Chapter 15: The Watcher in the Shadows
that night, after witnessing Aditya's unusual burst of power in the training ground room, Barsha had made a decision. She would keep a close eye on him. She was determined to uncover the secret he was hiding.
Barsha was a Level 2 user with the ability of Telekinesis. She hailed from a unique and somewhat rebellious faction known as the "pure human." This group held a deep-seated hatred for Skill Books—or rather, the politics surrounding them.
The existence of the pure human was a direct result of the greed of the world's top officials and elite families. The powerful hoarded important resources and high-tier Skill Books, refusing to release them to the public or the lower classes.
In response, families like Barsha's rejected the reliance on magical skills, focusing instead on mastering physical weapons and innate psychic abilities.
But Barsha had a secret side, too. Since childhood, she had lived alone with her father. To pass the time, he would tell her fantastical stories of myths and legends
werewolves, dragons, and vampires.
Barsha's dream was She wanted to step into those stories. She wanted to be part of a fantasy.
That night, Barsha was walking through the academy corridor, heading toward her room, when she spotted a familiar figure slipping into the darkness of the academy grounds.
It was Aditya.
Her curiosity piqued instantly.'Where is he going at this hour? And why is he moving so stealthily?'
She decided to follow him. However, she knew the risks. If he was meeting someone dangerous, she could be caught.
Hummm! Barsha activated her ability. She didn't use her telekinesis to move objects; instead, she wrapped a thin layer of psychic energy around her feet.
This dampened the vibrations of her steps, making her completely silent. Like a ghost, she trailed behind him.
When she arrived at the scene, she hid behind a large stone pillar, her eyes widening in shock.
Aditya was not alone. He was facing Michael, a notorious Second Year student known for his cruelty and strength.
'A Level 5 freshman facing off against a Level 11 senior?' Barsha thought, her heart racing. 'He's going to get killed!'
But as the fight progressed, her shock turned into disbelief.
Boom! Crash!She watched as Michael unleashed a barrage of fire attacks. She saw Aditya take heavy hits—blows that should have shattered the bones of a normal Level 5 student. Yet, Aditya stood his ground.
He wasn't attacking much, but the fact that he could endure such damage and remain standing was nothing short of a miracle
"How is his body so durable?" she whispered to herself, ensuring her voice didn't travel.
Then came the turning point.
"Fire Cage!" Michael slammed his hands down, trapping Aditya in a swirling prison of flames. Barsha flinched. She heard Michael boast that no one had ever escaped his cage alive.
'It's over,' she thought, closing her eyes for a second. 'He's going to die.'
But he didn't die.
Instead, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavy, cold, and suffocating.
RIIIP!Barsha watched in paralyzed awe as Aditya tore the fire apart with his bare hands. But it wasn't Aditya anymore.
His black hair bleached into a blood-red crimson. His eyes glowed with a predatory scarlet light in the dark night. And when he opened his mouth to roar, she saw them.
Fangs. Razor-sharp, elongated fangs.
Barsha froze. Her childhood stories came flooding back to her mind.
'A Vampire' She was absolutely certain of it now. But as the realization hit her, a wave of confusion followed.
According to the fantasy books her father read to her, vampires were creatures of the night. They had specific weaknesses.
* Rule 1: Vampires burn in the sun.
* Rule 2: Vampires can only consume blood.
Barsha frowned, her logical mind warring with her eyes. 'I've been watching him all day. I saw him walking under the blazing sun without a hint of discomfort.
I saw him eating curry and rice in the canteen like a normal human. None of the weaknesses apply to him.'
Earlier, she had doubted her own intuition. She had asked herself, 'Is my suspicion wrong? Am I just projecting my fantasies onto a normal boy?'
She had almost thrown her theory into the trash bin. But now, looking at the figure standing amidst the scattered flames red eyes, red hair, and an aura of pure death she discarded her doubts instead.
'The books were wrong,' Barsha realized, her hands trembling with excitement. 'Or maybe... he is something far greater than the vampires in the stories. He is a true monster.'
She leaned forward, desperate to see what would happen next. She wanted to see how a vampire fought.But she never got the chance.
WOOOOSH! Suddenly, a terrifying burst of red energy—a heavy, oppressive aura—exploded from Aditya's body. It hit Barsha like a physical hammer.
"Uh..."
Her eyes rolled back. Her mind went blank.
Thump. Barsha collapsed behind the pillar, falling into a deep unconsciousness.
[System Activated]
[Witness Neutralized: Unconscious]
[Initiating Crime Scene Cleanup...]
While Barsha lay unconscious, the System went to work. It was efficient and terrifying.
The dried husk of Michael's body didn't just decompose; it disintegrated,
turning into fine dust that was carried away by the wind. The scorched earth was smoothed over. Every drop of blood that had been spilled was erased, leaving not a single DNA trace behind.
It was as if Michael had never existed.
"Mmm..."Barsha groaned, her eyelids fluttering open. Her head was pounding.
"What... how did I faint?" she muttered, rubbing her temples.
Memory rushed back to her. The fight. The fire. The red hair. "Aditya!"She scrambled to her feet and looked toward the clearing.
Her eyes widened in confusion.
There, lying on the ground, was Aditya. He was unconscious, looking like a normal human boy with black hair.But Michael was gone.
Barsha scanned the area frantically. "Where is he? Where is the body? Where is the fire?"
The ground was pristine. There were no scorch marks. There was no blood. There was no sign of a struggle. It was eerily quiet, bathed only in the soft moonlight.
"This... how is this possible?" Barsha whispered, a chill running down her spine. "I saw him drain Michael. I saw the fire. How can an entire person just vanish without a trace?"
She looked at the unconscious Aditya with a mix of fear and awe. "Who are you really, Aditya?"
Barsha hoisted my unconscious body over her shoulder with surprising ease, thanks to her enhanced strength as a cultivator. She scanned the corridor anxiously, her eyes darting left and right.
"Is anyone here?" she whispered to herself. "If someone sees me carrying a boy into my room at night, my reputation will be ruined."
It was 10:00 PM. Fortunately, the hallways were empty. Most students were either asleep or studying in their rooms.
Tip-toe... Tip-toe...
She moved swiftly and silently, reaching her dormitory door in minutes.
Upon entering, she sighed in relief. Her roommate had gone to stay with a friend for the night, leaving the room entirely to Barsha.
Thud.
She gently placed me onto her bed. Seeing my pale face, she decided to head to the small kitchenette to prepare some food for when I woke up.
"Ugh..."
A sharp pain hammered against my skull. I slowly opened my eyes, my vision blurry at first.
"Where am I?" I muttered, looking around. The room smelled faintly of lavender—definitely a girl's room.
I rubbed my throbbing temples. My memory was fragmented. I remembered being trapped in Michael's Fire Cage. I remembered the intense heat, the desperation to escape... and then? Nothing. Just blank darkness.
'System,' I called out internally. 'Come out. Tell me what happened.'
[Ding!]
A blue screen materialized before my eyes.
[Host, at that critical moment, your mind was consumed by extreme rage and a desire for vengeance. This emotional trigger forcibly awakened the 'Origin Vampire Form'.]
"Origin Vampire Form?" I frowned. "I don't know anything about that."
[Host, you would not know. The System created this form instantly to adapt to your perilous situation. However, because it was a forced awakening, there is a side effect.]
"A side effect?" I sat up straight, bracing myself. "Tell me. Which one? I'm ready to hear it."
[It is not a major issue. In that form, you lose all rational control over your body. Additionally, the form consumes 10 HP every 10 seconds. Do not worry; as your level increases, your tolerance will build, and the side effects will diminish.]
"You call losing control of my body and draining my life force a 'minor issue'?" I scoffed, annoyed. "Do you think I'm naive? That's a huge drawback!"
The System didn't respond to my complaint. Ignoring its silence, I decided to check my condition.
"Status," I commanded.
[Ding!]
[Status Window]
[Name: Aditya]
[Race: Vampire]
[Bloodline: Origin Blood Tribe]
[Age: 16]
[Level: Beginner Noble – Level 1]
[HP: 1000 / 7800]
[Strength: 78]
[Agility: 78]
[Stamina: 78]
[Origin Vampire Form:] A form synthesized by the System. In this state, all physical attributes are doubled.
[Active Skills:] Blood Control, Blood Clone, Blood Manipulation, Possession Plunder, Bat Transformation.
[Passive Skills:] Undying Body, Blood Suppression.
[Storage Items:] The Holy Cup, Fire Dragon Whip, Blood Pill.
I stared at the screen, stunned.
"My status... it's completely updated."
I analyzed the changes. I now had four terrifying active skills. And there, sitting in my inventory list, was the Fire Dragon Whip.
'That was Michael's Soul Weapon,' I realized. 'It must be the result of the Possession Plunder skill. And the Blood Pill... that must have been created from Michael's blood using Blood Manipulation.'
Then I looked at my Health Points.
1000 / 7800.
'I lost 6800 HP in that fight,' I thought grimly. 'fighting high-level users is no joke. I nearly died.'
Creak.
The door to the room opened. Barsha walked in, holding a bowl of warm soup. She froze when she saw me sitting up.
We stared at each other in silence.
Neither of us spoke. The atmosphere became heavy and awkward. We were both calculating, wondering who would break the silence first.
Finally, I decided to end the standoff.
"Hello," I said, keeping my voice calm. "My name is Aditya. We met during the entrance exam. I assume you've already figured it out—I am a vampire."
Barsha didn't say a word.
'Why is she quiet?' I wondered. 'Isn't it her turn to speak?'
Suddenly, she placed the bowl on the table and walked right up to me.
Poke.
She poked my arm. Then she grabbed my hand, inspecting my skin. She leaned in close, her face inches from mine, and forcefully tried to pry my mouth open.
"Hey!" I pulled back.
She was trying to see my fangs. Unfortunately for her curiosity, I had already retracted them back to normal human teeth.
"What are you doing?" I pushed her away, feeling flustered. "You should have some shame! Touching a man like that... don't you have any modesty as a girl?"
Barsha looked at me with completely shameless eyes. "Why should I be ashamed? I'm just checking. Are you really a vampire?"
Her lack of fear was unsettling. I decided to change tactics. I needed to scare her into silence.
My expression turned grave. I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a menacing growl.
"Listen to me. If you tell anyone about what you saw tonight... I will turn you into a vampire. Do you understand?"
I expected her to tremble. I expected her to beg for mercy.
Instead, her eyes lit up like stars.
"Really?!" she grabbing my shoulders. "Yes! Turn me! I want to be a vampire! When are you going to do it? Can you do it right now?"
I stared at her, dumbfounded.
'She's not scared at all... she's crazy.'
I realized something immediately: this girl wouldn't tell anyone. Not because she was afraid, but because she wanted to be vampire. But I also realized that if I stayed here any longer, my sanity—and my chastity—would be in danger.
"I need to leave," I said, standing up and putting on a serious act. "Since you won't talk, I'm going."
"Wait! The soup!"
I didn't wait. I focused on my new skill.
Poof!
My body dissolved into black smoke and reformed into a small bat. I flapped my wings and flew straight out of the open window.
Flap— Flap—
I was just gaining altitude when Barsha stuck her head out the window .
"I'm waiting, Aditya! If you don't turn me into a vampire soon, I'll tell everyone your secret!"
Skree—!
Hearing that, I almost forgot how to fly. I tumbled in the air, barely regaining my balance before hitting a tree branch.
"Dammit," I muttered in my bat voice, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead with a wing. " The ancestors were right. You can fight the strongest enemy, but never mess with a girl."
I flew across the campus, navigating through the night sky until I reached the boys' dormitory.
I located Room 32. The window was slightly ajar.
Swoosh.
I glided inside and landed softly on the floor.
I looked around. Dev and Jeevan were fast asleep, snoring rhythmically.
"Thank god," I sighed, transforming back into my human form. "If they were awake, explaining this would have been a nightmare."
I quietly crawled into my bed, pulled the blanket over my head, and let the exhaustion take over.
Zzz...
To be continued...