Kael found himself in a clearing, surrounded by tall, ancient trees that seemed to whisper with the wind. The ground was covered with moss and dry leaves, and the only illumination came from a pale moon hanging in the dark sky. He took a deep breath, trying to make sense of what was happening, but his head throbbed with so many unanswered questions.
In front of him, messages floated in the air, translucent and almost ethereal. He grunted in irritation as he swiped through the various tabs with his fingers.
"Come on, there must be something here that makes sense... or at least tells me how to survive in this place."
Finally, he found the tab he was looking for. With a hesitant tap, he opened the [Status]. A new window materialized, showing detailed information about his "character." His eyes widened as he read.
[Character Status]
Name: Kael Alucard
Race: Inferior Vampire (Level 0)
Class: None
Titles: None
Level: 0
HP: 10/10
MP: 5/5
Strength: 3
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 6
Vitality: 2
Charisma: 1
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: None
Resistances: None
He stared at the ridiculous numbers for a few seconds, feeling the frustration grow inside him.
"Is this for real? This is my status? I'm weaker than a tutorial NPC!"
Kael kept reading, hoping to find something useful, but each line just made his mood worse. When he reached the skills section, humiliation hit him full force.
"Active Skills: none. Passive Skills: none. Resistances: none... This is practically saying 'good luck, you're gonna die.'" He rubbed his face with his hands, or at least tried to, still getting used to the new body.
"Zero Two, you really hate me, don't you?" he muttered, kicking a nearby stone. It barely moved, but Kael felt the pain in his foot immediately.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" He looked back at the status tab, hoping something miraculous would appear. But everything was still terrible.
It was then that a new message appeared, as if the system was waiting for the perfect moment to taunt him more.
[System Tip]: You are weak now, but each challenge you overcome grants an opportunity to grow. Complete quests to gain EXP and improve your attributes.]
Kael narrowed his eyes at the message.
"Quests, huh? And where do I find these quests? Is some NPC gonna pop out of the woods and give me a request to collect fruits or something?"
As if in response, another message appeared.
[Initial Quest: Survive for 24 hours.]
Description: Prove your ability to survive in the abandoned world. Use whatever you have at your disposal to face the imminent dangers.
Reward: 50 EXP, 1 Skill Point.
Penalty: Permanent death.
Kael blinked.
"Oh, of course, 'permanent death.' As if I haven't already died once." He looked around, feeling a chill. "And exactly what are these 'imminent dangers'?"
Before he could finish his thought, a strange sound came from the trees to his right. It was a low, guttural growl that made the hairs on the back of Kael's neck stand up.
Slowly, he turned and saw red eyes glowing in the dark. A creature resembling a wolf, but much larger and more threatening, emerged from the trees. Its teeth gleamed under the moonlight, and saliva dripped from its open mouth.
[New Danger Detected: Shadow Wolf - Level 3.]
[System Tip]: Running might be a good strategy.]
Kael looked at the wolf, then at the message, and sighed deeply.
"I hate this place." And then, he ran.
Kael shot through the forest, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode. His feet stumbled over roots and scattered leaves on the ground as he fought to keep his balance. Behind him, the sound of the wolf's heavy steps and its threatening growl made it clear: the predator was gaining ground.
"Great! My first challenge is a wolf with demon eyes! Thanks, system!" He yelled as he jumped over a small rock, nearly falling when he landed.
The wolf continued to close in, agile and fierce. Kael could hear the branches snapping as the creature effortlessly advanced over obstacles.
"I'm just a nerfed vampire! I can't even fly or turn into mist... Where are my superpowers?!" He shouted to no one in particular.
Desperate, Kael grabbed anything he could reach while running. His fingers closed around a thin, long branch hanging from a low tree. He pulled hard, but the branch resisted.
"Great, even the branches don't cooperate with me!" He yelled, pulling again, this time with more force.
Finally, the branch gave way, snapping back like a spring... right into the face of the wolf chasing him.
WHACK!
The impact was so unexpected that Kael stopped for a moment, turning to see the scene. The branch had struck the wolf's snout squarely, causing it to stagger backward with a pained howl. A small damage indicator appeared above the creature:
[-2 HP]
Kael blinked in disbelief.
"Wait... that actually hurt it?" He looked at the branch in his hands, still trembling from the impact. "You're telling me a crappy old branch did more damage than I probably could with my entire status combined?"
The wolf shook its head, clearly annoyed, and locked its red eyes on Kael again. The predator charged forward with even more fury, but now there was a small trail of blood dripping from its nose.
"Oh, great... Now it's pissed."
Kael began running again, clutching the branch as if it were a divine weapon.
"Okay, new plan: use the branch! No idea how, but I'll improvise!" He muttered, as the sound of the wolf's steps grew louder.
It was then that an unexpected message appeared in the air:
[System Tip]: Improvised objects can deal damage to weaker creatures. Keep exploring the environment to find new tools.]
"Ah, now you want to help me, huh?!" Kael yelled, gripping the branch more firmly.
The wolf lunged with impressive speed, its sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Kael, with no time to think properly, raised the branch to strike, but the wolf was faster. With a quick move, it leaped over Kael, forcing him to kneel to avoid being hit head-on. The branch, which had seemed like a decent improvised weapon, was immediately crushed in the wolf's mouth as it bit down with all its might.
CRACK!
The sound of the branch breaking was almost deafening. Kael looked, surprised, as the wood shattered in his hands.
"Shit! My branch!" he shouted, but there was no time to mourn. The wolf was now on top of him, its massive mouth open, ready to crush him. The animal growled with such intensity that Kael could feel its hot, heavy breath on his face, the smell of meat and saliva mixing with the forest air.
The wolf huffed, and saliva splattered, landing directly on Kael's face. He had to close his eyes for a moment, the taste of the hot saliva mixed with dirt invading his mouth. His body was paralyzed by the sense of helplessness, but Kael wasn't going to give up that easily.
With the last of his strength, Kael searched the ground for something he could use. His fingers brushed against something cold and hard. A stone. He gripped it tightly, and before the wolf could attack, Kael quickly lifted it, aiming for the most vulnerable spot.
The wolf was so close. Kael had only one second. He had no choice.
With a quick move, he thrust the sharp stone directly into the wolf's right eye, pressing with all his strength.
SPLURT!
The stone, now covered in blood, was still cold in Kael's hands when he saw the wolf, disoriented, writhing on the ground. Its movements slowed, its eyes losing their life with every passing second. Blood poured from the wound in its eye, but the wolf was still alive, panting heavily, a last thread of resistance shining in its eyes.
Kael didn't hesitate. He was angry. The wolf had forced him to fight for his life, and he wasn't going to let that monster, still gasping and furious, threaten him again.
He moved closer to the animal, which was now trying to twist its head in his direction, as if it still wanted to attack. Kael gripped the stone tighter, his fingers digging into the piece of rock as his breathing quickened. His vision was blurry from exhaustion, but the hatred in his heart was clear and cold as steel.
With a swift motion, he brought the stone down toward the wolf's head. The impact was brutal — CRACK. The sound of bones breaking and the pressure of the stone against the flesh, crushing the wolf's skull, echoed through the clearing. The animal let out a muffled, spasmodic cry, its muscles involuntarily contracting as life drained from its body. Blood spurted from its shattered skull, splashing on Kael's face, leaving a trail of flesh and destruction all over his skin.
Kael stood there, frozen for a moment, watching the scene. The wolf's mouth still moved, but it was a reflex, a final breath of life that quickly extinguished. Blood poured from the animal's severed head, and Kael realized his hand was covered in red — the wolf's blood still warm, mixed with his own sweat.
"I... I just did that," Kael said, his voice hoarse. He breathed heavily, the weight of violence and death still pressing on his chest. But as he looked at the wolf's body, what had once been a threat was now just a pile of flesh, muscle, and shattered bones. The anger in his chest gave way to a cold silence. The fight was over.
Before he could process what had happened, the familiar system window appeared before his eyes, once again interrupting his thoughts.
[You have reached level 1.]
The sound of the system, cold and impersonal, echoed in Kael's mind. But he didn't feel joy or satisfaction from the victory. Instead, he looked at the stone in his hands and felt a lump form in his throat. He had killed. He didn't know whether he should feel proud or disgusted. The adrenaline still burned through his veins, but the reality of it all was starting to hit his mind.
"I... I don't know how I feel about this," he murmured, his eyes lost on the wolf's body, the feeling of power mixed with revulsion. "Is this how it's going to be here? Kill to survive...?"
Kael stepped away from the body, collapsing to his knees on the ground, his head lowered. The weight of it all was too much.
"Tell me my rewards..." he murmured, his voice hoarse, his fingers still covered in blood. Kael closed his eyes for a moment, trying to push away the images of death and destruction he had just caused. The feeling of anguish still consumed him, but he knew he had to move forward. He needed to see what he had gained, what the system would give him.
A new system window appeared in front of him, sliding down as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Kael wasn't surprised, but his mind was still distant. He forced his gaze to focus on the tab that appeared.
[Rewards Earned]
EXP: 50 (New Level: 1)
Status Points: 5
Skill Earned: "Mortal Gaze" (Level 1)
Item Earned: Bloodstone (Increases attack power by 10% for 5 minutes after use)
Achievement: "Survive Your First Combat" - +1 Skill Point.
Kael blinked, trying to process the information. He knew the rewards were part of the game, but the amount of points and skills seemed very... practical, given what he had just done.
EXP: Level 1 felt so low compared to the violence he had just experienced, but he knew it was only the beginning. He swallowed hard, trying not to worry about how difficult this was going to be.
Status Points: 5 points. A small consolation, considering what he had just faced. He had them now, but what should he use them on? He wondered for a moment whether he should increase his physical strength, maybe his resistance, or even his combat skills. The options were many.
Skill Earned - "Mortal Gaze": He had no idea what that meant, but it seemed useful. A skill that would likely help him face threats more effectively. He thought it might be something that enhanced his perception of enemy weaknesses, allowing him to see vital points, or maybe even scare his victims. But he wasn't sure. At least it appeared to be an advantage, seemingly.
Item Earned - Bloodstone: Kael looked at the stone still in his hands. It had a rough texture, stained with the wolf's blood, but the item description said it could increase his attack power. It wasn't much, but it could be useful. Maybe he could defeat a stronger enemy with the help of this ability, if he was careful.
Achievement: He gave a bitter smile when he saw the achievement "Survive Your First Combat." A reward that, deep down, felt more like a reminder of the brutality awaiting him, rather than something to be proud of. But at least it meant he was doing well, given the circumstances.
"Shit..." he muttered.
Kael stared at the status window before him, the numbers and information floating impassively on the screen. He didn't have much time to lament his circumstances, so he did what he knew he needed to do. It was time to use his status points.
Status Points: 5
Without hesitation, he began distributing the points, each one deciding the fate of his new life, his new journey.
Without hesitation, he began to distribute the points. He then placed 3 points in strength and 2 points in vitality.
[Current Status]
Name: Kael Alucard
Race: Inferior Vampire (Level 0)
"That's still far from enough," Kael thought to himself, feeling the weight of his situation. He was in a vampire body, but with all the limitations of an "Inferior Vampire." He didn't exactly know what that meant, but the term already seemed like a huge obstacle.
"System, I still have a skill point left. What is this Mortal Gaze skill?" he asked.
[Skill: Mortal Gaze]
Description: An intensified gaze that allows the user to perceive vital weaknesses and pain points in living beings. The skill is activated by pure intent and can cause serious damage to the target if aimed correctly. The gaze is not easily controlled, and if used excessively, it can tire the user, causing mental pain.
Level: 1
Cost: 5 MP per activation
Effectiveness: High against creatures with visible biology and external vulnerabilities.
Kael furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected something so... peculiar. "Mortal Gaze." It seemed promising, but also dangerous. Being able to see weak points could be useful, especially in combat, but the cost of 5 MP per activation made him think twice. He was still far from having a large enough energy reserve to waste it.
"I can only use it once..." Kael murmured. "If I upgrade it with the point I have, what would happen?" he asked the system.
[Skill Upgrade: Mortal Gaze]
Upgrade Cost: 1 Skill Point
Upgrade Effect:
Level 1: Increases the effect duration, allowing the user to maintain Mortal Gaze for 30 seconds.
Level 2: Reduces MP cost to 3 per activation.
Level 3: Allows the user to identify weak points at a greater range, affecting up to 3 targets simultaneously.
Kael thought for a moment, analyzing his options. The idea of reducing the MP cost to 3 per activation seemed very attractive, especially since he was still very weak and didn't have much energy to spare. Increasing the duration was also interesting, as it would allow him to keep the skill active for longer, something very useful if he were facing a strong enemy.
However, what really caught his attention was the third option: identifying weak points in multiple targets simultaneously. This could be a valuable trick, allowing him to stand out in combat against multiple enemies.
"Is it worth it?" Kael thought. The point he had could be well spent on any of these options, but he knew that if he wasn't careful, he might regret it later.
He made his decision. "I'll upgrade to level 2," he said, and the screen confirmed his choice.
[Skill: Mortal Gaze - Level 2]
Updated Effect: Reduced MP cost to 3 per activation, duration of 20 seconds.
"Now, let's find something to make a weapon... at least use this stone as the tip of a weapon... I need to find something to tie it to a branch... making a Stone Mace would be ideal..." He murmured as he got up.