3 Chapter 3: Bloodlust Bats

[The Human race has been rewarded]

[The planning phase of transformation has begun]

...

Again, a screen materialized before them, yet before the patrons could process the information displayed, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

The first victim was being attacked by numerous large bats that were draining their blood, causing a torrent of crimson liquid to pour from their neck onto the dance floor, leaving the patrons stunned.

In disbelief, they exclaimed "Why are these bats so strong and big?"

They waved and swung at the bats with clothes or utensils yet the bats were strong enough to continue chasing them.

Notably, bat fangs are typically small and blunt, making it difficult for them to break human skin.

They usually consume fruit yet this unprecedented attack was a terrifying revelation.

The frenzied bats relentlessly attacked the helpless victims, their screams and wails of agony mingling with the deafening flapping of leathery wings.

The room was filled with a pervading sense of panic and chaos.

"Arghhh!" A hoarse and horrified scream mixed with the bat noises.

Another victim saw a group of bats, not just a couple, sinking their oversized, razor-sharp fangs into their necks like vampires.

"Get off me!" they shouted, desperately trying to pry the bats off.

The monstrous bats continued to sink their venomous fangs into the flesh of their prey, displaying the tenacity of a crocodile.

They tore off flesh and savored the taste of blood with sadistic glee.

Some of the patrons attempted to flee to the upper level, while others huddled beneath tables in a desperate hope of evading the deadly swarm.

The interior of the bar descended into pandemonium, with shards of shattered glass strewn across the floor.

The pulsating, vermilion flickers of the disco lights mirrored the perilous and aggressive atmosphere.

The security stationed at the entrance, whose presence was previously reassuring, were now conspicuously absent from their posts.

As the minutes ticked by, more corpses dropped to the ground, amassing in a macabre and grotesque heap of victim carcasses with withered flesh and hollow, insentient gazes.

Amidst the chaos, the unfortunate Jin, still caught beneath the heavy iron door that had fallen on him in the door collision, struggled to free himself.

"This door... it's so heavy!" he grunted, blood trickling down his forehead as he strained against its weight, veins protruding over his hands and forehead.

His trembling hands shook with the effort of mustering all his strength, and his bulging eyes conveyed the intensity of his struggle as he pushed forward against the 150-kilogram door.

BOOM-!

Finally, with the loud noise the door had fallen and scattering dust, the sound did not even register with the people who were running for their lives.

However, once Jin freed himself from the heavy door, he was stunned to see a few bats, almost crushed by the iron doors, looking at him with their red eyes and emitting sonar-like sounds that attracted even more bats.

SCREEEECH-!

Goosebumps rose on his skin.

But under his narrowed, slit pupils that focused on the bats, quick analyses ran through his mind.

"Red eyes, fluttering wings, indicating heightened aggression or agitation. Sonar-like sounds, probably suggesting they were actively communicating with each other..."

"And lastly... wings were spread wide, ready to take flight!" Once Jin finished analyzing, he immediately took a deep, ragged breath and jumped aside, dodging the swarming bats with their gigantic vampire-like fangs protruding as they bit into the wall.

STAB-!

These bat attacks missed, but Jin, who realized his reaction was slightly delayed, wondered how it was possible for him to feel such an increase in his reactions and strength that had kept him alive until now.

Suddenly, a sense of dizziness started to overcome his mind, and one of his eyes began to tint red due to the blood dripping from his forehead.

At the same time, his mind felt as if it were possessed by a strong sense of rage, with an overwhelming desire to kill and attack someone.

In addition, his body was consumed by a thick bloodlust that enveloped and circled on the edge of his body; it was faint yet just as he was about to lose focus...

"Get it together," he muttered, shaking his head to clear the dizziness.

His slit-amber eyes scanned the surrounding area rapidly, his thoughts racing.

Somehow, the scene around him seemed to slow down slightly.

On his right side, there were many casualties as the space around the stage was mixed with people stumbling over corpses while the bats peacefully and silently sucked blood from victims' necks and bodies.

He cast a glance to the left, where a stairway leading to the second floor was located, it was filled with a row of people jostling and trying to reach safety.

As for the exit door, swarms of bats kept entering.

Even inside the club was not safe, so what about outside?

These bats were not normal.

Even a normal bat could not suck a human dry due to limited blood intake capacity and lack of aggression towards humans.

It was still midnight, and since bats are nocturnal animals, there were probably thousands, or even millions of them wandering outside.

For a moment, Jin felt distressed.

It seemed like there was no safe place.

"Panicked crowds, blocked exits, bats feeding without end...not the most favorable odds for a fight," Jin muttered inwardly.

First thing's first - he needed to get out of this public area and funnel that swarm into a tighter space.

Give them less room to maneuver while avoiding collateral damage.

Glancing at the stair case, Jin muttered "That second level looks promising. Fewer entry points to defend. But it's filled with people and as they panic they'll become stuck."

Finally, when he saw the long bar counter near the stairs and exit door, his eyes narrowed, and he quickly made a decision.

Despite feeling exhausted and injured, Jin started running at full speed towards the bar counter.

He stumbled a bit upon jumping behind the counter due to his trembling body but quickly regained his balance.

He was aware that the group of bats fixated on him would persist and remain vigilant for any signs of his hesitancy.

"Damn it," he hissed, looking down to see glass shards embedded in his palms.

He lowered his head to see that the palms he had used to stabilize himself had landed on scattered glass from the earlier tremor.

Gritting his teeth, he carefully removed the small shards of glass that had lodged in his palms, wincing with each tiny piece.

"Why do I feel my body becoming weaker?" The sting of pain brought a headache for him.

If in the past, this scratch wouldn't have bothered him too much.

Coupled with the strange madness from before, he had a hunch that somehow all of these abnormal phenomena were related.

Taking a deep breath, his tense body leaned against the bar counter.

"What in the world just happened to my life?"

This was Jin's first time drinking at a nightclub.

He had wanted to experience what it was like at the nightclub that many of his classmates had mentioned.

But instead of joy and pleasure, his first experience had been a hellish one.

A wry smile formed on his lips as he shook his head at his miserable situation.

However, as he tried to take a momentary break, he caught sight of the bartender's corpse from the corner of his eye.

The skin was sucked dry, with protruding bones that showed the clear structure of his face bones.

The bartender's arms were crossed, as if trying to protect something precious.

Jin's eyes widened and his expression brightened in surprise, not because of any past feud with the bartender but because of the item the bartender had been protecting.

Without pause or care for the bartender's body or spirit, Jin forcefully snatched the item being guarded.

Immediately, a game screen flashed before his eyes.

[

Name: Mossberg 930

Type: Weapon

Rarity: Common

Effect: When fired, the Mossberg 930 unleashes a deafening blast that stuns all enemies within a certain radius for a short period of time.

Requirements: Need Shotgun Shells to fire

Description: The Mossberg 930 is a semi-automatic shotgun used for personal defense at Luminous Sky Lounge. It was originally owned by the gangs that occupied this area, but was then gifted to the bartender for protection against attacks from other gangs..

]

The Mossberg 930 had a sleek and modern appearance with a black synthetic stock and forearm, and a matte blue finish on the barrel and receiver.

Sitting down and leaning against the counter, Jin felt the weight of the Mossberg 930 in his arms, like holding a 7kg bag of rice.

"Great gun! Though I never properly trained with a shotgun and have no license, this urgent situation calls for it," he thought to himself as he read the item stats, temporarily ignoring the description to focus on the requirements.

"Shotgun shells..." he muttered, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of them.

He glanced at the bartender's clothes and the hidden rack below the counter, but then noticed a small bag labeled "ammo pouch" with a zipper.

It contained five small bags with straps that could attach to a belt.

As he searched for another ammo pouch, he suddenly heard the fluttering of wings from the bat.

His expression immediately became alert, and his muscles tensed.

His swift hand grabbed the five ammo pouches and smoothly loaded the shotgun shells into the magazine tube.

Releasing the safety, he prone on the floor and aimed at the ceiling above.

Shriek! Just as he aimed, a few bats swooped down from above with their red eyes and vampire-like fangs, charging at him.

BANG!

Jin was prepared and pulled the trigger, resulting in a loud gunshot and a spray of blood exploding in mid-air.

However, the heavy recoil caught him off guard, and he didn't have time to properly position himself to absorb it.

"Agh!" He collided with another hard object, his back now bleeding, and a mouthful of blood in his mouth.

The shotgun slipped from his hands and fell to his side as he looked at his trembling and reddened palm.

"Shit, I never thought using a shotgun would be this uncomfortable," he cursed.

Just as he was about to check the effect of his shot, a familiar game screen appeared in his view.

[You have successfully killed a Tier 0 - Level 0 Vampiric Bat!]

[You have acquired 3x Tier 0 Magic Crystal!]

[Your high Luck began to take effect!]

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