Unfortunately, my digging came to an end there. Not for lack of trying, but the trail was cold. I stood up and finished off my beverage. I yawned and laid on my bed. The clock on the bedside table showed it was already five in the morning. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the comfort of my bed.
A knock at my door woke me. "Enter," I called out. The door opened to show Kirene still in her uniform, though she looked a bit haggard.
She approached the bed carrying a small container. With a small smile, she presented the box to me, "Master your GRB has arrived. All you need to do is wear it and read the instructions in the box. Make sure you wait until you're wearing it before you activate it, otherwise it will lock out the commands for the next 72 hours as a security precaution."
I lifted the box gently from her hands. I sat up in bed and placed the box before me. The box itself was white and seemed like it would be made to carry jewelry. I opened the box and saw a white bracelet. it was rather simple yet the stark white accent on its band made it seem like there is more to it than what it appeared to be.
I placed it on my right wrist before reading the command phrase, "Initialize gene recognition." I felt a sharp pain from both my wrists, like a bee sting. I looked to my other wrist where I had a black band, the one I had taken from the corpse of my first meal.
Overlapping voices played in my mind.
"Terran bloodline detected: refining process initiating."
"Serpentis bloodline detected, welcome to the Council of the Night's: Blood Tempering Band. Beginning a full body scan."
I shook my head as the two strange voices mixed together, I slowly comprehended what each had said. Before I could be excited about having both bands, the voice that came from the black band announced the body scan results.
"Discovered system variant. Do you wish to Purge or Merge with this variant? You have 10 seconds to reply."
'Shit!' I swore in my mind.
"Not an option, 6 seconds remaining" the voice replied to my thought.
'Merge!' I shouted with my mind.
After a moment's pause, the voice echoed in my mind once more. "Merge selected. Beginning task, please wait while the task is completed." The voice in my head quieted down, though that didn't last long. The black metal bracelet became a red snake tattoo that burned as it penetrated my skin. It crawled across my body until it reached the white band on my other wrist.
The red snake latched onto the white bracelet somehow and dragged it into my skin. It burned far worse this time like I had stuck my hand into a fire. I had to grit my teeth throughout the process.
"GRB security system compromised, initiating security protocol 48. Protocol failed. Initiating self destruct. Protocol failed. Connection to emergency broadcast system disabled." The voice of the GRB blared in my mind. However, as its security measures failed the voice became softer and softer until it went silent.
Once the battle between the systems had ended, all that remained of the bands were two snakes entwined around one another wrapped completely around my wrist. Looking closely, I could even see tiny scales. One snake was black and the other red, at first I thought it would remain white.
"Merge successful."
"Linking with the GRB system network."
"Access granted."
Name:
Level: 0
Race: Bloodling
Health Pool (HP): 75/75
Agility: 13
Stamina: 12
Strength: 12
Vitality: 15
Charm: 20
Un allocated stat points: 8
"Due to leaving stat points unallocated for more than a week they were automatically assigned to the lowest stat (charm: 8). One hour until the next stat point is automatically assigned."
My mouth fell open as I saw the nearly transparent screen of light in front of me, "What the fuck is this!?" both Kirene and the system answered me.
"Stats page."
"Oh! It must be the stats page. It wasn't as nearly detailed before the update. With the update tons of new features were released along with a mission system that will help improve the stability of your genes."
The explanation Kirene gave was short but useful. I didn't have long to think about it before the system would automatically assign the remaining stat points. The system seemed to respond to my thoughts, I returned my attention to the stats page and thought about assigning points into my agility stat.
"A name is required to assign stat points, please register a name or one will be decided for you."
A Timer appeared in my vision but the time remaining was 30 seconds. The countdown ticked away slowly until it hit zero.
"Welcome Ezra Serpentis, would you like to proceed with the previous allocation of stat points?" the system announced at the end of the timer. 'Ezra, I like it.' I felt like it fit me.
'Yes.' I responded with a thought. I watched the stats page change my stats one at a time. When my strength rose I could feel my muscles tear only to heal immediately, as the process finished I felt like I could tear a man in two.
A similar process happened for stamina, breathing became easier and I felt like I had enough energy to run back to the labs, fight an Arachne, and run back home. When my agility stat rose I didn't feel much of a change but I was unsure of how to test it.
I would find a way to gauge my agility later. I turned my attention to my stats page and I was satisfied with the changes I had made.
Name: Ezra Serpentis
Level: 0
Race: Bloodling
Thralls: 1/2
HP: 75/75
Agility: 15
Stamina: 15
Strength: 15
Vitality: 15
Charm: 20
Exp: 0/25
[Daily Missions]
Drink 3 liters of blood or 4 liters of water. Reward: 5 exp. Bonus 5 exp if Terran blood or sentient life form. Bonus 5 exp if it is from a new source.
Defeat an enemy. Reward: 10 exp.
Feed on a defeated enemy: Reward 5 exp.
{Bloodline Mission} Evolve from a bloodling. Reward: +3 to all stats.
{Bloodline Mission} Summon a Familiar. Reward: A familiar that does your bidding. Warning! Recommended to wait until after evolution.
Looking at the missions, I could see gaining experience would help me increase my level, but I couldn't tell whose standards I would be using. The Vampires or the Terrans?
Evolving from a bloodling was eye catching along with summoning a familiar. Though the former would take plenty of hunting and feeding, the latter seemed to have a hint of danger.
I closed the system page with a thought and motioned for Kirene to leave the room, it was still early afternoon meaning it would be quite a while till it got dark out. We made our way into the kitchen where I grabbed the remaining bottles of blood from the fridge, there would be enough to satisfy my daily feeding mission for three days.
I opened a cap and began to drink, as I worked on my mission while I thought of a question that was at the back of my mind, 'If the system had counted my kills and gave me stat points, then why hasn't it also given me the experience to level up?'
"The reason we have not given you the experience is simple, you were not registered at the time of your battles and kills, we are able to track your kills but were unable to determine the strength of your foes. The experience not only levels you up but moves you up the ranks after you evolve. Abusers of the system have claimed they have defeated extremely powerful foes and were given great rewards, only to have later been proven as fraudulent. Thus until one is registered, the experience is not rewarded."
The system paused its explanation before continuing, "The stat points are not usually granted by the system but by consuming blood, leveling up, and evolving. You received some when you became a bloodling, more were received when you fed for the first time. Most blood only feeds your vitality while O and AB blood types will be free stat points."
The system went quiet again and after a minute of silence, I knew it was finished explaining its rules. I was angry I hadn't realized I had a BTB until now but nothing would come of regretting the past.
I continued to drink my chilled blood while thinking of where to hunt for my next victim. I took my bottle with me back to my room while Kirene continued to eat a steak and salad, I looked through local police files and crime reports. Having access like this was a godsend, I was glad I hadn't killed Kirene otherwise I would still be looking for a place to live.
I also wouldn't have the system. While I was researching high crime areas Kirene came into the room, she watched me for a moment before speaking up, "What are you doing master?"
I noted down a few areas and possible targets before I turned to her, "I am looking for my next meal." I gave her a warm smile.
Before I could return to my work she interrupted my search again, "No master, I meant why are you using the computer? With the GRB you should have connected to the cities network, I can give you my family's access now that you are registered. The computer will only be a thought away." she said with a sweet smile.
I thought about how I wanted a map of the city with my target locations, and sure enough, a map that only I could see appeared. Kirene quickly added me to the family's access list. Once I had live access it was like carrying my own little shopping list and which aisle to find the item I wanted.
Last known whereabouts, local hangouts, power levels, and the abilities that came with them. Everything I would need to gorge myself was just a thought away.
The only thing that I had to worry about was leaving a trail of bodies, a few gang members go missing and nobody cares. If an entire gang turns up slaughtered the police will start hunting for the monster who did it.
Can't burn them, the fires will draw too much attention. Transporting the bodies was a good way to get caught. I looked over the map of the city for another hour before finding the perfect place to dispose of the bodies, the sewers.
Rats and other vermin would eat my leftovers and provide forensic countermeasures, even if the bodies were found it was unlikely for the police to search every inch of the sewers for missing gangsters.
As my plan came together I started gathering a few weapons. I planned only to take the speeder with a small duffle bag filled with empty water bottles. With everything prepared I only had to wait until the sun went down, while I waited there was one thing that I needed to look at. The abilities in my human genes and the ones I had as a bloodling.