Finally an update! First off, sorry for this super late update. As I have said, it will get slower. But one more chapter left most likely so I'll see if I can update faster. If not within the month of October, it will be on November.

Sorry in advance for typo and grammatical errors. And as always, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Nishikino Maki is having a bad day. Everyone in their classroom can tell just by looking at her. The redhead might normally look grumpy normally, but today, it's a bit different. Everyone can feel her unapproachable aura. She had it before she got a little bit open to their class, but this one may be even worse. In spite of that, there are still two people who would dare approach her even in this state.

"Maki-chan good morning nyaa!" Rin greeted her brightly trying to uplift the atmosphere around the redhead.

"Good morning M-Maki-chan." Hanayo shyly followed after.

Another after effect of the release of that article about Maki is Rin having more courage to befriend the fellow first year. Along with Hanayo, they started talking to Maki. Even though she hasn't opened up to them as much as she did with the second years, the redhead is now comfortable around them, and sees them as a friend, of course she has not admitted it to them.

"Good morning, Rin, Hanayo." Maki greeted back not bothering to spare a glance at her fellow first years and only continued to stare out the window.

"Why so down nyaa? Did anything bad happened?"

"Hmm… Not really…"

"That's not what your face says so though."

"Rin-chan, I don't think we should ask any more. Maki-chan doesn't seem like she wants to talk about it."

"If Kayo-chin says so… But Maki-chan, cheer up nyaa! Kayo-chin and I are here for you. We will listen to you when you feel like talking about it already. Okay?"

Maki felt warm inside upon hearing Rin's statement. She stared at their faces and saw their sincerely caring expressions for her. She couldn't help but smile to them which caught the two off guard. It was the first time the redhead smiled to them like that after all.

"Nothing bad really happened. But, thank you anyway, Hanayo, Rin."

Rin couldn't help but hug Maki right at that moment. Hanayo followed a little after. For them, it was like the first time that they really felt the redhead acknowledge them as their friend.

"Maki-chan nyaa~ You're so cute nyaa!" Rin exclaimed not caring how loud she was.

"Mm~"

"G-Get off me you two. Everyone is staring and our teacher is coming!"

"Hehee~"

Just in time before their teacher went inside their room, Rin and Hanayo managed to get to their seats. Maki giggled to herself as she watches them dash to their seats. The little commotion lit up her mood compared to earlier.

In the first place, the redhead panther can't understand her negative mood for today. Or perhaps, she just can't admit that she's feeling uncomfortable about today. Maki can't help but remember it after all.

Sonoda Umi-senpai, please meet me tomorrow afterschool by the school rooftop.

That was the content of the letter her blue haired senior found on her locker when they were about to go home. It isn't an uncommon occurrence but still it hasn't happened in a while in this form according to Honoka and Kotori.

Why should this thing bother me? It doesn't have anything to do with me right?

Wait… Since the one who sent the letter must be their underclassman that must only mean that the sender is in this room. There's only one class for first years after all...

I wonder who it is.

Concentrating in class was a struggle for Maki throughout the day. It kept on invading her thoughts. That's why she was so relieved when the classes were finally over. She plans on going home by herself for today but Kotori already invited her before she could tell them about it.

"Sorry for the intrusion."

Ever since going home with the second years became frequent, Maki also became a regular visitor at the school pub's club room. And even though her purpose was to wait for her seniors, she sometimes helps out too making Eli take an interest on her resulting to inviting her to join them as well. Maki keeps on rejecting her though. Saying, she's not really interested even though she has the skills.

"Oh Maki-chan! Have a seat here!"

"Thanks Kotori."

Maki takes the empty seat beside Kotori. Both Honoka and Kotori were just typing on their laptop, like the usual as if the fact that their other best friend must be getting confessed to by now.

I guess they're already used to this. Maki thought to herself, relaxing her back to her seat.

"Are Nozomi-senpai and Eli-senpai still at the student council room?"

Both of her senior just hummed an answer to her, somehow making Maki even more anxious. And it even worsens with Honoka's next statement.

"I wonder if Umi-chan will walk home with us today."

"E-Eh? What are you talking about Honoka-chan? Of course Umi-chan will walk home with us."

"Yeah I know. But, just what if this time Umi-chan decided to, you know, start going out with the person confessing to her right now?"

Caught off guard by Honoka's sudden statement, Kotori and Maki only stared at her for a minute without saying anything. The ginger haired who did not bother to look up earlier when she spoke, now looked up to them and gave them a grin.

"A ha ha ha.. Just what if… Don't take me seriously. And besides, we can't really tell right?"

"Geez Honoka-chan don't surprise us like that! Haha! I can't see it happening, unless it is not just a random person confessing to her. For example…"

Maki knew what's about to come with the bird's statement. And before she gets to finish it, the redhead stood up.

"I-I'm going to get some fresh air for a bit. I'll be right back."

She did not wait for her seniors' response. Maki got up and went to the door to exit the room. Maki decided to walk around the school and ended up visiting her cat.

"Ahh…. What the heck am I doing... Do you think I should do something?"

The cat only responded to her with an adorable meow which was enough to calm her nerves.

"It's been a long time already and your mom hasn't come back for you. I guess at this rate I can take you home with me. What do you think? From now on you will not just be another cat, You'll become a-"

She stopped midsentence when Maki suddenly smelled another scent of a person coming close. When she turned around, she was right behind her.

"U-Umi-senpai? W-What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the school rooftop to meet the letter sender?"

"When I was about to get there I changed my mind. I thought I had to talk with you first before I meet them."

"E-Eh? Why do you want to talk to me first?"

"Maki… Do you think I can say yes this time if they're really going to confess?"

She was taken aback by Umi's question. Why is she asking me this?

"U-Umi-senpai.. Umm.. Why are you aski- Umi-senpai?!"

Maki didn't realize that the archer was walking towards her until Umi had already cornered her to the wall. Her cat had already run away to its hideout. Umi leaned forward to her and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Maki… Don't you feel anything for me?"

"Get away from me."

"Maki?"

"I said get away from me!"

Much to her surprise, the archer smirked evilly. After hearing what seems like a spell, Maki's arms and legs got tied by vines. Her struggling was too late because it already tied her body against the wall. Maki can't break free from it, not on her human form.

"Those are no ordinary vines Nishikino. A full blood even takes a few minutes to break free from it in their full transformation. What can a half-blood like you do?"

"What did you do to Umi-senpai? You're the one who called her to the rooftop aren't you? What did you do to her?"

"What are you talking about Maki? It's me, Sonoda Umi, your beloved senior~"

"Drop your silly act impostor!"

"You're no fun Maki. And I was planning on doing this quickly and silently. How did you figure out?"

"You can only copy her appearance, but not everything about her. Now tell me what did you do to her?"

"That doesn't answer my question. But oh well, I'm going to make you talk about it later. About Umi-senpai, I only casted a sleeping spell on her. Do you think Umi-senpai minds losing a hair strand? I had to take one from her after all, to be able to get her beautiful appearance. Anyway, I don't think you are in position to worry about anyone else, especially now that I am about to kill you."

The impostor Umi took out a wand that she had been hiding on her sleeve. In a second, she turned it into a knife.

"Just to let you know, I work with those people trying to get you. I had to wait a long time just so that I can do it this way. To kill you while using the face and voice of your beloved senior."

"Then I suppose you're also the one stalking us."

"I knew you would figure as much, but not the fact that I am a witch. Anyway, let's get this bloody party started? Since you didn't let me kill you quick, I will make this slow."

"Can I have one last question?"

"You're surprisingly calm about this. Okay go ahead."

"It is not like you are holding Umi-senpai as a hostage or anything right?"

"Nope. I only needed her to get this appearance. I wouldn't hurt her because my only job is to kill you. Come on! Stop worrying about others and realize your position right now!"

Maki gave her an evil grin. Her amethyst eyes started glowing which she knows gave some chills to the impostor.

"You know, one of the most important thing on situations like this is to know your enemy well."

"W-What are you talking about Nishikino?"

Not giving an answer, Maki transformed into her werepanther form destroying the vines tying her at the same time.

"I said this before already, I am not a mere half-blood."

The witch walked backwards upon seeing the redhead transform. Out of panic, her magic wore off and loses the appearance of the archer. She is now back to her real form which Maki recognized quickly. Ayanokouji Himeno is what Maki remembers her name is. She's one of her classmates.

"You're leaving me no choice Nishikino!"

Himeno turned the knife back into a wand and casted another spell. Even though Maki was able to decapitate her by pushing her to the ground before she could finish the spell, it already took effect. A portal appeared in the air and a group of full blooded werepanthers came out of it. The redhead leaped away from where she was holding down Himeno as she sensed that someone was about to attack her, and she was right.

Crap. Looks like I will have to face some goons again today.

"So it was true that you can transform." A tall guy said coming from the behind the goon panthers. He is about the age of forty and is wearing a hakama. He is not fully transformed yet. The tall guy only has his ears and tail out.

"Himeno, looks like you failed to kill her yourself."

"I am ashamed Master Izuki. Please give me another chance, I can kill her!"

"Shh. It's okay. I know you can kill this half-blood, but I want to see her fight. I want to confirm if she's really just a half-blood. Now just stay by my side and rest, okay?"

"Yes Master Izuki."

The tall guy who seemed to be name Izuki patted her on the head before returning his focus on the redhead.

"Are you sure you're going to carry on with this? You should know by now that Otonoki is not an ordinary school anymore."

"I can just easily escape through this portal. That's why, even if your body guards or anyone from the organization arrives, they won't be able to catch me."

"I won't let you escape."

"Ha ha ha.. Nishikino, this is not a matter of me getting away from this. It is a matter of you dying in the hands of my goons, or you dying in my hands. If by any chance you are a hybrid, I will make sure to kill a monster like you because your kind doesn't have any right to exist!"

Izuki motioned for the werepanthers to attack the redhead. There were fifteen of them and they attacked Maki all at once. She quickly leaped to a tree branch to avoid their consecutive attacks.

There's too many of them for me. If only Hideo and Taki were here it wouldn't be a problem to take them on.

"Don't run away Nishikino!" One of the goon werepanther yelled.

What do I do now?

To her surprise, one of them jumped at her bringing her down. Her back hits the ground first while the goon is on top of her. She kicked him away from her. Maki got up quickly as another one from behind her was about to attack her on the ground. She jumped over him before he could get up and thrusted her claws upon his legs. He cried in pain and loses his transformation. With his injury, he won't be able to transform again for a while.

Now that's one down. I hope I can keep this up until anyone arrives.

The remaining goons proceeded on attacking the redhead all at once. Maki's only advantage at a situation like this where she is outnumbered by full bloods is that, her vampiric side allows her to have twice the speed a common full blood werepanthers has. It could actually be more than that according to theories but it has yet to be proven. For Maki, she is using it to block as much attacks as possible while waiting for an opening to attack again. On her current situation, it's only helping to keep her from getting deeply wounded.

"What are you doing Nishikino? You aren't just a mere half-blood right? Show me your monstrous side!" Izuki yelled.

Uugh.. This guy is annoying. And I can't even find an opening yet. What should I do?

Maki grunted in frustration. Losing here would mean the end for her. But if she manages to make it until Hideo and Taki, or anyone from the school's supernatural security arrives, they will finally catch the guy who might be behind all the attempted assault attacks on her. Thankfully no one had passed by this area and got caught up with this mess.

Wait a minute… Isn't that too convenient?

At the realization of it, Maki found an opening and bit one of the goon's arm. She used him as a shield while he groans in pain. He loses his werepanther form due to the injuries caused by the attempted attacks on Maki he received instead.

"I'm sorry for using you. You're free now!" Maki threw him towards the other goons, sending the four of them to the ground. She rolled to the other side to dodge an attack.

Two down, three are momentarily incapacitated, and ten incoming. Can't they even give me time to think?

Maki ran towards them and started exchanging slashes with the goons again. She bites some of them in the process, as she avoids being bitten too.

That witch must have done something to keep anyone from interfering. That guy, he really thought this through.

After being taken under the Organization of Supernatural Being, Otonokizaka Academy gained supernatural security system as well. As mentioned earlier, the school has supernatural security staffs. Hideo and Taki became one of them when Maki transferred to the school. The school also has magical cameras scattered all over the school which is not visible to a normal human's eyes. This allows the security staffs monitor everything that is happening inside Otonoki. And with those things in use by the school, the security staffs should have arrived by now.

But they haven't. Some kind of force must be keeping them from seeing what's happening here.

The redhead was interrupted from her thoughts when she suddenly heard a loud cry from one of the goons and the growing smell of blood.

"Uugh.. As expected, other bloods than Honoka-chan's would taste awful."

The goon that was bitten was now kicked to the ground, losing his werepanther form at the same time. The remaining ones backed off a little, after the bloody sight of their comrade.

Maki turned to the person who just came and confirmed her suspicion to be right. "K-Kotori?!"

Standing before her is her bird-like senior with her fangs out, glowing red eyes, and a trace of blood on her mouth. She licked it off.

"I guess Maki-chan got into some trouble while trying to get some fresh air."

"H-How did you get in here?! I casted a field spell here to keep this area out of sight. So how did you get in here?" Himeno inquired.

"Casted a spell? Oh so you must be a witch? Well that spell of yours is not enough to hide the smell of blood. The smell was so strong I got lured in."

"M-Master please forgive me! I didn't think a vampire would be lurking at this time of the day!"

"It's okay Himeno. I didn't think I'd see a vampire here too. You, who are you?"

Kotori is now standing beside Maki as she grinned to the Izuki. "Hmm… I'd say that I am Minami Kotori, Maki-chan's friend."

"The sun is still up, how can a vampire like you walk under the sun? Unless… Oh I get it now. You must be another half-blood."

"Took you long enough to figure out mister. That's right."

Izuki laughed loudly. "Aren't I in luck for today? Not only that I'll get to kill the daughter and heir of that Nishikino bastard, I'll also get to kill another half-blood, and a vampire at that too! Hahaha! The higher ups will surely praise me more. I might even get a promotion. Hahaha!"

He continued to laugh loudly while Kotori's grin never left her face. Maki noticed that her senior's aura is somehow different from her usual at this moment. Bloodlust can be found on her eyes, and she seemed very aggressive too. The redhead then remembered that a massive smell of blood turns on a vampire, and half-bloods are no exception to that. There's only two difference between a pure blood and a half-blood vampire after all. One is that, half-bloods are immune to sunlight, and two, half-bloods can't turn into a bat unlike the pure bloods.

"Maki-chan, don't tell me you're still unable to transform into your vampire form?" Kotori whispered to the redhead as Izuki continued rumbling some rubbish.

"I'm a late bloomer vampire remember? I haven't even drunk blood yet."

"Ehh really? That may also be the reason why your vampiric instincts is not that strong yet. You're not even turned on by this much blood around you, while on my side, I can barely calm myself. I almost killed that guy you know."

"Ah well, please restrain yourself Kotori… A ha ha"

"I'm just kidding Maki-chan, I won't kill anyone. Haha" Kotori giggled lightly somehow relieving Maki that she finally gets to see the usual expression on her face. This side of Kotori is all new to her. It's her first time seeing Kotori on her full vampire form after all. "I told Honoka-chan to call the others here ones they found Umi-chan."

"The others? Who? Hideo and Taki?"

"Hey! Are you two even listening to me? I'll make you regret ignoring me! Attack them!"

"Look forward to it. Hehe~ For now we have to fight while waiting for them."

Kotori gave Maki a wink before they engage with the twelve remaining enemies. While Maki exchanges slashes with them, Kotori beats them up with her vampiric strength and speed. When she has to, she bites them. After a few minutes, there were only six of them left.

"M-Master Izuki, I think I should fight too-"

"Shh.. I'll tell you when it's your turn. And besides, we still outnumber them."

He was about to say more if not for the sudden sound of something breaking. It seemed like a sound of glass breaking. Then it was followed by a loud grunt from one of the remaining goons then followed by another one. When they look over to them, they saw arrows thrusted upon their chest. They lose their werepanther form and collapses.

Arrows? What could this-

"Sorry Maki! I was careless!"

A familiar voice yelled coming from above them. Maki and Kotori looked up only to see Umi holding her bow while sitting on a broomstick with their purple haired senior. Nozomi who seemed to be controlling the broomstick hovered lower allowing the archer to hit another goon. Himeno pointed her wand towards them but at the same time she casted a spell to hit them, Nozomi also took out a wand and casted a spell to counter it. Both of them are now struggling to push back the other with their spell.

"Umi-chan, can you jump?"

"Ehh? What are you talking about Nozomi-senpai? It's still a bit high up here from the ground."

"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out. Either way, we'll both surely receive an impact. It's just a matter of who will get more of it, she or me. So I need you to get down before you get blown away with me."

"But Nozomi-senpai, what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll make sure she'll be the one to get more of the impact."

Maki had caught on to their conversation with her super hearing ability.

"Kotori, please watch my back, I'm going to have to fly."

"Maki-chan? Are you going to jump to Nozomi-senpai and Umi-chan? Even if it's you, I don't think you can reach that high up!"

"You've heard them too right? I've got to try anyway so please!"

"Okay. I'll leave Umi-chan in your care."

"Thanks."

Kotori focused on the three remaining goon werepanthers and attacked as they ran towards her and Maki. The redhead on the other hand, positioned herself.

"Umi-senpai! Jump on the count of three!"

"M-Maki?!"

"I'm going to catch you I promise! Here I go! One!"

"Umi-chan, just listen to Maki-chan! I can take care of myself!"

"But-

"Two-"

"Just go!"

"Three!"

At the count of three, Umi hesitated no more as she let her bow fall on the ground making sure it will not hit anyone. She hurriedly got her feet on the broomstick and jumped. Maki did too just split seconds after. Kotori was right that Maki would not be able to jump high enough to reach the height of the broomstick but, she jumped high enough to catch her senior in her arms. Before they hit the ground, Maki held on to the archer tightly and forcefully reversed their position so that it was her back that will hit the ground instead of Umi. The archer ended up right on top of the redhead panther who grunted in pain after they landed.

"A-Are you alright Umi-senpai?" Maki asked after a cough.

"I should be the one asking you that stupid!" the archer hit her lightly in the shoulder.

Worry and frustration is what Maki sees on her senior's eyes at the moment. She wiped off the tear that was about to fall from Umi's eye.

"I'm alright Umi-senpai. Thanks for coming."

Their faces were just starting to draw closer if not for the sudden explosion that interrupted them. They quickly got up to see what happened but everything was covered by the fog. When it finally clears up, they saw the fallen broomstick, Himeno who is currently panting and on her knees, and Nozomi who is currently carried in bridal-style by their blonde senior. Kotori is right behind them who seemed to be hugging someone protectively. But after Maki looked closer, she noticed something strange about their blonde senior.

"U-Umi-senpai… Just to confirm that my eyes aren't deceiving me, are those ears and tails of a fox I'm seeing on Eli-senpai?"

"W-Well that's what I'm seeing too."

And there isn't just one tail. Wait- One, two three four… Nine? C-Could this mean- But how?!