The succubus stood still as death, her eyes glowing like twin eclipses. She didn't breathe. Didn't blink.
Caspian studied her face. Perfect. Inhumanly so. A weapon sculpted to seduce, corrupt, and kill.
He didn't speak. He waited.
She finally broke the silence, tracing a claw along the window's edge.
"This layer's collapsing faster than expected. Your world's surface code is corrupted. How quaint."
"You're not from here."
"No. But neither are you. Not anymore."
[Interface Update Detected]
[Awakening Skill Tree: BLOOD PROTOCOL. Root Node Unlocked]
[Skill 1: Hemovore Extraction. Active]
Description: Allows user to leech strength, memory, or ability from consumed blood. Effectiveness scales with intensity of intent and compatibility.
Warning: Overuse may accelerate Hunger Cascade.
He felt it in his chest. A pull. Like gravity inside his own veins.
"What's your name" he asked quietly.
She smiled. "Names are power. But I like the way Neris sounds."
He didn't respond. Names didn't matter. Only function.
Caspian stood, moving through the ruined apartment. Charred walls. Frozen blood on the floor. Signs of panic. None survived.
"Neris" he said, testing the name. "What are you bound to take from me"
She cocked her head. "Whatever you aren't strong enough to hold onto."
[Symbiosis Sync. 6.4%]
[Shared Interface Access Granted]
Without warning, the air split open.
A rift.
It shimmered like broken glass suspended in air, swirling with static and colorless light. From inside, a figure stepped out. Humanoid. Masked in shifting code. Skin etched with system glyphs.
[Infected Hostile. Nullborn Crawler]
Threat Level. Moderate
Behavior. Assimilate. Harvest. Silence.
Caspian didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, hand tightening around the rusted knife.
"Do I need to chant" he asked.
Neris leaned against the wall, amused. "Just bleed."
He slashed his palm.
[Blood Protocol Engaged. Skill Active]
The blood hovered in the air, twisting into a crimson fang. With a thought, he launched it forward. It struck the creature in the chest. No effect.
It lunged. Caspian ducked beneath the swipe, drove the knife upward under its jaw. The blade cracked, but the blow staggered it.
He didn't stop.
He stepped into the next strike, arm swept low, and shoved his bleeding hand against the wound.
[Hemovore Extraction. Success. 8.1% Compatibility]
Ability Acquired. Phase Pulse. Basic Displacement Blink.
The creature screamed, glitching out of existence.
Caspian stepped back, breathing hard.
Neris clapped slowly.
"You're learning fast."
He wiped his hand on his coat.
"No. I'm adapting."