The Rise of the Vampire EmperorChapter 5: The Fifth Dawn
The final push for Level 5 was all that mattered. Vicky sat in his luxurious penthouse, the heavy blackout curtains sealing out the deadly daylight. He checked his stats constantly: Level 4 (305/400 XP). He was so close to shedding the crushing weakness of the sun, and the anticipation was a fever in his blood.
Marcus Keller, his eyes glowing with unyielding loyalty, provided the high-value intel.
"Master," Keller reported, his voice crisp and professional. "My old contacts point to a deep underground fight club in the abandoned subway tunnels beneath Sector B. They are using an engineered specimen called the Mutated Alpha for entertainment. It is Tier 2, strong enough to present a genuine challenge."
Vicky listened with cold focus. "A Tier 2 enemy. It should yield significant XP."
"Caution, Master. Tier 2 is one step above your current tier. You can fight it normally, but it will be highly dangerous. We need you to reach Level 5."
"I will handle it," Vicky commanded. He was tired of hiding. He needed freedom.
The Alpha Hunt
That night, Vicky sped through the city in his McLaren, the car's speed a pale shadow of his own internal velocity. The subway tunnels were vast and dark, the air thick with damp earth and metallic rot.
He found the fight club in a huge, cavernous station. Hordes of Mid-Tier Skirmishers stood guard. Vicky decided on a full-contact assault. He needed the XP.
He surged forward, activating his Blood Claws and relying on his top-tier Speed (8). He was a black blur, weaving through their clumsy attacks, his claws moving in arcs of crimson energy. He focused on single, devastating strikes, minimizing the time he spent in the line of fire. Skirmishers fell like dominoes, their bodies dissolving into dust that yielded precious XP.
Mid-Tier Skirmisher defeated x5. +500 XP total.
The system flashed:
XP Total: 805/400 XP. LEVEL UP! Level 5 achieved.
The rush of power was overwhelming, flooding his body with revitalizing energy. He felt an instantaneous, fundamental change, like a corrupted file being repaired in his core.
But the fight wasn't over. The massive creature—the Mutated Alpha—burst into the chamber. It was nearly three meters tall, covered in thick, bone-like armor plating, and roared with raw, bestial power.
Mutated Alpha: Threat TierVICKY THORNE: STATUS (After Level Up)
Tier: 2 (Mini-Boss)
Level: 5 (405/800 XP)
HP: 500
Strength (STR): 9 (+1)
Special: Bone Armor, Berserk Rage
Speed (SPD): 9 (+1)
Endurance (END): 9 (+1)
Vicky allocated his three new Stat Points instantly, pouring one into each primary attribute, knowing he needed balance for a Tier 2 fight.
The Alpha lunged. Vicky met it with a renewed burst of Speed (9), dodging the crushing blow and seeing a single, clear weak spot: the joints where the armor plates met. He unleashed a barrage of Level 1 Blood Arrows, concentrating them on the Alpha's knee joints, softening the armor before tearing into the area with his Blood Claws.
It was brutal, messy, and loud. Vicky activated his Blood Shield twice, weathering the Alpha's devastating counter-attacks. He used his superior intellect and speed to chip away at the monster until, with a final, desperate tear, he severed the Alpha's neck.
Tier 2 Mutated Alpha defeated. +200 XP. XP Total: 605/800 XP.
As the Alpha crumbled, Vicky felt the final, glorious system message.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
LEVEL 5 THRESHOLD CROSSED. SUNLIGHT WEAKNESS PERMANENTLY NULLIFIED.
Effect: Daylight Debuff removed.
Vicky Thorne was finally free. The sun no longer held power over him.
Internal Friction
Across the city, Detective Mila Torres stood before the stern gaze of Captain Hayes, presenting her "Veros Anomaly" report. She outlined the impossible recovery of Marcus Keller and linked it directly to the simultaneous, inexplicable wealth of college student Vicky Thorne.
"Captain," Mila said, tapping the thermal image showing the crimson energy signature. "This isn't human. This isn't a scam. Keller's DNA is regenerating. We need to focus on Thorne."
Captain Hayes, a man more concerned with budgets and the rising crime rate, sighed heavily. "Torres, I respect your dedication, but we are a police department, not a sci-fi convention. This 'Red Flash' could be a faulty substation cable. The kid bought a car. Rich kids get sudden inheritances every day."
Another detective, Frank, who was supposed to be Mila's backup, leaned in skeptically. "Mila, the kid's got a perfect academic record, no priors. Maybe he just made a good stock trade. You're chasing monsters in the dark."
Mila fought back the frustration. "The disappearances at the Foundry aren't a stock trade, Frank. And the financial anomaly is too perfect. Thorne is our link."
"Your link is circumstantial," Captain Hayes concluded firmly. "The 'Veros Anomaly' task force is officially shelved. I am reassigning Detective Frank to the Eastside robberies. Torres, you will continue to monitor the financial assets of Mr. Thorne and Mr. Keller only, reporting directly to me. No unauthorized field work. No chasing ghosts."
Mila was left with a single desk, a mountain of ignored evidence, and a mandate that tied her hands. She felt the isolation keenly, but her resolve only hardened. They might not believe in monsters, but she was going to prove they were wrong.
The Second Follower
Vicky, enjoying his first day without the oppressive Daylight Debuff, made a crucial decision. He would not just target the wealthy. He needed followers who were loyal not out of greed, but gratitude.
He had Keller find a suitable candidate: Elias Vance, an aging dock worker who had spent years caring for his severely ill daughter, unable to afford the experimental treatments she needed. Elias lived in a poor sector, his spirit broken but his love for his daughter absolute.
Vicky appeared on the doorstep in the evening, no longer needing the cover of night. He stood in his expensive suit, radiating an unnerving mix of youth and ancient power.
"Elias Vance," Vicky said simply. "I can cure your daughter. And I can give you the power and time to care for her forever."
Elias, tears streaming down his face, fell to his knees. "I'd give anything. Anything, sir."
Vicky offered his blood—his power—as an absolute contract. Elias drank it, his body wracked with curative pain, the exhaustion of years of struggle dissolving. His daughter, too, received the cure.
New Follower Generated: Elias Vance. Tier: Low-Tier Infected.
Follower Level: 1 (0/100 XP).
Loyalty Status: Absolute. (Loyalty driven by filial piety: Impregnable).
VICKY THORNE: XP GAIN: +100 XP (Follower Creation Bonus). XP Total: 705/800 XP.
Vicky now had two loyal followers—one driven by the fear of death and the promise of wealth, and one by selfless love and devotion. The empire was growing, fueled by both darkness and light.