Do-hyun's sleep was brief but profound, populated by fragments of vampiric observations that turned into combat strategies. His subconscious mind was working, organizing new knowledge.
When he woke up, a notification awaited him, brighter than usual.
[Congratulations, Host]
[Level 3 threshold detected]
[EXPREQUIRED: 5/200]
[PRAPY FOR THE URRENT EVOLUTION...]
It was within reach. On that day, it would become level 3.
New Moon: 3 days 14 hours
[Daily Missions - DAY 4]
Objectives: Objectives: _: _:_:.
[- Achieving Level 3 (195/2000) ]
[- TEST 3 NEW Escape Strategies (0/3) ]
[- ANALYSIS THE MAP OF THE TERRITORIES (0/100%) ]
[- PREPARE THE PLAN OF THE NEW MOON (0/1) ]
[REWARD: FULL LOVE OF LEVEL 3]
Do-hyun felt a new emergency. Reaching level 3 was just the beginning - he had to master his new abilities before the new moon.
His phone vibrated. Soo-ah.
[Soo-ah]: Report received. Good job. Meeting at 2 p.m. City Hall Underground Station. Come prepared.
Prepared. The word resonated with him. He had three hours to reach level 3.
His morning was an intensive training marathon. He combined running and maintaining [Vampire Sense], pushing his limits while carefully avoiding the vampiric territories marked on his new map.
The map turned out to be incredibly accurate. It showed not only the control areas of the different clans, but also their peak activity hours, patrol routes, and even their specific weaknesses.
[Competence: Territorial Strategy Unlocked]
[level: ★]
[EFFECT: +15% TERRAINE EFFICIENCY known]
At 11:47, while he was finishing his third combat simulation of the morning, it happened.
[EXP +5]
Congratulations! Level 3 Reached!
[Rewards]: Rewards:
[- ACCESS TO [LIGHT BLACKED]
[- Basic System Archive Unlocked]
[- ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY]
[- NEW PERSONALIZATION FEATMENTALITY]
A new wave of energy swept through his body, more intense than previous evolutions. It was as if a see had been torn apart, revealing potentialities that he did not suspect.
"Slide of Light," he whispered.
His right hand began to shine with a golden light that gradually materialized into a blade of pure energy, about sixty centimeters long. She had no weight, but he could feel it - an extension of her will.
[Light Blade - Level 1]
[DAMAGE: RIGTHED AGAINST VAMPIRES]
[COST: 3 BLOOD ENERGY PER MINUTE]
[Special effects:]
Vampiric weakness (double damage)
[- partially ignores Vampire Resistance]
[- BLACK LIGHT (CHANCE TO STOP) ]
It was a weapon. A real one. Not just defensive or detection skills, but a real counter-attack.
"System, show me the unlocked archive."
A new section opened up in its interface, much larger than the previous ones.
[BASIC ARCHIVES - ACCESS AUTHORIZED]
[categories:]
[- HISTORY OF VAMPIRIC CLANS]
Vampire Biology (LEVEL 1)
[- BASIC FIGHT TECHNIQUES]
[- SUPRANATURAL GEOGRAPHY]
[- DOSSIERS ON BLOODLINE USERS ]
Do-hyun plunged eagerly into the archives, thirsting for knowledge. Information about clans was particularly valuable.
The Purple Dawn Clan - the one who sought it - was described as traditionalist and disciplined, with a strong hierarchy. Their members favored brute force and despised cunning.
The Emerald Night Clan, which controlled part of Gangnam, was more subtle, using economic and social influence rather than open force.
There were others - the Silver Twilight Clan, the Children of the Shadow... Everyone with their own specificities, their own strengths, their own weaknesses.
[MISSION: ANALYSIS THE MAP OF THE TERRITORIES (100% - TERMINATED) ]
[COMPETENCE: TERRITORIAL STRATEGY +10%]
Time was running out. Do-hyun prepared for his encounter with Soo-ah, mentally equipping his new Light Blade and revising key information about the clans.
When he arrived at City Hall station, Soo-ah was waiting for him near exit 7, seeming to be studying the subway news screen.
"You're different," she said without preamble, when she saw him approaching. "Level 3?"
Do-hyun hocha, impressed by his insight.
"Show me."
He hesitated, glancing around them. The station was crowded.
"Here?"
The best place to hide is often in the light of day. No one expects you to manifest powers here."
He concentrated his energy and made the Blade of Light appear, just for a second. The golden glow briefly lit up his face before disappearing.
Soo-ah nodded approvingly. "Good. A real weapon. Now you're not just a target anymore."
She beckoned him to follow her to a quiet cafe nearby. Once installed in an isolated corner, she took out a tablet and posted several surveillance photos.
"Your bounty hunter. His name is Kael. Level 5, experienced, specialized in eliminating emerging threats."
The photos showed the vampire they had observed the day before, but from different angles and in different parts of Seoul.
"He's actively looking for you," she continued. "But he follows strict protocols. It patrols according to a predictable pattern."
She slid her fingers across the screen, drawing lines between the dots.
These are his usual roads. And here's where we're going to hit."
Do-hyun looked at her, puzzled. You want to attack him?"
"No. I want you to watch it closely. That you test your new abilities in a controlled environment."
She explained her plan: they would intercept Kael during his evening patrol, using knowledge of his habits to stay safe while watching him closely.
"Three goals," she summarized. "One: to confirm her behavioral patterns. Two: Test your ability to stay hidden from a high-level threat. Three: gather information for your plan for the new moon."
[MISSION: TEST 3 NEW Escape Strategies (INTEGRED to the MAIN MISSION) ]
The rest of the afternoon was devoted to careful preparation. Soo-ah taught him advanced concealment techniques, how to hide his presence even from experienced vampires.
"Your aura of energy is distinctive," she explained. "Now that you have a weapon, it shines even brighter. You must learn to contain it."
They trained in a back room that Soo-ah seemed to use regularly, filled with training equipment and detailed maps.
[COMPETENCE: Control of the aura unblocked]
[level: ★]
[EFFECT: -30% DETECTION BY VAMPIRES]
When evening fell, they positioned themselves near one of Kael's patrol roads. Soo-ah had chosen a residential building with a clear view of the street, accessing an empty apartment with keys that she did not try to explain.
"Remember," she whispered as they sat down by the window. No commitment."
Kael appeared at the exact time, moving around with an assurance that betrayed his experience. Even from a distance, Do-hyun could feel the power emanating from him.
"Activate your senses, but at low intensity," Soo-ah advised. "Like a passive radar."
Do-hyun obeys, reducing the range of [Vampire Sense] to minimize detection risks.
For almost an hour, they watched the vampire, noting his pauses, his surveillance patterns, the way he interacted with the other vampires he encountered.
"He is methodical," commented Do-hyun. "But predictable."
"All living things are predictable," Soo-ah replied. "The question is how to spot patterns."
Suddenly, Kael stopped dead, looking at their building. Do-hyun held his breath.
"Did he feel us?"
"No. But he knows there's something. Stay calm."
Soo-ah activated a small device that emitted a barely audible hum. "Energy jammer. It should cover our signatures."
Kael remained motionless for several minutes, scanning the surroundings, before resuming his patrol with a shrug.
[MISSION: TEST 3 NEW Escape Strategies (3/3 - TERMINATED) ]
VALID STRATEGIES: AURATIC DISMULATION, USE OF DECO, ENSORIAL scope control
The observation session continued until Kael completed his patrol and disappeared into a building that, according to the map of Do-hyun, served as an outpost for the Purple Dawn Clan.
"Good," said Soo-ah, getting up. "Now you have all the pieces."
Back in Do-hyun's apartment, they spent the next few hours drawing up the plan for the new moon. With the new information, they were able to anticipate vampire movements, identify safe areas, and prepare contingency strategies.
[MISSION: PREPARE THE PLAN OF THE NEW MOON (1/1 - TERMINATED) ]
[REWARD: FULL UNLOCKING OF LEVEL 3 CONFIRMED]
[New features:]
[- REAL TIME MAP OF VAMPIRIC ACTIVITIES]
[- Early Warning System]
[- INTERFACE PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS]
When Soo-ah finally left, leaving Do-hyun with a detailed plan and clear instructions, he felt something he had not experienced for a long time: hope.
The new moon remained a terrifying threat. Kael was still looking for him. Its level 3 was freshly reached and far from being mastered.
But for the first time, he was no longer a passive victim of events. He had knowledge, skills, a plan.
And an ally who believed in him.
He spent the rest of the night customizing his system interface, organizing information for quick access during combat, setting up alerts for priority threats.
When dawn came, Do-hyun was no longer the same man who had fled in the night a few days earlier. It had become something else.
A hunter.