In the eerie Blood Moon Castle, Lucien's expression was grim.
He commanded his Goblins to encircle the mysterious figure emerging from the complex magical array.
A sense of unease gnawed at him as he suspected this was yet another trick by that wretched guiding angel, Phyllian.
"This aura... it's incredibly powerful!"
The figure within the array slowly took shape.
At first glance, it appeared to be a petite girl dressed in a corseted gown,
her twin braids reaching far beyond her height.
Yet the overwhelming presence radiating from her was enough to make Lucien's Goblins tremble in fear,
an instinctual response of low-tier creatures to a higher existence.
Lucien himself felt no physical pressure,
but his unease only deepened.
Just as the atmosphere grew heavier,
a sudden system notification rang in his ears.
[Ding! Detected revival of Vampire Progenitor - Annie. Would you like to use 99,999,999,999 HP (struck-through) or 1 HP to form a master-pet contract?]
Lucien froze for three seconds before his eyes lit up.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
He shouted eagerly.
Instantly, his maximum HP dropped by one point.
[Ding! Contract successfully established...]
[Ding! Loading pet panel... Pet panel loaded!]
[Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained a pet: Vampire Progenitor - Annie!]
As the system message faded, the figure in the magic array fully materialized.
With a soft tap, her polished black leather shoes struck the ground.
The hem of her black dress flared briefly, revealing slender legs wrapped in pristine white stockings,
a display of beauty bordering on perfection.
She raised her head, her skin pale as snow, her features exquisitely sculpted.
Her large eyes, adorned with blood-red irises that sparkled like crimson gemstones, exuded a sinister yet captivating allure.
"Father!"
She cried out, her tiny frame dashing forward to cling tightly to Lucien's leg.
Lucien was dumbfounded. He didn't even have a girlfriend,
and now someone was calling him "Father"?
Feeling awkward, he reached out to gently stroke Annie's silky silver hair, smiling faintly.
"Well, hello there... Annie~"
As he spoke, Lucien used Inspect on her.
[Creature]: Vampire Progenitor - Annie
[Master]: Lucien
[Grade]: Demigod
[Level]: 6
[HP]: 1/999,999
[MP]: —/—
[Strength]: 666
[Constitution]: 677
[Agility]: 940
[Spirit]: 711
[Talent]: Blood Sovereign (SS)
[Skills]: Blood Plunder (Lv99), Blood Burn (Lv99)
"Holy sh—!" Lucien exclaimed in shock.
In his monster classification class, he had learned about the Blood Race, a demon branch that included creatures like Blood Thralls, Blood Lieutenants, and Vampires.
These were considered the lowest tier of their kind.
However, the Blood Race also encompassed higher forms like Blood Spirits, Blood Demons, and finally, the Vampires—
the origin and apex of the Blood Race.
But now, Lucien realized that Annie wasn't just a Vampire;
she was a Progenitor, the ancestor of the entire Blood Race—a literal god among monsters.
Despite the system's restriction that pets couldn't exceed their master's level,
Annie, at level 6, had stats that were beyond terrifying: nearly a million HP and quadruple-digit attributes.
Lucien burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha... Phyllian, if this is your doing,
then I truly owe you my thanks!
"Thanks for sending me this ultimate bodyguard. You're such a kind soul!"
He chuckled coldly, mocking her in his heart.
At that moment, another system notification echoed.
[Ding! Detected successful defeat of hidden boss Vampire Progenitor - Annie!]
[Congratulations! You've received special rewards: Talent Mystery Pack ×1, Max-Level Mystery Skill Scroll ×1.]
"More rewards?"
Lucien hadn't anticipated this, but since the system was offering, he wouldn't refuse.
He opened his inventory and used the Talent Mystery Pack.
[Ding! You've opened the Mystery Pack. Congratulations! You've acquired the talent: All for One (SS).]
[All for One (SS)]: For every additional allied unit, gain +50 HP/MP and +10 to all attributes.
Lucien froze for two seconds before his brain processed the implications.
"This talent... is broken!"
As a Summoner, this was a game-changer.
With every summoned creature adding 50 HP/MP and +10 to all attributes,
ten summons meant +500 HP/MP and +100 attributes.
A hundred? +5,000 HP/MP and +1,000 attributes.
A thousand? Ten thousand?
Summoners were considered weak in the early game,
but those who managed to grow to eighth or ninth tier could command massive armies.
It wasn't uncommon for high-level Summoners to summon tens of thousands of creatures during battles.
And now, with All for One,
Lucien imagined assassins trying to target him would be in utter despair.
Meanwhile, at South City No. 3 Advanced School
Back in the classroom, many students had already returned from their profession trials,
eagerly discussing their results.
Some shamelessly sought favors from those who had awakened higher-ranked professions,
hoping to team up and level up faster.
With the Professional Entrance Exams only a month away,
gaining even a single level could provide a significant advantage over peers.
Top-tier academies offered unparalleled resources,
and just four years in such an institution could elevate a professional's combat power to far exceed those from lower-tier schools.
Nina was in high spirits.
Three of her four star pupils had achieved remarkable results:
- Charlotte awakened an S-tier talent and an Epic-tier profession: Frost Witch.
- Logan and Durant both awakened A-tier talents and Epic-tier professions: Thunderflame Knight and Radiant Paladin.
As Charlotte's family background was impressive,
many believed she had a chance to attend the prestigious NUF Academy,
the top institution in the federation.
Logan, surrounded by classmates eager to join his party,
displayed an air of superiority, carefully selecting his teammates.
Durant, though from humble origins, graciously accepted everyone into his team,
earning the admiration of his peers.
Nina, however, couldn't help but glance at her watch and frown.
"Why is Lucien still not out?"
Given his physical prowess, she had high hopes for him,
but his prolonged absence was worrying.
Just as she began to doubt, the teleportation crystal flared to life.
Lucien's towering figure appeared in the classroom,
instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Lucien, you're back! How did it go?" Nina asked, her voice filled with anticipation.
Lucien's expression remained neutral. "It was fine."
"Fine? What does that mean?"
Curious, the students cast Inspect on him.
Professionals could only reveal the information they were willing to share,
and Lucien had concealed most details, leaving only his name and profession visible.
[Name]: Lucien
[Profession]: Summoner (Common)
The classroom fell silent.
No one had expected that Lucien, the school's undefeated brawler,
would awaken as a mere Summoner.
After a long pause, laughter broke the silence.
"Lucien, you've finally fallen! Ha ha ha!"