After they left, Luke and Selene were dropped off at the border—deep in the woods, far from any roads, lights, or even the faintest hint of civilization. The helicopter blades thumped overhead one last time before fading into the night, leaving only the sound of crickets and the rustle of leaves around them.
Luke let out a slow breath, glancing around at the endless trees. "Great. Middle of nowhere drop-off. Classy," he muttered.
He could almost feel Alexander's irritation radiating through the distance. Honestly, Luke was pretty sure the old man was two seconds away from tossing him into the ocean just to test if he could swim with a bomb vest strapped on.
Still, he couldn't complain too much. He'd gotten what he came for—Budapest was handled, and, most importantly, everything went without a fight. That thought made him quietly glad; no messy battles, no extra injuries, just a clean victory.
"Couldn't they just leave us near a road or something? Nooo, it had to be trees and bugs," he grumbled under his breath.
Deep down, though, he knew he deserved this. After blackmailing Alexander and threatening his people, this was just the kind of treatment that came with playing the "suicidal terrorist" card.
As they started walking, Selene finally broke the silence.
"Why did you want that blood so badly?" she asked. Her tone was calm but edged with genuine curiosity. She had seen Luke bluff, threaten, and act like a reckless terrorist in front of Alexander Corvinus himself—and that wasn't something she could just ignore.
"For you," Luke said without hesitation. Then he shrugged. "Well, two purposes actually. For you and… for me."
Selene's brows creased. She was a Death Dealer—trained to fight, to kill, and to obey orders. She wasn't used to being on the receiving end of "gifts," especially not one stolen from the original immortal himself.
"For me?" she repeated, her voice sharper, as if testing whether he was joking.
Luke held up the vial carefully between his fingers. The faint shimmer of crimson catching what little moonlight slipped through the trees. "This isn't just blood. It still carries the original virus that made immortality possible. If you drink it, it'll merge with the vampire strain inside you… and erase your weakness of sun."
Selene froze mid-step, staring at him as if he had just told her that the sky was green. Every vampire is bound by that curse. It wasn't a sickness or a trick—it was their nature. They were creatures of the night, always and forever.
"That's not possible," she said quietly, disbelief tightening her tone. "We're born with that weakness. It's… part of what we are."
Luke gave her a lopsided grin, his eyes glinting with confidence. "Possible? Yeah. Likely? Definitely. That's why I went through all that trouble scamming the old man. Do you think I actually enjoy strapping on bomb vests and threatening people?" He smirked. "Well… okay, maybe a little. But still, it was for a good cause."
"You should still remember," Luke said, his tone steady but firm, "vampires and Lycans were born from mutations of this original virus. The strain inside your body is pure vampire—it's fixed, rigid. But this?" He tapped the vial gently. "This is the source. It can adapt. If you drink it, you won't just be another vampire—you'll be something stronger. Something special."
He extended the vial toward her. "Now… come here and drink."
Selene studied his face carefully. She had seen him lie, threaten, and scheme, but up until now… most of what he said had turned out to be true. That gave her pause. Without another word, she reached out, took the vial, and tilted it back.
The liquid was thick, metallic, heavier than any blood she had ever consumed. It slid down her throat in a single swallow. Almost instantly, a subtle rush spread through her body—her muscles tightening with strength, her senses sharpening.
Her eyes glowed—her pupil now a vivid, luminous blue, and inside it, a smaller black pupil pulsed faintly.
Luke's eyes widened, and he quickly pulled up her stats. Sure enough, the dreaded trait was gone—[Sun Weakness] had vanished. Selene was now a vampire untouched by daylight.
"That's it?" she asked, flexing her fingers, rolling her shoulders as though expecting something dramatic. "I don't feel that different… just a little stronger."
"That's it," Luke confirmed. His grin spreading as he looked at her glowing eyes. "You'll notice the real effect in the morning. Trust me, your first sunrise after a long time is going to blow your mind."
Then Luke shifted his attention to the other vial still in his hand. Selene's business was finished—now it was time for his.
He tightened his grip, as he knew this could also work for him.
Of course, Luke knew the risks. In theory, drinking the original virus could backfire—his body might reject it, he could get seriously sick, or even die. The success rate wasn't exactly high, especially for a human attempting to absorb something so potent.
But Luke wasn't too worried—until level 30, no external factor could rewrite his race or bloodline. That safety net was the only reason he dared even try.
If my body accepts it, I get stronger. If it doesn't… well, it's not like I can die that easily.
With that thought, he uncorked the vial and gulped the thick blood down. The metallic taste clung to his tongue, and he braced himself—closing his eyes, waiting for agony to tear through his body.
But it didn't.
Instead, a heavy warmth spread through his veins, like molten iron flooding his muscles. He could actually feel his strength climbing, layer upon layer, as if his entire body had been reforged.
Luke's eyes snapped open, his expression lighting up as his system window popped in front of him.
[Class: Combat Mage]
[Level: 13]
[Exp: 43,500 / 409,600]
[HP: 228 / 228 → 828 / 828]
[MP: 1900 / 1900]
[Stamina: 159 / 159 → 424 / 424]
[Strength: 18 → 48]
[Agility: 12 → 40]
[Endurance: 17 → 52]
[Intelligence: 19]
[Wisdom: 18]
[Luck: 7]
[Unallocated Stat Points: 2]
[Unallocated Skill Points: 9]
[Traits: Pseudo-Immortality, Minor Regeneration]
[Skills: Basic Martial Arts, Fire Fist, Fireball, Fire Kick, Flame Sweep, Heat Burst, Blazing Dash, Stone Spike, Stone Skin, Quake]
[Passive Skills: Heart of the Infinite Well].
[Equipment: Arcane Catalyst Gloves (Basic), Combat Mage Coat (Basic), Mage's Boots (Basic)]
Luke grinned wide. Good… now my stats look way better. Now he doesn't have to worry about physical strength .
He looked down at the remaining vial of blood, the final piece of the puzzle.
[Alexander Corvinus Blood]
[Do you wish to sacrifice?]
Without a second thought, he made his choice.
Yes.
[You have received 180,000 EXP]
Luke's eyes widened. Just as he had hoped, the blood from the original immortal line delivered a massive boost—180,000 experience points.
With that done, there was nothing left for him in this world. All that remained was the waiting game. Twenty-eight days. That was how long until the Otherworldly Exploration function would transport him back to the Marvel world, ready for the next stage of his journey.
The next morning, Luke was already awake before dawn, sitting cross-legged on a fallen log with an excited grin plastered across his face.
Selene, still curled up in her makeshift sleeping spot beneath the trees, cracked one eye open and groaned. "Why are you staring at me like a kid waiting for Christmas morning?"
"Because," Luke said, springing to his feet, "today is Christmas morning. For you."
She gave him a flat, unimpressed look. "It's five in the morning."
"Exactly," Luke said, tugging her hand before she could protest. "Come on. Before the main event starts."
Selene let him drag her through the forest clearing, muttering about how humans were insufferably enthusiastic at the worst times. The horizon was brushed with soft shades of pale blue and gold, the first hints of sunlight peeking over the distant trees.
Luke stopped in the center of the clearing. "Alright. This is it. Moment of truth. No hiding under cloaks, no burning skin, no screaming in pain. Just… enjoy it."
She hesitated. Centuries of instinct screamed at her to stay in the shadows. Even knowing what the blood had done, standing in full sunlight felt unnatural. But Luke stepped beside her, giving a gentle, reassuring nudge.
And then… the sun broke over the trees.
Selene blinked, letting the golden light wash over her. Warmth, soft and gentle, touched her skin. No searing pains. No sizzling. Just… sunlight. For the first time since she had become a vampire, she could stand in direct daylight without fear.
Her lips parted slightly, disbelief mixing with awe. Luke watched her, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Well? Am I a genius, or am I not a genius?"
Selene's lips curved into a small, almost tentative smile. "It's… beautiful."