Ikano D. Ryu stood alone in the training grounds, his crimson eyes glinting faintly under the moonlight. He pulled out the blood pouch he had filled just hours earlier and took a long, deep sip.
Gulp... gulp... gulp...
A warm surge of energy coursed through his body, spreading from his abdomen outward. His cheeks flushed unnaturally, and an overwhelming sense of vitality surged within him. With this newfound strength, he began his training regimen.
This time, he had consumed only about half a unit of blood—far less than what he usually required—but it sustained him for an entire night's worth of intense practice before finally being fully absorbed.
In the past, he would have needed to replenish his reserves after just two hours of rigorous exercise. Human blood clearly packed more potency, though his youthful appetite limited how much he could consume at once.
As he trained, a sudden notification echoed in his mind:
[Congratulations, Host!
Conditions met.
Basic Swordsmanship has advanced to Beginner Swordsmanship.]
"Oh? A breakthrough already?" Ryu muttered to himself, intrigued. He mentally checked the details of his new skill.
Beginner Swordsmanship (0/100,000) – Increases sword attack power by 40%.
"A forty percent boost, huh? Not bad," he mused aloud. "Still not enough to cut through steel, but progress is progress."
Before he could delve deeper into thoughts of improvement, another system prompt interrupted him:
[The Host's swordsmanship has reached a sufficient level. Triggering event: 'Treasure Hunt.'
Mission briefing: Somewhere within the Ikano family's territory lies a hidden treasure belonging to the Ikano clan. Locate these treasures.]
Ryu paused, his brow furrowing slightly. A treasure? Hidden somewhere on his family's estate? The timing of the mission suggested it was tied to his recent advancement in swordsmanship.
That meant the treasure was likely related to weapons—perhaps even a legendary blade. Could it be one of the Supreme Grade Swords , like those ranked among the 21 O Wazamono?
He shook his head dismissively. No, that was probably too ambitious. But it might still be a high-quality katana or some other valuable weapon.
Either way, he resolved to find it.
After all, their villa wasn't particularly large. There had to be secret doors, basements, or hidden compartments somewhere.
For the next hour, Ryu scoured his parents' old rooms and various parts of the house, searching for clues. When nothing turned up, he decided to take a break.
The task wasn't urgent; there was no time limit on the quest. Over the following weeks, he continued exploring every nook and cranny of the estate, methodically ruling out possibilities.
Three months passed without success. Ryu sighed as he examined yet another false lead—a box with a hidden compartment containing nothing more than a pile of gold coins. While the search hadn't yielded the fabled treasure, it had revealed something else entirely: just how wealthy his family truly was.
A month prior, he'd discovered a concealed door leading to a hidden vault filled with mountains of treasure and a staggering 100 million Beri. Overnight, he became fabulously rich.
To ensure its safety, Ryu transferred most of the wealth into his Blood Ring, a magical artifact that served as both storage and a measure of his growth. Though he had leveled up significantly—to Level 11—the ring's capacity hadn't expanded enough to hold everything.
For now, he stored only a portion of the riches, determined to protect his family's generational fortune.
Despite his efforts, Ryu began to suspect that the treasure might not be inside the villa at all. His father had once been a count, after all.
What if the Ikano family's domain extended beyond the mansion? Perhaps the entire Boro Village fell under their jurisdiction.
The thought made him grimace. Searching the entire village would be far more challenging, especially since he couldn't exactly barge into people's homes or enlist help without raising suspicion. For now, he resolved to continue investigating the villa itself, hoping to uncover additional leads.
Just then, the sound of light footsteps approached his room. Recognizing them immediately as Gray's, Ryu quickly returned the box to its original spot.
A moment later, Gray entered, her gaze meeting his. "Master Ryu," she began hesitantly, "I couldn't help but notice you've been looking for something lately. If I may… perhaps I can assist you."
"You know what I'm searching for?" Ryu asked, genuinely surprised.
Gray nodded. "When I was young, your father once told me a story. He said that deep underground, in the darkest place, lies something of great importance to the Ikano family. At the time, I was curious and tried to find it myself, but I came up empty-handed. Your father claimed that only someone of the Ikano bloodline could locate it."
"The darkest place underground…" Ryu murmured thoughtfully. It sounded like a basement, but the villa's current cellar wasn't particularly dark—it was illuminated by glowing treasures. Was there another hidden passage somewhere?
"Gray, do you remember any hints about this 'darkest place'?"
She frowned, concentrating. "It was framed as a fairy tale. Something about standing atop the highest point of the castle during a full moon, gazing westward. You'll see a horned demon guarding the entrance to the underground realm. Beyond that, I don't recall much—I was only three or four years old when he told me."
"A horned demon, huh?" Ryu repeated, his interest piqued. "And today is the twelfth day of the month. In three days, it will be the fifteenth—the night of the full moon. We'll test this theory then."
Three days later, Ryu awoke as the sun dipped below the horizon. Outside, the moon hung bright and round in the sky. Without wasting a moment, he climbed to the rooftop of the villa—the former castle—and faced due west.
Though Gray had mentioned failing to spot anything resembling a demon in her own attempts, Ryu knew better. To a vampire, the night revealed far more than it did to ordinary humans. Within moments, his sharp eyes caught sight of a shadowy figure resembling a horned demon.
"That direction… it's toward the wine cellar."
With supernatural speed, Ryu darted off, his form dissolving into a streak of darkness as he raced toward the source of the projection.
Whatever awaited him in the depths of the earth, he was ready to claim it.