A Scientific Urban Detective

Seeing Aureolus turn his fingernails into healing needles, Stiyl and Touma Kamijou immediately pounced.

The result…

“Ah!” “Damn it!”

Both cried out in pain and retreated. Stiyl's right arm was torn, the entire sleeve reduced to strips of cloth, revealing four claw marks over a dozen centimeters long!

The skin was torn open, and blood flowed freely.

Touma Kamijou was more skilled in close combat, and therefore reacted more quickly, barely dodging the enemy's claw attack, but was still thoroughly startled.

No one would have imagined that the alchemist, who half a minute ago was still reserved and elegant, even disdaining to make too many movements, would suddenly turn into a ferocious beast, using its claws to attack with viciousness!

They originally thought Aureolus would use his fingernails to replace silver needles to treat him, so Stiyl rushed forward to stop him at all costs.

Unexpectedly, he sent himself into the enemy's attack range…

Aureolus was now like a broken doll, swaying and moving, using the inertia of his arms to wave his claws, looking like a madman.

The more he was like this, the less sure Stiyl became. He frowned, cauterizing the wound on his arm with flames.

“Hey, you don't have to be so ruthless…” Touma Kamijou moved back to his wheelchair, and seeing this scene, quickly found a first aid kit from the storage compartment.

“There's no time to use these things.” Stiyl said through gritted teeth, “And I don't know if there's any poison or curse on his claws, using flames to purify it is the safest.”

“Don't worry, they're just ordinary fingernails.” After getting rid of the danger, Aureolus seemed to have regained some sanity.

But then, he actually stuck out his tongue and licked the blood on his fingernails: “I told you, don't think you can defeat me so easily!”

Aureolus's actions and posture revealed a bizarre and even狂气的气质, but it was certain that he had calmed down because of it.

“You seem to have seen through my weakness.” Aureolus straightened his body again, returning to his initial arrogant posture, “I'm very curious, where did you get the information? In the process of fighting that Lin Wuming, I shouldn't have exposed this weakness.”

His fingernails returned to their original shape, Aureolus snapped his fingers, and a brand new needle case appeared in his hand.

Intimidated by the enemy's imposing manner, Stiyl and Touma Kamijou were unable to stop his series of actions in time. They could only watch him return to his peak state.

Aureolus was leisurely, elegantly taking out silver needles, and inserting them one by one into the acupoints on the back of his neck.

He became more and more calm, but in contrast, the killing intent and狂气 on his body became more and more intense.

Looking at Stiyl and Touma Kamijou, it was as if he was looking at two prey that had fallen into a trap and could not move.

“Just now… what was that?” Stiyl asked in a hoarse voice, “What did you do, Aureolus?”

Stiyl knew very well that his “inability to move” just now was definitely not just because he was “frightened.” But there was some deeper reason.

“Fear.” After regaining the advantage, Aureolus did not launch a counterattack, but instead patiently explained, “I'm just letting you experience my previous feelings.”

“Impossible!” Touma Kamijou shouted, “What kind of magic is this? Even I was caught!”

“It's not magic.” Aureolus said with a smile, “It's just pure fear—an emotion that everyone has.”

Touma Kamijou fell silent, he couldn't help but recall his feelings just now.

It was indeed fear—he was frightened.

After all, this seemingly human guy suddenly bared his fangs and claws to hurt people, and then licked blood… it was hard not to associate him with a perverted killer.

Touma Kamijou was not afraid of superpowers, nor was he afraid of magic, but “killers”—even just ordinary “killers”—Touma Kamijou would be afraid.

“Index…”

Stiyl's expression became even more serious, and he suddenly uttered a name: “Index, how is this girl now?”

“Index…” Touma Kamijou also remembered the true goal of their mission… the nominal mission goal.

——To rescue the girl imprisoned here, Index, who possesses the rare ability “Vampire Killer”.

“Wait, vampire…” Touma Kamijou belatedly realized something, his expression becoming more complicated.

Logically speaking, compared to the vampires in legends, of course the “killers” that exist in reality are more terrifying.

Unless… there really are vampires!

Touma Kamijou's eyes changed when he looked at Aureolus.

Good fellow, a living vampire, I've seen it!

No wonder Aureolus wanted to kidnap Index, he wanted to eliminate his nemesis!

Aureolus ignored them, he raised his finger, about to manipulate this world and completely eliminate these two intruders.

At this moment, as if suddenly sensing something, Aureolus stopped his movements and turned to look in a certain direction.

That was… Academy City District 6, the location of his substitute number two.

——The mission failed, substitute number two not only failed to bring back Index, but was completely defeated by that Lin Wuming.

“……” Aureolus was silent, and then showed a look of shock for a moment.

Looking at the two intruders in front of him again, Aureolus suddenly sighed softly and put down his raised hand.

“The purpose of you imprisoning ‘Vampire Killer’ is to turn yourself into a vampire?” Stimulated by the momentary deadly crisis just now, Stiyl didn't have time to think about why the other party didn't attack, and hurriedly used words to distract him, “Aureolus, you have fallen more severely than I expected!”

From a believer who believes in Christianity, to degenerating into a vampire… the most famous case in history is the legendary Count Dracula!

“Huh? Become a vampire?” Touma Kamijou discovered that the facts were different from what he had guessed, “So you weren't a vampire from the beginning?”

Stiyl glared at him helplessly—is this the time to chat? Who asked you to interrupt! Hurry up and take the opportunity to do something with your invincible Imagine Breaker!

Fortunately, Aureolus really didn't seem to have any intention of continuing to fight, he didn't attack.

Secretly relieved, Stiyl then explained to Touma Kamijou: “Have a little common sense, how could a vampire become a secret recorder of the Roman Orthodox Church?”

“That's not necessarily true, Stiyl.” Aureolus pulled out the silver needle from the back of his neck, and then stood with his hands behind his back calmly, “Perhaps, at this moment, there are real vampire believers among the three major sects.”