The adrenaline that had powered Vicky through his first fight began to recede, leaving behind a cold, shaky exhaustion. The air was getting lighter, shifting from the deep black of midnight to the bruised purple of pre-dawn. He was still standing in the blood-stained industrial yard, and the crushing reality of his situation hit him: he was a Level 2 vampire, terrified of the sunrise, and he needed to run.
A new warning flashed across his HUD.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Objective: Evade Daylight Exposure.
Time Remaining: 47 minutes.
Penalty for Failure: Severe HP and Stat drain.
"Forty-seven minutes," Vicky muttered, his voice raw. He had to get back to his apartment, three kilometers away, without being seen, and then find a way to survive the day.
First, the Stat Point. Looking at the options, he decided to prioritize survival. The daylight was his biggest immediate threat, and his new Endurance stat seemed like the best defense against it.
VICKY THORNE: STAT POINTS
Current Points: 1
Allocation: 1 Point to Endurance (END)
New END: 7
The point vanished, and he felt a faint but distinct wave of restorative energy flow through him. His pulse steadied slightly.
Now, to test the new skill: Blood Shield.
He focused, imagining the blood-red energy that formed his claws hardening around his body. A crimson sheen materialized around him, humming with low energy. It felt like wearing a light, armored shell.
[Blood Shield (Lvl 1) activated. Cost: 5 HP/sec.]
"Five HP per second? Too expensive for travel," Vicky thought, quickly deactivating the shield. It was a panic button, not a travel tool. He needed to rely on his speed.
His new Speed (6) was noticeably better. He cleared the high chain-link fence of the yard in a single, silent leap, landing lightly on the outside pavement. He ran through the deserted back alleys, moving like a shadow, faster than he ever thought possible. The city, usually loud, felt like it was holding its breath just for him.
He made it back to his apartment building with twenty minutes to spare. Sliding into his tiny room, he locked the door and taped up the cracks in his window with newspaper to block the first rays of light.
At 6:30 AM, the sun officially rose.
Even through the pathetic barrier, Vicky felt it. A palpable wave of weakness crashed over him. His head throbbed, his muscles went slack, and the cold, powerful energy of the system felt like it was draining away. He collapsed onto his bed, his status screen updating with a miserable sight.
VICKY THORNE: STATUS (Daylight Debuff Active)
Level: 2 (5/200 XP)
Strength (STR): 4.8 (6 - 20%)
Speed (SPD): 4.8 (6 - 20%)
Endurance (END): 5.6 (7 - 20%)
Passive Effect:Daylight Debuff: Active. Vampires below Level 5 lose 20% of all power during daylight hours.
"I'm barely stronger than a normal human now," he gasped, the revelation sobering. Level 5. He had to reach Level 5 before the next dawn, or he would be trapped in the dark forever.
But how? The Ghoul fight had been terrifying. He couldn't just wander around abandoned lots every night, hoping for monsters. He needed a plan—a way to leverage the system for wealth and influence, just like Damien Vance had used his inheritance.
Vicky opened his laptop, now shielded by the newspaper from any reflected light, and started searching. Not for quick cash schemes, but for something else entirely: desperate wealth.
He remembered the instructions: The system can turn people into vampires, granting them longevity and healing.
"The rich fear mortality the most," Vicky thought, a cold smile touching his lips. He started his research, looking for high-net-worth individuals who were fighting terminal illnesses or were simply terrified of getting old. He scanned news archives and corporate filings, searching for the perfect, discreet target.
He found him quickly: Marcus Keller, a powerful, aging real estate tycoon known for his relentless greed and recent, severe illness that no doctor could cure. Keller had quietly liquidated most of his assets, preparing for the end. He was rich, desperate, and his demise was imminent—a perfect vulnerability.
Vicky's mind raced, his engineering brain already piecing together the logistics. He wouldn't offer Keller immortality upfront. He would offer a miracle cure, a slow transformation, demanding a substantial payment and, more importantly, unwavering, blood-sealed loyalty in return.
He looked at his Level 2 status, then at the name Marcus Keller on the screen, a chilling determination in his eyes.
"To be ordinary is to be weak," Vicky whispered into the dark room. "If they want monsters, I'll be the one they worship."
His path to wealth, revenge, and empire began now—not in a graveyard, but in the boardroom. He just had to survive the next twelve hours of weakness first.