have much to discuss,” the Tianquan began, “What do you need from me, Hunter Shikanoin?”

The duo made a quick glance at each other before Heizou turned to Ningguang, “I’ll be straight. Do you know anything about a vampire by the name Kaedehara Kazuha?”

Ningguang sipped her pipe, “I do not know such a name. Although the surname, ‘Kaedehara’, reminds me of a clan name such as the Kamisato in Inazuma. I’m sure you've heard of them since you’re from Inazuma as well.” 

Heizou crossed his arms— Not the answer he was looking for. The hunter’s expression emphasized how unsatisfied her answer was for him.

So the Tianquan added, “But, there is one thing you could look into. We do have reports of an odd individual, an Inazuman– a samurai to be precise, roaming around Sumeru City. General Mahamatra Cyno and his guards caught sight of him at night. Even though, for what we know, the rules in Sumeru strictly prohibits anyone to wander by sun down.”  

Sumeru. Heizou sighed. Another answer he was not hoping for. But it was better than going around aimlessly in search of a faceless vampire.

“As to why I asked you to see me,” Ningguang expression turned serious and pulled out several photos of seemingly disfigured individuals with dark scale skins and white deathly eyes. Heizou and Lumine walked forward, before looking down at the photos on the desk.

Lumine whispered in a tone slightly puzzled, “Mutated.. vampires…?”

“Radicals, we call them,” the Yuheng corrected her, “These things have been more active each passing day, but judging by your reactions, you haven’t encountered them yet.”

Ningguang gazed at them with eyes slightly concerned before she warned them, “If you are planning to travel as far as Sumeru, it will be wise to be cautious of these types of vampires. I suspect one of the Harbingers, Dottore, is the one behind all of these Radicals. And I am very well aware you are in the progress of tracking him down."

Keqing crossed her arms and eyed Heizou, “We have lost many of our fellow hunters and huntresses. Be. More. Vigilant .” 

How gracious of the Yuheng. Ever since he joined the Hunter Association, operated by the Qixing themselves, they had been prodding him into hunting down all of the Harbingers due to his background as a detective. But Heizou’s only goal was to find the Doctor. Because he knew very well, with the evidence he had gathered in the span of three years as a hunter, it was him that took away his family. 

The Harbingers… are a group of powerful vampires who wanted to dominate the living. They are different from normal vampires. Those types of vampires have special abilities. Let it be compel, shapeshift or super strength— all together . Even though they are powerful, they are still weak to silvers. They are weaker in daylight. And they definitely, like any other vampires, can’t simply trudge into someone’s home without permission. 

Now that the Qixing was pushing him to prioritize the Doctor first, because of these so-called Radicals running amok amongst the society, it was the perfect time to pull all the stops. No compromise. He. Will. Hunt. Dottore. 

“One more thing before you go,” Ningguang pulled out another file and handed it to Lumine, “Huntress Lumine, you may have this. I’m sure… you would want it with you.”

The moment Heizou’s eyes landed on the file in his partner’s hands, he knew… It was an autopsy. Aether’s autopsy. The tension in the room suddenly turned heavy. Lumine stared down at the file, with a slight clutch of her hands onto the folder. 

Lumine uttered, “Why… is my brother’s information… is with you?”

Heizou quickly glared at the faces of the two women standing in front of them. Ningguang kept a steady gaze, sipping her pipe once more without a care in the world, while Keqing seemed defensive, having her arms crossed while she avoided his eye contact.

The Tianquan responded, “We thought you would want to know. He was a victim of a vampire attack, after all. And… we would like to extend our gesture in kindness to our fellow hunters. You, of all people, deserve to know what happened to him.”

Lies.  

The Qixing would never care about the lives of those who are not associated with them. What are they even implying? Was Aether had something to do with them? Was it to motivate them? To push them into finding these vampires that killed their family? To deepen the feeling of revenge in them? In Lumine? Well– It wasn’t helping at all. It was making Heizou more suspicious of their intent. As much as the hunter wanted to ask questions further, Lumine didn’t seem to have the same sentiment as him. 

She merely bowed and nodded, “If there is nothing else to discuss then we should be going. Thank you for helping us, Tianquan.”

“As I to you, Huntress Lumine.”

Heizou sighed in defeat and watched as his partner turned around before heading off to the exit. 

Lumine was fuming as she stepped outside of the Jade Chamber. The cool morning weather and the bright blue sky wasn’t enough to dampen the heat in her heart. She held the folder in her hands before she slowly opened up the content. It was an autopsy. Evidence of how her dearest twin brother died. And true enough, it was the cause of a vampire attack. Why isn’t she surprised? Because she knew about it long before the Qixing gave her this file. It was the fact that they gave this to her now , is what made her upset. 

“Hey.”

Lumine turned around to see Heizou finally exited the Jade Chamber. Even though her partner wasn’t much of an expressive man besides brooding, she could see the slight reflection of concern in his viridian eyes. 

He asked her, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Lumine answered as she reached her braided hair and touched it. She narrowed her eyes and huffed, “They didn’t need to do that…”

They didn’t need to remind her— how much she wanted to avenge her brother’s death. It was a feeling she hated to harbor. But that was her motivation in the first place. To seek retribution to the one that took away the people she cared the most. 

Heizou simply nodded. She felt his hand touch her head lightly before he retracted, “We’re going to Sumeru next. Make sure to tell Xiangling you’re off from work for… a trip.”

“Got it,” Lumine exasperated. Having to juggle her day job as an assistant chef in Wanwen Restaurant and her night missions as a huntress was tiresome. If only a certain someone would help her in getting funds for their everyday lives, instead of running off chasing vampires and nothing else. She slightly turned annoyed and eyed her partner.

Heizou noticed her gaze and squinted in response, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” Lumine looked away, pouting and began to walk down the flight of stairs, leaving him clueless of her behavior. 

[ Sumeru - Avidya Forest - Midnight ]

The merchant fell to the ground as he tried to move away from him. The poor man displayed an expression so terrified and horrid by the sight of him. Even though the road was dark, and the only source of light were the road lights, the vampire could see the disbelief expression on the quivering merchant. 

It took a moment for the merchant to realize how dire his situation was, before he picked himself up from the ground and bolted to the direction of where he could find shelter. His cart was left, and so was his savior, to fend for himself against the ‘enemies’ before him. 

Drip.

Drip.

The blood from the vampire leaked out from his red haori. He stared down to see a dull blade pierce through his stomach. He sighed lightly. Ah– How unsightful.

“ You–”

He turned to the voice calling for him. Two Eremite vampires were looking at him— glaring at him with eyes so furiously. 

He chuckled, “That was rather rude of you… Plunging this into your fellow vampire.”

One of them hissed, “You stopped us from feeding him! You’re not one of us! What’s your purpose here, samurai?”

He chuckled once more before he pulled out the sword from his stomach, and tossed it at the side nonchalantly. His eyes trailed down at the dark covered layers onto their arms and faces. 

His expression changed and he spoke in the most grim tone to them, “Those dark scales on your skin. You’re turning into something more than you are. Tell me, gentlemen, are you associated with a Harbinger named Dottore? The Doctor?”

The widened eyes on their expression was enough for an answer. He didn’t wait for them to respond and immediately pulled out his own sword. He unsheathed it, revealing a dull silver-like blade before pointing it towards them.

The vampire gritted his teeth and threatened them, “Tell me where he is.”

“What’s the situation, Ranger Tighnari?”

Tighnari, a forest ranger, approached the merchant’s cart with two bodies lying on the ground. With a small flashlight on his shoulder, he scanned the blood-spilled situation around him. He tilted his head while carrying a sniper rifle in his hands. It seemed as though there was a fight going on. He nudged one body with his foot while the other with the tip of his weapon. 

He narrowed his eyes and reported, “Well, someone managed to sweep off these vampires. Although...” his ears somehow caught the soft grunt from one of the bodies. He quickly pulled out a pistol, with a silencer at its tip, before aiming at their heads. 

Pew.

.

.
Pew.

.

.

The bodies that laid on the ground turned lifeless, with no sign of movement what-so-ever. Tighnari loomed over them and huffed, “They didn’t manage to kill them properly.”

He lifted his hand and flicked his fingers, signaling the other rangers with him to clean the area. The rangers saluted him before proceeding into carrying out their task. Tighnari then noticed a trail of blood along the road and decided to follow it, with the company of another ranger on his side. He kept following the blood until it went into a forest nearby. Just right at the corner of a big tree, he spotted a rishboland tiger, seemingly dead, by the trunk. His flashlight immediately landed on the two bite marks on its neck. 

He furrowed before grumbling, “It seemed like our perpetrator was a vampire too. And an odd one at that.” 

When he meant by odd, he was referring to the fact that this vampire feeds themselves with animal blood. Something he never thought would be possible for vampires. 

His fellow ranger scratched his head confusedly and asked him, “Shall we… report this to General Mahamatra?”

Tighnari sighed and nodded at his suggestion. After a quick scan around the area, they both left the place and returned with the rest of the rangers by the merchant’s cart.

[ Sumeru - Port Ormos - Noon ]

After a long journey from Liyue to Sumeru, Heizou and Lumine finally arrived at their destination. His partner peered over the edge of the Crux Fleet and oversaw the harbor of Port Omos. The bustling street of the port was expected; with fishermen, store owners and sales street promoting their goods to have their ends meet of the day. The two hunters hopped out from their boat and stood at one spot to observe the crowds.

"Should be easy to find an Inazuman, right?" Lumine made a comment, sounding half-confident. 

Heizou stared at the distance. He held up one finger. And then two. Three. Four.

"Okay okay!" the huntress sighed in defeat, "There's several Inazumans here apparently. It might take a while for us to find the one we're looking for." 

"Not when I'm here," Heizou subtly reminded her that he was, first and foremost, a detective. Former detective and now a hunter, to be precise. With his intuition and deduction, he was more than capable of finding their target. He scoffed and picked up his bag before walking into the busy streets, with Lumine trailing him from behind. 

“Huh? Bounty?” Heizou raised his eyebrow at Lumine.

After they found an inn to settle themselves for a few days, they went out to search for the vampire they were hunting down. So, as they were standing idly amongst the crowds, Lumine made a statement. A very unexpected statement, Heizou thought.

She repeated her words, “Yeah, bounty. There's a bounty board right by the docks and I just thought we could get some extra mora in case we needed it.”

“We don’t need extra funds.”

She rolled her eyes, “You were eyeing at the hat store while we were on our way to the inn, Jojo . Don’t tell me you never had instances of going in there and buying one?”

The hunter opened his mouth but Lumine cut him off with more questions.

“Also why do you need another hat? Isn’t the one you’re wearing not good enough? I can never understand why you wore the hat in the first place, Jojo .”

Heizou immediately furrowed at her. Grumbling incoherent words underneath his breath. He really doesn't want to argue with her, especially when she began using the nickname she addressed him. He glanced at the rifle she had with her and then back to her determined face. 

He sighed and complied, “Fine. Just… get back before sun down.”

As much as he wanted to go with her, but it was best for them to do their tasks on their own. Lumine getting extra funds and him scouting for clues of their target. Heizou scratched at the back of his head. He reminded himself again that Lumine was capable enough to take care of herself. Yet, why does he feel so anxious?

“I’ll be fine,” Lumine reached for his hat and teased him by pulling it down. He grumbled again as his view of her was blocked. As he pulled up and adjusted his hat, Lumine was already walking away and waving at him.

He huffed. Suddenly, his surroundings felt a little… empty.  

It was the first time Lumine has ever stepped foot onto Sumeru. All of the things they sold at the market caught her eyes, and it’d be a shame if she were to return to Liyue empty handed. It was a good thing she spotted the bounty board after they arrived in Port Ormos. 

“Don’t forget to bring back a souvenir, Lulu!”

Hu Tao’s words echoed in her mind before their departure. Lumine sighed while fiddling her braided hair.

She managed to convince Heizou to let her go. Although, she could see it in his reluctant eyes that he didn’t want her to leave his side. She chuckled. It must have been because they were in a foreign country. And seeing Heizou acting that way warmed her heart. She guessed there was still some softness in him regardless of the–

She paused for a while— gradually slowing down her walk before she narrowed her eyes. She instantly remembered the cold expression on Heizou’s face as he shot down a vampire just a few days ago.

Regardless of the bloodlust he had developed after they joined the Hunter Association, she hoped that the ‘human’ in him was still there. She truly hopes… it's still there. And she’ll make sure it won’t happen again once they find this Kaedehara Kazuha.  

“Let’s see…” Lumine stood in front of the bounty board after she arrived. She scanned through the pinned papers, assessing the amount of mora and animals she was capable of hunting. It was a good thing she learned a thing or two of being a boar hunter back when she stayed at Monstadt’s Spring Ville. Plus, it sharpened her skill after she became a vampire hunter. 

Her eyes then trailed up at the map available on the board. A large note stating “restricted” was pinned onto one forest called Avidya Forest. Her curiosity piqued. She turned to the guard that was standing next to the bounty board.

She asked, “Excuse me. But, is there a reason why Avidya Forest is restricted?”

The guard blinked at her sudden question before he saluted, placing his spear close to his side and then answered, “There have been incidents of animal attacks lately. So, if you’d like to proceed in carrying the bounties in other forests, it is best if you bring a companion with you.”

Seriously…?

“I can carry the bounties on my own,” Lumine clarified but the guard quickly shook his head.

“As much as I would like to respect your decision, ma’am. But, since you are not local here, I do advise you to bring a companion with you, and follow the safety procedures of this land,” the guard then pointed at the posters of missing people on the walls. Lumine’s mouth slightly dropped at the sight of it.

How strange, she thought. It felt like she heard that excuse so many times. Animal attacks? On a bounty? That doesn’t make any sense. Bounty hunters should be prepared for hunting animals. So why would there be incidents like animal attacks? Unless it was because… of vampire attacks? 

She gulped, recalling the warning that the Qixing told them. Aside from the ruthless, handful of vampires, there were these Radicals lurking in the darkness. Should she find other options? What other options can she do? It’s broad daylight. She should be fine doing this on her own. It’s not like she can bring Heizou with—

“I may be of assistance, if you don’t mind my company.”

Lumine immediately turned to the man that appeared beside her. He had long platinum hair being tied into a high ponytail. And he had a red stripe on the side of his bangs. The eyes that were staring at her brilliant gold, were like shining ruby gems. She blinked, almost flustered by how handsome the man stood before her.

He spoke to her with a very honest and sincere smile, “Pardon me. I couldn’t help but notice you were standing by here for quite some time. So, I apologize for eavesdropping on your conversation,” he brought his hand to his chest and continued, “I was thinking of proposing the idea of accompanying you while you simply take all the rewards. Nowadays, the safety of oneself is important and I would take the gentleman’s advice to care for your well-being first.”

She quickly shook her head, regaining her composure before she cleared her throat, “Um.. I’m sorry. I don’t know you, so…”

The man blinked at her hesitant answer before he scratched his head sheepishly. He nodded, “If you are uncomfortable, then I shall not persuade you. I do hope you’ll stay safe, miss.”

The man turned his heels and began walking. Lumine watched, almost regretting her decision. She let out a long sigh. Should she take his offer? Or should she not?

It’s been so long since Lumine met someone as kind as that man. Ever since she became a hunter, ever since Aether left this world, she had tried her best to be as independent as she could while looking over Heizou and his mental state. At this point, how can she refuse the man’s kindness? If she ever learned a thing or two from Heizou… it is that her intuition tells her that this man was sincere to help her. She took a deep breath, reluctant but willing, as she called for the man.

“Alright. I’ll accept your help.” 

The platinum haired man turned around, almost surprised at her sudden change of mind. She held her hand forward, gesturing the other for a handshake. The man reached out, and accepted it.

Little that the huntress knew, that the man before her, was not who she thought he was. In fact, it was the very man— a vampire, that they were looking for.

[ Sumeru - Apam Woods - Afternoon ]

Kaedehara Kazuha.

A name only that exists within the dark corners of this cruel world. A name that was long gone–- dead from the world of the living. Yet, the vampire still held that name, for centuries, close to his non-beating heart. It was the only memory he had of who he was before he died. Thus, he prefers it to stay in the knowledge amongst the dead and not be known by the living. No– Not even the dead should know this name. For Kazuha, his name was a beacon, an attraction for individuals more unexpected and dangerous. 

“So… are you sure you don’t mind not getting the rewards?” the woman posed the question, causing him to snap back from his deep thoughts. 

“Yes, I do not mind it,” he smiled at her while she stared at him with unsure eyes. 

It took a while for Kazuha to evade her question of knowing his name. But she simply gave up and accepted his presence nonetheless. Wary but still friendly to him.

As of late, bounty hunters had a difficult time trying to find ends meet due to the forest restriction on certain areas. Kazuha wished he had a choice but due to his survivability and mission, he had to feed on animal blood as well as tracking down his target at night. The only redemption he had for himself was to accompany this huntress who he had been observing for quite some time by the docks. With the amount of missing humans arising, it was the least he could do, and probably the only time he wanted to feel human again. 

After she decided on the bounty, they headed towards a forest called Apam Woods. It wasn’t too far from the port. It only took them a walking distance as they followed the road to the said forest. Once they carefully stepped down into a slope and entered the swamp-like surrounding, the huntress began to prepare the traps.

Kazuha watched her lay two of the traps in separate places. One on this side, and one from the other side of the swallow river. She then came back to his side, hopping onto the rocks before she safely landed her feet onto dry ground. 

“Now, we go hunt some boars,” she flashed a confident smile at him and pulled up her rifle that was hanging on her back. She kneeled down and slipped her hand into one of her pouches strapped onto her leg. Kazuha furrowed as he suddenly caught a glimpse of a shining object inside the pouch before she pulled out several dull-looking bullets.

It couldn’t have been… silvers, right? Silvers – any type of silvers, whether it was bullets or knives, they were expensive and inaccessible to the general public. Silvers can only be carried by hunters.  

.

.

Vampire hunters . 

He narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t seeing things… right?

His thoughts quickly got distracted by the sudden noise further from where they stood. His hyper-sensitive ears managed to catch the nibbles and huffs of several boars, which made their job here much easier and quicker to finish. As Kazuha contemplated on how to redirect the woman to the path of their bounty, without raising any suspicion of his hearing capability, the huntress was already ahead of him.

“The boars should be down by the river here,” she said after she stood up and pointed in the direction of heavy canopies and bushes, “With luck, we might be able to bring back a good quality one.”

Kazuha blinked before chuckling, “How do you know there are boars down this path?”

Upon his question, the huntress pointed to the footprints on the soil ground and then towards the bare fruitless plants around the area. Kazuha nodded, almost impressed by her sharp observation regardless of not being local. Almost too sharp…

His notion of accompanying an actual vampire hunter was still at the back of his mind. Yet, he wanted to observe more, especially the weapon she uses. It was not uncommon for any vampire hunters to carry such weapons, unless the person themselves were a sharp shooter as well. His mind was plagued by the sudden wariness of his own safety. He hoped that he wasn’t getting himself in a complicated situation. 

No matter how many times Lumine tries to ask for his name, he doesn’t seem to want to answer her. Thus, she gave up and focused on the task at hand. She found him strange and a tad suspicious but, nonetheless, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was still sincere and willing to accompany her. What a very strange man…

“Oh!” 

As they walked deeper into the forest, her eyes spotted the group of boars feasting onto several berries not far from where they were. She quickly pulled the man with her and hid themselves behind a large rock. 

She made a quick head turn to him and put a finger onto her lips. The man nodded in response. Lumine reverted her attention to boars and exhaled. She made a swift glance on her targets and readied her rifle. She took aim onto the largest amongst the herd.

Focused, and precision. Nothing but the sound of her heart pounding in anticipation. The rough surface of her gloved finger pressed the trigger. 

BANG!

The gunshot echoed throughout the forest. The boar was down. The rest turned alarmed and scampered around, attempting to flee the area. Lumine quickly ran out from her hiding spot and took position further into the area. She aimed as the herd were grouped and ran towards one direction. Her eyes sharpened and everything turned quiet once more.

.

.

.

“Your posture isn’t right, Lumine."

A small, yet significant memory flashed before her eyes. The image of her brother distracted her from her task and she pressed the trigger of her rifle.

BANG!

She missed!

“Dammit–!” Stumped, Lumine let herself lose focus. A memory such as that shouldn’t have resurfaced… Yet, why was it every time she had to hunt for boars, her memory of her brother kept coming back? It’s been 3 years… She should have moved on. Or… wasn’t she? 

Her face saddened, disheartened. She held her rifle closed to her chest while her braided hair brushed the metal surface of the weapon. Aether… I missed you.

The huntress came back while the vampire guarded the lifeless animal. He noticed her solemn expression on her face and asked, “Is everything alright?” 

His voice seemed to have brought her back from her daze. She shook her head, and informed him, “The other boars got away. I suppose we have to bring this one back for today.”

She then approached the boar, kneeling before it and had her hand brushed through its fur. She was patting it, comforting it, even though there were no signs of movement.

She sighed, almost sounding rather sad, “That was careless of me. I should have ended its life more quickly than running off and let it suffer from the pain.” 

Relief floods him, before the feeling of remorse and regret takes over. It was noticeable in a split second, the difference of precision due to practice and due to obsessive need. This woman is no vampire hunter, like he assumed. She wasn’t someone who would take a life, whether undead or alive. She was simply someone who was thrust in a reality that made her pick up arms to live and scavenge. Kazuha narrowed his eyes before his hand reached for her shoulder and squeezed it a little. 

“It is alright,” he reassured her, “I have examined the animal. It was already lifeless the moment you took it down.”

A small smile carved onto her face upon hearing his words but the blissful moment lasted shortly. She immediately sighed once more, “It seemed like I have to return to this place again. One boar may be enough but I was hoping I could return with another one.”

She puts away her rifle and begins tying the boar’s legs together. She even made sure to tie a cloth around the gunshot wound, preventing the blood from dripping more onto the ground. Quite an experienced hunter, he would say.

Kazuha then noticed her constant glances at him, before she finally spoke up, “Will you… be there tomorrow?”

“Oh?”

She smiled sheepishly, “I mean, the traps were set, but I don’t think any animals would get caught in a short period of time. I’ll likely see some results tomorrow. So…”

Kazuha chuckled and nodded, “Very well. We’ll come back here the next day. Together. ”

The vampire wasn’t supposed to get himself too close to a human. He was merely here to help the huntress of what she needed to do today, and then he will be on his own afterwards. But the pleasant interaction and humanly banters made him crave for more. 

Just for tomorrow. And then— He will leave, returning into the shadows once again.  

[ Sumeru - Port Ormos - Late Afternoon ]

As they returned to Port Ormos, Kazuha watched the huntress send the boar to a merchant. He decided to take a spot under a shady tree and waited to finish her business. Even though it was late in the day, the heat in Sumeru has been troublesome for him lately. He glanced at his dried, yet almost burnt hands, before he rubbed it together– hoping it would disappear. True enough, because of his vampiric abilities, the burnt marks slowly faded. 

“Are you okay?” The huntress finally returned and looked at him with a concerned face.

“I’m fine. Do not worry about it,” he smiled at her, quickly hid his hands into his sleeves.

She furrowed, staring at him for a quick second before nodding. She then simply took out a small pouch and held it towards him, “Here. I split the reward for us. It’s not much, but you’ll be able to pay for a good meal, or a nice boat ride.” 

Kazuha turned flustered at the sight of mora. He didn’t need it nor did he have any use of it at all. He instantly refused her gesture, “It’s fine, ma’am. Please, take everything for yourself.”

“I insist,” she gently took his hand, pulling it away from his sleeve, and placed the pouch onto his palm, “You accompanied me while I hunted, and you also helped me carry the boar. This is the least I could do to show my gratitude.”

He was reluctant, but the huntress didn’t seem like she'd take no for an answer. So, he accepted her kindness and tucked the pouch into his haori. 

“Oh, there he is!” The huntress’s voice piqued with delight as she turned to the direction amongst the crowd not far from where they stood. She waved, “ Heizou! Over here!”

.

.

.

That name…

A familiar yet ominous name. 

Kazuha’s eyes slowly trailed up. His ruby reds searched through amongst the bustling area, amongst the people going about their day— until he saw a man that evokes danger. The man stood in the middle, with gloves that seemed to have stained yet hidden beneath the dark colored fabric, weapons that were displayed on his person as an obvious warning, and a pair of viridian eyes that were sharp like daggers that can cut through a prey in a single glance.  

Panic began to fill his mind, his whole body— as that man was scanning through his surroundings, locating the voice that was calling his name.

He can’t be here. 

Kazuha can’t be here. 

He needs to leave before he notices him. 

“Heizou! Over here!”

Heizou turned around as he scanned the area. He noticed how the market seemed to have been filled with more people. He assumed it was already late in the day and everyone had already returned from their work.

“Here! Heizou!”

He walked through the busy streets, following the familiar voice, and saw the familiar blonde hair with a rifle hanging on her back. He sighed in relief. She seemed to be alright. 

He briskly walked up to her and greeted, “How’s the hunt?”

She smiled, seemingly unsure, but nonetheless she replied, “It was fine, I supposed,” her eyes then perked, “Oh right, I have someone I want to introduce to you. He–”

Heizou quickly raised an eyebrow as he watched Lumine turn around, looking confused. She tilted her head and then stood at the tip of her toes to search through the crowds. Heizou crossed his arms and questioned her, “What’s wrong?”

“I…” she stammered a little, “I was sure he was just here a moment ago…”

Heizou furrowed skeptically, “Who?”

“Uhh…” Lumine looked stumped as she faced him, “I swear he was here. A man who I happened to meet and helped me with the bounties.” 

A man, she says? As much as he wanted to disregard her strange comment, Heizou decided to put some thought into her words. Because— Come to think of it, he did noticed someone was standing next to her, but he couldn’t get a clear sight of them while he was pushing through the crowds. He wasn’t just seeing things… right?

“Nevermind,” she shook her head and changed the subject, “How are things on your side, Jojo ?”

Heizou simply answered her, “I scouted the area and asked questions with the people here. No one recognized the name. But —” his eyes narrowed and brought his hand up to his chin, “I noticed the amount of missing people posters in the area. I asked the local guards about it and they only told me not to walk around after sun down.”

“Strange,” Lumine furrowed, “I was given for a different reason. They told me it was due to animal attacks.”

Of course, Heizou rolled his eyes. Such an excuse would only mean one thing…

Lumine noticed his incisive expression and asked, “Do you think these people went missing during night time?”

His face turned grim, “Possibly.” 

[ Sumeru - Apam Woods - Evening ]

That hunter. Shikanoin Heizou — the name has been circulating around amongst the undead as of late. A human that managed to hunt down and kill any vampires in his sight. He hailed from Inazuma yet Liyue and Monstadt were his hunting grounds. Kazuha never once saw the face of the hunter. But after catching a glimpse of that man, his instinct told him that he was the very one that vampires should avoid. Why? Why would a hunter like him be at a place like this? Kazuha wondered anxiously. 

A moment ago, he managed to slip away while the huntress wasn’t paying attention to him. That huntress — he should have known she was a vampire hunter as well. Judging by how friendly she was with that hunter, she seemed to be closely associated with him. 

How did he end up like this? Was interacting with humans, the living , truly forbidden for the likes of him?

Kazuha stopped his feet and found himself back at the forest where he helped the huntress carry her bounties. He instantly remembered the promise he made. The promise of returning this place together with her. He was reluctant, conflicted— whether to fulfill that promise or to abandon it. Even though she was a hunter, she had compassion. Yet, for someone like her to be closely related to such a hunter like him… Is it worth the risk?

“Huh?” His ears caught the sound of rustling from a distance. This path was the direction that he walked through with the huntress. Did the traps she set went off?

His curiosity piqued and he decided to investigate.

.

.

.

.

But— As he began to walk deeper into the forest, into the direction of where the traps were set, the rustling sound turned into a growling one. And gradually, the growls turned into the sound of meat grinding, mashing, tearing . 

What in the world—?  

Kazuha stopped his tracks abruptly and he quickly pulled out his sword from his back. He unsheathed and held his weapon towards the figure kneeling on the ground, feasting on the boar that was caught by the trap.

Even though it was dark, Kazuha's eyes could clearly see the condition of the figure. Withered skin, tattered clothes, and a body that was nothing left but bones. 

The figure noticed Kazuha's presence and snapped its head towards him. Its eyes flashed a white hollowed stare. The skin of its lips peeled off, revealing its fangs that only belong to a vampire. Kazuha froze immediately and his mind raced with so many thoughts. But— his mouth was able to utter one thing, “What have they done to you?” 

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Sumeru - Apam Woods - Late Morning ]

Kaedehara Kazuha. 

A name like a beacon— drawing individuals that are both unexpected and dangerous. Thus, led him to meeting with the infamous vampire hunter by the name Shikanoin Heizou.

.

.

.

“You sure you’re not just… seeing things, Lumine?”

“Hardy harr harr,” Lumine side-eyed him, unamused, “He must be by the place I went yesterday, who knows.” 

Both of them slowly walked down the slope, entering the rainforest that surrounded the famous port. Big trees, large barks and giant canopies. It does seem like a good place to hunt for bounties, the hunter hummed. As they set their foot safely onto an even ground, Heizou continued to listen to her explanation. 

“I was told not to go alone which was why I had him accompanying me. It was by chance that I met him right there and then,” Lumine sighed and took a glance at him, “I won’t waste your time, Heizou. I just need to check the traps.”

The hunter simply nodded and kept walking. But his ears managed to catch her mumbles and grumbles while they crossed over the small streams. 

He heard her sigh once more, “I can’t believe I forgot to tell him where to meet up. Great job, me!”

The corner of his mouth perked a little. Heizou wasn’t sure whether to shake his head or snicker at her predicament. But the fact that she told him about her interaction with this man made Heizou find it rather suspicious. The hunter made a mental note to remind his partner to be more careful of interacting with others, especially in a foreign country. He wondered how she managed to attract such individuals so easily… He would probably never know.

“What in the world—”  

Both of them stopped walking and stared at a horrific scene in front of them. The ground was uneven, the boar by the trap was nothing but bones and little meat. And the crystal clear river was tainted with blood— Multiple shades of blood.

Heizou’s expression turned grim. He watched as his partner walked over to the dead carcass before recoiling immediately. He saw Lumine cupping her nose before the stench finally reached him. His face darkened.

“What… What happened here?” Lumine groaned softly as she returned to his side.

With a quick scan around the area, Heizou simply answered, “A fight. And not a normal fight, either.”

There was a struggle, or an ambush— With how the ground was covered in overlapping footprints, while the bushes and large plants surrounding the area were disturbed, cut and crushed. So much blood had split yet there were no bodies left but the carcass in front of them. 

“Lumine, was there anyone but the two of you who knew about this place?”

Lumine blinked at his sudden question but simply answered, “Just us.”

Heizou nodded. He walked over to the animal and kneeled down. Unbothered by the smell, he proceeded to examine it. Fortunately for him, it hadn’t rained since the day before, so this whole scene had not been washed away. The flesh was torn off and the bones had been bitten, cracked, with likely strong teeth— So, it couldn’t have been a tiger. There were no paw prints in sight and it was too near to the port for any large wild animals to be in the area. Heizou then dipped a finger into the blood.

“Really?”

“Relax,” he rolled his eyes at Lumine’s remark before peering closely at the color of the blood on his hand. He then turned to the red stain on the ground as well as in the waters. His brows furrowed, “Lumine. Are you sure that ‘friend’ of yours... was human?”

Her eyes widened before her expression became confused. She asked, “What makes you think that?”

Heizou scoffed, “Because none of this…is human blood.”

“Huh..?” Lumine was flabbergasted by Heizou’s statement. She seemed to be in denial and posed him another question, “How can you tell?” 

The hunter huffed and picked himself up from the ground to face his partner. He explained, “We’ve already seen what the color of animal blood looks like by observing the remains. While the rest are darker and probably older. If it was fresh blood— human blood, the color would be brighter.”

“Alright, where are you going with this?” she asked him as if she hadn’t figured out what he was hinting at, yet her face said otherwise.

“ Lumine ,” he repeated her name in a stern tone, “No one is allowed to be outside after sun down, and there was no rain either,” he crossed his arms and stared at her sharply, “If it is true that you and him only knew this place and no one else… Then it could only mean one thing—” his chest tightened, he concluded, “... that friend of yours is a vampire.”

There was a lull of silence between them before his brows furrowed even more. Heizou scratched at the side of his head out of frustration. He wasn’t happy by the revelation he had to accept.

He curbed his bitterness before he spoke, “Honestly, Lumine. You should have been more careful.” 

“Okay look,” she stopped him. She had the same frustrated expression on her face as he did. She tried to clarify to ease his mind, “Even if he is a vampire, he didn’t do anything harmful towards me. And even if he did, I had a silver bullet ready,” she took a deep breath and exhaled, “So, relax, Heizou. I’m fine. ”

Heizou steadied his gaze on her while Lumine huffed in return.

“Besides, he might still be a human. And whoever is out here might just be some… random vampire that was trying to feed on the boar for blood. There are vampires that drink animal blood, you know.”

“You call that feeding?” he immediately pointed at the boar’s remains and warned her, “There is nothing left, Lumine. Isn’t it alarming how vicious it is?”

“I…”

“Either way, there’s something out there walking among us in broad daylight. And they are dangerous. He may be dangerous, Lumine. Remember our training with Yelan a few years ago? She told us again and again not to overlook this kind of thing. Doesn’t matter if he was being kind to you, he could have been waiting for the right opportunity to lure you out. If it’s not you, it’s other people.” 

He could see how stumped she was by her expression alone. Yet in her eyes, she doesn’t want to accept the truth right in front of her.

Heizou huffed in frustration. He didn’t want to resort to this but, “Are you… doubting me, Lumine?”

She quickly shook her head, “No, it’s just…!”

Her eyes were on the ground, analyzing the situation. Heizou decided to wait for her to make her decision. And it took a second or two for her to speak up again. 

“That man… was rather strange when I think about it,” she held her hand up as she gazed down at her palm, “His hands were too dry and a little burnt. He refused the mora I tried to give him too,” she shut her eyes and sighed a little, “Fine. You’re right. We shouldn’t overlook this.”

So, she did have some reservations about this guy after all?  

That was enough for Heizou to soften his gaze and slump his tensed shoulders. He really wondered how Lumine managed to attract such individuals, but pondering about it would only be wasting more of his time. Nevertheless, he couldn’t be mad, and he didn’t want to be mad in the first place. So, he’d let it slide this time.

“Right now, we don’t have any leads and we haven’t seen a single vampire since we set foot on Sumeru. This could be the only chance we’d get. So tell me, what does he look like?”

Lumine’s brows furrowed as if she was thinking. It took a while for her to answer him, “He’s… pretty. ”

“Seriously?” the hunter crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

Lumine chuckled embarrassingly and began to describe, “He wore a red haori. Almost like yours but the sleeves are longer. He also wore… a hakama? That’s what you call it?” she nodded, “Yes, a brown hakama.”

Typical Inazuman attire, Heizou thought. Yet, nothing noteworthy.

The huntress then added, “He carries around a stick.”

Heizou blinked, “A stick? Just a stick?”

“Uhh… I can’t tell,” she sighed in defeat, “It was wrapped in a cloth, so I wasn’t sure what he was carrying. So… a stick.”

That’s something to take note of , Heizou hummed in contemplation. It was still not good enough. He needed more information than just ‘a stick’. 

“Anything else?”

Lumine tilted her head to the side and answered him again, “White hair… tied in a ponytail,” then her eyes flickered, “He had a red streak on the side too!”

Heizou’s eyes turned sharp. A red streak— very specific. And it was unique enough for the hunter to narrow his search. He turned his attention to the direction of where the blood trailed and pointed his finger, “Let’s follow the path first and see where it leads us.”

Lumine agreed to his suggestion and they began walking. They pushed through the forest canopies and watched their steps as they crossed over more streams. It wasn’t long before they came across another carcass— a dead fennec fox.

"The trail ended…" Heizou clicked his tongue. Of course, it wasn’t supposed to be that easy to hunt down a vampire, was it?

He scanned around the area while his partner stared at the dead animal, sympathizing for its state. He then spotted something from afar and turned to the huntress.

"Binoculars, Lumine. Do you have it?" He reached out his hand.

Lumine blinked for a moment before she fumbled around her traveling bag. She then pulled out the said small binoculars and handed them over to the hunter.

He looked through the lens and focused onto several broken tree branches in one direction, he deduced, “He must have traveled through the trees…”

Which solidifies the one they’re following was a vampire. No human would be able to jump such height unless they had super strength, as well as being agile on their feet.

“So, he’s that type of vampire, huh?” he muttered before he gave the binoculars back to his partner. Afterwards, he took out a map and a compass from his bag— which he happened to purchase on their first day in Sumeru. He stared down at the arrow pointing in the direction their target went, and then compared with the map in his other hand.

Heizou's mouth curled downwards and murmured in slight annoyance, "It seemed like we'll be heading towards Caravan Ribat. It's going to be a long walk…"

He would have chosen to walk through the woods as a shortcut, but his intuition nudged him to use the main road instead. The forest trails were complex and difficult to navigate. The safest option for them was taking the long route around the forest. 

"You're in luck,” Lumine spoke up, in a light-hearted tone, “I bought some food for us before we came here. They’re called pita pockets. We can have it for lunch while we travel there,” she paused, and scratched her head a little, “I hope you’re fine eating them, Jojo…?"

Heizou gave her a quick glance before he tilted his hat, "I'll eat anything. So, let's get going."

[ Sumeru - Caravan Ribat - Evening ]

Lumine remembered how much Heizou was a picky eater back then. How he would always suggest fried food and nothing but fried food. Sometimes, he invited her and Aether to dine at a kushikatsu restaurant. Aether would treat him every time he successfully solved a case, or when Heizou was feeling down. The memories of her twin brother as well as the carefree Heizou that she knew back then… still remained in her mind. 

Maybe, she should make some katsudon once they get back home in Liyue.

.

.

.

.

“Did you say something, Lumine?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” the huntress stammered before she retracted her words and simply suggested to him, “I was just thinking we should have some katsudon once we get back. It’s… It’s been a while.”

The air around them was calm and quiet. Lumine stared at the back of his head as they continued to walk through the path leading to Caravan Ribat. After a second or two, Heizou did his usual habit of tilting his hat before he answered her.

“Sure.”

Lumine smiled and hastened her pace as they reached a small hill. They have been walking for what it seemed to be hours by now. The sun had already passed above their heads and her feet were beginning to feel a little sore. Yet she pushed through. 

While they were on their way to their destination, they passed several merchants coming in the opposite direction, but all of them never knew of an Inazuman man with white hair and a red streak. Until one that finally appeared and gave them the answer they needed.

“Red streak?" the young merchant tried to recall, "I think I just saw him enter the market not long ago. With luck, you might be able to see him."

They bid the merchant farewell and stood at the side of the road not far from the location.

It was good news at last, until Lumine was hit with a sudden realization that it wasn't. Her eyes glanced over at Heizou contemplating face before anxiousness wailed in her chest. The last time they encountered a vampire and negotiated with them, Heizou shot them dead without a second thought. She doubted he would spare this one. 

But this man was so kind to her. He was strange, yes, but something tells her that there was more to it than meets the eye— Surely, Heizou would show a bit of mercy?

"Let's stay outside of the perimeter," Heizou instructed, catching her attention as she pulled away from her thoughts once more. He explained "Caravan Ribat has only two entrances, and the other end leads to the desert. He will undoubtedly exit our way, and we will be able to catch him without attracting the public."

That plan came out of nowhere— Lumine questioned him, "How are you so sure this would work?"

"Intuition," Heizou smirked, almost catching off guard by his confidence before he added, "Besides, the sun is about to go down. Sooner or later, he has to leave the place without bringing suspicion. The locals will be inside their home and guards will be on patrol afterwards. It’s either he enters the desert or walks out here.”

After thinking it through, Lumine couldn't help but nod. He was right. The desert was not an ideal place for vampires to travel due to the unknown condition there, and vampires can't enter houses so they have to stay outside during night time. A good strategy, she would say. But on the other hand, she really hopes that they won't get caught by the authorities here. 

Heizou watched from a distance as the sun finally set into the horizon and stars began to fill the navy night sky. They have decided to wait just outside of Caravan Ribat, hoping for their target to appear. The hunter wondered if they should have done this in the first place— if they should have simply stayed out during the night to hunt the vampires since day one. 

But Heizou quickly retracted the thought and immediately remembered that the rules in Port Ormos seemed to be stricter compared to where they were. Guards were lesser and security was much looser here. He wondered if it was because the people here were less populated?

“There he is!” 

Heizou was snapped out of his thoughts and quickly went to Lumine’s side. They camped out at a hill, high enough for them to see but hidden enough for others not to notice them. The moment Heizou looked down through the large bushes and canopies, his eyes were locked onto the man in Inazuman attire, white hair with a red streak and a stick— wait, that’s a sword!

“Lumine…” Heizou exasperated. Annoyance and disappointment rained onto his face, “You could have started with— He is a samurai! ”

Apprehensively, Lumine pouted in response, “How should I know! I thought samurais wore armors!”

Heizou wanted to counter his argument against her but he refrained himself from doing so. His face turned serious as he thought it through, “Not this one it seemed…”

She was right. Samurais should be wearing armor. But for this one, he wasn’t wearing any. It was as if he had no fear of protecting himself against any harm. It solidifies the fact that this man was a vampire through and through.

“Wait, hold on, what’s going on down there..?” Lumine pointed.

Heizou attention quickly averted back towards the direction of their target. The samurai was already surrounded by a group of thugs in red clothes and blades in their hands. His eyes turned sharp and he began to observe every single one of them down there. 

Eremites, but vampire eremites it would seem. To his knowledge, Eremites in Sumeru have to abide by the same rules as the locals; stay indoors at night .  But why are they here? With the samurai?

Heizou’s mind began to race and his curiosity turned up. His thoughts slowly tried to connect every piece of information he had gathered thus far. What was it that the Tianquan mentioned about the samurai?

“I do not know such a name. But, there is one thing you could look into. We do have reports of an odd individual, an Inazuman— a samurai to be precise, roaming around Sumeru City.” 

— Yes, that was what she told him after he asked about the whereabouts of that vampire; the vampire in which has a connection to Dottore. Even though the Tianquan has no knowledge regarding the name, why would an Inazuman samurai be in a place like this? It would be laughable if the very vampire he was searching for was the one that the Qixing requested him to investigate.

.

.

.

Or maybe he was?

Thinking back of the words Heizou said to Lumine; the night before their meeting with the Tianquan. He said to her:

“This is the third vampire that has mentioned another vampire’s name. Whether he has something to do with him or not, I am hunting him down. He is our only shot at finding Dottore.”

— He decided to entertain the idea. The idea of which he had some sort of connection with the doctor. What made it curious to Heizou is that the name was given away so easily to a hunter. It was as if the Doctor didn't want anything to do with him. 

Heizou pondered more and more.

Judging by the way the eremites were acting towards the samurai, they seemed to be tasked with carrying a job. A bounty— That was what he deduced.

Whether it was a miracle or a coincidence, his intuition never failed him. No doubt that these vampires were searching for the same vampire that he was hunting down. Not Dottore. No— The one that Heizou suspected may have come in contact with Dottore. The one that they have been mentioning the name every time Heizou interrogates them before ending their lives. Whatever went down amongst the dead, Heizou can confirm one thing.

.

.

.

.

“We found him, Lumine.”

Sigh. It seemed as though they had found him.

He had been traveling from one place to another, hoping no one was tracking him down. Whether it’d be forest rangers or those associated with the Doctor, in the end these people had caught up to him. 

“By the Harbinger’s order, we’ll take you dead or alive, samurai!” One of the vampire eremites warned him as they pointed their blades at him. Kazuha simply smiled at their attempted intimidation.

Kazuha spoke, “The Doctor must have borne a grudge on me, I see. I suppose foiling his plans must have been the reason,” the vampire unsheathed his sword and the blade shone from the reflection of the moonlight. 

Fear can be seen in some of their eyes. The blade— was silver in coat .

Kazuha held his sword forward while his eyes turned sharp and serious. He declared, “Try as you might, but I shall not yield by the likes of the Doctor.”

With that, the eremites hissed, readied their weapons and began charging towards him. The first blade was swung, and the vampire dodged before he swiftly plunged his sword into the eremite’s chest. Another came from behind him. He immediately pulled his sword out before he turned and sliced them.

Two of them were down— lifeless. The others hesitated, stopping their feet from going nearer towards him. Kazuha’s ruby eyes flashed in the dark of the night, like bloodlust. He murmured, as a final warning, “I do not find pleasure in taking someone’s life, but eternal sleep may as well be the option.”

He shifted his feet and stood in an offensive stand. Without a second to spare, he bolted forward for an attack. The eremites held their ground before their blades clashed. One of them stumbled back and Kazuha quickly took an immediate act, stabbing his enemy in the head. Unbothered by the eremite being cut in half, the vampire turned to another one and cut them down before they could react. 

“What–!” One eremite vampire shivered in fear and anger. He was the only one standing while the rest of his comrades were dead. He cursed, “Damn you!” 

Kazuha readied for his enemy to attack. The eremite charged and swung their blade. It was quick yet it wasn’t fast enough. In mere seconds, Kazuha caught the sound of a click from a distance before a booming sound rang across his ear.

BANG.

.

.

.

.

Everything suddenly turned quiet. 

Awfully quiet.  

The eremite that stood in front of him froze in place. Kazuha could clearly see a bullet was shot straight to the enemy’s head. The eremite staggered and fell to the ground, motionless. Kazuha could only stare down, and didn't dare to turn. But his ears eventually heard the sound of heavy boots coming towards him.

His heart dropped. His eyes turned wide. He heard a click, the same click seconds ago— from a gun. He could only guess— that a hunter was nearby.

He didn’t dare to turn. Yet, his curiosity got the better of him. His gaze slowly strayed away from the ground and only to be met by a barrel at the corner of his eyes. He held his breath, while a pair of dark viridian eyes were staring back at him.

“Found you, Kaedehara Kazuha.”

Weapon forward and eyes locked. Heizou stared at his target as sharp as a knife. There were no words exchanged between them after he called out the vampire’s name. Until Lumine broke the silence.

“Heizou, hold on a moment. How do we know if he really is—”

“He is,” he cut her off, “He is not breathing normally, part of his skin is a little burnt and he took down these guys with no hesitation.”

“But—”

“Where is Dottore, Kaedehara?” His focus was on the vampire and nothing else. Slowly but surely, the vampire turned to face him. Heizou gripped his gun harder, “I’ll consider going easy on you if you can tell me where he is.”

A second or two of no response until the vampire replied, “Apologies. But… I have no intention to cooperate.”

In a split second, the vampire bolted to the side and made an attempt to escape. But Heizou quickly shot the ground right in front of him, abruptly stopping his tracks. The hunter dashed forward and drew his dagger. He swung but the vampire managed to catch his wrist swiftly. Heizou then took out his gun again and aimed straight dead at his face. But his target quickly tilted his head before he pulled the trigger. BANG!

Heizou clicked his tongue and immediately slammed his head against the other. The vampire recoiled and staggered backwards before he steadied his feet. 

The dead chuckled in amusement while rubbing his forehead, “A formidable hunter, you are.”

“An annoying bastard, you are.” Heizou spat.

The vampire shook his head and sighed afterwards. He drew his sword and faced him, “I do not want to resort to this. But you leave me no choice.”

“Wait! Can’t we just—”

Lumine was cut off once more.

Heizou pulled out his other gun and began shooting in the vampire’s direction. The other dodged and began deflecting the bullets with his sword. Heizou scoffed at his precision and agility that he kept shooting. With the final click on one gun, Heizou ran out of bullets for it. The vampire took the opportunity to run forward and counter-attack. He turned his sword and swung, but the hunter ducked. Heizou could see in a split second that the vampire’s eyes turned wide. The hunter dropped his other gun. He picked up one of his knives and stabbed the vampire’s leg.

“AURGH!” the vampire screamed in pain when the silver knife sizzled against his skin. 

His target tried to retreat but Heizou quickly pulled up and stabbed him by the shoulder, before the hunter pushed him to the ground with his feet.

Slam!

“GAH!”

Heizou’s foot was pressed against the vampire’s chest while he loomed over him as he stared down with distaste.

“I did say I’ll go easy on you but you refuse to cooperate,” Heizou shifted and reloaded his gun. He then aimed at his prey’s hand that was holding the sword and pulled the trigger. BANG!

“AAUGH!” The vampire released his grip from his weapon and tried to squirm away from him. 

But Heizou went down and kneed him, pressing his whole weight against the vampire and took another knife from his strap before stabbing the other’s hand to the ground.

“Heizou, stop!” Lumine ran to his side and the hunter immediately brought his hand up to stop her from coming any closer to them. Her face quickly turned upset, “Heizou, you’re going to kill him like this. Enough!”

“Relax,” he huffed, “As if I’d kill him when he hasn’t told us where Dottore is.”

Lumine wasn’t pleased with the way he was doing things and decided to take the initiative to communicate with the vampire, “Are you really Kaedehara Kazuha?”

The vampire— Kazuha had a moment to think. Judging by the expression on his face, he was reluctant. And Heizou has grown impatient with him. 

“Hey..” Lumine nudged him again but with a softer tone, “Please, you have to answer us.”

Heizou rolled his eyes at the way Lumine was treating the vampire. Yet he gritted his teeth and refrain himself from doing anything that would upset his partner.

It wasn’t long before the vampire finally admitted to his Lumine’s claim, “Y-Yes…”

Lumine slowly shut her eyes and sighed heavily. Her face then turned serious before she posed another question to him, “Then, Kazuha. Tell us where the Harbinger; Dottore is.”

“Why—”

The hunter clicked his tongue, “Because we’re hunting him down. That’s why.”

“I—” the vampire paused before he ducked his head, “I refuse.”

Heizou was about to pull out another knife from his straps until Lumine stopped him. She glared at him as a warning before she reverted her attention back to Kazuha.

“Why not.”

“Because…” the vampire’s eyes downcasted, “I do not desire any more humans to be sacrificed by the likes of him.”

“How gracious of you,” the hunter pointed a blade to his face and peered closer, “It’s the very reason why we’re hunting him down in the first place. If you don’t start talking, Kaedehara, I’ll—”

In an instant, Heizou quickly picked up his gun and aimed at one of the lying bodies nearby before he shot a bullet— BANG!

.

.

.

Everyone was stumped and Heizou just simply stared at the body. His brows furrowed before he turned his head to Kazuha, “Oi… didn’t you take care of these guys? Why are they still moving?”

Confused and distraught, the vampire replied, “I… I did.”

Lumine took a step forward while being on guard, “Heizou, what’s going on? Why did you shoot?”

The hunter took a quick scan around the area and ordered her, “Lumine, check the other bodies. Some of them are not staying dead. ”

Heizou’s words alarmed her. She quickly readied her rifle and began walking around to investigate one of the corpses. As she decided to check one of them, her attention was averted to a strange figure in the distance. 

“Who… is that?”

Heizou turned his head to see a silver-haired man in a black coat, riding on a tiger and silver spear in hand. The hunter immediately recognized the identity of said figure and cursed— Shit. The authorities are here. 

As the hunter began to formulate any sort of excuse to explain their situation, a sudden dust of dirt was being thrown onto his face, “ARGH!”

Kazuha took the opportunity to push the hunter off of him before the vampire quickly pulled his hand from the dagger that impaled him.

“Lumine!” Heizou called for his partner while he tried to recover himself from the dust that got into his eyes.

The huntress quickly pulled up her rifle and aimed at the vampire that attempted to flee. But as she does so, her leg was grabbed by one of the supposed dead corpses and pulled her attention away from their target.

“What the—” 

Lumine had no choice but to shift and aimed at the one that tried to hold her down. BANG!

Heizou finally regained his vision and swiped his attention towards the direction of where Kazuha fled— only for him to find out the vampire had already disappeared from the area. Man alive…

“Heizou!” Lumine called for him worriedly, “I’m sorry. I tried to stop him but—”

Heizou didn’t let her finish. He grabbed Lumine by the arm and yanked her to his side. An eremite vampire rose from the ground and attempted to lunge towards them. Heizou swiftly pulled up his gun to shoot, only for him to lower it when he saw something coming towards them.

STAB!

In a split second, the vampire was immediately impaled by the flying spear. The blade pierced through their chest— torn in half like it was nothing. The dead turned limpless while it hung upright by the weapon. Both Heizou and Lumine stared at it until a voice spoke to them.

“Impressive reflexes. As expected from the hunter by the name Shikanoin Heizou," The man with white hair in black coat hopped out from his tiger and joined them. He retrieved his spear and shook off the dead from his weapon before he pulled down the hood. 

“I didn’t know I was famous,” Heizou bantered before revealing the person’s identity, “General Mahamatra Cyno.”

The very man standing before them flashed a quick smile.

The General Mahamatra. Lead Guard of the Akademiya as well as the Lead Guard of the Hunter Association branched in Sumeru. Seasoned vampire hunter, with a large silver spear that could cut and plunge through a vampire in an instant.  

It all makes sense… Heizou finally understood why there were fewer guards in Caravan Ribat— The Bloodhound of the Hunter’s Association was stationed here.

“I just happened to know everything about you by the time you set foot on Sumeru,” Cyno put a hand on his chin. His face was hard to read given with how his bangs were covering part of his face. The general told them, “It seemed like you weren’t informed to report yourselves to the Association here. Or else some of my men would have arrested you for breaking the rules of this land.”

Heizou glanced at Lumine who looked a little stumped and she immediately clarified, “The Qixing didn’t inform us about that information. We’re very sorry.”

Heizou sighed, “Either way, we lost our target.”

“Target?” Cyno's left eye perked while Lumine tried to elbow him for being too straightforward.

Nonetheless, Heizou explained, “Kaedehara Kazuha. Inazuman samurai. Roaming around at night from time to time. Ring a bell?”

“Information travels fast,” the general nodded attentively.

Lumine added, “We… We suspected that he might have information of where the Harbinger Dottore is.”

“Is that so?” That caught his attention. “Kaedehara Kazuha is his name, huh? Was he also the one that took down some of them?”

Cyno pointed at the lying bodies in the area. Heizou could tell that the general was very sharp and observant. Aside from the bullet marks left by him and Lumine, the large slashes and cuts were left by Kazuha. 

Heizou simply nodded as a response.

“I see,” Cyno hummed, “That vampire is quite peculiar. I’ve been monitoring him for some time and I have yet to discover what his intent is, due to other urgent matters,” His face became serious as he brought up this topic to them, “Have you heard of Radicals ? Or more so… disfigured-looking vampires?” 

Heizou and Lumine displayed a grim face the moment he mentioned the name. Lumine confirmed it, “Yes, we heard of them but we have yet to encounter one.”

The general ducked his head, “Then, please be vigilant. All of the hunters in Sumeru have been preoccupied on that matter and we suspect more came from Avidya Forest.” he put on his hood as he walked off to his tiger mount. He added, glancing at them both, “If it’s true that the vampire you are pursuing has some knowledge of the whereabouts of Dottore, then I will not be in the way of your mission. But you will need to report back to me what you know. We need all the help and intel we could get to eradicate these creatures.”

That is something Heizou could get by. 

“I’ll be around Caravan Ribat,” Cyno hopped onto his mount, ducked his head once more to bid them farewell before riding off to the direction of his headquarters. 

“I suppose we don’t have to clean up for them, huh?” Lumine said sarcastically as she finally slumped her shoulders. 

Who would have thought that they would actually be meeting with the General Mahamatra. For a second there, she would have thought they were in trouble. She was glad that wasn’t the case. 

Moreover, the adrenaline she had experienced as she watched Kazuha and Heizou fight right in front of her eyes… The whole scene made her feel on edge. It was astonishing how Heizou was able to catch up to a vampire’s speed and think quickly in such a chaotic situation. 

Lumine couldn’t do anything but stand at the sideline— Heizou… all that harsh training must have made you like this, didn't it?

“Heizou?” she turned to see Heizou crouching over a dead body, as if he was examining it. She came closer to his side and noticed the black marks on their skin. It immediately reminded her of the photos the Tianquan showed them. 

Were these vampires also mutated? It can’t be… They still retained some of their ‘human’ features. 

“Lumine.”

“Yes?”

Heizou slowly stood up and pointed at the body, “Take a mental note. This one didn’t come back from the dead, as well as the other one. The head was sliced open by Kaedehara and the other was shot by me,” he hummed a bit and scratched his chin, “While the rest didn’t…”

Strange observation— Did Heizou discover something? Lumine narrowed her eyes and held her rifle strap firmly. Whatever they are dealing with nowadays, she can’t help but feel an ominous danger that lies ahead of them. 

“Let’s get going,” Heizou prompted her as he walked forward, following a blood trail that she assumed belonged to Kazuha. 

She immediately followed him behind and stared at his back. There were so many things she wanted to ask him. Yet she took the time to find the words before she spoke up, “Heizou, how did you know he was Kaedehara Kazuha?”

Heizou glanced at her before he answered, “Did you hear what the eremites said to him?” He gave her a second or two to think before he added, “By the Harbinger’s order, we’ll take you dead or alive.” 

“Dottore wants him… dead?”

“Dead is a strange word to use on them,” Heizou grunted, “Whatever the case, an Inazuman vampire in Sumeru seemed out of place. The vampires that gave us his name seemed adamant on wanting him gone,” he snapped his finger, “In conclusion, Kaedehara may have information regarding the doctor, and Dottore himself doesn’t want anyone to know. Albeit his whereabouts or his plans. So, the Harbinger is going out of his way to get rid of him. Hence, a bounty.”

That is such a convoluted way of thinking. But it does make a lot of sense— in a way. Lumine simply nodded at his statement, yet part of her felt… off about it. 

Bounty… Why?

Reluctant and worried, she asked him another question, “Heizou… you don’t plan on killing him, are you?”

She heard him scoff, “If I kill him, I won’t be able to get any information out of him.”

“I meant… after that. ”

A heartbeat or two, he responded, “It should be obvious.”

[ Sumeru - Caravan Ribat - Night ]

When was the last time he had ever breathed properly? The air around him felt heavy— sharp, as he tried to take it into his dead lungs. Kazuha’s whole body never stopped trembling since his encounter with Shikanoin Heizou. This piercing pain, and the numbness afterwards… The wounds he inflicted onto him burns, and it continues to burn on his skin. It cycled throughout his body, going back and forth, a never-ending surge of pain.

It’s excruciating.  

This feeling jolted him to his senses. Senses he had long forgotten for centuries of living as the dead. Fear? Exhilaration? Intensity? What in the world is he feeling right now? He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. What has he truly got himself into? What did he do to have the hunter be on his tail?

The way that the hunter was able to stop his movement. With how sharp and agile he was fighting against him— that man was not normal.

“Ah..” His dark crimson blood was still pouring and it was alarming. Kazuha glanced behind to see the dark stains on the ground. He can’t leave any trail behind… Or else, he’ll find him soon.

Kazuha quickly looked around and scanned his surroundings. All he could think at the moment was to climb up the large tree from where he was standing. Surely, the hunters won’t be able to reach him there. But as he was about to jump, he instantaneously halted and heard the sound of a gun clicking. 

They’re here already…!?

The vampire hastily jumped upwards, grabbing hold of the branches with his bleeding hand while he balanced himself with his legs. The wound he received was preventing him from climbing any faster. He needed to get out of here. He needed to be out of sight from them. He needed—

BANG!

The vampire dodged the bullet a mere inches away from his face, before he lost his balance. He dropped down and crashed into the bushes, coughing out blood from the impact he had to experience. His whole body was on fire. He could feel his bones being broken, cracked before it tried to regenerate with whatever remaining energy and ability he had left of his vampiric powers. He tried to roll over and pick himself up from the cold ground. He was shaking, not just from the fear, but from the pain he long since forgotten. It was over for him. He chuckled. He can’t get away. He laughed softly at his own demise. 

“What’s so funny, Kaedehara?”

Kazuha took a sharp inhale and quickly turned to see the hunter pointing his gun at him. The vampire was ready to pick up his blade and fight, until the huntress stepped in.

“Heizou, stop.”

The blonde haired woman stared daggers at the hunter while the other didn’t budge as he kept his dark gaze at him.

She repeated, “Heizou. Lower your weapon. It’s not gonna work this way if you keep scaring him. Let me handle this.”

“Scaring him, huh?” He clicked his tongue, “ Fine— I hope you know what you’re doing, Lumine.” He obliged, but with a final warning to him, “You’d better not run, vampire.”

The huntress, Lumine, took a step forward as Kazuha slowly brought himself to his feet. He kept his sword close to him as the huntress approached him with her rifle in hand. She kept her distance while her eyes tried to focus on him in the dark night. 

She began to speak, “Kazuha, yes? You’re aware that you’re unable to run. So I need you to cooperate with us and—” she took a quick glance at Heizou and inhaled, “...And I’ll make sure he lets you off easily.”

He wanted to believe in her words. Her eyes and expression meant she was being sincere yet there was uncertainty mixed with it. Kazuha could tell she might not be able to hold him back, depending on what he could offer to them— He truly has no choice, does he?

“Very well,” Kazuha sighed in defeat.

“Alright, do you know where the Harbinger Dottore is?” Lumine asked before she explained, “We need to find him and put an end to him. He has caused so many tragedies these past few years. I hope you can understand that. We won’t stop until he is dead.” 

He laughed softly before displaying a very solemn expression, “I can see the determination and zeal in your eyes, huntress. But, unfortunately. You might be too late.” 

“Huh…?”

The vampire explained, “Dottore has been in the Avidya Forest these past few weeks. He was responsible for the kidnapping as well as the experiment he conducted to his fellow vampires,” 

“So all those missing posters in Port Ormos were the doctor’s doing?” Lumine seemed bewildered by the fact while the hunter, Heizou, had no say about it. 

Kazuha simply closed his eyes and nodded, “But only last week the hunters in Sumeru were able to pinpoint his influence. Thus, people are prohibited from entering the forest. He is likely to have escaped and left his lab,” Kazuha looked up and made eye contact with Lumine. He bowed his head a little, “Apologies, but this is all the information I have.” 

Kazuha could see in her eyes that she was disappointed. If only he could give more information to them, but it would mean that he'd be putting them in danger. He was true to his words when he told them that he does not wish for any more innocents to perish by the doctor’s hand— including them.

After a while, Lumine acknowledged his cooperation. The vampire thought that there were no more words for them to exchange, until Heizou spoke up.

“Did you say lab?” 

Immediately, Kazuha could see the huntress’s eyes lit up, “If he does have a lab, we could find something in there. Papers, traces or even evidence. It might not be all in vain.” 

The vampire reluctantly murmured, “Yes, he has a lab, but—”

“Good enough.”  

Without even a warning, Heizou pulls up his gun and shoots. Kazuha was so taken aback by his sudden action that he barely dodged the bullet and scraped his shoulder. Kazuha looked up to see the eyes that stared at him— dark viridian eyes that seemed to turn red in blood lust. His heart dropped.

This time. He is truly going to kill him. For good.

“Heizou!”

Regardless of how much the huntress tried to reason with him, Heizou ignored her and ran towards Kazuha. The vampire readied his sword. Even in the darkness, he could see the hunter pull out a silver dagger and swing it in his direction. He dodged the blade, before he countered— The hunter was inches away from his sword but was close enough to leave a slice on the side of his cheek. Kazuha could hear the audible gasp from Lumine, but it didn't deter him from backing down against his opponent. Even though he is human, Shikanoin Heizou is still a hunter.  

Kazuha tried for another attack, and the hunter kept dodging. Always inches away from getting sliced by his blade. But as Kazuha caught a sight of a wicked smile from the hunter, Heizou ducked under by his sword swing, picking up the dirt on the ground and tossed it upward to his face.

“GAH!” 

His vision was immediately blinded before a sharp razor pain plunged into his shoulder, and a force by his stomach pushed him to the ground.

BAM..!

Kazuha groaned loudly before he tried to pick himself up. But Heizou immediately kicked him by the head, making him roll over and face the ground. It was over for him. The moment he made contact with the hunter— his fate was set in stone. Death was already upon him.

No. 

He shook his head, dusting off the dirt on his face.  

He cannot afford to die here. Not after centuries of wandering the surface, in search of clues for the whereabouts of the doctor. Not when the image of those who had perished by his hands burns into Kazuha’s mind. He cannot allow himself to die. 

.

.

“Your mission is to find Dottore and kill him. You are the only survivor who knew of the Isshin Arts.” 

The voice echoed in his mind. The face of a woman with a tengu mask at the side stood before him, looking down at him with no pity in her eyes.

She knew his freedom was taken. Yet he was thrusted and chained by this task. There was nowhere to run and no choice given to him. He does not wish to be part of this world. 

But… for the sake of those he loved that had died and left him…

.

.

Not yet.

“Listen..!” His eyes darted up, staring straight into the hunter’s eyes, “I have a proposal…!”

“Quiet.”

Heizou instantaneously bent over and grabbed hold of his arm. He pulled it up, twisting it and locking him into an immobile position. Kazuha gritted his teeth. 

He truly can’t die here.

“Please, listen..!” the vampire attempted to bargain. Desperation overtook his mind. Fear began to devour him. Death… Death awaits, by the hands of the hunter, “I have more to say…!”

He was shut off by a foot on his back, pressing him down and disabling him from struggling any further. The gun was pointed in his direction. 

Kazuha held his breath. He closed his eyes.

The gun clicked.

He braced himself. 

BANG!

There was a moment of silence. Heizou thought his heart had dropped when those familiar hands grabbed hold of his gun and had been shoved away before he pulled the trigger. At the corner of his eyes, he could see Lumine panting and panicking while still holding firmly onto his hand. 

Immediately, his blood boiled and it shot through his head, “What is wrong with you!?”

Lumine snapped at him, “What is wrong with YOU? ” her grip felt tighter while she glared, “He helped us. And this is how you repay him..?!”

“I'll repay him by ending his life ,” Heizou tried to push her away, but she acted stubbornly and did not budge from where she stood.

“Enough!” Lumine’s tone sounded upset, “I’m not letting you kill him!”

Confused yet furious, Heizou retorted, “Are you aware of what you’re saying right now, Lumine? Did you forget that you’re—”

“A hunter? Yes. But I’m not blinded by hatred like you,” she commanded again, “Let him go, Heizou.”

Blinded by hatred, she says? He seethed at her words.

“You're telling me to let go of a vampire, Lumine. A vampire whose only desire is to suck the life out of the living. The very creature that gave us the reason for being here in the first place, Lumine!”

She turned apprehensive, “A vampire who was once human, Heizou!” 

Silence. A lull of silence between them. They glared at each other and held onto each other stubbornly. Neither of them was going to let go. Heizou hated having to deal with this. He hated the conflicting views between him and Lumine. 

Yet, Lumine’s words were true, however. Vampires were once human, yes— But once a human was turned, they were no longer humans themselves. Emotions were thrown and so was their humanity. That was what Heizou observed ever since he became a hunter. And that was something Heizou knew from the back of his mind. He can’t afford to show any mercy for these things. Even if…

Heizou sighed heavily as he stopped pondering about this. When it comes to Lumine, his partner and only close companion he has, he had to swallow some of his pride. 

The hunter clicked his tongue, “Tell me one logical reason why I should let him go. Just… one. ”

Lumine held her breath and tried to steady her eyes on him. He could tell she couldn’t find any reason to give him. Until Kazuha spoke up.

“I have knowledge… of the location of his lab.”

Both of the hunters slowly turned their attention to the vampire. 

“Still talking, are we?” Heizou scowled at him.

Lumine immediately shot a glare and tutted him, “Heizou, let’s listen to what he has to say.”

The hunter had no choice but to comply— This better be worth it. Heizou let go of Kazuha and took a step back to give him space.

Kazuha slowly and carefully sat up. His ruby reds were still full of hostility as he gazed up to them. He began to explain, “It may be a difficult endeavor… But, I may be able to guide you to his lab.”

“And why do we need your guide?” Heizou crossed his arms.

“The location is hidden. No hunters have so far been able to find the passageway, or so I have heard. But, if you are determined to stop him and claim that there may be some evidence that he has left for you to discover, then I shall offer you my help,” Kazuha paused for a while, before speaking again, “In exchange…. I would prefer to be kept alive for this mission of yours.”

“Really?” the hunter furrowed in annoyance, “We’re making a deal now?”

“We have a common goal, hunter,” Kazuha added, before he ducked his head a little, “I, too, would want to put an end to his sins. The sins that he has committed to the people of the living, and the dead.”

Heizou brought his hand up to his mouth as his mind began to race— carefully trying to make sense of all of this. But Lumine on the other hand, decided to dive in and accepted it.

“Let’s take a chance, Heizou,” she said with full certainty, “Let’s keep him alive for this one mission and see where we end up.”

“Huh!?” the hunter gawked comically, “You can’t be serious?”

“You said it yourself that we haven’t encountered any vampires since we arrived. Now that we did, and he is someone who is willing to help us, we should make the most of it.”

He didn’t like where this was going.

“Besides,” anxiousness rained on her face as she murmured to him, “Isn’t it strange how easily we were led to finding him?”

Huh…? It immediately caught the hunter’s attention and had him listen attentively.

“Think about it. Three of the vampires that we encountered so far gave away his name. The clues we found all led us here to him. To... kill Kazuha. It’s as if we’re doing what Dottore wants us to do.”

“Is that how you two knew of my name?” The vampire was stumped at the words Lumine had told them.

The huntress nodded, “Yes. Is there a reason why Dottore wants you… dead?”

“He has many reasons to eliminate me, dear huntress. He is very adamant on wanting my head,” he chuckled grimly as he stared at the ground. But afterwards, his eyes perked, “If it is true that you are here because of the information given to you, then it may not be too late. Dottore may as well still be here in Sumeru, observing from afar— to foresee his plan on killing me.”

“What? Does that mean you’re our bait now?” Heizou’s suggestion was merely a half-hearted joke but it became another reason for the vampire to be kept alive.

“If that is how you see me, then I may as well be more useful than you ought to think.”

Heizou exasperated at his words. He rubbed his forehead as obvious frustration displayed on his face. He really wants to put a bullet in his head…!

Yet he saw the pleading look in Lumine's eyes and he couldn’t help but furrowed even more— Why are you siding with him!?

“Heizou,” Lumine whispered, “You were thinking along the lines of every vampire who came in contact with Dottore may have worked with him in the past. Well… Kazuha is against him, through and through. It may be possible that the doctor is using us just so he could eliminate one threat.” 

The hunter grumbled in annoyance. Lumine managed to persuade him. This vampire managed to persuade him. And he despised that he had to admit defeat— that he was blind-sided by the fact that it may be possible that Dottore was using them.

It made his blood boil even more. The last thing he wanted was for that damn harbinger to use him for his own game.

“One…” Heizou put up a finger and turned to look at those determined golden eyes. He huffed in displeasure, “Just… one mission. But—” he glanced at the vampire before averting his eyes back to the huntress. Heizou warned her, “If anything happens, it’s on us. Remember that.”

Us.

Because Heizou agreed to this. Because he let her have this. It was on him . And he will make sure that nothing goes south on his watch. 

“I am willing to carry that responsibility, Heizou,” Lumine ducked her head and turned to the vampire. She nodded, “We got a deal.”

Kazuha exhaled softly and slumped his shoulders. He never would have thought his own life would flashed before his eyes. All of his decades-long journey would have been for naught if he would have to die here. Even though he was safe, he was not out of the woods yet. In a desperate attempt, he made a deal with the hunter to spare his life. And now he has to go along with it— such a predicament. 

He chuckled softly to himself. 

Since when he has ever thought about his own life, he wondered. 

“Can you stand up?”

Kazuha looked up to see the huntress slowly approaching him. She put aside her rifle and offered her hand. Reluctant at first, but he accepted her gesture and rose from the ground from where he sat. 

“The name is Lumine by the way,” she smiled. She then turned to the hunter and pointed, “And this is—”

“Shikanoin Heizou. I know,” Kazuha answered for her, catching the hunter’s attention. 

Heizou scoffed, “It seems like I’m famous in more places than one.”

“On the contrary, you are… infamous ,” Kazuha corrected him.

Heizou's eyes narrowed as sharp as the daggers on his person, yet he didn’t deny it. He simply accepted it, “Good.”

Good, he says.  

Kazuha huffed. The hunter before him seemed unbothered by the fact that he was ruthless by the eyes of many. Kazuha wondered if he ever had any mercy in him? Any remorse or sympathy? Of course, not that he has any as well. Kazuha has dried away all the emotions he felt a moment ago. How easily this man can cast aside his heart when the vampire himself tried to feel again. 

“Ignore him,” Lumine sighed while shaking her head. She then paused for a while and simply scanned the condition of his body. Her eyes turned worried, “Your wounds aren’t healing. Do you need blood? Do you feed… on animal blood?”

Heizou rolled his eyes at the huntress, “We’re babying him now?”

She shot a glare at him, warning him to keep his words to himself before turning to Kazuha once more.

The vampire simply nodded, “Yes, I do feed on only animal blood.”

His emphasis on ‘only’ made Lumine’s eyes lit up a little.

“Got it,” she hummed. Lumine finally turned to face the hunter and flashed a smirk at his direction, “Why don’t you go and hunt for him? It’ll do you good to take a nice walk and blow off some steam.”

“And leave you with him?” Heizou replied apprehensively.

“I’ll be fine,” the huntress reassured him, nudging the rifle at her side. Yet the other wasn’t convinced by her words.

“I don’t like this,” he made it obvious he disagreed with this arrangement. But she simply shrugged before she smiled slightly cheekily. 

“Well, I’m the older one here.”

In an instant, Heizou's face turned more apprehensive— more so comical, as if he had gone through two or three different emotions in one session; frustration, annoyance and disbelief. Kazuha couldn’t help but blink. Is he… pouting? 

It was then his composure returned, washing away all of the mixed emotions he had displayed on his face, before he sighed heavily and began walking to the other direction. That momentarily display of reactions had the vampire turned curious— amused.

So, the hunter does have feelings.  

As Heizou was finally out of their sight, Lumine spoke in words he did not expect, “I’m sorry, Kazuha. But this is as much as I can do for you,” she ducked her head to him, “Thank you for your help. Are you… alright?”

Kazuha smiled at her solemnly. There was no doubt that this huntress had a kind heart. But she can only do so much for him. There was nothing she could do in his position. He has to submit. That was what it always has been since he was turned. Fate always played a cruel jest, is what he would say to himself. 

“I am alright, dear huntress,” he reassured her, “I will see through what lies ahead by the end of our journey,” a lull of silence, before he spoke again, “I apologize if I ever sever the bond between you and your brother. The action you have taken to spare my life was daring yet admirable. So, thank you.”

Lumine stared at him for a second or two, before she smiled sheepishly, “Umm.. brother?”

The vampire blinked, “Is Shikanoin not your brother?”

She shook her head, “No. Not by blood. But… he is family, yes.”

.

.

.

Family.

Kazuha narrowed his eyes. His memories were blurred and so does the image of his own family. He was not one to pry how these two hunters came to be, but he would not let them be in harm’s way… just like how his family had. Even if the hunter has a dagger on his throat, even if both of them were skillful in their weapons and knives— A vampire like Dottore is not one to be taken lightly.

BANG!

Both Kazuha and Lumine turned to one direction. The huntress had a puzzled look on her face before another gunshot was heard.

BANG!

In the distance, with his heightened hearing ability, Kazuha managed to catch a soft growl coming from where he was standing— a familiar ominous growl which he had encountered yesterday night.

“That doesn’t sound right,” Kazuha's worried words alarmed the huntress.

Without a second to spare, Lumine quickly turned her heels and ran towards the direction of the gunshot, “Heizou…!”

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Sumeru - Caravan Ribat - Late night ]

If Heizou wasn’t sharp enough or aware of his own surroundings, he would have been mauled by this… creature. Kneeling before him was a disfigured person, with skin that was old and worn, eyes that seemed bulged and white. The hunter kept his distance, gun in hand. He glared. “What the hell are you?” 

The vampire— the mutated vampire growled at the sight of him while it tried to recover from the gunshot to its head. It should have been dead by now with that wound. How is it still alive?

"Heizou!"

He heard Lumine calling for him before she ran out from the corner of the canopies. The mutant swiped its head to Lumine’s direction and the huntress froze in place. The creature leaped towards her, attempting to bite down on her. But Kazuha managed to grab her by the arm and stepped in before he swung his sword.

Slash!

It screeched an ear-piercing sound, which echoed and rang through the air as it sizzled from the cut. It was immediately shut quiet as Lumine pulled up her rifle and shot through its head.

BANG!

.

.

.

Silence. Heizou stared at the creature that was motionless on the ground. No one moved from where they were standing until the hunter began to walk towards the lifeless body and nudged it with his foot.

He sighed in relief before he turned to the huntress. “Are you alright, Lumine?”

“Are you alright?” She briskly walked up to him and simply examined his condition. Heizou just simply sighed again and nodded in response.

“This… thing ,” Kazuha murmured, catching the attention of the two hunters, “I came across this creature yesterday. By the traps you set near the port. I have been following it since. But I lost them as I reached Caravan Ribat.”

Shock rained on Lumine’s face, “Wait. It was by the traps? By the woods near Port Ormos?”

“Yes.”

It quickly answered a few things for Heizou. The blood that was spilled this morning, the dead carcass as well as the signs and evidence of a fight. It was the samurai and this mutant. It all makes sense. Yet one concerning fact stood out from everything he had observed. 

Heizou deduced, “It seems like these radicals are harder to kill. Given that it took two bullets before it stopped moving. A normal vampire would have been dead with just one shot, either the head… or the heart. ”

“Radicals? Is that what you call them?” Kazuha echoed his words, hitting the hunter’s nerve. Apparently, the vampire didn’t get the memo and Heizou wasn’t planning on explaining it to him.

Heizou then noticed the worrying expression on Lumine’s face. 

The huntress turned to him with fear in her eyes. She said to him, “Heizou… Isn’t this bad? These radicals were just by the port. Didn't General Mahamatra say that they were from Avidya Forest?”

Heizou’s face turned grim, “So, the situation has worsened,” he clicked his tongue, “We’d better get going.”

“To where?”

“The General. To report to him,” Heizou then smirked, “You do the talking, Lumine.”

The huntress’s jaw dropped, “Me?!”

“Yes, you. Besides…” Heizou walked towards a dark corner and picked up something on the ground. He then showed it to them— a ferret, being stabbed by one of his knives with impressive precision, “I’ve done my part.”

Heizou couldn’t help but feel prideful of seeing Lumine’s surprised reaction, before his triumphed smile disappeared as he turned to the samurai.

“Dig in, Kaedehara,” Heizou tossed the dead animal at him before the hunter cleaned off the blood from his knife with his black glove. He didn’t spare another glance at the vampire and simply turned to the direction of Caravan Ribat before he began walking.

[ Sumeru - Caravan Ribat - Late night ]

Kazuha could only stay quiet throughout the entire time that Lumine left their side.

Heizou had been doing nothing but keeping an eye on him since then. His blades were inches away from being reached down and thrown at him— if the vampire ever made one mistake or uttered a word to aggravate him. 

Kazuha acknowledged his accuracy. He would no doubt plunge the knife through his chest in quick succession just like how he did to the ferret a moment ago. But he did not fear him, ironically so. If he was a man of his words, he wouldn’t kill him right then and there for a reason so insignificant. 

Would he?

Kazuha sighed a little. He was more concerned about the idea of having to face the Lead Guard of Sumeru— Cyno, the so-called Bloodhound, whom Kazuha had been hearing about amongst the vampires of this land. Unfortunately for him, it may as well be the case. 

Not far from where he was standing, his eyes caught the sight of two figures exiting the Matra’s Headquarters building. Kazuha’s whole body quickly turned restless when the silver-haired man laid his eyes on him. He had the thought of fleeing from the place, but Heizou quickly warned him.

“Stay where you are,” the hunter whispered, enough for his sensitive ears to hear him clearly, “It will get ugly if you run.”

The vampire bit his lip and did as he was told.

“Kaedehara Kazuha.” the General uttered his name in a strict tone as he took his spot in front of him

Even though they were both almost the same height, Kazuha could feel the other towering over him as if he was a small prey. 

Cyno spoke to him, “I have been told you know the location of Dottore’s lab. And you even struck a deal with these two to keep you alive until then. Am I correct?” 

Kazuha glanced at Lumine, who seemed unsure how to help him, before the vampire answered the man, “Yes.”

The General stared at him. Seconds become minutes. And the minutes under those quiet, calculative stares felt uncomfortable. 

But the silence finally broke as Cyno made a comment, “You are very strange,” he hummed curiously, “I can see integrity in your eyes. And you don’t seem to have the ability to mind control someone either.”

Kazuha blinked, a little baffled at his statement, “You can tell?”

“That’s what being a hunter is, no?” 

His mind raced with so many questions. Kazuha took a quick glance at Lumine and Heizou. Neither of them were denying the fact. Have they been trained? Or is this all based on experiences? But the vampire refrained himself from asking any questions, for his own well being.

The General Mahamatra turned to Lumine and instructed her, “I’ll prepare a cart for you to travel to the Avidya Forest. Find a ranger named Tighnari in Gandharva Ville. He is a hunter, and he will tell you what you need to know about the current situation regarding the forest. I’ll prepare a letter to explain everything about your mission. Make sure to give it to him.” 

“Will do,” Lumine ducked her head.

Cyno then turned to Heizou, glancing at him knowingly before averting his attention to the vampire. "One more thing: once this is over, I want you to leave this place, Kaedehara. Dead or alive, doesn't matter. You are not welcome here."

Kazuha hummed solemnly. There was no discrimination in the General's tone. It was merely a warning— somewhat a reminder . His existence has been known by many now, and it will only bring restlessness to the people around him. Kazuha could only lower his head and acknowledge the General’s words, before watching the man leave the area.

[ Sumeru - Avidya Forest - Midnight ]

It was a silent journey as they headed to Avidya Forest. Heizou noticed how awkward Lumine expressed, glancing back and forth to him then to Kazuha. Both of them sat on one side while Kazuha sat across from them. The vampire was meditating— eyes closed and unbothered. Heizou had no intention of starting any conversation with him, but Lumine decided to do so.

“Umm… Kazuha, I noticed that you have been carrying that sword.”

“Oh?” Kazuha opened an eye to look at the huntress.

She pointed, “That sword… It's silver-coated,” 

Heizou couldn’t help but snorted, “Quite the double-edged sword you got there.”

“I didn’t know you could jest,” Kazuha bantered back. His ruby reds popped open and stared at him with a dull expression.

“I don’t. I’m just stating the facts.” Heizou was not curious in the slightest as to why a vampire like him was carrying a silver sword. He can only assume that Kazuha was using it against his opponents. Or those who wanted him dead— such as Dottore. 

Heizou narrowed his eyes regarding that thought. The idea of the Doctor putting a bounty on Kazuha was the only thing that bugged him. Like, why…? The vampire never explained the real reason why he was hunted down, so the hunter found it rather suspicious. 

“I’d like to ask, Shikanoin. If you allow me to,” Kazuha posed, and Heizou’s face slightly contorted at his sudden question. The vampire took his expression as a sign to proceed, “Do you know the type of vampire the Doctor is? I have the impression you haven’t met the Harbinger.”

Where is this question going?

“I don’t,” Heizou answered with a firm tone in his voice, before he added, “But I know how he looks, what he does and what he has done to the people around him.”

Kazuha could only hum thoughtfully, before he closed his eyes and did not speak a single word to the hunter after that— That’s it? That’s all he was going to say? Heizou’s face grew impatient… But it quickly dissipated when he noticed the flicker in Lumine’s golden eyes as she turned her head towards the road.

Up ahead was a path leading to a small village— Gandharva Ville, as the sign on the road stated. The cart came to a halt. All of them hopped out from it and bid farewell to their coachman. Heizou let the two walk forward, having Lumine leading the way until they were stopped by a ranger at the entrance.

“State your business.”

Lumine came forth and answered him, “We’re here to see Tighnari.”

“And who is looking for me?” A ranger, presumably Tighnari, emerged from one of the houses nearby before joining them. Upon glancing over to each one of them, his eyes quickly shot forward to Kazuha before his face turned hostile, “Vampire.”

With no hesitation, the ranger reached down and pulled a gun with a silencer. Everyone present panicked. 

“Wait! Hold a moment! He is with us!” Lumine quickly stepped forward, blocking his view from Kazuha.

Tighnari was taken aback by her defense and questioned her, “What do you mean he is with you?” 

“He’s here to help!”

“A vampire? Helping us?”

Heizou scoffed at the situation and glanced at Kazuha who was standing next to him. He could see that Kazuha was alarmed, baffled, and seemed ready to flee. The hunter was entertained. 

“Everyone is out here to kill you, Kaedehara,” Heizou murmured, and let out a soft wicked laugh that only the vampire could hear. 

“Quite humorous of you, Shikanoin,” Kazuha said to him, unamused by his reaction.

As the tension became more unnecessarily dire, with Lumine and Tighnari holding their grounds, and the other ranger being confusedly hostile, Heizou decided to put an end to it. The hunter quickly pulled out his gun, raised his weapon to the sky and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Heizou’s stunt startled everyone. It took a moment for Tighnari’s face to turn apprehensive before he shot a glare at him, “Why did you do that, you big lummox?! You’re going to attract unwanted attention!”

“Good,” Heizou huffed and set down his gun, “Because this big lummox happens to need this vampire alive. General Mahamatra’s approval.”

“Cyno?” 

Lumine sighed heavily and pulled out the envelope that was given to her, “Here is a letter for you.” 

Tighnari took it from her hands and began reading the content. His brows initially furrowed before it slowly softened. He then sighed while rubbing his forehead. 

“Amir, we have… a change in our operation,” he turned to the puzzled ranger who had been standing with them the whole time. Tighnari explained to him in coded words only Heizou could understand, “A shadow is among us. They are here to walk with us through the night until sunrise— until we find the witch doctor’s lair. Understand?”

His fellow ranger was silent for a second. He glanced at the three of them, much longer atKazuha, before he nodded in response to his lead ranger, “Roger that. I’ll inform the others of the changes.”

Tighnari huffed as he watched his fellow ranger leave his side. He then turned to Lumine and ducked his head, “This was a very short notice on our side. I do apologize for the hostility,” Tighnari eyed the vampire, “But I am still reserved about having him around. If he ever tries to do anything, albeit mind controlling or biting someone—”

“With all due respect,” Kazuha cuts him off and clarified, “I did not come here to harm anyone nor do I have the ability to compel someone. Rest assured I will do as I was told. I would not have chosen to be here if it was putting myself in danger.”

Heizou rolled his eyes while Tighnari looked stumped by Kazuha’s words. Nonetheless, the ranger nodded in acknowledgement. 

“I guess your reasoning sounds sensible enough,” Tighnari then turned to the direction of a house nearby, prompting them to follow him. He pointed, “Let’s discuss inside. There’s ammunition if you need some.”

But as they reached the house, Tighnari turned to Kazuha and lifted his hand up. 

“He stays outside.”

“Very well,” Kazuha simply nodded without complaint. The vampire took a spot at the entrance, leaning his back against the wall as the hunters stepped inside. In the middle of the room was a large table with a map of Avidya Forest laid down. Heizou looked over it. He could understand the red lines and pins being placed across the map itself. He assumed that those were spots of the enemies— the radicals.

“The name’s Tighnari, by the way. Lead Forest Ranger,” Tighnari introduced himself while he took a spot by the table.

Lumine smiled and did the same, “My name is Lumine. This is my partner, Heizou. We’re hunters from Liyue,” she glanced at the vampire by the entrance. She pointed, “And that is Kazuha.” 

“Pleasure to be working with you,” Tighnari nodded, “For starters, the forest has been closed off due to unwanted events. We have been hunting down and warding off radicals every time they appear at certain places. You should know by now what they are, yes?”

Lumine confirmed to him, “Yes. They are very different from actual vampires. They’re more vicious… and harder to kill too.”

“Precisely. The only way for them to stay dead is by shooting them by the head. Twice or thrice. The heart… is very much impossible.”

Heizou grunted, “A waste of bullets.”

“As long as you are skilled in your aiming, it wouldn’t be a problem,” Tighnari then pulled out a small red pistol underneath the table, “Another thing: Radicals despise the light. Which is why you don’t see them going about during the day. So take this.”

Tighnari slide the pistol across the table to Heizou. The hunter picked it up. His brow raised, “And what’s this?”

“A flare gun,” the ranger explained, “Shoot it upright, and it’ll spark like fireworks. It’s very useful for others to locate your current location.”

Convenient. The hunter stuffed the pistol into his pouch.

“Speaking of location…” Heizou's face turned serious. He stated, “Dottore’s lab.”

“Right. The letter Cyno gave me mentioned you two wanting to find his lab?” Tighnari put his hand onto his chin. He hummed, “We did try to narrow things down, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find the exact location.”

“It is hidden.”

All hunters turned their attention to the entrance way. 

Kazuha peeked in and clarified, “It requires riddles and puzzles to be solved. To allow a passageway. I have my fair share of facing and searching for the Doctor. He is fond of challenging mechanics.”

“Then it’s not a problem at all,” Heizou declared, almost confidently, “I’m a detective. Solving puzzles is what I'm good at. If Dottore wants us to play his little game of riddles, then so be it.”

“Alright,” Tighnari nodded, and reminded them in a sarcastic manner, “Let’s just hope we stay alive.” 

With that, their discussion ended.

The group walked through the night with Tighnari leading them into the forest. Following behind him was Kazuha, Heizou and lastly Lumine. They had been quiet ever since they left Gandharva Ville and neither dared to spark a conversation. Until the ranger decided to break the silence. Tighnari pulled himself away from his map and flashed his small headlight to the group.

“So umm… Kazuha, right?” Tighnari spoke to the vampire, “Do you have any idea as to what Dottore’s motive is?” 

Kazuha hummed solemnly before he replied, “Unfortunately, I do not know of the man’s intention for causing these tragedies.”

Tighnari nodded in slight disappointment.

Heizou then grunted at Kazuha’s words, “For a vampire who has been living for decades, you have no clue as to why Dottore was doing all of this? Or even why he wants to get rid of you?”

Kazuha stopped his feet and turned his head to him. He corrected him, “A century.”

“ Besides the point.”

The vampire merely stayed quiet after that. It was enough for the hunter to dismiss him. 

“What a waste.”

Heizou’s words seemed to offend the vampire. Kazuha’s tone turned apprehensive, “What about you, Shikanoin?” He slowly faced him and spoke bitterly, ”For a man who claims himself as a detective, you have yet to find any leads that could bring you closer to the Doctor.”

His words struck a nerve in Heizou. The hunter’s eyes began to sharpen as the vampire continued to speak to him.

“I find it rather hard to believe that you wouldn’t be where you are right now if it weren’t for my assistance.”

“Assistance? What assistance? The only assistance you gave us is by telling us that Dottore has a lab,” Heizou gritted his teeth while trying not to snap, “In fact, you’re only here because we somehow agreed on the things you said to us: Dottore may be here - We use you as bait. ” 

The tension grew intense just between the two of them. Tighnari and Lumine darted their eyes at each other, wondering if they should step in.

Heizou added, as his final warning to Kazuha, “If nothing comes up— if we end up wasting our time and resources, then you know what’s coming for you.”

The vampire didn’t respond to him for a while. He merely looked down for a few seconds before he stared up at him. Kazuha murmured, “If it’s otherwise?”

Heizou stepped forward, peering closely at those daring ruby reds. He scowled, “Don’t get your hopes up. You’re still a waste of space, Kaedehara.”

In a split second, Heizou saw a fleeting emotion. An emotion for what seemed to be disappointment, upset. Heizou clicked his tongue lightly and looked to the side— He wasn’t here to deal with him acting pitiful. The hunter put the thought aside and simply bumped his shoulder against the vampire. Heizou didn’t bat an eye on him as he walked ahead. The hunter tried to curb his temper and stayed focused on the mission. But his nerve was struck once more.

“Confronting Dottore may not be the brightest idea,” Kazuha confessed.

The hunter snapped his head around and fumed, “You’re telling me this now? ”

Kazuha narrowed his eyes and continued, “This man is unpredictable. No matter how skilled or sharp you are, Shikanoin, he will find a way to get the upper hand.”

With a blink of an eye, Heizou turned his heels, walked up to Kazuha and pulled his knife up to his face.

“Heizou!” Lumine called for him as the hunter grabbed hold onto the vampire’s haori. 

Kazuha steadied his gaze, unfazed by the tip of the blade against his skin. Heizou scoffed lightly— This guy surely knows how to challenge him.    

“Don’t forget you’re amongst the hunters, Kaedehara,” Heizou slowly slid the blade down to the other’s throat and continued, “If you keep running your mouth like that, I’ll slice that neck of yours so you won’t speak for another several minutes.”

No comment was being spoken back to him. Kazuha merely looked at him with solemn eyes before the hunter finally let him go.

Heizou scowled right after, “Doesn’t matter how unpredictable he is. Watch me bring his head back.”

A lull of silence. No more words were exchanged between them. Instead, a long sigh was heard— and it was coming from Tighnari. So, the tension quickly dissipated.

Tighnari stepped in and spoke up, “Alright alright, back off you two. At this rate, you won’t bring anyone’s head back— without chewing on each other,” the ranger scratched the side of his face and grumbled, “Honestly, I feel like I’m dealing with a bunch of kids. Come on, let the vampire walk with me.”

Tighnari nudged Kazuha by his arm and the vampire simply ducked his head to excuse himself. He quietly followed the ranger as they walked forward, leaving the other two hunters behind. Heizou turned to look at Lumine who seemed very displeased with how he reacted. He was prepared for what she was going to say to him.

“You really need to calm down, Heizou,” the huntress scolded him.

“I’m the one to blame?”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” she lightly exasperated and fiddled with her braided hair. Her golden eyes stared up at his dull viridian pair before she explained, “Kazuha is good. My intuition says so. Can’t you give him a chance?”

Heizou furrowed, “That’s not intuition. That’s called being naive, Lumine. You don’t give vampires a chance.”

“Heizou…”

People say that stubbornness runs in the family. Lumine and him have always been the stubborn ones amongst them. And it reminded him how Aether had to resolve their situations every time they butt heads with one another.

Heizou paused for a bit— He really doesn’t want to argue. And Lumine seemed to share the same sentiment.

“Promise me that you’ll keep him alive,” Lumine pleaded, the same pleading eyes that stared at him when they were at Caravan Ribat, “Until the very end, Heizou. Not until… Not until he shows signs that he would harm any of us.” 

The hunter crossed his arms while his shoulders slumped in slight defeat, “You’re asking so much from me.”

Lumine nodded, “I know. Just promise me, please?”

A second or two of silence between them. Heizou’s face drew a blank until Lumine brought her hand up and folded her fingers, “You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinkie promise, you’ll be thrown on the ice.”

What are we…? Five…?

Heizou complied nonetheless. He offered his hand and wrapped his pinkie with hers. He continued the nursery for her, “The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again.”

Lumine smiled at him, and the remaining anger in his heart slowly disappeared. He has to keep his words for this one time, it seems. Heizou was always aware of how he acted unfairly— Because the world he lived in has never been fair. Never kind and never will. Should he re-learn to be fair…?

“Hey, you two! What’s the hold up?” 

Two of the hunters turned to the direction of where Tighnari called them. The ranger flickered his headlight in a distance somewhat impatiently. Heizou and Lumine glanced at each other once more before they rejoined him.

Heizou was calm by the time he faced Kazuha. He had to tell himself to tolerate his presence. Heizou began to think through the promise he had made with Lumine. He really hoped that her simple request wouldn’t bite him back. As much as he would try and restrain himself from ending the vampire, he can’t imagine having to get along with him no matter the situation.

“This area,” Tighnari stopped, “This was where my rangers reported consistent activities of these radicals. But—” the ranger furrowed and scanned the area, “... it’s strange that it’s quiet.”

“You’re right,” Kazuha spoke softly, “I can only hear the wind.”

“Wind?” Tighnari tilted his head, puzzled. He removed his glove, then gave his finger a lick before he squinted a bit, “The air is still here. I don’t feel anything.”

“Yet, I can hear it.”

Heizou didn’t retort Kazuha's statement. Instead, he stood closer to the vampire and listened in. Whether it was a coincidence or not, his heavy boots felt a certain weight. Without a second thought, the hunter lifted his foot and slammed it to the ground.

BAM!

The ground shook a little and the area echoed. Tighnari and Lumine were alarmed by it while Kazuha seemed more curious than ever. 

“The wind came from here,” the vampire muttered and pointed, “ Underneath. ”

Heizou crouched down and tried feeling the ground with his fingers. Tighnari joined him at his side and shed some light for him. After a while, the ground revealed an odd round -shaped mechanism. It looked like a compass, with each layer having arrows pointing in different directions. It piqued Heizou’s interest.

“It seems like we need to turn it to one direction,” Lumine commented as she was the last one to join them. She then pointed at the outer layer of the compass which had a rusted golden arrow. 

It sounds simple but…

“My intuition tells me that there’s a catch to this,” Heizou stated, making everyone turn their heads towards him with skeptical eyes. He merely huffed and eyed Kazuha, “You. Why don’t you be useful and turn this thing around?”

Kazuha was puzzled at his instruction. But nonetheless, he obliged. Heizou waved his hand as a signal for the others to stand back. Kazuha hooked his fingers onto the curves of the compass and then slowly turned the first layer to one side. Immediately, it made a click sound.

SHING.

An audible gasp was heard from Lumine when a small sharp metal was shot up from the ground, slicing the side of Kazuha’s cheek, before it slowly retreated to a hole between the curves of the mechanism. 

“Told you there’s a catch,” Heizou scoffed as he waited for the vampire’s reaction. To his surprise, Kazuha was amused by it.

The vampire chuckled softly, brushing off the small blood from his cheek, “Interesting.”

Tighnari sighed as he scratched his head, “What now? I prefer it if none of us gets hurt by this.”

“We could just look around?” Lumine suggested and eyed the ranger.

Since there was only one light available, Tighnari took the initiative to shine his headlight around the area. The ranger paused for a moment.

“How peculiar,” Tighnari commented, pointing to a stone at one corner of the area before he swiped his head around to notice there were several stones being placed. The rest of the group seemed to notice it.

Heizou contemplated. Judging by the way it was placed, it seemed like it was following the layers of the compass; from outer to inner— But which should he start first?  

“The stones are different in size,” Lumine pointed out for him.

With another look around the area, Heizou managed to connect the dots. These stones were placed from small to larger, inner to outer. Heizou smirked and didn’t waste any time to revert his attention back to the compass. He kneeled down above it and began turning the innermost layer to the direction of the stone.

“Be careful, Heizou,” Lumine said with concern.

The hunter merely nodded and continued to turn the compass until it produced the click sound. Heizou narrowed his eyes.

.

.

.

Nothing happened.  

No traps, no blades, no metals popping out of nowhere. He chuckled— he already solved the puzzle.  

Heizou continued onto the next layer. He turned the compass and worked his way from the inner to the outer. The others watched him, both concerned and in awe. As he reached the final layer, he could feel the heavy weight of it which made it difficult for him to turn. Kazuha didn’t hesitate to get closer to the compass and kneeled at the opposite side. Heizou didn’t have time to bother about the vampire’s assisting him and focused on turning the compass until the end.

Click.

Both of them slowly rose from the ground and stared at the compass as they stood on top of it. Heizou waited. Kazuha waited. Lumine and Tighnari, who were standing outside of the compass, also waited. 

A second or two later, Heizou frowned, “Hah… Nothing happe—”

CRASH!

“Heizou! Kazuha!”

[ Sumeru - Dottore’s Lab - Midnight ]

Kazuha groaned, slowly sitting up from where he was laying. He and Heizou took a tumble after the compass crumbled underneath their feet. He observed the area and found himself in a tunnel, presumably leading to the Doctor’s lab. In front of him was the entrance from where they fell. Unfortunately for them, it has been blocked by giant rocks and boulders. How inconvenient…

“Man alive….”

The vampire turned to see the hunter rose to his feet and stomped to the entrance. Heizou tried to pull out one of the rocks, only for it to be difficult to do so. 

“Kazuha! Heizou!” The familiar voice was coming from Lumine on the other side.

“Hey! Are you two alright down there?” Tighnari shouted afterwards, “Say something!” 

“More or less fine, if you ask me,” Heizou begrudgingly answered, “But the entrance is blocked.” 

Kazuha sighed and slowly stood before he joined the hunter at his side. He made sure to put a distance between them, knowing how much Heizou hated being around him.

“Since we can’t join you two, I have a suggestion,” Tighnari spoke and both of them listened attentively to him, “Besides this area, there’s another area where my rangers had seen activities of radicals. It’s not far from here. I can only assume it’s another entrance just like this one.”

“If it is an entrance, that is…” Heizou said skeptically.

“One way or another, you two have to find a way out,” Tighnari’s tone sounded defeated. Nonetheless, he tried to reassure them, “We’ll be nearby, so be careful.”

“Heizou…” Lumine called for him worriedly, “Please stay safe.”

The hunter could only sigh heavily as a response before he slowly turned his attention to Kazuha. Heizou grunted while crossing his arms, unamused at the sight of him. He muttered, “Great. I’m stuck with you.”

“If it eases you, I do not enjoy your company as well,” Kazuha replied to him humorlessly.

Heizou scoffed, “Good to know.”  

Heizou couldn’t help but grumble at his predicament. Walking in a tunnel leading to a vampire lair, with a vampire following him whom he can’t kill— how fun. The only good thing about this was that Kazuha didn’t utter a word ever since they left the entrance. Heizou slowly stopped his feet as he saw a door in front of him. Dirty and a little worn down. How long has this place been here? He wondered.

The hunter eyed Kazuha. And the vampire glanced at him for a mere second before he ducked his head a little. Even without exchanging words, Kazuha understood Heizou's intention. The vampire walked forward, slowly placed his palm onto the surface of the door and carefully pushed the door open. The vampire took a step into the room and waited.

Kazuha then murmured, “It is safe. You can come in.”

Heizou grunted and simply walked past him. The hunter quickly scanned the area. Chains on the ceiling. Utensils and medical tools being spotted on the ground. Blood— old and dried blood spilled on some corners. The examining tables were placed nearer to the walls of the room and all of the shelves were placed at one side. This was definitely a lab, alright. But there was one thing that was off about the place— Where are the specimens?

“Don’t just stand there, Kaedehara. Search for clues,” Heizou demanded, turning his head to the vampire’s direction, “Unless you don’t know how to.”

“I do,” Kazuha huffed while narrowing his eyes at his implication. 

The vampire took the liberty to search through the shelves and cabinets while Heizou moved towards the tables. One after another, the hunter pulled out the drawers and found nothing. No papers, no files— Nothing.

He clicked his tongue and forcefully pulled out one drawer from its slot before a small paper fluttered to the floor. Heizou furrowed and shut the drawer back into the table before kneeling down to pick up the paper. He tried reading it but realized that the paper was exposed to water and the ink was affected. He flipped the paper to the other side and found more scribbles. He tried picking out some words but most of them were medical terms. From what he can deduce, this seemed to be a report of one of Dottore’s experiments. And he can only assume it was a failed one due to the blurry red ink at the middle of the paper. He sighed and folded the piece of evidence before he slipped it into his pouch. 

Heizou continued searching for clues in the trash bins and boxes. Yet, there was nothing to be found— … Until his eyes caught the uneven surface on the ground. He let his fingers press onto the said surface and it slid under his hand, revealing a piece of old yellow paper that was covered in dirt. He picked it up and took a look at it. His viridian eyes flashed curiously— a blueprint in olden text.

Kazuha opened the cabinets and found nothing but empty jars and bottles. Although there were several bloodstains here and there, nothing to him seemed important. It was expected. Dottore was a vampire who wouldn't leave anything behind. But part of him hoped they could at least find a clue, even if it was a miniscule or a fragment of—

“Kaedehara,” Heizou called for him, “Find anything?”

Kazuha turned to see the hunter picking himself up from the ground. The vampire replied to him, “None, but…” he averted his attention to one corner of the room, “There is a foul smell that I’ve noticed. Like a corpse.”

“Probably you.”

Kazuha chuckled lightly at Heizou’s failed attempt to insult him. Nonetheless, the vampire walked up to the said corner and found himself facing several square-looking doors. A storage maybe?

“A morgue,” Heizou spoke, deciding to join him at his side. 

The hunter reached for the handle and slowly pulled it to their direction. The vampire sighed in distaste. To no one’s surprise, there was a corpse in it. A corpse of a woman, with eyes missing its color and skin that was burnt. How did this person come to be in such stat—

Slam!

Kazuha was startled by Heizou's sudden forcefulness as he closed the door of the ‘morgue’. In a split second, he could see the grief in his dark viridian eyes before it was overtaken with fiery rage. The hunter briskly walked over to another storage and opened the hatch. Empty. He closed it. He walked up to another one, and it was empty as well. He then went over to the last storage and opened it up. Another corpse inside. And from where Kazuha could see, there was a bullet hole on the dead man’s forehead. 

Heizou slowly closed the storage and concluded, “They were failed test subjects. Whatever went down in this room, one thing for sure was that Dottore wasn’t merciful with them.”

Kazuha couldn’t deny the fact. With the condition of this place, he can only assume the worst. But one question remained that bothered the vampire.

“Shikanoin.”

The hunter shot a dull glare at him as he called his name. 

Kazuha spoke softly, “Isn’t it strange that this place is quiet? Too quiet … No rustles, no movements of sounds. No radicals. ” 

Heizou's face turned grim. For this one time, the hunter acknowledged his words and simply nodded lightly. 

Kazuha added, “Other than that, I can only hear the sound of the wind.”

“There you go again with the wind,” Heizou rolled his eyes before he paused for a moment, “Wind, huh? An entrance? An exit…?”

Kazuha’s eyes sparked a little and turned to the direction of where he heard the soft winds. There were heavy vines by the other side of the room. He could only assume there was a door. True enough, as Heizou walked up to it and pushed aside the damped long leaves, there was an exit. 

A small triumphed smile was carved onto the vampire’s face. He blurted, “It seemed as though my assistance was needed after all.”

But his smile was quickly wiped out when Heizou pulled up his knife. Kazuha froze in place as the hunter pointed the blade at him, “Don’t let it get to your head, Kaedehara. I don’t need your help. Nor will I ever ask any from you.” 

Kazuha’s only response was a nod, before the knife was pulled away and being used to cut down the heavy vines that covered the door. In the eyes of the hunter, Kazuha’s fate was inevitable. No other deeds would change the man’s heart without disregarding the image of the creature Kazuha was— there is no point in convincing him, sadly. 

[ Sumeru - Avidya Forest - Past Midnight ]

“You seemed restless,” Tighnari spoke to Lumine as he noticed the concerned look in her eyes.

The two had been walking in the night ever since they left Heizou and Kazuha by the strange entrance they found. Lumine hadn’t stopped feeling worried about their well-being, especially Heizou. To her, Heizou has always been neglectable about his own feelings and safety. Too ambitious and focused on their mission. She really hoped that Kazuha could at least look out for him— And she truly hoped he was keeping his promise too.

“Lumine?”

Lumine blinked and hesitantly answered him, “I’m just worried about Heizou, that’s all. Even though this isn’t the first time we both got separated.”

Tighnari hummed thoughtfully before he spoke up again, “I see. Sometimes, you just have to trust one another and hope for the best. That’s how I am with Cyno.”

Her golden eyes flickered. Tighnari’s mention of the General Mahamatra made her curious, “Are you two close? If you don’t mind me asking, what is the reason you two became hunters?”

Tighnari stayed quiet for a second or two before he answered her, “I think we all became hunters for the same reason, no? We lost… a dear friend. She was family… We were family .”

Guilt grew in Lumine’s chest and she ducked her head, “I’m sorry…”

Tighnari chuckled in a mournful tone, “Don’t be. We chose this path. Whatever happens, we look out for each other from now on. All of us, as hunters.”

She wanted to ask more questions to the ranger but both of them immediately stopped after they heard a loud rustle amongst the bushes. Lumine quickly stayed closer to Tighnari while the ranger pulled his sniper and pointed his weapon to the direction of the sound. 

But nothing moved after that. 

Tighnari and Lumine stayed where they were without making any sound for a few seconds. As much as Lumine wanted to assume it was an animal, she knew that they were in the middle of a zone where those creatures could lurk in the dark, and can’t help but feel alarmed. 

“We should head to a higher ground,” Tighnari suggested.

“W-What about Heizou and Kazuha?”

“We can watch over them from there.” The ranger placed his hand onto her shoulder as reassurance, “ Trust me. ”

Lumine had no choice but to follow him. Tighnari knew the forest better than anyone else. She took a quick look behind her, making sure nothing followed them before both of them hurriedly ran to a high hill.

With the last turn of the mechanism, Kazuha witnessed Heizou pry open the door without any difficulty and stepped outside of the tunnel. The vampire was amazed by how quick the hunter made work with the puzzle. Was he truly a detective before he became a hunter? Kazuha simply put aside the thought and followed the hunter from behind as they exited. He took a quick observation of his surroundings; they were back at the forest, with the moon hanging low in the night sky as it illuminated the area where they stood. It made him wonder if that was all there was to Dottore’s lab. Kazuha expected there could have been more— Was it all just a waste of time?

The vampire turned to Heizou, wondering if the hunter had found any clues in the lab. But the hunter was deep in his thoughts. Kazuha wouldn’t dare to interrupt him unless he wished to have a bullet to his head. He chuckled spontaneously at the idea.

“What’s so funny?” 

Ah— He has disturbed him nonetheless.

“You have been very snarky lately,” Heizou commented, annoyance displayed in his eyes, “I don’t know what’s going on in your head but—”

His sentence was cut midway as both of them snapped towards the sound of loud rustling. Heizou pulled out his gun and aimed in the direction of said sound. Kazuha readied his sword, and concentrated on his heightened senses. Was it truly just his imagination or… did something ‘humanly’ lurk amongst the bushes?

Caaww…

Kazuha's eyes lingered away and spotted a crow in the distance. The bird was staring at him, red eyes flashed in the night like a predator. His chest grew anxious as the air became still— Something isn’t right at all.

Heizou had a feeling that there was something strange about this whole situation. There were no strange phenomena at the first area when they dropped down from the entrance, nor was there anything abnormal when they were in the lab. But by the time they exited the tunnel, strange things were happening right in front of them. Is this… an ambush?

Heizou and Kazuha glanced at each other for a split second, before loud growling noises were heard in the distance. Heizou looked up to the sky to see crows flocking in a group, circling the area and engulfing the moon. He gripped his weapon in fury. 

“Show yourself!” Heizou shouted, “I know you’re there, Dottore!”

.

.

.

.

“Eager, are we?” 

A figure emerged amongst a swarm of crows and a man in a witch doctor mask, blue long locks and a dark crow-like cape, made his presence known. There was no doubt that it was Dottore himself. 

The doctor was amused by their alarming expression, and chuckled wickedly, “A pleasure to meet you, Hunters of the Association.”

The doctor then turned his attention to the samurai vampire. A dull smile was carved onto his face. Kazuha held his sword tightly, and steadied his ground as the Harbinger approached them.

“And you, Young Master Kaedehara. You are quite an eyesore,” the doctor’s tone sounded gleeful yet unamused, “What a sight to behold. A hunter and a vampire working together. Seems like I underestimated the people of this decade.”

“Shikanoin, let’s not be rash,” Kazuha warned him, darting his eyes between the Doctor and the hunter.

Heizou gritted his teeth and spat, “You don’t have to tell me that.”

“As much as I want to stay and chat, but—” Dottore flicked his fingers and pointed in their direction. The Doctor laughed, “...since you have found one of my labs, I can’t have you escape alive. ”

With a wave of his hand, humanly-looking figures emerged in the shadows. Two? No… Three of them! 

“Radicals,” Heizou clicked his tongue. These were different from the one they encountered in Caravan Ribat. Flesh twisted and contorted, fangs that were longer, and claws that were sharper— Can they even be called vampires anymore?

“Shikanoin. I advise you to stay close,” Kazuha warned him again as the vampire’s demeanor changed. Calm yet a hint of fear in his tone. His eyes were focused and sharp against their opponents. It was evident that the situation was dire.

Yet.

The mocking smile of the Doctor made Heizou’s blood boil. All of his composure that kept his years of vengeful desire hidden, slowly cracked and crawled to the surface. The imagery of the fire that burned his home, the people that perished and had been gnawed to death— all was now accumulating the moment his focus was set on him. And him alone . Eventually, those cracks burst and his viridian eyes flared. 

“Dottore’s mine.”

“Shikanoin!”

Kazuha’s callings completely drowned as Heizou began firing his shots, echoing in the surrounding forest. The hunter ran forward while Kazuha tried to catch up to him from behind. The radicals rushed to his direction. Even though these creatures were fast, they were not agile. Heizou was nimble enough to dodge its claws and teeth. He took the opportunity to shoot one radical by the head at a deadly accuracy, before he finished it with a knife straight into its skull.

The creature shrieked in agony before it turned limpless and fell to the ground. The rest of them were left for Kazuha to deal with. Kazuha darted forward and slashed the air with his sword onto one radical with precision. The creature screeched as its grotesque body was cut open. The other radical lunged forward, closing in the distance but Kazuha was agile enough to dodge its attack before he struck it with a blow.

In the midst of chaos, Heizou faced the Harbinger. He fired his shots. His pistol roared to life. But the Doctor was quick enough to dodge his bullets mere inches away from his body.

“Quite the accuracy, hunter,” Dottore commented, smirking his way.

The harbinger briskly walked forward and shifted himself into a swarm of crows. Heizou was caught off guard as the crows covered his sight. Heizou struggled to track his movements and keep his field of vision clear. The crows darted in and out, swooping down to peck and claw at him. Kazuha saw the difficult situation Heizou was in and abandoned the wounded radicals. The vampire sliced through the birds, making the flocks gathered nearby and reformed into the Harbinger himself. 

Heizou tried to regain his bearings while Kazuha took the opportunity to face Dottore. The vampire samurai bolted forward and swung his sword. But the Harbinger held his hand in front and flashed his eyes through his mask. Kazuha abruptly stopped his feet.

Heizou’s eyes widened when he realized the Doctor was using his compelling ability as a vampire— on Kazuha. But, to the hunter’s surprise, Kazuha was able to resist as he began to move his body against the other’s trap. In quick succession, Kazuha was able to break himself from his control and tried to strike a blow. But Dottore swiftly shifted himself into crows, dodging the vampire’s attack before he reformed again. 

“And this is why I find you such a nuisance,” Dottore murmured, unpleased. Heizou saw as the Doctor slipped his hand into his cape and pulled out a… gun. He expected the Harbinger to aim at Kazuha. Heizou swiftly readied his pistol, reloading the remaining bullets he had left— only to look up and be met by the barrel in his direction.

Heizou’s heart dropped. 

The gun clicked. Dottore released the trigger. And the shot rang.

BANG!

.

.

.

.

Time seemed to have slowed down for Heizou. The hunter’s eyes widened as he witnessed Kazuha standing in front of him— bleeding on his torso. Heizou’s mind quickly snapped out of his shock when the vampire’s grip on his sword dropped and clanked to the ground.

“I missed the mark,” Dottore murmured, “It’s amusing how typical you are, Young Master Kaedehara. Always the humans first before yourself,” his words were followed by his evil laugh that suddenly rang and struck a sudden dread into Heizou. 

Kazuha dropped to the ground and grunted, biting his lips in agonizing pain. The hunter caught the vampire glancing at him before he whispered, “R-run… Shika…noin…”

“Enough games.”

The Harbinger approached them. A palm towards him— attempting to compel him. But Heizou was able to be quick enough to aim his pistol and used all strength to pull the trigger.

BANG!

“GAH!” Dottore grunted as his foot was shot.

Without a moment to spare, Heizou quickly pulled the flare gun out from his bag and shot it into the air.

BOOM!

The area where they stood lit up in flashing red. The radicals nearby screeched while Dottore grunted louder as his skin was burning against the light. The Harbinger quickly dispersed his form into crows and left the area, leaving his experimental creatures to finish them off. Heizou had no time to think. He picked up Kazuha’s sword and pulled the vampire by his haori, before dragging him to escape.

Tighnari and Lumine saw the flare gun being released to the sky from where they were standing. 

The huntress’s heart beats in an anxious rhythm at the thought of Heizou and Kazuha being in danger. She readied her rifle and followed Tighnari to the direction of the light while it slowly dissipated into the night sky. The huntress caught sight of a flock of black birds flying past them before it disappeared from her view— What was that?

“Get down!” Tighnari pulled Lumine into the bushes the moment he spotted something lurking in the distance. The huntress took a peek and her eyes immediately widened by the sight of two radicals walking in the shadows. 

“Tighnari…” she murmured to him, “We have to get to Heizou and Kazuha, fast.”

“I know,” the ranger nodded and pulled a pistol with a silencer. He handed it to her and instructed, “Use this. We’ll go in quietly, so cover me.”

Tighnari then pulled out another silencer and slipped it onto his sniper. Without wasting any time, both of them got up and carefully walked forward.

Pew!
Pew!

Tighnari shot the first radical with the first two bullets before he ran over and ended it with a knife. Lumine turned around to see if there were any of them nearby, spotting one that was crawling out from the bushes. She quickly shot the creature with three consecutive bullets before it turned motionless. Lumine checked if the body was still moving and fortunately for her that it wasn’t.

“Let’s keep moving,” Tighnari said as he reloaded more bullets into his sniper. Lumine can only hope that they could make it to Heizou and Kazuha on time.  

Man alive...

This was not a situation that Heizou expected himself to be in. He made the most risky attempt in escaping from the radicals by dragging this damn vampire to a small shack– a shack he managed to spot not far from where they were. A shack he hoped that wasn’t abandoned.

SCREECH!

The radicals howled, picking up the pace and gaining on them. Heizou cursed and quickened his pace until he finally entered the said shack. The hunter paused for a while.

He didn’t even give Kazuha permission to enter— the shack was abandoned… and he was not safe.

Heizou clicked his tongue in frustration and dropped Kazuha on the ground for a quick moment. He hurriedly barricaded the door with whatever objects he could grab in that small room. He then picked up the weak vampire from the floor and pulled him away from the entrance, laying him against a wall at the far end.

Alright, what now? 

He darted his eyes around before he immediately stared down at the injured vampire. He grumbled begrudgingly and kneeled at the other’s level. Heizou tried to examine Kazuha's injury. The room was dark and the only source of light he had was the moonlight shining through the gaps of the wooden walls. The hunter then stuck his fingers into the injury before pulling out a small object.

Heizou glared at the said object, "A silver bullet..."

The hunter didn’t expect that the Doctor would be carrying any silver weapons. Yet, why was the shot intended for him? Or was it for Kazuha all along? Was Kazuha right when he said that Dottore was truly trying to kill the vampire? The hunter scowled and ruffled the side of his hair.

This was no time to think about that. 

He was lucky that he wasn’t fatally wounded, if it weren’t for Kazuha shielding him from that shot. As stupid as it sounds, that kind of help is the most that he’s willing to take from him. 

"Urgh..." Kazuha groaned in pain. He seemed to be alive. Ironically speaking.

The hunter shook him, "Oi, Kaedehara. You're awake?"

Kazuha nodded weakly in response.

"Good." Somehow a sense of relief bathed on him. A rare feeling for him to feel towards a vampire. Heizou quickly pulled out his gun and checked for ammunition. 

Shit... He only has two bullets left. It's not enough to even take down three radicals. Not even with a single shot on the head. 

CLATTER 

CLATTER

Heizou’s chest sank by the ominous sound and he looked up at his surroundings. He could see the radicals were already in the area, lurking— Their shadows prowled past the lights from the small cracks of the small room. Nervousness began to take over Heizou's mind. He needs to do something. They need to find a way to deal with– 

"I... don't think I can be... of any use to you, Shikanoin…” Kazuha mustered the energy to speak but the pain from his wound made him give into his fate, “I'm sorry..." 

Is he serious right now?  

The hunter's brows furrowed. After everything that they have gone through, dragging him and dealing with his coy banters— Kazuha decided to give in and give up? Especially after he and Lumine had to ‘take care’ of him by feeding him– 

Heizou’s mind clicked— Right. Animal blood. Lumine mentioned vampires feed on animal blood. But… There's none around here that can help him regenerate fast enough. 

Unless... 

Heizou let out a chuckle, almost wickedly, and immediately pulled out his knife. He couldn't believe he was doing this. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and he wasn’t planning to die here. Not when he finally had Dottore in his sight. 

With no hesitation, he cuts his own wrist, slicing through his glove. 

SLICE.

"Wha-...!" Kazuha gasped a little. The smell of the hunter's blood invaded his nostrils. He quickly cupped his mouth and pressed his weak body further against the wall. He subtly shook his head as Heizou brought his bleeding wrist closer to him.

"Drink my blood, Kaedehara,” He demanded. 

But the vampire refused, not giving in to his offering, "No..! I'd rather—"

"Die?" 

"Suffer..." Kazuha hissed a little at him.

The hunter scoffed, "Well, you won't be suffering for too long, because these monsters are on our tail!"

Bam!

BAM!

“Right on cue…” Heizou nervously laughed. He was losing his mind. Sweat dripped onto his face. His breath slowly became uneven as anxiousness welled up inside of him. 

The banging and crumbling sound of the wooden shack door echoed in the room. Breaking, splitting, crushing his remaining composure to a miniscule size. It bashed and kept bashing. He was at his wits’ end. What can he do? What can a person, a human such as him, do in a situation like this? Give up? No— he can’t.  

"Look,” Heizou’s dark viridian eyes stared at the tired ruby reds with desperation, “I can't fist fight my way out of here nor do I know how to use your dull blade,” he brought himself closer and demanded one more time, “So, dig in and move it!"

"You can… leave me be—"

"Kaedehara!" Heizou shouted, and shoved his bleeding wrist onto Kazuha's mouth. 

But the vampire managed to open his mouth wide enough to not sink his teeth into the other's skin. Heizou clicked his tongue in annoyance. The entrance of the shack was about to break, and this vampire found the time to be stubborn.

BAM!

The sound of the door echoed.

BAM!

BAM!

And it kept echoing— to the point that his own pride had dropped.

"I need you..."  

Kazuha's tired eyes perked a little, confused whether he was listening to him right. His silence and puzzling expression made the hunter snapped.

"I need you now, Kaedehara!" Heizou grabbed Kazuha’s haori with his free hand and peered closer, "If you give up now, we won't be able to stop Dottore or find out the truth of his motive,” the hunter chuckled with a grimace, “If we don’t do anything… if we don’t make it out alive…”

Then, the people that perished will not be brought to justice. Nana… Father… All his relatives and kind neighbors whom he shared in that village…

Aether…

Lumine will be all alone if he dies here.

With a final attempt, he demanded, “I need you more than ever! Kaedehara!"

Kazuha stared at him, eyes widened in disbelief. Heizou's words and his desperate expression was enough to convince him to take the plunge. 

To take. 

The bite.

Kazuha held his bleeding wrist and opened his mouth. He bit down.

CHOMP.

.

.

.

"That's it..." the surge of pain made the hunter a little dizzy. He watched as Kazuha carefully drank his blood from his slit wrist. 

The noise from the entrance became louder and louder. Heizou became more and more desperate. Kazuha kept drinking. Heizou watched while enduring the pain. He furrowed. And turned impatient— How long is this guy going to suck on him?!

"Oi, are you done?!" Without waiting for a reply, the hunter grabbed the vampire's hair and yoinked him away from his feeding. 

Kazuha let out a weak chuckle, "Your blood tastes sweet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now get up!" Heizou ignored his strange comment and hoisted him up to his feet, pushing him forward to face the door. It's them against those creatures now. And Heizou better make use of him if they want to survive.

Kazuha staggered, trying to regain his focus. He picked up his sword and held his ground. His body felt light and his senses became more sensitive. His grayed red eyes slowly changed into a bloody red color. He felt... great. And the taste of blood— Shikanoin’s blood, still lingered in his mouth. What is this feeling?

The vampire was so distracted by his sudden new strength that Heizou was already standing beside him, shuffling through his weapons and readying himself against their enemies. Kazuha glanced at him and flinched at the sight of the silver bullet that was stuck in his body a while ago. Heizou grabbed his hands that were holding the sword and swiftly grazed the silver bullet against his blade. 

SHIIIING!

The silver coat that came from the bullet embedded into his blade. It was shinier and more deadly than before. Kazuha's mind began to dance, trying to understand the hunter's plan. He heard the gun click before Heizou held his weapon forward. 

BAM!

BAM!

The wooden door was slowly breaking.

BAM!

Kazuha's chest began to pound.

BAM!

His sense heightened and his soft breathing was steadied. His eyes glowed in vicious red against the small light in the small room. He waited. And waited.

CRASH!

The door breaks. Chaos ensued.

"Think fast, Kaedehara."

BANG!

Heizou pulled the trigger and the bullet traveled straight to one of the radicals' heads. The mutant vampire screeched an unholy sound as the bullet melted into its skull. Kazuha dashed forward and plunged his blade into its head deeper. It tried to grab him but Kazuha was fast enough to pull away and kicked it out from the shack. The mutant dropped on the ground while the other one was already waiting for him. 

It screeched at him while Kazuha hissed. The vampire samurai darted forward and sliced the air with his sword. So much precision and grace, like a hurricane cutting everything in his way. The radicals staggered from his attack and began to bleed with oozing black. Kazuha ended one with a clean cut to the neck, decapitating it mercilessly before its body dropped to the ground.

The other remaining radical attempted to jump on him but Heizou released a shot from a distance. 

BANG!

His bullet pierced through the mutant's head before it dropped in front of Kazuha. The radical twitched uncontrollably until Kazuha walked over it and plunged his sword to its head. Its body went limp. Everything finally turned quiet.

.

.

.

Kazuha looked up to see Heizou huffing as if trying to catch his breath. He then breaks into a laugh, something Kazuha didn't expect for him to react. Heizou’s voice echoed in the quiet night and the vampire continued to watch, almost somewhat amused by him. It was then the hunter spoke. 

"Finally. It's over...!" Heizou continued to laugh until it slowly turned down into a tired chuckle. He heaved a sigh, "Man alive, what a night..." 

Kazuha laughed softly at his remark. He couldn’t have agreed more. As he decided to join the hunter, Kazuha stopped walking midway and felt his whole body acting abnormally. Twitching, shaking uncontrollable— What is going on…?

Heizou simply turned his back away from Kazuha, as if he was trying to keep himself composed after such an event. The vampire’s ears rang and somehow he could hear him clearly of his grumbles while he shuffled around his guns and weapons. 

Kazuha was perplexed by his sudden sensitivity to his surroundings. 

Drip.

DRIP.

Huh…?

Kazuha stared up at Heizou. From where he was standing, the vampire could see his slit wrist bleed. It dripped to the ground and sizzled, making Kazuha’s mouth twitch and water. He tasted blood— his blood. Sweet, and oh-so addicting. His bloodshot eyes didn’t stray away from the hunter. Kazuha could see, no— hear, the blood pulsing through the human’s vein. His heart was steady and so was his breathing. Kazuha’s eyes darted, and his hands shook. Something was urging him— to lose control, to lose his mind. To lose whatever sanity he has left.

Drip.

The sound, the sensation and the sight of blood made the vampire snap. In a split second, Kazuha felt his own body move by itself. He lunged onto Heizou and pinned him down to the ground. Kazuha held the hunter’s haori as he looked down at him. 

The vampire breathed heavily. His eyes were on his neck. He quivered. His body was shaken. He can’t stop. Kazuha can’t stop. The desire to bite. The desire to drink more of that sweet blood that was still lingering in his mouth. He wants… He wants it more. Yet, Kazuha was desperate. Desperate in not allowing himself to—

Kazuha's gaze quickly was met with Heizou’s dull viridian eyes. He felt the gun pressed hard against his chest, and it involuntarily made the vampire stop breathing. He was frozen in place. Fear loomed over him as his ‘prey’ warned him in a cold, unprovoking tone.

"I'll gladly put back the silver bullet that I dug out of you. This time, I'll get a clear shot to your heart.”

No matter what situation this man was in, Heizou’s face has never faltered. He had no fear in his eyes. The only eyes that were staring back at Kazuha… were the eyes of a hunter. 

.

.

.

A hunter.

It made the vampire snap out of his hazy mind and quickly regain his consciousness over his body. He quickly crawled away from Heizou, kneeling as far as he could from the hunter. He was still shaking as he tried to keep himself under control. Kazuha decided to roll up his sleeve and bit onto his own skin— hard.

The taste of stale and iron in his mouth quickly overtook the lingering sweet taste. Slowly but surely, the pounding in his chest dissipated. 

Heizou simply pulled himself up and sat on the ground as he watched Kazuha kneeled far away from him. He noticed the vampire's shoulders finally slumped– relaxed and at ease. The hunter furrowed at his strange behavior. What happened there?

A moment ago, Kazuha seemed to be himself, or so he assumed that was how the vampire usually acts. And not long after they took down these radicals, Kazuha acted so viciously that even the hunter was confused whether to pull the trigger or not. Lucky, the vampire pulled himself together. What was the cause of it…? Suddenly, Heizou's chest felt heavy as his mind raced. 

Don’t tell him it was—

“So… you admitted you needed me after all, Shikanoin?”

“Huh?” Heizou gawked. The hunter’s train of thought crashed into a wall as he turned to Kazuha. The vampire glanced at him with a mischievous smile splattered on his face. His expression struck a nerve in Heizou.

“What was it again?” Kazuha hummed playfully as he sat down and tilted his head, “Was it ‘I need you, Kaedehara’ or… ‘I need you now, Kaedehara’?” His tone echoed through Heizou’s ear, with the same urgency that the vampire mimicked. The hunter’s face twitched irritably.

That’s it.

Heizou took a knife straight from his leg strap and he flung it towards the vampire with all his strength.

STAB!

Kazuha comically choked as the knife was stuck on his back. The vampire got up and frantically reached for the blade with his hands before pulling it out. He turned to Heizou, confused as to how to react to him. Yet he praised the hunter for his precision nonetheless, “Quite the knife you have.”

“Quite the mouth you have,” Heizou spat and quickly stood to his feet— That felt really good, the hunter thought as he dusted himself off.

“Heizou!”

Heizou blinked and turned to the direction of the familiar voice. In the distance, Lumine emerged from the canopies and was relieved to see him. The huntress bolted to him, lunged forward and hugged him. 

Urk.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Lumine sighed and tightened her arms around him.

Embarrassment quickly flushed onto Heizou’s face. He was not used to this. But he was very much happy to see his partner safe too. 

“Kazuha! I’m so happy to see you,” Lumine quickly peeled away and turned her attention to the vampire.

Kazuha chuckled and Heizou shot a glare when the vampire eyed him knowingly at his momentarily embarrassing moment.

Nonetheless, Kazuha ducked his head to Lumine and smiled at her, “It is a relief to see you, dear huntress. ”

Lumine giggled softly.

“Glad you’re alive,” Tighnari finally joined their side, coming out from the corners of the canopies. His worried face turned relaxed as he glanced at Heizou before turning to Kazuha. The ranger let out a chuckle, “And you too, surprisingly.”

“Yes, surprisingly so,” Kazuha’s words were an implication to Heizou. 

The hunter furrowed at the gaze that the vampire was giving him, but Heizou’s attention was averted as Tighnari began to explain their situation.

“We were able to spot you guys from where we were after you shot that flare gun, and hurriedly ran to your location. But there were radicals along the way. We managed to kill them before reaching here,” the ranger then scanned his surroundings. Astounded by the condition of the bodies lying on the ground. He stated, “It seems like you guys handled the situation pretty well.”

Heizou was about to argue, but Lumine spoke up before he could, “How did it suddenly escalate to this?”

It took a second or two for the hunter to respond. He answered in a grimace, “Dottore.”

“What…?”

Heizou huffed, infuriated regarding the situation a moment ago. He clarified, “Dottore. He was in the area when we exited his lab. It was an ambush.”

Kazuha watched the reaction of the others after Heizou told them. Fear and disbelief in Lumine and Tighnari’s eyes. There was no doubt that they didn’t expect the Doctor to appear. It was simply an assumption, but that assumption became a reality. Kazuha would have thought that the Doctor’s presence meant he had unfinished business with him. But, why didn’t he shoot him instead of Heizou?

That was a mystery that plagued his mind and Heizou didn't mention such an event to them. Kazuha can only assume it would only bring more fear and confusion, especially to his dear partner, Lumine. Nonetheless, the vampire samurai reassured them, “He escaped, fortunately.”

“Unfortunately.” Heizou corrected him. 

Kazuha frowned and had the urge to refute. Yet he decided not to after seeing the frustration and disappointment in his eyes. Somehow Kazuha understood him. He wondered if he was ambitious enough in wanting to get rid of the Doctor as Heizou was? Will these hunters truly be able to be one step ahead of the Harbinger without bringing harm to themselves?

So many thoughts, but Kazuha wasn’t in the position to ask Heizou nor question his own motivation. If the situations were different, he may be able to help the vampire— or help each other. Kazuha may be able to achieve his goal and complete the mission that was given to him. But his fate was unfavorable, because he was a vampire.

“It’s fine. As long as you’re safe, Heizou,” Lumine narrowed her eyes and patted his shoulders. She murmured, “That’s all it matters to me.”

The hunter didn’t argue and simply crossed his arms. 

“So, what did you find?” Tighnari asked, shifting the conversation, “Was there anything in that lab?”

Heizou simply reached his hand into his pouch and pulled out a white paper with incoherent words that Kazuha couldn’t understand. 

Heizou explained, “I found this. An autopsy of one of his test subjects. It’s written in medical terms.”

“Let me see,” the ranger offered his hand, “I studied medicine too. So I might know a thing or two.”

Heizou nodded and gave the paper to him. Tighnari scanned through the paper while he mumbled away. The ranger’s face turned grim.

“This is…” Tighnari was lost for words, “Is Dottore trying to make his creation immune to silver weapons? Or something?”

“That explains the body in the morgue. It had a bullet on its head.”

“This is ridiculous.” The ranger massaged his forehead as he tried to understand what he had discovered. As for Lumine, her expression was complicated. Mixed with fear and anger.

This was just the beginning, it seemed— Kazuha thought as he glanced at the bodies lying on the ground. 

“There’s also one more thing I found,” Heizou reached his hand into his pouch again and pulled out a yellow piece of paper. Old and probably ancient. Almost… recognizable as the hunter unfolded the paper and revealed a blueprint.

Kazuha’s chest dropped— Where… Where did he find that?

“I don’t understand the text, but it seemed like old Inazuman language,” Lumine frowned as she stared at the paper. It wasn’t long before she noticed Kazuha’s expression, “What’s wrong, Kazuha?”

The hunter turned to the vampire and Kazuha froze in place.

“What’s with that look, Kaedehara?” Heizou glanced at the paper and then to him. He asked, “Do you know what this is?”

Kazuha was lost for words. How should he explain to them?

“Kaedehara.”

Kazuha swallowed, “It may be a piece of a print that belongs… to the Kaedehara clan.”

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Liyue - Harbour - Noon ]

Seven days in the sea, seven nights of no casualties— and by casualties, the hunter meant no vampire business. As Heizou stood outside by the deck at noon, he monitored the vampire from a distance. His ruby eyes always avert away whenever the hunter looks at him. There are times where Heizou would catch him looking restless— fingers fidgeting, eyes darted and mouth biting by the lower lip. Heizou was skeptical of his behavior, yet there was no signs of Kazuha intending to harm someone on board. During the night, the vampire perched himself at the top of the crow’s nest, and during the day, he hid himself away in one corner of the ship from everyone. 

What is he up to? Heizou questioned while his viridian eyes still followed the vampire’s lingering movements. There wasn’t much he could deduce as to what the vampire was doing before his thoughts were disregarded when the boat finally arrived at Liyue Harbor.

His partner, Lumine, quickly emerged from the cabins, bringing their traveling bags with them. He watched her wave at Kazuha’s direction the moment she spotted him. Casually, the vampire joined them, slowly leaving his small corner before getting off the ship together. As Lumine and Kazuha chatted away by the dock, Heizou continued to observe the vampire, to the point his brows were obviously furrowing intensely.

He can’t read him.
He can’t read Kaedehara Kazuha.

And it annoys him.

What was frustrating was the fact that he had the guts to follow them to Liyue, where the Hunters Association is established. Moreover, how convenient was it to easily fool the Captain of the Crux that they’re bringing along a vampire with them? Or maybe, Captain Beidou knew what was going on and decided not to say a word about it. Either way, Heizou wasn’t happy about this whole arrangement. 

[ Sumeru - Avidya Forest - Before Dawn ]

1 week ago.

.

.

.

“It may be a piece of print that belongs to the… Kaedehara Clan.”

Heizou stared at him in silence while trying to spot any lies in his eyes. Yet, there was none. His answer threw him off to a certain degree, to the point he wasn’t sure what to think of it. But one question kept circulating into his mind as he glanced down at the paper— Why was this in Dottore’s lab in the first place?

Kazuha took a step closer to him, an expression displaying a cautious one, and spoke, “I’d kindly ask if I could have it, Shikanoin.”

But as the vampire tried to reach out for the paper, Heizou quickly pulled away. His abrupt reaction made Kazuha apprehensive, and began his attempt in snatching the paper from his hand. Heizou tried dodging him, and even slapped his hands away when it got too close. It became so ridiculous to the point Lumine had to step in and intervene. 

“Would you two stop?!” The huntress raised her voice as she stood between them and both of them halted.

Kazuha shot a glare while Heizou shot back. The hunter questioned him afterwards, “Why does Dottore have this? What is the real reason he wanted to get rid of you?”

Kazuha simply reiterated what he already told him, “As I said, he has many reasons to kill me.”

His answers became more unsatisfying for Heizou to accept. So, he clicked his tongue and spat at him, “So, you’re saying you have no idea? Is that it? Or are you hiding something?” 

The vampire immediately turned silent, and Heizou quickly exasperated.

“Unbelievable.”

“I can say for certainty that I was true to my words,” Kazuha emphasized, reminding him of their deal back at Caravan Ribat. “Due to my presence, the Doctor decided to appear before us, and I served my purpose as bait. So there should be no room for doubt.”

Even so— Dottore got away. And it was something that he wouldn’t forgive himself.

Lumine saw the frustration in Heizou’s face and glanced at Kazuha. Her golden eyes were searching for the right words to speak, before she turned her attention back to him.

She came to him and whispered softly. “Heizou, just give it to him…”

The hunter sighed and quickly denied, “I’d rather give this to Hu. At least she knows a lot more than him.” 

“Who?”

All three of them turned their heads to Tighnari, realizing that the ranger had been standing there and observing them the whole time.  

“Sorry, I wasn’t sure when to speak up since you two were busy… squabbling.” Tighnari cleared his throat and stated, “As far as things went, we managed to locate Dottore’s lab and the Doctor decided to crash the party in the middle of everything.” 

No doubt about that , Heizou thought.

“If I have any say to this… and as much as I don’t like admitting it—” Tighnari took a quick glance at Kazuha before his attention was fully on Heizou, “...the vampire was useful. He seems to be telling the truth.” 

And, this was where the hunter was outnumbered. Great.

Lumine sighed in relief before speaking up, “I’m on the same boat with Tighnari. We should at least give this back to him as thank you.”

The hunter wasn’t going to let this go so easily. His focus quickly averted to Kazuha and the vampire quickly tensed up as their eyes met. Heizou’s sharp gaze stayed on the other’s unreadable expression for quite a while, before he finally opened his mouth, “The least you could tell us is what this print is about, Kaedehara.” 

Kazuha took his time to think before he responded to him, “My clan were blacksmiths. And that paper may be one of the weapons we forge to the shogunate during my time.” He paused for a while and ended, “That is all.”

Silence took over. A lull between them. Quiet gazes were subtly exchanged amongst them. Heizou could have pushed more, pin him down and forced him to speak up if he were an impatient person. But he wasn’t. He knows this bloodsucker would fight to keep his mouth shut and Heizou wasn’t the type to waste his energy if things were not going his way.

And after contemplating long and hard, the hunter gave in. Heizou simply walked up to him and handed the paper. Kazuha gingerly took it from him before Heizou returned to Lumine’s side.

Kazuha softly exhaled. The last thing he wanted to face was another conflict between him and the hunter— there are some things that should be kept to himself, he thought. 

The vampire quickly took a look at the paper and deciphered the content. And true enough, it was a weapon forgery print that belonged to his clan. Kazuha truly thought it was lost and buried away centuries ago. How did Dottore get a hold of this? 

“I still think we should give it to Hu.”

Kazuha’s ears caught the murmurs of the hunters before he slightly turned his head to observe Heizou and Lumine. Their conversation piqued his curiosity due to being the second time that Heizou mentioned the name. ‘Hu’ is the name. Who are they? He wondered. But the vampire wasn’t able to ask when Lumine dismissed her partner.

“Is there anything else we could do, Tighnari?” The huntress asked the ranger.

But Tighnari shook his head, “None. The hunters in Sumeru will take it from here. We’ll investigate the lab thoroughly before we bomb the place.” 

Bomb…? 

Kazuha was surprised by such an extreme method, but he quickly retracted the thought. It was probably the best for them, due to how unknown and mysterious the current situation is— Dottore and his atrocious experiments can never be taken lightly.  

“Besides that, I’d like to thank you for your assistance. We probably wouldn’t be able to get this far without your help.” Tighnari then turned to Heizou, “If there is anything I can offer in return, just let me know.” 

The feeling of relief bathed onto the vampire, before regret and uncertainty creeped in. At this point, where should he go? To Kazuha, it seemed as though he was led to another dead end— with Dottore escaping the lab and leaving hardly any traces of evidence of his next plan, there was no lead for him to go. 

The vampire sighed softly. There was no point for him staying here any longer, now that his deal with them was over. A moment of separation and farewell it would seem.

Until Heizou spoke up. 

“Actually, there is one,” the hunter observed the area around them until his eyes landed onto one of the mutant bodies nearby. He pointed, “I want one of them to be sent to Liyue, by the address of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Director Hu Tao.”

There it is again. 

That name.

“Is that the person you just mentioned?” Tighnari asked.

Lumine decided to join in and answer him proudly, “You could say she is a friend of ours. She is a very resourceful and knowledgeable businesswoman who is affiliated with the Qixing. So, whenever we find ourselves at a dead end, we seek her help. That was how we ended up here in Sumeru, if not for her.”

The ranger nodded, “I see. But what does that have to do with bringing a body to her?”

“She is also a coroner. A meticulous one, in fact,” Heizou explained to him, “She opens up bodies, examines them and manages to discover any unusual findings. It’s important if we deliver the creature to her.” 

Tighnari hummed in awe, “What an interesting individual. I did hear about the Qixing having an external expert working alongside them.” He then nodded, agreeing to their request, “Very well. It’s not a problem then.”

“What about the rest of the bodies?” Lumine pointed at the other dead radicals on the ground, “Shouldn’t we… clean them up and bury them somewhere?”

There was a tint of melancholy in the ranger’s eyes that Kazuha managed to catch. Afterwards, his eyes averted back to a hardened, uncompassionate gaze. “We can but… They’re not like normal vampires. By morning, these creatures will slowly become hardened like charred wood and decompose when its body starts to break. That’s all.”

It was new knowledge to everyone present, even for Kazuha. Such an unfortunate fate. Even if these creatures were mindless, they were once normal vampires— No, they were once humans before they were vampires. 

That being said… It was a cruel ending, yet a merciful departure. 

“Speaking of which, the sun will rise soon. So, I’ll start cleaning up.” Tighnari ducked his head and proceeded to deal with one of the bodies of the mutant, bringing it to the old abandoned shack as a storage place— leaving the others to their own business. 

“Now it's a matter of him .”

Kazuha caught Heizou’s words as he spoke to Lumine, and the vampire knew they were talking about him. The huntress ducked her head and remained silent— as evident that it was time for the vampire to leave, before the hunter changed his mind. 

But what made him stay longer was unknown to him. He felt his body in a state of reluctance to walk away. Did he grow attached to them? Or did their skills and efficiency have managed to progress the search and discovery of Dottore’s motive— Even a vampire like Kazuha himself took longer than it should? Or… is it because of this peculiar business woman whom they kept mentioning? 

The vampire looked down at the paper in his hand and wondered if he could meet this woman. If it was true that she was quite resourceful and knowledgeable, would he take the chance and ask for any sort of aid from them? Would these hunters allow him to follow along for a while? 

Maybe not.

After all… he would be leading himself to the region where vampire hunters are most resided. Is this as far as his ambition and motivation can push him?

“Kazuha.”

The vampire turned his head to meet Lumine's golden eyes. He was surprised by her sudden approach to him, and was more surprised by the question that was asked towards him. Not even Heizou expected those words to come out from her mouth.

“I have… a proposal,” Lumine spoke with determination, “Would you like to come with us? To Liyue? Let’s make… another deal?”

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Noon ]

Present day… 

.

.

.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Lumine frowned as she looked at Heizou, “We did promise to each other that we’ll take responsibility for keeping him alive.”

Heizou immediately remembered their conversation in Sumeru, during their time in Caravan Ribat where she stopped him from killing the vampire and they argued about their own views of the situation. Slowly but surely Heizou begins to regret the decision he has made.

“I didn’t expect we’d bring him along.” He lightly spatted, “Now I am led to believe that he might have compelled you.”

Lumine sighed, “You and I know very well that vampires can’t compel me, nor Kazuha can’t compel others. Even Cyno says so.”

“Why are you even my partner in the first place?”

“Rude.” The huntress pouted, “Look at it this way, Heizou. Kazuha might be a good asset to us since he has ties with Dottore. And he helped you fight those radicals too.” She paused for a moment before continuing, “I just think he needs some time to trust us. After all, you did try to kill him.” 

Heizou snorted, “As it should have been.”

Lumine rolled her eyes at his response. “Once he opens up to us, he’ll be able to share information about what he knows regarding Dottore. If none… we could use him as bait again.”

A plan that Heizou wouldn’t want to agree to, yet he can’t argue against the determination in Lumine’s eyes. Is this truly efficient? Would keeping Kazuha around be beneficial to them? How is she so sure he would cooperate this time? He might have an ulterior motive for all he knows. In fact—

Heizou blurted, “You do know that he can hear you from here, right?”

Lumine immediately froze in place. She snapped her head towards the vampire that stood behind them and immediately remembered Kazuha had been walking with them to the parlor. The vampire simply blinked at her reaction before he smiled, waving his hand a little. A sudden feeling of embarrassment and shame rained on Lumine’s face after Heizou subtly reminded her that vampires have a strong sense of hearing.

“Sorry. I’m just trying to—” Lumine fumbled her words while ducking her head apologetically.

But Kazuha chuckled lightly and shook his head, “It is alright. Your reason is quite sound.”

Heizou was annoyed by how calm he was acting, much less to even feel any sort of delight to be in a place such as Liyue. The vampire would get shot at any time if he were to be recognized as a threat by any other vampire hunters here— Well, maybe not in broad daylight.

“You're really adamant on coming with us, huh?” Heizou spoke to Kazuha with his arms crossed, “Do you have a death wish or something, Kaedahara?” 

Kazuha hummed before he answered him, “Well, I am here because of the person you speak highly of.”

Heizou narrowed his eyes and stared at him for several seconds. As they reached the entrance to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Heizou made a final reminder to the vampire, “I don’t know what business you want with her, but she isn’t the type of person you’d expect.”

With that, the hunter pushed the door of the parlor. It creaked, revealing the familiar lobby and atmosphere he always visits. In front of them was Hu Tao, with her back turned as she sat on the front desk. Both hunters stepped in, leaving the vampire ‘uninvited’.

“We’re back!” Lumine announced their arrival.

Hu Tao quickly spinned and beamed as she heard the huntress’s voice, “Oh! Back so early? And here I thought you two would be away for another wee—”

Her words stopped abruptly. Her blossoming eyes quickly shot forward to the figure by the door. Her gaze was full of intrigue and her body began to move around the desk to get a closer look.

“Hu.” Heizou said, “Someone wants to see you.”

The coroner hummed. She stood right in front of Kazuha by the door, between the line that separated them. She stared at him, long and full of curiosity, before she let out a soft giggle. Her mouth carved a disconcerting smile, “ Oya oya. I didn’t expect for you two to bring me back… a vampire. ”  

Heizou could see how taken aback Kazuha was, with the way the coroner reacted to his presence. Hu Tao was someone who wasn’t normal. Normal to the eyes of ‘normal’ people. Always unexpected, always does her way. Always and always… deranged.

Hu Tao took a step back. Her smile was steady as well as her gaze on him. Her hand offered to him— A welcoming gesture from her. She whispered.

.

.

.

“Come in.”

Heizou snapped. “Are you insane, Hu?”

The coroner burst into laughter, “AHAHAHAHAA!”  

Her voice echoed the room, bouncing onto the walls as it became more and more unsettling. But for Heizou, it made him very annoyed, and Lumine could only watch worriedly of the whole scenario in front of them. 

The laughter kept going.

And going.

And going.

And, it wasn’t long before Hu Tao’s laughter finally dissipated.

The coroner turned to the hunter and flashed her confident smile. She responded to him mockingly, “Am I not?”

Heizou’s nerve was struck— This goddamn woman…

She didn’t wait for him to reply and simply waved her hand towards Kazuha’s direction. The vampire was confused and reluctant at first, yet nonetheless, he brought his foot into the parlor and he entered the building.

It was rather bizarre for Kazuha. He has never been given any permission to enter someone’s home— ever since he was turned. And yet here he was, meeting these hunters and their coroner companion. The interior of the parlor seemed dim and simple. With scrolls and books on one side, and a tea set table on the other side. Cozy but daunting.

Daunting…

There was something eerie about this place, but Kazuha couldn’t determine what it was. His body seemed to feel restless. And it was the same restlessness that he felt during their travels on the Crux Fleet.

“Kaedehara Kazuha, I presume?” 

His attention quickly focused on the coroner, noticing her blossoming eyes sparked as they looked at each other.

She began introducing herself, “The name’s Hu Tao, by the way. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Director. Pleased to meet you.”

Kazuha smiled and bowed his head a little as courtesy.

Hu Tao hummed. “I’m surprised you’re still alive, given that our dear detective has such a reputation. ” She giggled away, ignoring the daggered gaze that was thrown to her by the hunter. 

Kazuha disregarded the remark about Heizou and obediently followed her to the front desk. Hu Tao then hopped over at the opposite side before she turned to him.

She asked, “What business do you have with me, dear vampire?”

Kazuha stared at her for a while, wondering if she was the right person to ask for any sort of help. But he inhaled, ducked his head, before he pulled out the piece of paper that they discovered from the Doctor’s lab. He handed it to her and she quickly examined it. The vampire could hear the murmurs from the hunters as they recognized the said paper, but his attention stayed focused on the peculiar woman in front of him.

“A print. A forging print. ” Hu Tao’s eyes gleamed while her fingers caressed the surface of the paper. “Fascinating. I might have a collection of these.”

The vampire’s eyes widened, “You do?”

“Yes.” She flashed a cheeky smile before she peered closer, leaning over the desk between them, “Are you asking me to restore it? And see if I can piece it together?”

The vampire was stumped for a moment after hearing those words. So many questions, yet Kazuha could only respond, “Yes. If it’s not too much to ask.”

A lull of silence. 

Hu Tao tilted her head slightly, hand on her chin as if she was thinking. 

After a second or two later, she grinned. “What’s in it for me then?”  

The vampire was speechless as he stared at her smile while her eyes flashed a devious gaze at him. 

Hu Tao clarified to him, “Transaction, Kaedehara Kazuha. I’d like… an exchange between the two of us.”

Exchange…?  

It took a moment for Kazuha to understand the meaning behind her request. He does have something that he can exchange, and he would hope that it was enough for her. He couldn’t pass this opportunity, especially when he has trudged into a dangerous place. But as soon as he was about to reach the item in his haori, he froze for a moment. His sensitive ears suddenly caught several unsettling footsteps and his head spun towards the entrance. 

Kazuha blinked, then his eyes narrowed. He announced, “Someone’s coming.”

Heizou and Lumine shot a glance at each other before the hunter walked up to the entrance door of the parlor. He took a peak as he opened the door slightly, and saw the familiar yet eye-sore purple hair walking towards his direction.

Heizou couldn’t help but chuckled darkly. “Yuheng.” 

Upon hearing his words, Lumine immediately gasped. The huntress frantically grabbed the vampire’s arm and dragged him around the room, finding a spot for him to hide. Heizou simply watched them at the corner, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. Without a care in the world, he wasn’t helping them at all— It was ridiculous for him  

Hu Tao immediately laughed upon their silliness and decided to step in, pointing to the direction of the underground room. The huntress’s face lit up.

“Kazuha! In here!” 

Lumine didn’t wait for the vampire to respond before opening the door and shoving him inside. She then quickly took her position by the tea table and pretended to check her traveling bag.

Right on cue, the door opened. The Yuheng entered.

.

.

.

“Ah, you two returned early.” Keqing greeted them as she scanned through the room— subtly.  

Heizou knew she wasn’t here to see them. He could make out the small revolver by her leg straps that were inches away from reaching down. 

“Are you here for business, dear Keqing?” Hu Tao was the one who broke the silence between them. Her voice was rather dull, as if she wasn’t too keen on having her presence here.

The Yuheng answered her, “No, I’m just here to see the hunters and get an immediate report.”

As soon as Heizou heard that, he replied, “If you want a report, probably wait for another day or two to get a full, complete one. Someone from Sumeru will be sending a body for a thorough investigation.”

At the corner of his eyes, he could see Hu Tao’s blossoming ones lit up. But on the other hand, the Yuheng didn’t seem to be interested in it at all. Her attention was still lingering around the room, as if she was looking for something— And Heizou knew what she was looking for.

“We just got back, Yuheng.” Lumine decided to speak up and steadied her gaze onto Keqing. She continued, “It has been a long journey from Sumeru. But we’ll make sure to share the information of our mission to you soon.”

Keqing stared at her for a few seconds before turning to Heizou. Her eyes kept searching, an answer or a lie in his viridian ones. But there was none. Or at least, nothing that Heizou can say or hide from her. 

She murmured to him, “The Qixing has eyes and ears. I hope you are aware of it, Shikanoin.”

Heizou was quiet for a while before he scoffed, “I hope you’re also aware… of the sort of hunter I am, Yuheng.”

Keqing averted her gaze away from him and stared at the ground as if she was thinking. After another moment of silence, she sighed, “Well, it is good to see you two returned safely. I’ll take my leave.”

With that, she simply exits the parlor. 

The hunter huffed, before turning to the others, “She knows.”

Kazuha told himself that this place was daunting and eerie. But he never thought that he would feel the presence of death . Though, it is after all, a parlor. 

He thought about waiting by the door once the danger was gone, but the restlessness in his body made him decide to explore the underground room instead. As his feet guided him through the several doors available, he found himself entering one that had a small dim light presence.

He scanned the room before recognizing several jars of organs by the shelves, tools and kits on the counter, and other utensils as well as files on one corner. This place… is seemingly similar to Dottore’s lab, but more cleaned and organized.

Kazuha’s curious ruby reds landed onto a covered cloth specimen by the counter. His nose began to wrinkle and his hands fidgeted. His body moved involuntarily, taking a spot in front of it and placing down his sword to the side. He stared down, eyes like a hungry predator and mouth watered. 

What is this need…?  

His attention couldn’t stray away from the object in front of him. The whispers and unspoken voices in his mind pushed him to reach out. Reach in. Take it. Have it. And—-

“Found something interesting?”

Kazuha jolted. He turned his head to see Hu Tao entering the room. She flashed a friendly smile before she went behind the counter. She then takes the specimen away and stores it by the shelves, into a cooling box. Kazuha glanced by the door, waited for the others to enter but no one showed their faces.

Hu Tao giggled softly. “Our dear friends went back to their home upstairs, to place their bags and unwind a bit. They will come back shortly. I was the one that dismissed them just so we could talk about our business more… privately. ”

The vampire simply nodded. Although he wasn’t sure he would consider one of them as a ‘friend’, he did not deny the lady of the parlor words. 

“I hope this is enough.” Kazuha said as he reached a small bag into his haori and placed it on the surface of the counter.

Hu Tao tilted her head before she took it into her hands and examined the content. Her expression seemed unimpressed but was not disappointed. She nodded, “Mora. Enough mora.”

Kazuha observed Hu Tao as she began to put aside the small bag, and went through the boxes under the counter. Rustles and bumps were heard from where the vampire stood as he waited patiently. Not long after, the coroner placed several scrolls and prints on top of the table. She stood up, flashed a cheeky smile before pulling out the print that Kazuha gave to her.

Hu Tao’s fingers twiddled above the displayed papers before she picked one up of her choice. She unfolded her stash and slowly brought together the two papers. It was then Kazuha’s eyes slowly widened as he witnessed the print in front of him was a silver sword forgery blueprint. 

A silver sword….

One that could kill a vampire.

“Interesting.” Hu Tao chuckled ominously. Her head turned to him crookedly, “You’re quite an interesting individual, Kaedehara Kazuha.” 

Kazuha swallowed as her blossoming eyes seemed to be piercing through his soul, as if all that he had kept hidden was being displayed for her to see.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” She reassured him as she placed down the prints and shuffled together with the rest, “Although carrying around a silver sword with you will eventually make others question your… origin. ”

Kazuha merely stayed quiet while his eyes glued onto the papers. But the room began to feel heavy as Hu Tao kept staring at him. The coroner hummed at his passiveness, in a very delighted tone. 

Hu Tao stated, “There are still some missing pieces of it. So, I’ll be keeping the print then. It’ll be safer here. Come back in a week or so after I restore its condition.”

Kazuha wasn’t expecting such an arrangement, and tried to turn her down.

“But—”

The vampire halted. Mouth choked. His nostrils gradually caught the scent of a familiarly sweet and dangerous smell. His eyes peeled away from the coroner’s face and traveled down to her hand. 

A cut. 

A somewhat small cut by her finger— with a slight visible red liquid leaking.

Blood.

 “Papercut.” Hu Tao frowned at her finger, “How careless of me.” 

Kazuha held his breath while his body fidgeted. The smell of blood— that small amount of blood which gave a strong, enticing smell made his whole being turned restless. His eyes began to dart, back and forth. The cut, the organs, the specimen that was tucked in the cooling box… Everything in this room heightened his senses. Almost unbearable for him. 

His mouth quivered. His composure began to slowly be stripped, little by little. What is this desire? The sudden need to satiate… his hunger.

He needs to get out of here.

He needs to find blood to feed.

Blood.

“Very well.” Kazuha’s words trembled a little, trying to ground himself from his suddenly fleeting self-control, “I’ll take my leave for now. Farewell, Ms. Hu.”

“Oya?” The coroner blinked confusedly at his sudden change in behavior.

Without giving a chance for Hu Tao to respond, the vampire retreated himself and hastily exited the underground room.

As Heizou and Lumine were walking their way back to the Parlor, they saw Kazuha leaving the place in a hurry. Heizou caught the vampire glancing in his way before he ignored him and disappeared into the busy crowd of Liyue streets.

Lumine asked curiously, “Didn’t Hu Tao say that she had business with him? Are they done already?”

Lumine words made Heizou alarmed. With the way Kazuha fled the parlor made the hunter think of the worst case scenario. Heizou briskly walked up to the parlor entrance, and as he was about to open the door, Hu Tao came out. The feeling of relief flooded his whole being as he saw her usual chipper self and his tense shoulders quickly slumped.

“Oya.” Hu Tao beamed at the sight of the hunters, “You looked like you saw a ghost, detective.”

Heizou didn’t answer her and simply massaged his forehead. As much as he hated to admit it, but he might have overreacted. On the other hand, Lumine doesn’t seem to be worried at the slightest nor had any clue as to why Heizou looked a little panicked a moment ago. 

“Do you know where Kazuha is going, Hu Tao?” Lumine asked the coroner.

“I don’t know. He even left his sword too.” She tilted her head kitty-like while she placed a finger on her chin. Hu Tao added, flashing a devious grin. “Wherever he is going, I hope he doesn’t get… shot down.”

She laughed, while the two hunters glanced at each other as they sighed at her eccentricity. Heizou then noticed the bandage on Hu Tao’s finger, and his eyes narrowed in skepticism. His thoughts raced for a moment as he recalled Kazuha's behavior these past few days. It was hard to ignore but… something was definitely up about that vampire.

“Oh, don’t just stand there. Come in!” Hu Tao waved at them before she grinned. “We have much to discuss. Tell me all about your mission in Sumeru.”

 [ Liyue - Wanwen Restaurant - Afternoon ]

It’s been two days. 

Heizou initially thought about staying at home and worked on the clues they have now. But Lumine decided to drag him out of his room by helping her and Xiangling at Wanwen Restaurant for the whole day. As much as he feels reluctant to be there, he can’t say no or refuse them since Xiangling and her father had been very kind to them ever since they moved to Liyue.

Just as he finished sending the dishes to a table, he was immediately called by Xiangling and was told to go to the back of the restaurant. He noticed Lumine wasn’t in the kitchen either as he passed through. It was then he saw her there with a familiar yet unexpected visitor— Yuheng.

“I’ll be quick.” Keqing said as she glanced over to Heizou’s direction before turning her full attention to Lumine, “There had been reports about a wild… animal running loose in the hunting grounds by the mountains. I’d like you to investigate since you are an experienced bounty hunter, Lumine.”

“And why am I here?” Heizou crossed his arms, unamused by such a sudden request.

“I’d like you to go with her in case… it is not an animal.” The Yuheng looked at him and her eyes turned daggers as if she was challenging him. She added, in the most invigorating way, “You said it yourself yesterday, Shikanoin. You are that type of hunter. If you see that a certain creature is dangerous, you know what to do, yes?” 

Heizou narrowed his eyes, his chest boiled like a cooking pot— Is she… mocking him?

As much as he wanted to say a thing or two to her, he was aware that they’re in a place where he can’t afford to make a commotion— And Keqing knows it. The Yuheng huffed and quickly disregarded his apprehensive expression before she ducked her head to Lumine. With no more words to exchange, the Yuheng left the restaurant.

[ Liyue - Mountains - Before Dusk ]

Ever since Keqing visited them, Heizou noticed how quiet Lumine was. It didn’t take for his intuition to know what was up . He already has his guns and knives strapped on his legs while Lumine has her rifle with her. They also brought along a large bag in case they needed to carry something and have it disposed of easily.

Heizou sighed a little. How troublesome is this whole situation?

“I know what you’re going to say.” Lumine finally breaks her silence. “And I get it. I… didn’t want to believe it at first but seeing how he didn’t come back the next morning…”

The huntress was lost for words after that. Heizou could merely stay quiet and continued to move forward. Even though he and Lumine have their differences in views, he can only trust that his partner knows what’s best for them— He hoped so.

As they followed along the pathway passed Bubu Pharmacy and into the mountains, Heizou stopped in front of a ruined cave in which he spotted a dead ferret on the ground as well as a trail of blood leading into the said cave. Both of them stood quietly while staring at a distance. Lumine then decided to take a step forward.  

“I should go.” The huntress volunteered as she pulled out a large silver bullet from her bag. “I was the one that convinced you to keep him alive, after all. So…”

Heizou softly huffed. “I’ll do it.”

Lumine blinked, bewildered by his decision. She tried to refuse, “Heizou. It’s not like I never killed—”

“I’ll do it, Lumine.” He repeated, in a stern voice. “The Yuheng specifically asked me to carry the task— So, I’ll do it. ” 

Heizou pulled out his gun from the straps and checked the number of bullets in the magazine. He took a mental note of the content before he proceeded to walk in and follow the blood trail, leaving Lumine at the entrance.

“Best of luck…”

His hands trembled uncontrollably while his chest pounded like a jackhammer. His breathing becomes uneven while the blood on his mouth drips inattentively. Kazuha had tried feeding himself since yesterday but— by the amount of small animals laid dead around him, he was unsatiated and unsatisfied. He couldn’t bear to go back to the harbor, with how unpredictable and unknown he had become. He might hurt someone along the way if he does return. What can he really do to help himself at this point?

Kazuha chuckled pitifully as he kneeled on the ground, contemplating. He never wanted to be a vampire in the first place, yet even after centuries of being one… he never fully grasped the nature of what he is. It was a shame… Would death be better for him after all?

Rustle.

Kazuha’s eyes and ears perked. The sound of footsteps— the heavy boots that walked onto this soil… he recognized it. Soon, a voice spoke.

“You look pathetic.”

Kazuha slowly turned his head. His tired ruby eyes met his viridian gaze. Heizou stood at a distance with a gun in hand— Ah… The hunter is here.

“Stay back…” Kazuha stammered as he tried to pick himself up, only to fall back on the ground as he was startled by a knife thrown to his side. 

“Get a grip.” Heizou scowled and slowly approached him, “You think I can’t handle a vampire like you?”

“I said… stay back— ” 

Kazuha suddenly choked as his sense of smell was invaded by a familiar sweet scent. His body immediately shook and his eyes darted. He snapped his head towards the smell and saw Heizou poking the tip of his finger with a knife. Through his black gloves, his blood slowly oozes out and the crimson liquid travels down to the blade.

The vampire’s mind went blank and his body quickly began to move on its own. He dashed forward and attempted to lunge on the hunter, but his erratic and careless movements made it easier for Heizou to act faster. The hunter dodged, taking a step at the side while Kazuha stumbled his feet before Heizou used the knife in his hand and stabbed his back. 

“Gah!”  Kazuha yelped.

A foot pushed him and had him stumble to the ground once again. The vampire coughed violently. He tried to get up, only to give up after Heizou approached him and retrieved the knife that was stuck on him.

“Can’t even fight back, huh?”

Frustration grew inside of him as Kazuha tried to gain control of his body. Why is the hunter doing this? Why didn’t he just end him right here and now? Is he… humiliating him? Toying and torturing him? Would Heizou be the type of person to do so?

“Please. Just stop…” Kazuha finds himself begging to him again. Last time it was in Sumeru, and now, for this moment. “Please, I don’t… want to harm anyone…”

Silence began to creep. Kazuha wouldn’t dare to look at him as he tried to focus on gaining control— His sanity. His humanity. Please… for goodness sake!

“Tell me.” Heizou finally spoke, “It was my blood that you’re like this?”

.

.

.

Huh?

The tone of his voice was rather solemn, somewhat regretful. Kazuha couldn’t help but slowly turn his attention to the hunter. In a split second, he saw a glimpse of guilt in his dark viridian eyes and it caught the vampire off guard when that fleeting emotion was overtaken by anger.

“Answer me, vampire!”

His voice echoed throughout the cave, before it died into still quietness. Kazuha stared at him, unsure how to react or reply to him. The vampire wondered if he was merely seeing things since his vision and senses had been rather blurry. 

Nonetheless, Kazuha answered, “It’s not your fault.”

Heizou furrowed.

The vampire continued as he gazed at the ground, “It’s… not your fault, Shikanoin. We had… no other choice.”

Their conversation fell silent once again. Kazuha could only assume the inevitable, yet he finds himself oddly calm in the face of the hunter. Funny. Has he given up? Or rather he felt reassured that he was fated into the hands of this man. This… vampire hunter, who at first, was rather cold and merciless. Rash yet sharp. Ambitious and—    

Kazuha let out a soft chuckle. You are as mysterious as I am of myself, Shikanoin.

As he heard a bullet being clicked into the weapon and the barrel being pressed onto his forehead, Kazuha slowly closed his eyes and submitted himself to the other. 

.

.

.

Bang!

Lumine heard the sound of the gunshot from afar. Her heart dropped and she quickly shut her eyes, turning her back to the cave. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be. No matter how much she tried to make a difference… it doesn’t seem to go in her favor.

The huntress slowly looked up as she heard footsteps coming towards her. A figure emerged from the cave and it was Heizou carrying a body with him— Kazuha’s body. The hunter simply dropped the body in front of her and It immediately caught her off guard. She heard a loud grunt coming from the vampire’s mouth. Regardless of the visible bullet hole on his head, Kazuha’s alive!

“Heizou!”

“Relax.” He rolled his eyes and showed his revolver with seemingly dull-looking bullets in the barrel, “I shot him with a rubber bullet. He’s unconscious.”

Lumine was bewildered by what she heard. Rubber bullets? Didn’t she see Heizou loaded his gun with silvers? No— that was his other gun. The one in his hand was his revolver! So many questions ran through her head but her train of thoughts were cut off when Heizou exasperated.

“Hurry up and bag him up. It’ll be sundown soon. The mountains would be harder to walk once it’s night time.”

Lumine regained her focus and quickly got to work. Fortunately for her, she brought a cloth to wrap Kazuha’s forehead to prevent his blood from bleeding out. She then tied his legs and hands while whispering her apologies to him. Finally, she and Heizou slipped the vampire into the sack. 

“Thank you…” Lumine murmured as she ducked her head to the hunter. 

Heizou scoffed and mumbled, “I didn’t do it out of pity.” 

Not batting an eye on his partner, Heizou quickly scooped the bag into his arms before he carried it onto his shoulder. Slowly, the hunters traveled down to the mountains and returned to Wangshang Funeral Parlor.

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Evening ]

Lumine took a peek by the small window of the door. The other side was Kazuha, laying his back onto the wall, chained in coated silver. He hasn’t woken up ever since they returned, and have yet to after Hu Tao managed to pull out the bullet from his forehead. 

The huntress turned her attention to her two companions. Heizou and Hu Tao kept staring at each other by the counter, with a small tray of the rubber bullet placed in front of them. The underground room where they all gathered felt nothing but heavy tension, especially with Hu Tao’s blossoming eyes that gaze daggers at Heizou’s steady, unreadable expression. The moment they arrived at the parlor, Heizou explained everything— from the time they were at Sumeru, the one that they were cornered by the Doctor, to how it led Kazuha into this condition.

Neither of the girls were very satisfied after what they heard. 

“You mean to tell me… that you force fed him?” Hu Tao remarked while displaying a very displeased smile. Her arms were crossed and her finger tapped impatiently as she continued, “A vampire. Who has been feeding himself animal blood for centuries— now losing control just because he had a taste of human blood? Your blood, Shikanoin Heizou? ”

No response. 

Lumine could only wonder as to why Heizou left certain details about their encounter with Dottore. Was it just so she wouldn’t be worried about him? About them? On the contrary, it was doing the opposite. What happened to doing this together? More importantly… Why did Dottore try to shoot Heizou?

Hu Tao then laughed. Her cackle echoed in the underground room and both hunters stayed quiet until she finished. She exhaled heavily and smiled. “I didn’t agree to this partnership just so you could shoot my clients however you like.”

“He wasn’t your client in the first place.” The hunter retorted.

“He is now .”

The huntress decided to step in and diffuse the tension.

“Hu Tao, the situation back in Sumeru was very dire as Heizou just explained. Whatever went down, the fact that both of them were in danger and Kazuha was literally dying, Heizou did what was best for both of them.” 

Hu Tao hummed for a moment. Her gaze seemed to have softened after Lumine’s convincing argument. She nodded while she clapped her hands, “Very well. Given the circumstances, I suppose if you hadn’t done so, neither Kazuha nor you, would have returned alive.” 

Lumine saw the fleeting glance that the coroner gave her which made her heart sink a little. The thought of losing Heizou and returning to Liyue—- alone . It was a situation that she prayed would never happen. Especially when she only has Heizou on her side…

The coroner added, “It doesn’t change the fact that our dear vampire companion can’t satiate himself anymore. It’s a good thing you didn’t outright kill him. Or else we’ll lose our only lead to Dottore. Good on you, Detective— for doing something different this time around. ” 

Heizou furrowed intensely but didn’t deny her words. It seemed as though whatever he was thinking right now, Lumine could only assume that Heizou saw that gunning down Kazuha wouldn’t lead them anywhere closer to their mission in finding Dottore.

“Anyways, I have a way to make him go back to normal,” Hu Tao slowly raised her hand, and pointed her finger at him, “But you have to take responsibility.” She then showed her palm and smiled deviously, “Your blood, please.”

Lumine was taken aback by the coroner’s request while Heizou seemed to be searching for a reason behind her motive.

Hu Tao clarified and giggled. “All I have to do is mix human blood with animal blood. A simple process. With Little baby steps, Kaedehara Kazuha should regain his control over his desire.” 

The huntress volunteered, “Then, Kazuha can have my blood. It doesn’t have to be Heizou’s, right?”

“No no, Lumine.” Hu Tao tutted her, “I need… hi s. Because Kazuha only drank his, and it should stay that way.”

Lumine bit her lower lip and glanced at Heizou's direction. She really can’t be any useful, can she? No matter how much she tries to take any load off of Heizou, the situation ends up having him to shoulder everything— Just like how she couldn’t do anything for Aether.  

“Fine,” The hunter finally agreed to the arrangement and followed her instructions. 

“Thank you for your cooperation. Here is your complementary juice box.” Hu Tao beamed after she finished taking his blood into a small bag. She put aside her tools and needles before she then slid an orange juice carton onto the counter for him to take. After that, she went off into another room.

Heizou felt a little dizzy after that process and decided to take a seat while he sipped into his drink. Though it took a second for him to notice that Lumine’s unsatisfied gaze was making him feel self-aware. The hunter let out a comical sigh and slowly turned to face his partner.

The huntress began, “Why did you leave out that detail? I thought you were just chased down by Dottore? To know that you were dragging Kazuha to a shack and getting cornered by Radicals…”

Here we go…

Lumine added, “What’s more alarming was that he tried to shoot you.”

“I don’t know what goes on in that Harbinger’s head.” Heizou grumbled in frustration, “For all I know, he might just think I’m some pesky vampire hunter. He seemed more preoccupied in toying with Kaedehara.”

While his answer didn't seem to satisfy the huntress, Lumine ended up accepting his words and simply stated, “Well… at least it solidifies that keeping Kazuha alive is a good thing, since Dottore seemed to hold a grudge on him.”

Heizou rolled his eyes in exasperation. Grudge is an overstatement. If the harbinger wanted him dead, he’d shot him right there and then, without wasting any time playing around. 

The hunter paused. Maybe his initial thought was right though. Maybe what Lumine pointed out was significant. If the Doctor wanted him dead… If Kazuha claimed that Dottore wanted to get rid of him, then why didn’t he do it sooner?

“Aiyah!” Hu Tao popped her head out from the other room and smiled lazily, “Why are you two still here? You should be going back home upstairs! It has been a long day for you. So chop, chop! Off you go!”

“You sure you don’t want us to stay with you, Hu Tao?” Lumine asked worriedly, implying that they were willing to stay for the night and monitor Kazuha for her.

But the coroner shook her head and reassured her, “I can take it from here, dear Lulu. Go on. Goodnight. And see you tomorrow.”

The two hunters glanced at each other and shrugged it off. Lumine was the first to walk to the door before Heizou followed her behind. 

.

.

The moment the door closed behind them, Hu Tao slowly emerged from the other room and smiled knowingly. She held up a vial that contained Heizou’s blood, gazing at it with her intrigued blossoming eyes.

She murmured to herself, “Now that I have his blood. I can take a small sample and run a test with it.” She giggled and then hummed contently, “Let’s see what you really are… Shikanoin Heizou.”

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Midnight ]

Silence.

Only silence.

It’s been a decade. Maybe two, three, that Kazuha had last drifted into unconsciousness, because vampires can’t dream nor sleep. His body felt light and his mind was clear, empty. The momentarily quietness he felt was peaceful yet short lived, before his body slowly surged. 

The vampire sighed. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a familiar yet unfamiliar room. Is this the underground parlor? He looked down and realized he was tied in silver chains. With little movement, he would flinch from the sizzle contact of the metal. He tried to recall how he brought himself here and immediately remembered the event prior to this moment.

That’s right. Heizou shot him while he was losing control of himself. The hunger almost took over him and he became desperate in wanting to satiate himself. He wondered why the hunter didn’t kill him off since he was deemed dangerous at the time?

“Are you awake?”

Hu Tao opened the door to the room and took a step inside. Kazuha could make out the faint blood scent on her. His nose wrinkled a little when the coroner took another step closer.

“I’ve heard what happened.” She slowly crouches down on his level while maintaining distance, “And I’ve decided to rehabilitate you— as in; making sure your hunger is satiated with the concoction I have made for you, dear Kazuha.”

“You are quite confident in your ability, Ms. Coroner.” Kazuha mused her before he added solemnly, “But I doubt I would be able to go back to normal. The life I am living is unpredictable. It tires me to guess what I would do. Even though there are those…. who want me alive for a mission that I was forced to shoulder upon.”

“You also have your own mission?” Hu Tao hummed, seemingly taking into his words carefully. She then gently nodded, “You’re quite… odd for a vampire.”

“How so?”

“It's not uncommon for vampires to feed on animal blood but I have yet to see one with my very own eyes.” She giggled, “I wonder, do you have a guilty conscience?”

Kazuha wasn’t sure how to answer her, so he simply replied, “Maybe?”

The coroner grinned, “Guilt is a strong emotional drive for humans. Most vampires abandoned their human emotions yet you tried to hold onto it as much as possible. It’s impressive that you managed to for who knows how long, hm?” She then slowly pulled out a small, oval-like solid jelly and held it up, “Unlike a certain hunter, whose desire is to abandon those feelings. Although, surprisingly just now, he—”

Hu Tao’s words fell abruptly and her face began to contemplate. Her pause piqued Kazuha’s curiosity and wondered— What was she going to say about Heizou? The vampire blinked at her unreadable expression as she kept staring at the item in hand. She then turned her attention back to Kazuha.

“We are all walking on the same path, dear Kazuha. You are in good hands.” She murmured, “All you need to do is believe in the process. Will you take it?”

Kazuha thought for a moment. The smell of the food item she held was enticing yet it did not give off the same intensity as the time when he sought to satisfy his hunger. Kazuha wasn’t foolish, so he questioned— whose blood did she take?

“If you take this… then maybe you’ll be able to move forward. Even more than you already have.  And maybe, you’ll be able to see the real reason behind the mission that was laid onto you— I know that I’m curious about it. After all, I wouldn’t have accepted doing business with you in the first place. What do you say?”

That’s right. There was a matter of the print. There are still mysteries that he himself does not know and has to find out. And the only people who might be able to unearth these questions, are those who are standing before him, the ones who brought him here. 

These hunters… are ambitious. Was that what Hu Tao meant when she said that ‘they’ are walking onto the same path? Heizou and Lumine…

Shikanoin Heizou. Kazuha has yet to understand the gaze that he caught before the hunter buried the bullet in him— Guilt. Why did he see… guilt?

“Do I have a choice?” Kazuha murmured his response after much contemplation. 

Hu Tao giggled again before she closed the distance between them and loosen the chains on him. Kazuha blinked confusedly at her action before he stared at the food item that she gently showed towards him. 

“You do,” she whispered. “You do have a choice.” 

Kazuha slowly shut his eyes as he felt the tightening in his chest. He repeated the words he never thought he would hear— he has a choice. Does he truly?  

“I will… believe in the process.” The vampire nodded after opening his eyes. He ducked his head, “Please take care of me, Ms. Hu.”

“Very well.” Hu Tao chuckled amusingly at his decision and gingerly took his hand before placing the red jelly into his palm. 

Kazuha brought the item closer to his face and stared at it for a short moment. With a small pinch above his mouth, the item popped.

Pop.

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Inn - Morning ]

It has been a week since they have returned to Liyue. A week of no progress in tracking down Dottore. Heizou stayed in his room, head buzzing with so many questions that he, himself, hadn’t slept the whole night. He stared at his large board that was filled with pictures, evidence and pins tied together for him to observe. Annoyance slowly displayed on his face— He had hit another dead end, he thought. Even though new evidence has been found, there were more mysteries being added than questions being answered. 

Heizou grew frustrated as he kept thinking about it. He sat at the edge of his study table, gritting his teeth and murmured to himself, “The shipment of the body hasn’t arrived yet. And Yelan hasn’t come back from her mission in the Chasm. I’m not moving anywhere at this point.”

Another day will pass, another moment is going to be wasted. And Dottore will soon find his way to create more tragedies in Teyvat. The more Heizou pondered the possibility, the more his blood boiled— Just you wait. I’ll put an end to you, Dottore.

The hunter exhaled heavily, pushing himself upward and deciding to take a breather outside. He walked up to his door and opened it. As soon as he looked up, his dark viridian eyes twitched in alarm. From where he stood, he stared at the figure that was none other than Kaedehara Kazuha. In the flesh. In front of him— IN HIS GODDAMN HOUSE.

“Umm…” Kazuha blinked dumbfoundedly. The vampire was surprised and awkward as he was, all the while there were no words exchanged between them. Kazuha then decided to greet him out of courtesy, “Good mornin—”

Instead of waiting for the vampire to finish, Heizou retreated and closed the door behind him. He then returns, barged out of his room and flings a knife at an accurate precision.

Woosh!

With sharp reflexes, Kazuha immediately caught the blade with his two fingers, almost inches away from striking his head. The vampire instantaneously dropped the knife when the coated silver began to sizzle against his skin. 

Thud.

A moment of silence. A comical quietness between the two, and Heizou’s breathing became more and more heavy. He was obviously invigorated— Who… WHO LET HIM IN?

“Heizou!?” Lumine was shocked after she walked into the living room from the kitchen.

The hunter quickly snapped his head towards her and glared annoyingly, “Who invited him into our house? Was it you!?”

The huntress was surprised as he was. She darted her eyes back and forth between Heizou and Kazuha while trying to comprehend the situation. She was baffled, yet she quickly refuted, “No! It wasn’t me! It was—”

“It was me”

Hu Tao took a step into the house and peaked around the corridor. She grinned mischievously at her puzzled companions before she quickly joined them in the living room. 

“Good morning, my lovely clients!” Hu Tao beamed before she glanced at Heizou, giggling at his face, “You look grumpy as always, dear detective. Did you sleep on the wrong side of the bed, hm?”

Heizou furrowed at her knowing gaze before he spoke up, “Hu. Why and how did you invite him into our house?!”

And then it finally dawned on him— She is the landlady. Of course she’s able to let the vampire in!

“Oh, you got your answer already.” Hu Tao let out a short laugh after she watched his expression change in a second. She then turned her attention to the rest, “I invited him in because he doesn’t pose a threat to us. Not anymore. At least, to some of us.”

Hu Tao glanced at Heizou once more and the hunter squinted in comical skepticism. Very unconvincing words from the lady of the parlor, he dared say. And Heizou is not having it.

The hunter turned to his partner and blurted, “We’re moving out.”

Lumine immediately exasperated at his spontaneous suggestion and placed her hand onto her forehead, “No. We’re not moving out.” 

“Then, we get a locksmith.”

“No, we don’t need more locks! Stop being dramatic, Heizou!” 

Him?!

Dramatic?

Is she serious right now?

Apparently, she was. She immediately disregarded him and turned to the vampire, smiling as if everything was all hunky dory, “How are you feeling, Kazuha?”

“I am alright, dear huntress. Thank you for your concern.” The vampire ducked his head to her, “I apologize if I’m intruding into your humble abode. Ms. Hu insisted that I should… rejoin everyone here.”

Kazuha made a quick glance at the hunter and Heizou was already rolling his eyes.

“Safe your breath.” He scowled, “You’re lucky you’re still standing here just because you have things worth keeping you alive, Kaedehara.” Heizou took a step forward and glared at him, “I will still have my eyes on you. Do anything funny and I won’t hesitate to stab you.”

“You jest me, Shikanoin.” Kazuha let out a short laugh before he smiled unenthusiastically at him, “I am led to believe that you are fond of me. Given that you didn’t outright… end me. ”

IS HE FOR REAL RIGHT NOW?

Heizou snapped and reached down to his strapped knives, only for Lumine to swiftly catch his hand and stop him from flinging the blade across the room.

“No knives in the house!” Lumine scolded him in frustration. 

Heizou looked at her apprehensively and bantered, “Would the knives in the kitchen be any exception?”

“I'd like to see you toss one to me,” Kazuha chuckled.

Lumine immediately turned to the vampire with a scandalous look on her face and scolded him too, “Don’t encourage him, Kazuha!”

Heizou couldn’t help but let out a snort of amusement, before all of them turned towards Hu Tao as she clapped her hands at their silly exchange. 

“Oh! How fun seeing all of you getting along!” She commented delightfully before her beaming demeanor then changed into a morbidly exciting one, “Anyways, the very purpose of me gathering everyone here is to inform you that the evidence— the body from Sumeru, is going through the Qixing’s custom. It’ll be here in an hour or two.” She grinned widely, “I am looking forward to what body I will cut open.”

As unsettling as that sounded from the coroner, the feeling of relief slowly washed down onto Heizou after he heard the news. One more day of stalling and the hunter will grow more restless— things are finally moving again, he thought.

“In the meantime, I’d like to have a lovely breakfast,” Hu Tao requested as she looked at Lumine. She bowed her head a little, “I hope it’s not too much trouble for you, Lulu?”

“Not at all.” Lumine smiled before turning to Heizou and tugging at his sleeve, “Come and help me make breakfast.”

Heizou merely let out a sigh and followed her to the kitchen, only for his feet to stop as the huntress turned to him and put up her index finger. 

With a straight face, she warned him, “And stay away from the knives, please.”

He grunted. Party pooper.

[ Liyue - Wansheng Funeral Parlor - Late Morning ]

As Hu Tao mentioned, the body arrived by the lobby of the parlor. It was placed in a crate, so that ordinary people wouldn’t find it suspicious. The coroner requested Heizou and Kazuha to help her carry the said crate. The hunter didn’t complain much and simply did as he was told. The vampire followed him along, and both of them proceeded to carry it to the underground room. 

Lumine closed the door behind them while the rest was being assembled for Hu Tao to do what she does best—- dissecting. She puts on her gloves as well as a mask. She then slowly removes the covers that preserved the body. Her eyes lit up.

"Oya, oya?" Hu Tao hummed her catchphrase. 

She examined the mutant that was laid in front of her. Lumine and Heizou stood at the opposite side of the examining table while Kazuha stood at a distance further from them, away from all the amount of silver utensils and tools that were set at the side.

Hu Tao commented, "I never expected to see such a fascinating body. You and your vampire friend did quite a number on it." She giggled in excitement as she glanced at Heizou.

Heizou rolled his eyes and dismissed Hu Tao from calling Kazuha his vampire friend . He then witnessed as the coroner sliced open the body with a scalpel. Bit by bit, layer after layer, the body slowly opens up, revealing the mysteries within. Immediately, a pungent smell invaded the whole room. 

Lumine's face contorted and quickly covered her mouth while Heizou steadied his expression, unfazed by the foreign smell.

"Hmm. I see…" Hu Tao's expression was complicated to read, but Heizou could tell by the look in her eyes that she was taken aback by what she had discovered. She announced, "It seemed like our specimen is… human. "

The atmosphere of the room quickly turned heavy. Both Lumine and Kazuha had a bewildered expression on their faces while Heizou was full of doubt. 

"You.. you can't be serious?" Lumine was in disbelief and turned her attention to Heizou, "This whole time… we were killing… humans?"

"Don't give me that look.” The hunter scratched the side of his hair in frustration, “I doubt they were humans anymore. Given how mindlessly vicious they were." 

Lumine bit her lips. He could see how anxious she looked before she decided to ask for opinions from the vampire, “Kazuha, what do you make of this?”

Kazuha had the same unsure expression as the rest of them. He answered her, "They were nothing like humans when we fought them. Nor are they any common vampires I've seen. Rest assured, ending them seems more merciful than… whatever they have become."

“I see."

Everyone's attention reverted back to Hu Tao as she nodded in acknowledgement.  

Her face turned intrigued. She deduced, "Then, it would seem as though there is a possibility that this body is a vampire's body but died and turned back as a human. Or at least… what has become of its heart now."

The heart… It's deflated and black. As if nothing was pumping it, nor was there any… content inside of it. It’s just hollow and empty. No wonder the heart can’t be killed— it already died long ago.

Questions and uncertainty began to loom even more. What was the purpose for Dottore to even experiment on these people? On his own kind nonetheless? He then suddenly remembered the missing posters he saw at Port Ormos and it correlates to the kidnapping that Kazuha mentioned at the time.

Heizou surmised, “Dottore kidnapped whoever he saw fit and experimented on them, albeit humans or vampires. As a result, he created a monster that can’t be killed through the heart. And when it dies… it turns back into a human.”

“This is… twisted.” Lumine murmured in disgust.

Hu Tao hummed and decided to further her examination. She began poking around the body, cutting parts of the limps as well as taking a mental note of its condition. Her giddy expression gradually turned dark and solemn. 

She explained further, "Its body is hardened. Turned black like charcoal, and teeth like hounds. React like a vampire when silver is touched. But dies and returns to a soft, gooey human." She giggled ominously before she sighed in dissatisfaction, "Whoever subjected these poor things into a stale state between life and death is quite… the abomination. " 

All the more reason why Dottore should be hunted down and be killed, Heizou thought. 

In the midst of their momentary contemplation, Kazuha decided to speak up.

“With such information laid upon us, it is quite worrying and troublesome that these creatures are difficult to kill.”

Heizou sighed heavily as he immediately remembered the events that went down in Sumeru. As he hated to agree with the vampire, he admitted, "It took two to three shots to the head for them to stay dead. And it was the very reason why we got cornered in the first place."

"Oh?" Hu Tao's expression turned back to her usual smiling self.

Heizou then added, "The Qixing did warn us that these Radicals were hard to deal with. Didn't expect for them to waste my bullets."

Hu Tao let out a short laugh, "Why, of course, detective. As experienced as you are, you need more than just bullets." With that, the coroner took a round object under the counter and tossed it in Heizou's direction.

The hunter caught the object into his hand and examined it. He raised an eyebrow— It was a round shell with a butterfly insignia. 

"Boom~" Hu Tao's blossoming eyes sparked. She giggled once more, "One bullet— any bullet , to make that thing explode like fireworks."

Heizou let out a short chuckle.

A silver bomb.

He never thought he would see himself setting something explosive, and yet here he was— exhilarated and excited of a new weapon to be utilized against these monsters. 

"Do you have any more?"

Hu Tao curbed her lips while tilting her head. She grinned mockingly at him and shook her head. "No can do. You can only have one."

Heizou's face twitched irritably, "I brought you back a body. " 

The coroner let out a short laugh again as she removed her dirty gloves and tossed it to the side. She leaned forward, propping her hands up for her chin to rest in her palms and smirked, "You didn't pay the rent for this month." 

Heizou looked dumbfounded for a moment before annoyance and frustration boiled inside of him— This woman. At a time like this?!  

Heizou was at the verge of strangling her in a comical sense, until Lumine stepped forward and dropped a large bag of mora between them. 

Whoop!  

The two turned to the golden haired huntress and blinked, confused.

Lumine crossed her arms, glancing at the two back and forth, before pointing, "Will this suffice?" 

Both Heizou and Hu Tao were stupefied as their eyes were fixed onto the bag while Kazuha couldn't help but look impressed by the whole act. 

"Well?" Lumine nudged the coroner.

After a second or two of being at awe, Hu Tao picked up her jaws and laughed gleefully, "More than enough, Lulu! I'll get a batch of those shells right away!"

The coroner scooped the mora bag into her hands and ran off to the next room, leaving the rest of them to their own conversation. Heizou slowly turned to Lumine, and questions slowly popped into his head like naku weeds. The huntress noticed his astounded expressions and simply pouted.

"What?" Lumine grumbled, "Out with it."

Heizou had a feeling he was about to cross a minefield. But here goes nothing. "Alright, first off, where did you get all those mora?"

She sighed. "If I have to answer… From Ying'er."

Heizou's brow furrowed, almost scandalous. "Ying'er as in... the massage shop!?"

His implication made Lumine’s face flushed in red immediately and she quickly retorted his statement, "No! It's not what you think!"

"I'm not judging!” The hunter put up his hands and continued, “You're a grown woman. You can do whatever you want."

"Hardy harr har!" Lumine turned annoyed and explained, "I was working part time as a mixer there. While you were busy cooped up in your room, I tried to find a way to earn more mora for us!" 

Heizou rubbed his forehead. He didn't expect for this to happen. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger Lumine, but his curiosity got the better of him, "Okay. But, why do you need more mora? Isn't working at Wanwen Restaurant enough?" 

Lumine fumed, "Because you kept putting yourself in danger, my dearest detective. I really don't want to give you more reason to let you go out and do things whatever you like. I can't even have Kazuha keep an eye on you, without worrying that you'll shoot him dead!" 

Heizou could only assume she meant about the events in Sumeru where they got separated. It was not like he could do anything about it… unless she meant the time before going to Sumeru; he might have run off and do his own thing without her knowledge.

"I'm on the topic now," Kazuha chuckled.

His laughter struck a nerve into the hunter, and Heizou quickly shot a glare at the vampire. "Shut it. I forgot you were even there in the first place, Kaedahara.”

“Don’t ‘shut’ him, Heizou. I’m still not done here.” Lumine spatted, "Look, I don’t really have a choice when it comes to you. So, at the very least, the more methods of fighting, the more you'll be safe. Besides..." she flashed a smirk at him, "Since it's my mora, I'll get to decide how much you'll be carrying it for our mission."

"You..." Heizou has realized he was caught in Lumine's booby trap— Brilliant.   

"She has outsmarted you, Shikanoin." Kazuha commented, too amused that he couldn't stop smiling at the scenario in front of him. 

It almost made Heizou want to reach out for something sharp— albeit the scalpel or the knives on his straps, and threw it in Kazuha's direction. He had noticed how pleasant and comfortable it was for the vampire to tease and banter with them. Too comfortable.

Heizou's hand was already twitching and itching the more he stared at the vampire’s annoyingly smiling face, but he halted and flinched at the smell of a sudden strong aroma around him.

Psst.

Psst.

The hunter quickly turned his attention back to Lumine and the huntress had a bottle of perfume in her hand. It was enough for Heizou to stumble his feet.

"Really!?" The hunter took a few steps away from his partner as she tried to make another attempt to spray him with perfume.

A furious expression slowly displayed on Lumine’s face and the huntress grumbled in frustration, "Another reason why I worked at Ying'er is because you stink." She took another step forward, threatening him with the spray bottle. "Every time you come home or stay in your room for days, you end up smelling dead! Dead-er than this room. Dead-er than Kazuha!"

Heizou snapped, "You're comparing me with a vampire now!?"

“Did I stutter!? Heizou?” Lumine was at her boiling point.

Heizou was screwed. So, so screwed. He can’t escape. He was done for. The one thing he can’t defeat was an angry Lumine and he was at her mercy.

"Yahooo! I’m back!" 

Hu Tao hopped back into the room with a box of shells and dropped it onto the counter, startling everyone present— slam!

The sight of Hu Tao abruptly calmed Lumine down. Her annoyed gaze turned away from him while Heizou's tense shoulders finally slumped as he saw his partner put away the spray bottle— Good. Save by the coroner...

"Oya? D-Did I miss something?" Hu Tao stammered while blinking confusedly at the two of them. As awkward and ridiculous the situation was, it was enough for Kazuha to burst into laughter.

“Hahaha!”

The room was filled with his gleeful voice and it made both girls smile in his direction. Except for Heizou, who seemed more annoyed than usual.

"What's so funny?" The hunter scowled, crossing his arm. 

Kazuha immediately choked on his own laughter, noticing the staggering gaze onto him, before he quickly cleared his throat. He explained himself, "Pardon for my rudeness. I was just thinking how wonderful you two are. I'm quite surprised both of you are not siblings, nor share the same blood. You act like you are Lumine's brother, Shikanoin. And it's quite endearing."

"Oh!" Lumine seemed to be flattered by his comment, but unfortunately, not for Heizou.

As soon as the hunter heard him, the atmosphere and his demeanor suddenly changed. He opened his mouth.

"I'm not her brother." Heizou said in a pained, solemn tone, "I wouldn't dare to replace her real one."

Heizou’s words were like pins and needles to Lumine’s heart. Hearing it from his mouth was something she dreaded the most— since when has she ever treated him as a replacement to Aether? Since when… has she ever thought about him as a mere companion to fill the hole in her heart?

Lumine bit her lips. Her gaze casted downward before she softly spoke. "You're still my family, Jojo..."

At the corner of her eyes she could see Heizou’s mouth curl a little, as if he was taken aback by his own words and hers. He then tipped his hat, lowering his head to hide his eyes— the usual reaction that she always sees whenever he tries to hide his own emotions. There was a moment of silence between them. None dared to say a word.

Lumine then let out a small sigh. She grabbed another shell from the box, and handed it over to Heizou. The hunter silently took it from her hands and began to walk to the exit. Lumine could only stare down and looked sad— Ah well…

.

.

"I'll make lunch for us."

Huh?

Lumine slowly turned her attention to Heizou, who was standing by the door, with his back turned. 

“I’ll make lunch for us.” He repeated, before he added, “You wanted katsudon, right? I’ll make some for us.”

The huntress’s eyes widened and her lips carved into a wide smile. She never thought he’d remembered the small conversation she had with him in Sumeru. It was simply an excuse back then, but… she did miss his katsudon very much. And it was considerate of him to remember something forgetful. Is this… his way of apologizing? To make up for her? Maybe… maybe there are some things that haven't changed in him.

As she was about to answer him, Kazuha happened to slip in.

"Oh, you can cook?" 

Eh?

The gloomy atmosphere quickly dissipated. Both Lumine and Hu Tao turned to Kazuha’s direction and were baffled by his bluntness. It wasn’t long before both of them tried to hold their laughter.

Unamused by his question, Heizou turned his attention to Kazuha. And without a second thought, the hunter swiftly pulled out a dagger before throwing it in the vampire's direction.

In utter panic yet remarkable reflex, Kazuha managed to block the dagger with his hand, plunging it deep into his palm. 

"Ow..." The vampire winced while his hand bled a little.

“Haha…” Heizou let out a triumphant laugh—- one he was not ashamed of, before he left the room without another word.

Lumine was baffled by what she saw. Heizou looked like he was being… mischievous, a menace— where did that behavior come from? Who thought him to act that way?

"Are... are you okay, Kazuha?" Lumine approached him carefully as her eyes were on the blade. 

But Kazuha simply shrugged it off and pulled out the knife from his hand. He then wiped his blood from the knife with his sleeves before handing it to the huntress.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." The vampire reassured her.

Lumine can’t help but sigh. She entirely had forgotten what she was upset about, but she was glad that her vampire companion was indifferent about the stunt Heizou pulled on him. It happened twice in a day. She hoped it wouldn't happen the third time.

"Heizou can be a little... short-fused.” She explained, even though ‘short-fused’ may not be the best word to describe his behavior, especially towards vampires. “I hope you don't take it to heart."

"None taken. I'm amused." Kazuha smiled again, leaving the huntress feeling unsure of his reaction.

"Oya oya?" Hu Tao hopped out from the counter, and joined the two of them at their side. She beamed, "Such a rare sight? Wasn't it?"

Lumine raised an eyebrow. "What is?"

"Oh? Did you not notice?" The delighted coroner giggled, "Our detective was smiling!"

"I wouldn't call that smiling..."

Hu Tao shook her head to Lumine and got closer to Kazuha. She examined him, from head to toe. The vampire blinked, wondering what the coroner was thinking. She then spoke up, "Is it because of our dear vampire friend here?"

Kazuha pointed at himself, "Me..?"

"Yes!" Hu Tao clapped and jumped lightly, "How fascinating that you managed to make him smile!" She spinned around him and continued, "Not just smiling. Angry and sad!" 

Both Kazuha and Lumine exchanged glances at each other before Hu Tao explained to them of her sudden fascination.

"I once said something similar to our dear detective.” She then reiterated, “ ‘Oh, you and Lulu are like siblings. How cute!' " And then frowned, "Yet he has such a boring reaction. Always grumpy. Always business." She paused for a moment. Her lips curved into a sly one, before she turned to Kazuha once again and peered into him closely, "But you though... you managed to make him… crack. ” 

"Hu Tao..." Lumine was left speechless by Hu Tao’s attitude. Although, she can’t truly deny her words, the more she thinks about it. After all— Kazuha did manage to make Heizou more… expressive, which she hasn’t seen for almost three years. 

"Anyways, Hu Tao, how about we go and have tea, hm?" The huntress nudged the coroner, purposely trying to peel her attention away from the confused vampire.

"Lovely!” Hu Tao beamed and nodded. 

“What about you, Kazuha?” Lumine asked him, “Wanna join us?"

To her surprise, Kazuha shook his head, turning down her invitation.

“I would like to have a walk in the streets of Liyue.”

Lumine frowned a little. Her gaze turned worried about the idea of him walking into the streets. Yet the vampire doesn’t seem to care about his own safety, which Lumine has always found odd ever since she met him.

“Well… be careful, then.”

After hearing her words, Kazuha smiled at her and bowed before his feet took him to the exit door, leaving the underground room.

Hu Tao peered at her side, eyes blossoming in curiosity before her lips curved in a cheeky smile, “I wish I could… dissect him .”

The huntress furrowed and turned to look at the coroner in disbelief, “I’m just going to pretend I didn't hear that from you, Hu.”

The coroner laughed away at her statement while Lumine smiled, shaking her head— some things are better off as it is. As they both were about to head out to have tea, Lumine paused for a moment and quickly turned to her coroner companion.

She told her, “Hu Tao. The day before Heizou and I set off to Sumeru, I received an autopsy… of my twin brother— from the Qixing.”

The coroner tilted her head, puzzled.

Lumine then added, “I noticed it didn’t have your signature, which… I find it strange. Mind taking a look at it?”

Hu Tao blossoming eyes sparked in ominous curiosity. Her lips grew into a grin and giggled, “Oya. That is quite… strange, indeed” She hummed, “Alright. I shall take a look at it when I have the time.”  

[ Liyue - Market - Noon ]

"How fascinating that you managed to make him smile! Not just smiling. Angry and sad! ”

The words of the coroner kept repeating in his mind as Kazuha took a step outside of the parlor and into the busy streets of Liyue Harbor. The sunshine bathed against him, yet he was not bothered by its radiant. Being in the confinement of the underground room has made him yearn for the sun, even if it burns him.

"Is it because of our dear vampire friend here?"

Kazuha chuckled softly. He never thought that those words would make him more curious of the hunter. What’s more… he’d never imagined that he’d be able to irritate him, lose his threatening demeanor and cold composure— I’m quite flattered, Shikanoin.

It was then Kazuha realized that his feet brought him to the harbor’s market. By the docks, it was crowded and loud, with merchants and citizens going in and out. The smell of fish and meat which he could recognize from where he was standing, were kept in icy storage and hidden away at the back of the stall. Strange, has his senses been heightened ever since Hu made him that food item? That red pill— as he pondered over, he soon recognized the taste that had left a permanent mark in his tongue.

Was it… Shikanoin’s blood?  

It was subtle, but he knew the sweetness from anywhere. Mixed with the stale, dull taste of animal blood and his blood— is that why he could hear murmurs in a distance and fragrances or spices that he could discern amongst other smells in the market? 

“Hm?” His eyes landed onto the familiar man— the hat that covered his wine-like hair, gloves that had been worn and never taken off, as well as those heavy boots in which every footsteps felt the weight of each… burden. Why are you that way, Shikanoin?

Questions after questions, thoughts after thoughts, the idea of his lingering sweet taste of blood and the air of mystery shrouding him— Kazuha was enticed, intrigued, curious.

He immediately shook his head and composed himself. Even though the pill cured him of his hunger yet there were still traces of erraticness in him. He wondered why? 

Kazuha observed the hunter from afar and under a large ginkgo tree. Heizou was moving from stall to stall, assuming he was buying ingredients for their afternoon meal. True enough, the vampire could make out the bag of white meat in his hand through his heightened vision. His ruby reds continued to linger as the hunter’s figure moved through the crowds before walking back towards the parlor.

The vampire decided to follow him from behind, keeping his distance so as to not be noticed. But Heizou was sharp. Sharp enough to notice him. Sharp enough like the daggers that he had stabbed him on multiple occasions. So sharp, like an imaginary knife piercing through his unbeating heart.

[ Liyue - Wansheng Inn - Afternoon ]

Knowing Heizou, he would lock the front door and leave Kazuha out the house. True enough, Kazuha could make out the quick, ‘slide’ sound of the doorknob from the ground floor. The vampire hummed in irony as his eyes shifted to the available entrance of the balcony. 

He took a quick look around of his surroundings, making sure no one was observing him before his legs recoiled and propelled him upwards. He grabbed hold onto the railing and hoisted himself up, landing his feet gracefully into the house. Out of courtesy, he ducked his head, murmured his apology for intruding, and then simply walked into the living room.  

Across from where he stood was Heizou chopping off the ingredients by the kitchen aisle. Both men were facing each other, but the hunter seemed to be too focused on the task at hand. Kazuha continued to observe and his eyes trailed down at his bare hands. The vampire glanced at the side to see Heizou's haori and long black gloves on the couch. It was a rare sight for him to remove his gloves, yet Kazuha knew why; his hands were always stained with blood and gunpowder. 

He can’t help but liking it— liking the sight of it. It was as if the hunter had shown a part of himself that has been hidden from everyone. And Kazuha was there to see it all. The vampire smiled a little.  

"But you though... you managed to make him… crack. ” 

Kazuha’s curiosity began to dance. He was stepping into a dangerous territory once more, and no one was stopping him. He took a spot in front of the aisle, just one or two steps away between them. He gazed for a moment— of the onion, Heizou's bandaged hand, and then the knife.  

Finally, Kazuha spoke up. "So... Jojo? "

Chop.

Heizou was ignoring him, or so it seems. But the vampire managed to catch a glimpse of an uneven onion slice at the side, before it quickly reverted back to a perfect one. He approached the aisle closer and Kazuha spoke again.

“Quite an adorable name. Though, if I may, would you allow me to address you as such?” 

There was no malicious intention behind the question. Kazuha was simply trying to see a reaction from the hunter, yet there was no response. But, the air around them seemed to be sizzling with tension as the knife in the hunter’s hand wasn’t the only thing that could slice through the space they shared. 

Chop.

As Heizou finished cutting the ingredients, he moved on to the bowl while he continued to ignore him. Kazuha couldn't see the hunter's expression due to his hat covering his eyes and his head lowered. 

Then, something caught Kazuha's attention.

On his arm, where his wrist was wrapped due to the bite that Kazuha left, there was one more wound on top of it. It was small and it was covered with a woolen plaster. And it didn’t take long for the vampire to recognize how or where it came from— Shikanoin had his blood taken.

Kazuha knew all along that the pill that Hu Tao gave him was a mixture of Heizou’s blood but he would have never thought he’d find confirmation to it. 

Why?

Questions kept creeping into his mind. Why would Heizou give his blood? The second time no less. He wished he knew the conversation between him and Hu Tao. Furthermore, he also noticed the amount of bandages that hide underneath his gloves. To think back then, Heizou would simply just cut himself with no hesitation—- does he have any care for himself at all? Kazuha’s curiosity became more apparent as he took another step forward, so near to the aisle that his hand would reach out for him— for the hand that was covered in wounds.

And so he did.

Kazuha realized it was too late for him—- and he had stepped into the hunter’s boundaries. As he tried retracting his hand from touching Heizou, the hunter immediately grabbed hold of his wrist, yanking him forward forcefully, before a knife was plunged on top of the vampire’s hand. 

STAB.

Kazuha quickly gasped at the sudden fleeting pain on his skin before panic overtook his whole being. Even though the kitchen knife was not silver, it made him mildly paralyzed as the blade pinned him against the counter. Kazuha’s instinct kicked in and immediately reached out for the knife to free himself but Heizou quickly grabbed his other hand and pulled out another blade, before he plunged into it— STAB!

His ruby reds began to dart back and forth between the two knives while his sweat began to form on his face. There was no escape. What should he do? Beg? Plead? 

“You…”

His attention was locked upon a gaze. A gaze of a dangerous… predator. Heizou peered closer to him. His eyes were piercing through the vampire. And all Kazuha could do was stare back at him.

Heizou spoke, in a low, threatening tone. “You think it’s just because we had a little escapade back in Sumeru, and a little banter earlier this morning …. you’d find it okay to cozy up to me, huh? Kaedehara?”  

Kazuha wanted to reply but Heizou immediately shut him up by grabbing a handful of his platinum hair and smacking him against the table, leaving the vampire in pain by the impact of the force. H-Harsh…

Heizou clicked his tongue, releasing his grip from the vampire and stared down at his bandaged arm. Kazuha quickly glanced over and saw a small patch of red seeping into the cloth. The hunter quickly disregarded it and moved away from the aisle, resuming his cooking by the stove. Kazuha could only stay in his poor and uncomfortable state, while he watched the hunter fry the food. He wouldn’t dare to move, or else he wouldn’t know what Heizou would do to him.

It was ironic, Kazuha found him. For someone who is violent and uncooperative, he hid everything underneath—- His emotions, his thoughts… his own wounds. Why does he force himself? Why does he disregard himself and the people around him? To think Heizou was able to show a mischievous side of himself, even at a fleeting moment earlier the day, yet he chose to be… unfeeling— you are no different than the vampire that I am. And it bothered him.

.

.

.

"Why are you so harsh, Shikanoin?" A question that slipped out from his mouth, while immediately being aware that he'll be digging his non-existing grave. He might as well make the most of it and brace himself. 

And to Kazuha’s surprise, Heizou decided to entertain him.

“Because you’re a vampire, Kaedehara.”

It wasn’t the answer he was expecting yet his question was quite vague. So, he continued to banter with him, but using a different direction.

“Is that so? Lumine is not a vampire, yet you were harsh with her too.”

A long pause. 

“I wasn’t.” A straight answer, before Heizou added, “Just the truth.”

Kazuha narrowed his eyes. He posed another question, “Alright. Then, why are you being harsh to yourself?”

No answer, and the conversation died with it. Kazuha could only slumped his chin against the table, sighing a bit as he continued to hear the sizzling oil of the pot.

Should he give in…?

Why did he ask in the first place?

.

.

That’s right. His blood. His blood was—

“Did you know that your blood tastes sweet?”

His question managed to strike a nerve in the hunter, which was something that Kazuha didn’t expect. 

"I heard you the first time around. Now, shut." Heizou spat at him. Still with his back turned. Still not wanting to face him. His words were full of annoyance. Frustration. And Kazuha wanted to poke it more. He wanted to push more— Just to prove his point.

Kazuha bit his lower lip. He held his breath, and whispered, "A blood so sweet... from someone so harsh. Not just to everyone, but to himself."

Then… something cracked.

"You've been rambling your mouth this whole time..." Heizou’s voice darkened and the whole atmosphere of the room turned heavy. The hunter slowly glanced back. Dark viridian eyes glared down at him. "It's time I shut it up."

Psssssssss.

The sizzling sound coming from the deep fry pot invaded the room. Kazuha could only witness as Heizou pulled out a fresh, hot meat from the fryer and approached him with the piping hot food with a pair of chopsticks.

The hunter explained, "Vampires drink blood because they can't swallow normal food. Food that us humans eat… is like plastic to you. Or so I heard..."

With no time to react, Heizou immediately grabbed Kazuha by his jaws, rendering him completely immobile. The hunter tried to pry open his mouth, making the vampire unsure if he should resist. If he resists, a harsher punishment will be given to him. If he doesn't, he has to face the punishment in front of him. His fate was inevitable.

Heizou proceeded to poke his finger into Kazuha's mouth, and the vampire could feel the slight touch against his fangs. Because of that, he opened his mouth, and Heizou took the chance to shove him the hot piping food without hesitation.

 "HNG!?"  

So… hot. His mouth was burning and his eyes turned blurry. It continued to sizzle against his tongue, before the taste set in. It… It definitely tastes awful. Like plastic—- Hot toxic plastic burning into his mouth. He can’t. He wants to puke it out. He wants to spit it out. Let him spit it out! 

“Don’t waste it, Kaedehara.” Heizou hushed him, not allowing him to do as he pleases. He cupped his mouth forcibly, shutting his lips tightly, and peered into his pleading ruby eyes once more, “Since you said I was being harsh, how about you show me how to be kind? By swallowing the food I’m giving you."

Heizou's mouth formed a smile. A wicked, wicked smile. A smile that left Kazuha shivering in his spine. He didn’t think Heizou would make such an expression and the vampire could only wonder why he finds himself fixated in gazing at the sight of it. But— he can’t afford for the other to wait. Kazuha’s mouth was already drooling while Heizou’s grip on him became tighter each passing second. Slowly but surely, Kazuha began to swallow the food down to his throat. Pushing it as it pushed back. Breathing, and kept breathing while it tried to choke on him. His lips quivered and his stake hands trembled, yet he powered through.

“That’s it. Swallow everything.” Heizou let out a chuckle. A sweet and intoxicating one, “If you don’t, I’ll make sure to slice your neck open and shove it in properly.”

Kazuha whimpered slightly at every small little laugh that Heizou let out, before the vampire closed his eyes and gulped everything down. Everything— down to the last bit.

Heizou tilted his head a little, glancing over to see if Kazuha did as he was told, before he released him from his grip. Kazuha slumped his head onto the table, with his mouth open and a gap, letting the excessive saliva drip out of his lips while he catches his breath. This… was not how he wanted to go about. While feeling a little ashamed and humiliated, Kazuha tried to close his eyes to rest but a soft, blissful feeling slowly made his way to him.

Huh…?

“Good job.”  

The words coming from Heizou were startlingly kind, almost making his chest jump from the softness of his hand caressing and patting his platinum locks. Heizou slowly retracted his hand, sliding his fingers against his strands and gingerly to his reddened cheek, before the said hand returned to the hunter’s side. 

Kazuha did not dare himself to look at the hunter, but he cursed his own curiosity and decided to tilt his head up to see Heizou’s expression. But all he saw was an unreadable one as the hunter simply stared straight to the hallway of the front door. Not long after, Heizou’s face twitched and his brows furrowed.

"Fun's over." Heizou quickly pulled the knives from Kazuha's hands and pushed him away from the counter with a light force to his forehead. 

The vampire stumbled from his feet and dropped on the floor. Laying down there, with a dumbfounded face. But with the help of his hypersensitive hearing, he could make out the light footsteps from outside— Oh. Lumine is on her way.

  "Act normal."

Huh…? Kazuha looked up to witness that the table was cleaned from his blood and evidence of their little exchange. It was as if Heizou pulled some sort of black magic, and Kazuha was left stumped but impressed.  

“I’m home!” Lumine entered the house.

Kazuha quickly snapped out of his daze and realized his hands weren’t healed yet. He quickly hid it in his long sleeves, but found it too late for him to get up from the floor and position himself in any normal spot.

“Heizou, why was the front door locked? It was a good thing I have a spare ke—” As soon as Lumine appeared from the corner, her feet stopped and her confused golden eyes stared down at the vampire. She blinked comically, “Kazuha, why are you on the floor?”

"I'm... exercising." The vampire chuckled nervously and hoped that his excuse would be acceptable. 

"Exercise? Why would vampires need to exerci-..." Lumine’s words were cut off and her face suddenly contorted, "Wait, why do I smell something burning?"

"Oops." Heizou, with a straight-face, somehow burnt some of the deep-fried meat.

"Heizou?!"

“Oh, detective. You did quite a marvelous job on the food!” Hu Tao giggled as she took another bite of the fried chicken, “I could eat this all day.”

“It’s a good thing there was some meat left,” Lumine grinned at Heizou, implying his little accident minutes before the coroner arrived at their house. Heizou only rolled his eyes and grumbled as he continued eating his meal.

Kazuha could only watch from a distance by the balcony before he turned to the scenery in front of him and meditated. He doesn’t feel welcome into their house nor can he eat any of the food they have prepared—- that is just how living as a vampire is. Although, he missed the lively atmosphere and heartfelt banter when he was human. Now it’s just… memories. He tried closing his eyes and feeling the breeze of the afternoon, only for his ears to catch light footsteps approaching him.

“Tea?” 

A kind tone from Hu Tao as the coroner took a seat next to him on the floor. She then placed a tray of Liyue tea between them. Kazuha smiled at her and welcomed her company. 

He then spoke, “Tea… is the only luxury that I can indulge. One that doesn’t have my throat to reject.”

Hu Tao let out a short laugh, amused by his way of phrasing and simply pulled out a small bottle from her pocket before showing it to the vampire.

She explained, “I hope the pill helped you. You can use this on your tea as flavor. It might give you some erratic effect but as long as you are able to adjust yourself, it’ll be alright.”

Kazuha blinked and slowly took the bottle from her hand before he opened the lid to see several red pills. Similar to the one he took during his rehabilitation. 

The vampire narrowed his eyes and asked, “How much blood did you take from him?”

Hu Tao immediately sparked, “Oh, you knew?”

Kazuha slightly glanced at the direction of where Heizou and Lumine were seated before his attention reverted back to the coroner, “I had… several guesses.”

Hu Tao hummed, “It was consented.”

“Still.”

“Curious? I am also curious.” She shifted her sitting, leaning closer to Kazuha and continued to speak, “Yet those who walk with the world’s sins and bear it in their hearts, tend to shut and lose sight. The world can be punishing sometimes, but I have no doubt the heart has ever lost. For it hunts. The heart hunts for retribution.” 

Kazuha gazes down at the bottle, contemplating the words Hu Tao said to him. A heart; something that only humans bear. A heart; something that is fragile yet strong. A heart; in which he wishes to have again, wishes the other would not neglect— All of us have sin for being too curious of the world.

“Stay.” 

“Hm?”

“Stay.” Hu Tao smiled and offered him tea, “If you are curious, continue to stay.”

He stared at the cup in her hands before he gingerly accepted it. He softly nodded, “As long as I am deemed useful, I will stay.”

[ Liyue - Wanwen Bookhouse - Evening ] 

It was the next day. Even though the mutant’s body had arrived and dissected by Hu Tao, there was still a matter of Yelan and her trip to the Chasm. It has been on the Heizou’s mind even before they departed to Sumeru.

The Qixing never shared or distributed any information of every hunter's mission to one another. The only news he would know is whether or not some of them had returned dead or alive. He really hoped that everything would go smoothly on his mentor’s side. Or else…

Heizou huffed in frustration. He found himself feeling restless and couldn’t concentrate on reading the book he picked up. He decided to put it back on the shelves and left the bookhouse, with the sun bathing on him as it began to set.

While he was on his way home, his feet stopped walking and his eyes recognized the tall lady in white coat. His mind immediately clicked— Yelan. In a flash, and in one piece. He sighed in relief after his mentor spotted him and waved in his direction.

.

.

.

Both of them took a spot at the side of the street, overseeing the sea of Teyvat and away from the crowd of people. Yelan offers him a cigarette but he quickly refuses it. Heizou could only stare at her as his mind began to formulate with so many questions. Noticing his calculative expression, Yelan decided to begin their discussion. 

“I heard you two went to Sumeru and brought back a body. I’m impressed. Lady Ningguang has filled me in with all the details.” She said as she lit up the cigarette bud before placing it onto her lips, “I’m more curious of what the parlor director has discovered.”

Heizou furrowed for a bit before he obliged to her request. It saves him the time to tell her his whole journey in Sumeru. Plus, it saves him the trouble of trying to explain that he and Lumine picked up a vampire along the way. Sooner or later, Yelan will know about it. After all, the Qixing has eyes and ears everywhere.

He began to summarize what Hu Tao had told him. From the hardened skin of the mutant, to the fangs and blackened heart. He then talked about Hu Tao's deduction of the mutant turning back to its human state after being killed. Finally, Heizou reiterated his conclusion.

“Dottore seemed to be adamant in trying to create these Radicals. But unfortunately, there is little to no evidence as to why he is doing this.”

“An army, perhaps?”

“I doubt it.” Heizou huffed. If he truly wanted an army, he wouldn’t go as far as experimenting on his subjects. What bothered him the most was the fact that these mutants were turned back to humans. Why?  

“How is Lumine?” Yelan popped an off-topic question as she took a sip on her cigarette.

Heizou raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. He simply answered her, “She’s fine. Same as ever. She always helps Xiangling and her father at their restaurant.”

“I see…”

By the looks of it, Yelan had more to say about her, but she seemed to be holding back her words. Heizou grew impatient and decided to nudge her, “If you have something to say, just say it. I don’t have all day.”

“Ever the direct one.” The woman chuckled in amusement, before her expression turned serious. “I’ll be straight with you. I think Lumine is not suited for the path of a hunter.”

Heizou was mildly baffled by her words and retorted, “You’re saying this now ?”

“Listen, I never question someone’s reason for joining the Hunter Association. But… given how you two had come so far, I wanted to point it out.” Yelan paused for a moment before she posed a question to him, “Do you know why she joined in the first place?”

He didn’t want to say anything because he knew the reason. And by the silence he gave her, she took it as an answer. 

She stated, “Sooner or later, she needs to find the drive, her own reason , to go down this path. It applies to all of us.”

Heizou saw her take out a small file from her person and handed it to him. His face turned questionable as he took it from her until she explained.

“I lost one of my men during my mission in the Chasm; Shanghua…”

Heizou’s eyes widened from the news he received before his gaze casted downwards. “I’m sorry.”

Yelan nodded lightly and reminded him, “There is no room for regret in this line of work. That’s the risk of being a hunter. Understand?”

As much as he wanted to ask how it happened, his mentor doesn’t seem to want to talk about it. Heizou held the file tightly in his hand while he imagined the scenarios of him with Lumine— Was that why Yelan brought up the topic? If so… he’ll make sure to protect her at all cost. After all, he was the one that dragged her here in the first place.

“His sacrifice was not in vain, mind you.” Yelan clarified, “Because of him, it led us to find traces of Dottore and his followers. Take a look.”

The mere mention of Dottore made Heizou’s mind turned up and running. The hunter quickly looked through the file and saw several pictures of the sighting in the Chasm. One of them was ores. Not just any ores. Silver. The next photo was a table of tools— Blacksmithing…?  

Why would Dottore want to do blacksmithing? 

He then flipped the next file and noticed a folded paper. A very familiar paper— one he had seen not too long ago. He took it out from the file and unfolded it. To his expectation, it was a forgery print. A part… of a forgery print.

“By the expression you have, you seem to know what it is,” Yelan stated as she witnessed his expression change.

“Oh, I know.” He glared down at the print, mouth curbed in dissatisfaction. “And I know who to interrogate.”

Heizou returned the file to Yelan and only took the print with him. He left the area, leaving his mentor stumped at his departure. 

.

.

.

Yelan stared down at the file before she tucked it under her arm and sipped on her cigarette. She then sighed, glancing at the side as she gazed at the young woman in purple hair not far from where she was.

“How long are you going to observe us, Yuheng?” She stated, before finishing her cigarette and dropped it to the ground, stepping on its ashes. She turned to face the Qixing officer with her arms crossed.

Keqing emerged from the corner of the alley, eyes still glued to Heizou’s figure as the hunter walked further into the crowd and eventually disappeared. Unamused, she muttered to her subordinate, “The vampire… he’s still hiding him. ”

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Evening ] 

Kazuha was sitting near the side of the wall of the underground room. He merely observed Lumine chattering with Hu Tao after bringing back some leftover food for the coroner. It was simply a peaceful moment, one that the vampire can savor as he began to meditate. But that moment quickly was interrupted as his ears caught the heavy footsteps of the hunter. Anxiousness suddenly grew in his chest as the stomped became louder and louder— It was aggressive and threatening. It wasn’t long before both girls heard his footsteps and Heizou opened the door.

“Kaedehara.”

The vampire swallowed at his name being uttered by the hunter. Lumine was confused by Heizou’s sudden impatience and restlessness, so she tried to reason with him.

“What’s wrong, Heizou? Why do you look so—”

“Kaedehara.”

Heizou completely ignored Lumine when his dark viridian eyes were locked onto the vampire. Kazuha tried not to be intimidated by him when the hunter went to his side, standing in front of him with several distances between them. His gaze at him seemed unsatisfied, and he wondered what he had done wrong.

It was then Heizou revealed to him— a print.

“You know this, don’t you?”

As the hunter pulled out the said print, Kazuha’s eyes immediately widened. At a quick glance, the girls were also stumped by Heizou’s possession of it

“Tell me why it was with Dottore, Kaedehara.” The hunter fumed before he raised his voice, “I want answers, now. ” 

Before Kazuha could even open his mouth, Lumine immediately spoke up, “Heizou, hold on. Where did you get that? Isn’t that…?”

Heizou's face darkened as he explained. “A part of a forgery print found in the Chasm. Yelan brought it back, along with other evidence of Dottore and his followers. Two different places yet all related to the Doctor. Explain yourself, Kaedehara.” 

Lumine was completely stumped after hearing his words, while Hu Tao seemed intrigued by the whole revelation. Without wasting any more time nor having room for Kazuha to grasp the situation, Heizou pushed him again.

“TALK.”

“Shikanoin. I am as puzzled as you are,” Kazuha answered, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve already told you what you needed to know. I am clueless as to why the print in your hand was in the Doctor’s possession. If anything it’s—”

“It’s suspicious. ” Heizou scowled, “You have been here for too long, Kaedehara. You said you told us what we needed to know. It just means there’s more that you know, but can’t bring yourself to tell.” He crossed his arms, eyes staring down like deadly daggers, “If you’re not going to tell me the whole truth, then I’m going to assume that your clan works for Dottore.”

The audacity! Kazuha turned apprehensive and quickly shot up to his feet from where he sat. The fear and uncertainty in him was overtaken by anger and dissatisfaction. The vampire dared himself to stand close to the hunter as he retorted his argument.

“Such an accusation,” the vampire gritted his teeth, “It is an insult to what my clan has built upon, Shikanoin. I do not, and will not ever, see myself working with that devious man.” He clenched his fist, “I do not tolerate such words. Words from a self-proclaimed detective whom—”

Kazuha’s sentences were cut abruptly. The vampire’s attention quickly averted to the entrance of the underground room and the hunter immediately noticed his reaction. Heizou clicked his tongue and didn’t hesitate to pull out his knife.

In a split second, the door swung open. Keqing made her presence known and she pulled up a gun to Kazuha’s direction. But in quick succession, Heizou threw his knife and it flung against her gun, knocking it off from her hand.

“Y-Yuheng!?” Lumine gasped as the gun slid across the floor and to her side. The huntress was shocked to see Keqing appearing before them while Hu Tao wasn’t even the slightest amused to see her face. 

Heizou was annoyed by the Yuheng, and spat at her, “Can’t you see I’m busy?!” 

Keqing darted her eyes back and forth to everyone present before her expression turned vexed, “What’s the meaning of this? Why are you keeping him alive?”

By the corner of Kazuha’s eyes, he could see Heizou's lips began to fold into a smirk, before the hunter let out a short laugh. Everyone around him was staring at their direction, uncertain and unreadable.

Finally, the hunter exhaled and replied, “Why? Well, that’s why I’m here. Whether or not his next answer… would warrant him a bullet to the heart.”

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Liyue - Wangsheng Funeral Parlor - Evening ] 

The atmosphere fell into a heavy silence. Kazuha could only stand in one place as his eyes darted back and forth to the two hunters. How did it escalate so quickly? What should he even say to them to relieve the tension? Would… would these hunters even believe him? Listen to him?

Then it dawned on him.

This was what Dottore had wanted— cornering him by using the hunters to kill him without dirtying his own hands. How despicable! — Is what he wanted to say. Yet his words falter before it could slip out from his mouth. 

He needs to find a way for the hunters to be on his side. He needs Heizou and Lumine to be on his side so that the Doctor won’t get his way.

“I see.” Hu Tao finally broke the silence. 

Everyone slowly turned their attention to the coroner. 

Her expressions were dull and unimpressed before she glanced at the Yuheng. With a flick of her finger to the door, she ordered her. “All parties that are unrelated should leave.”

“What?” Keqing was stumped.

Hu Tao repeated coldly as her eyes gazed sharply at the purple-haired huntress, “Leave, Keqing. Wait by the lobby and help yourself to tea.”

Keqing wanted to open her mouth to protest, but she quickly refrained herself from speaking after noticing Hu Tao’s demeanor changed. The Yuheng clicked her tongue and left the underground parlor quietly. 

As the door finally shut, Kazuha watched as Hu Tao held her hand towards the hunter and lazily smiled at him, “I’d like to see the print please.”

Heizou’s eyes glanced at Kazuha, then to Hu Tao, before his feet brought him closer to the coroner. He handed the print and the coroner began to examine it.  

“How curious.” She hummed, “So this was found in the Chasm…Interesting!”

“Is that all you have to say?” Heizou frowned.  

“Yes.” She answered him flatly and proceeded to explain further, “In fact. I have nothing to say. Though I’m sure Kazuha has more to say about this than I do, isn’t that right?” 

Her blossoming eyes flickered at the sight of Kazuha’s mildly-stumped face. Did she see right through him?

She then disregarded the two men and turned to the blonde huntress.“Lumine. Do be a dear and pick up that gun. If deemed necessary, I’d like you to keep everything under control while I attend to the Yuheng.” 

Hu Tao pointed to the gun on the floor that belonged to Keqing. Lumine, who seemed very confused about the situation, simply picked up the weapon and kept it in her person. 

The coroner smiled and giggled darkly. “All of you are free to talk amongst yourselves. But play nice. My parlor, my rules. And Kaedehara Kazuha… is still my client.”

Kazuha knew the intended warning was for Heizou. The hunter grumbled in dissatisfaction before the lady of the parlor returned him with a knowing grin. With that, she left the room and the door was shut.

“Who’s idea was it to work alongside a vampire?” Keqing vexed, pacing back and forth in the parlor lobby. Her feet then stomped to a halt and turned to face the coroner who was brewing tea by the counter.

Hu Tao didn’t speak nor reply, and simply poured the tea into the cup before serving it to Keqing. But the Yuheng wasn’t happy about her quietness.

“Explain, Hu Tao.”

Hu Tao simply giggled at the irritated huntress before she finally spoke to her, “You and the Tianquan have tried every method to speed up the hunt for the harbingers, especially Dottore. And yet neither of them are fruitful.” 

“It takes time and resources—”

“And yet time is ticking.”   BAM!— Hu Tao slammed the teapot. 

Her words and action sliced the air so everything came to a deafening silence. Keqing was taken aback by her change of demeanor once more, but Hu Tao’s blossoming gaze relaxes afterwards.  

The coroner took a deep breath, and continued to speak. “There is this saying; keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. That is my reason. That is our reason. Simple as that.”

“But the risk—”

“You are free to report such ‘risk’ to the Tianquan,” Hu Tao smiled widely. Then her eyes turned sharp— almost daring. “While I will testify as to why files like these are not under my signature.”

Keqing was puzzled as to what file she meant. But as soon as Hu Tao pulled out the autopsy that Lumine gave to her, the Yuheng’s face changed.

Hu Tao hummed curiously, “The Qixing made a legal contract to deliver all bodies to me for investigation, but only this one didn’t make its way to me.”

“I knew giving that file was a mistake. And yet Lady Ningguang—”

“Mistakes come from desperation, Keqing.” The coroner cut her off once again while waving the file to her. “And it is obvious that the Qixing are desperate given the situation.” She placed down the file and took a teacup before sipping on it. “Now it’s my turn to ask you for an explanation. Well?”

Hu Tao waited for Keqing to answer, but the Yuheng didn’t say anything. The huntress’s gaze fell the more Hu Tao  stared at her. It was then Hu Tao’s mind clicked and she burst into laughter. Her cackles echoed in the lobby, almost uncomfortably-sounding for Keqing. 

And then the laughter stopped. Hu Tao's head tilted, and her smile creepily widened, “What? You can’t just tell me that a body just…  got up and left? ” 

How long has it been since she and Heizou hadn’t done any sort of interrogation? Lumine used to look back fondly of the time where she tagged along with Heizou during his investigation while he was still a doushin. Both of them would always end up in a room with the suspect in front of them. And they would come out triumphantly after the suspect confessed.

But now… this situation was entirely different to her. Not only Heizou wouldn’t go easy on their subject, but the person they’re about to interrogate was none other than her new companion— Kaedehara Kazuha. 

“Kazuha.” She smiled sadly at him as she took a place next to Heizou, “I want to trust you. I really do. But you need to trust us… and tell us everything.”

“Don’t be too nice with him.” Heizou clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, “If he ends up being one of Dottore’s followers, I’m not going to hesitate to take that gun from you and end him.” He huffed, and added, “I don’t tolerate anyone who is associated with the Doctor, and you know that.”

“I understand but…” Lumine sighed, “As I said before, it is my responsibility for keeping him alive. So I should be the one to decide, Heizou. I hope you can respect that.” 

Heizou said no more and proceeded to turn his attention to the vampire.

“Kazuha?” Lumine prompted him.  

The vampire took a deep breath and exhaled. His mind seemed to be racing with thoughts, as if he was trying to formulate some words to properly convey them. Finally, he spoke. “Very well. Have you heard of the Raiden Gokaden?”

With a quick glance between the two hunters, Lumine replied. “You mean… the group of blacksmiths that went into decline centuries ago?” 

Heizou has heard about the Raiden Gokaden— more so read about it in history textbooks. It was about several clans serving the current Shogun at that time period, and forged weapons for a civil war. But the blacksmiths suddenly went into decline. Thus a war never happened. The only surviving art was the Amenoma. 

That somewhat insignificant yet bizarre story somehow resurfaced itself… And slowly but surely, all these new pieces of information are joining together.

“Is that so?” Kazuha said after Lumine ran down the basic history regarding the Raiden Gokaden to him. 

To Heizou’s curiosity, the vampire seemed very displeased by what he heard. 

The vampire stated, “It is a shame that the actual truth was buried and never to be known after centuries. Who was responsible for recording these events, I wonder?”

The hunter’s brows furrowed in perplexity while his expression gradually became impatient— to what correlation is the Raiden Gokuden with Dottore and the forgery print?

He pondered for a moment before Heizou nudged the vampire. “What are you insinuating, Kaedehara?”

“Very well, I shall be straightforward with you; the one who first forged those silver weapons were never the Fontainians— but the Inazumans. ” 

.

.

What…?

Heizou maintained his sharp gaze at the vampire, while Lumine was bewildered by what she heard as she glanced back and forth between them.

“Don’t believe me?” Kazuha mildly huffed at Heizou's obvious skepticism. He then pointed to his sword that was resting against the examining table. He added, “My sword is the very weapon forged with silver. The Isshin Art is what I inherited, and I am the sole survivor of my clan. Is that not good enough?”

Amenoma, Futsu, Hyakume, Senju and… Isshin. These were the five arts under the Raiden Gokaden. Yet, there was no such thing as a clan called ‘Kaedehara’ in the textbooks— In fact, there was no text ever stating any of the clans’ names. 

The hunter mildly scoffed at him, unconvinced. “For all I know, you might have picked it up somewhere in the middle of a road.”

“You’re very blind, Shikanoin.” Kazuha fumed, taking a step forward to challenge the hunter, “The intricacy of that weapon would have told you everything of its authenticity, and yet you refuse to see it.”

The vampire took another step. This time, closing the distance between the two— almost dangerously close. Heizou’s viridian gaze turned more sharper against his daring ruby reds. Yet his gaze didn’t waver the vampire’s resolve. 

“Tell me again why your companions called you a detective.” Kazuha muttered, but Heizou didn’t reply. There was a short pause between them, before the vampire opened his mouth, “I can simply use your own words against you— ‘For all I know, you might be a fraud and pretending to be a detective’, isn’t that right?”

Kazuha's words shouldn’t have bothered him. After all, he never saw himself as a detective. Yet the way the tone of his voice— the mockery and the provocation mixed together, managed to strike a nerve in Heizou. 

“Say that again one more time.”

As swift as the naked eye could catch, he instantaneously grabbed Kazuha’s haori and pulled him closer. The vampire continued to be unfazed as they stared at each other intensely. Kazuha was lucky— too damn lucky for his own good. Heizou would have pulled out his gun, or just stabbed him right there and then, but that would mean he’d lost the entire argument. 

With how the situation escalated once more, Lumine quickly stepped in, “Stop it. We’re not going anywhere with this.”

It was then the door of the underground room opened, and the coroner returned from her business with the Yuheng. Her blossoming eyes lit up by the heated situation before the entire thing was dissolved. Heizou let go of Kazuha and both of them took a step back from each other.

Hu Tao hummed, “Oya oya? Are we at another impasse? That’s not good at all.”

“Welcome back, Hu…” Lumine sighed in relief.

The coroner smiled at the huntress and took a step into the room before closing the door behind her. She joined them by their side, standing between the two men before she proposed, “You two have been going on about what’s true or not— who is right or wrong. But have you ever thought about going to the very place that has everything buried… deep within?”

Hu Tao giggled at their anticipated expression and turned around to walk up to the examining table before hoisting herself up to sit on it. She crossed her legs and propped up her arm to rest her chin on the back of her hand.

She smiled again, “I’m talking about going to Inazuma.”

Heizou immediately scowled at her proposition. “Hu, why are you so insistent on us going back to Inazuma? What’s your intention?”

“Am I the subject of interrogation now?” Hu Tao laughed at his statement and immediately answered him, “As you already see, detective. Time is already ticking. Radicals are going rampants and you haven't found any solid leads besides the forgery prints. All of it leads to the very place which is your homeland.”

The coroner shifted her sitting and bent over to the side. She reached out the rest of the pieces of the forgery print. In hand and up front, there were three large pieces of it; from Sumeru, from the Chasm and from the one Hu Tao had kept in her stash for who knows how long. 

Then Heizou realized why she showed him all of the pieces— there was a possibility another one was in Inazuma. With a quick glance, Lumine and Kazuha had the same idea. 

Hu Tao then put away the forgery print and continued to speak, “If you can’t trust the word of a vampire then trust me when I say this; if you’re constantly hitting a dead end, then why not go back to where it all began.”

The coroner cackled and she continued to cackle. But her laughter slowly drowned as Heizou submerged himself into his thoughts. Is it really possible to find the remnants of the Raiden Gokaden after all those years? If so… then it would mean that there will be another can of worms ready to be opened and given to him. To what extent was he going with this? Is there truly something worth searching for?

“Heizou, Hu Tao’s right.” Lumine said as she stood next to him, pulling him away from his deep thoughts. She continued, “We've been going around Monstadt and Liyue for three years. The only thing different this year was that we went to Sumeru and managed to find some sort of lead. So why not do it again? But this time, we will go back to Inazuma.”

Heizou clicked his tongue. He was reluctant. It was obvious what he was feeling right now. He was reluctant because he had to face the hundred graves placed in Araumi. All of them were from the village he used to live... that was burned to the ground for an unknown reason.

For an unknown reason that he never found out.

“Kazuha?” Lumine turned to the vampire, who had been quiet the whole time, “What say you? Are you willing to show us the way?”

“I can, but—” Kazuha cleared his throat but his words faltered as his expression seemed reserved.

“You’re reluctant, I see.” Hu Tao pointed out curiously, and her words startled the vampire. 

“Well, it is my birthplace.” Kazuha said solemnly before he added, “As well as my place of rest. Though it was not peaceful.”

“Is that so?” 

Hu Tao’s simple glance at Heizou made the hunter aware of what she was thinking– he and I are not the same, Hu. He softly hissed but she seemed to disregard his reaction before she reverted back to Kazuha. 

Then, the vampire declared, “If it means to alleviate the accusation of my clan colluding with the Doctor, I’m willing to face my past and show you the very ground in which that was buried in history.”

It was Kazuha's turn to glance at Heizou. Everyone seemed to be waiting for his answer and the hunter merely stood there, quietly. 

Facing his past…

Heizou closed his eyes shut while his hand rolled into a fist. Slowly but surely, the image of his two dead family members resurfaced. The very image that made him decide to take this path…

He scoffed. Facing his past, he says? 

Two can play that game.. 

“Fine. We’re going to Inazuma.” Heizou agreed, before he added, “But on one condition— I want in on the deal. Since the forgery print has some relation to Dottore, I want to keep it.”

“The print shall be in my hands at all times, for safekeeping.” Hu Tao huffed at his sudden proposition but immediately grinned at the very idea, “But you can, however, study it. Would that do?”  

The coroner turned to Kazuha who had been listening to them the whole time. He had a thoughtful look on his face before he nodded in approval.

“Do as you like.”

“Then, it is settled!” The coroner clapped cheerfully as she hopped off from the counter and spun herself in one place. “I will tell the Yuheng about your plans and have her arrange a boat to your destination.”

The mere mention of the purple-haired huntress had Lumine looking worried on everyone’s behalf, “Speaking of the Yuheng, Hu…”

“Oh, I’ve made sure she understands our situation.” Hu Tao once again giggled before winking in Lumine's direction. She then glanced at Kazuha and reassured him, “You don’t have to worry about her at all. So rest easy, my dear vampire friend.”

Her words seemed to have relieved him.

Whatever discussion that Hu Tao and Keqing had, it must have been a lot of convincing for the coroner to have the Yuheng off their backs. Either way, that was one problem that Heizou doesn’t have to deal with.

“As for you two.” Hu Tao continued, turning her attention to both of the hunters, “Since you’ll be going to Inazuma, you’ll probably be meeting up with a senior hunter, no? If I recall correctly, her name… is Naganohara Yoimiya.”

That’s right— Yoimiya.  

How long has it been since he heard her name? The fact that she was their senior; it meant that she was still a huntress during the time he was still a doushin. What conversation will they have now, after she kept such a ‘secret’ from them?

[ Inazuma - Narukami Beach - Night ]

BANG!

A heavy gunshot was fired and crows flew off into the night sky, illuminated by the full moon. The sea salt breeze brushes against the huntress’s blonde locks as she sets aside her shotgun and kneeled in front of the disoriented, rotting dead body. 

She sighed in discontent while anxiousness grew in her honey-colored eyes. She then muttered to herself, “These creatures kept coming into the beaches… but from where?”

As she was examining the body, a man approached her from the corner of a small cliff. He huffed and stated, “There’s probably a cave somewhere, who knows.”

The huntress shot up to her feet after hearing his voice and turned to see the man in a Tenryou uniform. Upon recognizing his face, she immediately scolded him, “Gosh, Uesugi! Don’t scare me like that!” She heavily sighed, “You’re not supposed to be here. You’re not supposed to be involved either! How many times do I have to tell you not to poke your nose into this?”

“Relax, Yoimiya!” Uesugi chuckled nervously before he cleared his throat and explained, “I can’t simply have you go alone at night like this. Not after what happened to your leg a year ago.” 

The officer pointed at the huntress’s prosthetic leg, but Yoimiya disregarded his concern and said, “It’s not like I can’t walk or anything. Again, you shouldn’t be here. Ever.”

“Well, I’m here now.”

Yoimiya scratched her head in frustration. Afterwards, she finally gave in. “Fine. Just help me get rid of the body. Once we’re done, I need you to forget everything that’s happened here.”

“You said that so many times.”

“I’m serious.”

The officer took a moment to think, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. He then nodded and joined Yoimiya to her side. As they dragged the body to a secluded area, Yoimiya couldn’t help but notice that Uesugi was staring at a distance, to the direction of the sea where Liyue is.

She asked him, “What’s up?”

“Have you… heard any news about Heizou? Or even Lumine?”

Yoimiya’s expression turned solemn after remembering the faces of their old friends. She simply shook her head, “No. But I hope I'll hear from them soon. ”  

[ Inazuma - Ritou - Noon ]

Seven days in the seas, and seven nights of no casualties— vampire casualties. For this time around, the captain knew what was going on and Heizou could only grumble at the side of the ship, looking over at the ocean like a child throwing a tantrum.

“So, working alongside a vampire? That’s very unlike you.” Beidou came over and stood at his side, shaking her head while smiling knowingly, “I thought you were mind controlled when you first brought him to the ship. Ya know, back in Sumeru? But it seemed you and Lumine were serious about having him around.”

“It’s a long story.” 

“Keqing already filled me in on the details. The situation sounds desperate.”

Not that desperate for them to have a vampire tagging along. He really hoped the trip to Inazuma was worthwhile. If not, who knows what he’ll do to that guy. Can’t kill him, but he’d be so wanting to strangle him, in a nonsensical sense. 

He sighed quietly, thinking if the journey to Inazuma was another two to three hours. But his ears managed to catch the faint sound of the seagulls’ cry. 

.

.

.

Home.

“We’re here.” Beidou smiled.

Right on cue, the horn was blown indicating that the ship had arrived at their destination. Heizou looked up to see the familiar dock of Ritou covered in luscious red and orange maple leaves— it has been three years, or probably more, he thought.

The soft wind blew past him, carrying the colorful leaves onto the ship. He watched those leaves flutter until a hand swiftly caught one of them. Kazuha emerged from the corner of the ship and examined the said leaf. The crimson crisp color matched his ruby eyes and striking red streak hair as Heizou continued to observe him from a distance, quietly. 

“I didn’t expect Ritou to change after three years…” Lumine commented as she stood under the large maple tree in the middle of the plaza with Kazuha at her side. “My brother and I used to stand here, waiting for Heizou to pick us up. Sometimes he tends to be late due to work and we went ahead to go to his house to surprise him.” 

Kazuha smiled and nodded off as she continued talking away, enjoying the calm pleasant breeze of Ritou.

“After our stay, we’d take pictures and buy souvenirs. Heizou would always see us off by the end of the day. You could say… Inazuma was a second home to me and my twin brother.”

Heizou was merely listening in as he dealt with their bags as well as transportation. The vendors and shops used to operate had been replaced with new ones. The shop where it used to sell trinkets and nic-nacs was now a smoothie shop that seemed to be popular amongst the young folks. The old people that used to greet each other at the side of the street were no longer in sight. And the senior officers of the Kanjou Commissions were now new recruits— new faces. While it was the home that he used to live in, it was now somewhat unrecognizable— how much has it changed, he really wondered.

“Aether would always look forward to coming back here…” Lumine murmured solemnly as she stared up at the maple tree as if she longed to relive the old days.

.

.

.

The mere mention of Aether had Heizou remember that one time he was deeply buried in his work. Day after day, case after case, everything turned cold and unsolved. His reputation as a detective became more and more dire each passing hour. All because Heizou was still denying the existence of vampires.

Heizou remembered feeling frustrated and confused, pacing back and forth in his room, mumbling incoherent words as he tossed his notes left to right. He ignored his surroundings, he ignored the mess on the floor and he ignored whoever was about to come into his room. 

As the frustration grew into a boiling point, the young doushin finally snapped and took a book into his hand before flinging it across the room. It evidently hit his large evidence board with a loud SLAM!

The slam echoed throughout the room before everything turned silent.

Heizou couldn’t recall the time he began developing an anger issue, but it got to the point where he had to let it out in the most violent way. He was too absorbed by his own incapability that he hadn’t noticed someone was standing by the door. And it was none other than the person he saw as a ‘brother’. 

“Heizou…?” 

“Aether!?” Heizou was stumped to see Aether in front of him, but he immediately remembered the date of today— that’s right . He was supposed to pick up the twins in Ritou but lost track of time. So due to that, the twins must have waited for him for too long that they had to travel to his house instead. 

Embarrassment, anxiousness and worst of all, guilt, was wailing inside of him. 

His words began to stutter as he tried to explain, “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was today and— Man alive, what a mess. Hang on, I—”

It was then he immediately felt a warm hand was placed onto his shoulder, patting away the stiffness from it, ever-so gently. 

Aether looked at him with worried eyes before he spoke, “Hey, you okay there, Heizou?”

Heizou’s mouth immediately shut and was curled into a frown. His eyes then turned downcast while his whole body seemed deflated and defeated. 

The detective sighed, “I… I’m having a rough time with work.”

Aether simply smiled and shook his head before he slowly pulled Heizou into a hug. To this day, Heizou hasn’t been able to get used to the physical gestures that these two twins have, but the warmth from the hug managed to ease his anxiousness and guilt wailing inside of him.

“I tell you what,” Aether pulled away and grinned, “Since your dad and Nana aren't at home, how about we eat out? My treat.”

“No! I can’t have you do that, you’re the guest here and—”

“Guest? We’re long past that now.”

True… Even for the twins, all three of them have already seen each other as family. Heizou just simply couldn’t help himself from feeling bad about not fetching them in Ritou. After all, his old man has always taught him about hospitality and treating those who visit the Shikanoin House with respect and consideration. But no matter what he tries to say, Aether doesn’t seem to want to take a ‘no’ for an answer right now.

“Fine, fine…! Have it your way, Aether. I’ll find a way to repay you somehow.” The detective sighed while smiling, “Speaking of Lumine, where is she?” 

“Just outside. She’s probably waiting for us.”

“Then, let’s not keep her waiting.” Heizou briskly walked past Aether, ignoring the pile of mess he had made on the floor and exited his room.

But as he was halfway through the corridor of his house, he turned around and noticed Aether wasn’t following him from behind. He quickly ran back to his room and poked his head in, only to see the blonde-haired man looking down at the notes on the ground with a serious expression.

“Aether…?”

Aether blinked for a moment and laughed a bit, “Sorry! I just think you should clean your room.”

Heizou rolled his eyes, “I know I know! Man alive, you sound like Nana. Now I’m beginning to think you spent too much time with her!”

The twin didn’t reply back and simply chuckled at Heizou’s remark. Finally, after some time, both of them left the house and joined Lumine for lunch.

Come to think of it… Why did Aether have such a serious face back then?

.

.

.

“Once we’re done here, how about we go and visit some of the new shops?” Lumine proposed enthusiastically to Kazuha. 

Heizou frowned at the suggestion and returned to her side, giving the huntress a disgruntled look. “We’re not here for sightseeing, Lumine.” 

Lumine quickly became apprehensive after he made that statement.

Regardless of her reaction, he explained firmly, “We were given a few days to stay before Captain Beidou’s ship departs from Inazuma. We need to make the most of it.” 

He pulled out a map for Inazuma and shoved it onto Kazuha’s hands. The vampire was startled by his forcefulness before he glanced down at the said map. 

Heizou then instructed him, “You. Start by being useful and pinpoint the location. Your clan’s location.”

Kazuha huffed and proceeded to unfold the paper before immediately pointing to the geographic terrain of where his clan used to reside. Both the hunters hurdle up and stare down at the map. Heizou’s eyes immediately narrowed the moment he recognized the place— Tatarasuna.

[ Inazuma - Tatarasuna - Afternoon ]

All three of them traveled to the island of Kannazuka by cart, accompanied by one of Beidou’s crewmates, Juza. Everyone was quiet on the way there. In Heizou’s mind, they only have until tomorrow to investigate anything that was necessary. By then, Juza will return with the cart and pick them up again to return to the city. So he has to make sure he thoroughly searches every last piece of evidence left in that place— what Kaedehara claimed to have left… 

“We’re here.” Juza announced as he stopped the cart in front of a junction. Everyone hopped out from the cart and bid the man farewell as he turned to the direction of the city before leaving them to their business. 

“Lead the way, Kazuha.” Lumine requested and the vampire nodded, guiding them into the area. 

Based on what Heizou knew about the place— Tatarasuna was an abandoned mining area and was left centuries untouched. Until now, even the current Shogun has not bothered about the place nor do they have plans to do anything about it. Reporters rumored for the place to be haunted and cursed, while light novel writers made it as a legend. With how things went from here on out with them, it seemed that all those allegations and suspicious inaction from the authority was more than meets the eye. He wondered just how many groups of people in Inazuma knew of the existence of vampires, and how long had they kept that secret from the common folks?

Heizou’s train of thoughts came to a halt when he suddenly caught the conversations between Lumine and Kazuha. As much as he wanted to ignore them, but after the past few minutes of him listening in, he couldn't help how the vampire kept bringing up the word ‘shika’ — which… in translation; deer.

“Deers are a rare sight in Inazuma and they do not come by often,” Kazuha said.

And Heizou counted. 

Three.

“I sometimes have to hold back my desire to feed on them. But the taste of a deer's blood has always been quite interesting.”

Two. 

The hunter ghostly reached down for his knife, his eyes taking aim at his target.

“So interesting that I often wonder how many kinds of deers are there in the wild? Would a more hostile one be… sweeter?” 

One.

WHOOSH!

It was quick, fast and with no hesitation at all— the knife flew off from the hunter’s hand. It was a mere warning, a sign that grazed the side of the vampire’s cheek, that the hunter wasn’t tolerating the subject of their conversation. The situation was left with a momentary silence before Heizou was shot with an intense glare from Lumine. 

The hunter could only shrug and smiled cynically at his partner, “Hand slipped.”

Kazuha decided to pick up the knife and dared himself to walk up to Heizou before returning his weapon. The vampire flashed a knowing smile and the hunter knew he was pulling his leg.

Heizou clicked his tongue and swiftly took the knife from his hand, "Not all deers exist for you to feed on them, Kaedahara." 

The vampire hummed, “Not all vampires are evil too, Shikanoin.” 

Lumine sighed and took a step between them.“Can we move on?” 

Both of their heavy gazes on each other moved away, and all three of them began to climb the cliffs of the mines and enter a hidden path— to where the Kaedehara Clan resided. 

“This is it.” Kazuha said as he stopped at a desolate area. 

Heizou looked up to scan the place; there were two or three houses that hadn't been torn down. There were some bare trees but one or two that were still bearing fruits like lavender melons. And finally, several spears and swords sticking out of the soil— like gravestones.

Somehow, the soil looked rather strange, it was as if the soil was… shining. 

Kazuha walked forward and stood in the middle of the area. The vampire unsheathed his sword and plunged its tip into the ground. He twisted it as much as possible so the soil of his once homeland crumbled in front of him. 

He began, “It was widely known that Fontaine had succeeded in making silver weapons, and afterwards spread their knowledge throughout Teyvat. But it was far from the truth.”

The two hunters watched him as he put aside his sword and then kneeled down, scooping the dirt into his hand. The sand that touched his skin began to sizzle. Heizou’s eyes flickered and the vampire noticed the sudden revelation he was showing to him.

“This land— this very soil, that was once resided by the Kaedahara Clan, is still covered in silver residue to this day. My clan was the one who began the forging of silver weapons, but due to unfortunate circumstances, it was never recorded in history.” Kazuha went silent for a moment, eyes closed while the soil in his reddened palm sunk through his fingers. Once the last grain fell, he concluded, “Do you believe me now? My clan has no need to side with the Doctor when our crafts were built to fend off the very creature you’re hunting. Which meant that your accusation was misplaced, Shikanoin. Do you see now?”

Heizou narrowed his eyes and kept quiet. Lumine, on the other hand, had many mixed feelings in her eyes as she glanced back and forth between the two. But after a moment, the hunter began to walk into the area. He brushed past the vampire and turned to look at the condition of the said place. 

A minute or two had passed. Silence began to loom over them yet the vampire was patient enough to let the hunter observe the surroundings.

Finally, Heizou spoke, “Fine. Then let me ask you this; Is it really the Doctor that assassinated your clan? ”      

“What?”

“Answer my question.”

Kazuha looked utterly stumped by Heizou’s question and his mind immediately raced. Heizou waited for him while Lumine watched in confusion yet anticipation.

But… to the hunter’s absolute disappointment, Kazuha answered him, “No. I— I don’t know…”

“You don’t know?” Anger boiled in his voice as he took a step forward towards the vampire, “What do you mean you don’t know?” 

“I don’t remember…” 

Heizou gritted his teeth in frustration. To think they come all the way here just for him to hear that kind of answer? The hunter took a deep breath and had his eyes deadlock on his puzzled ruby reds. 

“Do you know why your clan began the forging of silver weapons? Have they known that vampires existed back then?”

Kazuha was silent again. His eyes seemed to be more puzzled than ever before. Then he answered him, unsure, “I am… not aware of it.”

“Are you for real?” Heizou began to explain. “Earlier this year, a small village in Dadaupa Gorge burned to the ground but some villagers survived. The Doctor was sighted and was reported by the Reconnaissance Company of the Knight of Favonius, believing he was searching for someone but they didn't know who.”

Kazuha’s brows furrowed but his mouth didn’t utter a word to comment about it. 

Heizou continued, “Two years ago, a small village in Wuwang Hill was on fire but the Qixing managed to get there on time. Dottore was sighted but had already left long before the hunters arrived. No reports as to why he was there.” 

Heizou then glanced at Lumine who knew full well where he was going with this before the hunter proceeded.

“Three years ago, in this very land of Inazuma, a village in Araumi was engulfed by fire . Nothing survived… ” 

He saw the realization in Kazuha’s gaze. Those widened eyes indicated he understood what he meant when he listed down all those incidents. Afterwards, the very eyes that gaze at him were casted down in absolute distraught. 

“Do you understand where I am going with this, Kaedehara?” Heizou stood closer to the vampire, “Why aren’t there any scorched marks? Burns? Chars? If you can’t answer me that… if you can’t even remember the day that your clan was attacked, nor the events led to that, then we may have been on a wild goose chase.”

“I—” Kazuha stuttered. He gulped and shut his eyes, expression full of remorse and regret. He muttered, “I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry!?” Heizou snapped and his hands grabbed hold of the other’s haori, “Is that all you have to say? We’ve wasted our time and you’re saying sorry!? Kaedehara?!”

Lumine gasped at the situation and quickly stepped, pushing Heizou away from Kazuha as the hunter let go of him.

“Cool it, Heizou!” She scolded, “Are you trying to say that the one responsible for his clan’s death was not Dottore? Aren’t we overthinking this a little too much?”

“You tell me,” He scowled, “We came here because we hit a dead end. But all we got was another dead end, because someone couldn’t remember a damn thing.”

“It’s not a dead end, Heizou. We’re just finding out new information. Just calm down!” Lumine began to pull him away, further from Kazuha to give both of them some space. “I know all of us are having a rough time after returning to Inazuma! I know you do! But we can’t just go off at each other’s throats like this! Okay!? We just… need some time to clear our heads, no?”

Heizou was trying to make a point. He was trying to make a point that everything they do right now; it was a race against time. Dottore could be anywhere right now, terrorizing another village and killing innocent lives. And here they are trying to guess his motives, his plans, his whole operation as to why he was doing what he was doing. Heizou can’t afford to idle around and chase a ghost. The more the hunter pondered about the situation, the more frustrated he became.

.

.

“Y-you’re right…I… I need some time to clear my mind.” Kazuha stammered softly, bringing the attention of both the hunters.

Heizou clicked his tongue the moment his eyes laid upon the vampire’s saddened expression— Why are you sad about all of this!? Why are you making such a face, Kaedehara!? Why… are YOU the one feeling troubled about all of this!? 

Heizou truly couldn’t understand what he was feeling when it came to Kazuha. There was this unresolved dissatisfaction that he had for him, as well as…. sympathy. Sympathy— he must be out of his mind!

“I— I apologize.” Kazuha dug his head and slowly dragged his feet to the opposite direction, “I shall take… my leave.”

“Don’t return.” Those words slipped out of Heizou's mouth. Whether it was out of frustration or in denial, it warranted a hardened gaze from Lumine. 

“Shut it, Heizou.” the huntress hissed at him before she turned to the vampire. She spoke softly, almost begging, “Just… come back, okay? Kazuha? Please?”

Heizou could only scoff as the vampire began to walk away. The hunter turned around and crossed his arms, tapping his foot in annoyance. He then paused for a moment. His eyes lingered at his surroundings before his mind contemplated; Was— Was something here been observing them? A cold chill ran down his spine. 

He must have been imagining things… 

Fire. 

Kazuha knew what Heizou meant when the hunter brought the topic of fire. The method of annihilating those villages and how Dottore seemed to be there. It can’t be. It was impossible for Kazuha to believe that the Doctor had nothing to do with his clan. After all, the forgery print had been found in all locations that Dottore had been present. But why does he feel as though there was more to this? Did… Did Dottore have an accomplice? Knowing the type of vampire he was, that should be the case… right?

Kazuha ended up realizing his feet had dragged him to a far away area, where he could see the two hunters from the top of a hill. Beyond the horizon, the sun was slowly setting and he couldn’t help but feel melancholic of his surroundings. 

The vampire heaved a heavy sigh. There was one person who could clear his confusion, and he never thought he would ever seek her guidance again after decades. He doesn’t need to call out to her, since she had been watching all of them the moment they step foot in Tatarasuna. 

“So… you’ve returned.”

Kazuha looked up at the large bare tree, and under that bare tree was a woman morphed from her crow form. The bark of the tree shielded her from the rays of the sunset, and she could only stand in the shade to prevent herself from being burnt. Her clothing was like those of a tengu warrior in legends and stories while her demeanor was aloof and mysterious, much like any vampires would present themselves— To Kazuha, she hasn’t changed much since he last saw her, it would seem.

“Kujou Sara…” He murmured her name as he took a spot in front of her, enough distance between the two of them as they spoke to each other. 

The vampire tengu hummed in mild curiosity as she glanced down at the area where she could spot the two hunters. She stated, “I would have never thought to see a vampire aiding the very human that hunts them. Yet, I would think no less of you to seek help from these unlikely groups of people. Pray tell, why have you brought them here to this forgotten land?”

“To find the truth, and hunt down the Doctor. They and I… we have somewhat a common goal.” Kazuha's eyes narrowed, “Though it left me with so much confusion and distraught after returning here. Tell me, have I been wrong this whole time?”

“What do you mean?” Sara crossed her arm while slightly tilting her head. Her expression was blank as usual, but the tone of her voice seemed to indicate she was taken aback by his question.

Kazuha explained, “You gave me the mission to chase down Dottore, believing he was the sinner that committed the murder of my people. Yet my trust has wavered. And I believe there is more to it than this.”

Sara simply closed her eyes. She muttered, “What more can I tell you?”

“The truth.” Kazuha emphasized, his expression turned desperate, “You have heard of what those hunters had said to me. Do not act as though what they said had no reasons. If you can’t bring yourself to tell me the truth, then I have no need to carry on this mission.”

The tengu hummed in contemplation, letting the cold air and silent breeze filled the area. Kazuha waited for her answer, hoping she could give him some enlightenment of this whole situation. And finally, she softly nodded.

“Very well. Only because you deserve the truth.” Sara exhaled and began, “The Doctor had many capabilities. One of which is being manipulative and having others carry his task in his stead.”

Yes, that was true. Dottore was one who wouldn’t dirty his hands. Kazuha had seen it, or rather, experienced it. He had sent bounties on him, he even managed to have the hunters cornering him. The Doctor was far from a mere vampire. 

“This may be difficult for you to accept, but… there was a betrayal amongst those who I served back then.” the tengu sighed, her eyes turned downcast, “One of which was their kin. And that kin… sided with the Harbingers.” 

Huh…?

“It gave the opportunity for the Doctor and his plans to take motion. Thus… the downfall of the Raiden Gokuden began.”

“How can that be!?” Kazuha’s heart began to tighten after hearing such words. Where… has he heard this story before? “Why was there a betrayal to begin with?”

“Conflict.” Sara answered him immediately after he saw his troubled expression. She then continued, “There was a conflict between the vampires. Due to that conflict, spread the knowledge of silver weapons amongst humans, giving rise to more hostile groups. It was by no means our intention to involve humans. The knowledge of silver were bestowed to humans so that they can fend for themselves, but—”

“But in the end, we were victims of a civil war.”

It finally dawned on him. The history that was told by the hunters, the history of which was recorded by the textbooks… there was a civil war. But not amongst humans, but vampires. How can this be? HOW!?

Heavy silence loomed over them. Kazuha couldn’t bear to look at the woman in front of him as his mind began to race. The people— his clan, whom he lived together with, died to a conflict that had nothing to do with them. He thought his clan was tasked to serve the Shogun at the time. He thought his clan was serving a noble cause at the time. But— BUT! 

It was… too unbelievable. Too vain. Too much. He would rather accept that Dottore had a grudge for whatever reasons towards his clan, but—

“Is that how you see it, Kaedehara?” 

Kazuha snapped, “I have been walking on this earth for centuries, only to receive such revelation. While it is true that the Doctor was the mastermind in all of this, yet who is to say that the very one that left my clan vulnerable was the very vampires standing in front of me!” 

His voice was hoarse, his hands trembled as it rolled into fists. Kazuha stuttered and continued to speak, mustering the buried anger in his heart to the vampire that he thought had given him salvation. 

“You involved us humans— no, my people, into your war and they have reap the consequence of it all. The creature that I am now… you should have left me to die, Sara!” 

His last sentence made the tengu look upset.

“Kaedehara…” Sara spoke solemnly and regretfully, “I couldn’t leave you to die when you are the last survivor of the Isshin arts. It was my duty to preserve of what was left. It is your duty to carry on of what was left.”

“Truly?!”

He wished he could cry. He wished he could scream. But he knew full well he couldn’t. Because he was a vampire… and no matter how much he told his heart to let out all those emotions… it felt hollow inside. He wished he could simply feel angry… just like how Shikanoin had those buried anger inside of him.

.

.

.

Shikanoin.

Kazuha’s mind conjured the face of the hunter. And immediately, the vampire turned his heels to the direction of where he left his companions before he began to walk away from the area. 

“Kaedehara!” Sara called out to him, but Kazuha had already disappeared from her sight. The vampire tengu huffed softly and peaked over at the sunset. She murmured in sorrow, “Even now… you are still emotional, still grieving, still human— unlike us.”

[ Inazuma - Tatarasuna - Sunset ]

Heizou and Lumine took a rest in one of the abandoned huts. Inside the hut had a hearth which they could create fire to warm themselves for the night. After the whole tension between him and Kazuha, Heizou stayed quiet for the rest of the time as both hunters tried to clear out the debris and broken glasses of the room from one end to the other. Until Lumine finally spoke up.

“Honestly, Heizou… Now I’m worried that Kazuha won't return.” 

The hunter rolled his eyes after hearing such a statement. “Out of all things… you’re worried about the vampire. Might as well worry about something lurking in the night while we’re out here.”

Lumine turned around to look at Heizou while her mouth curled in dissatisfaction. She replied, “It would have been better if Kazuha was here with us. That way, it would feel a lot safer at night, no?” 

He disagrees, but if he says anything more, both of them would start an argument— and he wants none of that. He’d rather think about what he needed to do next. Does coming here have any benefit? Maybe… Maybe not…. It does clear out the possibility that Kaedehara isn’t colluding with the Doctor, as well as the vampire’s statement of being the first of his clan to build silver weapons. But it doesn’t add the fact that the Doctor didn’t destroy everything in this area. Unless there was a third party involved. A conflict, maybe? Another group? Another harbing—

“Seriously, what’s wrong, Heizou?” 

Heizou was pulled away from his train of thoughts before he glanced at Lumine’s tired face.

She said to him, “I know it’s not easy returning here, but it’s been three years and it’s not as bad as you made it out to be.”

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong.” Heizou immediately got up from where he was crouching and turned to face his partner, “The fact that it’s been three years is what’s wrong. We’ve been going around from nation to nation, trying to hunt down Dottore. We almost had him. I almost had him, but he got away,” his heart began to tighten as his voice turned somber. “And now we’re resorting to the help of a vampire just to find another vampire.”

“What’s wrong with Kazuha helping us?” Lumine asked with a sad look on her face, “Just because he is a vampire doesn't mean he is bad. Not all vampires are evil.”

Heizou gritted his teeth, “Not this conversation again.”

“Heizou…” The huntress took a step forward, eyes full of affirmation, “It may be ironic, especially the job we’re in, but yes I do think not all vampires are evil. Kazuha is good. He has proven time and time again that he is good. Why can’t you see that?” She then paused, her eyes slightly widened, “Wait. Are you… beginning to see that he’s good too, Heizou?”

“For the love of—” He clicked his tongue and raised his voice, “Vampires will soon dominate this world and make us lifestocks, Lumine. I am on edge because we can’t afford to waste our time here when Dottore is out there making his next move. That’s it. Whether this subject has anything to do with Kaedehara— is another topic.”

“I get that but…” Lumine was taken aback by Heizou’s outburst once again. She then sighed and turned away from him. “Whatever… I’m going out to scavenge for food.” 

She walked up to her rifle that was resting nicely at the near entrance of the hut, and placed it comfortably at her back. 

Before she exited, Lumine glanced at Heizou with a disappointed look on her face. She murmured to him, “Once nightfall, I’ll take the first night shift. You seem to be needing more sleep than I do, Jojo.”

With that Lumine was out of his sight. Heizou immediately exasperated. He quickly took a seat at a stone table by the corner of the room, and slumped his head onto the surface— Why is it that he is in such a predicament? He doesn’t need sleep. He needs answers, but his mind was all jumbled up and he couldn’t piece together anything at the moment. Should he have apologized? Should he have gone out and accompanied her rather than left her alone? Does she need time alone?   

His foot was erratic, tapping rapidly on the wooden floor as he grew more and more impatient. More and more anxious, more and more angry. To whom? To himself? To Lumine? To the circumstances that they were in right now?

Heizou’s head quickly shot up. He didn’t even need to turn his head. He didn’t need to guess who was standing by the entrance of this hut. He didn’t need to invite him in. Worst of all, he didn’t need for him to return this soon when he wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. Yet…

“Stop gawking. I know you’re there, Kaedehara.”

To this day, he finds this man rather mysterious. How is it that Heizou was able to know he was here the whole time? 

Kazuha sighed, revealing himself to the hunter before he entered the hut. “Miss me..?”

“As if.”

His straight-forward answer left them with an abrupt silence. Kazuha could tell he was in a terrible mood and he doesn’t blame him. It feels as though the world was mocking them. Mocking him— himself, for wasting their time, for wasting his own time, and for being nothing more than a burden to this already-complicated situation.

For all this time he had walked on the surface of Teyvat, trying to carry out his mission that was given to him, Kazuha ended up having to know the very group of people who gave him this second life, was the one who put him and his clan into this cruel situation. Should he blame the Doctor, or all of the vampires? 

Maybe his words were misplaced. Maybe Shikanoin had the right to hate all vampires for the reason that they are evil. Because Kazuha began to hate the very being that he is now. No— he already hated himself the moment he was reborn and was unable to feel how a human should feel; grief, sadness, anger…

.

.

.

Maybe leaving everything by the hands of the hunter would end his hollow misery.

“I’ve overheard the conversation between the two of you.” Kazuha smiled nonchalantly. He put aside his sword by the nearest wall and took a step forward to his death row, “She was rather distraught the moment you brought up the topic of vampires dominating the world, I quote.”

“You’re very chatty today.” Heizou scowled while refusing to make eye contact with him. He added, “I’m surprised that I haven't put a bullet into that skull yet.”

Kazuha let out a short laugh and took another step forward, closer to the hunter. “While that may be true… but there are some vampires who are different from most.” 

His words made Heizou tilted his head to the side a little. The vampire seemed to have caught his attention. 

Kazuha proceeded, “Some of us prefer to be… taken. To be dominated. ”

The vampire closed the distance between them and Heizou’s sharp gaze slowly lingered up to meet his ruby reds. Such a beautiful pair of emerald eyes, Kazuha thought. He never took the time to observe this man nor he ever thought about how captivating he was until right now. Heizou was dangerous, but it was the danger that attracted him. It was as if Kazuha was given a forbidden fruit, and was seduced to take a bite on it.

Kazuha then asked him, “Would you believe such a thing?” His fingers gingerly touched the side of the hunter’s face and brought his own face closer. He whispered and repeated, “Would you, Shikanoin? ”

.

.

.

BAM!

The excruciating pain spread across Kazuha’s head and upper body. He had found himself being slammed onto the cold stone table with his arm being pulled back, which rendered him immobile by the hunter.

Heizou let out a soft and breathy laugh— the sweet, sadistic laugh that Kazuha found intoxicating. And it brought shivers down his spine. 

The vampire felt the other’s hand pressed onto his head before the hunter bent over and whispered into his sensitive ear.

“Dominate? You?” Heizou scoffed, “You’re getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you?”

He felt every hour, and every minute of his life— ticking down. His chest was pounding, his breathing turned uneven, and he was… fine with it. He was… somewhat exhilarated. The pain, the fear. He felt it. It was the only thing he could feel at this very moment.

“Would you…?” Kazuha chuckled softly, “Would you do it—”

BAM!

The vampire gasped by another slam to the head. His hair was gripped tightly, holding him into place while wincing in his blissful pain.

“Still chatty, are we?” Heizou huffed, before he slowly removed himself from the vampire.

Kazuha was left by himself while he draped over the table. He listened to the footsteps of the hunter as the other went about in the room. It wasn't a moment long before he heard the cackling sound of the hearth. He wanted to glance over and observe Heizou's every move. But by the time he was able to, the hunter had already returned and immediately yanked him by the back of his haori. 

“Gah!”

The vampire was forcefully pulled up to stand on his feet as Heizou sat down onto the stone  stool. The hunter then roughly tugged him by the arm and Kazuha wobbled over before he clumsily sat onto the hunter’s lap. Kazuha’s head was grabbed hold once more, making him look straight into those viridian eyes again.

Heizou smirked cynically, “Since you’re so insistent on telling me about the nature of vampires, then I have a question for you.”

Kazuha swallowed and waited. He couldn’t make out the weapon Heizou was holding in his other hand, but he could catch the sizzling sound emitted from it.

The hunter proceeded to ask, “Do you know how a vampire’s heart works?” 

Heart?

Kazuha was stumped for a moment. He wondered where the conversation was going. Why would he be curious about a vampire’s he— GAKH!?

The sound of a glass echoed throughout the room, and the vampire felt the excruciating heat invaded throughout his body. Kazuha bit down his own lips while his hands grabbed tightly onto the hunter’s shoulders. He glanced down to see a broken bottle of glass stabbed into his chest. 

Heizou hummed, amused. “Huh… it can cool glass.” 

Heizou pushed the object into him, deeper, harder. Kazuha choked, and choked again, from the continuous whistling, hot pain. Thick, dark-coloured blood, slowly trickled down from his wound. His body felt warm— the warm that he had never felt in a long time. Yet his eyes could not even shed a tear from this much pain. 

“Do you see that, Kaedehara?” The hunter murmured, “It goes to show just how cold that heart is. Hahaha… ”

Heizou let out another breathy laugh while the vampire shuddered from his teasingly-cruel disposition. 

Kazuha wanted to say something. 

He wanted to open his mouth. 

But all he could do was laugh. He chuckled back. “Hahaha…”

It wasn’t loud, but it was enough for the hunter to hear it and find it amusing.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Kazuha tried to reply but his words were immediately gagged when Heizou forcefully removed the sharp object from his body.   

“HNG—!!”

“No screaming.” Heizou covered his mouth the moment he let go of the glass. Heizou then slowly let his other hand slide down to his waist and held onto it firmly. The hunter repeated,  “No screaming, Kaedehara.” 

The vampire shut his eyes tightly, telling the other that he’ll obey. It was a second or two later that the hunter removed his hand from his mouth and Kazuha slumped his head onto his shoulder. He breathed, even if breathing wasn't necessary, yet he breathed the hot air into his lunges. It was then he felt a gentle touch, a slight stroke by the side of his face, that had his heart jump.

“That's a good bloodsucker.”

Kazuha’s eyes simply widened. He felt the friction against his thighs. He glanced at Heizou as the hunter looked down. His dark viridian eyes lit up and a sadistic grin made his way into his lips. 

“You’re hard.”

Heat rose onto Kazuha’s face. He immediately shuffled his position and noticed something similar.

Shikanoin…

Shikanoin was hard too.

Kazuha quickly pulled himself away, but the hunter gripped him tightly into his hold.

Heizou scoffed at him, his expression was so amused that Kazuha wasn't sure whether to feel embarrassed or to feel ashamed. 

“You really are enjoying this.” The hunter snickered darkly, “How hilarious…”

Heizou casually pushed him off of him and Kazuha fell to the floor. The vampire coughed violently as his wound hadn't completely healed. He tried to get up but Heizou held him down by the collar of his haori, keeping him still as he reached down for a weapon on his leg strap.

“Have you heard of a game called Snezhnayan Roulette?” Heizou muttered cynically. “Let me demonstrate.”

Kazuha’s eyes caught the shining revolver in his hand. He simultaneously held his breath as the cylinder spun and the barrel was pressed onto his forehead . He braced himself. He watched as the finger pressed the trigger. He immediately closed his eyes.

Click.

.

.

.

Nothing.

The vampire froze in place. He was stumped. He was baffled. The gun… was actually empty as the hunter revealed its hollow case. 

“Don’t take me as a fool, Kaedehara,” Heizou said solemnly as he loomed over him. “You think I didn’t see through that little act?” 

Kazuha stared at him with his half-lidded gaze while his body began to feel the tiredness from the pain he experienced. It finally took a moment for his mind to click, and realized what his words had meant. 

Ah… Heizou knew. The hunter knew what his intention was for doing all of this.

Kazuha wanted to laugh at how fast he caught on— how impressive that the hunter managed to see the misery he was feeling, but Heizou’s hand was already quick enough to shut him up by grabbing his neck. Kazuha choked by the grip he had on him. He could feel Heizou’s fingers putting pressure into his blood veins, causing him to feel dizzy and slowly losing consciousness.

Heizou then pressed his forehead against his. He smirked, almost pitifully at him. “I am not going to give you what you want. So you have to deal with it.”

Kazuha’s brows furrowed slightly before he smiled earnestly, “H-how disappointing.” 

Finally, his vision gradually darkened.

Heizou stared down at the unconscious vampire. His mind was blank, strangely blank. It was as if all the loud noises in his head were gone. The room was quiet, but oddly peaceful, and he found himself wondering what he was doing prior to this moment.

“Fun’s over.” The hunter huffed.

His hand gently tilted the vampire’s head left to right before he retracted. He continued to gaze at his face while feeling this subtle irk in him— Why do you look miserable, Kaedehara…?

Does he truly sympathize with this vampire? 

Heizou sighed. He was too tired to think. He sat on the floor as he looked around the room. He made a mental note of the spots to clean and the items to be placed back, so that Lumine wouldn’t find the room suspiciously messy. Heizou then glanced at Kazuha, his wounds, then to their small traveling bags with water bottles at the corner of the room. His mouth curled in contemplation, before he mildly hummed nonchalantly— Lumine wouldn't mind it if he used up half of their water supplies, no?  

It’s not like she would be able to find out what had happened here. After all, he was good at hiding evidence. 

With that, Heizou carefully scooped the vampire into his arms, and carried him to the back of the hut.   

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Inazuma - Tatarasuna - Night ]

They say that vampires never sleep, but that was far from the truth. Vampires, however, can sleep but they can’t dream. They do not get tired, they do not fall into deep slumber, and they do not manifest in which their mind conjures strange scenarios. However, in their sleep, memories of the past loom over them, thus what was buried deep within, resurfaced.

.

.

.

“Kazuha! How’s your training going?”

Kazuha stopped to look at the older man who was sitting at the other side of the room. He was so engrossed by his task that he didn’t realize the presence of other people in the smithy.

Kazuha quickly replied, “It is coming along just fine, teacher. Your guidance has been very helpful these last few days.”

“That’s good to hear.” His teacher nodded, “I was worried about you after you’ve burned yourself on your first smithing. But seeing you make so much progress left me feeling at ease. I hope that hand of yours doesn’t give you so much trouble.”

Kazuha looked down at his right hand wrapped in bandages. Sure, it was awful by how terribly burnt it was, considering he touched the metal without any much thought while the metal itself was sizzling hot. But it doesn’t deter him from continuing his lessons. 

“It does not.” Kazuha answered. “I thank granny for tending to it.”

“Come now. It was nothing.” The older woman who sat next to his teacher giggled lightly, “Although your father was quite frantic seeing you injured yourself. It’s good to know he doesn’t need to worry about you any further. He should be proud of you.”

Kazuha simply smiled. That’s all he needed to know— making his family proud.

“We’re going off topic now. Where were we?” The older man hummed in contemplation. 

Kazuha resumed his task while he listened in.

“Ah yes, did you hear anything about our benefactors, granny?” His teacher asked her, “Is Niwa attending to them regarding the issue of the forging prints?”

The granny sounded unsure as she replied to him, “I did hear that the visit today was the strange kabukimono again. Then a man with blue hair and a strange mask came over shortly after. He looked like… like a doctor of some-sort.”

“A doctor? That’s strange…” There was wariness in his teacher’s tone. “I never heard or seen this… masked doctor before.”

The granny reassured him, “I’m sure whoever it is, once Master Niwa has finished his meeting with them, we will know soon.” 

“I hope so.” The older man sighed, “The amount of wasted silver materials being left to the side is… unfathomable. We can’t find what was the problem in our smithing. And we can’t present this to the Shogun with such unrefined workmanship.”

Kazuha frowned after hearing their conversation. As he finished his smithing, he set aside his hammer and lifted the blade to examine it. It was shining, silver in color. Something he has never seen before. It was unique at best, with its intricate patterns and such. Yet, he wondered why it was deemed imperfect and faulty? Isn't it not supposed to look like this?

“We have a problem!”

A man burst open the door and entered the smithy. The man’s panicked expression made all three of them in the room feel uneased. His teacher quickly rose from where he sat and confronted the man.  

“What’s going on? What’s happening out there!?”

Gradually, Kazuha could hear the faint screams and cries turned louder and louder. Smokes and light illuminated, visible by the entrance from where he stood. What in the world is happening outside?

“Strange… Strange bandits!” The man panted heavily and shouted, “Assaulters!! They are raiding our village!”

Without a moment to spare, his teacher quickly grabbed the nearest sword and ran out of the room. Kazuha decided to follow him, running towards the exit and bringing his newly forged sword along, while he disregarded the cries of his name.

.

.

.

The last of his moments he remembered were blood. Blood, screams…. As well as bodies falling left and right. 

[ Inazuma - Tatarasuna - Dawn ]

Kazuha gasped from his sleep. His body shivered from the sudden coldness before his skin turned numb to the feeling. What was that? He knew it wasn’t a dream. But for a memory that was hundreds years ago was near impossible to remember.

The vampire slowly sat up, letting himself lay his back against the wall. He noticed the cloth draping over him was the cloth wrapped around his sword. As for his sword, it was placed neatly right next to him. He then looked down at his right hand— the hand that used to have burn marks and scars. He touched his palm before he sighed solemnly. Kazuha turned to look at his surroundings and found himself in a small room, probably the room extended to the main room where his fellow hunter companions rested. He checked himself, bringing his hand to feel a subtle damp onto his chest. His brows perked in curiosity.

Did… Did Shikanoin clean him?

How… strange. 

Speaking of him though… Kazuha had realized time must have passed since both of them had that heated conversation. He wasn’t sure how long he had slept since then. So the vampire decided to stand from where he sat, taking his sword with him before peeking into the other room. From what he sees, Lumine was sleeping at the corner, tucked under a thin blanket with her back turned against the wall. The fire from the hearth was diminishing but still lighting. Other than that, there was no Heizou in sight. Kazuha slowly emerged from the small room and took a step into the main room. He walked to the exit, carefully not to make any noise to awoke the huntress. As he slowly opened the door, his eyes landed onto the leaned figure and hair in wine-like color in the dim atmosphere of dusk. 

There he is…

He wasn’t sure what the hunter was doing, nor what the vampire planned to do after. But something compelled him to take a step outside and join him—- so he did. The moment Kazuha walked up to the hunter, Heizou simply turned from where he was gazing and made eye contact with the vampire. 

They were silent for a bit, letting the early morning breeze pass through them. Kazuha noticed that the hunter was calm. Pleasantly calm. His heart beat— somehow this strange phenomena that was happening to him where he could hear his heartbeat; it was slow and steady. It was erratic last time. But today, it was somehow… peaceful.

“I don’t know what you were thinking yesterday.” Heizou spoke up first, arms crossed while his viridian gaze downcasted. He then shifted his attention away and continued to speak, “But I’m not giving up. I’m not gonna rest until I kill Dottore. So don’t drag me into your pity party.”

Kazuha smiled solemnly and nodded.

More silence between them. Kazuha hadn’t thought of what he should say to him. Should he ask what he was doing? Was the hunter able to sleep last night? Or should he just forget about the events that happened between them last night?

Kazuha realized he was in a predicament. He can’t seem to read him, much less speak to him. Maybe he should just leave.

“My words… were ignorant.” 

Huh…?

Kazuha looked up and was puzzled by Heizou’s words. He watched as the hunter walked up to a worn down house before prompting him to come closer. The vampire did so and walked up to him before standing beside him.

Heizou held up a makeshift lamp; a container filled with fireflies and brought it closer to a spot. He pointed, “Scorch marks, very subtle. Someone must have been able to put out the fire before this place was able to burn to the ground. In other words, some rescuers came to your clan’s aid and were able to preserve this place, but not the people I deduced.”

Upon closer observation, there were chars onto the wooden walls of the house. Kazuha couldn’t remember what this building was built for, but he was sure the time before he died, he never saw flames ignite. Come to think of it… he never had a moment to process everything after he was reborn as a vampire. Sara insisted on him leaving his desolated clan as soon as possible. 

And then it occurred to him. The words she spoke to him.

“I couldn’t leave you to die when you are the last survivor of the Isshin arts. It was my duty to preserve of what was left. It is your duty to carry on of what was left.”

Sara’s words echoed and Kazuha’s ruby reds turned slightly widened. His mind was racing for a few seconds, analyzing the situation before him, her words, Heizou’s deduction. Could it be that the Doctor had a direct involvement? Did Sara come to their rescue but was too late? Was she the one that managed to preserve this place? 

Kazuha’s thoughts came to a halt. He turned to look at the hunter and asked. “Why… Why are you telling me this, Shikanoin?”

Heizou glanced at him before his attention went back to the shack. He replied. “Because I came here to investigate. It’s my job as a detective. Isn’t that why we’re here in the first place?” 

Heizou's words were confusing at first, but as soon as Kazuha saw the slight guilt in his eyes, the vampire’s mind clicked.

Is he… apologizing? Is this his way of apologizing? But why?

He paused.

Wait…

He blinked. 

He continued to comically blink. 

Because of Kazuha’s long and quiet stare, accompanied with several odd blinkings, the hunter immediately noticed it and squinted at him.

Kazuha contemplated. Was Heizou trying so desperately to prove himself that he was a detective? Was that why he was so hastily throwing questions at him? Catching him off guard and cornering him yesterday? While it was harsh, to think he got upset by the provocation that he spewed at him back in Liyue was quite… hilarious. He couldn't help but feel gleeful . Strangely gleeful and triumphant. On top of that, he was impressed. Almost mesmerized by how talented and sharp Shikanoin Heizou was— The sharpest detective in Inazuma, truly proved himself.

Kazuha had been staring at him for quite a while. Heizou wondered if he had said anything strange. The more he stared, the more irritated he felt. What is he thinking? Say something, vampire! 

The silence kept going.

The blinking kept going.

Heizou was about to explode if he kept going like that.

But fortunately for him, the awkward silence between them finally ended.

“How... do you see?” Kazuha asked, referring to the evidence he has shown to him.

Heizou blinked. He blurted. "With your eyes."

Kazuha burst into laughter, jolting him from his morning tiredness. What the hell!? He furrowed annoyingly. He had the urge to stab him. To strangle him. To shut him up. WHY ARE YOU STILL LAUGHING, KAEDEHARA? 

Heizou was going to pull a knife or two at him. But lucky, lucky for him, at the corner of his eyes, Heizou saw Lumine coming out from the hut. At the same time, the light of the sun slowly appeared from the horizon. He watched as her head perked up, assuming she saw the sight of the vampire, before she quickly left the entrance of the hut and ran up to them. 

“Kazuha!” She called his name with full of relief, “Oh thank goodness, you’re back! Where have you been all night?”

The vampire seemed reluctant to answer her. Kazuha kept eyeing on Heizou and the hunter decided to step in, throwing her a question. 

“Shouldn’t you be resting a lot more?”

“I was trying to get some sleep. But then I heard laughter outside, so I got curious.” She giggled and flashed a knowing look at Heizou, “I didn’t expect you two would be getting along, hm?”

“As if.”  

The hunter was doing his job. He was proving to the vampire that he was a capable detective. Nothing about this was ‘getting along’.

“So, what’s up? What were you doing just now?” Lumine asked as she pointed at the makeshift lamp in Heizou’s hand.

Heizou glanced at her and took a step forward to illuminate the marks on the wall. He murmured. “Evidence.”  

Heizou’s answer was simple, yet Lumine knew what he meant right away with how her eyes widened. 

He added, “It’s a miracle that this place is still intact after all those years. We’re lucky that we managed to find something.” 

Lumine immediately went to his side, snatching the lamp from his hand before she stood in front of the worn down house. Her hand caressed at the wooden surface, tracing the dark marks of the wall before she turned to look at Heizou.

“Scorch marks….” She murmured, almost in disbelief.

Heizou expected that Lumine would be impressed or overjoyed regarding the evidence. But he ended up witnessing her brows furrowed and her mouth curled quickly into a frown.

“Apologize to Kazuha!”

.

.

.

Huh?

The atmosphere suddenly turned weirdly comical. Almost a whiplash to Heizou’s serious disposition. 

Lumine immediately placed the lamp onto the ground and had her hands onto her hips. She repeated her words. “Apologize to Kazuha properly for being mean to him yesterday! Come on!”

Heizou glanced at Kazuha, who seemed as stumped as he was with the situation, before he moved his attention back to Lumine. If he doesn’t do as he was told, Lumine would egg him to no end. How in the world did this situation turn so awkward all of a sudden?

Without much deliberation, Heizou shrugged lightly. "I'm sorry?"

Lumine sighed, eyes narrowed and disappointed at his apology. "That wasn't very honest…" 

Because of their silly banter, Kazuha let out a chuckle. Both of the hunters turned to the vampire and the awkward tension between them quickly dissipated.

Lumine smiled at him. “I’m glad you're feeling a lot better, Kazuha.” 

The vampire hummed, sneaking a glance at the hunter before he replied to the huntress, “I actually had a good sleep. So yes, I am feeling quite better.”

Lumine smirked at Heizou’s direction before she spoke, “See Heizou? Sleep is good. You should get some.”

Heizou replied while rolling his eyes. “I already did.”

“Well, you need more.” 

Heizou wanted to drop himself to the ground and melt. As much as he wants to sleep, but there are pressing matters at hand.

Lumine then turned her attention to Kazuha, disregarding the dissatisfactory look on Heizou's face. She said to the vampire. “Speaking of, I’m surprised that vampires can sleep.”

“We can sleep, but we cannot dream.” Kazuha explained, “It’s a common misconception but it is not too important of a knowledge for hunters.” 

Kazuha went silent immediately, almost like he was thinking. His ruby reds then gazed at Heizou. The hunter furrowed, waiting for him to speak up.

So he spoke. “I have been meaning to take this chance to talk to you both. And if you could spare me a listening ear, I’d appreciate it..”

There it was again. Those eyes, that expression, and that sad tone of his. It has been bugging Heizou since last night and the hunter wasn’t sure how to feel or deal with him. Given how the vampire seemed to be ready to lay everything on the table, Heizou decided to give him a chance. Whether it was out of pity or curiosity, it doesn’t hurt him to listen.

After all, being a detective meant listening to people and picking out flaws in their words. 

“Alright.” Heizou turned his attention fully to him. “What is it then?”

Kazuha was surprised to know that Heizou was willing to listen to him. Is this the same hunter he dealt with for the past few weeks? He couldn’t help but feel a sense of calmness in him. In both of them. 

Kazuha began. “I haven’t been truthful about myself and my background to you both. But it is only because I have to preserve myself in order to carry out a mission given to me, and to not have any humans involved in this whole situation— to not make the same mistake.”

And by mistake; he meant the same one when Sara and the people that she served involved his clan into their civil war. Whether it was intentional or not, he wouldn’t want the same thing to happen to the living.  

But…

“But. Here we are.” Kazuha muttered softly and guiltily. “You deserve the full truth from me.”

Heizou and Lumine glanced at each other.

Lumine asked. “Mission?”

“To hunt down the Doctor, avenge my clan and end all of these tragedies.” Kazuha nodded before he exhaled. “In truth, I… I never knew about my clan and their true purpose up until now.” 

The vampire kept his gaze downwards, ashamed. But at the corner of his eyes, he could feel the shift between them changed— Uncertainty and troubledness.

Kazuha continued. “After I became a vampire, it was then that I discovered that these silver weapons were forged to slay vampires. It is the truth when I told you that my clan was the first. Unfortunately, that was all that I knew.” Kazuha fell silent for a moment. A second or two, contemplating the words he wanted to convey next. He explained more. “At the time, after I was reborn, I was full of distraught and confusion. I was forced into carrying this mission with little knowledge and adjustment. It was… rather naive of me, yet I wasn’t given a choice.” 

“Kazuha…” Lumine murmured his name in sympathy. 

He remembered the words of their coroner companion; how he told her that he didn’t have a choice. So, she gave him a choice— a chance. So, he took that chance. And now here they are. Whatever consequences he may face, he hoped that their trust never wavers.

“It was only yesterday that everything came to light.” Kazuha took a deep breath and showed his determined eyes to his hunter companions. “What I have known until now, what I have told you up until now— it was farther from the truth.” 

Kazuha told them of the memory that he remembered during his sleep. He recalled the time he was smithing and overheard the conversation between his elders. A strange kabukimono whom they see as one of their benefactors visited their village. And then a doctor with a strange mask came afterwards. It was then everything went south and blood was shed. Kazuha moved the conversation to a different topic, correlating to the one previously. By carefully choosing his words, Kazuha told them about his meeting with a fellow vampire. She shared some knowledge regarding the similarity of what the hunters knew about the Raiden Gokaden and the actual events that took place.

And that was it.

After everything that was told by him, Kazuha could tell that Heizou wasn’t too thrilled by the mention of another vampire. 

“Wait…” There was a sudden realization in Lumine’s eyes as she spoke, “This vampire… Is she your friend? Is that why I felt like something was watching us yesterday?”

Her words sounded calm, but it set an alarm to the other hunter. In mere seconds, Kazuha witnessed Heizou pulling out his gun from his strap.

“She isn’t here with us! And she meant no harm as well! I swore on that!” Kazuha panicked. Putting his hands up forward to try and calm down the situation. “If you can’t trust her, then trust me! My words!”

“How much can I trust you?” The tone in Heizou’s voice turned serious.

Kazuha was perplexed by how quickly the atmosphere turned hostile. He made a quick glance at Lumine’s direction and the huntress seemed to share the same sentiment with Heizou. Yes, it was understandable to be wary. After all, these two are hunters. It is their job to hunt down vampires. Making an ally out of them is against their purpose. Trusting one vampire was already a gamble. Another one would be a risk. Yet, he can’t let this hostility be an obstacle to finding out the Doctor’s motives. Kazuha contemplated for a moment, choosing his words carefully once more, before he spoke up.

“Gouge my heart.”

Heizou’s eyes widened slightly because of his statement. Kazuha repeated his words again but in a solemn manner.

“Gouge my heart if my words can’t be trusted.” The vammpire took a step forward, eyes locking onto those viridian gaze as he spoke, “If I ever were to deceive you, if I ever were to put you in harm’s way, even if it is no means my intention in the slightest, then gouge this unbeating heart of mine.” 

“Kazuha…” Lumine was slightly unhappy by such a gruesome statement, yet she seemed persuaded by his oath. 

On the other hand, Heizou was quiet. And he continued to stay quiet as he stared at him. His viridian eyes seemed to be searching for any lies in his words and Kazuha waited patiently for his reply.

Finally, the hunter spoke. 

“I’ll take your word for it.” Heizou huffed and placed back his gun into his straps. “But I need you alive, Kaedehara. Or else, Dottore gets what he wants, remember?” 

Kazuha blinked in confusion. He did a quick glance at Lumine’s direction and the huntress had the same expression as he was— puzzled, and all the more curious.

“What? Did you forget why we came here in the first place?” The hunter crossed his arms, looking mildly disappointed. He riddled him, “One was found in Sumeru. The other was found in the Chasm. Both had the presence of the Doctor. What is it?”

It took a while but it finally dawned on him as to what the hunter was implying. That’s right— The forging print. He never understood why it was found in those two locations, let alone another one already in the possession of their coroner companion. Moreover, who was responsible for all of this? It couldn’t be the Doctor. Otherwise…

Heizou prodded. “I don’t know who or why those prints were scattered into pieces but… it could only mean one thing.”

The vampire’s eyes widened in realization. There was more to this than him being ‘alive’ and was given a task to hunt down Dottore. That would be: 

“I am the only one who can read those prints.” Kazuha answered, almost baffled by it. “The very print that forged the very first silver weapons. And the Doctor wants to destroy every last trace of it.”

“Bingo.” 

Kazuha felt a sense of hope, joy and motivation. He had a purpose. A stronger purpose and not just hunting down the harbinger to seek retribution. He quickly remembered the words Sara had told him. She preserved him and his clan. Did she mean the knowledge and arts that taught him? He questioned what was the true nature of the forging print. Was there more to it than what he had known? 

“It’s official. We’re now the Kazuha protection squad.” 

Both men turned to look at the smirking huntress. The expression she displayed was meant for Heizou, who was furrowing profusely at Lumine’s implication.

She reminded him. “All the more reason not to kill him. Right, Jojo?”

“So be it.” Heizou admitted, his tone in defeat and acceptance yet the idea doesn’t bother him at all. The hunter then turned his attention back to Kazuha. He pressed. “Answer me this, Kaedehara; since Dottore was likely involved, do you believe he is the main perpetrator?”

The vampire hummed thoughtfully. This was the question the hunter asked yesterday. He wouldn’t have been able to answer, if not for Sara nor the dream he had. He lightly nodded, feeling ready to face those questions with clearer answers and reasons.

“Yes, but although…” Kazuha furrowed, glancing at the burn marks on the wall before he stated, “While he might have orchestrated the assassination of my clan, there is still the presence of the Kabukimono. I believe… This Kabukimono is another harbinger since he was present with the Doctor.”

“Yet…” Lumine spoke up reluctantly, “...if there was another harbinger involved, this land wouldn’t have stayed the same. It would have successfully burned to the ground, with nothing left behind.”

“Keen observant, dear huntress.” Kazuha nodded, feeling impressed. “There is more to this than meets the eye.”

“Alright, next question.” Heizou wasted no time and asked, “Does anyone in your clan know of the existence of vampires?”

“I can’t say for sure.” Kazuha answered and clarified, “I was an apprentice in my human life. So I was not privy to the knowledge and meetings of our benefactors. But I highly doubted that my clan knew of the existence of vampires. From what I was told, we forged these weapons for the Shogunate at the time.” 

“Alright, one last question.” Heizou’s tone was more serious this time. He spoke. “Have you been anywhere in Monstadt, Liyue or Inazuma for the last three years?”

This question wasn’t asked yesterday. But it didn’t stop Kazuha from replying to it confidently. “No. While my sense of time is mildly skewed, rest assured I was in Sumeru for the last decade.”

After that, Heizou turned quiet once more. The vampire noticed his brows furrowed in mild frustration, thinking hard of the information given to him. 

After some time, Heizou grumbled sternly. His voice turned grim as he murmured, “Who is Dottore trying to find?” 

His question made both Lumine and Kazuha anxious.

“What do you mean?” Lumine prodded.

Heizou quickly explained. “Think about it. He wants Kaedehara dead, but he wouldn’t get his hands dirty just for him. It just means Kaedehara isn’t his priority.” He clicked his tongue, “Then who is his priority right now? Three locations in the span of three years, and he was present in all of them. Would it be the Kabukimono? Another survivor of the Raiden Gokuden? Or… another party entirely?” 

His statement opened a lot of possibilities, an entirely different perspective on the current situation. Kazuha saw the problem. A new problem. Somehow, the idea of Dottore finding someone or something, and not knowing what it is— the feeling was terrifying. No wonder the hunter was stressed. They are racing against time. Against the Doctor.

Heizou then added, his voice a little calmer and more curious. “There’s also the fact that the history of the Raiden Gokuden written in the textbooks are suspiciously similar to the actual event. Instead of a civil war, it was a conflict between vampires that got humans involved.”

Kazuha decided to give his own thoughts, “While the former is still a mystery, the latter may have a solution— The textbooks themselves. ”

“You’re right, Kazuha.” Lumine beamed by his suggestion, “We can actually check the history records and see if there is anything we can find.”

The vampire noticed the obvious frown on the hunter’s face. Heizou seemed to have an opinion on the matter, but as soon as he was about to retort her statement, his stomach made a sound— Growl~!

All of them were deadpan in silence as Lumine and Kazuha stared at Heizou— That… That was humiliating. And it doesn’t help that the vampire snickered at him. The hunter immediately shot a glare in his way and Kazuha quickly cleared his throat. 

Lumine huffed and smiled. “I’ll just go hunt us for food.”

Heizou sighed. He then pointed at Kazuha. “While you’re at it, drag the vampire with you.”

The vampire flashed a smirk in his direction and teased. “Oh? You don’t want me around, Shikanoin?”

The hunter scowled lightly. “Yes, and you’re probably the only one who knows these parts of the area. So be useful to her.” 

One more word out of him and he’ll definitely throw a knife or two at him. Doesn’t matter where it lands as long as he stops teasing him. Heizou took a deep breath and gathered his composure— let’s get to work.

He turned to Lumine and requested her. “I need to borrow your camera for the evidence. And probably some empty bags to gather the soil here. It’ll be for Hu to make use of it however she likes.”

Lumine nodded to his request before she added, “We’ll also need to report to the Qixing that there’s a possibility another harbinger is involved.”

“Are you two going to investigate that matter?” Kazuha asked curiously.

Heizou instantaneously rubbed his forehead. Well… he’ll let this one slide. It’s a valid question anyways. So he answered him.

“No. Our priority is Dottore. We’ll leave this to the other hunters.” He turned his back to him and crossed his arms. He stared at the burn marks of the wall before he spoke again, “Once we’re done with that scoundrel, I’ll look into the Kabukimono. If there is a possibility that they’re a harbinger— make no mistake; I won’t let them out of my sight.”

With a quick glance, Heizou caught the sight of Kazuha smiling at him. He seemed grateful. He seemed happy. The hunter narrowed his eyes and sighed lightly— Why does it matter to him how he feels?

[ Inazuma - Tatarasuna - Morning ]

Kazuha led Lumine to an area where there is likely to have animals and fishes to hunt. He trusted his sense of smell and hearing to guide them as they followed the river stream, away from the mining area where they left Heizou to resume his task. The hunter was resilient even in an empty stomach. The vampire couldn’t help but feel an inkling of worry for the hunter’s health, even if the man is fine as he is.

“Don't mind Heizou.” Lumine spoke up, breaking the silence between them. She glanced at Kazuha and gave him a smile. “He’s actually lacking sleep. At least he apologizes. Sort of. ”

Her words fell flat and unsure at the end, but it made the vampire let out a giggle in return. Sure, the hunter was lacking sleep and he was hungry no doubt, but surprisingly he was calm compared to yesterday. The huntress must have mistaken his worried face for uncertainty of his situation with the hunter. 

Nonetheless, Kazuha reassured her. “It is alright, dear huntress. His words are just amusing to me.”

“Lumine.”

“Hm?”

Both of them stopped walking. 

Lumine repeated sincerely. “Call me Lumine, Kazuha. We’re friends now.” 

Ah. He hadn’t realized he wasn't calling her by her name. He was mildly embarrassed by it, but the idea of being treated as a friend made him feel warm in his chest. How long has it been since he felt the comfort of companionship?  

“So… this should be the second time I accompany you to hunt.” Kazuha stated humbly while remembering their first hunt together back in Sumeru. “I have to say, you’re quite an experienced boar hunter, Lumine. I am quite impressed by your precision with such a weapon.”

“Thanks.” She chuckled at the call of her name. Then, she added, “Though I thank my brother for training me to be one. It paid off in the end.”

Kazuha tilted his head, unsure which brother she was referring to. So he blurted, “Shikanoin?” 

Lumine paused for a moment before she scratched her head sheepishly, “Oh no! I meant Aether. He was a boar hunter.” 

Kazuha simply nodded before both of them resumed walking and headed downstream. While following the path, Lumine continued their conversation.

“I was a trainee guard back then. Aether sometimes brings me to practice boar hunting whenever I have free time. Because of that, I was able to hunt food whenever Heizou and I were out in a place like this. It’s the only thing I could do anyway, since Heizou always does things better.” Her voice then gradually turned sad before she clarified. “Not to say I am jealous of him, it’s more so wishing he’d rely on me more. That’s all.” 

Kazuha hummed sympathetically. His mind quickly formed some words of comfort before he spoke, “Well, he is relying on you to keep me entertained while bringing back food for breakfast. He must be famished.”

His reassurance managed to turn that frown upside down. The huntress then immediately gazed forward before she quickly tugged him to the side. Both of them hid behind the bushes as they stared at the large looking animal not far from where they were— that’s… that’s a deer!

“What’s a deer doing here?” Lumine murmured, trying to make sure her voice wouldn’t alarm the animal. 

The deer was large and weary. It may seem harmless at first, but its antlers were long and sharp, a snag on it would actually hurt someone— maybe be killed by it. What a coincidence it was when both of them witnessed the animal’s horn being caught by a branch of a small maple tree. The deer tried to pull away, only for it to slide its legs and struggled to free itself. 

Kazuha glanced at Lumine and saw the pity in her golden eyes. He glanced back at the deer and instantly remembered a conversation he had yesterday with Heizou.

 "Not all deers exist for you to feed on them, Kaedahara."  

“Not all vampires are evil too, Shikanoin.”

Kazuha held his breath for a second before he slowly rose to his feet and walked out of his hiding place, ignoring Lumine's calls. The vampire approached the hostile deer as it immediately spotted him before it tried to struggle even more.

Kazuha held up his hand and whispered. “Stay still. I won’t hurt you. I promise.” 

The vampire waited for the deer to calm down. It kept on struggling, kept on moving and kept on huffing as a sign of a threat. Yet the vampire waited and waited, until it gradually got tired. Kazuha took that chance and closed the distance between them. He examined it; body full of scars, hooves cracked, and skin mildly tattered. What has this animal gone through to be in such a condition?

Kazuha wasted no time and reached for its antler. He held it firmly, and almost could feel his own skin being sliced by its sharpness. It didn’t deter him. The sight of his blood didn’t stop him either. With a quick pull, Kazuha successfully released the deer from its predicament. 

The deer shook its head, trying to ruffle off the small leaves and branches from its body before its attention immediately locked onto Kazuha. The vampire could feel the intense glare from its eyes and he braced himself for any attacks that he could possibly dodged. 

But there was none. The deer huffed loudly before it galloped away from the area, disappearing into a hill and out of his sight. Kazuha exhaled and relaxed his shoulders. Quite a morning this was.

“Kazuha!” Lumine ran out from her hiding spot and went to the vampire’s side. Her eyes were locked onto Kazuha’s bleeding hand and she quickly reached into her pockets before she pulled out a handkerchief.

“There is no need, Lumine.” Kazuha shook his head, remembering the pills that Hu Tao gave to him. But he immediately paused before his other hand could reach into his haori.

Those pills were made from Heizou’s blood. And that reminder made his chest suddenly tightened. He should use it for emergencies…  

Without realizing, Lumine has already taken his hand and wrapped her handkerchief onto his bleeding palm, “There you go.”

Kazuha smiled sheepishly at her kind gesture before he resumed their task, “It doesn’t seem like there are any boars or foxes that you could hunt. But hope is not lost.” He pointed at a direction. “There should be a lake nearby. With luck, we could bring back fishes. Hopefully those fishes were as good as the ones I had when I was human.”

Lumine’s eyes lit up by his suggestion. He chuckled at her reaction and quickly nudged her to follow him. Soon after, as they went through several distances from where they left the previous area, his eyes immediately caught the sight of the crystal lake shining against the morning sun. And in those shining waters… There were ample of fishes swimming around on the surface. Fresh and lively. 

This place… has truly been preserved.

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Noon ]

“After everything, we couldn’t find any forging print in that place.” Heizou grumbled in frustration as he slumped his back against the cart.

They have finished investigating the place before noon and rendezvous to where Juza had dropped them off. Soon after, he arrived with the cart as promised and they hopped into their ride. 

Lumine stayed quiet even after Heizou made that statement. In the end, she couldn’t do much for him despite her best abilities. Is hunting food all she’s good at?

“That’s fine.” Lumine spoke up, putting up a brave smile to keep their situation as hopeful as possible. “The next best thing would be the history records . We can look into that and see what we could find.”

“About that.” The hunter pulled himself up and frowned at her suggestion. “How in the world are you supposed to get your hands on that?”

Lumine was left stumped. She hadn’t realized the complexity to get their hands on those records. 

“Is it impossible?” Kazuha murmured as he slid into their conversation.

“Not really.” Lumine turned to the vampire and explained. “It’s more so that we can’t involve those who are not under the Hunter’s Association. Much like how you told us you have no desire to involve humans in the world of vampires. As far as I know, the Tenryou Commission is not part of the Association. We have to find someone who is equal or of higher status to get those records. Heizou was a Tenryou Officer, but he is not now. So, that’s not an option.”

Kazuha raised an eyebrow in skepticism. He spoke up. “Shikanoin is a former officer. It is odd to not have permission even if he is no longer at his former job. He should have some connection, no?”

Lumine kept silent for that and snuck a glance at Heizou’s direction. He didn’t say anything and averted his gaze. Lumine can’t speak for him, so she was left in an awkward position.

.

.

“That’s because the lad was thrown into court once.”

“Juza.”

Lumine watched as Heizou turned apprehensive after their rider answered for Kazuha. Yet, the man ignored the daggered stare and turned his head forward onto the road.

“Just chipping into your conversation.” Juza told them. “Your senior, Yoimiya would be my best bet if you want to rely on someone. She knows quite a lot of people, so she might know a person that can help you in your situation.” There was a quick pause in between his sentences, as if he was remembering something before he continued, “In fact, she even visited the Alcor yesterday to find you guys. You’ll greet her soon enough once we reach the city.”

With that, the hunters had a new task for them. Hopefully their reunion is as heartwarming as it was before the tragedy. It’s been so long since Lumine saw Yoimiya. Ever since…

“Court…?”

Lumine blinked, pulling herself away from her thoughts. She turned to her side to see Kazuha staring curiously at her. That’s right… Kazuha didn’t understand the implication of their conversation. After all… it was only between her and Heizou. 

.

.

.

3 years ago.

"I hereby declare, Shikanoin Heizou, Doushin of the Tenryou Commission, to be found; Not Guilty."

Murmurs and whispers rose as the judge of the Inazuma court gave his final verdict. Lumine stood at the corner of the room, staring at the podium of which the only light that shines above her dear friend. Heizou’s face was downcast and his expression looked defeated.

This should have been a momentous day. Regardless of the countless defamation and claims, regardless whether Heizou was the only survivor of his village or not, he had a strong alibi. Thus, he was found innocent. But… Nothing would repair the damage of his reputation, the people's trust and his heart after such a devastating event.

And so, days after the court assembly, days after Heizou decided to resign as doushin, Lumine decided to take him to Monstadt to start a new life with him.

"You're going to be right at home, Jojo! I'll make sure of it. You're going to enjoy Good Hunter's fried food and pizza. And we can also enjoy Windblume together too!" Lumine enthusiastically told him as they waited by the docks in Ritou for the arrival of their ship. 

But despite her positivity, it wasn't enough to light up the sadden gaze in Heizou's eyes.

Lumine bit her lower lip, "Um.. Heizou?"

"Hm?" 

"Sorry. It's just... Is that all you want to bring with you?" Lumine stared at the small bag and the haori that belonged to his father. "Don't you... want to buy something new here? And bring it to Monstadt?"

"No." He lightly shook head, "There is nothing left for me here."

The sound of the ship was heard from afar before Lumine could say anything more. Heizou simply picked up his bag and walked past her before he went off to board the said ship.

At first, she didn't understand what he meant by his words. Until soon after, she saw that he had no desire in coming here again. No desire at all. 

Because he had nothing to come back to. And it broke her heart.

.

.

.

But now. After three years of not stepping foot in Inazuma, they had a reason to come back here— Lumine never thought they’d ever come back here. It felt… nostalgic, for some reason.

“There she is.” Juza said as he slowly stopped the cart.

Not far from where they are, a woman with strawberry blond hair and in orange yukata stood under the large sakura tree of Hanamizaka. What caught Lumine’s attention most was her leg… is that prosthetic?

“Lumine? Heizou?” 

The sound of that familiar voice soothed her heart. Yoimiya faced herself in her direction and her shining yellow eyes lit up at the sight of her. As Lumine hopped out of the cart, the Inazuman huntress ran up to her and hugged her without a second wasted. It felt like a gust of wind blew against her along with the sakura petals fluttering with it. It felt like time stood still. The warmth of her friend’s embrace made her feel at home. She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around her waist and squeezing her tightly— We’re home.

“Oh gosh… it’s been so long.” Yoimiya swayed them side to side, happy and joyful to finally reunite with her. 

The Inazuman huntress then slowly peeled away and patted her shoulders while trying not to cry.. Lumine giggled at her bright, almost teary-eyed expression. Yoimiya gingerly touched the braid of her hair, and those shining yellow eyes had a mix of pain in her gaze. Lumine knew what it meant for her. After all, Aether was also her friend.

“Oh, whoa, Heizou!” Yoimiya took a step to the side to stare at Heizou who had been standing behind Lumine for quite a while. She was in awe at the sight of him and commented, “You look… different!”

“Same goes for you.” Heizou nodded aloofly and simply pointed, “You lost a leg. What happened?”

“It’s… a long story.” Yoimiya chuckled embarrassingly before her head perked up, noticing Kazuha standing amongst them. She smiled and asked. “And who might this be?”

“He’s a friend of ours.” Lumine introduced. “His name is Kaedehara Kazuha.”

“Hi there!” The Inazuman huntress enthusiastically walked up to him. “Nice to meet you. I’m Naganohara Yoimi—” The moment Yoimiya reached out for a handshake, she froze in place as she held Kazuha’s hand. She slowly lets go of him and takes a step back, staring bewilderedly at those nervous pair of ruby reds. She murmured.  “... Vampire.”

Yoimiya swiped her head to look at Heizou and Lumine.

The hunter sighed heavily, massaging his forehead before he told her. Seems like news hasn't reached Inazuma yet. He answered her. “It’s… a very, very long story.”

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Afternoon ]

“Wait wait wait!” Yoimiya paced back and forth in her workshop, trying to comprehend the stories that were told by Heizou and Lumine.

They decided to bring their discussion in Yoimiya’s home. Of course, the vampire wasn’t allowed to enter due to safety protocols. But luckily for him, the Inazuman huntress had a window in her said workshop. So Lumine graciously opened it to let Kazuha listen in on their conversation.

As Heizou continued to watch his senior frantically walking around the room, Yoimiya finally stopped and exhaled.

She began. “Let me get this straight. You, out of all hunters, decided to ally with a vampire to try and find another vampire, which, of course, in this case , Dottore. Evil, evil, vampire that created these Radicals in the first place. Okay, got it!” She tapped her prosthetic foot while seemingly processing her thoughts. She held up her palm, and folded her fingers to count. “And now you’re faced with a task to, one; find a piece of the forging print, two; dig out the events that took place almost 300 years ago, and three; find some clues of those three tragedies that happened in 3 consecutive years.”

Heizou blinked. And he continued to comically blinked before he eyed Lumine. Their silence made Yoimiya puzzled and mildly awkward, so she ended up turning to Kazuha, who seemed to be amused by her reaction regarding their situation.

“D-.. Did I get that right?” She asked him.

“Yes, ma’am.” Kazuha reassured her.

Heizou then held his hand up before he crossed his arms. “Hold on, what do you mean by ‘me’ of ‘all hunters’?”

Yoimiya's head perked up before her expression turned nervous, “Oh! Uhh.. I heard a thing or two about you being um… how do I put this into words?” 

The Inazuman huntress twiddled her fingers together, mouth curbing while brows furrowing as if she was reluctant to answer him.

“Ruthless? Merciless? Harsh?” Kazuha spouted nonchalantly, dropping every description of Heizou that raised alarms to the huntress. Even Lumine seemed baffled by his straightforwardness.

Yoimiya quickly retorted his statement, “What! No! Heizou is—…Heizou is just somewhat famous in the Association that’s all! For getting things done!”

Hearing her words, Heizou had completely forgotten that he had a reputation in the Hunter’s Association. He wasn’t denying it, much less correcting her or getting annoyed by the vampire. Heck, for whatever reason fate has of him, he doesn’t have ANY opportunity to end the vampire’s life. He already accepted that long before he came here. Kazuha is an ally now. That’s that, end of story.

“I get it.” Heizou spoke up, easing the anxious look in his senior’s eyes. He proceeded to resume their topic. “Back to discussion, do you know anyone who can have us look into those history records?”

“You bet I do!” Yoimiya grinned widely before she immediately paused, and that grin quickly disappeared from her face. “On second thought…” 

Heizou noticed her reservation. Yoimiya tapped her chin and closed her eyes, thinking. She was never the type to think. Of course, this is Huntress Yoimiya he was talking to. The Yoimiya he knew before he became a hunter was just a woman selling fireworks. 

“What’s wrong, Yoimiya?” Lumine asked, noticing her reservation too.

“Nothing.” The Inazuma huntress shook her head. “I was just thinking… maybe you could also try the Shuumatsuban? It’d be hard to get someone who is not involved in our vampire hunting business. While it might not help much, considering the event was hundreds of years ago, we do have records of activities regarding vampires. I can easily give you access to those records!” 

The Shuumatsuban— A small branch of the Hunter’s Association in Inazuma operated by the Kamisato Clan, much like the Forest Rangers & the Mahamatras in Sumeru. While Yoimiya’s suggestion was something to think about, Heizou couldn’t help that his senior wasn’t being entirely truthful to him. 

Yoimiya added, “Plus, it could help you find clues of what happened to your hometown.”

As she said that, Kazuha spoke up. “Pardon, I don’t quite understand the correlation of Shikanoin’s hometown with our mission.”

“Oh, you don’t know?” The Inazuman huntress didn’t waste any time to explain. “Araumi Village is Heizou’s hometown that was burned down three years ago. The one that Dottore perpetrated. There were no survivors and Heizou was the only—”

“Yoimiya.”  

Heizou cut her off, and the atmosphere in the room became tense. The Inazuman huntress was a little confused at first before she saw the apprehensive and bitter look he gave her. 

“Wait. Sorry!” Yoimiya's expression turned guilty as if she said something very wrong. She ducked her head apologetically, “Was I… not supposed to mention that?” 

It’s not a matter of mentioning it. More so the fact that it's never important to mention it. Heizou didn’t want pity from the vampire. Ever. But at the corner of his eyes, he could see those saddened ruby reds gazing at his direction— He hated it. Stop looking at him like that.

“We’ll consider your suggestion, Yoimiya. Thank you for that.” Lumine broke the tension amongst them. She seemed to realize just how much Heizou didn’t want to talk about it. Heizou could only sigh— he guessed Yoimiya hadn't changed much, huntress or not, since she is still a chatterbox as always.

Lumine then picked up where their conversation left off and asked the Inazuman huntress. “One more thing. There’s a blacksmith across the street. I was wondering who owned it?”

Yoimiya simply answered her. “It’s Mr. Amenoma Tougo. Why?”

The mere mention of the blacksmith’s name caught everyone’s full attention. For some reason, Heizou decided to glance at Kazuha. The vampire seemed to share the same thought and stared back at him. Amenoma— That’s right. The last of the Raiden Gokaden. That one fact somehow slipped from his mind. How could he forget? At this moment, they might be on the right track. 

Heizou watched as the vampire retreated himself from the window and disappeared from his sight. The hunter briskly walked out of the house, leaving the girls in the workshop. He joined Kazuha at the side of the street of Hanamizaka. The vampire was already staring at the opposite side of the said street, yet he seemed reluctant. The hunter quickly turned to the direction and he felt his heart drop.

A figure stood in front of the blacksmith— A man. A Tenryou Officer. Heizou couldn’t make out the face due to the Tenryou hat, but his intuition told him that he shouldn’t make any approach.

“Mr. Amenoma. I know we got off at the wrong start, but—”

“There is nothing else I can tell you, sir.”

The conversation between Amenoma and the officer caught Heizou’s attention. They seemed to be having a heated conversation. Then another man came in. He was tall but young compared to the two— Heizou assumed he could be Amenoma’s apprentice with the way he dressed. It wasn’t long before the conversation with all three of them died down and Amenoma retreated into his smithy along with his apprentice. 

Heizou kept his feet firm to where he was standing. He shouldn’t be prying onto the common folks' business nor it seemed the right time to investigate Amenoma's background. But, unfortunately, Kazuha doesn’t seem to share the same sentiment and decided to take a step forward. The hunter clicked his tongue and swiftly caught his wrist, stopping the vampire from approaching them any further.

“Hang on, Kaedehara…”

.

.

.

“Heizou?”   

The hunter held his breath, eyes glued to the ground, trying not to look up. He knew of that familiar voice. And he never thought the person would still be around even after Heizou had left Inazuma 3 years ago. 

“Detective?”

The mere utterance of his former title persuaded Heizou to slowly gazed up. He made eye contact with the man standing before him.

“Uesugi.” He called. The officer stood speechless upon seeing him. 

Uesugi. His junior officer who used to tag along with him during his time as a doushin. He was somewhat naive and eager, like an admirer who always follows him wherever he goes. At one point, he considered him as a friend. Much like Lumine, Uesugi was bright enough to help him solve cases. Whether it was a simple or difficult one. Heck… he was the one who managed to come forth during his court trial after that tragedy. The Uesugi who is now a little older-looking yet still the same. How long has it been since then…?

Heizou sighed subtly and let go of Kazuha’s wrist. The vampire seemed puzzled by his behavior but Heizou simply ignored him and decided to approach the Tenryou Officer in the end. The vampire followed him behind before the both of them stood side by side in front of the said officer. 

“Heizou, you—” Uesugi, the Tenryou Officer, was quite stumped for some odd reason. Then he blurted, which left Heizou caught off guard. “... you look like Nana.”

Heizou immediately exasperated. He almost wants to bolt out of the area by the mere mention of her name. Out of all people… Kano Nana, his dead cousin. The Nana he wished he had saved during that fire. 

His obvious uncomfortable expression quickly caught onto Uesugi. The officer panicked a little. “Wait! Sorry about that. I just thought—”

“Uesugi, is that you?”

All three of them turned in the direction of the Naganohara House. Their two other companions had stepped outside and were surprised to see the officer. Lumine was the first to run up to him, followed by Yoimiya.

His partner smiled brightly at him upon greeting him. “Oh whoa, Uesugi! It’s been a while!”

Uesugi laughed, overjoyed seeing her. “You too, Lumine! You look the same as ever! Except the slight new hairstyle. But it looks nice on you.”

Lumine chuckled at his comment on her hair. She was obviously thrilled to meet him. But on the other hand, Heizou noticed Yoimiya wasn’t too happy about him being here.

“Uesugi… you really came at a bad time.” Yoimiya mumbled, words that Heizou managed to catch.  

“What? Did I do something wrong? I’m not trying to bother Mr. Amenoma or anything.” The officer was confused by what the Inazuman huntress was implying. 

And with just that, Heizou found their conversation… suspicious.

Kazuha was merely watching his companions hurdling up around the officer who’s name was Uesugi. The vampire noticed how there were obvious and subtle emotions in Heizou’s eyes. The way he was hesitant when he stopped him from approaching the smithy. Then, the mere mention of the name ‘Nana’ he never heard of. Afterwards, silence. Complete silence from him when the girls joined them. Ultimately, the vampire had also noticed the beat of his heart. Rapid. Erratic— Why are you anxious, Shikanoin?

Kazuha wanted to approach Mr. Amenoma as he kept glancing back and forth to his companion then to the smithy. But due to his hesitation and reluctance, his odd behavior caught the attention of their Tenryou officer friend.

“And… who’s this?” Uesugi asked as he eyed Kazuha who stood amongst them. The officer stepped forward and extended a handshake. “The name’s Uesugi, Tenryou Officer. You are?”

The last time he accepted a handshake, he was found out as a vampire. He didn’t want to reject him, it’d be unfriendly and rude. Then the vampire convinced himself; Yoimiya was a hunter which was a given. So… surely a normal local wouldn’t notice the coldness of his touch, right? 

As Kazuha extended his hand, almost half-way through to accept the gesture, the vampire immediately paused. His eyes darted straight down to see those burn marks on his skin. He hadn’t realized how long he had been standing under the sunlight, and he quickly retracted his hand into his haori sleeves instantaneously. 

Because of his behavior, Uesugi was caught mildly surprised. But the officer immediately chuckled, brushing off his reaction. “Oh! Sorry! I didn’t know you were a shy one! Don’t worry. I’m not going to arrest anyone for asking their names.”

The vampire exhaled in relief. The officer didn’t notice the condition of his hand. Kazuha simply introduced himself. “Pardon my rudeness then, Officer Uesugi. My name is Kaedehara Kazuha. I am a wandering samurai, a companion to your companions.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kazuha. A friend of my friends is also my friend. ” The officer tipped his hat before he turned to the rest of them. “Since everyone is here, how about we go grab some food at Uyuu and catch up with things? My treat.”

With that, everyone more or less agreed.

All of them walked together to the streets of Inazuma City. Kazuha’s eyes glimmered in awe as  he gazed at the buildings and shops that he never saw in his human time. The street was bustling with people, stalls and sweet aromas. Kids playing at one corner with strange gadgets and toys, old folks chattering by the benches and one or two officers patrolling the area. A lot of things have changed, haven't they? He thought to himself. The vampire suddenly felt self-aware that his own existence was lost in time. He wondered if he should belong here at all? 

Then.

His eyes caught the sight of a familiar scene— Missing person posters. Two of them were placed on a street board at the side of the road. Kazuha's eyes narrowed in grim.

He turned to the faces of his companions before his eyes landed on Heizou's sceptical expression. The hunter has been like that since they left Hanamizaka. Kazuha wanted to ask a lot of things from him, but knowing Heizou, the vampire doubted the man would answer him earnestly. He’ll have to mention the posters later.

As they arrived at a large building with a sign displaying ‘Uyuu Restaurant’, the Tenryou Officer took a step inside and greeted the owner standing behind the counter. 

“Greetings, Mr. Okazaki! How have you been?”

Okazaki laughed the moment he recognized him and replied, “If it isn’t Uesugi! I’ve been good, by the way. What brings you here?”

“I have some friends with me! And you wouldn’t believe who came to visit too!” The Tenryou officer gestured to the older man to greet the rest of them. 

Okazaki did so and walked up to the entrance door. His tired eyes lit up at the sight of Heizou and Lumine. His mouth curled into a warm, welcoming smile. “Oh my. I never thought I’d see you two again. Especially you, detective.”

The title detective had referred to the hunter as always. Heizou merely tipped his hat as a reply while Lumine smiled back and waved at the older man. It seemed like these two were well known in the neighbourhood, especially Heizou. 

“I hope your taste buds are still the same.” Okazaki stated. “We have loads of kushikatsu at the back and ready to be served. Just pick and choose whatever you like.”

The hunter nodded. “Much appreciated.”

After the pleasantries, one by one, Kazuha watched his companions enter the restaurant. He took a step by the entrance before his body stopped. His mind clicked immediately upon smelling the foods and drinks. That’s right. He doesn’t need to be here. He can’t eat any of the food served here. Oh dear… the vampire has put himself in a predicament. What excuse will he make to exempt himself?

“Oh right!” Uesugi exclaimed, sneaking a glance at Kazuha. 

The vampire blinked in his direction, catching that glance. He was almost certain the officer had this sudden realization in his eyes upon seeing. The officer turned to the owner.

Uesugi asked. “Is it alright for all of us to come in like this? I really hope we’re not intruding. I should have let you know before coming here and booked a place or something.”

Okazaki laughed again, “What are you talking about? All of you are welcome here! There is no need to tell me ahead of time. We have a table large enough for your number. Just follow me.”

“Great! Thank you!” The officer bowed his head a little as gratitude. He then quickly followed the owner of the restaurant as the older man led them to their table.

Kazuha was suddenly aware of Uesugi's strange behavior— why did he ask the owner if they were welcome here? It is not like Kazuha can’t—

“Kaedehara.” Heizou called to him.

The vampire pushed the thought away and he hastily entered the premises before he joined Heizou at his side. The hunter seemed to be keeping his distance, as if he was observing the rest of their companions.

Heizou murmured as he glanced at him, “Stick by me.” 

The vampire wasn’t sure what he was implying but he nodded obediently. Heizou walked forward before Kazuha followed him, joining the rest of them by the table. 

Everyone respectively took their seats and began placing their orders. Kazuha could only order himself tea, since it is the only drink he can swallow. But to his surprise, the officer didn’t question him and disregard him as a ‘small’ eater. Lumine or the others didn’t even need to help and reason with the man— which made it even stranger.

Kazuha glanced at Heizou who sat opposite of him. His viridian gaze was sharp, very alarmingly so on such a pleasant occasion. It dawned on the vampire that there was something amiss regarding the company they’re in. Could it be…?

Heizou kept quiet throughout the meal. Every time his companions asked for his opinions about a topic in their conversation, he only answered with a short or two sentences. It was not like he didn’t enjoy the occasion, but more so preoccupied with other things. Namely… Uesugi himself. There was something about him that bugged the hunter. Whenever Heizou made a face too serious, he was able to regain his composure just by glancing at Kazuha or Lumine before the other two could notice it. Somehow… he can’t help but harbor this suspicious feeling. His intuition kept banging and banging at the back of his mind, telling him there was something wrong. Yet…

Heizou placed down the last stick of his kushikatsu before turning to everyone’s faces. All of them had finished their food and seemed satisfied overall. 

Uesugi was the first to stand up from his seat.

“That was a good meal!” He stretched his arms up and to the side. “I’ll go and pay the bills for everyone. Be right back.” He bowed his head slightly, and he walked out of the room.

Afterwards, Yoimiya excused herself. “I’m going to the bathroom. You guys can take your time and relax a bit.” 

After the Inazuman huntress left, it was the three of them by the table. Heizou finally let go of his composure and his serious expression became known to his two companions. It wasn’t long before his partner spoke up.

“Heizou.” Lumine began, looking rather wary. “You… noticed it, right? About the way Uesugi behaved.”

Heizou glanced at Kazuha before he turned his attention back to Lumine. His sharp and calculative gaze was already enough as an answer to Lumine. He noticed it, alright. Way before she and Kazuha did. 

The huntress ducked her head a little, eyes narrowed and expression seemed reluctant. She asked him. “What are you going to do about it?”

He didn’t answer her. He doesn’t know for sure what he will do. His intuition kept knocking on his door. It was persistent. It was consistent. His intuition never failed. Only his trust. He needed confirmation. He needed an answer. Maybe that’s what he’ll do— making sure what he fears is not true.

Heizou simply stood up from his seat and slowly walked out of the room. His feet guided him to the counter and saw no one was standing there beside the owner. He made eye contact with Okazaki with his lips murmuring voicelessly of a name. The older man pointed at the direction of the entrance and Heizou simply ducked his head respectably before he exited the restaurant. He felt the cold air of the late afternoon against his skin. Sakura blossoms fluttered and light-hearted chatters of the common folks filled the atmosphere of the street. Yet, he had one single goal in mind which drowned everything in his surroundings. He turned to the direction of where his intuition tells him— the back of the restaurant. 

Heizou carefully took several ghostly steps and then stopped before a corner. He laid his back against a wall, listening in to the murmurs and whispers of the two figures standing not far from where he was. He wasn’t the type to eavesdrop on his companions, but he wasn’t the type to let things slide so easily either.

He managed to catch the conversation as it kept going.

“I know I shouldn’t be dragging you like this. But seeing Heizou and Lumine wanted this…” Yoimiya murmured guiltily, unsure how to convey her message to the other.

“Alright, I get it.” Uesugi nodded firmly. “I’ll see what I can do about those history records.”

At first, it seemed like Yoimiya managed to reason with Uesugi about having permission to get those records they needed for their investigation. Seems normal, right? Heizou thought it was nothing he should be worrying about, yet there are more doubts than reassurance after hearing their conversation. How did Yoimiya managed to convince a Tenryou officer like Uesugi? What was the excuse? Is he really overthinking this whole situation?

Heizou was ready to leave the area, to rejoin with Lumine and Kazuha. Until his feet stopped within one or two steps. His heart dropped the moment he heard the words that Uesugi blurted.

“So… Kazuha.” The officer hummed thoughtfully, “He’s a vampire, right?”  

[ END OF CHAPTER ]

Chapter Text

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Late afternoon ]

“Heizou. I can explain.”  

To think that he had to deal with this nonsense. What was Yoimiya thinking involving Uesugi, a civilian, into a world that shouldn’t be known by the common folks? 

All of them gathered back at Yoimiya’s workshop, tension quickly arose as they entered the room. Heizou had been fuming all the way from Uyuu Restaurant to Hanamizaka. Yoimiya chased him, Lumine couldn’t do anything but follow them. While Kazuha and Uesugi were at the tail end of the group.

“Um…” Uesugi spoke up, interrupting both of them as the officer stood by the entrance of the Naganohara house. “Is Kazuha not going to come in?”

“No!” Heizou and Yoimiya shouted before they turned their heads back at each other. 

“How can you explain that? He isn’t even aware of his own safety.” He scolded her. “I expected better from you, Yoimiya. I don’t care whether you fumbled your words or deliberately got him involved, but I am not going to stay quiet and witness everything turning into a mess.”

“I didn’t fumbled my words nor purposely got him involved like you assumed.” She refuted, before she raised her voice. “In fact, if it wasn’t for Uesugi… I wouldn’t be standing here in the first place, Heizou!” 

The situation came to a sudden silence. The mood of the room turned solemn and somber as tears began to form in Yoimiya’s eyes.

“I would have been dead.” The Inazuman huntress inhaled. “But luckily… I only lost a leg.”

Heizou narrowed his eyes as he watched her sobbing while not knowing what to say or do. Lumine decided to step in.

“You haven’t told us what happened…”

Yoimiya wiped her tears before she began. “Last year, around this time of the season. I was hunting down a vampire that had been lurking around the village near the Grand Shrine. Went into a forest, got ambushed. Turns out, it was a Radical.” 

The Inazuman huntress let out a chuckle. But to the other two, it was unexpected and shocking. Heizou never expected Radicals would be here in Inazuma as well. But then again, Dottore had been here and was the one that caused the fire. It shouldn’t be a surprise to know that he had his experiments lurking around on the island.

Yoimiya continued. “It chewed on my leg so hard that it became nothing but flesh. But I managed to kill it anyway.” She sobbed mildly, “I was…. bleeding out. I thought I was going to die right there and then. Until Uesugi came. I don’t know why or how. But he was strolling in the forest.” 

She glanced at Uesugi who stood quietly while hearing her story. His eyes expressed melancholy as the rest of them.

Yoimiya stated. “I had two choices; hide and bleed to death, or call out to Uesugi and have him see the whole mess I’m in. I… ended up choosing the latter.”

“Yoimiya…” Lumine murmured her name.

“I know you hated me, Heizou.” Yoimiya turned to look at the hunter with hurt and remorse. “And I know you’d hate me more for dragging Uesugi into this. But just know that I didn’t have much choice.” She chuckled and smiled sadly. “And you know what? I didn’t regret that choice. After a whole year, I was able to reunite with you two and see your faces again.”

Heizou sighed heavily, arms crossed and eyes closed. He hummed thoughtfully, his emotions swirling chaotically in his chest. The desperation, the helplessness, the fear. What would he do in her situation, he wondered? Would he have done the same? 

Heizou couldn’t fathom the idea of lying on the ground, bleeding and immobile. Of course, he always had Lumine on his side to have his back. But for Yoimiya? Yoimiya was alone…

He then opened his mouth, a tone that was soft but weighty. “Why in Teyvat would I hate you in the first place?”

Yoimiya ducked her head. Her palms placed together, fingers intertwined while rubbing the surface of her skin as if she was reluctant, contemplated.

“I wasn’t there during the fire.” She admitted. “I was sent to Watatsumi two to three weeks before it happened. Hunters back then… We were running thin on manpower. And I was still a rookie to boot.” The Inazuma huntress took a step forward, head raised as she locked her sad eyes onto those viridian gaze. She told him. “I wanna be there when things get rough. I regretted not being able to be there when you needed us the most, Heizou.” Then, she bowed. “On behalf of the Hunter’s Association in Inazuma… I’m sorry. ”

With that, Heizou’s shoulders slumped. He removed his hat and ruffled the top of his hair before putting it back. He then placed a hand onto the huntress’ shoulder, as a notion to her to raise her head. 

“I don’t hate you.” He said to her, “Never did. In fact, there are two things I hate most. One of them is vampires. That’s it.” 

His words managed to make Yoimiya smile even though her face was already drenched in tears. He never meant to make her sad or anything. But their situation has never been kind. Their world has never been kind to begin with. At the very least, one of them has some humanity in their hearts…

“I didn’t realize just how serious my involvement was.” Uesugi spoke up as the tension finally dissipated. He bowed, removing his hat and placing it on his chest. “And with that, I want to sincerely apologize as well, detective.”

Heizou huffed, dissatisfied. That’s right. There’s still one problem right now— Uesugi’s involvement. “You should stay out of this, Uesugi. Nothing good comes out knowing the existence of vampires, or what we do in hunting them.”

“I get it. But could you hear me out? About my side of the story.” Uesugi quickly explained. “I actually had known about vampires, even before I stumbled upon Yoimiya in the forest. In fact, back when you were still a doushin, I happened to read some of your notes while you weren’t looking.” 

“Uesugi…” Heizou is about to have a massive headache. 

“Hang on! Don’t blow your horns just yet!” Uesugi quickly gathered his words as he saw Heizou losing his patience. He continued. “In your notes, you kept emphasizing bite marks and more bite marks. It was odd to me at first. But after you left three years ago, I decided to investigate what had happened in Araumi Village and the cases before based on your notes. In the span of those three years, it led me to discover the existence of vampires. I didn’t want to let it go. Especially if it had something to do with your cousin— Nana. ”

Huh…?

“What?”

The officer narrowed his eyes, taking a step closer to Heizou as he told him in a serious tone. “There’s a reason why I was within the Grand Shrine vicinity before I discovered Yoimiya. I was actually following clues of what happened to Nana.” 

Heizou turned to Lumine. His partner was as baffled as he was. 

How… can that be? 

Does the fire have something to do with Nana?

“Listen, someone has been visiting her at the Shrine months before the tragedy. I don’t know how frequent the visit was since it faded over time, but the person left an anonymous name on the registry— S.Sora. That’s all I have for now.” 

Heizou's mind quickly turned its gears. He recounted the memories of him with Nana. She never seemed bothered or troubled about anything regarding stalkers. In fact, she is never the type to have stalkers. She is capable of taking care of herself. 

“Again, I didn’t want to let this go.” Uesugi spoke, bringing Heizou’s mind back to the present moment. “Nana was a good friend to me and it is very important to me that I get to the bottom of this.”

Heizou sighed heavily and crossed his arms, “Man alive, Uesugi. You can’t get involved! I don’t care how important this is to you. Don’t be a stubborn mule and risk your life like this. In fact, you can’t even differentiate between places like Uyuu Restaurant which is public to vampires, and places like Yoimiya’s home that is restricted to them.”

The officer ducked his head, shoulders defeated. “So… that’s how you found out?”

“No, you’re just bad at pretending. I saw right through you.“ 

Uesugi chuckled sadly. “Then. Just… promise me that you’ll find the answer and avenge those who we lost.” He begged.

Heizou stared at him for a moment and simply nodded. He doesn’t need to tell him that. He was way ahead of him. He’ll do everything in his abilities to hunt Dottore and avenge those who perished in his hands.

Heizou was determined. And Uesugi saw that determination in his viridian eyes.

The officer smiled. “I’ll give you guys access to those history records.” Then he suddenly realized the time of day. “Which means I have to leave as soon as possible before the police station closes.” 

With that, Uesugi ducked his head to the rest of them including Kazuha before he began to step outside of the house.

Uesugi stopped mid-way before turning his heels and glanced at Heizou’s direction. He grinned widely. “Oh and… it seems like you haven’t changed, detective. Aside from the short temper.”

“Leave before I kick your ass.”

The officer laughed loudly, turning the atmosphere around them light-hearted in an instant. Slowly but surely, the laughter faded as he disappeared from everyone’s sight— Sigh… this guy never changed either. 

“We need to find a place to stay the night.” Lumine spoke up, looking tired. 

“You guys can stay the night here. There’s a guest room upstairs that you can occupy. I can help you with your bags and stuff.” Yoimiya suggested, beaming. She then sheepishly admitted. “Plus… I miss your cooking, Lumine.”

Lumine giggled at her and nodded. “Then, how about you help me cook supper?” 

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Evening ]

Kazuha decided to perch on the rooftop, sitting at an angle where the rest of the neighborhood wouldn’t spot him. He was able to enjoy the view of the large lake and the Grand Shrine from the said roof. He took a deep breath and exhaled— he meditated. The scent of the night was peaceful and calm. He hummed in satisfaction and relished this moment. But his meditation was momentary as his ears caught the conversation of his two huntress companions.  

“Gosh… that was a good cry. Sorry you had to see that, Lumine.” Yoimiya said, seemingly helping Lumine wash the cutleries. 

The window must have been opened to them, so Kazuha was able to hear them clearly. The sound of the plates and spoons clinked together while the water from the tab was running. Lumine seemed to be quiet even after Yoimiya made that comment.

It was a second or two later, Lumine finally spoke. “It’s fine. It’s always good to cry, especially in this line of work.” Another pause from her, before she continued. “I wished… I wished Heizou gave himself a good cry too.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He hasn’t done so… for about three years.”

Kazuha’s eyes slightly widened. He wasn’t mishearing things, right? For a human to not allow himself to feel sad, to grief, to cry… is unbelievable. 

“What!? That’s not normal!” Yoimiya exclaimed, sounding quite shocked.

“Yeah…” Lumine proceeded to explain. “He told you he hated two things and one of them is vampires. I know that the other one… is himself.” The tone of her voice turned sad and melancholy. She murmured in a way Kazuha had to concentrate on his hearing. “He hated that he wasn’t able to save everyone in Araumi. And I wish he wasn’t so hard on himself. It… It breaks my heart to see him like that.”

Kazuha simply sighed, feeling mildly agitated. He somehow empathized with Lumine. Or rather, he never thought he would see the very hunter he had closely been working with, brought himself to this day. No sadness? No crying?

How ironic it was that he feels pity for him— What is inside your heart, Shikanoin?  

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Midnight ]

Kazuha hadn’t realized how long he had meditated. As he opened his eyes, he saw the moon illuminated in the night sky, large and bright. The vampire simply stood up and inhaled at the current scent of the air— hm… such a familiar one?

He glanced around below to see where that scent was. To his surprise, he saw Heizou sitting by a small bench, facing the lake and the Grand Shrine. What is he doing at this hour?

Kazuha didn’t think too much and simply climbed down from the roof before his feet softly landed on the ground. He took some light steps to approach Heizou, only for him to stop as Heizou turned his head slightly to look at his direction. 

Within a split second, the hunter pulled out a knife and flung towards his direction. Kazuha swiftly caught it by the handle before grabbing hold of it and fiddled it with his fingers. The vampire could merely smile while his senses unintentionally heightened by the sudden fright from his hunter companion. 

“You’re not even trying to be stealthy with the way you’re lurking around like that.” The hunter commented, furrowing. 

Kazuha let out a soft huff—  How cautious of you.

“Do you not need sleep, Shikanoin?”

“I am wide awake after you appear.”

The vampire immediately chuckled before he walked up and took a seat next to him. “Apologize then. Shall I entertain you until you get bored?” 

Heizou grunted, taking the knife from his hand before scooting away from him. The hunter lifted a foot by the edge of his seat before resting his arm on his knee. He stayed quiet as Kazuha continued to stare at him. The vampire decided to close his eyes and hear the beat of his heart. 

Calm. 

Kazuha hummed and spoke. “I have learned quite a lot about you today, Shikanoin. Without you needing to say a single word.” 

Heizou scowled. “Apparently everyone’s a yapper today. How unfortunate.” 

Anxious.

The vampire wanted to reply to his witty remark. But Heizou tutted him instead.

“I don’t need your pity.”

Quiet.

Kazuha immediately resigned. His mouth frowned as he turned to look at the lake. He recalled all the conversation he heard from the others. If it is true that hating oneself would deprive them from feeling any sort of emotion, then why are you sad, Shikanoin? Or do you refuse to accept the situation that you are in?

Seems like… they’re both not that far different.

“I love maple leaves.” Kazuha spoke up, his hand slipped into his haori and took a leaf that he kept during their time in Tatarasuna. He added. “But… It is a shame that so many goodbyes seem to happen when they turn red. My home… I lost my home when these leaves turned red.”

Kazuha brought the leaf closer to his lips before he blew against its surface, and a soft melody was heard. He lets go of it and watched the leaf flutter, being carried by the wind of the night.

“It happened during late spring.” Heizou told him. 

“Hm?”

“The fire.” The hunter clarified as he chuckled dully. “I tried to run into the fire and save anyone, anybody . But that damn idiot Uesugi stopped me.”

“You would have perished alongside your family if it wasn’t for him.” Kazuha replied solemnly. “And… maybe, no one would live to tell the tale.”

Heizou immediately scowled. “A tale of a well-known detective, who failed to save his family from their demise due to his flaws and faults. So, he decided to throw everything he had believed in, and pick up arms. To hunt those lurking in the shadows. How’s that for a tale?”

The hunter got up and took a pebble on the ground. He aimed and flung it across the lake. The pebble skipped across the surface before it drowned into the crystal waters. 

Heizou sighed heavily. “I’m going to sleep.”

Kazuha hummed and nodded. “Pity. I was just enjoying your compa—”

Without realizing, Heizou already stood in front of him. He watched as the hunter placed his hand onto the wooden backrest before he bent down. His hair and tip of his hat made slight contact with his forehead and skin. Kazuha could only hold his breath as he gazed at those sharp viridian eyes. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” He muttered, his breath against his cold pale skin. “Stay out of trouble.”

Kazuha didn’t reply but his ruby reds expressed in compliance. Heizou slowly pulled himself away from him, his arm and gloved hand slightly brushed against his silver strands before it returned to his side. 

With no more words to say, the hunter walked up to the Naganohara house and entered inside. Kazuha immediately slid against the bench, blinking in perplexity— Who’s heart skipped a beat?   Was it Shikanoin’s? Can’t be… 

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Morning ]

The next morning, as they were getting ready to head out, Heizou entered Yoimiya’s workshop and saw the girls chattering. He noticed that their weapons were on the table and some of them were picked apart. Heizou squinted at the whole scenario comically.

“Morning, Jojo.” Lumine waved and greeted him.

“Hey! Morning, detective!” Yoimiya greeted him as well. “Just checking your weapons and doing maintenance on them.”

The hunter huffed and crossed his arms. “I didn’t give you permission to touch my weapons.”

“I didn’t. But Lumine did.” 

The two girls smiled at him as if they didn’t do anything wrong. Heizou could only sigh and slumped his shoulders— Well.. His weapons were due maintenance anyway, even though he mostly does it by himself.

Yoimiya resumed her work and analyzed the prospect of their belongings. “You two had everything in your bags. From guns to revolvers, magazines, knives and daggers. You guys are well equipped. Just one small problem— no silencer.”

“I don’t need a silencer.” The hunter furrowed.

Yoimiya curled her mouth in disapproval and quickly retreated to one of her drawers before she returned with silver tubes. 

“Well, in Inazuma, you need one.” Yoimiya slid the silencer in Heizou's direction across the desk and the hunter caught it with his palm. The huntress requested. “Just keep the peace for me. We don’t want to disturb people with all the pew pew and stuff.”

Pew pew…?  

He simply nodded as a response and slipped the silencer in his haori. While waiting for Yoimiya to finish, he decided to walk around the workshop and observe the place. He could tell with several displays of firearms as well as knives and daggers, Yoimiya is an expert in this line of field. He even saw a large calendar on one corner of the room where the summer season and several festivals were marked down. It goes to show she hadn’t abandoned her business in selling fireworks even after she became a hunter.

“It’s impressive that you would use this rifle for vampire hunting, Lumine. It's even in good condition.” Yoimiya commented, a conversation Heizou caught by ear as he was idling around.

“Aether loved that gun and always had it around whenever we went anywhere.” Lumine replied in a nostalgic tone.

Her words made Heizou remember how he was sceptical about her using such a rifle in their hunting, but he didn’t protest afterwards. After all, it belongs to Aether. And Lumine wanted to keep him close to her. Whatever that’s left of him…

“I remembered I bumped into him while I was on my way to the Grand Shrine one time. He said he wanted to kill some time and carry out bounties or stuff like that, since you are always glued with Heizou and his cases.” Yoimiya let out a giggle as she recalled. 

“We tried inviting him, believe me.” 

Heizou resigned himself and left the girls to their conversation. He continued to walk around the workshop, picking up several pistols and putting them back onto the displays. He started to get bored at one point until he stopped his feet and stood in front of the various daggers available. One dagger caught his eye. Black handle and silver blade under its sheath. A red maple leaf as a sole pattern to complete its overall design. He simply took it in his hand and observed its craftsmanship. The face of the vampire popped into his mind— this might be useful for him.

Speaking of which— where is Kaedehara?

The cool morning breeze blew past his silver locks as Kazuha stood in front of the Amenoma Smithy. He stared at the place, unbothered by passersby finding him strange for solely being there, especially when the owner and his apprentice is unavailable. Is the smithy closed? He thought. He had wanted to meet Mr. Amenoma since yesterday, but alas it seemed like luck wasn't in his favor today as well. His ears then caught the familiar footsteps of heavy boots. For this one time, it sounded calm. Kazuha turned to the direction of the sound and saw Heizou walking towards him.

"Good morning." Kazuha greeted him softly, "I have stayed out of trouble as you requested."

Heizou doesn’t seem to care about it. Instead, the hunter pulled out a dagger from his person and presented it to him.

"Here." Heizou prodded.

The vampire's eyes lit up in curiosity before he looked up to meet those viridian gaze with puzzling eyes. 

He asked him, "May I inquire what this is and its purpose?" 

The hunter rolled his eyes, "A weapon for you to use. The blade isn't coated in silver. It's silver itself." 

Kazuha was mildly bewildered and slowly took the blade from the other's hand. He began to examine it. It was slightly heavier than the ones Shikanoin threw at him and its design is much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The vampire gently unsheathed it, and without a doubt— the blade is silver. He had the desire to slide his finger onto the blade but refraining himself to do so.  

Heizou then explained, "Unlike other knives that are merely coated in silver, these types of knives were made purely silver. It can kill vampires instantly like the silver bullets from our guns."

The vampire hummed in amusement, impressed by his words as well as the blade’s craftsmanship. He asked.  "Why are you giving me this? Is there a particular reason?"

"Think whatever you like." The hunter crossed his arms, his face still unreadable. "That sword of yours won't help you much once it is taken away. You can't even shapeshift nor compel. In other words, if you're going to be useful to me, the least you could do is have more weapons on your person." Heizou paused for a moment, his eyes narrowed. He spoke again, "Whatever the circumstances right now, Dottore still wants you dead. And I have said this many times, I won't give him what he wants. Understand?"

Kazuha stared down at the dagger in his hand. Even after he confessed his intention and his reasons for his pursuit of the Doctor, Heizou still wanted him around. The vampire could take his words that he was expendable , but after everything they had gone through so far, it would seem as though Heizou wanted to make sure he stayed safe. 

Is this… wishful thinking?

Nonetheless, this is all for the sake of hunting down Dottore. He'll be useful for him.

"Very well. I'll make use of it." Kazuha nodded firmly. "Thank you, Shikanoin."

Kazuha slipped the dagger into his haori, tucking safely and comfortably on him. He then turned to the smithy before he spoke.

“Mr. Amenoma is not available, it would seem.”

“Strange…” Heizou noticed. “Shouldn’t the smithy be open by now?”

His thoughts exactly. Unless Mr. Amenoma wanted to close the shop for today, then Kazuha was surely out of luck. 

“Detective? And Kazuha too! Good morning!”

Both he and the hunter turned to the direction of the neighbourhood. Upon recognizing the Tenryou uniform, Uesugi appeared before them as he walked up.

“Where did you come from?” Heizou furrowed, crossing his arms.

The officer blinked for a moment before he chuckled nervously. “Ah. Well, since you’re in front of the smithy, I guess I can tell you.” He cleared his throat and the tone of his voice changed. “I just came from Mr. Amenoma’s house. Apparently, Mr. Amenoma’s apprentice went missing.”

Went missing? 

The shock on Kazuha’s face was imminent. He had been outside for the whole night. He should be able to know what’s happening in his surroundings.

“I don’t know when he went missing. All I know he lived further away from this parts of the neighbourhood, so my guess is he had gone missing right after Mr. Amenoma closed the smithy and all of us went to the city.” Uesugi explained.

Kazuha watched Heizou’s expression change. His mind was stirring, formulating, thinking. His heart beated anxiously, in a rapid rhythm before it slowed down. The hunter sighed and scratched his head. 

“I see.” Heizou nodded. “So you’re on the case then?”

“Yeah. Very much so.”

Seems like their morning has become quite the twist.  

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Late Morning ]

Missing person in Inazuma…

Heizou stood in front of the street board while Lumine and Kazuha were by a shady tree, chatting and waiting. All of them travelled from Yoimiya’s house to the plaza of Narukami to get all things in motion. Yoimiya went to Komore Teahouse to get everything Heizou requested, from a list of hunters in Inazuma to reports and cases regarding vampires for the last 3 years. Then there was Uesugi; who was going through some procedure in getting those history records by the police station. Apparently those records were placed in the Tenryou storage house now, which meant that if they ever found something, they could take it and bring it back to Liyue. 

It’ll probably take a while for the both of them to return, so might as well kill some time.

Heizou stared at the two posters placed onto the board— a man and a child, father and daughter. Missing, for who knows when this was put up. This… couldn’t be a coincidence right? His intuition kicked in and his thoughts began to form the idea of Dottore’s involvement similar to Sumeru. He recalled the conversation he had with Yoimiya. If radicals do roam in Inazuma, then there’s a chance Dottore's followers might be lurking. As much as he doesn’t want to take the Yuheng's words into consideration but… they need to be vigilant.  

The hunter took a step back, glancing at the board once more before he turned and walked away. He decided to join the others by the shady tree, since the weather seemed to be rather hot and humid at this time of the day. But with that thought in mind, he caught the conversation between Kazuha and Lumine.

"Kazuha, the burn marks on your skin… it seems bad." His partner spoke up, her tone full of worries. "Is the weather too hot for you?"

"This is normal, Lumine." Kazuha reassured her but she seemed unconvinced. He then added. "I haven't had my feed for today so it takes a while for it to disappear."

"Why didn't you do it sooner?" Heizou blurted as he joined in on their conversation. 

Heizou made a quick observation of Kazuha’s condition. The burn marks seemed obvious now and he noticed a scar on his hand that he couldn’t tell when or how he got it. How was Kazuha able to tolerate such a state? The hunter saw the vampire's lips curled in reluctance, as if he was put on the spot and wasn't sure how to answer them both. Heizou squinted, trying to read his expression before his mind clicked.

Man alive. He cursed himself. He forgot that he told him to stay out of trouble last night. His brows furrowed in annoyance at his own words, and his partner immediately noticed it.

"Did you say something to him that I am not aware of?" Lumine looked at him skeptically.

But Heizou simply brushed her off and sighed— It would be bad if someone took notice of Kaedehara's condition. He scratched the side of his hair and observed around the area.

“There should be some shops that have raw animal meat, right?"

As Heizou was about to turn his heels and walk off, Kazuha immediately grabbed his sleeve. The hunter stopped and glanced at him, confused.

Kazuha quickly let go and explained nervously, “I have… supplements! Some pills that Ms. Hu gave to me that could satiate my hunger and heal my burns.”

The vampire immediately pulled out a small, cylindrical container from his haori and showed it to them. As he opened the lid, Heizou and Lumine could see the red oval pills inside it. They could already tell it was the work of their coroner companion. 

Heizou blinked for a moment before his face twitched. “Why didn’t you use it?”

“It’s… your blood.” Kazuha answered, eyes downcasted and a hint of guilt in his voice.

Upon hearing his words, Heizou’s gaze became more intense, almost comically. He wasn’t angry or anything, more so he was astounded by Kazuha’s line of thoughts. Why in Teyvat would he feel guilty about it? A vampire? Feeling guilt?

Baffled. Heizou told him. “Don’t waste it? Use it? Now? ”

Immediately, Kazuha giggled, and his reaction made Heizou a little stumped.

“Why are you laughing?”

Lumine then chuckled along with him.

Heizou swiped his head at her, more stumped than ever before. “Why are you laughing?”

“You should see your face, Jojo. Keep doing that and you probably won’t be able to win anyone’s heart.” The huntress grinned before she turned to Kazuha, ignoring Heizou’s perplexity. “Don’t mind him. He is taking full responsibility for your situation. So take as much as you need, Kazuha.”

“Your words, not mine.” The hunter crossed his arms, turning away and huffing. Even though it was his fault for force feeding the vampire back in Sumeru, that doesn’t mean he has to take that sort of responsibility and coddle him. 

“Thank you.”

Heizou’s breath hitched. He glanced at Kazuha and the vampire was smiling at him. The same smile he gave to him before they left Tatarasuna. It was… annoying.  

Why are you looking at me like that, Kaedehara?

“Heizou! Lumine!”

Both hunters quickly turned to the direction of the plaza and saw Yoimiya returning. It wasn’t long before Uesugi came out from the Tenryou Police Station and he joined with the Inazuman huntress at her side. Everyone gathered in the middle, leaving Kazuha by the shady tree. Their discussion then began.

“Everything’s ready in Komore Teahouse as you requested, Heizou.” She announced before she asked. “So how are we going to do this?”

Heizou closed his eyes and pondered, hand on his chin. On one hand, he knows the interior of the storage house. He had been there several times and he doubted that the storage house had changed even after 3 years. On the other hand, he wanted to look into those past cases of vampire activities due to Nana’s involvement— according to Uesugi's statement. It was bizarre to him at first, but he can’t shake off the feeling that there might be more to this than just what he initially thought. He saw a different perspective in this whole situation— Why was his village targeted in the first place?

“Lumine.” Heizou turned to her and requested. “I’ll leave you and Yoimiya with the records. Search everything, high and low. Don’t be afraid to open up anything. Maybe break it if you can—”

“Um… Let’s not break anything, detective.” Uesugi butted in, a nervous expression on his face the moment he mentioned breaking things in the storage house.

Heizou simply shrugged it off and averted his attention back to Lumine. His partner suddenly had that determination in her golden eyes, something he admired about her. And he knew he had this task in good hands.

“I’ll do my best.” Lumine said to him in confidence. “What about you? And Kazuha?”

Heizou immediately huffed in predicament. “He’ll need to come with me to the teahouse. But the problem is…”

The problem is… how to bring him there? Heizou couldn't simply leave him in the street. Nor can he bring him into the teahouse since it is private property. The hunter can’t leave the vampire unsupervised. It’s not like the vampire wasn’t staying out of trouble… but Heizou doesn’t seem to figure out what he is feeling right now towards Kazuha’s situation. 

He is not worried about him.

Definitely not.

Yoimiya immediately saw his contemplation and quickly explained. “If you’re bringing Kazuha with you, then you don’t have to worry about it. Words finally reached the Shuumatsubaan about you guys’ situation. I even vouch for you guys too.”

The news managed to dissipate the problem that Heizou had thought about. Perfect. And it took them a while too. Seems like the Islands of Inazuma still have difficulty in their communication aspect. Nonetheless, Heizou doesn’t have to be concerned about other hunters in Inazuma flocking over Kazuha. 

Yomiya then added, “Kazuha can sit by the porch. There’s a sliding door you can open up that can let you see him.”

“Convenient.”

With that, Lumine and Yoimiya went off to the police station to carry out their task. Heizou was left with Uesugi by the plaza while Kazuha was still by the shady tree.

“Is Kazuha alright?” The Tenryou officer spoke up as he glanced at the direction of the vampire. “From what I know so far, vampires don't like the sun, right?”

Heizou sighed heavily. “Is there anything you don’t know?”

“I’m just saying that maybe you should give him an umbrella. There’s a shop right over there where you can buy one for a cheap price.”

Heizou paused for a moment and turned to the said shop that Uesugi pointed at. It had several colourful umbrellas in different sizes being displayed. And coincidentally, it was on sale too. Maybe it’ll be useful for Kazuha.

“Also..” Uesugi spoke again, but this time, with a solemn tone in his voice. “You guys called yourselves hunters right? Does that mean you… you actually kill them, with those weapons on you?”

Uesugi’s eyes landed onto the weapons strapped onto his thighs. Heizou could see the thought running through his mind. He can only expect disappointment from him if the hunter told him the harsh truth. 

“It’s best you don’t know, Uesugi.” Heizou told him firmly, arms crossed. “In fact, I have said this before, and I will say it again. Don’t get involved. And don’t get too curious either.”

Uesugi ducked his head while scratching the side of his hair. He nodded reluctantly. “Right. Sorry. It’s just…. someone once said to me that being a true detective meant not picking up arms, and not using brute force. Otherwise....”

“They failed.” Heizou answered for him, his hand clutching onto his brown haori while he lowered his head to hide any emotions reflecting in his eyes. “They failed as detectives. And I don’t see myself as one, Officer Uesugi.”

He remembered those words he spoke to others. Mostly with Uesugi and Lumine. How he had forgotten about those times and those moments where he was once, could consider himself, the greatest, most sharpest detective in Inazuma. 

“You still are.” Uesugi confessed, a small smile carved onto his face. “Much sharper, more fierce than before. Not just criminals, but I guess vampires would quiver in their boots and make a run for it.”

Uesugi let out a short laugh and Heizou could only huff at the sight of him. This man still takes this vampire business very lightly. Heizou ought to give him an earful or two. But for now, he needed to save energy to carry out his task. He hoped the officer stays out of trouble.

“Don’t you have a job to do?”

“Right. Then, I’ll be off.” Uesugi chuckled, flashing his friendly smile and tilted his hat. 

He waved his hand in Kazuha's direction and the vampire returned the gesture. As Uesugi was about to walk off, he made one last request to Heizou.

“Detective.” He called to him, “Once everything is over. Once the summer festival begins its preparation… Let's go and see the fireworks. With everyone. You, me, Lumine, Yoimiya, and maybe Kazuha. If he is still around, of course!” 

The hunter was left speechless, and he wasn’t sure how to answer him. Heizou doubted he'd ever come back here again. Nor he wasn’t sure about when all of this would be over for them. He wasn’t one for festivals. Yet…

“No promises.”

Though his answer didn’t reach him after he noticed Uesugi had left the area. Heizou simply stood there, gazing from afar as the sakura petals fluttered along the warm breeze of noon. Hollow, empty and confused. Since when has he stopped being the person he once was? 

Heizou chuckled to himself in a mocking tone. 

It doesn’t matter anymore. There was no turning back the moment he went down to this path. And he’ll keep on walking, leaving behind trails of red. 

.

.

“Shikanoin? Shall we head off?”

Heizou was slowly brought to the present as he turned to look at those ruby reds staring at him. Kazuha tilted his head, as if he was wondering about Heizou’s quietness. 

Heizou exhaled, then held up a finger. “One minute.” 

The hunter walked to the direction of the umbrella shop. He made a quick scan of the colors available before he picked one up. He purchased it, and returned to Kazuha’s side. The vampire had a mildly surprised look on his face as Heizou held the item towards him, shielding him from the sunlight.

“Let’s go.”

[ Inazuma - Narukami - Afternoon ]

In the storage house, Lumine and Yoimiya had searched through all the relevant drawers and shelves, high and low as they can reach, until they found the history records they were looking for. It took them a while but they managed to find the records, kept between all the other books that were placed at the back of the room. Lumine simply pulled out the large book, almost 500 pages that she can assume, before she placed the said book onto a small table.

“So… what are we looking for exactly?” Yoimiya asked, mildly clueless.

“We need to know what happened during the civil war and figure out the true events that took place, but with vampires in the picture.” Lumine explained and began flipping the pages of where the history of the Raiden Gokuden was first established. “Kazuha said the civil war began amongst vampires, not humans. The weapons that the Raiden Gokaden forged were for humans to protect themselves when the civil war ever happened. But the twist of it all, it never happened.”

“Right. Of course! I did read something about that, and I did find that strange.” Yoimiya then pointed at the passage. “Look here.”

The passage written as follows:

“About 300 years ago, the Raiden Gokuden was established by the Shogunate of that era. Under the orders of the Raiden clan and Kujou Clan, five schools were created; Amenoma, Isshin, Futsu, Hyakume and Senju. These blacksmithing schools existed to serve the Shogun in their preparation for a civil war against other civil unrest amongst the Islands of Inazuma.”

“Civil unrest could only mean vampire attacks.” Lumine murmured, eyes staring sharp as she processed the information. 

The passage then continued to be written as follows: 

“But in the process of forging these honorable weapons, the first school— the Isshin arts failed to meet the Shogun’s expectation due to its flawed craftsmanship. Thus, the Isshin school was closed.” 

“That’s it…?” Lumine frowned, her expression was obviously disappointed. “The rest of the text mentioned that all other schools went into decline after that. That can’t be all, right? This is…” 

The huntress clutched the page into her hand as it slightly trembled— What kind of injustice is this? Kazuha mentioned his clan was raided and assassinated. And here; the passage mentioned the Isshin Arts were closed. How absurd is this? 

The anger in her heart swirled, boiled and bubbled. This was unfair for Kazuha. Not just Kazuha, but the rest of the people who were part of the Raiden Gokaden. She knew the real story, yet nothing she knew was stated in the records.

“What now?” Yoimiya asked as she had the same disappointed look on her face.

Lumine pondered for a bit, her eyes darted back and forth from the beginning to the ending of the whole passage. She reread the paragraphs, making sure she never missed any information, until her eyes lit up.

“Kazuha never mentioned who his ‘benefactor’ was.” Lumine muttered as her eyes glued to the words ‘Raiden Clan’ and ‘Kujou Clan’. 

She began flipping through the pages again, to where the history of those said clans were recorded. As she stopped at the page about the Raiden clan and skimmed through the passages— her heart dropped. 

“Yoimiya…” She called her fellow hunter. “Is this true? The Raiden Clan ended… 100 years before the Raiden Gokaden was established. ”

Astounded, Yoimiya responded. “Wait… what!? That doesn’t sound right. Let me see.” 

Her senior hastily stood to her side while Lumine tried to give her space for her to read the text. In doing so, her arm bumped into a bonsai pot that was placed near the table. In an instant, the pot fell with a loud THUD, and the soil spilled out, dirtying the wooden floor of the storage house.

“Ah oh…” Yoimiya saw the mess, and both huntresses were stumped in place. 

Anxiousness quickly grew in Lumine’s heart— shoot, I hope I didn’t break anything!

“Just read the passage for me, Yoimiya. I’ll take care of this.” Lumine requested before she got down on her knees and began cleaning.

What a mess. Such a clutz… She thought, trying not to lose her composure as she scooped the soil into her hands. While doing so, she listened to Yoimiya’s voice as she helped her read through the records.

“You’re right, the Raiden Clan died 100 years before the Raiden Gokaden started.” Her senior paused for a moment and continued, “But it says here the Kujou Clan still exists even after the blacksmithing school went into decline.”