Can't wait to see what's next? You can join my Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/pancakeswitch
and gain access to all these Advanced Chapters:
50 Advanced Chapters of
The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest
30 Advanced Chapters of
The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns
17 Advanced Chapters of
Fantasy Story Online: The Crippled Vampire Prince Walks The Heavenly Demon Path
-----
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have slain the Raid Boss: {Giant Blazing Vampiric Bat Queen (Tier 5)}!]
[As someone who has cooperated on slaying, you've received additional Raid Points.]
[You gained +30.000 Raid Points.]
[The [Raid Boss Themed Treasure Chest (S Grade)] has been materialized.]
BAAAM!
The giant body of the Bat Queen collapsed over the ground below, with Camilla and Teresa making sure to move it to an unpopulated and wide area, such as the plaza, where the people had already run away.
And right by the side of the boss, a huge golden and red-colored treasure chest materialized out of nowhere. Teresa noticed the treasure chest, quickly realizing this was most likely part of the many phenomena of the "New Era.".
To NPC, the "New Era" meant the arrival of players to their world, not through their own avatars like it could happen in other games, as Fantasy Story Online lets people self-insert into already existing characters or even go as far as creating their own entire families and characters within the world.
Meaning that every new Player was already an NPC, who is considered to have "Awakened as a Player", obtaining new Abilities such as being able to revive and also their spatial inventory.
In the ages before the New Era, Dungeon Raids were nonexistent; this entire event was something new, something that the New Era would bring, alongside countless other calamities. Those chosen to become Players, according to most of the NPC, were destined to fight against these calamities and save the Realms.
A treasure chest filled with items materializing out of nowhere in front of a monster only happened in dungeons before, and incredibly rarely so, as the Evil God of Greed, Avaritia, the creator of Dungeons, wasn't very generous.
But that wasn't everything; the most shocking thing was the strength her son just displayed—an Aura of pure Ki, an energy that only Martial Artists could wield and cultivate—overflowing from his body.
But how could this be? Her son's body has been crippled since he was young, unable to properly move, and always paralyzed from the hips down.
"Woah, that was amazing, dude! Congrats! We beat the two bosses now!"
Chris flew towards Vlad, happily glaring at the big treasure chest and then touching it. The treasure chest then instantly disappeared.
"Heheh~ Now- Eek!"
However, Chris' tail was quickly grabbed tightly by Vlad, and his buttocks lifted in pain.
"Ouch, ouch!"
"Hey, where did you take that chest? I don't think you helped fight the giant bat at all, Chris."
Chris' heartbeat accelerated as he saw Vlad glaring at his butt with the eyes of a predator, glowing bright red.
"Heheh…" Chris giggled innocently, blushing a bit. "I am keeping it safe, that's all~ I swear, dude! Ouch, let go of my tail already!"
The cute Incubus started hitting Vlad's arm, but he was dealing no damage at all; his delicate hands were the ones hurting.
Although he had become more assertive due to his transformation, as a part of him wanted to teach a "lesson" to this bratty incubus, Vlad calmed himself down and let him go.
"Hah… Okay, fine, but don't take all the rewards for yourself; Vlad's mother and sister helped fight that thing," said Paul.
"Yeah, yeah, ok, ok!" Chris sighed as Vlad walked towards the bat corpse and made it disappear before it spread more flames.
FLASH!
The entire corpse was stored inside his inventory, taking only a single spot out of the hundreds of slots. Although progression was rather slow and difficult in the game, the in-game inventory remained as broken as any other game.
"Vlad!"
"Big brother!"
Teresa and Camilla quickly went to look for him after everything calmed down a bit. Paul felt slightly flustered and surprised, trying to compose himself, before he suddenly felt his body growing much weaker.
"Ugh…"
His powerful Aura of Ki disappeared instantly, as the power of the Heavenly Demon vanished. It was an incredible power, but ten minutes a day was barely enough to do much at all.
He fell to his knees, surprising Chris, who was looking at the treasure chest inside his inventory.
"My son, are you alright?!"
Teresa pushed the incubus away without a care and quickly went to hug her son, checking his vitality and state; he seemed just as sickly as before.
However, his Blood Core and Bloodline had become particularly stronger than before, and above all, she could sense within him a very strong soul.
"I'm fine…"
As he gasped for air, he was trying to act tough.
"You don't seem fine at all! Where did you get those powers? How did you... Just do all of this?" she wondered. "Last time I saw you, you couldn't even move out of your own bed, my son!"
"A lot happened." Vlad sighed. "I awakened as a Player and obtained a lot of power. Though it's conditional, I can't use it again for the rest of the day."
"What? A conditional power?" Teresa gasped, her eyebrows rising.
"Big brother, that was incredible! You defeated the big bat!"
Camilla went and hugged Vlad tightly, happy to see him here with them.
"Camilla… You woke up too?" wondered Vlad. "And mother as well. It seems that if the entire town is in danger, Mother will finally wake up."
"…I'm sorry, I… There's a lot we need to talk about once this is resolved," Teressa sighed. "But for now, we should hurry. That you're a Player is excellent news! Perhaps there's a bright future for you now, my son. However, can you move in your current state?"
"Yes, I've prepared special magic items to lift myself using the Float Spell." Vlad smiled, nodding.
"Wait, how did you even learn how to craft and everything?" she wondered.
"By obtaining Skills and rewards as a Player, of course," Vlad said nonchalantly. "Though I'm different than other Players, I cannot revive like them."
"That's... well, it's good to know that beforehand," Teressa sighed. "For now, it would be better if you stayed right here; I'll quickly clean the city."
"Hey, missy! Did you have to just push me away? I know you're Vlad's mother, but that was very rude of you!" Chris suddenly stepped in, barking like an angry chihuahua.
"Hah?" Teressa quickly stood up, looking down at the midget Incubus with a face full of disgust. "With what manners do you dare speak to me, commoner?"
Her Aura was tremendous, quickly making Chris shiver as he stepped back.
"Eek! I-I mean, I wanted to... Erm, I am Vlad's best friend, you see!" Chris muttered, trying to make up an excuse.
"Best friend? I don't know you at all!" said Teressa. "Camilla, do you know him? Have you seen this young man before?"
"Nuh-huh," Camilla said.
"See? Just because you worked with my son doesn't mean you have the right to step into a conversation between family members!" said Teressa ferociously, showing Chris her claws. "Maybe I should punish you for not knowing your place, demon~? Perhaps a new facial appearance would fit you now, that cute face of yours... I'll slash it apart until you become as hideous as your lack of manners!"
Paul was shocked; his mother changed her attitude incredibly fast!
He quickly learned how ruthless vampires were as a whole.
Perhaps she was slightly gentle with her own children.
But to anybody else? If they ever dared to speak to her without her permission, she would cut their faces with her claws.
"Mother, that's enough!"
Vlad stood up again, touching his mother's shoulder.
"Hm? My son? You dare stop your mother from punishing an insolent peasant?"
"Chris—I mean, Alitheus—is a good friend of mine," said Vlad. "He might act a bit... cocky and bratty at times, but he's a good friend and servant of mine. He does serve me well, and I would rather not have my... toy ruined by your claws, if possible."
"Servant? Toy?!" Chris was going crazy with shock after the words Vlad said!
And well, Paul had a reason. Vampires saw weakness in making bonds with people; friendship and even family love were frowned upon. Teressa herself always tried to hold back her affection for her children, trying to act distant, as that's how she was taught vampires must be.
Weak vampires are those who make bonds and believe in emotions, friendship, and love. Strong vampires are those who are deceitful, don't let emotions control them, and make use of other people for their own plans.
Therefore, he had to lie and say... Well, Chris was his servant and "toy"!
"Friend?" wondered Teressa. "Having friends is not something that the strong do, my son. But you also said a servant and... a toy? Hmm, he does seem adorable, and his potential is high. He has a good aura of Arcana and good skills, I believe. That equipment, did you make it for him?"
"Yes." Vlad nodded, slightly nervous; his mother was strict. "He will repay us for his loyalty and work for our family. And about the butlers, I killed them; they were spies of another family. I discovered they were poisoning me, only worsening my state. When I awakened as a player, I made sure to make them know their place."
"Hmm." Teressa nodded and then smiled. "Good! Well done! I also believed they were strange, but I could never truly find the issue at hand. They annoyed me to no end, so I am quite glad you took care of them. And this new servant... An Incubus is certainly an odd choice, but their power could be used to deceive others, so I approve of him for now.
"Hey Paul, what the hell is going on?!" Chris used the Whisper Function to speak to Paul Privately, something similar to Telepathy, but that could be done only between Players who had added each other as Friends. "I'm not your servant!"
"I know! I'm sorry! But my mother was going to genuinely harm you if I didn't do anything; vampire family issues are… they're crazy, you know?" Paul responded. "Please forgive me! I'll make up for it later, okay? Erm, you can keep the treasure chest; how about it?"
"Meh, that's not enough!" said Chris angrily. "You'll have to repay by inviting me to eat in that fancy restaurant again... for a whole week!"
"What?! I… ugh, ok." Paul accepted at the end; he didn't want to lose a friend like Chris. "But if I agree to this, you'll also agree to play around? Please?"
"Hmm, fine, but if it gets too far, I'm out, okay?!" Chris said.
"Okay, sorry, really sorry." Paul sighed.
Chris acted angrily, but he had felt rather embarrassed about the whole ordeal and, above all, slightly excited.
To become a handsome vampire's "toy" was one of those fantasies that he had as a romance novel writer and reader, especially of BL novels.
"Now, we need to quickly solve things. There are still many monsters around," said Teressa. "Chris or Alitheus was your name? Which one?"
"Eh, just call me Alitheus, missus," said Chris.
"Okay, Alitheus, will you help? Can you lift heavy objects or heal people?" asked the vampire.
"I can heal! But lifting… I don't know; I would have to try using magic," said Alitheus.
"Healing at least... Wait, how come an Incubus can heal? You only draw life force away," said Teressa.
"He's also a Player," said Vlad.
"Is that so?" Teressa squinted her eyes. "People that awaken as Players obtain such extravagant powers beyond their bloodline or class... I suppose it makes some sense then. Okay, Vlad, you say here and rest. Your mother, your sister, and your servant shall solve the rest."
"Okay… If you insist," Vlad nodded, sitting down. "Be careful and-"
RUMBLE!
However, despite everyone's best efforts, the Dungeon Gates started to tremble, their portals suddenly beginning to merge into an even larger one.
"W-What's happening now?!" Chris panicked.
"T-That's… the dungeon portals are combining?! No!" Teressa panicked.
"Uwaah! So much Arcana is flowing out of it!" Camilla cried.
"Little Flames!"
The voice of the Unending Crimson echoed from the merged portal, and as something monstrous started to emerge from it, a giant made of countless monsters merged with red crystals and flames.
A chimeric aberration, and a third Raid Boss.
"Did you think it was over? Show me… Show me more of what you can do!"
Gigantic red crystal fists rushed down towards them, blazing like meteors.
BOOOM!
-----
Can't wait to see what's next? You can join my Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/pancakeswitch
and gain access to all these Advanced Chapters:
50 Advanced Chapters of
The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest
30 Advanced Chapters of
The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns
17 Advanced Chapters of
Fantasy Story Online: The Crippled Vampire Prince Walks The Heavenly Demon Path