After the grueling training for I don’t know how long and all the Natsumi-san’s teasing the entire time, I felt like I will die soon. Mom, Dad, I am coming to see you.
"That’s enough for today. You look tired," Natsumi-san said putting her scythe back and Iwaguchi-san did the same with his combat axes.
"What gave that away? The fact that I am lying down here after fighting both of you at the same time and getting myself beaten up so bad. Who knows, I might have broken a bone or two but did not realize it due to the adrenaline rush," I said panting heavily and my eyes fell on Ai. "Help me up, please."
"You don’t have to say please you know," Ai said and helped me stand up.
I leaned my body on Ai’s shorter and colder frame but it was so nice. It felt like I was covering my body in an ice pack after a long exercise for a fast recovery of my muscles which does not sound that different from what I am doing right now. Ai’s hand started stroking my head and I leaned my head on her shoulder. Yes, that feels so good.
I snuggled on her shoulder and heard Ai giggle. Right now, I am dead and in heaven so please respect the dead.
"We are still here," Natsumi-san said coughing loudly.
You have no respect for the dead, Natsumi-san.
"Ugh…but I am so tired. Ai is just helping me stand up, what is wrong with that?" I said looking at her.
She stared at me blankly and was a little annoyed too. "Helping you is fine but stop unconsciously flirting right in front of us. Do that when you are home, oh wait. You do something else back there, right?"
"For the love of God, please stop teasing me about that matter," I said groaning. "It is not my fault that Ai is so cute and hot at the same time. You would know if you were a boy."
"And there you go again," she said and pointed her finger. I looked up at Ai who had her face completely red. "Anyway, the board has been scheduled to gather today so we are going to go there in half an hour. So, if you want some rest then rest well."
"The board?" I muttered.
"It is a meeting of the top executives of the organization who meet every month to discuss their plans in the future and you are the topic of the meeting today," Iwaguchi-san explained.
"So, I am going to be asked to kill myself again and again. That is just amazing," I said sarcastically.
"It’s not like you need to listen to them. No matter what your decision will be, I am there to help you so don’t worry," Natsumi-san said with a soft expression on her face. "I am like your big sister, aren’t I?"
"You are a bit old but yes, I do see you as m- "
Before I could complete my sentence, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and the air was knocked out of my body. I staggered and fell down slowly holding my stomach.
"Kid you know how to piss me off sometimes," Natsumi-san said with a vein popping out on her forehead.
"Natsumi-san," Ai said in a dark and cold tone staring at her.
"It is not my fault Ai; he should know not to speak like this about a lady’s age. It is extremely rude," Natsumi-san said. "Also, you know it is normal for us. You have been watching us all this time."
At her remark, Ai’s eyes widened and her mouth trembled.
"Y-you knew about that?" she said.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.
"That you have been stalking him since he was four years old and even went to the same high school as him so you could look at him closely. When you often steal glances at him which Kizuhara always misunderstood and even the fact that you stole some t-shirts and underw- "
"Stop!!" Ai said letting go of me which made me fall down on my back. She covered Natsumi-san’s mouth with her hands with her face completely red. "N-Natsumi-san, let’s all forget everything you just said."
"Why? Kazuki should know how much you loved him. You even made a shrin- "
"Stop it!! And how did you even know!!" Ai shouted.
"Kid, I took the charge of overseeing the both of you so I know everything you did. Not to mention that you even once crawled in his futon in his sleep and started kissing hi- "
"Ahh, I will die of embarrassment," Ai said covering her ears.
So I had my first kiss stolen without even me knowing. I knew that Ai used to stalk me and about the t-shirts and school but some things she did just made my body shiver. This girl loves me a lot.
She is perfect.
When I laid my body on the cold ground and my head on Ai’s cold lap, how did half an hour passed, I did not know but I knew it passed too quickly. Time should never move this fast. I wanted to enjoy Ai’s lap pillow a little more.
"It’s time for the board to gather. Let’s get moving," Natsumi-san said and I stood up.
Ai also stood up and dusted her lowers and quickly held my hand with a big smile. The bite mark on her neck was clearly seen and now I wonder if she deliberately wore her dress to show off the bite mark. Please let it not be the case.
"Ai, why did you not hide that bite mark?" I asked her and she cutely tilted her head.
"Kazu-kun marked me as his so it is only natural to show it, everyone, right?" she said innocently and I looked up at the ceiling.
How can she be so innocent in these matters?!
You were a beast back in the bathroom!!
"I-I see, but it is embarrassing so I would like it if you were to not show it to everyone," I said as an idea came to my mind. I leaned closer to her ear and whispered. "Because this mark is only for me to see and only me. Why did you think I hid the hickey?"
"Is that how it is supposed to be?" she asked me and I nodded. "I-I am sorry, I didn’t know that Kazu-kun."
"It’s fine but keep that in mind for later," I said and we started walking and as always, there were scanners to scan.
We hopped in the elevator and Natsumi-san pressed a button as the elevator started descending even further. Just how deep is this headquarters of theirs? The elevator continued descending and finally, it opened and Natsumi-san had to scan her card yet again. As the door opened, I saw more people than I had seen on the floors before.
There were humans and even some vampires because their race was written on their name tag on their shirts. They all wore a black suit over a white shirt which made them look like bodyguards and bouncers. The people ranged from being extremely buffed to being thin as a stick but all of them were strong, I could tell somehow.
As all their eyes fell on Natsumi-san, everyone stopped in their tracks. They made way for her as she started walking casually. The looks they gave her were that of admiration and respect. Some even looked at her with loving eyes which also included some females. Wow.
We followed her and I and Ai were being eyed by them curiously. We were new faces here so it was only natural for this to happen.
"Has the board gathered?" Natsumi-san asked the man standing before a big door and he nodded. "Let me through."
"ID card please," he said in a monotone voice.
"Are you kidding me? I have been here every single meeting," she said in an annoyed tone and the man shook from top to bottom.
With shaky hands, he took Natsumi-san’s ID card which she gave while being annoyed. He looked at the card and scanned it at the door and it opened up to an even bigger room. We all stepped in and there were people sitting at an elevated platform all covered in darkness which hid their faces and the light only illuminated us.
I could not see their face but could certainly make out that there was someone there.
"What is the meaning of this?" Natsumi-san asked looking up at them.
"We have to keep our identities safe until we confirm if he is of use to us or not. This has nothing to do with you, special class hunter Kawazuki Natsumi," said a woman’s voice.
"If it has something to do with this kid, it has something that has everything to do with me. Don’t think that just because I work for you that I will not kill you i- "
"Natsumi-san," I said interrupting her. She looked at me and I smiled at her. "It’s fine. Have a little confidence in me."
I stepped forward with my hands in my pocket and whenever I am in a situation like this now, I can’t help but feel a little excited. It is fun toying with people sometimes. Since if it is a verbal war and discussion, I am confident of my abilities.
"Greetings, people of the board, as you all already know, I am Shiba Kazuki," I said with a smile on my face. "I will be at your mercy now."
"And who do you think allowed you to speak to us?" a male voice said.
"I am a slave of my own will so it was me who allowed myself to speak. Freedom of speech is something that is given to every one according to Article 21 of our constitution," I said.
"You have a big mouth for a kid."
"And you have a little one for an adult so it all works out pretty well."
Even if I could not see it, I could tell that I was getting on their nerve pretty quickly which was working out perfectly. The people of the board had an air of superiority to them and a lot of pride, the same as noble vampires. It was pretty easy to annoy them and make them dance in the palm of my hand if I play my card correctly. They can get really annoyed if anyone were to attack their pride.
I did not show it but I am still really nervous since I am not really used to do this stuff on a daily basis.
"What an arrogant kid he is."
"You do know that you can get killed here for talking like this to us. We can destroy your life with a flick on our finger."
"I know that but I don’t even have a life to destroy in the first place. What will you possibly do? Go after people I care about? Well, they are all here so please be my guest," I said opening my arms wide. "Now let’s stop this banter and get to the main topic. I am sure neither one of us are here to waste each other’s time and or to teach me manners."
"How disrespectful, haven’t your parents taught you to respect your elders and superiors?"
"My mom said to be nice to everyone and dad told me to respect those who only deserve it and punch the people in the face who don’t. Now, these two values are very contradicting so I am alternating between them."
"You…"
"That’s enough," a familiar voice resounded in the entire room and quieted everyone down. "Shiba Kazuki, the human who possesses the blood of the first. You are brought here by us to decide your future. Whether you are of use to us or you need to be exterminated."
I calmly listened to the person not feeling nervous hearing his voice for the second time. For some reason, I no longer felt any fear and nervousness. My mind calmed on my own and my tensed-up muscles loosened.
What I can deduce from what is happening now is that it does not matter how the other board members think. The end decision lies in the hands of one person and he just brought the board together to convince everyone else. If they are not convinced, his decision would still not change at all.
The result of this board meeting was decided before it even started.
"I suggest we kill him and take his blood to keep it in a safe place. If the news of him dying is spread, the vampires won’t be after the blood of the first."
"While that also sounds like a sound argument but we cannot make that decision before carefully overviewing every other option we have in our hand. And what are the chances that they decide to not believe it and still pursue the blood of the first? At the end of the day, they will be after it till it completely matures."
"Then let’s just go with the other option. To turn him into a vampire and keep him monitored."
"So, I have no say in this?" I said raising my hand gaining their attention. "Seriously, your way of thinking is too linear. How did you even become a member of the board?"
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Isn’t it obvious? I don’t want to die or become a vampire and along with that, I want you guys to get off my back. You are a real pain in the ass. More than the vampires," I said mockingly. "What I am saying is that I become a vampire hunter and kill vampires for you. You can monitor me properly and I will be under your organization. The best part, I don’t have to be killed this way. Isn’t it a win-win situation for both the parties?"
No, seriously. Hearing all these people talk just made me cringe. Who made them the member of the board? Are they just people who have a lot of influence in the organization? If so, then I am just disappointed in them.
BORING
"Do you have any idea what you are saying, Shiba Kazuki?"
"Oh, looks like you didn’t hear. Maybe that is because of your old age so let me repeat myself loud and clear," I said and took a deep breath. "I AM GOING TO BE A VAMPIRE HUNTER AND HUNT VAMPIRES. Was that clear enough for you?"
Right now, to them, I was acting like a brat who was thinking too highly of himself just because his blood is special and that was the image I wanted to create for myself right now. It is very easy to make this image and work with this. This meant, they are highly underestimating me.
Or maybe I am overestimating myself.
Who knows?
"If you are to do this, then you have to prove to us that you can actually kill vampires for us."
"Very well, then how am I supposed to do that?" I said and put my hand in my pocket and grab my key chain.
A door on the side opened which opened up to another room and I smirked. As I expected.
"Enter the room and kill all the vampires inside. If you come out alive, we might consider your proposal."
I slowly walked towards the door but Ai grabbed my hand. I turned around seeing her looking at me with worry in her eyes. I pulled her closer to me in a hug.
"I will be fine Ai, but I will need my lucky charm," I whispered in her ear.
Her face turned red and I saw her being a little embarrassed and looked around us a bit even after that, she kissed me on the lips quickly. I smiled and patted her head and entered the room.
There were two vampires waiting for me. Both were not nobles, I could confirm that, and seeing me, they growled loudly as their eyes turned red and started glowing and their fangs were showing. I took my key chain out and unsheathe the katana.
As I said, the decision of this meeting was decided before it even began.
I rushed at them with my weapon in my hand and they jumped at me. As they fell down, I rolled towards the side dodging them and they created a big crater in the ground. I moved swiftly and cut off the legs of one making him wince and scream in pain.
I blocked the nails of the other vampire with my scabbard and cut off his head with my katana. I pulled my scabbard back and stabbed it in the heart of the vampire killing it in the process.
Using his body as support, I kicked up in the air and looked at the vampire whose legs regenerated and I kicked the air to fall right towards him. I flipped my scabbard holding it straight and crash into him causing some dust to fly.
As it cleared, I stood there with my katana’s blade in the vampire’s head and my scabbard in his heart. I pulled them out and wiped off the blood of the scabbard of the katana. The moment I entered this room, it all made sense.
The reason why I was beaten up by two strong hunters together in training.
The decision of this meeting was decided before it even began, by Ethan.
I am going to be a vampire hunter now.
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