Alucard and the Hollow Slayers continued their slow, careful path through the forest.

The only light they possessed was a lantern held by Lisvern at the helm of the group, it allowed them enough room to properly navigate their way through, yet, it left much of their surroundings completely unknown.

Alucard, who walked a considerable distance to the back, and his night-vision were the only ones able to fully take in what truly encircled them.

He had yet to lay eye on the map even a single time, but just by looking, he could immediately tell that they were no doubt very close to the source.

The decay had reached a level he had not even considered nor mentally prepared for. The rotting smell of death followed everywhere he went,  tree barks were a dark obsidian tone, no leaves to be seen hanging on their branches. They were on the soil, ground into what he could only describe as ashen dust that mixed well with the bones of dead animals, or possibly even humans.

He had long known that whatever was causing this was a powerful creature, and the doubts he had harboured began to magnify.

But that was when his thinking was interrupted by a feint, dim light dropping down from the sky above, and floating near his shoulders.

"Lord Alucard…" The voice whispered.

"Hello Luck," He acknowledged.

"I've scouted ahead, you're very close to the cave…"

"Yeah, I can tell,"

"I also wanted to look inside like you asked me, but it was as if something's stopping me from going… Maybe I'm too scared, but I have a bad feeling about this."

"I do too…" Alucard nodded. "But, this mission was not rated very difficult, so, either we are overestimating things, or, there is yet another element of deception at play… Either way, if I feel like something's off, I'll try to convince them to flee."

"Understood," He fluttered his wings. "Also, my lord, when are you gonna stop pretending to be poisoned? Is this part of your plan?" Luck imminently noticed, knowing full-well that Vampires were immune to most, if not all poisons.

"Of course it is." He nodded. "Like this, I have a reason to act weak when the sun comes out, and I get to have an excuse to stay back during combat and let them take the brunt while I remain in safety to assess the situation."

"Ah yes, of course…" Luck giggled. "Using them as pawns to further your own goals, as expected of my lord,"

"Pawn is a little bit of a harsh word, don't you think?"

"My lord?"

"Yes, it was my plan at first, when I pretended to be injured, but now…"

"M— my lord…" Luck interrupted him. "Don't tell me that you're actually feeling—"

"Hey!! Alucard!!" A voice suddenly appeared, calling from the front, and Luck panicked, quickly hiding within the cracks of Alucard's armour.

"Yes?" He answered, looking forward towards Vernon who called his name.

"We were cut off short and I didn't get to ask you this! But, what do you think about joining the Hollow Slayers as a new member!?"

"Me? A new member?" His eyes dilated.

"Yeah! Why not! I think we've hit it off well! Besides, it seems like you're a newbie adventurer! It'd be advantageous to, even to temporarily,  join a team to help you get the hang of things no?"

The question caught Alucard completely off guard. Joining them? That question had never even crossed his mind a single time until this moment.

"..."

"I'll consider it… But first, let's kill this beast before we start discussing our future, okay?"

"Hahaha! Gotcha! No worries, I can wait! But really, we'd love to have you join!"

"Uhhh… Thank you,"

Had it been the Alucard from even a few days prior, he would have no doubt instantly declined. But now, he began to consider. Indeed, there were advantages to joining a team considering his inexperience, and if he decided to join a group, he found it very hard to imagine another team as trustworthy as the Hollow Slayers.

But as he previously stated, now was not the time to weigh his options…

"We're here…"

Finally, they all stood in front of the cave.

Its black jaws were sweeping, lined with rocks that seemed almost like sharp icicle-like teeth, and the floor was littered with scattered bones and dead roots, almost forming a path inviting them inside. The odd sound of howls and croaking birds could not reach them where they stood, and the air had never felt so still.

But, to Alucard, what was oddest of all was that no matter how hard he tried, he could not see what lay further within. Normally, his dark vision would naturally illuminate even the darkest caves… But this one, it was covered in some dark miasma of shadows that not even he could penetrate.

Still, strangely enough, he did not feel anything odd…  If anything, he felt calm and confident, unconsciously took a step forward before shaking his head and halting his step.

"I have a bad feeling about this, we should immediately leave," Alucard suggested, and all looked behind to face him with an odd look of puzzlement.

"Why? Why would we leave now after we've come this far!?" Lisvern raised an eyebrow.

"I agree, we're almost in perfect condition, and we most likely have the upper hand on the sleeping monster. It would be idiotic for any adventure group to leave now." Adam narrowed his eyes.

"Mhm! Maybe, that poison is messing with your head. I'm certain we can kill the thing, the Hollow Slayers have faced worse before!" He chuckled.

'No, I think it's your head that's messed up! This is a graveyard, if you can see what I see, you'd think the same!' Alucard inwardly thought, but didn't find the energy to speak it out loud.

"Okay, let's get going and finish things quick! I wanna get back to Taylor and give them the good news…" Vernon took the lead, heading into the cave.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Lisvern followed.

"Idiots, be quiet… you're gonna wake up the beast and make it all for naught," Adam shook his head, readying his bow and stepping forward.

"..." Alucard's mouth opened once more, and he reached his hands ahead towards his moving allies, but once again, nothing came out but a small puff.

"..."

"..."

'Maybe I'm overthinking things,' He took a deep breath and calmed his mind, a human habit he had tried his best to forget.

He shook his head, slowly following them inside.

Alucard was alien to this world, he did not know what to expect at all. While, on the other hand, the Hollow Slayers were expert adventurers who were in the field for years. Perhaps they noticed something that he did not…

Indeed, It must be paranoia. If the Hollow Slayers were confident of winning, then certainly, that must be the case. He continued his walk forward, ease in his unbeating heart.

"L—lord Alucard?" A small voice shakenly whispered from within his armour, but Alucard paid it no heed as he continued his path forward, or perhaps, he did not even hear it.

The Hollow Slayers had long left his sight; he did not even notice their lantern, so he hurried his steps.

For once in his entire vampiric existence, his eyes were open, yet all he saw was dark. The sound of liquids splashing from the roof, and the echoes of his own steps were the only things his senses noticed.

It felt never-ending. More and more until finally, he was met with light. The full light of the Hollow Slayer's lantern as they went in full view… But that did not last for long…

He felt reassurance, only until he noticed and looked closely at their faces. There were only two people standing within that light… And even more, laying in the shadows…

He did not know where the third member had gone, until it suddenly made itself known, dropping to the ground… At least only a half.

Long, purple hair missing from his cracked skull showered above him like gentle rain, landing softly on his face. Yet, his face was anything but such… He was known for his harsh, aged appearance, but what his visage wore fell far beyond that. His hazel eyes were blank, pushed to the back of his head, his small nose secreted blood, surrounded by wrinkles from his ghoulish visage.

His bottom half was missing, completely severed, leaking litres of blood along with his brown, pumping intestinal track, oozing out what little half-digested meals it had remaining in an odd form, a mixture between feces and food.

It was only when he noticed the bow next to his corpse did Alucard finally recognize who this uncouth, mutilated corpse belonged to…

Alucard stood stiff, unreacting in face of it all as his mind ran wild, only the abrupt, banshee-like, echoing shrieks brought him out of his calm daze…

"Ah— AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! GET AWAY FROM ME!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!" Lisvern dropped his lantern and cried. His voice reached a pitch that Alucard did not know was even possible.

Despite the low light, with a mere glance, he noticed his ghastly, crumpled visage and gaping mouth. His blonde hair stood stiff, and his eyebrows shakingly furrowed. As he ran, the sound of his heart pounding, and the clatter from his teeth and bones were so loud that Alucard could isolate them through the sound of his rattling armour and piercing cries.

Alucard witnessed a look of true horror, unlike anything he could even imagine.

"ALUCAAAARRRRRRDDDD!! SAVE ME!!" In that moment, Lisvern noticed the stiff Alucard, reaching his arms out towards him.

But, far before he could close the gap, his attempts were ended by something large and poignant extending out of the shadows, ramming him through like a spear the size of a tree trunk, his intestines and organs exploding out of him like crimson confetti.

Blood splattered like a geyser upon Alucard's mask, yet he did not smell nor notice the succulent smell of human blood so close to him… His eyes did not even blink, peering towards his now lifeless corpse.

His pupils that Alucard had only ever seen as bright and jovial faded to a dark white, and his mouth secreted blood dripping on the ground. Alucard did not know that his expression of pain could have increased, but there he witnessed it before his eyes fell towards his core. His innards had been completely obliterated, still pulsating on the bloodied ground like dying worms.

The only organ yet to drop was his stomach that remained stuck on the tip of whatever stabbed him, which he could only describe as the dark exoskeleton on a scorpion's stinger...