At the same time, the other nurse stepped closer to the other side of the bed.
She placed both hands on his chest—one palm glowing a soft blue, the other a light green. She tried pushing the energy into his body, but nothing happened.
The energy rebounded and shot back into her palms, forcing her hands off his chest.
Everyone in the room froze, stunned. But before they could process what had just happened, something even more shocking occurred. As more blood entered the boy's mouth, his pale, dried face started regaining color although almost nonexistent
Noticing the change, the male nurse quickly squeezed the blood pack, emptying it in seconds. Then, without missing a beat, he grabbed two more packs and poured them in the same way.
As the blood entered his body, the youth began to transform. His appearance changed so rapidly that they couldn't look away.
****
"Wow!" Anny's voice slipped out before she could stop herself.
No one said anything—they all felt the same amazement as their eyes stayed locked on the boy.
His hair turned snow-white, brighter and purer than anything they'd ever seen.
His skin, pale yet flawless, looked so natural it seemed almost divine. His body was sculpted like a masterpiece, as though the Goddess of Art herself had shaped him.
But his face? His face was something else entirely.
No mortal could look like this. It wasn't just handsome—it was so stunning, so perfect, that it seemed almost unreal.
Even awakened individuals, who were naturally beautiful after their transformations after the Ember Spark awakening or even at the higher ranks didn't look like this. Why was his face this... flawless?
It wasn't fair.
If his body looked like an artist's greatest work, then his face was perfection crafted by the Goddess of Beauty herself.
The two women in the room felt an almost magnetic pull toward him, but they resisted the charm of a vampire.
As awakened, their minds were strong enough to fight off his natural charm, but the effort was still there.
The male nurse, unaffected, focused on his task. Meanwhile, Anny pressed a communication device on the wall. It looked like a phone but had a screen wide enough to cover her palm.
"Inform the young miss. The boy's health has stabilized, and he's recovering well," she said calmly.
After a moment, the door opened, and a young woman stepped into the room. The others turned and bowed low to her. Even though they were powerfully awakened, they had to show respect in her presence.
Strength didn't matter here. Status did. And this young woman had both.
"Anny, stay. The rest of you can leave," she ordered.
Without hesitation, the three nurses left the room, bowing again on their way out.
"Now, tell me what happened," she said, her tone sharp but controlled.
Anny quickly recounted everything, sparing no details.
The young miss listened intently, her expression unreadable. Once Anny finished, she nodded.
"I see… You can leave now as well, remember to silence all others who saw what happened," she said.
She didn't have to worry about those since they were her people, but reminding them was needed.
Anny bowed and left the room without another word.
Now alone, the young woman approached the bed where the boy lay. The bed had been cleaned earlier, leaving no trace of the black goo or blood.
She leaned in closer, examining his face.
"Who would've thought… your earlier appearance was just the tip of the iceberg," she murmured, brushing her fingers gently against his cheek.
His skin felt cool, almost cold, but it didn't bother her.
When she found him, he was just an ordinary-looking boy, only handsome. He wore an old delivery boy uniform with a hood, his hoodie pulled up to hide his face. His black hair was messy, and dark circles hung under his blood-red eyes.
He'd been more handsome than most males she knew even then, but this… This was on another level.
What kind of race had he awakened to end up like this?
His appearance was far too perfect—his pale skin, his striking red lips that looked as though they were made from blood, and his overall presence.
Was there anyone alive more handsome than him? No, she decided. No one.
Not even "that" man.
"Don't worry, my charming vampire," she whispered, a small smile on her lips. "I'll protect you. Under my wing, no harm will ever come to you. Not even in the gates."
She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully.
"Hmm… Since I don't know your name, I'll just call you my vampire for now. You look like one, anyway, at least from those movies and books I've read."
Little did she know, she was more right than she realized.
Strangely, she felt a sense of peace around him. Usually, she hated being close to people, even her own family. But with him? She felt calm, almost comfortable.
How odd.
Anyway, vampires didn't exist here. They were nothing more than legends—myths passed down through stories. Many people didn't even believe they had ever been real.
Then again, humans had thought the same about other ancient races before the apocalypse. They had believed those races were extinct, only for them to return and help humanity fight against the towers.
So, maybe...
Maybe vampires weren't so far-fetched after all.
Unbeknownst to her, the boy was wide awake.
Peter was busy exploring the strange system in front of him. The floating screen kept his attention completely. He didn't even realize someone else was in the room with him.
And strangely enough, the system seemed to be manipulating their perceptions.
To the young miss, he appeared fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
To Peter, the screen was his only company.
****
Name: Peter
Race: Vampire
Class: Regular
Rank: 1/5
Bloodline: ???
HP: 50/50
Exp: 0/100
Vampire Points (VP): 20
Abilities: The Blood, Darkness
Vampire Abilities: Super Strength, Speed, Stamina, Senses, Defense, Charm
Innate Abilities: Blood Manipulation (Locked until level 10) Darkness Walk (Locked until Level 10)
Acquired Skills: None
Form: None
****
[Ding… A gift pack has been rewarded for maintaining a clear mind and accepting your fate. Check your inventory.]
[Ding… Do you want a description of your innate and basic abilities? YES/NO?]
Peter quickly selected NO.
For some reason, he already knew the basic functions of his abilities. He doubted the system would tell him anything more useful than what he already understood.
"You mentioned system abilities," Peter muttered in his mind, still focused on the screen. "Explain those. And tell me more about my race and this VP thing. I need to know everything I'm allowed to right now."
He glanced at the section labeled Bloodline, where only question marks filled the space.
It seemed there were still things the system wouldn't let him see.