No, please, you can’t be serious.

You’ve eaten sixteen bolts already! Just go down!

C’mon man! Lily’s already out of juice, Laffer’s refusing to move like an asscrack, and Lazari’s already doing her best so that only leaves me to deal with you.

“Hey! Don’t think that! I tried to curse her!”

“Did it work?” I exasperate.

“Yesnt…”

As I thought.

At any rate, have some mercy! Just rest, take a nap. Granted, I did purchase my bolts at the flea market at a 70% mark down… but these are still good bolts!

“Hahaha! I’ll CRUSH you!”

What in the seven sacred stars?! Is she powering up? Why do I feel like my body has been enveloped in a palpable lattice, pressuring and bearing down upon me?

It has no will, but it still tells me. Do not interrupt. Like a god passing down a commandment.

“Hmm, just as I thought,” Laffer mumbles with a hand to his chin, “She is awakening her latent powers through the phenomena known as ‘flashback’,”

Flashback? I don’t see any flashback, only her eating all my bolts!

“Flashback isn’t a phenomena you can see, Jeff. And of all people, you should understand as you also ranked up through getting shot multiple times. So what’s the difference with her?”

Holy crap. What’s the difference you say? There is no difference! In fact, I shot her in the foot at least three times!

But even when I ranked up, I wasn’t as lively as she is right now…

“As you’ve just said, you ranked up, whereas she is experiencing a flashback. The two naturally can’t compare. A rank up is a stable, yet permanent qualitative boost, but a flashback is an explosive increase of power that excels that of ranking up. The only silver lining is that it has a time limit,”

And how long is that time limit?

“Roughly three hours,”

I see. “So in other words, we are thoroughly and wholly screwed. Screwed so bad that even if the Queen of Hell tried to save us she couldn’t,”

“That’s not a bad way to put things into perspective,”

The blood cult vampire, after having a rifle explode on her, on top of eating all of my bolts, seemed to awaken a new, more potent psychic discriminant. Dust and debris whirled in the air as it enveloped her, like she was undergoing a metamorphosis.

I wanna go home…

"Me too, but as you've noticed, we've been locked in place via the composite phenomena of flashback. Stalling,"

"Stalling?"

"Correct, when a flashback initiates, it also actuates stalling. Of which we are currently experiencing,"

Crap, that seems very bad. I mean, I can still move my hands but aside from that… Nah, can't even lift my foot.

Well, turning to my side, I can at least see that the two children are handling it well. In fact, considering the fact that Lily's sticking a stick in some abomination with Lazari, I'd say they're doing extremely well.

"Mhmm, stalling, doesn't affect children,"

What's with this ruleset?

"It's strange, but it's sanctioned by the realms so get used to it," He shrugs, "Also have those two stab that bitch. Then we can go home,"

Yeah no. Not happening. Eyeing the bloody lady in front, rather than dread, I'm just enervated instead. It was always hard for me to find any amount of tension in any situation and that hasn't changed.

Sigh. Where’s the city guards when you need ‘em? Damn incompetent bastards! What are my taxes for?!

Granted I always dogded 'em… But that's beside the point!

“Oh don’t worry they should be here by now,”

Wait a minute? “What did you say?”

“The city guards should be here. And— Oh, here they are,” Pointing toward the skylight, silhouettes smashed them in, as a shower of glass rained down.

No way… The city guards came here of their own doing? I have to say, I’m impressed with their level of competence.

“Nah, as if,” Laffer denies that though, “Remember that time when I got the proof against the Mirjam family? Yeah, I also reported this location,”

“My lord, so you actually prepared?!” You weren’t being a dunce like usual?

Though more importantly, how did you not get arrested when you were making the report?

“It’s called style Jeff,” He slicks back his hair, “Though I do concede that it's a bit strange they actually showed up…”

I have many questions, of which I want answered, but it seems there’s no time for that as of present.

“Hahah~!” A cackling reverberates through the warehouse.

Though the most disturbing part isn’t the ominous cackling, but the fact that it's not the evil lady doing it.

“This is what you get you bloody bastards! Eheheh~!”

Following that, an ephemeral golden panoply jumps down and massacres the rows of blood abominations, securing an entrance location. Following which about ten special operatives repel down.

And what a pity for the cackling one to immediately recognise me of all the people here. Like what the Hell? I thought she was on the side of justice…

“It’s YOUUU!”

“Yes, it is I,”

“I knew you were a bad guy!” She raises her voice to a near shrill octave, proportionally spiking her aura, “You’ll regret discarding me!”

Ah, what a coincidence that she also bears a grudge. Simply superb.

I’m about to start spouting some horse shite, but Laffer is a step ahead of me.

“Use your head and think for a moment, we’re your insiders who flagged this location,”

Woah, that excuse… It’s just like mine!

Sacred stars, I think there’s a phrase for this exact situation. What was it? Star struck minds think alike?

Wait, is that it? If that’s the phrase, then doesn’t that mean that we’re both nutcases?

Sigh, how saddening.

“Tsk, that may be right, but that bastard still left me for dead!” The summoner points a slender finger toward me.

I can’t believe we’re actually having an argument whilst the vampire is silently powering up over there. Civil servants aren’t disciplined enough these days, or perhaps I should say the government is too lax?

Nono, this can 100% wait till later. Why is this dumbass allowing our enemy to complete her flashback? Villains don't get flashbacks! I think.

“It doesn’t matter. Get your priorities straight and take out that cultist,” I direct her, giving the same aloof atmosphere I used before

“Grr, you bastard!” She grinds her teeth as she restrains herself, her hands balled into fists.

It looks like she would’ve certainly snapped if not for a blonde guy gripping the summoner’s shoulder. His fed up gaze bores into the summoner before softening immensely as he directs it to me.

“The constable's correct, deal with the heretics first before thinking about your grudge match,”

I don’t remember this promotion but I’ll accept it!

Too bad that the bloodsucker had already finished with her flashback.

Red tears streaked down her sullen face. A wide smile adorned her pallid face.

“Hihihihihi~!”

The warehouse shook, blood was swept from the bodies of the fallen blood races as they wrapped around the vampire lady, forming a cocoon like membrane.

Can you guys actually do something?! I’m already out of bolts and she’s starting another transformation phase.

I can see that you aren't being affected by stalling, y'know?

“I said to take out that cultist did I not?” Using the tone of a superior, I try to pressure the summoner into dealing with the situation.

“I agree,” The same blonde guy nodded, “Marielle, stop dawdling,”

“Tsk, you bastards are so alike it ain’t even funny,” Clicking her tongue, she reluctantly moves forward, or rather her summon moves forward.

It’s strange seeing just a single summon. After all, shouldn’t a summoner be spamming units? Very strange indeed.

Nonetheless, though the summoner is a bit ill tempered, she is still rather competent. Makes sense considering she escaped that blood aberration. Actually, wasn’t it this very person who set the blood aberration on us?

In fact, that same aberration was right over there. I give her a wave, and she reciprocates with the flailing of her dozens of limbs.

Pulling Lazari away from the cadaver she manhandles, I firmly place myself behind the blonde captain looking guy. Behind him, I watched the singular summon launch itself at the veritable cocoon of blood. With a straight right, its preposterous power and speed amazes me, but before it can contact with the blood cocoon, it bursts, like a bubble, spraying the sanguine fluid everywhere.

The fist was held in place, gripped by the slim hand of the vampire lady. Her appearance… changed. It wasn’t a massive change. It was subtle. Her hair waved in the air, and she seemed sharper, more honed than ever.

She felt lethal. A threat that made me want to turn the other way and flee.

But no! I can see that summoner keeping an eye on me, she probably has another summon stationed somewhere to restrain me should I run.

Of course, that doesn’t stop me from trying now that the stalling is over.

“Ay, I got two children with me, I’ll be evacuating with them,” I inform the captain guy, who definitely had that leader disposition, “I trust that I’ll be leaving this place in good hands?”

The operatives fan and out and exterminate remnants of the blood cult or form around the blood mistress who is, lamentably, in a winning battle against the golden summon.

“Ah, no worries,” He takes a glance toward the two children, “Make sure you get them out safe and sound,”

Frankly, I feel that they have little hope of winning. Although the summoner is a Gold rank, and the leader is Steel, his subordinates are only silver, and I’m certain that isn’t enough to deal with the flashback phenomena.

Scuttling away from the fight, Laffer for some reason tags along.

“Why didn’t you just keep staying still, hmm?” I taunt him, whilst we meander through the rotting flesh piles.

Though it's rather unfortunate that before he could answer, this escapade had to run into trouble so early.

“I-I ain’t letting nyou just leave after what nyou done did!”

A ragged, somewhat hoarse voice greets me.

Her left eye is shut with a steady stream of blood seeping from it, and her apparel is rent and torn. I guess she got caught up in Lily’s essence blade storm. Amidst this shaking warehouse, she still has the resolution to stagger toward us.

Though her appearance is rather pitiful, it doesn’t stop my machete from finding itself running though her.

“Kuh,” She coughs out a mouthful of blood, “F-fiend,”

A swift shank. Right in the stomach.

Her voice loses strength as I kick her off my blade. The cat burglar was never really a fighter was she? I mean, this is the second time I matched against her and I still swept the floor with her.

“WRRRRYYYYYYYYY!”

Though as her bloody corpse hits the ground, I’m assaulted with yet another mind screech. But aside from that, there’s no other noise.

More precisely, no noise where the battle should be taking place.

Summoner! Weren’t you supposed to be fighting that bastard?! Do you need a title change?

Shitty summoneeeeerrrrrr! Well, never really expected much from a dropkick like you, huh?

Whilst I’m internally cussing, walls collapse as the high ceiling of the warehouse tumbles over. The hallways are a bit safer, but it places us in full view of a frayed and torn vampire. Her vectors align with mine as her eyes flare in that signature amaranthine glow.

And before I can even blink the blood mistress flashes in front of me. Crying tears, she pushes her right palm toward me, and scoops up the cat kin in the other. Her movements are rushed and she's soaked in wounds.

“Oh, my dear Aki,”

The scent of blood suddenly gushes to me. So potent, it's almost to the point of being a toxin on its own.

But it means little to me! I've smelt the stank that exists at the deepest den of mouldy migets!

This ain't enough to stop me!

Again, I try to plunge my blade through her as I did with her kin. But I can't. Something stops me.

Thus, I'm forced to watch a soap opera, starring Bloody Vampire and Bloody Stray Cat.

"No, stay strong, it's your birthright, dear," Whisking an orb of blood through her pallid index, the blood mistress has the cat down it, but's to no avail.

"I-I'm sorry, Mat-Matre. Matre Caedi-," The cat doesn't finish her sentence. Instead, gurgling a glob of blood. For a cult that specialises in blood, there aren't many applications they're using, huh?

I mean, yeah she can control blood orbs but is that it? Ah no wait, that's blood essence? There's a difference?

Actually, now that I think about it, it's kinda strange how the leader of the Blood Cult is a psyker, yknow?

Like, I feel like this cult doesn't have much going for it. Is that why I haven't seen them depend on any unique arts?

Pathetic. You're only winning cause the realm's protectin' you!

"You're thinking of plot armour, an impenetrable defence, and a gift from the idols and false gods, not the realms. She doesn't have it but she might as well," Laffer crosses his arms, fiddling with a heliotrope purple playing card, "We'd need a deus ex machina to get out of this one,"

In this manner, we continue to dis the blood lady as she cries, weeps, hiccups. All in quick succession as the cat burglar's breathe shortens and eyes vacate. A key indication of their passing.

Yes yes, very sad. Anyway…

“Périr,” She intones deeply with a splayed palm toward me.

And with that, a blood red beam encompasses my vision. It’s as thick as my torso, so there’s no way I’m dodging. Plus, it's not even made of blood, it's pure psionic power.

Mmm, very sad indeed, but at least I put Lazari in a safe spot, so I’ll consider that a victory in my book.