12 Vampiric Thirst

"Muehehehe~"

Blake excitedly run around left and right and stomped any slime that caught his eye, it was a complete massacre, he has become the lunatic bringer of death from the slime's perspective as he continued without remorse.

Nobody would've thought that his feet's kill count would surpass his hands first.

"How could you kill those cute innocent slimes? I bet you're not that famous with the ladies with that attitude" Salana remarked from the side, she was watching Blake venting his frustration to the slimes.

Even with her annoying remark, Blake didn't stop, "What are you saying? Exp is still exp"

As of this moment, the glade that was filled with Peaceful Yellow Slimes was now devoid of them. Puddles of yellow jelly liquid can be seen all over, the remnants of the deceased slimes.

In about half an hour of hunting the slimes, Blake raised his level considerably.

Starting out as a level 1 player when he entered this forest, he now managed to reach level 9. Even though he wanted to make his level an even number, he can't find more Peaceful Yellow Slimes in the area which is a bummer.

On top of that, he also gained 51 bronze coins from killing the slimes.

Just from this alone he now has a comparison of just how much 10,000 gold coins are really worth when killing dozens of slimes only gave him 50 bronze coins, he was very lucky to be the first one to gain an EX-grade race.

Now, his status window looks like this.

[Status Window]

Name: MoonDespoiler

Title: Supernatural Enigma (EX)

Class: Gladiator

Race: Spectral Vampire (EX)

Level: 9 (200 / 8,100)

Hp: 1,500/1,500 -> 5,500 / 5,500

Mana: 200/200 - 680 / 680

Strength: 17 -> 57

Agility: 21 -> 77

Vitality: 33 -> 113

Spirit: 51 -> 91

Intelligence: 10 -> 34

Luck: 0

Attributable Stat Points: 24

Attributable Skill Points: 8

Racial Skill Points: 40

Active Skill(s): Thrust (D), Shadowblood Manipulation (SSS), Phantasmal Shadow Phasing (S), Proxy of Blood (SS), Adaptable Mutation Lvl.1 (SSS), Shadow Step (A)

Passive Skill(s): Gladiatorial Focus (D), Overlord of the Night (S), Shadow Dormancy (A), Nocturnal Blood Sight (SS), Inner Anathema Strengthening (S), Perfect Scythe Proficiency (S), Order of the Enigma (EX)

Gold Coins: 10,000 Bronze Coins: 51

Condition: Normal

Out of the dozens of Yellow Peaceful Slimes he killed, one finally dropped a loot.

Looking at the pouch on the ground, glowing with white color, he decided to grab it out of curiosity. It's the first loot he has ever got from the Yellow Peaceful Slimes, and the drop rate is very low so it might be good.

[Peaceful Yellow Slime's Urine]

Grade: White

Item: Consumables

Description: A refreshing liquid that has the effect of reducing fatigue and moist the throat, it's a popular drink for the locals and even other creatures to satiate themselves. It tastes like sweet honey.

'Urine drink...?' Blake thought feeling that something is definitely not right.

But as he takes it out from his inventory which only has a capacity of 5, a leather flask appeared in his hand. Opening the lid, he puts his nose close and was surprised by the fragrant scent coming from the yellow liquid.

It was fragrant enough that he for a moment forgot that it was the slime's urine.

Due to the smell, he decided to chug the entire drink in one go, and he didn't regret it one bit as the flavor burst inside his mouth. "Phuah! That hits the spot, no wonder it has a low drop rate when it's this good"

"Keep leveling up you moron, I also want to get a physical body" Salana suddenly walks over.

Upon hearing this Blake remembered that Salana still has no physical presence here, the same as in the real world, "How exactly I can help you get a physical body? Is it only through leveling up?"

"Not exactly, in level 20 you'll receive a quest to evolve me" Salana replied.

Pausing a little in thought, she then eventually continues, "I don't know the requirement to complete the quest exactly, or even what the rewards will be. But it should involve PK-ing. Get strong, and don't fail since there's a penalty"

"For someone who needed my help, you sure like to boss me around" Blake replied.

Putting on a light smirk, teasing her as the power is entirely on him which makes Salana bite her lower lip. She was completely annoyed by the situation, yet she can't quite rebut what Blake said.

It was her on the back end right now, not Blake.

"I've never thought that I'd say this, but you're very handsome, especially with your indigo eyes. Do you want to know a fun fact?" Salana said in interest, holding his hand. "Good-looking people are very kind. I bet since you're handsome, you're kind too. You're going to be my hero, right?"

"Fuck, stop that! I know what you're doing!" Blake exclaimed and shoved her hands away.

Clearly, she was only saying this the same as using her puppy look earlier in the cafe to make him do what she said. And on top of that, Blake hates that it's working for him, "Fine, I'll quickly reach level 20 and finish the quest for you. Happy?"

"Very! My hero~" Salana replied sweetly with a huge smile on her face.

Just as she was rejoicing that her method works on Blake, her expression suddenly stiffen.

Upon seeing her stiff expression, Blake blushes as he thought that she was looking intently at him. "Stop looking at me like that, it's illegal to look at a man with that look you know," he said, averting his gaze away.

But turns out, that was nothing more than a delusional thought.

Grrr...

Blake's face and posture also tense up as an unexpected guttural growl resonates from his back. Sweating a little bit to try and keep a light mood, he chuckles uneasily, "Y-You're not looking at me, aren't you?" he jests.

"Nope, I am not" Salana replied almost instantly.

Glancing over his shoulder slowly with a wry smile, he was greeted by a monstrous creature looking at him with extreme malice, baring its sharp animalistic fangs at him on the back, between the bushes.

With one glance, he can feel the creature allude to violence, seeing him as prey.

Roar!!

Boom!

Seeing that the monster raised its sharp claws to attack, Blake reacted quickly and rolled forward to dodge the powerful slash from above that crashed into the spot he was on earlier. Small pebbles flew around him as he rolled, like bullets cutting his skin.

[-100 HP]

Recovering from the roll, Blake then looks at the monster that is now clear in his view.

[Brown Iron-skin Bear - Corrupted]

Level: 24

Grade: Uncommon

Mutation: Anomaly

HP: 25,500 / 25,500

Skill:

Iron Protection - Increase the defense by 50% and vitality by 10% for 5 minutes.

Metallic Spikes - Slam the claws at the ground to summon dozens of metal spikes.

Attacking him from nowhere is a bear that has similar in size to the Ivory Armored Skeleton earlier, its furs are brown in color yet its skin underneath is made of iron. Not to mention, this mob is quite daunting in appearance.

If not for the incident earlier, Blake would've been terrified right now.

But as he was already exposed to the horror inside the Domain of the Calm Sleepers, this Brown Iron-skin Bear is lacking in comparison, "Aren't this an E-rank hunting ground? Why is there a freaking level 24 mob here?"

"I don't know, the mobs here shouldn't exceed level 20" Salana replied also in confusion.

Just as she said that Blake's eyes were drawn to the name of the bear.

'Corrupted? Anomaly? Does this have something to do with the First Act?'

Blake mused inside his head, his expression that of a troubled one, this mob must be a mutated version of the bear, mutated from its original form since the level cap of this place should be at 20 as Salana said.

Raising both of his fists in front of him, Blake prepared for a fight.

Now that he was about to engage in a real fight and actually try to win, he curses that he doesn't have any weapon on him right now. It's going to be very hard for him to properly reach this bear and hurt it if he can only use his bare hands.

Blake squinted his eyes before he suddenly felt his throat burning.

Even though he has been satiated with the Peaceful Yellow Slime's urine earlier, his throat suddenly began to dry up once more. Automatically, his purple eyes glowed and turned red as the Nocturnal Blood Sight was activated on its own.

In response to that, Blake suddenly can see the blood pumping inside the bear.

Since Slimes doesn't have blood, he didn't get to experience this sensation.

Looking at the joyous blood that is coursing inside the bear's body with the rhythm of its heartbeat, Blake gulps harshly as his vampiric thirst began to surface, 'B-Blood... I want to drink it...'

It's a weird feeling, he felt a sense of longing and was drawn to the blood.

Due to this odd sensation, Blake was the one to make the first move with blood as his motivation. Swallowed in a frenzy state, a smile spreads on his face as he cuts through the distance swiftly.

Compared to before, his speed got exponentially faster, he was not level 1 anymore.

Blake feels incredibly light, his legs were like feathers.

In a moment, he managed to reach the bear with the help of his newfound speel before the beat roared at him angrily. It tries to swipe at Blake with its vicious claws, yet he was able to dodge it easily.

"Shadow Step!"

Swoosh!

Using the shadow brought by the canopies of the first, he reappeared above the bear.

Out of the racial skills that he received from being a Spectral Vampire, he doesn't have any offensive ones. But thanks to his Gladiator class, he has one that he can use for now, it didn't doesn't even need any mana to use.

[Thrust]

Skill Type: Class Skill

Grade: D

Skill Cost: Stamina

Description: Enhances the power output of any object or weapon in a thrusting motion, imbuing it with increased force and impact. Providing a 30% increase in strength and a 5% increase in penetration power.

"Thrust!"

Swish!

Bam!

Straightening and stiffening his fingers, he thrust his hand right at the bear's forehead.

It's a simple but effective skill that beckons him to use a thrusting motion. Blake was shocked when he finds that his attack manage to knock the bear back, this kind of strength is simply inhuman for him.

Under the weight of the bear crashing back, the ground trembled slightly.

[-500 HP]

Although he couldn't compare his 57 points in strength as he haven't seen any physical stats other than his own, Blake was quite certain that his physical stats are absurdly higher than a normal level 9 player or mob.

If he could knock the bear back like this, then it must be true.

Just as the Brown Iron-skin Bear struggles to get back up, shaking its head to clear its mind of its stupor, Blake glanced to his right hand which was smeared by the bear's blood. Putting his nose close to his hand, he was struck by an oddly pleasant and sweet aroma.

Following his instinct, he puts his index finger into his mouth to taste it.

Blake's eyes then widened completely in surprise.

Despite already anticipating that the blood would taste great, the sweetness was off the roof, it rejuvenates every part of his mouth that it touches before flowing down his throat. 'D-Damn, I'm a Vampire alright, this taste better than I originally thought!'

'I kinda want more of it...'