"A sword that has drunk my blood, and an eye that never sleeps… and everything in me whispers that the end has not yet begun."
— From Kain's reflections
Kain needed only three hours of sleep. His evolved body demanded no more; in fact, those few hours seemed to have completely restored his strength. He opened his eyes calmly, then rose from his bed with the lightness of a panther, his gaze gleaming with rare vigilance.
As usual, he slipped silently out of the house, leaving behind the stillness of the night. This time he didn't head to the forest. Instead, he ran along the paved road and performed his exercises in front of the house. The daily quest demanded greater effort this time, but fatigue was no obstacle… only time—it consumed too much.
When the task was completed, the system rewarded him with 30 FP, just as it had the night before.
He returned to his room, took a quick shower, then sat on his bed, breath steady, body pulsing with energy.
"It's time."
He considered his accumulated points, then decided to save them for emergencies. He knew that investing them in a single stat at a critical moment could mean the difference between life and death—even if the pain it caused was devastating. But after all he had endured, pain was no stranger.
He opened the shop, then activated his most important skill: Eternal Dragon Eye.
The upgrade list appeared:
✦ Skill Upgrade: Eternal Dragon Eye
First Upgrade: 1000 Points
Current Rank: B
After Upgrade: Rank A
Without hesitation, he confirmed.
At once, something hot burned within his eye. He clenched it shut, breathing through his teeth, fists tight as he endured the searing pain. The same feeling as when he first acquired the skill… but stronger now, deeper.
And when it ended—when he opened his eyes…
The world was no longer the same.
Everything was terrifyingly clear. His vision was no longer confined forward… but extended behind him as well. Eyes had sprouted at the back of his head—unseen by others, yet working with unspeakable efficiency.
He could now see in a full 360 degrees, without a single blind spot. Every detail, every speck of dust, every faint ripple in the air—laid bare before him. As though the world had shed its mask.
But that was not enough.
He reopened the shop:
✦ Second Upgrade: 5000 Points
Result: Extends the skill to maximum range of vision and prediction.
He spent the points. This time the pain was not only in his eye… but throughout his brain.
He trembled briefly, yet resisted. And when he reactivated the skill…
It felt as though he had left his own body.
He no longer merely saw what surrounded him—but what lay beyond the house walls.
Direction no longer mattered—the entire world was before him, all at once, from every angle.
Walls, trees, even solid stone… no longer barriers. The Dragon Eye pierced through all.
He witnessed life from a new dimension. Time itself seemed to slow.
He saw leaves drifting lazily from the trees, dust swirling, small creatures scurrying… and he could anticipate their next steps seconds ahead.
But when he tried to extend his sight toward the forest…
A sharp sting stabbed his head. Too much data—more than his mind could process.
He muttered:
"This… is the limit of my current intelligence."
Then, a new system prompt appeared:
✦ New Upgrade Available: Final Evolution – Eternal Dragon Eye
Cost: 500,000 Points
Result: Surpass the rank's limit, ascend to Rank S
His heart jolted. Half a million?!
An astronomical figure—but the promise was tempting… Rank S.
He exhaled, smiling faintly:
"Later…"
Then he turned toward his sword, The Devourer.
It rested quietly on the table, its black sheen still chilling his blood. But this time… the system displayed:
✦ Weapon Upgrade: The Devourer
Current Rank: B
Requirements:
• 13,000 SP
• 500 kills ✔️
Next Rank: A
Final Rank: SS
Kain's eyes widened. His recent battle in the forest must have fulfilled the requirement.
Without hesitation, he spent the points.
The sword suddenly lifted from its place, spinning in the air. A black shadow coiled around it like a storm, then swallowed it whole.
A moment of silence.
Then—
The shadow split open, and the sword emerged.
But it was no longer the same.
Blacker than any black, streaked with crimson engravings that glowed faintly, exhaling a low growl as though it breathed.
It drifted slowly toward him, and a new prompt appeared:
✦ Eternal Contract Required: One drop of blood
Kain pricked his finger without pause. Blood fell upon the blade… and it devoured it.
At that instant, he felt a foreign spirit surge into him.
The sword was no longer just a tool.
It had become a partner.
He could sense it… know it, understand it.
He realized instantly that he could summon the sword anytime, anywhere. At a mere thought—it would emerge from his shadow, instantly.
He wanted to test it.
He went to the window, swung the sword with all his might toward the horizon.
It vanished into the darkness.
Kain whispered:
"Return to me."
And suddenly—it emerged from his shadow, settling into his palm.
A silent moment… then a smile.
He also knew—no one else could touch it now. Any attempt would sever their hand, or the sword would flee instantly to its master.
Kain dressed and went down for breakfast.
Bella was waiting in the kitchen, her gaze strange, tense. Clearly… she had been reading about "the Barden," and her eyes studied Kain and Edward with growing suspicion.
He sat, ate quietly.
No one spoke. Only looks… heavy, sharp.
Then he decided.
They left the house afterward in complete silence.
The car ride to school felt like a broken melody… no voices, only the road speaking.
And at day's end…
Bella headed for the forest.
One look from her was enough.
Kain followed. Then Edward. Finally, Alice.
The forest was too quiet… unnaturally so.
Bella stopped among the trees, breath quickened, eyes darting between Kain and Edward.
She looked first at Edward, then at Kain, and said in a trembling voice:
"Who are you… really?"
Edward was the first to avert his gaze, as though unsure where to begin.
But Kain stepped forward, standing before her beneath the shadow of a massive tree, wind playing through his black hair.
He looked deeply at her, then spoke softly:
"What I am about to tell you… I do not share easily."
Silence pressed in.
Then he continued, voice low yet steady, carrying a weariness within:
"I am not a vampire. Nor am I fully human.
After… a certain incident, something inside me changed. Something I cannot fully explain.
All I know is—I am no longer who I was. There is something in me. Something strange, ancient, powerful… but not evil. Or so I hope."
Bella's eyes widened.
Kain's gaze did not leave hers as he added, with grave tone:
"I do not belong entirely to your world, nor to any other. I am… something in between. Something that has never existed before."
Alice stepped lightly from behind, saying softly:
"What he says… is true."
Bella turned to her, searching her face for affirmation or denial.
Alice continued:
"I have seen glimpses of what he can do. This is not just a physical change… it is something deeper. Closer to a miracle… or a curse, I cannot tell."
Edward finally spoke, his tone edged, sharp:
"Whatever he is… he is not like us, nor like humans. I cannot read his thoughts. I cannot even sense him fully. It is as though something conceals his essence."
Kain took a step back, turning his face aside, his voice dropping lower:
"I do not ask for trust, nor understanding… I only wanted you to know."
A long silence followed.
The birds above, the whisper of trees, the rhythm of their breaths—all pressed heavily on Bella's chest.
She whispered:
"And this… thing… is it dangerous? To others?"
Kain lifted his eyes to her.
"No. Unless I am forced to choose… between you and them."
He said it slowly, clearly—then turned his back, walking deeper into the forest.
Bella stood frozen, eyes locked on Kain as he retreated, before shifting back to Edward.
Her voice cracked:
"And you?..."
He hesitated.
But there was no escape.
Drawing a deep breath, he stepped closer, golden eyes fixed on her trembling face.
"I am a vampire, Bella.
I have been for over a century. I… do not breathe, do not sleep. My blood has long ceased to flow.
But I do not kill. Not anymore. My family and I—we live on animal blood, trying not to harm humans."
Bella cut him off, voice hoarse:
"Why didn't you tell me? Why lie?"
From behind, Kain answered without turning:
"Because truth… is not easily spoken. Sometimes silence is lighter than carrying its weight."
No one spoke. Then Alice added:
"We only wanted to protect you, in our way. But now… you have become part of this world, whether we wish it or not."
Bella looked at the three before her, feeling as though the ground had slipped from beneath her, her ordinary world shattered.
"All this time… I thought I was the only one feeling something strange… but it turns out I was the only one who knew nothing."
Kain stepped forward, his gaze soft upon her:
"You are stronger than you think, Bella. And this… is only the beginning."
Silence stretched again, broken only by Bella's ragged breaths, her stunned eyes shifting between Kain and Edward.
Then—as always—Alice pierced the heavy air with her light touch, soft smile breaking tension:
"Well, I'd say this is officially the strangest confession gathering in Forks history… all that's missing is you admitting you're a witch, Bella."
A broken laugh escaped Bella's lips despite herself.
She looked at Alice, then Kain, then Edward… as though trying to grasp whether this moment was real—or another of her many strange dreams.
But no—this time, there was no escape from truth.
She said quietly, gaze heavy with awe:
"I don't know what I've stepped into… but I know I don't want to leave."
🌀 End of Chapter Ten
✦ Next Chapter: "A Wish Beneath the Moonlight"