The night that followed was the first time Do-hyun slept soundly since the beginning of his transformation. The encounter with Soo-ah had changed something about him - the overwhelming loneliness gave way to a sense of direction, however fragile.
[Hello, Host]
[PV: 25/25]
[Blood Energy: 10/10]
New Moon: 4 days 18 hours
Four days. Time was running out, but for the first time, Do-hyun felt he could catch up with him.
Its daily missions had been updated, reflecting its new priorities.
[Daily Missions - DAY 3]
Objectives: Objectives: _: _:_:.
[- MASTER OBSERVATION TECHNICALS (0/100%) ]
[- Identify 5 Vampiric Low Points (0/5) ]
[- Improving urban discretion by 5% (0/5) ]
[- WRITTEN AN ANALYSIS REPORT (0/1) ]
[REWARD: 40 EXP + VAMPIRIC TERRITORIES]
Do-hyun immediately understood the connection with the lesson promised by Soo-ah. The system was adapting to its evolution, orienting its objectives towards more advanced skills.
He sent a message to Soo-ah as agreed. His response was quick and laconic:
[Soo-ah]: Namsan Park. Secondary entrance. 9 p.m. Come alone. Watch your environment.
The message was clear: training was starting now.
The day was devoted to preparation. Do-hyun spent hours in the university library, studying human anatomy and searching for correspondence with what he knew about vampires. If the heart and the head were universal weak points, there must be others.
[DECVELOPED COMPETENCE: Vampire Anatomy]
[level: ★]
[Progress: 15%]
The search was frustrating. Most of the information available to the public was legends or fictions, with no practical value. The real knowledge was either kept secret by organizations like Soo-ah's, or locked into the system's limited archives.
"System, what can you tell me about vampiric biology?" he asked mentally as he flipped through an anatomy treatise.
[RESTRICTED ACCESS: LEVEL 3 REQUIRED FOR DETAILED DATA.]
[GENERAL INFORMATION: VAMPIRES retain basic human anatomy with superimposed modifications.]
Common weak points: heart, brain, spine.
[Specific VULNERABILITIES VARIES DEVIEW THE CLANS.]
Little progress on this side. Do-hyun then turned to physical training, incorporating the techniques of discretion that Soo-ah had shown him. Every move became an exercise - walking without making noise, using blind spots, maintaining a constant awareness of one's surroundings.
[Urban Discretion +2%]
[Environmental consciousness +1.5%]
The gains were modest but constant. The system was right: regularity was bearing fruit.
When evening came, Do-hyun prepared himself with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. It was his first deliberate night outing since his transformation. A mission, not just a survival.
He arrived at the meeting point twenty minutes early, following Soo-ah's advice. The secondary entrance to Namsan Park was indeed discreet, away from the tourist trails. He activated [Vampire Sense] and swept the area.
[DETECTION: 3 VAMPIRIC SIGNATURES IN A RAY OF 200 METERS]
[Levels: 2, 2, 3]
[DISTANCE: 150M, 80M, 200M]
[Behavioural: Standard Patrol]
He located them mentally, noting their positions and movements. One of them, level 3, seemed stationary - probably a lookout.
"Good. You're learning."
Soo-ah's voice startled him. She had appeared silently behind him, dressed in dark, functional clothes, with a small satchel in her hip.
"I didn't hear you coming."
"That's the point." She glanced around. "So? Analysis."
Do-hyun reported his observations, describing the positions and levels of the vampires.
"Correct," she agreed. "But incomplete. Look further."
He focused his attention, extending the range of [Vampire Sense] to the maximum. A fourth signature appeared, weak and distant.
A fourth. Level 1. About 400 meters to the northeast."
"Better. Scouts are often placed on the periphery. Now follow me. And keep your senses alert."
They plunged into the park, with Soo-ah leading the way through a network of side trails that she seemed to know by heart. It moved with a remarkable economy of movement, each step calculated to minimize noise and visibility.
"We will observe an active hunting point," she explained in a low voice. "The local clan uses this area to initiate novices. It's perfect for your learning."
They reached an elevated position concealed by vegetation. Below, a clearing was partially visible between the trees.
"Look and learn," Soo-ah whispered as he handed her night-vision binoculars.
For almost an hour, they watched the vampires come and go in the clearing. Do-hyun saw novices training in combat, more experienced members supervising, and even what seemed like a brief meeting between several higher-level vampires.
[MISSION: Identify 5 VAMPIRIC LOW POINTS (3/5) ]
[DATA OBJECTED:]
[- DELAY OF REACTION AFTER A INTENSE LUMINOUS ATTACK]
[- Difficulty coordinating in case of surprise]
[- TEND TO OVERY DIGITAL SUPERIORITY ]
"They're more organized than I thought," Do-hyun admitted.
"All clans are in their own way," Soo-ah replied. "This one is relatively disciplined. Others are more... chaotic."
Suddenly, his attitude changed. She stretched out, her eyes sliding over a specific point in the clearing.
"Look. The one with the red coat."
Do-hyun adjusted the binoculars. The vampire in question seemed older than the others, his aura a deeper and more stable red.
"Level 5," Do-hyun identified. "An officer?"
"More than an officer. He's a bounty hunter. And from what I hear, you are his new target."
Do-hyun felt his stomach tie. "Me? Why?"
"You killed one of their own. Even a novice is an attack on their authority. They have to make an example."
They watched the vampire in question for several minutes. He inspected novices with a critical eye, correcting their postures, demonstrating techniques. Even at a distance, Do-hyun could feel the authority emanating from him.
"How to beat him?" finally asked Do-hyun.
Soo-ah smiled slightly. "Good question. The first answer: not yet. Not alone. The second: by learning her patterns."
She showed him how the vampire favored his left side during demonstrations, how he glanced quickly at the surrounding shadows, how he always positioned his body to have a retreat.
Even the most experienced people have habits. Weaknesses. Your job is to find them."
[MISSION: Identify 5 VAMPIRIC LOW POINTS (5/5 - TERMINATED) ]
[COMPETENCE: Vampire ANATOMIA +10%]
The observation session lasted another hour, until Soo-ah felt that they were in danger of being discovered. They withdrew as silently as they had arrived.
Back near the park entrance, Soo-ah turned to him.
" Your first lessons:
Vampires are organized and dangerous in groups.
They have exploitable individual weaknesses.
[3] You have attracted the attention of higher levels.
4. Your sense of detection is your greatest asset."
Do-hyun hocha, absorbing information.
"Now your mission for tomorrow," she continued. "Write a detailed report of our observations. Identify the patterns you noticed. Proposes strategies to avoid or counter every type of vampire we've seen."
[MISSION: DRAFT A ANALYSIS REPORT (0/1) ]
"What next?" asked Do-hyun.
Then we'll move on to practice. But only when you have mastered the theory." She patted him on the shoulder, an almost maternal gesture that surprised him. "You are progressing well, Do-hyun. Faster than I would have thought."
She disappeared into the night, leaving him with his thoughts and the task at hand.
Back in his apartment, Do-hyun immediately set to work. He opened his computer and began writing the report, organizing his observations according to the categories of the System.
[CURRENT ANALYSIS REPORT]
[Structured observations: 78%]
[Schema analysis: 65%]
[Proposed strategies: 42%]
He worked late into the night, cross-referencing his observations with the limited data of the System. Each typed word solidified his understanding, transforming the lived experience into usable knowledge.
When it finally finished, the sun began to dawn.
[MISSION: WRITTEN A ANALYSIS REPORT (1/1 - TERMINED) ]
[REWARD: 40 EXP + Vampire Territories Map Unlocked]
[Progress: LEVEL 2 (195/200 EXP) ]
[COMPETENCE: Vampire ANATOMIA +15%]
A new window opened, displaying a detailed map of Seoul with colorful areas indicating the territories of different vampire clans. It was a mine of valuable information.
Do-hyun lay down on his bed, exhausted but satisfied. For the first time, he felt that he understood the world in which he now lived. Vampires were no longer indistinct monsters, but a structured society with its rules, its hierarchies, its weaknesses.
He was still far from safe. The bounty hunter was looking for him, the new moon was approaching, and his level 3 was imminent but not yet reached.
But for the first time, he had a plan. Allies. Knowledge.
And that made all the difference.