Sunlight

Liam awoke with a throbbing headache, his mind a haze of fragmented memories.

He recalled devouring a fish, then everything went black.

It was still night when he opened his eyes, his body uncomfortable and coated in a sticky fluid.

Yet, at the same time, he felt strong, incredibly strong.

He tried to sit up, but his gaze fell upon two human corpses.

He recoiled in horror.

"Did I do this?" he wondered to himself.

He then looked down at his body. He seemed taller, his hair longer, reaching down to his chin, the blood coating it matting the strands together in a stark white and crimson contrast.

"What has happened to me?"

He summoned his stat screen.

[Species: Common Vampire

Strength: 25

Dexterity: 25

Constitution: 26

Intelligence: 10

Willpower: 18

Charisma: 20]

[Skills: Blood Absorption, Vampiric Culture, Bloodbonding]

He had gained at least ten points in each attribute. It was incredible.

And what were these new skills?

Focusing on them, the skill descriptions appeared before him.

[Blood Absorption:

The Lesser Vampire enhances its physical abilities by draining victims' blood.

Drinking blood temporarily boosts strength, agility, and endurance, with greater boosts from more powerful victims.

Large or frequent feedings can lead to permanent enhancements, with the effect being more pronounced the stronger the victim.]

[Vampiric Culture:

Vampiric Culture is a skill that grants vampires innate knowledge of themselves and lesser vampire creatures.]

[Low Bloodbonding:

The vampire can create a bond of servitude with a creature by draining its blood and injecting some of its own.

This ritual creates a supernatural connection, enslaving the victim to the vampire.

The newly created thrall becomes an obedient servant, responding to the vampire's commands without hesitation.

The blood bond transcends language and cultural barriers, allowing the vampire to command its thrall in any language.

However, the vampire's power determines the strength of the bond and the number of thralls they can control simultaneously.

Creatures that can be created:

- Lesser Vampire

- Obscure Devourer

- Bloodsucking Minion]

He didn't quite understand the appeal of Vampiric Culture, but Low Bloodbonding piqued his interest.

He would feel more secure if he could create a vampiric ally.

He turned to the corpses and took the blood-soaked tunic of the man with the knife, pulling it on and tightening the leather belt around his waist. He slid the knife into its sheath. The tunic reached his knees.

Then he hung the archer's quiver of arrows on his shoulder and picked up the bow. Even if he didn't know how to shoot, a bow and arrows could be useful.

He focused on the Low Bloodbonding power again.

He had been a Lesser Vampire, but he had no idea what an Obscure Devourer or a Bloodsucking Minion was.

As he wondered, the details of the two creatures instantly appeared in his field of vision.

"So that's what Vampiric Culture is for, very useful."

[The Obscure Devourer is an undead being with superhuman strength but no supernatural powers. It must constantly feed on fresh flesh and blood.

As long as its needs are met, it cannot die, making it virtually immortal.

However, sunlight kills it with mere exposure. Fire also harms it, and prolonged exposure to fire can kill it.]

[The Bloodsucking Minion is perpetually crazed with bloodlust, an insatiable thirst that is nearly impossible to quench.

Possessing exceptional agility and speed, it moves with uncanny grace.

Though its body is frail and vulnerable, it has remarkable regenerative abilities: its wounds close and limbs regrow as long as it has enough blood to consume.

Unaffected by sunlight, it can live indefinitely as long as it regularly feeds on fresh blood, but it cannot survive more than two days without sustenance.]

Liam was pleased with Vampiric Culture's ability to describe creatures in detail.

But one detail bothered him: the constant mention of sunlight. "Maybe it's also a weakness of Lesser Vampires that I was unaware of."

The information appeared instantly.

[The Lesser Vampire is a creature that has been bitten by a vampire or corrupted by dark energy. It feeds on blood and can live for 110 years after being transformed.

However, it is highly susceptible to sunlight, with mere direct exposure being fatal. Fire also harms them, and prolonged exposure to fire can kill them.]

"Sunlight is deadly to them?"

He instinctively glanced up at the sky. Since his arrival, the sun had been absent.

However, if this world followed an Earth-like day-night cycle, sunrise was inevitable.

He urgently focused on the description of a vampire and read it feverishly at top speed.

[The Vampire is a creature that feeds on blood to heal its wounds and gain power.

Its lifespan can reach up to 400 years after its transformation. It possesses great strength and supernatural abilities.

However, sunlight burns it, and prolonged exposure can be fatal.

Fire also wounds it, and to recover its strength, it must drink blood.]

"Damn, sunlight is deadly even for a full-fledged vampire."

He needed to find a place to hide.

He quickly sprinted in a random direction, scanning his surroundings at the same time.

After dozens of minutes of running, he still hadn't found anything promising.

While the trees were thick, he wasn't sure their shade would be enough protection, and he wasn't willing to take the risk.

On the horizon, the sky began to faintly blush with red.

"No, no, no!" Liam shouted. "The sun is coming up!"

Just as he contemplated digging under a tree and burying himself to be protected by the earth, he spotted a cluster of rocks in the distance.

He bolted towards them, finding a natural cave entrance and rushing inside.