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“I thought we had talked about this before, my son, but showing such frivolous methods of affe does not fit us prideful vampire kind!” Teressa began reprimanding her son. “I suppose it is fine if you do it alone, in privacy, but please refrain from doing any of such things outside. Or you would risk tainting the image of vampires and our pride. Emotional affe and any of such sexual as are forbidden most of the time until marriage!”
“Hah, who would have knoires are so stuck-up in this game lore…” Paul sighed, feeling slightly tired of Vd’s mother’s tantrum. “Well, it isn’t that she’s homophobic… It is just that, apparently, vampires don’t do any of these things. I guess they’re very bloodthirsty and cold, emotionless people. Showiions is… a sign of weakness, apparently. So stupid.”
Although Paul felt like arguing against Vd’s mother, he didn’t want to end up making her angrier, and he preferred to leave it at that and still stay on good terms with her. After all, she was a figure of great strength and a member of the nobility, his own avatar’s mother. Fighting against her would only make things worse.
She also just said it was okay to do it in privacy… So it kind of didn’t matter in the end. She was just ky and wanted her son to first find a bride, but Vd didn’t want that, so probably the flict came from her feeling disbelief that her son would rather kiss with his servant instead of making the servant a bride instead!
It was overly voluted, and he wasn’t in the mood for drama.
“Okay, sorry, mother,” Paul sighed. “I promise we will keep this in privacy, just as it was being done. You, instead, barged ihe room without even knog, right?”
“That’s right! We were smoog in privacy, ma’am!” Chris barked back like an angry chihuahua. “So don’t get so angry over it! Let’s get along, please.”
“Hmph…! Susolence, but... Hah, as the saviors of the city, I ’t really get angry at you,” Teressa sighed. “Okay, let’s just fet this happened. Anyway, I am gd you’re back. It is quite te, though. Would you like to eat lunch with us?”
“Let’s eat together, brother!” said Camil, running towards Vd and trying t him down. “You too, Ali! Let’s eat together! I like you; you’re pretty, like a girl, and funny! you marry, big brother, please?”
“E-Eh?!” Chris blushed a bit. “Hahaha! Am I pretty? It’s just how I was born~!” The incubus felt slightly embarrassed.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Camil had beuch more vocal tely, and Vd and Alitheus ended up being dragged down by her aelekinesis.
They enjoyed what Teressa had cooked today, which was different; this time she prepared meat and purple-colored rice, apanied by those blood-colored potatoes, now cut into pieces and roasted with herbs and salt.
"Oh, this meat is very tender; where is it from?” Alitheus wondered.
“It is Piggial meat,” said Teressa. “Expetle are mostly raised for noble vampires to eat. They produce a lot of blood, and their meat also has a lot of blood, so they’re well suited for our ption. I suppose a oner such as yourself has asted such high-quality meat, haven’t you, Alitheus? Feel yourself lucky you’ve mao fancy my son enough to be allowed within our home.”
“I’m not a oner! I am…” Chris stopped talking when Paul looked at him. He was about to say he was the son of the Fairy King Oberon but stopped midway through. “Never mind…”
Paul had iigated that there were tensioween Realms; it wouldn’t be o reveal Chris had the blood of a being from another Realm for now. If it was, he didn’t know if he could guarantee his safety within the game, as political tensions could arise quite quickly.
“Anyways, mother, we’re almost doh our stuff,” said Vd. “I have already upgraded my armor and my staff, and I’ve gained plenty of new Skills. Also, the curse I have has… somewhat weakened.”
“Oh, yes! Right, you’re an amazing alchemist and crafter now, aren’t you, my son?” Teressa wondered. “Being a Pyer truly gives you miraculous abilities and talents out of nowhere… And you said your Curse… was weakened?”
“Yes, the Curse that reduces my Stats by y pert and breaks the Meridians of my body, so I ot cultivate a Physique like everyone else,” said Vd. “The stat redu has decreased to seventy pert now.”
“I-Is that so? The powers of Gluttony you possess… It seems they must have certain ditions, then! There might still be some hope for you! So how did it happen? I help you in any way? I’ve been quite busy dealing with managing the money and buying materials while managing the rebuilding of the city, but… do tell!”
“Hmm, well…” Vd muttered. “If I could ask my mother t me high-level monster corpses to devour, wouldn’t that be for the better? I could easily please Gluttony and… No, she’s too busy, though. I ’t just bother her like this.”
Paul had sidered taking advantage of the high-level NPC that was Vd’s mother. But after careful sideration of how busy she was, he thought it was better for her to prioritize Elderbridge and rebuild it as soon as possible with whatever funds she had left.
The city was now rather vulnerable to outside attacks. From Monster Waves to Bandit or Barbarian Tribe Raids, or even a neighb lord wanting to take advantage of things... It was too dangerous now.
“Don’t worry about it; I do it on my own with Alitheus support,” said Vd. “I just o eat eating strong monsters and... foes. You know what I mean with that.”
“Oh! I see… Ihose who wielded the power of Gluttony in the past could devour things and attain their powers,” said his mother. “It has been roughly three thousand years sihe st wielder of Gluttony died, the Orown as Rokkan of Endless Hunger. A Berserk that terrorized half of the nd of Obscuritas back then.”
“So he wasn’t a Vampire, huh?” Alitheus wondered.
“No, the Evil Gods whims are very uable… Although they do tend to fancy us Vampires as we are the most noble and stro race of Obscuritas, they have cursed others,” Teressa said. “But my son, I was w, have you awakened your Sin Power yet?”
“Sin Power?” asked Vd. “You meaat, I thought that was only something Demons could possess…”
“Goodness, no! Although Demons are born with innate Sin Power, you also develop it,” said his mother. “Especially someoh a Sin Curse, this Power naturally courses through your body in vast quantities! It could help you jure powerful Curse Spells and Dark Magic, especially the unique Element you should be able to wield, Gluttony Magic.”
“Gluttony Magic?” Vd was shocked; he had no idea of such a thing. “I simply had no idea, mother... Do tell me more.”
“Well…”
Teressa expio Vd the Essence of a Sin Curse, and how Vd should be able to innately feel its powers and use them other than to unleash the most basic ability of eating things.
“Within your heart, there should be a small clump of darkness.”
After having lunch, Vd decided to receive the help of his mother in developing Sin Power, sitting cross-legged over a coud closing his eyes, eling his inner energies.
“Use your Blood Power and move it around your body; you feel this sphere of power?”
“Hmm…”
Vd stantly tried to find it, but it was rather hard. It was either too small or it simply did.
“I just ’t… find anything.”
“Nothing?”
“No…”
“But this is… Perhaps your senses aren’t sharpened enough due to your current state. Let your mive you a hand.”
Teressa walked behind Vd and touched his back, eling her own Blood Power into his body and expanding her senses into it.
FLASH!
The red Blood Power she trolled started to analyze his internal body.
“Hmm, where is- Ahh!”
Teressa’s eyes widened as her senses fred, sending warnings to her.
Suddenly, an enormous amount of pure darkness surged from within Vd, dev the Blood Power she was imbuing in him.
“Ugh!”
She quickly pulled back her hands, feeling pletely shocked.
“Mother?!” Vd asked, panig. “Are you alright?”
“Did something happen?” Alitheus asked.
“Mama!” Camil ran towards her mom.
“I’m fieressa sighed. “I just… saw something tremendous. I uand why you couldn’t find a little clump… Hahah…”
“Eh? Why?” Vd asked.
“The Curse of Gluttony has already not only devoured your Meridians but fused with you to a level… I couldn’t believe it,” muttered Teressa. “Instead of a tiny lump of darkness, everything was that, but at the same time, it was also you.”
“What…?” Vd felt fused. “Then what does this truly mean?”
“It means that your Curse has bee a part of your very biology and life, my son, part of your body…” her mhed. “There’s… I’ll o iigate further how to help you el Sin Power. But if we take into sideration how it has been fusing with you… It probably could be a power you’ll awaken at any moment. But that ’t be done in the usual way.”
“I see…” Paul felt slightly disappointed, but he guessed he wouldn’t get a at so easily anyway. "Thanks, mother; for now, we’ll excuse ourselves back to the workshop. We o finish off some gear and other things.”
“I guess it couldn’t be helped at the end,” Teressa said. “Anyways, I’ll also be going on my way; there’s several things I o assess. I’ll probably go to the library as well; I o further iigate how Cursed Sins works. I have a feeling the current stage of your Sin Curse is… much more advahan normal.”
“Okay, thank you,” Vd sighed. “The’s go; we ’t waste time.”
“Yeah, yeah~” Alitheus followed his vampire master while flying carefreely.
“Mama, I stay with Big Brother and Alitheus?” Camil wondered.
“Fine, you .” Teressa nodded. “Take good care of your sister, my son.”
“Ah… Okay then.”
As they moved back to the workshop, Camil was able to see firsthand how her brother worked in his things. Fasated by alchemy and crafting, she ended up trying to imitate him several times.
Paul also worked on Alitheus equipment this time, upgrading it using the materials of the raid boss and giving him a more crimson color and fashion, making the succubus have a wilder look with his already punk-themed equipment, which gained colorful red fur and bone spikes.
[You have upgraded several pieces of equipment!]
[The Subcss Skills: [Alchemy (C): Lv6] [Crafting (D): Lv4] [Runigravement (B): Lv4] [Sewing (D): Lv4] have Leveled Up!]
“Hot damn! You really upgraded everything so quickly! You’ve gotten really good at this, dude!” Chris celebrated, spinning around while wearing his new equipment. “Everident and the Bow got better! ’t you upgrade the accessories too?”
Chris g his equipment while his heart was beating; it was all upgraded and eveer than before!
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[Bzing Bat Queen’s Wild Punk Devil Set (Top, Shorts, Boots)]
{Item Type}: [Armor] [Clothes] [bined Set]
{Item Quality}: [A Grade]
{Item Requirement}: [Incubus Only]
{Item Durability}: [50.000/50.000]
{Item Effects}: [Ara]: [12.000/12.000] [Physical Defense]: [6.000] [Magical Defense]: [12.000] [Strength]: [+1.000] [Vitality]: [+1.500] [Dexterity]: [+2.000]
{Runigravements}: [Tier 3 Earth Spell: Stone Skin] (Top) [Tier 3 Fire Spell: Bzing Demon Strength] (Shorts) [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Whirlwind Aura] (Boots)
{Item Abilities}
[Bzing Bat Queen’s Set]: Equipment reinforced using the pelt, bones, fangs, cws, and fur of a Raid Boss. Once all set pieces are equipped, their stats bine and share the same Durability. When all set pieces are equipped and Ara is imbued, a {Bzing Phantom Bzing Bat Veil} will be jured, proteg the user from a lethal attack twice a day and defleg 10% of the damage back to the foe. Ohe Veil effect is used, a Bzing Phantom Bat Queen will be summoned for the hour, sharing the equipment stats plus 50% of the wearer’s stats and possessing unique abilities.
{Description}
A powerful set for any Incubus, an upgraded version of their inal equipme, upgraded once using the bck wolf pelt and the phantasmal ingots, and again using the materials of a mighty Raid Boss. It is said that it protect its wearer from a lethal blow twice a day and summon a mighty proteade by a Vampire Prince for their beloved Incubus e.
-----
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[Infernal Vampiric Devil Trident]
{Item Type}: [Vampiric on] [Fire Element on] [Trident]
{Item Quality}: [A+++ Grade]
{Item Requirement}: [Incubus Only]
{Item Durability}: [25.000/25.000]
{Item Effects}: [Ara]: [12.000/12.000] [Physical Damage]: [8.000] [Magic Damage]: [4.000]
{Runigravements}: [Tier 1 Wind Spell: Float] [Tier 3 Earth Spell: Stone Fortress] [Tier 3: Blood Spell: Blood Predation] [Tier 3 Curse Spell: Body Crippling Curse] [Tier 3 Thunder Spell: Thunderbolt Strike]
{Item Abilities}
[Infernal Vampiric Devil Fangs]: This trident has been upgraded and imbued with Phantasmal Obsidian Steel and the Fangs of Vampiric Bats, and then further upgraded using a Raid Boss material, granting it the ability to directly absorb Life Force from any wou against a foe, weakening them in the process, and also spreading cursed fmes that deal damage stantly. Each wound that has drained some lifeforce will decrease the foe’s Defense and Strength by -5%, for a maximum debuff of -50% for 15 Minutes and the Cursed Fmes will deal 0.5% damage per sed for 10 seds, be stacked indefinitely.
{Description}
An old trident that was remade anew using high-quality materials, embedded with several useful Spells and the ability to drain energy from foes and targets, has bee a on powerful enough to pete with the most prized treasures. However, only the mischievous Incubus may wield the on’s power.
-----
[Magic Bow: Bzing Mistress of the Dark Moon]
{Item Type}: [Magic Bow] [Fire Element on] [on]
{Item Quality}: [A+ Grade]
{Item Requirement}: [Dark Affinity, Incubus, Moon Elf Only]
{Item Durability}: [12.000/12.000]
{Item Effects}: [Ara]: [15.000/15.000] [Physical Damage]: [5.000] [Magic Damage]: [7.000]
{Runigravements}: [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Storm Arrow] [Tier 3 Fire Spell: Infernal Arrow] [Tier 3 Ice Spell: Frost Arrow] [Tier 3 Curse Spell: Abyssal Cursed Arrow] [Tier 3 Poison Spell: Deg Poison Arrow] [Tier 3 Thunder Spell: Thunderous Paralyzing Arrow]
{Item Abilities}
[Bzing Mistress Assassin’s Bow]: A bow imbued with Phantasmal Obsidian Steel, further upgraded using a Raid Boss’ materials, and embedded with many magic arrow spells, perfectly made to be used as a led, damage dealing magic bow. However, its name also has a meaning. When equipped, it enpasses the wielder on a Veil of Dark Fmes that increases their Stealth abilities and decreases the ces of being spotted by foes, but when spotted by foes, the veil fires against the foe and explodes, dealing damage based on 50% of the user’s Ara. Additionally, whenever an arrow strikes down a foe by surprise, the bow will regain 35% of the Ara spent, and there’s a 10% ce the arrow ignores 30% of the foe’s defenses.
{Description}
An incredible magic bow fed with great effort, made entirely out of Phantom Obsidian Steel, further upgraded using materials from a mighty Raid Boss, and embedded with powerful spells. This on was made for those who dislike fighting at cle and have good dexterity and agility. However, due to the bow’s nature, only Incubus and Moon Elves may equip it.
-----
Chris newly upgraded equipment looked rather crisp, with better stat boosts, stronger spells, and abilities, and he could hardly wait to test them on a battle.
“I ’t really upgrade them,” said Paul. “They’re non-upgradable. Most things given by the System are, apparently. I think it iivizes pyers to make their own things instead. Every piece of equipment has its own upgrade limit, though, and all our equipment just reached it; we ’t upgrade it past this point.”
“Wait, really? Damn, I guess we’ll have to find somethier ter,” Chris shrugged. “But for now, these are top-notch stuff!”
“Yeah, the thing is, there’s nothing saying we ’t dismahem until they break, and then we remake them again using new pieces of equipment… and make an “upgraded” versiohough it’s a new piece of equipment altogether,” Vd smiled mischievously.
“Oooh! Big brother’s smart! He figured it out!” Camil cpped as she was making a little hat using her newly acquired sewing Skill. “I’ll make you a yarn hat too, Alitheus!”
“Aww, really? Thanks a lot!” Chris giggled, patting little Camil in the head. “So how’s your armor and that new sword, though?”
“Wanna see?” Vd smiled, showing his equipment stats.
The first was his wonderful sword.
-----
[Wizard Knight’s Heroic Magic Bde]
{Item Type}: [Magic Sword] [Elemental on]
{Item Quality}: [A+++ Grade]
{Item Requirement}: [10.000+ Ara Stat]
{Item Durability}: [30.000/30.000]
{Item Effects}: [Ara]: [24.000/24.000] [Physical Damage]: [8.500] [Magic Damage]: [8.500]
{Runigravements}: [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Soar] [Tier 3 Fire Spell: Small Meteor] [Tier 3 Earth Spell: Stone Fortress] [Tier 3 Ice Spell: Frost Beam] [Tier 3 Light Spell: Sunshine Beam] [Tier 3 Water Spell: Sea Sier 3 Life Spell: Healing] [Tier 3 Alchemy Spell: Geomancy]
{Abilities}
[Wizard Knight’s Legacy]: A magic bde created by bining a heroic sword with a powerful wand for wizards. It possesses both the sharpness of the bde and the magic power of the wand. When imbuing Ara into the bde, enhahe range of all physical attacks by 5 meters and grants the bde the ability to break through Magic based on the Spell Tier and the Ara used.
{Description}
A Special Magic Bde crafted by a Vampire Prihat has decided to bihe efficy of wands with the sharpness of bdes. It es imbued with many useful elemental Spells, and evehrough ic Spells if given enough Ara.
-----
His wand had bee a full-fledged sword now, imbued with two new spells and upgraded spells as well, and with the potency to even break spells and attack from a distance.
And stly, his armor.
-----
[Cursed Vampire Arist Padin Full-Body Armor (Helmet, Chest, Arms, Gloves, Legs, Boots)]
{Item Type}: [Armor] [Full Body Set] [bined Set]
{Item Quality}: [A+++ Grade]
{Item Requirement}: [Vampire Only, 10.000+ Blood Power and Soul Aether.]
{Item Durability}: [120.000/120.000]
{Item Effects}: [Ara]: [50.000/50.000] [Physical Defense]: [25.000] [Magical Defense]: [15.000] [Strength]: [+3.000] [Vitality]: [+3.000]
{Runigravements}: [Tier 3 Life Magic: Boost Senses] (Helmet) [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Feather Weighted] [Tier 3 Fire Spell: Infernal Aura] (Chest) [Tier 3 Curse Magic: Strength Crippling Curse] [Tier 3 Earth Magic: Stone Giant’s Fist] (Gloves) [Tier 3 Light Magic: Sunlight Swords] (Legs) [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Whirlwind Aura] [Tier 3 Wind Spell: Soar] (Boots)
{Item Abilities}
[Cursed Arist Padin Armor]: When all set pieces are equipped together, it increases All Stats Bonuses by 30%, Magic Damage Dealt by 40%, and decreases Ara cost of Spells below Tier 5 by 30%. When juring Spells, Residual Ara will accumute ihe Armor, which then be released as [Elemental Magic Shockwave] against foes, dealing 70% Damage based on maximum Blood Power and Ara Stats and of any Element previously chosen. Cooldown: 25 Seds.
[Cursed Ghostly Armor]: Whehe Armor receives Damage to its Durability, it will accumute Cursed Essence based on damage taken, which then be used to Summon one [Cursed Ghost e], which will copy 60% of the user’s Stats and Abilities (without including any debuff or buff). Cooldown: 40 Minutes after e is destroyed.
{Description}
An incredible set of armor specifically created for Vampires who had prehehe power of the Soul and Ara, Arist Padins, who have fallen into the dark side and absorbed the power of Curses. Using this armor, their magical powers will be enhanced, and they will even be able to summon a e of themselves to aid them in battle.
-----
It was the same as before, mostly, but everything was much better. Even the smallest of abilities had been upgraded, and the arra of spells had also beely boosted.
Above all, the amount of bonus stats was really good, especially all of that Ara!
“With this, I think we’re done for the day.” Vd smiled with a nod.
“Wait, what? We’re logging off already? ’t we go thug hunting as we talked?” wondered Chris. “e on, while it’s the weekend?”
“Not yet; I o first cultivate some more, use the Raid Points to purchase items in the Raid Shop, learn more Magid also take care of Camil here,” Vd said with an expressionless face.
“B…” Chris sighed. “Then I’m going off to the duo farm a bit! I?”
“A-Alitheus, you’re leaving?” Camil wondered. “Stay! Let’s py!”
“B-But…” Chris was weak toward Camil; the girl’s puppy eyes were all it took for him to agree. “Fine…”
As Vd smiled by seeing them py and Camil requesting Chris to wear dresses and pretend to be a princess from a fn try ieatime game, he moved onto cheg his soul and body.
RUMBLE!
If it wasn’t because something was already happening outside the city, creating a huge otion that shook half the city.
Something powerful smashed the walls apart—something strong.
“Hahahaha! Raid this run-doweal every single damn thing, you bastards!”
A giant, muscur orc riding a giant wingless dragon led an army of a hundred bandits into Elderbridge.
Vd watched the se through the window with Chris and Camil, as they were all growing worried.
Yet, the vampire couldn’t help but smirk.
“Well, isn’t this ve? Let’s test our equipment then, Chris.”
Ding!
[The new {Backgrou}: [Defend Elderbridge from the Bck Fang Bandits] has begun!]
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Pach
