Chapter 50: The Grand Road Toward Tomorrow

The sky burned crimson one last time.
The Red Moon hung low, its glow fading like a dying ember, while lightning and fire tore through the shattered skyline of Tokyo.
And within that dying storm—Kanata and Vlad clashed for the fate of the world.

Kanata charged forward, eyes blazing gold beneath his drenched hair.
The shattered remnants of his blue sword hovered around him, glowing like orbiting stars.

“This ends now, Vlad!”

Vlad bared his fangs, wings unfurling into a storm of shadow.
“You think you can destroy me, boy? I am eternal!”

“Then I’ll just end eternity.”

The ground quaked as they collided.
Kanata’s punch landed square in Vlad’s jaw, sending him spiraling through the air.
Vlad recovered mid-flight, his claws slicing through the air like blades. Kanata dodged, leaping from beam to beam of Tokyo Tower, each footstep erupting in sparks.

Vlad dove at him with a roar.
“<Crimson Cataclysm>!”

A torrent of red fire exploded downward, consuming everything in its path.
Kanata raised his right arm—the Dragon Arm—letting the dark scales flare with azure light.

“<Oblivion Burst>!”

A blue wave erupted, devouring Vlad’s flames and blasting the vampire king backward through the collapsing tower.

“T–This can’t be!” Vlad coughed, landing hard amidst burning debris. “No mortal… should possess this power!”

Kanata descended slowly, smoke and ash curling around him.
“You’re right,” he said, voice calm but firm. “I’m not strong… but I have a reason to fight.”

Far beneath the tower, the chaos raged on.

Evelyn and Celestine stood together in the ruined streets, locked in battle against Subject-03 and Subject-04.
The sisters moved like specters—one wielding a blood whip, the other summoning spears of bone.

“Celestine, left side!” Evelyn shouted, parrying a claw strike that nearly split her arm.

“Got it—<Frozen Eclipse>!”
A wall of ice rose, shattering on impact but freezing one of the vampires mid-motion. Evelyn’s crimson blade followed through, piercing its heart.

The creature screamed once—and vanished into ash.

Meanwhile, Itsuha and Envy stood on top of a fallen skyscraper, defending the last survivors.
Itsuha’s flames spiraled into the sky, cutting down vampires in droves, while Envy’s healing magic shone like starlight against the carnage.

“They just keep coming!” Itsuha growled.

“Then we’ll keep fighting!” Envy shouted back, her eyes fierce.

They both looked up—seeing the blue glow above Tokyo Tower.
Kanata was still fighting.

On the lower decks, Lucy faced her eldest sister—Subject-01—in a duel of blood and sorrow.

“You shouldn’t exist,” Subject-01 hissed. “Father commands your death!”

Lucy’s eyes glimmered with tears.
“Then I’ll save you, Sister—even if it kills me!”

She bit into her own finger, crimson dripping onto her palm.
“<Crimson Oath>.”

A pair of blades formed—a scissor-shaped weapon of living blood. She swung them apart, catching her sister’s arm in between.

SLASH!

Subject-01’s right arm tore free in a spray of dark mist.
The older vampire screamed as Lucy stepped forward, her voice trembling but resolute.
“I won’t let you hurt anyone else.”

Above them all, Kanata’s final strike landed square in Vlad’s chest.
The impact sent shockwaves through the tower, shattering glass across the entire district.

Vlad coughed blood, falling to his knees amidst the rubble.
“Why… why are you this strong?”

Kanata’s right arm pulsed with fading light.
“I told you. I’m not strong because of power. I’m strong because of something you forgot long ago.”

Vlad glared upward, broken yet defiant. “And what is that, boy?”

Kanata stepped closer, his expression calm—almost gentle.
“A smile.”

Vlad blinked. “A… smile?”

Kanata nodded slowly. “It’s simple. The smile of someone precious—that’s what makes us fight, survive, and keep going. You lost that when you turned your daughters into monsters.”

Vlad turned his head weakly.
Through the smoke and light, he saw Lucy—his last daughter—watching him with tears streaming down her face.

For the first time in centuries… he smiled.

“So that’s it…” Vlad whispered. “I was blind all along… chasing eternity when I already had it—in her.”

He looked up at Kanata. “Boy… what’s her name now?”

Kanata smiled faintly. “She’s not Subject-02 anymore. Her name is Lucy.”

Vlad’s eyes widened in surprise—then softened.
“Lucy… that’s the name I almost gave her… before everything went wrong.”

The first light of dawn pierced the horizon.
The Red Moon began to fade, replaced by the golden rays of sunrise.

Vlad stood shakily, his cloak disintegrating under the sunlight.
“Tell her… never stop smiling.”

And with that, the King of Vampires burst into ash—his laughter fading with the rising sun.

Across Tokyo, the vampires screamed—and fell silent.
Those who had been turned returned to normal, collapsing as the curse vanished.
Subjects 01, 03, and 04 dissolved into dust, their crimson eyes fading to peace.

The Blood Moon was gone.

Evelyn sheathed her blade, her shoulders trembling.
“It’s… over.”

Celestine looked toward the sunrise. “No. It’s a new beginning.”

In the distance, Lucy fell to her knees, staring up at the morning light.
“Father…” she whispered. “Rest now.”

News spread fast.
The name Tendou Kanata became known across the world—the boy with the Dragon Arm who saved Tokyo from the Vampire King.

Reporters called him a “monster.”
The public called him a “savior.”
But Kanata didn’t care.

He walked through the academy gates as usual, the sunlight glinting off the scales of his uncovered right arm.
The crowd parted silently—no one dared whisper or approach.

But at the top of the stairs stood Rio, Itsuha, Celestine, Aine, and Nagisa.
They smiled, waving him over like nothing had changed.

“Morning, Kanata!” Itsuha shouted, pretending not to notice the arm.
Kanata chuckled softly. “Morning.”

In the press conference later that day, Naomi Kaname faced the cameras.
“Tendou Kanata is not a threat,” she said clearly. “If he ever becomes one… I’ll be the first to stop him.”

The room fell silent.

For once—everyone believed her.

Far away, beyond the human world—
a silver-haired woman stumbled across a barren wasteland, her crimson eyes glowing faintly.

Her wings were torn, her breath shallow, and her blood dripped onto the white marble floor of an ancient ruin.

She knelt beside a crystal-clear fountain—the water shimmering like moonlight.
Her reflection rippled as she whispered weakly:

“So… this is where it all began… The Fountain of Eternity…”

And with that, the next chapter of destiny began.

To Be Continued — The Fountain of Eternity Arc