I Awakened The Ancient Vampire System

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Cure

Lucian and the Girl’s Apartment,

Rose sat cross-legged on the couch with a cup in hand, her cheeks flushed pink. Clara was beside her, already on her third cup, her pale skin somehow managing to look even paler against the red flush spreading across her neck. Ryan sat in the armchair across from them, a single cup in his hand, barely touched. Lumina rested on his shoulder.

Lucian leaned against the kitchen counter with his own cup. He’d had two. That was enough.

Rose raised her cup high, swaying slightly. "This drink is strong. Damn, I’m going to get drunk tonight."

She waved the cup at the others. "Congratulations to me for making top three in the Support Department. And for getting a master to train me." She grinned. "Not bad for a half-zombie, right?"

Clara snorted.

"Details, details."

They talked and drank. Rose complained about her master being too strict. Clara described Instructor Lira’s training methods — brutal, efficient, and apparently involving a lot of ice baths. Lucian said little about Allistar. There wasn’t much to say. Swing swords. Control mana. Get called sloppy.

Then Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green vial.

The room went quiet.

Rose blinked at it. "What’s that?"

Ryan held it up. The liquid inside was translucent green, faintly glowing. "It’s the cure for the zombie virus."

Rose’s cup froze halfway to her lips.

"But it’s only designed for you," Ryan continued, pushing his glasses up. "I haven’t been able to create one that works on others yet. I used your blood to design this specific cure. Your Bastion bloodline created a unique resistance to the virus — a sort of equilibrium between human and zombie biology. This vial isolates the zombie component and eliminates it while preserving everything else."

He set the vial on the table. "To design a cure for others, I’d need to understand the component that builds resistance. Different bloodlines produce different responses. If I had samples from multiple bloodlines — like Lucian’s vampire bloodline and yours — I could isolate the common factor and build a universal template."

Rose stared at him. "Stop. Stop. Come on, it’s all so confusing." She waved her hand. "Thanks by the way."

She picked up the vial. Popped the cap.

"Wait—" Ryan started.

Rose drank it.

Ryan stared at her. "I’m surprised at the amount of trust you place in me."

Rose wiped her mouth. "What? Come on, we’re friends after all."

Then her expression changed. Her hand went to her stomach. She doubled over.

"Rose!" Clara was on her feet.

Rose held up a hand. Black liquid poured from her mouth — thick, viscous, smelling like rot and iron. It splattered on the floor in dark puddles.

She coughed. Wiped her lips. Straightened up.

"I’m okay. I’m okay." She smiled weakly. "Just needed to get that out."

Lucian’s eyes flickered gold. Eyes of the Eternals activated.

Name: Rose Chevalier

Age: 19

Race: Human

Bloodline: Bastion (15% Awakened)

Cultivation: Early Core Realm

Mana Capacity: ~13,500 MPU

Core Type: Flawless

Ability: A+ Rank — Aegis (Barrier Force)

Passive Traits: C-Rank Minor Regeneration, Enhanced Stamina

Note: Zombie virus has been cleared from system. Subject retains passive traits acquired during half-zombie state. Bloodline evolution correlated with viral resistance period.

Lucian blinked. Her bloodline evolved. Fifteen percent now — it was twelve when we arrived. The zombie virus forced her Bastion bloodline to adapt, and when the virus was removed, the adaptation remained.

Does that mean with continued evolution, she could reach an SSS-Rank ability?

That was insane.

Clara grabbed Rose’s shoulders. "Did it work?"

Lucian lowered his Eyes of the Eternals. "It not only worked. She retained all the passive traits she had as a half-zombie."

Clara turned to Ryan. Her crimson eyes were wide. "My little brother is really a genius."

Ryan smiled modestly. "It’s just applied mana biology. The hard part is the universal cure. That could take years."

Rose, apparently recovered, pointed at Lucian. "You’re still giving me that cream. It makes my skin so smooth."

"No way."

"Come on, don’t be so stingy. I’m sure you have a stock of them."

"Those things are expensive."

Afterall, he only had about 1,100 SC.

Rose kept pestering. Every time Lucian said no, she doubled down. Drunken persistence was a terrifying force.

Lucian finally gave up. Fifty SC per cream. He bought five.

System Credits: 850 SC.

He handed them over pulling them from his shadow storage. "This is the last time."

Rose beamed. "Thank you!" She leaned in and pecked his cheek.

Clara, who was definitely drunk at this point, narrowed her eyes. "That’s not allowed. He’s my boyfriend."

Rose smirked. "Come on, Clara. Your boyfriend is so handsome. Hold him tight or some other girl will snatch him away."

Clara turned to Lucian. Grabbed his collar. Pulled him close. Her big breasts pressed against his chest — soft, warm, impossible to ignore no matter how many times he’d felt them.

"You won’t leave me for anyone, right?" She looked up at him with a cute expression that was completely at odds with her usual Ice Queen persona.

Her finger traced down his jaw. "After all, no one can satisfy that stamina of yours."

Lucian nodded repeatedly.

Ryan groaned from his armchair. "I feel so left out. I better get a girlfriend soon."

Rose pouted like a child. "Me too. Don’t be so stingy, Clara."

Clara ignored her. She was too busy nuzzling Lucian’s neck.

Ryan looked at Lumina on his shoulder. The small plant tilted toward him as if agreeing with his misery.

The apartment filled with the sound of drunk complaining and soft laughter.

Chapter 74 — Two Egos

An hour later, the apartment was quiet.

Rose lay sprawled across the couch, one arm hanging off the edge, her mouth slightly open. A thin line of drool connected her lip to the cushion. She’d lost the drinking competition in spectacular fashion — three cups and she was out.

Clara had made it to five before collapsing face-first on the kitchen table. Lucian had moved her to the armchair where she now sat slumped, her head tilted back. Even unconscious, she looked beautiful.

Lucian stood at the kitchen counter with a half-empty cup in his hand. His vision was blurry at the edges. His limbs felt heavy. His thoughts moved like they were swimming through honey.

He was drunk.

Actually drunk.

Lucian turned to Ryan, who sat in the armchair across from sleeping Clara, still sipping his first and only cup. Completely sober.

"What did you put in this drink?" Lucian asked.

Ryan glanced up. "Beast core extract. Ground powder from a Low-Grade Shadow Hound core, dissolved in the wine."

Lucian blinked slowly. "Why?"

"Because vampires can’t get drunk from normal alcohol. Your metabolism processes it too fast. Clara said she wanted to get drunk tonight, so I needed something that could bypass vampire metabolism." Ryan pushed his glasses up. "Beast core powder contains residual mana that reacts with vampire blood. It slows down the metabolic processing just enough for alcohol to take effect. Three cups for a turned vampire of Clara’s level. Looks like for you, it will take far more since your bloodline is different."

"You calculated this."

"Of course I calculated it. I need to know the weaknesses of vampires to kill them."

Lucian stared at him. "You’re terrifying sometimes."

Ryan shrugged. "It’s just math."

Lucian finished his cup. The room tilted slightly. He gripped the counter.

"Let’s go outside," he said. "Need some air."

They moved to the balcony. The night air hit Lucian’s face like a splash of cold water. Not enough to sober him up, but enough to clear the worst of the fog.

Havenford spread out below them. Lanterns glowed along the streets. Students walked in small groups — some heading to restaurants, others returning from late training sessions. The academy’s taller buildings rose in the distance, their windows twinkling like earthbound stars.

Ryan leaned on the balcony railing beside him. Lumina had migrated to the railing itself, its tiny roots curling around the wood.

"Clara’s gotten stronger," Ryan said. "Her control over Psychokinesis has improved dramatically since Lira started training her."

"I know. She told me."

"Rose too."

"Yeah."

Ryan was quiet for a moment. "What about you? You’ve been out at that old man’s place for a month. What’s he teaching you?"

Lucian looked at the distant mountains. Somewhere beyond them, a wooden house sat beside a lake that didn’t belong on any academy map.

"Sword art," he said. "Mana control. Foundation work."

"That’s it?"

"That’s more than enough."

Ryan studied his profile.

"I desire to become the strongest," Lucian said.

Ryan turned to him.

"With my bloodline, I will achieve that goal." Lucian’s voice was low. The alcohol hadn’t slurred his words — if anything, it had stripped away the usual caution. "Destroy every vampire on this planet. Save my sister."

His fist closed around the railing. The metal dented under his grip.

"And evolve beyond anything. Stand above all. Be the strongest — so that no one will ever hurt the people I care about."

The wind picked up. Carried the sound of distant laughter from the streets below.

Ryan was quiet for a long moment. Then his eyes widened slightly. A smile spread across his face.

He raised his cup. "And I will be the richest man in the world with my brilliant mind." He took a sip. "And try to keep up in power too."

Lucian looked at him.

Two different egos. Power. Money. Friendship.

Lucian smiled.

"To keeping up," he said.

They clinked cups. Lucian drained his. The world spun.

Twenty minutes later, Lucian was unconscious on the balcony floor.

Ryan stared down at him with a flat expression. "Idiot."

He bent down and hoisted Lucian over his shoulder. Lucian was heavier than he looked. Ryan’s knees buckled slightly before he adjusted.

Lumina jumped to Ryan’s shoulder, chirping softly.

"Don’t give me that look," Ryan muttered. "You’re not helping."

He carried Lucian inside first. Navigated the narrow hallway to Lucian’s bedroom. Kicked the door open. Dropped Lucian onto the bed with less grace than intended — Lucian’s arm flopped off the edge.

Ryan straightened. Rolled his shoulder. Went back for Clara.

She was lighter. Easier to carry. He managed to get her to her room without incident. She mumbled something incoherent and grabbed a pillow when he set her down.

Rose was the problem. She’d somehow migrated from the couch to the floor during the hour, and she was sprawled in a position that defied human anatomy. Ryan spent two minutes figuring out how to pick her up without waking her.

Lumina helped by extending a small vine and pulling Rose’s arm into a more manageable position.

"Thanks," Ryan muttered.

He got Rose to her room.

Then he stood in the quiet apartment. Alone.

Lumina hopped from his shoulder to the table. Ryan pulled a Low-Grade Mana Stone from his pocket and set it down. Lumina’s leaves glowed faintly as it began absorbing the energy.

Ryan looked toward Lucian’s closed door.

His expression changed. The easy warmth from the balcony vanished. In its place was something colder.

His voice came out barely above a whisper.

"Even if you desire to become the strongest, I’m afraid I have to get that stain of vampires from you."

Lumina’s leaves paused.

Ryan’s hands curled at his sides.

"I will succeed in creating a cure for the vampire bloodline. For you and Clara."

He stood there for three more seconds. Then the hardness faded. The warmth returned. Ryan Duncan, Lucian’s childhood friend, was back.

He picked up Lumina, turned off the lights, and left the apartment.

The door closed softly behind him.