Chapter 4 — The Vampire Hunt
1543 Words
The warehouse was silent.
Too silent.
Noah stood beside the broken window, staring into the darkness outside.
Hundreds of red eyes had appeared between the buildings.
They weren't human.
Seraphine slowly raised her weapon.
“How many?”
One of the hunters looked through a small scope.
His face became pale.
“Too many.”
Noah's system activated.
[Multiple hostile entities detected.]
[Estimated number: 73.]
[Average level: 8–15.]
[Highest level: 31.]
[Survival probability: 11%.]
Noah swallowed.
“That's not good.”
Seraphine looked at him.
“You can see their levels?”
Noah hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me what we're dealing with.”
“Seventy-three vampires.”
The hunters exchanged nervous looks.
Seraphine remained calm.
“And the strongest?”
“Level thirty-one.”
Her expression hardened.
“That one is probably their commander.”
Noah looked outside.
A figure stepped into the moonlight.
Unlike the others, he wasn't hiding.
He wore a long crimson coat and carried a black cane.
His silver hair moved gently in the wind.
He looked directly at Noah.
Then smiled.
[Target identified.]
[Name: Viktor.]
[Race: Vampire.]
[Level: 31.]
[Rank: D.]
[Threat: Extremely High.]
Viktor raised his cane.
“NOAH VALE!”
His voice echoed across the street.
“You have awakened something that belongs to us.”
Noah stepped toward the window.
“I don't belong to anyone.”
Viktor laughed.
“Every vampire belongs to a bloodline.”
Noah's expression darkened.
“What bloodline?”
Viktor's smile disappeared.
“The one you inherited.”
Seraphine grabbed Noah's shoulder.
“Don't answer him.”
Viktor noticed her.
“A hunter protecting a vampire?”
His eyes narrowed.
“How disappointing.”
Seraphine raised her weapon.
“You won't take him.”
Viktor laughed.
“We don't need to take him.”
He pointed his cane toward Noah.
“We only need to make him reveal himself.”
Noah frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Viktor smiled.
“Attack.”
The vampires moved.
---
THE BATTLE
The warehouse doors exploded inward.
Vampires rushed inside.
Seraphine fired immediately.
BOOM!
A silver projectile struck the first vampire in the chest.
He screamed and collapsed.
The other hunters attacked.
Noah stepped backward.
He had never been in a battle like this.
Everything happened at once.
Claws.
Fangs.
Weapons.
Screams.
The system appeared.
[Combat mode activated.]
[Multiple enemies detected.]
[Recommendation: Prioritize survival.]
Noah looked at the nearest vampire.
Level 9.
He could probably defeat him.
The vampire lunged.
Noah ducked.
He grabbed the vampire's arm and threw him against the wall.
CRASH!
[Damage dealt.]
The vampire stood again.
Noah rushed forward.
His fist connected with the vampire's jaw.
CRACK!
The vampire fell.
[Enemy defeated.]
[Experience gained: 90.]
[Level progress: 64%.]
Noah stared at the notification.
“So defeating them gives experience.”
A second vampire attacked from behind.
Noah sensed him.
He turned.
His hand caught the vampire's wrist.
The creature stared at him.
“How did you—?”
Noah slammed him into the floor.
BOOM!
[Enemy defeated.]
[Experience gained: 110.]
Noah looked around.
The system was making him stronger.
Fast.
But there were too many.
A vampire leaped toward Seraphine.
Noah moved without thinking.
He appeared between them.
The vampire's claws struck his chest.
SLASH!
Blood spilled.
“Noah!”
Seraphine fired.
The vampire fell.
Noah looked down.
Four deep scratches crossed his chest.
The wound began closing.
Seraphine stared.
“You regenerated.”
Noah looked at the wound.
“Apparently.”
“You're healing faster than normal vampires.”
Noah looked at his system.
[Passive ability: Rapid Regeneration.]
[Effect: Accelerated healing.]
Noah smiled faintly.
“That explains it.”
Then the entire warehouse shook.
BOOM!
A wall collapsed.
Viktor walked through the dust.
The weaker vampires immediately moved aside.
He looked at Noah.
“Enough.”
Noah's system flashed.
[High-level enemy approaching.]
[Level difference: 30.]
[Warning.]
Viktor disappeared.
Noah barely saw him.
A fist struck his chest.
BOOM!
Noah flew across the warehouse.
He crashed through a wooden table.
Pain exploded through his body.
He tried to stand.
Viktor was already there.
“You're too weak.”
Viktor grabbed Noah by the throat.
Noah struggled.
“You're not ready.”
He lifted Noah from the floor.
“But your blood is unmistakable.”
Noah's eyes glowed.
“What... do you want?”
Viktor smiled.
“Your awakening.”
Noah's system suddenly reacted.
[Ancient Bloodline under external pressure.]
[Emergency response activated.]
Viktor's expression changed.
“What?”
Noah felt something burning inside his chest.
His blood began moving faster.
His vision turned crimson.
The system displayed a message.
[Bloodline resonance: 3%.]
[Increasing...]
[5%.]
[8%.]
Viktor suddenly released Noah.
“What are you?”
Noah dropped to the ground.
He looked at his hands.
Black veins briefly appeared beneath his skin.
The entire warehouse became silent.
Every vampire stared at him.
One whispered:
“The Blood King's mark.”
Another stepped backward.
“No...”
Viktor's face became pale.
“The prophecy was wrong.”
Noah slowly looked up.
“What prophecy?”
Viktor didn't answer.
Instead, he shouted:
“RETREAT!”
The vampires froze.
“But—”
“I SAID RETREAT!”
The vampires began fleeing.
Noah stared in confusion.
“They're running?”
Seraphine looked at him.
“They're afraid of you.”
Noah looked at his hands.
“I barely did anything.”
Seraphine shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
She pointed toward the doorway.
“Look.”
Noah stepped outside.
The vampires were disappearing into the darkness.
But Viktor remained.
He stood at the end of the street.
His face was filled with fear.
“Noah Vale!”
Noah looked at him.
Viktor shouted:
“Tell your father...”
He stopped.
His expression changed.
“You can't.”
Noah's eyes narrowed.
“My father is dead.”
Viktor smiled strangely.
“Is he?”
Then he disappeared.
Noah stood motionless.
The system appeared.
[Psychological disturbance detected.]
[Question registered.]
**Is Noah Vale's father truly dead?]
Noah stared at the message.
“System?”
[Insufficient information.]
Noah clenched his fists.
“Then I'll find out.”
---
THE AFTERMATH
The battle was over.
The warehouse was destroyed.
Several hunters were injured.
Seraphine approached Noah.
“You saved my life.”
Noah looked at her.
“You would have done the same.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Noah raised an eyebrow.
“I wouldn't have.”
Seraphine looked at him seriously.
“That is exactly why you're different.”
Noah didn't know what to say.
She continued.
“You had every reason to become a monster.”
She glanced at the bodies of the vampires.
“But you didn't.”
Noah looked away.
“I don't know what I'm becoming.”
Seraphine stepped closer.
“Then learn.”
She handed him a small black card.
“There is a place called the Night Market.”
Noah examined it.
“What is it?”
“A place where humans, vampires, hunters, and other supernatural beings trade information.”
Noah looked at her.
“You want me to go there?”
“I want you to learn.”
She pointed toward the symbol engraved on the card.
“The Night Market knows things even the vampire clans don't.”
Noah looked at the symbol.
The system suddenly reacted.
[Location recognized.]
[Night Market.]
[Hidden location.]
[Recommended destination.]
Noah smiled.
“Looks like I have somewhere to go.”
Seraphine looked toward the dark sky.
“Be careful.”
“Why?”
“The Night Market has one rule.”
“What rule?”
Seraphine's expression became serious.
“Everyone there is hiding something.”
---
That night, Noah left the ruined warehouse.
He walked alone through the city.
The moon followed him.
His system remained active.
[Level: 2.]
[Blood Energy: 34/40.]
[Skills:]
Rapid Regeneration
Mind of the Mortal
Blood Memory
Blood Rush
Then a new notification appeared.
[Hidden quest completed.]
[First Bloodline Resonance achieved.]
[Reward unlocked.]
[SKILL ACQUIRED: BLOOD SENSE]
Allows the host to identify the strength and nature of nearby blood.
Noah stopped.
He closed his eyes.
Suddenly, the city transformed.
Every heartbeat became visible in his mind.
Humans.
Animals.
Vampires.
And something else.
Something extremely powerful.
Far away.
Noah opened his eyes.
His expression became serious.
“What is that?”
The system answered.
[Unknown blood signature detected.]
[Distance: 3.7 kilometers.]
[Bloodline similarity: 97.2%.]
Noah's heart began pounding.
“Similar to mine?”
[Correct.]
He looked toward the distant city.
Someone carrying blood almost identical to his was nearby.
And then—
The system displayed one final message.
[Possible relative detected.]
Noah stared at the words.
“Relative?”
A cold wind passed through the street.
For the first time since his transformation, Noah felt something stronger than fear.
Hope.
Maybe he wasn't alone.
Maybe someone knew the truth about his family.
And maybe—
His father was still alive.
Noah began walking toward the mysterious blood signature.
He didn't know that someone was already watching him from the rooftop above.
A woman with long silver hair stood beneath the moonlight.
She watched Noah disappear into the distance.
Then she whispered:
“Brother...”
Her crimson eyes glowed.
“Why did you come back?”
To be continued...
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