Lying on the bed, I attempted to mobilize my internal essence along the mysterious trajectory dictated by the Harmonious Quartet. Immediately, an overwhelming sensation of emptiness engulfed me, as if a whale were swallowing the ocean, and I was but a meager pond, no, a mere cup of water.
The feeling was so intense that I abruptly ceased my practice. I had finally experienced firsthand the helplessness I had endured during the simulation.
The rate at which a First Realm practitioner absorbs celestial essence is agonizingly slow. The internal essence within the twelve chambers is akin to a principal deposit, with only the interest being utilized for daily martial arts practice.
Even a superb First Realm technique like the Blood Evil Sword Technique consumes very little internal essence. However, excessive expenditure equates to damaging one's foundation, requiring significant time to replenish.
In the last simulation, each use of Harmonious Quartet demanded years of recovery, an ordeal I couldn't fathom enduring in reality.
This underscored the necessity for Wave Realm practitioners to condense internal essence into liquid form. How else could one hope to utilize Wave Realm techniques?
Was I then doomed to merely practice Harmonious Quartet without ever employing it? Could it only serve as a last resort, leaving me powerless in its aftermath?
My brow furrowed in contemplation. Then, a thought struck me.
I turned my attention to the True Explanation of Astral Fortification on the panel. Despite my efforts, I had never managed to elevate it to a Wave Realm training method. No matter how much absorbed lifespan I poured into it, it remained a bottomless pit.
But wasn't this the perfect solution? I could use the True Explanation of Astral Fortification to replenish my essence, while simultaneously attempting to deduce new training methods, a "two birds with one stone" scenario.
Based on my previous experience, it would take roughly five years to refill the twelve chambers once.
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 391 Years]
I had enough lifespan to use Harmonious Quartet and replenish my chambers 78 times.
I resisted the urge to test my newfound power immediately, forcing myself to close my eyes. While understanding the technique's potential was crucial, disturbing the peace late at night felt inconsiderate.
Perhaps due to the restless sleep the night before, I drifted off quickly. My dreams were a vivid tapestry of warm cheesecakes, succulent BBQ, a firm bed, and a soft, comforting woman wearing my shirt.
But then, images of corpses and ravenous vampires flashed through my mind. I unconsciously clenched my fists. With my arsenal of skills, I finally possessed the courage to confront vampires without the numbing justification of a borrowed life.
Using a short lifespan as an excuse for reckless violence had its appeal, but it wasn't sustainable. Being resurrected was like awakening from a long dream.
As the rooster's crow pierced the morning air, I opened my eyes, stepping outside to breathe in the dew-laden air. A sense of clarity and rejuvenation washed over me.
"Up so early today?" Rose stretched languidly, walking out of the living room and peering curiously outside.
Her tousled hair, usually tame, framed her face in a wild cascade of golden waves.
I was captivated by her inherent grace and unadorned beauty: flawless skin kissed by a barely visible dusting of freckles, wide, expressive eyes that sparkled with an innate curiosity, and lips that curved into a natural, inviting smile.
"Morning," I replied, a rare smile gracing my lips. For a moment, I forgot about H.A.R.M. and vampires. I wished time could freeze, preserving this peaceful domesticity.
"Did you stumble upon a treasure chest or something?" Rose teased, shaking her head playfully.
"Something like that," I said, my gaze drifting away as I headed back into the bedroom to change.
Based on my calculations, there were still over twenty days until the H.A.R.M. inspection. Plenty of time to address my past mistakes and hopefully secure a position within H.A.R.M., I thought to myself.
Despite my newfound resolve, my past was littered with illegal activities. If investigated, joining H.A.R.M. would be impossible, and I might even face multiple death sentences.
I left the house and returned with two breakfasts, sharing a meal with Rose. The warmth of her company and the shared laughter filled the room, a stark contrast to the darkness that had once consumed my life.
Having finished breakfast, I headed towards the station.
In the training room, I found Butcher Garcia drilling the squad. Babar Khan, clutching his sore back, grabbed a knife and made a hasty exit. "I, I, I... I'm going on patrol..."
Garcia didn't bother to stop the fleeing scallywag. "He's old and washed up. You three, don't slack off... Don't you dare glare at me! You ungrateful brats. If you make it into H.A.R.M., you'll be buying me expensive wines to show your appreciation."
He punctuated his words with a swift kick to each of the Wright brothers' butts. "Raise your hands higher! You're turning a perfectly good Shadowstrike into a damn stage play!"
"I'm content being an officer. I don't need to climb any higher. Dealing with vampires is a matter of life and death," Michael Wright grumbled, wincing in pain.
"You've been too comfortable for too long," Butcher Garcia scoffed. "Just five months ago, Tririver County was taken over by H.A.R.M. More than a dozen agents were deployed, and in three days, they swept through the mountains, more than two hundred soldiers and officers died but slaying over eighty vampires. Do you think it's like here, where civilians die before the officers even lift a finger?"
"Compensation for the dead is a measly forty thousand dollars. But put on a H.A.R.M. uniform, even as a reserve, and that amount is just two months' allowance."
The Wright brothers silently calculated the figures, their grips on their daggers tightening.
"They recruit ordinary officers?" I walked into the training room, curiosity piqued.
"Why else would they teach the three vampire-slaying techniques?" Garcia chuckled upon seeing me. "As long as you reach journeyman level in all three within the given time, or master level for one of them, you'll have a chance to be selected. And in at most twenty years, they can use medicinal baths to forcibly cultivate you into the First Realm."
"Do you realize how terrifying it is to have First Realm officers growing like crops?" Garcia's tone grew resentful, filled with a palpable envy for H.A.R.M.'s resources.
"If they can already produce so many First Realm warriors," I raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in my voice, "why do they still seem to be short on manpower?"
"Haven't you ever harvested wheat? It grows crop after crop, only to be cut down crop after crop." Garcia rolled his eyes, gestured at his neck with his palm, and continued, "If someone is even more talented, like the Vampire Hunter who was taken in as a disciple by the admiral of Cascadia ten years ago... ten years! I'm still stuck practicing Kihon and Kata, while she's feasting on rare elixirs, reaching the peak of the Wave Realm, and slaying vamps with her sword as easily as one butchers livestock."
"Is she his illegitimate daughter or something?" Even I couldn't help but be astonished.
"There was no way anybody would let his own daughter become a Vampire Hunter." The butcher's voice grew heavy with a hint of admiration. "You don't understand. They receive the most resources but also endure the greatest hardships. It takes not only extraordinary talent, but also unwavering discipline and the ability to withstand solitude and adversity."
"They venture out alone, traversing vast distances to track down vampires and explore uncharted territories, acting as the eyes and ears of H.A.R.M. Half of the Most Wanted Vamps in the New Terra were apprehended by these brave souls."