Chapter 2 – What?! I'm a Dracula?!
A low, steady beeping dragged Edem back from the depths of unconsciousness.
His eyelids felt heavy, his body strangely light. He blinked and found himself staring at a cracked ceiling. The faint smell of dust and damp cement told him he wasn't in a hospital.
"Ugh… what the hell happened…" he muttered, sitting up slowly.
And then—
[Initialization complete.]
The voice was back. Deep, metallic, and resonating inside his skull.
[Crimson Evolution System Online.]
[Primary Bloodline Detected: Vampire – Progenitor Class.]
[Congratulations, Host. You are now a Trueborn Dracula.]
Edem froze. "…I'm a what?"
[Dracula.]
He rubbed his temples. "No, no, you must have me confused with some pale guy from an old horror movie. I'm human—"
[Correction: Formerly human.]
Something was wrong. His senses were… sharp. Too sharp. The sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance was loud in his ears, as if it was right beside him. He could smell the faint trace of rust from an old pipe, the musk of rats, and—
His stomach growled.
No… not a growl. More like an ache. A gnawing hunger that felt different from anything he'd ever experienced.
His gaze darted toward the open window. Down below, in the alley, a stray cat slinked past. He could hear its tiny heartbeat. His throat tightened.
What is wrong with me?
[Reminder: As a Trueborn Dracula, blood is the primary source of nourishment and power. The stronger the blood, the faster your evolution.]
Edem's eyes widened. "You're telling me… I need to drink blood?"
[Affirmative.]
"This… this is insane…" He stood, only to stumble as a wave of dizziness hit him. Instinctively, he caught himself against the wall — and that's when he saw it.
His reflection in the dusty, cracked mirror.
His once-brown eyes now glowed a deep, crimson red. His canines were sharper, longer.
He staggered back. "Oh hell no… I am a Dracula…"
[Host awakening complete. First mission generated.]
A glowing red screen materialized in front of him:
> [First Mission: Sate Your Hunger]
Objective: Consume the blood of any living creature.
Time Limit: 3 hours
Failure Penalty: Severe Blood Frenzy
The hunger inside him throbbed harder, as if agreeing with the system's demand.
Edem swallowed hard.
"…Guess I'm not eating supermarket snacks today."
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