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Chapter 1: Zero Drop

A single thought had haunted humanity for decades.

What would happen if the sky fell?

The answer came 47 years ago.

A celestial anomaly—later called the Shattering—crashed into Central Europe like the wrath of an angry god. The ground screamed as the meteor fragmented, releasing an invisible plague of Nacht Particles across the planet. Within weeks, the world ended.

Most humans died.

Some mutated into something far worse.

Vampires.

Not the elegant, aristocratic precursors of old myths. These were monsters born from cosmic rot. Grotesque, highly intelligent, and driven by an endless Hunger. They gorged on blood, tore bodies apart with bone blades grown from their own flesh, and spread their curse with every bite. Brood swarms howled broken phrases through ruined cities while their Alpha masters orchestrated the fall of civilization with cold, articulate precision.

In desperation, the survivors built the Sky Havens—six massive floating fortresses named after the cities that birthed them. Tokyo's Aether Spire became the strongest, a layered titan of steel and flickering anti-gravity cores, forever suspended above the Scarred Earth.

And from these havens, humanity strack back.

They created the Ground Defense Elimination Forces—the Cullers. The Slayers.

The wind on the outer platform of Shibuya Branch was brutal tonight.

Akira "Zero" Kageyama stood at the edge, long black greatcoat whipping violently around his legs. The Suppression Harness bolted to his torso dug into his ribs with every breath, its injectors giving off a faint mechanical hiss as they pumped fresh suppressant into his veins. The Purity Needle between his shoulder blades felt heavier than usual.

He starred down at the broken world below—ruined Tokyo, now a graveard of shattered skyscrapers and glowing Nacht storms. Somewhere in that darkness, vampires were waiting.

“Zero.” A calm, slightly mocking voice cut through the wind. “You planning to jump early, or are you waiting for the rest of us?”

Captain Kensei Harada approved, his dual vampire-bone katanas resting at his hips. The rest of Raptor Unit was already forming up behind him—Reina checking her Purge Breaker, Raijin hefting the massive Ripper autocannon like it weighed nothing, and the others making final weapon checks.

Akira turned, the crimson breaks in his messy black hair catching the harsh platform lights. “Just thinking.”

Harada smirked. “Dangerous habit for a half-breed. High Command gets nervous when you think too much.”

From the briefing earlier, Admiral Kento Yamada had been particularly cold tonight. The mission was a high-risk raid on a suspected Alpha stronghold in the old Shinjuku ruins. Intelligence suggested the Cult of Exsanguination had leaked the drop coordinates again.

“Sky Lancer departs in four minutes,” Lieutenant Reina Takagi said flatly, adjusting the scope on her weapon. “Try not to get us all killed because your leash is itching, Zero.”

Akira's golden-red eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. The Dragon's Breath shotgun mag-locked to his back felt comforting. His long curved blade, Kurogane no Tsume, rested across his shoulders. The twin Fang Bite pistols were already holstered on his thighs.

The ramp of the Sky Lancer opened with a hydraulic groan. Its quad engines roared to life, Nacht Disruptor cannons swiveling as the gunship prepared for descent.

Captain Harada stepped forward, coat billowing.

“Raptor Unit,” he called, voice carrying easily over the wind. “Fast in. Fast out. We hit the Alpha, we bleed him dry, and we leave nothing but ash. Questions?”

Private Miko Hayashi glanced nervously at Akira, then looked away. Specialist Kenji “Sparks” Fujimoto gave a shaky grin. Sergeant Raijin just laughed.

Akira gripped the hilt of his blade lighter.

The Hunger whispered in the back of his mind, soft and tempting.

Soon.

He pushed it down.

The Sky Lancer's engines screamed as the craft lifted off the platform, Carrying Raptor Unit toward the broken world below.

The interior of the Sky Lancer was cramped, noisy, and smelled of gun oil, sweat, and ozone. Seven Cullers in long black greatcoats filled the troop bay, weapons locked in place as the quad-engine gunship shuddered through the turbulent lower atmosphere.

Akira sat near the rear ramp, eyes half-closed, listening to the constant hiss of his Suppression Harness. One of the injectors in his collarbone had been acting up lately. It burned faintly with every jolt of the aircraft. He could feel the Purity Needle between his shoulder blades like a cold promise.

If I turn... it ends in seconds.

“Two minutes to drop zone,” the pilot's voice cracked over the comms. “Heavy Nacht activity detected. Watch for cultist interface. Shinjuku ruins are crawling tonight.”

Captain Harada stood at the front, one hand resting casually on the hilt of Yami no Kiba. His long coat was slightly longer than the others, the hem reinforced with extra plating. He looked completely at ease, as if they were heading to a training exercise instead of hunting an Alpha.

“Raijin,” Harada said lightly, “if you break another Ripper barrel on this run, Logistics is going to make you pay for it with your own teeth.”

The massive sergeant grinned, patting the brutal drum-fed autocannon resting across his lap. “Won't need to break anything if the vampires line up nicely for me, Captain.”

Lieutenant Reina Takagi didn't look up from calibrating her Purge Breaker's scope. “Try not to spray flechettes into our backs this time, Heavy.”

“Was one time!” Raijin protested.

Akira remained silent, fingers tracing the grip of one of his Fang Bite pistols. The twin pistols felt reassuringly heavy. Across his back, the long curved blade Kurogane no Tsume hummed faintly as its Nacht disruption field idled on standby. His Dragon's Breath shotgun sat mag-locked beside him, loaded with explosive rounds that would turn vampire flesh into burning ash.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Private Miko Hayashi stealing glasses at him. The rookie's hands were tight on her dual Eclipse Carvers. She still hadn't fully accepted having a half-breed in the unit.

Specialist Kenji “Sparks” Fujimoto leaned over, nudging Akira with his elbow. “Hey Zero, you feeling the Hunger tonight? Need me to tweet your harness again? I added a new stabilizer last week. Should stop that rattling in your spine.”

“It's fine,” Akira muttered.

Ghost — Specialist Saki Nakamura — said nothing. She simply sat sharpening one of her combat knives with mechanical precision, her face hidden behind her visitor.

The Sky Lancer suddenly banked hard. Red warning lights flashed.

“Contact!” The pilot barked. “Cultist ground team spotted near the drop zone. They're lighting signal flares for the vampires. Damn fanatics.”

Captain Harada's expression didn't change. “Raptor Unit, prepare for hot drop. Zero — you're first out. Draw them to you. We'll hit them from the sides.”

Akira stood up, coat swirling as he grabbed his Dragon's Breath. The ramp began to lower with a grinding metallic squeech. Cold, particle-filled wind howled into the bay, carrying the stench of decay and distant blood.

Below them, the ruins of Shinjuku stretched out like a rotting corpse. Collapsed skyscrapers formed jagged canyons. Strange crystalline grows pulsed with paint purple light, feeding on old bloodshed. And in the shadows...

Hundreds of distorted voices rose up.

“Blood... blood... blood...”

“Sky meat... come down... tear...”

Brood vampires. Dozens of them, already swarming toward the anticipated landing zone. Their bodies were grotesque — elongated limbs, jagged bone spikes protruding from their backs, mouths stretched too wide.

An Alpha was down there somewhere. Akira could feel it. A strong, cold presence beneath the chorus of Hunger.

Harada drew both of his vampire-bone katanas. The blades screamed to life with a high-pitched vibrating sail.

“Raptors!” He shouted, voice cutting through the wind like a blade. “Strike from above. Leave only ash!”

The Sky Lancer's Nacht Disruptor cannons opened fire, sending bright beams of destroying energy into the horde below. Explosions of corrupted flesh lit up the ruins.

Akira stepped to the edge of the open ramp, long coat whipping wildly.

The Hunger inside him roared louder than the engines.

He leapt.

(The following is a Japanese sentence). First of all, please let us know if there are any errors in the wording. I'm a Western writer, so I try to translate from English to Japanese more accurately. Thank you very much. )

One idea has plagued humanity for decades.

What happens if the sky collapses?

The answer was revealed 47 years ago.

An abnormal phenomenon of celestial bodies, later called ''shattering,'' crashed into central Europe like the wrath of an angry god. As the meteorite shattered, the earth screamed, and an invisible plague of Nacht particles was released across the earth. Within a few weeks, the world was at an end.

Most humans died.

Some have mutated into much more terrifying beings.

He's a vampire.

They are not the graceful, aristocratic predators of ancient mythology. These were monsters born from the corruption of the universe. Ugly, extremely intelligent, and driven by endless hunger. They devoured blood, tore apart their bodies with the blades of bone that grew from their flesh, and spread the curse every time they bit them. The swarming vampires roared incoherent words in the ruined city, and their Alpha rulers led the collapse of civilization with cold and meticulous calculations.

In despair, the survivors built Sky Haven, six huge floating fortresses named after the city where they were born. Aether Spire in Tokyo has become the strongest beingAs a multi-layered colossus made of steel and a flickering anti-gravity core, it remained eternally floating above the scarred Earth.

And from these shelters, humanity launched a counterattack.

They created a "ground defense annihilation force" ―― "Colors". They are slayers.

Tonight, the wind blowing through the outdoor platform of the Shibuya branch was relentless.

Akira Kageyama, also known as ''Zero,'' stood on the edge, his long black overcoat fluttering violently at his feet. The suppression harness, which was fixed to the torso, dug into the ribs every time he breathed, and the injection device leaked a faint mechanical hissing sound every time fresh suppressant was pumped into a vein. The purity needle stuck between the shoulder blades felt heavier than usual.

He looked down on the collapsed world below, and Tokyo, now in ruins, had turned into a graveyard of shattered skyscrapers and a whirling storm of glittering Nacht. Somewhere in the darkness, vampires are waiting.

"Zero" A calm, somewhat mocking voice cut through the wind. " Are you planning on jumping off early or are you waiting for us?”

Captain Kensei Harada approached. Two swords made of vampire bones are housed in his waist. The other members of the Raptor squad were already lined up behind him ―― Reina confirmed the Purge Breaker, the Thunder God held the giant Ripper Autocannon as if it weighed nothing, and the others The final check was made on the weapon.

When Akira turned around, the crimson streaks running through his disheveled black hair were illuminated by the sharp lights on the platform. “ I was just thinking about it.”

Harada grinned. “ That's a dangerous habit for a half-breed. If you think too much, the High Command will get nervous.”

From the briefing earlier, Admiral Kento Yamada was particularly cold tonight. The mission was a high-risk raid on what appeared to be Alpha's base in the ruins of the former Shinjuku. According to information, the ''Excangution Cult'' leaked the descent coordinates again.

''Skylancer takes off in four minutes,'' Lieutenant Rena Takagi said calmly, adjusting the scope of her weapon. '' Zero, don't be so concerned about Reed that you'll kill everyone.”

Akira's golden red eyes faded, but he didn't say anything. The tuna-locked shotgun 『 Dragons breath 』 on the back gave me a sense of security. long curved sword 『 black steel claw 』was placed over his shoulder. twin pistol 『 fang bait 』 was already holstered in the thigh.

The Skylancer lamp opened with a squeaking sound of hydraulic pressure. The four engines roared, and the Nacht Disruptor gun turned as the gunship prepared to descend.

Captain Harada moved forward. The hem of the coat waving in the wind.

"Raptor squad", he shouted. The voice could easily reach me by cutting through the wind. “ Rush quickly and retreat quickly. Attack Alpha, squeeze out the blood, and leave with only the ashes. Any questions?”

Private Yoshiko Hayashi angrily glanced at Akira and immediately looked away. Private First Class Kenji Fujimoto "Sparks" had a trembling smile on his face. Sergeant Raijin just laughed.

Akira gripped the handle of the sword tightly.

''Hunger'' whispered softly and invitingly deep within him.

It's almost here.

He suppressed the voice.

The Skylancer's engine roared, and the aircraft took off from its platform, carrying Raptor troops and heading into the devastated world below.

''Skylancer launches in 4 minutes,'' Lieutenant Rena Takagi said calmly

The Skylancer's cabin was small, noisy, and filled with gun oil, sweat, and the smell of ozone. Seven colors in long black overcoats filled the troop compartment, and the weapons were locked in place as the four-engine gunships shook through the turbulent lower atmosphere.

Akira sat near the rear lamp, half-open his eyes, listening to the constant hissing of the restraint harness. One of the injectors in my collarbone has been out of shape recently. Every time the aircraft shook, there was a faint burning sensation. The "needle of purity" between the shoulder blades felt like a cold promise.

If I turn my back... it'll be over in seconds.

''Two minutes left until the descent point.'' The pilot's voice echoed through the communicator, mixed with noise. '' Nacht's intense activity was confirmed. Be careful of interference from cult members. Tonight's Shinjuku ruins are wriggling with them.”

Captain Harada stood in the front row and casually placed one hand on the handle of the ''Fang of Darkness.''.His long coat was a little longer than the others, with additional armor plate reinforced at the hem. He seemed completely unenthusiastic, as if he was going to train Alpha instead of hunting it.

"I'll make your teeth pay for it"

The giant sergeant grinned and stroked a vicious drum-fed autocannon on his lap. “ If the vampires line up properly, there's no need to destroy anything, Captain.”

Lieutenant Reina Takagi said without stopping to adjust the Purge Breaker's aim. “ This time, don't hit us with flechettes on the back, heavy.”

"Only once!" Raijin objected.

Akira remained silent and traced the grip of his Fangbite pistol with his finger. The two pistols felt heavy enough to make me feel at ease. On its back, a "black steel claw" with a long curved blade vibrated faintly, keeping Nacht's interference field in standby. The Dragon's Breath Shotgun was loaded with explosive bullets that turned the vampire's body into burning ash, and was placed next to him in a magazine lock.

Akira caught Private Yoshiko Hayashi secretly looking at him with one eye. As a newcomer, her hands clutched tightly to two Eclipse Carvers. She had not yet fully accepted the presence of halfbreds in her unit.

Specialist Kenji Fujimoto ―― commonly known as "Sparks" ―― leaned forward and nudged Akira with his elbow. `` Hey Zero, do you feel 『 hunger 』 tonight? Would you like me to adjust the harness again? I added a new stabilizer last week. This should stop the spine from rattling.”

"It's okay", Akira muttered. Ghost ―― specialist Saki Nakamura ―― said nothing. She simply continued to sharpen her combat knife with mechanical precision, hiding her face behind the visor.

The Skylancer suddenly made a sharp turn. The red warning light flashed.

"I found the enemy!" The pilot yelled. “ A cult's ground forces were confirmed near the drop point. It's firing signal bullets at the vampires. Damn you fanatics.”

Captain Harada's expression did not move at all. “ Raptor troops prepare for hot drops. Zero, you're in the lead. Attract them towards yourself. We attack from the flank.”

Akira stood up and grabbed 『 Dragons Breath 』 while flipping his coat.The metal made a squeaky high-pitched sound and the lamp began to come down. A cold wind filled with particles blew into the cargo hold, bringing rot and the smell of distant blood.

Below me, the ruins of Shinjuku spread out like rotting corpses. Collapsed skyscrapers form jagged canyons. Strange crystalline protrusions pulsate the faint purple light fed by old bloodshed. And in the shadow...

Hundreds of distorted voices arose.

"Blood...blood...blood..."

"Empty meat...come down...tear..."

It's Brood Vampire. Dozens of them were already swarming to the expected landing site. Its body was grotesque ―― fully extended limbs, jagged bone spines protruding from its back, and an unusually elongated mouth.

There's Alpha somewhere. Akira sensed that. “ A stronger, colder being lurks beneath the chorus of "Hunger".

Harada pulled out a sword made of vampire bones in both hands. The blade came to life with a high-pitched scream. Ghost ―― specialist Saki Nakamura ―― said nothing. Just sit down and yourself

"It's Raptor!" he shouted. That voice cut through the wind like a blade. “ Attack from above. Leave only the ashes!”

Skylancer's Nacht Disruptor cannon was fired, and a bright beam of unstable energy was thrown at the herd below. The explosion of the decomposed body illuminated the ruins.

Akira stepped out to the end of the open lamp. The long coat was fluttering violently.

The "hunger" inside him roared louder than the roar of the engine.

he jumped.