In every corner of the streets on Earth, the sun no longer shone. The planet was locked in eternal night, where darkness had long since become a strange form of comfort.
Stars shimmered weakly in the distant sky, while pale, human-like creatures roamed the streets, creatures with crimson eyes and an aura that screamed danger.
Vampires.
A boy with unkempt purple hair walked with his head down, doing everything he could to avoid drawing their attention, as if their very presence was a plague he desperately wanted to steer clear of.
He kept his steps quiet as he passed by the old church, a repurposed ruin where they now sold the limited-edition copies of a virtual reality game.
It was a last, pathetic escape route for humans like him, bottom-tier trash in the new world order, a planet where vampires ruled and humanity was barely tolerated.
"How much is it, Father Kirei?" the boy asked, his voice low but hopeful.
"Ah, Shinji," the priest said with a calm smile. "You can take it for free. You've been rather diligent lately. Your prayers have reached the King of Vampires. Lord Brunestud of the Crimson Moon is quite pleased with your devotion. If you can bring more friends, he may reward you even further."
"No blood?" Shinji asked with a doubtful look, narrowing his eyes at the priest before him.
Kotomine Kirei, the man who now ran this so-called church in Fuyuki Town, a fanatical servant of the Crimson Moon.
The one who had ended the era of gods, humans, magi, and the old Church. The one who crushed all opposition and allowed vampires to rise and take control of the planet.
Crimson Moon had warped every religion, every belief system, bending them to his will. Churches, temples, and every sacred place was now a shrine devoted solely to him. There was no other god but him.
"No blood, young one," Kirei said, resting a gloved hand on Shinji's shoulder in an oddly gentle gesture. "Go on now. Enjoy your reward. Play to your heart's content."
"Thank you, Father Kirei," Shinji muttered, bowing quickly before hurrying off, clutching the VR game in his hands like it was salvation.
It might sound bizarre, a priest selling VR gear, or even working under vampires, but that's just how this twisted world operates. The more devotion someone offers to the Vampire King, the more they're rewarded.
Their reward? A so-called utopia, a digital paradise in the form of a VR game. And not just any VR experience, the latest edition, packed with unlimited freedom and cheat codes handed straight to the loyal like gifts from a god.
In that artificial world, they could be anything. A king. A god. An all-powerful overlord. Even a vampire, the top of the food chain, the true rulers of Earth. It was their escape hatch, their drug, their salvation from the miserable hell that was real life, where they lived like cattle, slaves meant only to bleed and obey.
Resistance? That flame had long since died. Snuffed out like a candle in the wind. Nobody wanted revolution anymore.
All they wanted was pleasure, ecstasy, a fake life where they mattered. Everything they once were had been hollowed out, replaced by a craving for digital bliss.
And in this world? That bliss came at a simple price: blood and devotion to the Crimson Moon.
Who in their right mind would say no to that deal?
Even their sense of connection wasn't real anymore.
They sold hyper-realistic dolls, synthetic lovers with lifelike skin and perfect bodies. You could customize everything: appearance, voice, personality, behavior. Want a yandere catgirl? Done. A submissive nun? Easy. A clone of your old high school crush? Just type it in.
Food, too, was provided. Nutrient-rich and addictive. All in exchange for their blood.
Be it physical pleasure or spiritual euphoria, everything was handed to them, served on a silver platter in return for their obedience, their submission, their very essence.
They had been living like this for a long time. They were used to it.
Even Shinji didn't find anything wrong with it. Not anymore. He simply kept walking, clutching the sleek VR device he had just bought from Father Kirei. His only thought? Getting home fast enough to plug in and lose himself in the newest update.
"Brother, did you bring that thing again? Grandpa already told you to take training more seriously, didn't he? We're supposed to be the last hope for humanity." His sister, Sakura, scolded him, her voice sharp and her expression serious, brows furrowed and lips pressed tight.
Not all of humanity had submitted to the Crimson Moon.
His grandpa, who had lived long enough to witness the golden age, back when the Era of Humanity still thrived, was deeply resistant to the changes that had overtaken Earth.
The old man clung to the past with stubborn pride, and he tried to pass that same resistance on to all his children and grandchildren, urging them to never bow to His reign.
But in the end, all of them folded.
All except Sakura.
The rest had no real intention of resisting. Why would they?
Their lives were comfortable enough under the new regime.
Even Shinji didn't want any part of rebellion. He wasn't stupid. He knew that if anyone in the family dared to rebel, they'd be wiped out instantly.
Besides, his magical aptitude was garbage. His circuits were barely functional. What could he even do?
Hell, even his grandpa seemed to have given up. The moment the old man brought home a high-grade sex doll modeled after the Holy Maiden of Winter, everyone knew he'd let go of the fight.
The damn thing even had all of her old personality traits and memories, or at least some idealized version of them that his grandpa remembered from the past.
And now Sakura dared to say he was humanity's last hope?
He just scoffed, then let out a bitter laugh. "Worry about yourself, Sakura. Besides, we've never been a real family anyway."
That was all he said before turning his back on her, walking away without another word, and slamming the door to his chamber shut.
Sakura stood there, her fists clenched and her face twisted with sorrow.
Eventually, she turned and left too, her steps heavy with disappointment.
Everyone had lost hope.
Was this what humanity's fate had come to?
Was there even a path to salvation left anymore?
She didn't know the answer.
No one did.
Maybe... somewhere out there. If miracles were real.
But that thought made her scoff. If miracles truly existed, humanity wouldn't have sunk this far. They wouldn't have been reduced to domesticated cattle under someone else's rule.
In the end, she let out a shaky sigh.
Maybe... maybe this was the best path for everyone. Maybe it was better to surrender than to die in pointless rebellion. Maybe peace, even a false one, was worth the price.
And yet, deep inside, her heart throbbed with bitter, choking unwillingness.
A burning restlessness that refused to die.
Maybe Senpai and Nee-san haven't given up yet...
If there was still a flicker of resistance somewhere, perhaps it was time to go find it.
It was time to visit them.
What Sakura didn't know was that her grandfather had been watching her interaction with Shinji from beginning to end, hidden somewhere in the shadows where her eyes couldn't reach, someplace she would never think to look.
"Lord Brunestud, do you wish to eliminate her? It seems she hasn't abandoned her delusion of reviving the era of humanity. Had I known this sooner, I would've never allowed her to get close to Shirou Emiya."
"Keep watching her. If anything happens that spirals beyond your control, bring her to me. You have my authority to mobilize every vampire in this town to capture her if necessary."
The voice was cold, chilling, with a command that allowed no room for hesitation or question. But Zouken had long since grown used to that tone. He lowered his head and replied with a deep bow.
"I understand, Lord Brunestud."
The overwhelming presence vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind only an eerie silence. Without wasting time, Zouken released a swarm of his parasitic familiars, scattering them throughout the city to keep watch over Sakura from every possible angle.
Just like she feared.
How could humanity ever hope to survive… when the people closest to you, the ones who smile, who pretend to love you, turn out to be the sharpest blades, waiting patiently for the perfect moment to stab you in the back?
No one had the answer to that.
And no one ever really knows when a miracle will come—
—or if it ever does.