Chapter 88: FIVE VAMPIRE BLOODLINE
"System, what’s happening to me? Why are my emotions running amok?" Aaron asked the system, the memory of his behavior from the previous day washing over him like a wave.
[That’s because you are finally awakening your actual bloodline. The process will take a while, but you will awaken slowly till you turn twenty years of age.]
"What are you talking about? What bloodline?" Aaron asked, confused.
[Host is a vampire. Before you became a vampire primogenitor. Host currently have five vampire roots. Host needs to find the rest for himself.]
"This again. Just say it out already!" Aaron groaned.
[Can’t help host. Host is too lazy and lacks insight. You look down on your hybrid bloodline too much. Explore more on your bloodline. Find information about vampires and werewolf bloodline within this world and stop using only the movies you watch back in your world.]
Aaron sighed. He knew the system was this close to insulting him. But to be honest, the system was right. He wasn’t utilizing his bloodline to the best of its capacity. The hybrid power coursing through him felt like a tool he hadn’t fully sharpened, always relying on quick fixes from the system instead of diving into its depths. The thought nagged at him, a reminder that in this reincarnated life, he couldn’t afford to be lazy if he wanted to survive the enemies closing in.
"I will handle that. Now that I’m in school, I can be a little more bold with my actions," Aaron said, a small smile tugging at his lips. The university, with its rules and watchful eyes, had felt like a cage, but now it seemed like a playground where he could test his limits without immediate consequences.
Aaron returned to his villa, the familiar walls offering a brief sense of security. Then he entered his sanctuary after ensuring no prying eyes were around, the air shimmering as he stepped into the mental realm he’d created.
The body of the demigod he tossed to the place where his werewolves were. The body of a demigod would boost their strength greatly, the essence of its power seeping into their forms like a potent elixir, making them fiercer and more loyal to him.
"My lord. It’s been a while," Blade bowed his head, finding Aaron lying leisurely on the lush grass of the sanctuary he had created with his mind. The grass was soft and vibrant, a stark contrast to the chaotic world outside.
"Blade. It’s been a while," Aaron smiled. While leaving his old city, he didn’t just leave like that and abandoned everything there, including Blade. His first vampire and trusted aide was busy with some task Aaron had assigned him, a role that kept Blade sharp and useful in the shadows.
"So? Anyone visited my house after I left?" Aaron asked, his voice casual but his eyes sharp.
"Quite a lot of people. Powerful ones actually. I almost got caught once," Blade confessed, his tone carrying a hint of tension from the close call.
"Hmm. Thought as much. They must be finding something very important," Aaron smiled, his mind already piecing together the puzzle.
"And what might that be?" He asked himself, half sure of what they were searching for. The curiosity burned, but he kept it in check.
Before leaving the villa, he had stumbled upon a box with a key within it, well hidden. The discovery had been accidental, but it felt like fate, a hidden piece of his past waiting to be unlocked.
The key? Tossed safely in his inventory, where no one could touch it without his permission.
"It’s high time I sell that villa and make some profit. But that will be rude to my parents so I’ll just keep it instead," Aaron sighed, the decision weighing on him with a mix of nostalgia and practicality.
"And the other part?" Aaron asked, shifting focus.
"You are right. Some information of Endrick has been moving within the black market. He shows up within the black market covered in hood desperately buying dungeon cores. But the thing is, he isn’t the only one that is obsessed with dungeon cores. Some other hunters are showing the same obsession," Blade informed Aaron.
Aaron had instructed him to carry out reconnaissance, especially in the black market. With his abilities and vampire bloodline, Blade had done a good job, while ensuring he wasn’t found out. The black market was a dangerous web of deals and betrayals, but Blade navigated it like a shadow, gathering intel that could turn the tide.
"Do they have anything in common?" Aaron asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Actually they do. Two patterns actually from what I studied. It’s either they attack some specific dungeons, or they went missing for a while without showing up to their family," Blade disclosed.
"Guess I will have to check them out. List the dungeons you have discovered now. I will be visiting soon enough," Aaron instructed, his mind already planning the moves.
Blade diligently wrote the list for Aaron in a notebook Aaron had conjured within the sanctuary. The notebook materialized with a faint glow, pages crisp and ready.
"So. How should I go around this. One of the Retribution members or Aaron Highborn. Will find that out later," Aaron muttered, exiting the sanctuary. His destination, Professor Silas’s office. The walk there gave him time to think, his steps steady despite the storm of thoughts.
----
"Aaron. I already told you. The one month has to be completed before we can begin the exam. I’m doing this to help you. Arrogance often destroys people," Professor Silas advised Aaron, his voice stern but with a hint of concern.
"It’s alright professor. I’m not arrogant. I’m confident. Plus should I stay in class any second more I might just kill one of your instructors for pissing me off," Aaron replied honestly. The frustration was real, bubbling under the surface like his hybrid rage.
He was getting tired of compelling the instructors to behave and was soon reaching his limit before he lost it and pummeled half of the university staff into the ground. The compulsion spells drained him slightly, and the constant annoyance was pushing him close to the edge.
"Like I said Aaron. It can’t be done," Professor Silas remained stubborn too, crossing his arms.
"Come now professor. You know I will still be welcomed by any university I want should I quit Ragnarok right now. Especially when Ragnarok is a third rate university," Aaron said.
He was pulling one of his tricks that never gets old. Emphasizing his importance. That way he could get what he wanted. It was a simple tactic, but effective in this world where talent was currency.
"No system. I’m not black mailing him. I’m just letting him know how important I am," Aaron replied to his whining system in his head.
"By chance are you blackmailing me Aaron?" Professor Elias asked, finally paying attention to Aaron and abandoning his paperwork. The inconsistency in names didn’t bother Aaron; professors were all the same to him.
"No sir. I’m not black mailing you. Just letting you know my importance and why you should accept my offer," Aaron replied innocently, his face a mask of sincerity.
"Very well then. We will do so tomorrow," Professor Elias informed Aaron.
"Why can’t we do it today?" Aaron groaned, impatience flaring.
"If you can’t do tomorrow, then forget about ever doing it," Professor Elias instructed, his tone final.
"Alright professor. Thanks for the help," Aaron said, slowly walking away, a smile tucked on his face.
His chance at revenge against the head of the disciplinary committee and his son was only a matter of time. The thought fueled him, a promise of action in this stagnant place.
----
"What’s the matter Edwin?" A man in his fifties with sharp eyes, combed black hair, and an average athlete’s build asked.
"I just received some rumours of a special benefit for Aaron Highborn," Edwin said, clearly disgusted, his face twisting with envy.
"Edwin. You should be pleased then. Our chance has come. Someone gaining special privileges is within the power of the disciplinary committee head to correct the anomaly," the man smiled at his son, already formulating a plan to deal with Aaron at the back of his mind. The plan was forming like a trap, ready to spring.
"So father—"
"Leave everything to me son. You will know what to do when the time comes." The man’s voice was calm, but his eyes gleamed with calculation.
---
"System draw," Aaron called out while lazing within his villa, bored to death. He yearned for the next day where he could finally get his freedom and be more proactive. The villa felt like a temporary prison, and the boredom was gnawing at his hybrid instincts.
[Congratulations. You have gained the SS rank skill. Doppelganger.]