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Author's Note: For the status, I will remove the descriptions of skills and titles that have neither evolved nor been newly acquired, to keep the text flowing smoothly.
PS: Thank you for reading my work :).
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As I opened my eyes, one thought consumed me: water.
I needed water.
An unbearable, devouring thirst overwhelmed me like a rabid beast, pushing me to the edge of madness.
I felt the burning in my throat, a dull pain spreading through my whole body, and I knew that if I didn't find water, I wouldn't last long.
I turned my head in all directions, my mind foggy, desperately searching for a solution.
Then, on the horizon, I saw it.
A river, glistening under the sunlight, not far away.
Without thinking, I dashed toward it, my feet pounding the ground with insane speed.
The wind whistled in my ears, but I didn't even feel it.
Only the thought of reaching the water obsessed me, completely overtaking my mind.
I finally reached the river, panting, my heart pounding wildly.
I bent down and plunged my head into the cool water, drinking greedily, gulping down endless mouthfuls like a man lost in the desert.
Drinking, drinking, drinking.
Nothing else existed anymore, except this immediate relief, this life returned in every drop sliding down my throat.
As I slowly came back to my senses, a strange unease settled in when I saw my reflection in the water.
What I saw shocked me, froze me in place. A jolt ran through my body, a chilling shiver up my spine.
My eyes. They were black, completely black, with white irises, as if everything had been reversed.
A wave of dizziness hit me.
I blinked, hoping it was a mirage, but no… it was real.
The water, which had given me life just moments earlier, now revealed a transformation I couldn't understand.
My skin. It had paled, losing its color, as if life itself was slipping away from me. A cadaverous, almost unreal tone.
I leaned closer to the liquid mirror, my trembling hands resting on the grass beside the river. And there, I saw the horror more clearly: the tips of my hair had lost their color, turning white, violently contrasting with the darkness of my eyes.
This image of myself, almost surreal, made me doubt for a moment what I had become. A shiver of terror gripped me.
Without thinking further, I let myself fall onto my back, lying on the damp grass by the river. The soft, soothing murmur of the water caressed my ears, while the deep blue sky stretched above me, almost unreal.
As if to answer my questions.
Ding!
You have received the blessing of Noctis, God of Night and Blood!
Your race has evolved to [Vampire (Rare)]!
You have received the title [Blessed by Noctis]!
You have acquired the skill [Regenerative Blood (Adept)]!
Your skill [Regenerative Blood (Adept)] has evolved to Expert rank!
Your skill [Weakening Poison (Adept)] has evolved to Expert rank!
Your skill [Blood Manipulation (Adept)] has evolved to Expert rank!
Your skill [Blood Pact (Adept)] has evolved to Expert rank!
You have acquired the skill [Regenerative Blood (Adept)]!
You have acquired the skill [Shadow Veil (Unique)]!
You have acquired the skill [?????? (Unique)]!
I was stunned… Could it be real? Had I truly become a vampire?
And all these rewards… where did they come from?
Was it the result of the blessing?
And these unique-rank skills… what did that even mean? Didn't it imply I was the only one to possess them?
Wanting to be sure, I opened my status.
[Status]
Name: Anthony Paine
Race: Vampire (Rare)
Class: Blood Warrior (81)
Profession: Artificer
[Stats]
Strength: 7
Speed: 238
Perception: 101
Vitality: 112 (+10%)
Intelligence: 111
Mana: 0
Mind: 40
Endurance: 66
Free points: 0
[Skills]
Universal Language (Mythic)
Identification (Adept)
Dual Dagger Style Mastery (Novice)
Stealth (Master)
Intimidation (Master)
Claw (Adept)
Weakening Poison (Expert) – The user can now produce a more potent and faster-acting weakening poison through their blood. Once inside the body, it acts within seconds, causing increased muscular fatigue and weakened reflexes. Its effects intensify quickly, reaching a peak within just 30 minutes.
Blood Manipulation (Expert) – Mastery of blood reaches an advanced level, allowing near-instantaneous control and impressive fluidity. The user can shape weapons and defensive structures with greater complexity, making them more durable and resistant. The volume of manipulable blood increases further, enabling larger attacks and better management of losses. Additionally, the user develops an instinctive ability to optimize regeneration, reducing the impact of moderate wounds on endurance. However, prolonged use without proper regeneration can still lead to severe weakening.
Blood Pact (Expert) – Mastery of blood sacrifice reaches a higher threshold, allowing for more powerful and precise enhancement of physical and sensory abilities. Adaptation to dominant stats becomes instant and optimized, providing maximum gains with greater efficiency. The user can now modulate the pact's intensity in real time, adjusting the sacrifice to prolong effects or minimize risks. However, excessive loss remains dangerous, potentially causing serious aftereffects or rapid physical deterioration.
Regenerative Blood (Expert) – By drinking the blood of others, you rapidly heal your wounds and temporarily increase your stats. The stronger the blood, the greater the effects.
Shadow Veil (Unique) – Your existence escapes all perception. No entity in this world can identify you, whether by skill or magic.
?????????? (Unique) – 0/7
[Titles]
Sovereign of the Tutorial
Monstrosity of the Tutorial
Blessed by Noctis – Blessing from the God of Night and Blood, inspiring respect even among ancient vampires. All your blood-related skills gain in power, precision, and efficiency. Your vitality increases by 10%.
Phew… I exhaled, realizing everything I had to take in. First, I had oriented my skills toward blood from the tutorial onward, and now I gained this race and blessing... Was it really a coincidence?
And that unique skill? Would it unlock after the seven mini-worlds the god mentioned? And that number 7 again… was it just a coincidence, or was there a hidden meaning behind it?
I really started to wonder if all of this hadn't been planned from the start, as if every step of my journey had been traced out, like a puppeteer pulling the strings without me realizing. If I was nothing more than a pawn, an actor in a much larger plan, a game where my choices were just illusions of freedom. It was terrifying and fascinating at the same time... But then, what had been my role in all of this? Did I still have a chance to choose my own path, or was I doomed to follow the one laid before me, with no escape?
Thinking back to the god I met, I admitted defeat. There was no point trying to do too much. I just had to carry out what he asked of me without overthinking it. After all, he had hinted that he had Cassandre as a hostage. Was he truly a god? I wondered, but to me, he embodied everything a demon could be. Cruel, manipulative, and ready to do anything to achieve his ends. There was nothing divine about him, just a ruthless being who played with human lives like pieces on a board.
But I also knew he needed me for some reason, and as long as he did, he wouldn't do anything stupid—at least for now. In fact, he might even prove useful. Like that skill, Shadow Veil, that he had given me. It would surely be invaluable in hiding my presence from other gods and chosen ones—a precious asset in a world where every move could attract unwanted attention. Maybe there was a way to take advantage of this situation, even if deep down, it disgusted me.
Thinking about Cassandre again, I made an effort to clear my mind. She always told me I overthought everything. I tried to calm my thoughts, focusing on the soothing sound of the river.
Little by little, I let go of the useless thoughts, letting a rare tranquility take their place. My breath slowed, the rhythm of the river calmed me, and gradually, the tension inside me faded.
It was time to let go, at least for now.
Once my mind was at peace, I sat up, taking a deep breath of the fresh air from the fields that stretched out before me, just upstream of the river.
I looked out at the landscape before me, a completely new sight.
It had been about two years, maybe even longer, that I had lived in a false forest… but in reality, it wasn't one.
I had spent those long years inside a living creature, a closed and strange world.
I realized that if I lingered too long on those memories, I risked letting useless thoughts overwhelm me.
I had to focus on the present, on what lay here, now, before me.
The landscape before me fascinated me, like a living painting where every detail seemed to capture the very essence of this world. A warm wind blew gently, bringing with it the sweet, earthy scent of the fields, mingled with freshly cut grass and wildflowers. Around these vast green expanses, semi-arid plains stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with thorny bushes and cracked soil. In the distance, towering mountains with jagged peaks and abyssal black stone stood like giants frozen in time, their silhouettes sharply etched against the sky. This landscape, both wild and majestic, wrapped me in a nearly surreal beauty.
A deep calm washed over me, like a wave of serenity, anchoring me fully in the present moment.
My gaze lingered on the path to the right, winding between two hills.
A trace of the void returned to me, that cold, inhuman voice:
"When you get there… take the path to the right."
I clenched my teeth. I didn't like obeying.
But I didn't like dying either.