The world dissolved into a chaotic, swirling vortex of light and sound, an unnatural maelstrom that tore at Blake's newly sensitized being. He had plunged through the shimmering golden surface of the portal above the statue, leaving behind the chilling tableau of the deceased. He gripped the white dragon crystal, its cool surface a grounding presence amidst the sensory overload. This was his desperate gamble, a leap into the complete unknown, trading one terrifying chamber for another.
Then, with an abrupt, nauseating lurch, the swirling colors vanished. Blake slammed onto cold, unyielding stone, landing hard on one knee. The impact jarred his new, denser bones, but the lingering exhaustion from his previous situation and the gnawing hunger were far more immediate concerns. He pushed himself upright, his vision clearing from the aftereffects of teleportation, and stared into the new reality before him.
He was in another chamber. But this was starkly different from the last.
The air here was thick and heavy, laden with the stench of decay, wet earth, and something indescribably reptilian. There was no oppressive darkness as before. Instead, the chamber was illuminated by a sickly, flickering red light, pulsating from veins of glowing, visceral matter embedded in the walls. It cast grotesque, shifting shadows that danced like tormented spirits, painting the vast cavern with hues of blood and rust.
The chamber itself was immense, far larger than the previous one, its ceiling lost in the high arches above. The floor was a treacherous expanse of slimy, uneven rock, slick with a glistening, viscous fluid. Large, skeletal remains, far grander and more terrifying than those of the initial cavern, lay half-buried or jutting grotesquely from the floor, hinting at battles fought and creatures long gone. A low, guttural growl, deep and resonant, vibrated through the very stone, a sound that seemed to come from the heart of the earth itself.
[New Location: Deep Labyrinth - Beast Chamber (Class 3)][Ambient Mana Density: Volatile. Warning: Aggressive Signature Detected.][Threat Assessment: Extremely High (Unique Entity identified - Boss Class).]
The system notifications flashed in his mind, cold and clinical, providing a bizarre sense of objective reality to the nightmare unfolding around him. Boss Class? Blake swallowed hard, the act painful on his parched throat. His new senses, honed to an agonizing degree, picked up every minute detail: the slow, heavy drip of moisture from the stalactites, the foul odor of ancient blood, and the omnipresent, menacing rumble.
The hunger was a roaring inferno in his gut, a relentless torment that threatened to consume his remaining sanity. His Blood Points were critically low, and the system's dire warnings about "Blood Frenzy" seemed poised to become a horrifying reality at any second. He fought it with every fiber of his being, clenching his fists, his fangs aching with unspoken hunger. He had to think. He had to survive.
From the deepest recesses of the chamber, where the pulsing red light was most intense, a colossal form began to stir. It was the source of the growl, the cause of the ground's deep vibrations. A chilling, predatory aura washed over Blake, making his newly accelerated heart pound like a drum against his ribs. This was the Beast.
It lumbered forward, its massive silhouette gradually resolving into a nightmarish reality. It was a creature of immense size, at least ten meters tall, its body a grotesque amalgamation of reptilian scales, hardened chitin, and rippling muscle. Its skin, where visible through the viscous fluid clinging to it, was a mottled greenish black, glowing faintly with the chamber's eerie light. Its head was disproportionately large, armed with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth that gleamed wetly, and its eyes, two malevolent pinpricks of pure, hateful red, fixed on Blake.
It was a monstrosity, something from a primordial age, a living engine of destruction.
[Warning: Host Blood Points Critically Low. Blood Frenzy Imminent.][Unique Entity: Abyssal Chitin-Crawler. Abilities: Corrosive Bile, Petrifying Gaze, Crushing Mandibles.]
Blake knew, with chilling certainty, that this was not a creature to be faced head on, especially not in his current starved state. The sheer size of it, the malevolent power radiating from it, promised instant annihilation. He was a low Elderian Vampire, newly turned, running on fumes, and this thing was a "Boss Class" entity. This was a true trial.
The Chitin-Crawler let out a deafening roar, a sound that vibrated through Blake's entire being, rattling his bones. The very air seemed to compress around him. It lunged, surprisingly fast for its size, covering the distance with alarming speed. A wave of noxious, acidic gas erupted from its mouth, sizzling against the slimy rock floor as it advanced.
Blake instinctively reacted, pushing off with explosive force, his body moving faster than the acid could spread.
[Blood System Activated: Blood Burst (Minor)][Blood Points Consumed: 5]
He dodged to the side, rolling over the slick ground, barely avoiding the corrosive cloud. The hunger screamed, every spent Blood Point a fresh stab of agony. He needed to create distance, to assess, to find a weakness. But more importantly, he needed blood. His mind raced, desperate for a solution.
He launched a Blood Shard, a desperate, instinctual attack.
[Ability Used: Blood Shard][Blood Points Consumed: 20]
The crimson projectile shot forward, piercing the Chitin-Crawler's thick chitinous hide. It actually penetrated, drawing a spurt of thick, phosphorescent green fluid that hissed as it hit the ground. The Beast roared, a sound of pain and rage, confirming his attack had an effect. But the wound was minor, a mere pinprick on its massive form. It was angered, nothing more.
The Chitin-Crawler retaliated instantly. Its large, bulbous eyes glowed with an eerie, petrifying green light.
[Warning: Petrifying Gaze Activated. Resist or Face Immobilization.]
Blake felt a strange stiffness begin to creep into his limbs, a cold, hardening sensation spreading from his extremities inwards. He fought it, channeling what little remaining Blood Points he had into sheer willpower.
[Ability Used: Blood Fortification][Blood Points Consumed: 30][Petrifying Gaze partially resisted. Duration reduced. Effect: Severe Slow.]
The fortification flared around him, pushing back the petrifying effect, but his movements were still sluggish, heavy. The Chitin-Crawler was already upon him, its massive mandibles snapping, dripping with corrosive fluid.
He couldn't dodge. He couldn't attack effectively. He was going to be crushed.
Just as the mandibles slammed shut where he had been moments before, a desperate, primal scream tore from his throat. His entire body convulsed. The hunger, previously a dull roar, exploded into a deafening, all-consuming inferno. All reason, all vestiges of human morality, shattered.
[Critical Warning: Blood Points Exhausted. System Initiating: Blood Frenzy - Full Activation.][Host Control: Lost.][Stats Boost: All physical attributes temporarily increased by 200%.][Passive Ability: Rapid Regeneration activated.][New Innate Trait: Predator's Instinct Activated.]
A red haze engulfed Blake's vision. The world narrowed to a single, burning need: blood. The Chitin-Crawler, once a terrifying monstrosity, was now merely a source of sustenance, a massive, moving target. Blake launched himself forward, no longer caring for strategy, only for the kill.
He moved with savage grace, a crimson blur against the red light. The creature's attacks, once overwhelming, seemed slow, clumsy. He clawed at its thick hide, his enhanced nails tearing through chitin that had previously resisted his Elderian Strike. Green, viscous fluid sprayed, sizzling on the ground. The creature roared in a mixture of pain and rage.
Blake didn't just attack; he tore, he ripped, he bit. His fangs, now fully extended, pierced deep into the creature's flesh. The taste was vile, acrid, like burnt chemicals and ancient decay. It wasn't the sweet, vital taste he craved, but it was blood. It was life force. He gorged, drawing energy, draining the monster's very essence.
[Blood Points Replenished: 100 per second (from Beast).][Warning: Sustenance quality low. Prolonged consumption may cause adverse effects.][Experience Gained: 50 XP per second.]
The Chitin-Crawler thrashed, its sheer power still immense, but Blake, in his blood frenzy, was utterly relentless, clinging to it like a succubus, tearing and feeding. The creature slammed him against the jagged walls, sending shockwaves through his body, but his new "Rapid Regeneration" kicked in, knitting torn flesh faster than it could be damaged.
It was a gruesome, one-sided battle fueled by absolute, unthinking instinct. Minutes stretched into an eternity of primal violence. Finally, with a shuddering, gargantuan heave, the Chitin-Crawler gave one last, dying roar that shook the very foundations of the chamber. Its massive body slumped, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact that echoed through the cavern. The pulsing red light from its veins dimmed, then died, plunging the chamber into near total darkness, illuminated only by the distant, sickly green glow from the walls.
[Unique Entity: Abyssal Chitin-Crawler defeated.][Experience Gained: 1000 XP.][Level Up! Current Level: 3][Stat Points Gained: 5][Skill Points Gained: 1][Blood Frenzy Ending. Host Control Returning.]
Blake detached himself from the lifeless corpse, his body trembling, covered in the creature's phosphorescent green blood. The red haze began to recede from his vision, slowly, agonizingly, replaced by the stark reality of what he had done. He was exhausted, but the hunger, though still present, had lessened its suffocating grip. He felt… sated, in a revolting, unsatisfying way. The taste of corrosive bile still lingered in his mouth.
The system, now no longer broadcasting emergency warnings, presented a comprehensive summary.
[Host: Blake Kamoto][Race: Low Elderian Vampire (Tier 1)][Level: 3][Experience: 2550 / 3000 XP]
[Stats:]
Strength (STR): 15 (+5 from Vampire Tier 1, +2 from Level Up) [Base 8] Agility (AGI): 18 (+6 from Vampire Tier 1, +2 from Level Up) [Base 10] Endurance (END): 14 (+4 from Vampire Tier 1, +2 from Level Up) [Base 8] Perception (PER): 20 (+10 from Vampire Tier 1, +2 from Level Up) [Base 8] Willpower (WIL): 12 (+5 from Vampire Tier 1, +2 from Level Up) [Base 5]
[Blood Points (BP): 105 / 150]
Max BP: 150 (Base: 100 + 10 per Endurance + 5 per Level) Regeneration: 1 BP per hour (Passive, only when calm and fed). Consumption: Acquired by consuming blood from living beings. Quality and quantity vary.
[Active Skills:]
Blood Burst (Minor): Short burst of incredible speed. Cost: 5 BP. Elderian Strike: Infuses physical strike with vampiric energy. Cost: 10 BP. Blood Shard: Projectile of hardened blood energy. Cost: 20 BP. Blood Fortification: Temporary defensive aura. Cost: 30 BP. Blood Siphon (Relic): Drains energy from ancient artifacts/relics (specialized). Cost: N/A.
[Passive Skills/Traits:]
Rapid Regeneration: Minor wounds heal quickly. Severe wounds require significant Blood Points or time. Predator's Instinct: Heightened senses for tracking prey, innate combat awareness (fully active when BP is sufficient, partially active during Blood Frenzy). Weakness: Sunlight Vulnerability (Minor): Direct sunlight causes discomfort and minor BP drain. Prolonged exposure causes significant damage. Weakness: True Hunger: Extreme Blood Point depletion leads to "Blood Frenzy," a state of uncontrollable, primal bloodlust.
Blake stared at the mental interface, a chilling confirmation of his new existence. A vampire. A low tier, partially sated, but still dangerously hungry vampire. He had grown stronger, gained stats, learned skills. But he had also lost control, becoming a beast to survive. The memory of the Chitin-Crawler's vile blood in his mouth sent a shudder down his spine. This was the price of power.
He scanned the now dim chamber. The pulsating red veins on the walls were gone, replaced by faint green light. And in the far wall, where the Chitin-Crawler had seemed to guard, a third portal shimmered into existence. It was a dull, unassuming grey, unlike the golden one before, but it pulsed with a subtle energy that spoke of another transition.
This had to be it. The exit from this infernal dungeon.
He stumbled towards it, his body heavy, his mind a chaotic mix of revulsion, exhaustion, and a faint, terrifying triumph. He pressed his hand against the grey shimmer, and without hesitation, stepped through.
The world dissolved into a rapid, dizzying blur. Not the controlled, almost gentle transition of the first portal, nor the violent plunge of the second. This was a chaotic, uncontrolled tumble, as if he was being violently ejected from reality itself. He felt light, then heavy, then a profound sense of falling.
And then, with a jarring thud, he landed. Not on cold stone, not in a dark chamber, not in the familiar alley outside the abandoned building.
The air was sharp, cold, and undeniably urban. The ground beneath him was hard, uneven asphalt. He heard the faint, distant drone of traffic, the blare of a car horn, the murmuring of voices. He opened his eyes.
Above him, a streetlamp hummed, casting a sickly yellow glow on the grimy brick wall beside him. He was in a narrow alleyway, lined with overflowing bins and a discarded, broken shopping cart. A faint drizzle of rain began to fall, pattering softly on the pavement.
He was outside. He was on a random street. He had escaped.
His crimson eyes, still glowing faintly in the dim light, widened as he slowly processed his surroundings. The dungeon was behind him, a distant, horrifying memory. But the hunger, the newly awakened vampire within, was still very much a part of him, a constant, low thrum beneath his skin. He was free, but irrevocably changed, left alone to navigate a world that was suddenly far more dangerous, and far more tempting, than he could have ever imagined. The journey had truly just begun.