Dante covered his nose as he weaved through the stinking colony of Corpse Eaters, skillfully avoiding the dull gazes of the hulking creatures.

"Yo, Black. Weren't you teaching in the Magic Metropolis? What brings you to this backwater?"

A pale-faced man in a black robe, with fiery red hair and eyes, stopped fiddling with the scattered corpse of a Corpse Mother and looked up.

"If it isn't my clansman Dante. I heard you were assigned to Posein—didn't think it was true. Turning over a new leaf, leaving the pleasure district behind?" The red-haired man flashed a dazzling smile, revealing sharp fangs.

"Who's your clansman, you perverted Vampire? Put those fangs away, or I'll rip them out," Dante said with displeasure.

"Such a tall order."

"Hey, what are you messing with here?"

"Can't you see? Corpse Eater ecology research. They're our only kin who lost reason—mad man-eater descendants, sacrifices at corruption's end. Still magic's most thrilling mystery. Can we restore their sanity? What links the Corpse Mother to the extinct Demon Mother? Fascinating questions, no?"

"Drop the professor act. It reminds me of Lawrence's hypnosis. Advance your breeding season and cause trouble, I'll cut you down. And stop pretending to be Black, you evil dragon."

"Ara ara. I thought I nailed the imitation. Where'd I slip up?"

Thick blood mist surged from the Corpse Mother's pool beneath him, engulfing the red-haired man. An instant later, a silver-haired woman—strikingly like Dante—stepped from the haze, gripping a longsword.

"Should I call you Blood Witch Lilith? Vampire Dragon Yunnas? Or Chronicle Hall's Librarian, Astaroth?" Dante addressed the revealed woman.

"Now now, don't be distant, little brother. Just call me sister," she said, disappointed.

"No kinship claims here. My mother is Elena Lawrence. My only sister is Baroness Elizabeth Lawrence. We merely share blood from one man."

"Honestly, always so shy with your sister. Prefer Black's form?"

"Not about looks, heretic dragon. Nothing to do? Get lost. I oversee Posein. Don't stir trouble nearby."

The silver-haired woman's face fell into shame. "Ara ara. My apologies. I've been hybridizing Corpse Mothers lately—created new breeds. Don't worry, I'll eliminate them all responsibly."

"Back to dangerous research?" Dante immediately flew into a rage.

"Thanks for noticing. Interested too? But my Vampire Corpse Eater Hybrid experiments keep failing. Gender issue?"

"Gender? Trying to resurrect your mother?"

Dante tore the gray key from his chest. It morphed into a massive grayish-white sword in his hand. The woman snapped into defense.

Dante vanished, reappearing before her. His blade slashed through half her body. Blood gushed like a fountain, spraying the air.

"Let me finish! Hybrid experiments failed as usual. Harmless acts aren't crimes!" She spoke nonchalantly, whipping out a sword to block his combos while arguing.

Dante stayed silent, attacking relentlessly.

Realizing he wouldn't talk, the Blood Witch parried with her blade and manipulated surrounding blood for defense. Their clash was evenly matched.

Nearby Corpse Eaters caught in the crossfire died from stray sword winds. Blood sprayed grandly skyward. For a moment, they danced gracefully in a crimson downpour.

"Ara ara. I surrender. Elegant me isn't cut out for slaughter."

After brief fighting, the Blood Witch dropped her sword. She waved—a command halting the blood rain mid-air. A colossal black dragon burst from the crimson clouds.

Dante slashed twice at the winged beast. Cross-shaped strikes neared its vitals. The dragon barely blocked with its tail—it shattered into three pieces, crashing down.

The silver-haired woman already gripped the dragon's claw, waving goodbye with a smile. It soared skyward, vanishing into the distance.

"Farewell, little brother. Stay safe."

"Tch. Fallen mythical beasts... only another mythical beast's power can handle them," Dante muttered, watching the dragon fade.

Corpse Eaters around him surged simultaneously, as if puppeteered.

"Hmph. Two sword hits, and this is your revenge?" Dante swung heavily twice. Corpse Eaters collapsed instantly. Blood drenched him.

He wiped his marble-smooth face unhappily. His body shrank to human form; the sword became a gray key pendant. Sighing softly at the corpse-strewn ground, he carefully stepped around the remains, retracing his path.