The cave seemed ordinary at first, but as Alex ventured deeper, it took on the characteristics of a vampire's dwelling. A wooden door led to a room with a coffin. There was also a table with chairs, a bookshelf covered in spider webs and dust, giving an eerie atmosphere.
"How did you build this place so quickly?" Alex asked.
"I didn't. It was already here. Now, let us talk about the vampires, and the fact we are in the same boat. Also, vampires are not friendly, you know?" Mikkel said, taking a seat.
Alex followed suit, eager to hear what Mikkel, an ancient vampire with a level of 100 or more, had to share. Mikkel continued, "You see, there are two types of vampires, normal vampires, and royal vampires. I am a royal vampire, like you are, but we are both royal vampires without a royal family…"
"The Shadow family, the one you have the blood of, vanished a long time ago, and my family got murdered. I am the sole survivor."
Mikkel shared his tragic story, shedding light on the harsh reality they faced.
"The majority of vampires are normal vampires, and they still form groups, but they are much weaker than the royal vampires and have to obey them. The thing is, all the royal vampires are in another continent. The vampires here are wild and follow no rules."
"Another continent?"
"Indeed. The royal families live on a snowy island far from here. I can safely say you and I are the only royal vampires around. But the thing is, most vampires live alone, and those who form groups go against other groups of vampires. This is not an organized thing. You and I must be careful in these parts because we are two against all of them!"
Alex initially thought that vampires would be friendly, offering help, quests, and making it easier for him to kill monsters. However, he learned that vampires weren't organized, and the only organized place was the island where the royal families resided, a distant land according to Mikkel.
"But aren't vampires attacking villages? This looks organized," Alex said.
Mikkel tapped his nails on the table, contemplating. "Yes, you are right. But like I said, vampires form groups we often call nests, and maybe someone built a giant nest? I mean, it is not impossible that someone with power and charisma wouldn't be able to gather lots of vampires with the same goal. But what goal is this…?"
Alex, feeling uncertain, sought guidance from Mikkel, who possessed more knowledge about vampires.
"What should we do, then?"
"Lay low, for now," Mikkel advised, "I will try my best to get more information about what is happening. In the meantime, focus on getting stronger. Also, you can always come here to chat, and I can teach you a thing or two."
[Do you wish to accept Mikkel as your vampire tutor?]
[Yes]
[No]
Alex saw no reason to decline, so he accepted.
[You can learn new vampire abilities if you gain more levels, and level up your vampire ranking.]
[To Level Up your ranking, you must feed and level up the normal way. The older you are as a vampire, the higher your ranking will be.]
While Alex had a ring to instantly teleport to where Shade was and learn new class skills with him, he did not have that luxury with Mikkel. He would have to walk all the way and enter his cave.
"Ah, where are the mounts or the bat transformation? At least, his cave is around the city, and I know this city will be the major one for quite some time."
There was no quest coming from Mikkel, but Alex took the chance to ask him many things about being a vampire, and things were pretty good.
"Yes, you can turn into a bat in the future, and other animals too like a wolf. It is possible to alter your facial features too. But the next thing I will teach you is how to turn others into vampires. We must start our nest as well!"
That was exciting! Alex did not know if it would be possible to turn other players or just NPCs into vampires. Would the transformed vampires have to obey him or something? Perhaps he could start a guild with only vampires in the future!
"So many possibilities, but at least now I know about the bat thing."
Around midnight, Alex concluded his business with Mikkel and left the cave, heading back to the city. The return journey would consume considerable time, further delaying his progress.
Alex had two objectives in mind: deliver the completed quest to Judith and embark on a solo attempt to conquer the first dungeon!
Although equipped with a formidable weapon, his armor was lacking, prompting the need for an upgrade. However, financial constraints made purchasing new armor an unviable option.
"The main stat for the Shadow Hunter class is luck, enhancing the quality of loot dropped by monsters. Perhaps I can farm a set by eliminating the bandits?" Alex contemplated.
Scattered bandits roamed the nearby forest, hinting at the possibility of a hideout nearby. Alex decided to explore the area before returning to the city.
This approach would not only yield valuable experience points — maintaining his top 1 status was a priority — but might also result in dropped armor pieces, addressing his current deficiency.
Empowered by the moon's influence and his heightened senses, Alex gracefully moved through the forest, diligently tracking his prey.
Encountering various small animals such as rabbits, birds, and even a low-level wolf, Alex remained resolute in his quest for bandits.
His eyes glowed red, mirroring the intensity of his thirst for blood. After twenty minutes of navigating the forest, leaping from tree to tree, utilizing the treetops to avoid any potential conflicts, Alex spotted a group of bandits.
The bandits strolled through the forest, appearing to be headed somewhere specific. From the concealment of the shadows, Alex silently trailed them, his inner struggle against the insistent call of blood hunger evident.