Chapter 13 : The Blood Pill and the Birth of Magma
Morning light filtered through the curtains of Room 32, casting long beams across the floor.
Yawn...
I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My body felt stiff, but the excruciating pain from the previous night had vanished. The Undying Body passive skill had been working overtime while I slept, stitching my muscles back together and replenishing my vitality.
I checked my status immediately.
[Current HP: 4500 / 7800]
"Better," I whispered. "But not full yet."
I looked over at the other two beds. Jeevan and Dev were still fast asleep, their chests rising and falling in a rhythmic slumber.
I quietly retrieved the Holy Cup from my storage ring. The golden chalice glinted in the morning sun. I took a large 5-liter jug of water I kept in the room and began pouring it into the cup.
Glug... glug... glug...
The water swirled inside the magical vessel. Within moments, the clear liquid darkened, turning a deep, rich crimson. A metallic, sweet aroma wafted into the air—the scent of pure, high-grade blood.
I lifted the cup to my lips and began to drink.
Gulp... Gulp...
As the liquid slid down my throat, I felt a rush of energy coursing through my veins. My cells cheered in delight.
[System Notification]
[HP Recovered: 5000 / 7800]
[HP Recovered: 5500 / 7800]
[HP Recovered: 6000 / 7800]
[HP Recovered: 7000 / 7800]
[HP Recovered: 7800 / 7800]
[Daily Mission Update]
[Task: Drink 5 Liters of Water - COMPLETED]
[Reward: 200 EXP]
[Task: Drink 5 Liters of Blood - COMPLETED]
[Reward: 200 EXP]
I wiped my mouth, a satisfied smile on my face. "Double experience for a single action? This cup is a cheat item."
[ 850 EXP / 1000 EXP ]
My HP was fully restored, and I was inching closer to Level 2.
While waiting for the others to wake up, I decided to inspect them with my System.
Zing—
[Name: Jeevan]
[Blood Type: B+]
[Skill: Copy]
[Level: None]
[User Type: Origin]
[Name: Dev]
[Blood Type: C+]
[Skill: Earth Control (Beginner)]
[Level: 1]
I nodded to myself. Jeevan's ability I already knew; his Copy skill had reset overnight. But Dev...
"Impressive," I thought. "He has already learned Earth Control (Beginner) from the skill book. He can't create earth from nothing yet, but he can manipulate existing soil and change its shape. For someone with low confidence, he's learning fast."
I sat back, waiting.
Half an hour later, the room began to stir.
"Mmm..." Jeevan groaned, stretching his arms. Dev sat up, rubbing his eyes.
They both looked at me, realizing I was already awake and fully dressed.
"Aditya?" Jeevan blinked. "Where the hell were you last night? We looked everywhere, but you were gone."
Dev looked at me with concern. "Yeah, we were worried."
I sighed. I couldn't hide everything forever, especially not from the people I lived with.
"I was dealing with a problem," I said calmly. "I got into a fight with Michael, the boss of that guy Sam. I had to kill him."
The room went dead silent.
"What?" Jeevan sat up straight, his eyes wide. "Michael? The Level 11 guy? You're joking, right? How could you possibly kill a second-year elite?"
"I told you before," I said, leaning forward. "I am a vampire. We have specific skills that allow us to punch above our weight class."
Jeevan scoffed, shaking his head. "Aditya, stop with the jokes. We aren't in a fantasy novel. You expect us to believe that?"
"You need proof?" I asked.
I opened my mouth and focused.
Shing.
My canines extended, sharpening into long, razor-sharp fangs. My eyes glowed with a faint red hue.
Dev gasped, covering his mouth. Jeevan's jaw dropped.
"Aditya... you... you really are a vampire?" Dev whispered, trembling slightly.
"But..." Jeevan frowned, confused. "I've never seen you drink blood. You act normal. You don't burn in the sun. You don't look like a monster that needs to hunt humans."
"Wait. Let me show you something else."
I raised my hand.
Flash.
From thin air, the Holy Cup appeared in my grasp.
Jeevan's eyes didn't lock onto the cup, but onto my hand. "A storage ring?! You have a storage ring? Those are incredibly expensive! Even I haven't received one from my family yet."
"Forget the ring," I said. "Look at the cup."
I took a water bottle from the desk and poured clear water into the golden chalice. Dev and Jeevan watched intently, expecting the cup to overflow.
But the water didn't spill. Not a single drop.
Then, the magic happened. The clear liquid swirled and turned deep red. A mesmerizing, sweet scent filled the room—a smell that made even Dev and Jeevan feel strangely intoxicated.
"This..." Jeevan sniffed the air. "This smell... it's incredible. It smells like high-grade mana fluid."
"It's blood," I explained. "This is the Holy Cup. It converts water into pure blood. That is why I don't need to hunt people. I have an infinite supply."
"That is a god-tier artifact," Jeevan muttered in awe. "To convert water to blood... Aditya, you are living a life of luxury. You never have to worry about food or hunger."
"I wish we could drink it," Dev said wistfully. "It smells so good. It makes me feel... hungry."
I paused. 'Can they?'
'System, can humans consume the blood from the Holy Cup?'
[Affirmative. Humans can consume purified blood. It will not restore HP like it does for a Vampire, but it acts as a high-potency energy drink. It removes fatigue and strengthens a weak constitution.]
My eyes lit up.
" actually," I smiled at them. "You can."
"What?" They both spoke in unison.
"You won't become vampires," I assured them. "But this blood acts like a super-energy juice. It can cure fatigue and strengthen your bodies. Especially you, Dev."
"Really?" Dev asked, hope shining in his eyes. "It can make my weak body stronger?"
"Yes. But I have something even better for you, Dev."
I reached into my storage ring again.
Hummm...
I pulled out the Blood Pill. It was a small, condensed sphere of crimson energy, radiating a faint heat.
"What is that?" Jeevan asked, leaning in. "It smells like blood, but... thicker. More powerful."
"This is a Blood Pill," I said seriously. "I made this using a skill called Blood Manipulation. It is created from the entirety of Michael's blood."
I briefly explained the gruesome details of the fight—how I lost control, awakened a hidden form, and drained Michael to create this object.
They listened in stunned silence. While the method was dark, hearing about Michael's cruelty made them feel that justice had been served.
"So," Dev asked, "how does this help me?"
"Michael was a Fire User," I explained. "His blood contains the essence of his power. Since this pill is made from him, it carries the Fire Element. If you eat this, there is a high chance you will awaken a Fire affinity."
"But I already learned Earth Control," Dev said, looking at his hands. "Everyone knows you can only master one element."
"Think outside the box," I urged him. "What happens when you mix Earth and Fire?"
Dev thought for a second. His eyes went wide.
"Lava..."
"Exactly," I nodded. "If you eat this, your Earth skill might evolve into a Lava skill. You would become a dual-element user."
"That..." Jeevan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That would be a legendary class ability! And if he gets it, I can copy it later! I won't have to touch random people to get talents!"
"Aditya," Dev looked at me, confused. "Why are you giving this to me? You don't have a skill book either. Shouldn't you eat it?"
I shrugged. "I'm a vampire. Human skill books and elemental affinities don't work the same way for me. My path to power is different. This is useless to me, but it could change your life."
Dev looked at the pill, then at me. His hands shook slightly as he reached out.
"Okay. I'll do it."
He took the pill and swallowed it whole.
Gulp.
Dev sat on the floor in a meditative lotus position.
For the first few minutes, nothing happened.
Then—
Whoosh!
A wave of heat radiated from Dev's body. His skin turned red. Sweat poured down his forehead, sizzling as it touched the floor.
"Argh!" Dev gritted his teeth, groaning in pain.
"Hang in there, Dev!" Jeevan shouted.
Dev was fighting a mental battle. His mind wanted to give up, to stop the burning sensation tearing him apart. But then he remembered the bullying. He remembered being called weak. He remembered how Aditya and Jeevan stood up for him when he couldn't stand up for himself.
'I won't be a burden anymore!'
Sizzle... hiss...
A black, tar-like liquid began to ooze out of Dev's pores—the impurities of his weak body being purged by the intense energy.
After ten minutes, the black liquid hardened, forming a rock-like shell around him. He looked like a human-shaped stone egg. Inside, we could see veins of glowing orange magma flowing through the cracks.
Crack... Snap!
Suddenly, the stone shell shattered.
Boom!
A burst of energy blew Dev's clothes to ash. He stood up, breathing heavily. Only his underwear had miraculously survived the heat.
I activated my System immediately.
[Name: Dev]
[Blood Type: C+]
[Skill Book: Lava-Earth Fusion]
[Skill: Magma Control (Level 1)]
[Level: 1]
[Stats: STR 20 | AGI 20 | STA 20]
"Incredible," I noted. "His level hasn't changed, but his stats have doubled to 20 across the board. That's Level 2 territory."
Dev opened his eyes. He looked at his hands, clenching his fists. He felt power—real, raw power—coursing through him for the first time in his life.
"Thank you, Aditya," Dev said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Because of you... I'm finally strong."
"Save the tears," I laughed, pointing at him. "And put some clothes on. How long do you plan to stand there in your underwear?"
Dev looked down, his face turning bright red.
"Ah!"
He scrambled to the bathroom, grabbing a fresh uniform. Jeevan and I burst into laughter.
Two hours later, the clock struck 8:00 AM.
Dressed in our crisp academy uniforms, the three of us headed to the academic block.
We entered the lecture hall, finding our seats near the back. The room was buzzing with excitement.
Mr. Adam stood at the front podium. He spent the first few hours lecturing on the history of the Awakening Era, a subject that was dry but necessary.
Finally, as the class neared its end, Mr. Adam tapped his watch.
Beep.
A massive holographic screen appeared behind him.
"Alright, listen up," Mr. Adam announced, his voice projecting across the hall. "Tomorrow, your practical combat classes begin. You will be separated based on your aptitudes—Elemental, Transformation, Enactment, and Weaponry."
The screen displayed a long list of names, categorizing students into specific classes.
I scanned the list.
[Elemental Class: ... ... ...]
[Weapon Class: ... ... ...]
I frowned. "My name isn't there."
"Neither is mine," Jeevan whispered.
I looked around. There were a handful of other students looking equally confused.
Mr. Adam noticed the murmurs.
"If your name is not on the list," Mr. Adam said, his eyes scanning the room, "it means your talent does not fit into the standard categories. You are the outliers. The unique cases."
He smiled.
"Therefore, those of you not listed have special privileges. You are free to choose any class you wish to attend. You may join the Elementals today, the Weapon masters tomorrow, or switch as you please until you find your path. The choice is yours."
With that, he gathered his papers.
"Class dismissed."
To be continued...