Chapter 93: Leveling spree
Level 3 next, may as well do it while I’m in this vampiric body; and so I return to the town. To ascend to the next level, I need to consume over half the bloody of 5 separate people. Helpfully explained within my NEI and the book.
It doesn’t take long for me to find another residential area. My hearing even sharper after leveling; I can hear how many people are within each house. Their heartbeats a beautiful symphony to my ears; how it stirs the thirst.
It’s going to take time to get used to this thirst. It quickly cuts through the power-drunk state I feel when entering this body. Finding a house with 3 strong heart beasts, I enter. Feeling the predatory side of me stirring from its slumber. Slowly feeding my sensations and feelings on how to hunt. Finding it eerie how silent my footsteps are no matter the force I strike the wooden floor.
Slowly walking through the house, I quickly find its occupants. 2 parents and a child. Noticing the poor kid burdened by nightmares. Sadly, I’m in no situation to soothe them. I’d prefer not to be found out doing home invasions.
Approaching the parents like a silent snake. With gentle grace, I begin feeding on the parents. Finding my thirst disappearing, yet I continue to drink. My stomach a bottomless pit, I gorge myself on the blood. Feeling sorry for them, they will be sore in the morning.
Not having the thirst in the background is very refreshing. More so than the ecstasy of consuming the blood. Similar to noise, in that it’s everpresent and gradually gets worse and higher pitched. Thankfully having avoided the sensation of starvation as a vampire thus far.
Moving onto the second parent was easy. I find the nagging thirst not impeding my thoughts; the desire to hunt quiet and still, like a sated predator.
Having finished my meal, I gently place a silver coin under their pillows in thanks. Not enough to arouse suspicion, but a thank you nonetheless. Disappearing into the night like a ghost. I mentally muse on how interesting each individual tastes. All with that sweet sickly taste but some sweeter and others sour; how very strange.
I continue this, consuming 3 more adults before the ravishing hunger returns. Having been prepared for the sudden thirst, I remove my teeth before any damage can be done. It was hard, but not impossible. Stretching my limbs and feeling the barely contained power within. It startling how rapidly the power grows with successive level-ups.
Although, if I was unaware of the level-up prerequisites, I imagine this would be slow. Most vampires, more than likely taking large quantities of time to progress; a master is a must. Someone without a guide would take years to figure out some of the prerequisites. For example, I believe level 5 requires intentional exposure to sunlight to build a tolerance. This must be done through items as even touching sunlight is instant death.
How many vampires must have died from this step alone is staggering. While prowling in the night, lost in thought. I suddenly feel an intense urge to sleep. Looking at the horizon I see a deep purple sky. Signs of sunlight bleeding through the black; it's time I head home.
Returning to my castle was pleasant after such a fruitful night of hunting. Not having anything planned for the day, I choose to slumber in this form. Crafting the vampire equivalent of a bed – a coffin.
Stepping inside the coffin, I am suddenly assaulted with a wave of exhaustion. With heavy limbs, I close the lid. Finally ready to sleep, I watch in surprise as the body turns to a state of torpor. Finding odd comfort in the perfect stillness, I fall into a deep slumber.
Waking was like a time skip, the sleep mostly dreamless. Vague images are my only recollection of my slumber. Within minutes of awakening, my thirst begins to bare its fangs. “That’s going to take a while to get used to.” Looking outside to see a dark sky. The last vestiges of light petering out quickly.
Returning to Coalburn for a short hunt. Feeling the thirst recede as I drink upon a white flower. I gently place a gold coin under her gold pillow. It's terrifying how the predatory aspects of this form push aside my previous morals. Within my human shell, I feel normal emotions and a strong sense of morality. Within this vampiric shell, I become cold and uncaring of the average person.
This callous disregard of life is terrifying. And likely one of the many reasons for them to be hunted to extinction. The next level for this form is curious. Clearly different than the original game, which asked for survival while owning the observations of an immortal. It makes sense for this one to have changed. Tying a bottleneck to a book written after the affliction's existence is rather silly. It’s now; live 4 nights while being fully satiated.
A simple goal for a skilled hunter such as myself. “Wait, when did I become a skilled hunter?” Shaking the errand thought from my mind, I explore the town. Finding the powerful night-vision wonderful. The sky a kaleidoscope of beautiful nebulas and stars.
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Leveling up as a vampire is strange. Having done it twice, I find errant bits of information within myself. How to charm and transfix victims now second nature to me. Yet, I’ve never done so once in my life. The information given after a level-up is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. God, I hope infecting someone is easy and not as intimate as I suspect it is.
Exploring the town in the dead of night with such a powerful night-vision was interesting. Each stone among the cobblestone streets crystal clear under my scrutiny. In fact, better than normal vision. Donning armor, I quickly find skulking in the shadows unneeded. Only gathering the odd glare of confusion from patrolling guards. One of which I transfixed for testing purposes.
Watching the strict and confident guard freeze in place with a dull expression warmed my cold heart. Feeling an odd sensation in my chest, I mentally tug on it. Feeling a tether, a rope connecting me to the guard. Slowly I watch as the woven strings fray apart before the guard snaps back into attention like a broken rubber band.
The confusion is evident on his face as he looks around. He quickly gets back to his patrol, slightly faster than his previous gait. I suppress a chuckle as he acts far more paranoid than before.
Continuing my walk, I quickly come across far more lavish houses. “The noble district,” I say with a slightly sour taste in my mouth. The whole idea of nobility is foolish. The British monarchy having been a glorified figurehead, but here? They have an actual impact, and corruption having far more dangerous repercussions.
The poor commoners are bullied by arrogant nobility; the whole idea is unpleasant. Thankfully far less common than I thought at first. The royalty here having a strict, don’t abuse the commoners. It's not perfect, and arrogant nobles still commit crimes with little punishment. But it's generally an anomaly rather than a commonality.
Out of spite, I swoop inside one of the poorly decorated mansions. Quickly finding a lonely man with a portly figure resting in a gold-encrusted bed. “How utterly gaudy,” I say before biting into the man's neck. The sour flavor left a bad taste in my mouth as I finish the meal.
Returning home, I have a very long shower, having found the first unpleasantly tasting person.
I continue this process for the 4 nights required, not being allowed to change bodies. The streak is at risk of resetting if I was to do so. I sent a few letters to Jengal, Cassie, and Average to inform them I’m just busy and not dead.
Quiet a common occurrence actually when I’m neck-deep in a project. I would imagine there used to me disappearing for days at a time. Jengal has personally thanked me for telling him I was busy. Him having thought me dead for some reason. Like anything other than rogue bosses could kill me.
I've found, while within this body. Arrogance and pride are far more common. I unintentionally, both mentally and verbally speak in ways very similar to nobility.
Finishing my meal, I suddenly feel the ravishing thirst return. Having made sure I had an extra person to feed upon. The thirst is quickly satiated as I begin to parse apart the information for this level. Feeling my senses sharpen and my body quicken. For this level, level 4; I'm able to burn blood to increase my speed for a short duration. Making me hungry quickly, but the speed boost is nothing to scoff at.
Finding great enjoyment at racing through the streets before I realize both, a guard can see me and I'm very thirsty now. I simply nod to the guard before transfixing them and disappearing. Finding a meal within this town is very easy now. Although; it pains me to say it, but I found my favorite human. A middle-aged woman; who tastes of the best strawberries I've ever had in my life.
I felt awful as the realization I treated her like a piece of meat. So I left her several coins hidden throughout her home. I hope she finds one when she really needs it.
Heading home, I mentally prepare myself for the agony to come. Realizing the next step is to intentionally burn myself like some masochist. Sitting inside a room with a small fountain and an inverted sky. Its whole purpose is to be as calming as possible.
Grasping the hot orbs within my hands, I begin to toss the first one onto the ground. I made the mistake of looking at it when the miniature sun bloomed in its firey light. Recoiling at both the blindness and agonizing pain wrapped across my body. Feeling my body writhe as it starts to heal the burns.
Once the itching and pain subside I do it again. Flinching away unintentionally as the orb strikes the ground. All I hear is a light ‘crack’ before the pain returns. I have to do this repeatedly until I feel the thirst rise once more. The ravishing hunger combined with the stress of healing makes the thirst unbearable. Finding a meal in haste, I nearly screwed up. Devouring blood until the poor man recoils in pain. I fumble around before disappearing. My heart hurting in anxiety as I rest.
After some time, I return far more level-headed. Eating my fill until the thirst no longer gnaws away at my very mind.
“Why does this whole process have to be such a pain in the ass?” I find myself asking far more often than when I first started.
Having recovered from the pain, distancing myself from the traumatic memory. I slowly parse through the information I gained from the level up. It really was just a small bit of information saying your stronger, faster, and can stand under the sunlight until you starve. Although it sounds bad, it's actually very good. From instantly dying to now having enough time to find cover. It gives that moment to escape certain death. I would say this is the difference between fledgling vampires and adult vampires.
The next level up is relatively easy compared to suffering through the most recent self torcher. Stepping into the nether like an old friend. A wonderful area for vampires, given sunlight doesn’t shine here. In fact, even above the nether, it's perpetual twilight, so it really is just a win, win.
Quickly finding the familiar nether fortress and its spinning spawner of blazes. I wait with patience as the firey monsters slowly spawn. One by one, ripping them to shreds with powerful armor and destructive weaponry.
There very little of a threat when you kill them the moment they are born. And being pretty durable with all this, I have no fear.
Having killed 20 blazes, I suddenly feel a powerful bundle of energy spread through me. Feeling the firey thirst return as the energy improves me.
Clenching my first, I feel bearly contained power within. Bones of stone and flesh of iron make up my clawed hands now.