Opening my eyes, I found myself lying in a small forest clearing.
Slowly sitting up, I glanced around in confusion. Soft grass brushed against my hands while towering trees surrounded the clearing on every side.
I stumbled to my feet and looked around again, trying to get my bearings, only for my confusion to deepen.
Where am I?
More importantly…
Who am I?
The realization struck me like lightning.
I had no memories.
Nothing before waking up here existed in my mind at all.
My eyes widened as panic began clawing at my chest, but before it could fully take hold, a translucent blue screen suddenly appeared in front of my face. At the same time, a soft, almost soothing voice echoed in my mind.
[ Hello, Lucy. ]
The panic vanished so suddenly it felt unnatural. I could only stare blankly at the floating message.
Lucy…? Am I Lucy?
I had no idea what this thing was, but with no better options, I decided to speak to it.
"Are you… talking to me?"
[ That's right. ]
"So my name is Lucy then…" I muttered before hesitating. "Can you tell me what you are? Or better yet… who I am?"
[ I am your System, granted to you by the Goddess of Reincarnation to assist you in adapting to your new life. ]
I slowly nodded while taking in what it had said.
Then my eyes widened again.
Reincarnation…
That meant I had died.
Well… that probably explained why I couldn't remember anything. Still, dwelling on it now wouldn't change anything. Pushing those thoughts aside, I focused on the more immediate issue.
I still knew absolutely nothing about my current situation.
And right now, this "System" was my only source of information.
"So if you're here to help me," I began cautiously, "can you tell me more about… well, everything?"
[ Of course. Your name is Lucy. You do not currently possess a surname. You may choose one now or at a later date, though I would advise waiting since it is not important at the moment. ]
"Alright… I'm following so far."
[ In this world, both people and monsters possess levels and can gain experience points through various activities. The most common method is fighting and defeating monsters. If you say or think the word 'Status,' you will be able to open your status window and view your information. ]
"Monsters… experience points…" I muttered thoughtfully.
Honestly, the only thing I cared about right now was learning more about myself.
"STATUS!"
The moment the word left my mouth, a large blue screen materialized in front of me.
[Name: Lucy]
[Race: Progenitor Vampire]
[Age: 17]
[Level: 1 — EXP 0/100]
[MP: 500]
[Strength: 70]
[Defense: 35]
[Magic: 100]
[Agility: 300]
Racial Abilities:
[Progenitor Vampirism]
[Vampiric Bite]
[Blood Magic]
[Ultra-Speed Regeneration]
[Compulsion]
[Spatial Magic (Sealed)]
[Time Magic (Sealed)]
[Day Walker]
[Status Effect Immunity]
[Absolute Appraisal Blocking]
Normal Abilities:
[Elemental Magic: Level 1]
[Dark Magic: Level 1]
[Appraisal]
"…Wow."
That was far more than I had expected.
Still, one thing stood out above everything else.
Vampire?
"Umm… System?" I asked hesitantly. "What exactly is a Progenitor Vampire?"
[ A vampire is a race possessing physical and magical capabilities far superior to most others. They possess unique abilities unavailable to other races, such as Blood Magic and Time Magic. Vampires also possess extraordinary regenerative abilities, allowing them to heal most wounds almost instantly. ]
[ However, these abilities come at the cost of an intense dependence on blood as sustenance, as well as a fatal weakness to sunlight. ]
[ In your case, being a Progenitor Vampire means you are the first and highest-ranking member of your race. Because of this, you possess the unique skill 'Day Walker,' allowing you to move beneath the sun without harm. ]
As the explanation ended, my thoughts locked onto a single word.
Blood.
I needed to drink blood?
I wanted to feel disgusted. I wanted to reject the idea entirely.
But the moment I thought about blood, my throat became unbearably dry.
Not thirsty.
No… it felt deeper than that. Like I had gone my entire life without a single drop of water.
My breathing turned ragged as an unfamiliar heat spread through my body. At the same time, I felt something sharp forming inside my mouth.
Fangs.
Panicking, I looked around the clearing until I spotted a small pond nearby. I rushed toward it and dropped to my knees beside the water.
The moment I looked at my reflection, I froze.
The first thing I noticed were my eyes.
Deep crimson.
They glowed faintly with an almost hypnotic beauty.
My face was small and delicate, framed by long blonde hair that flowed all the way down to my lower back. Pointed ears peeked through my hair, giving me an almost ethereal appearance.
My figure was slender yet curvy in all the right places, my clothes hugging my body tightly. Brown leather pants wrapped around my hips and legs while a fitted tunic sat beneath a black cloak that draped down past my knees.
For a long moment, I could only stare at my reflection in stunned silence.
"…So this is me?"