Larry's consciousness drifted back, painfully slow, like he was crawling through thick, suffocating mud. His body ached, every muscle screaming in dull agony. His ribs, his arms, his legs—they all felt bruised and battered, throbbing with the memory of his last moments in the pit. That golden light… it had been the final surge that had saved him from death, but it had burned away the last dregs of his strength in the process. In its place, though, was something new—a simmering, potent energy resting beneath the surface of his skin, ready to explode at any moment.
He opened his eyes, though it didn't change his view. The world remained a dark void, the same eternal blackness he had always known. His blindness was not new, but in this moment, it felt suffocating. He strained his other senses, searching for clues—any clue—about where he was. The crackle of a fire reached his ears first, and then, the smell of roasting meat, savory and tempting. Hunger gnawed at him, but it was an unfamiliar hunger, something more primal.
"You're awake," a gruff voice interrupted his thoughts.
Larry flinched, his body tensing as he tried to push himself up. Pain immediately flared in his chest, and he collapsed back onto the rough bedding. A firm hand settled on his shoulder, pressing him down gently but with enough force to keep him in place.
"Easy, kid. You've been through the wringer. No need to rush."
"Where… am I?" Larry's voice was hoarse, his throat dry as dust. His mouth tasted bitter, and his lips were cracked.
"You're safe," the man answered. His voice was deep, rough, but not unkind. "You were pulled out of that pit just in time. You're lucky, though I'm not sure you'll feel that way once you figure out what's happened."
Larry swallowed, trying to work some moisture back into his mouth. He could sense the man's hesitation—something unspoken in the way he said lucky.
"Who are you?" Larry asked, ignoring the pounding in his head as he struggled to process his surroundings.
"Name's Garret. 3 Star Bounty hunter. We were passing by when we saw the commotion. Pulled you out before the meteor beasts could finish the job."
Larry tensed, his mind flashing back to the beasts. He could still hear the sound of their claws scraping against the earth, their roars vibrating through his bones. He could still feel the weight of their murderous intent pressing down on him.
"Why… did you help me?" Larry asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
Garret let out a low chuckle. "Not out of the kindness of my heart, kid. You owe us. But I'm not in a rush to collect. For now, just focus on staying alive. We've got bigger problems to worry about."
Larry tried to push himself up again, but his body wouldn't cooperate. His limbs were stiff, and every movement sent spikes of pain through his muscles. He groaned softly, frustrated by his own weakness.
"Relax. You're not going anywhere until you can walk again." Garret's voice was firm, and Larry could hear him shift his weight, standing up. "Rest. That's an order."
The sound of footsteps retreated, leaving Larry alone. The silence settled over him again, but something was off. Larry's mind whirred with questions—Where am I? Who are these people? His thoughts barely had time to settle when—
[Error! Host hasn't met the Daily Requirements.]
[Host cannot access the system.]
The mechanical voice echoed in Larry's mind, cold and indifferent, startling him. He rolled out of bed instinctively, his body hitting the cold ground hard. Panic surged through him. The system. The system's still with me!
His hands scrambled across the floor, as if searching for something tangible to hold onto, but all he felt was the dirt and the fabric of the tent. His heartbeat quickened, the memory of that voice from the pit returning to him.
"Is everything alright in there?" Garret called from outside the tent.
Larry inhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down. "I'm fine," he lied, pushing himself back onto the bed. His heart still pounded in his chest, but he couldn't afford to let anyone know about the system or what he had become.
'I've evolved.' he thought, his mind racing. The system had said something about him becoming a Dhampir, a creature that existed in the murky space between human and beast. He hadn't fully understood what that meant at the time, but now it was clear. He was changing—his body was changing. The hunger was already gnawing at him, the thirst for something more than just water.
He needed to access the system, but he couldn't. Not yet.
[The Daily Requirements to Access the System:]
[Drink two cups of water: Pending.]
[Rest for 4 hours: Completed.]
[Meditate for 2 hours: Pending.]
Larry's brow furrowed as he listened to the mechanical voice. He had completed one task—resting for 4 hours—but the other two requirements still hung over him like a curse. He needed water and time to meditate. Simple enough, he thought.
He pushed himself up from the bed, his legs trembling beneath him as he slowly made his way toward the tent's entrance. His ears picked up the faint conversations outside, and as he stepped through the flap, the smell of burning wood and roasting meat grew stronger.
"You need something, kid?" Garret's voice reached him, followed by the sound of a knife scraping against something hard. Larry didn't respond immediately, feeling the weight of several eyes on him.
"I'm thirsty," Larry admitted, his voice quiet. He played with his fingers nervously, unsure of how to ask for something as simple as water.
"Rina, grab him some water," Garret called to someone else. Larry heard a woman's soft footsteps as she approached, and soon a bottle of water was pressed into his hands.
Without hesitation, Larry gulped it down, the cool liquid sliding down his throat. He finished it within seconds, and immediately asked for more. He could feel Rina's eyes on him, confused by his urgency, but she handed him another bottle.
Again, Larry drank it in one go, but this time he was disappointed because nothing happened. The system didn't respond.
Frustration crept up on him. 'I drank two bottles. Wasn't that enough?'
Rina noticed the sudden change in his expression and what's wondering if something had gone wrong but decided to shrug it off and turn to start leaving.
Before he could turn away, a thought struck him. Bottles. The system had said cups. Larry's hand shot out, stopping Rina before she could leave.
"Can I get two cups of water instead? I—I need cups." He added, making a vague gesture with his hands.
Rina hesitated but fetched two cups, watching as Larry carefully drank both. This time, the system's response was immediate.
Ding.
[Drink two cups of water: Completed.]
Larry let out a breath of relief as the system's notification echoed in his mind. One step closer.
He returned to the tent, his body still aching, but now, his mind was focused. He needed to meditate. His old instructors had taught him basic meditation techniques at the academy, but it had never come naturally to him. Now, it was essential.
Sitting on the mattress, Larry crossed his legs and tried to calm his racing thoughts. His breathing slowed as he entered a state of concentration, but the hunger… that gnawing, relentless hunger was impossible to ignore. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as sweat dripped down his brow.
Time passed slowly, but after what felt like an eternity, the familiar Ding sounded in his head.
[Meditate for 2 hours: Completed.]
[Congratulations, you have successfully completed the Daily Requirements.]
[Host can now access the system.]
Larry's heart raced with excitement. He had done it. The system was finally within his grasp.
"System," he whispered, his voice trembling. "What am I?"
[Appraisal… Error.]
[A disability has been detected in Host.]
[The system is overriding the disability.]
[Failure. Failure… Failure.]
[The system will now adapt to Host condition.]
[Adaptation Successful.]
[Activating Neural Link.]
[Neural Link Activated.]
[A gift has been granted to Host.]
Larry's hands trembled as a strange energy filled the air around him. A box materialized in his palm, the weight of it surprising him. He opened it cautiously, revealing a piece of fabric—soft, delicate, and yet strangely powerful.
It was a blindfold. A black silk fabric with intricate silver embroidery, and a leather strap that felt sturdy under his fingers.
Larry's hands shook as he raised it to his face, securing it over his eyes with the delicate leather strap.
Larry could feel the subtle shift in the air as the blindfold settled over his eyes. The smooth fabric pressed against his skin, cool at first, then warm as it adjusted to his body temperature. The buckle tightened with a reassuring click. Then, silence.
For a moment, nothing happened.
But then—
Ding.
[Item: Blindfold Band.]
[Item Attributes: Passive Skill 1, Active Skill 1.]
[Active Skill: Inspect.]
[The user will be able to see information about anything the skill is used on.]
[Passive Skill: Blood View.]
[Error: Skill needs blood to activate.]
"Blood," Larry whispered, his voice barely audible.