A huge thank you to Aaron_Guaman, Kallinder730, Carlos_Tagle, Kyleigh_Peacock, Judy_Brown, and lüthi_michael for the Golden Tickets! Your support truly means a lot and keeps me motivated to continue writing and improving the story.

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At that moment, the large operation hall suddenly fell quiet. All conversations died down as Charles Xavier, the Sand King himself, entered the room. His mere presence weighed heavily on everyone, filling the space with an undeniable aura of authority and power.

To everyone’s surprise, after stepping inside, Charles walked straight toward Vikram first, ignoring the other elite hunters for a moment.

"Good. You arrived safely," he said, his voice calm yet carrying clear respect.

The surrounding hunters immediately took notice. Many expressions shifted subtly. Charles Xavier was known for his strict demeanor and rarely treated younger hunters as equals.

Yet here he was, speaking with Vikram not as a subordinate, but almost as a fellow commander. Even Leon Hart narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face.

Farther back in the hall, Evelyn Xavier stood silently, watching the scene unfold. Honestly, even she felt amazed. Only a few months ago, when she had first met Vikram, he had been quite rude and dismissive toward her. She never imagined he would rise this far, this fast.

And yet now, that same man stood confidently beside two of humanity’s most powerful figures, Mist King Marcus Danvers and Sand King Charles Xavier, discussing a world-level operation as their equal. The transformation felt almost unreal.

Evelyn unconsciously smiled faintly as she observed him. "...He really has changed," she whispered to herself.

Meanwhile, nearby hunters continued watching Vikram with mixed emotions. Some already respected him for his growing reputation. Others still doubted whether he deserved such attention.

And a few simply wanted to see with their own eyes if the rumors were true. Because this operation would likely become the largest and most dangerous battlefield any of them had ever experienced.

—

Inside Brooklyn Headquarters, at the center of the room, a gigantic holographic map of Brooklyn City’s underground network shimmered in the air. Numerous red markers blinked across various sectors, indicating suspected vampire activity and scanned tunnels.

Charles Xavier stood at the front, his expression grave as he addressed the gathered elite hunters. "Over the last several hours, we’ve investigated multiple underground sectors. Most contained abandoned tunnels or old vampire movement routes. But..."

His voice darkened. "We didn’t find the area Vikram described. It’s almost as if it doesn’t exist. However, we have strong doubts about one particular zone that remains impossible to scan properly."

The holographic map immediately zoomed in on the deepest section beneath the old central district. An enormous blacked-out area appeared, swallowing all light and data.

Scarlett Reeves frowned. "Sensor interference?"

"Not natural interference," Charles replied, nodding slowly. "Something underground is actively blocking our detection."

Vikram quietly stepped forward and glanced at Luna, who stood silently beside him. "Is it there?"

Luna stared at the holographic map for a long moment, her golden eyes focused. Then she slowly nodded. "...There."

Her confirmation sent a ripple through the hall. The target location was now locked.

Mist King crossed his arms, his face serious. "If multiple Vampire Princes are truly gathered there, this won’t be a simple infiltration mission anymore."

Leon Hart smirked arrogantly. "Good. I was getting bored waiting."

Scarlett shot him a cold glance. "You’ll be the first one dead if you underestimate Princes."

The atmosphere in the operation hall grew heavier. Charles Xavier stepped forward again and began organizing the assault with clear authority. "We will split into three divisions."

Tactical projections appeared across the room as he explained, "The First Division will secure the upper underground sectors and prevent any vampire reinforcements from descending or escaping. The Second Division will establish evacuation routes and defensive lines across Brooklyn to protect the city above. And the Third Division..."

Charles’s gaze sharpened. "...will descend directly toward the core facility."

Everyone understood immediately. The Third Division would serve as the main strike force, the spearhead of the entire operation.

Charles then began assigning members to the Main Assault Division, Mist King Marcus Danvers, Sand King Charles Xavier, Vikram, Team 11’s offensive members, Leon Hart, Scarlett Reeves, Magnus Cole, Evelyn Xavier, and several other carefully selected SS-Rank Hunters.

Meanwhile, support divisions quickly prepared themselves: medical teams, military reinforcements, containment units, and emergency evacuation systems. No one knew exactly what awaited them beneath Brooklyn, so every precaution was being taken.

At that moment, Vikram spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "The priority isn’t battle."

Everyone turned toward him. He continued, "If the tree truly exists, it’s likely connected directly to the serum’s source. And if that thing loses control..."

He narrowed his eyes. "...the zombies might awaken."

A heavy silence instantly filled the hall. The implication was clear to every hunter present. This operation had gone far beyond simply killing vampires. They were now racing to prevent a potential global catastrophe.

---

Charles Xavier nodded firmly. "Understood." His expression turned colder, filled with resolve. "We secure the facility first. Destroy the research. And eliminate all vampire leadership underground."

The moment the orders were given, Brooklyn Headquarters surged into full operation mode.

Weapons were rapidly prepared, combat equipment distributed to every unit, and special hunter teams mobilized with practiced efficiency.

Elite awakeners checked their gear one final time. Across both cities, the tension reached its peak, everyone understood that the coming hours could determine the fate of millions.

—

Meanwhile, far beneath Brooklyn City, hidden deep below the underground tunnels and secret vampire facilities, existed a vast subterranean world that few truly understood.

At the center of this hidden realm stood a colossal tree, though calling it merely a tree felt inadequate.

It was a living fortress, resembling an enormous banyan tree whose endless roots spread throughout the underground like pulsing veins.

Its massive trunk was wide enough to house entire chambers, while countless thick branches stretched across the cavern ceiling like natural pillars.

Over time, the tree had naturally formed hollow sections, wooden pathways, spiral staircases, and multiple levels of living spaces, a complete organic treehouse grown from its own body.

If Vikram had been present in that cavern, he would have been utterly shocked.

The gigantic structure before him was nearly identical to his own Treehouse. The organic architecture, the way the massive branches formed natural pathways and chambers, the flowing design of the roots, and even the subtle ancient aura it emitted, everything felt disturbingly familiar.

It was as though the same force or intelligence that had created his Treehouse had also birthed this one deep underground.

At the base of the tree lay a strange open area. It was like a pond. But, instead of water, a mysterious golden liquid floated gently in the air above a carved stone basin.

It was blood, but golden blood that glowed faintly like liquid sunlight. Despite hovering motionlessly, it radiated an ancient, overwhelming presence that commanded respect from even the highest-ranking vampires.

Around this floating golden blood stood several terrifying figures, their powerful auras filling the cavern.

The Vampire Princes had awakened.

Prince Valdrake Noctis, tall and regal with flowing silver hair. Prince Kael Veyrion, whose eyes burned with cold intelligence. Prince Lucien Mordrath, radiating a dark and oppressive presence. And Princess Selith Vaeloria, whose beauty masked a dangerous, predatory grace.

They stood silently, gazing at the glowing golden blood with a mixture of reverence and unease.

Each of the Vampire Princes emitted a terrifying pressure far beyond that of ordinary vampire nobles. Yet despite their overwhelming strength, none dared approach the golden blood carelessly.

Prince Kael Veyrion slowly turned his gaze toward the floating golden liquid. "Today is the thirty-first day, correct?"

Prince Lucien Mordrath nodded slowly. "Yes."

Princess Selith Vaeloria crossed her arms gracefully, her eyes fixed on the glowing substance with clear anticipation. "Then it should release another drop today."

The princes waited in silence. Moments later, the floating golden blood trembled slightly. A single radiant drop slowly separated from the main mass. The moment it appeared, the entire underground cavern grew heavier, as if the air itself had thickened under its ancient power. The princes’ eyes sharpened with intensity.

The golden drop descended gracefully through the air. A nearby vampire noble stepped forward respectfully and caught it with a specially crafted crystal container. He then knelt and presented the container to Prince Kael Veyrion with utmost reverence. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Immediately after, the floating golden blood dimmed completely. Its radiant glow vanished, and a mysterious transparent barrier spread across the area. The pond-like depression disappeared, the blood vanished from sight, and even its powerful aura was completely concealed. It was as though nothing had ever been there.

The princes showed little reaction. This phenomenon had become routine for them. In truth, even they did not fully understand what the golden blood truly was, why it appeared, where it originated from, or why the ancient tree produced it. But none of that mattered anymore.

What mattered was its power.

Prince Kael stared at the crystal container and smiled faintly. "With this... the next research phase can begin."

Princess Selith added calmly, "Even a single drop is enough. It can create nearly a thousand doses of serum."

The other princes nodded in agreement. Over the years, all zombie experiments, mutation research, and biological evolution projects had originated from this golden blood. Despite countless failures, the vampire royalty still firmly believed that one day they would succeed in creating the perfect lifeform.

After securing the golden blood, the atmosphere around the underground tree relaxed slightly. The princes had achieved their monthly objective. Now, all that remained was safely transporting the precious drop to the main research sectors. It was more valuable than entire territories, without it, their experiments would grind to a complete halt.

Prince Kael Veyrion turned toward the others. "We leave immediately."

The surrounding nobles nodded respectfully and prepared to move.

However, before they could take a single step, a lower-ranked vampire suddenly rushed into the chamber at terrifying speed, his face twisted with visible panic. The moment he arrived, he dropped to his knees.

"Princes!" he gasped. "HUNTERS HAVE ARRIVED!"