I Awakened The Ancient Vampire System

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Worldwide

Two weeks passed without a mission.

The absence weighed on every student. No Garden Zone runs. No dungeon clears. No inter-class tournament. Just training, classes, and silence. Rumors spread through the dormitories like wildfire. Some said the academy was under investigation. Others claimed the Hunter Guild had revoked their operating permits. A few whispered that the zombie virus had reached the UK.

None of them were right.

The truth came on a Monday morning. Every student from every department — Combat, Research, Support, Special — was summoned to the main coliseum. 1,400 bodies packed the stands. The head instructor stood on the platform with a mana amplifier crystal at his throat.

"This month’s mission is different."

His voice carried across the silent coliseum.

"You will each be sent to cities affected by the zombie virus. Your task is simple — kill them. The number of zombies you eliminate will determine your monthly ranking. This mission also serves as this month’s inter-class tournament. Some of this zombies are now known to even possess setinent. So treat them like you are fighting a human and not underestimate them."

Murmers rippled through the crowd.

"This is not limited to our academy. Afterall, there are too many zombies for just this academy. The World Government has issued a global directive to every major academy. Students from the European All-Star Academy, the Chinese Vanguard Institute, the American Apex Academy, and others will all be deployed simultaneously. You will be watched — by the World Government, by the military leadership of each country you operate in, and by representatives from other academies."

He paused.

"Some of you have undergone rigorous training over the past month. Your masters and teachers have pushed you. Your abilities have grown. Now is the time to show the world why the European All-Star Academy is considered one of the best."

His eyes swept the crowd.

"Transfer students who joined last month will join us for this expedition. This is a one-week evaluation. It will also test your survival skills."

Then his voice hardened.

"You will not be saved."

The gasp that swept through the coliseum was audible.

"Some of you will surely die. The World Government has designated these zones as active threat regions. Military support will not be provided during the operation. If you are overwhelmed, you die. If you are bitten, you die. If you cannot keep up—"

He let the silence finish the sentence.

"The world is not stopping for anyone. Different threats are rising. New dungeons are spawning. Beast populations are expanding. If you — the new generation — cannot keep up, you will be devoured."

A student in the front row raised his hand. The head instructor nodded.

"Some of us are from countries that weren’t heavily affected by the zombie virus. Is it fair that students from harder-hit regions face more zombies?"

"Good question," the head instructor said. "No, it is not fair. Students from less affected continents may be consolidated into one or two countries. Students from heavily affected regions like Europe and Asia will be spread across multiple zones. The distribution is uneven by design. The World Government wants to see how you perform."

He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Also note — there is currently no cure for the zombie virus. Do not rely on one existing."

The coliseum was deathly quiet.

"At the end of the week, healers will be on standby for survivors. You move out in twelve hours. The academy will handle transportation. Dismissed."

Lucian sat motionless as students flooded out of the coliseum. The head instructor’s words echoed in his mind.

No cure publicly available. The mastermind clearly hasn’t been caught.

The system pulsed.

╔══════════════════════════╗

║ ⚔ GLOBAL EXPEDITION — QUEST CHAIN ⚔ ║

╠══════════════════════════╣

║ QUEST 1: Top 3 in UK All-Star Academy ║

║ Ranking by zombie kill count ║

║ Reward: 8,000 SC + B-Rank Skill Book ║

║ Penalty: -3,000 SC + 5-day system shop lockout ║

║ Status: ◉ ACTIVE ║

╠═══════════════════════════╣

║ QUEST 2: Kill 1,000 Normal Zombies ║

║ Reward: 3,000 SC ║

║ Penalty: -1,000 SC ║

║ Status: ◉ ACTIVE ║

╠════════════════════════════╣

║ QUEST 3: Kill 200 Neophyte Zombies ║

║ Reward: 5,000 SC ║

║ Penalty: -2,000 SC ║

║ Status: ◉ ACTIVE ║

╠═════════════════════════════╣

║ QUEST 4: Kill 2 Core Realm Zombies ║

║ (Solo kills only) ║

║ Reward: Blood Eclipse Art upgrade + 10,000 SC ║

║ Penalty: All passives suppressed 72hrs ║

║ Status: ◉ ACTIVE ║

╚═════════════════════════════╝

Lucian closed his fist.

This is my redemption.

Twelve hours later, the France group assembled at the academy’s airfield. Twenty-nine students stood before a military transport plane, its engines already humming. Crates of C-Rank weapons were laid out on tables beside the tarmac.

A young man with blonde hair and sharp green eyes stepped forward. Ramzi Bouchard. Early Core Realm. B-Rank Wind Manipulation. He’d transferred from a French regional academy last month.

"France group, listen up," Ramzi said. "Twenty-nine of us. I suggest we split into teams of five — attack, defense, and support roles in each team. We’ll cover more ground that way."

Arthur stepped forward immediately. "I’ll take five. My team, my rules."

Ramzi didn’t argue. Arthur selected four Early Core Realm and one peak Neophyte support healer student.

Lucian looked at Clara, Rose, and Ryan. Lumina sat on Ryan’s shoulder.

"That’s four of us," Lucian said.

Ryan adjusted his glasses. "We can be the last group of four. Twenty-nine divided by five leaves four remaining. We’ll take the remainder."

Ramzi shrugged. "Fine by me."

Lucian walked to the weapon crates. He already had the Moon Shattering Blade — A-Rank, given to him by Allistar three days ago.

He picked a C-Rank pistol set instead. Two handguns, extended magazines, armor-piercing rounds. Complementary to his close-range combat style.

Rose grabbed a C-Rank shield generator — a wrist-mounted device that created a temporary barrier. Clara chose C-Rank ice gauntlets. Ryan took a C-Rank wrist computer with built-in beast analysis software.

At the far end of the airfield, Bruno Remmos stood with four other students near a smaller plane. Slovakia’s entire delegation. Five people. Bruno dwarfed all of them — not just physically, but in presence. The four students followed his lead without question.

Bruno caught Lucian’s eye across the tarmac as they greeted each other with a nod.

The engines roared louder. Students finished gearing up and boarded their assigned planes. The France group filed into the transport — cramped benches, dim lighting, the smell of metal and oil.

Lucian sat beside Clara. Rose and Ryan across from them. Lumina curled up on Ryan’s lap.

"Paris zone," Ramzi announced from the front, checking a tablet. "Heavy infection. Military estimates put zombie count in the tens of thousands within the city perimeter. Neophyte and Core Realm variants confirmed."

The plane shuddered. Lifted off. The academy grounds shrank below them.

Lucian looked out the small window. The English countryside gave way to open ocean, then to the French coastline. Somewhere ahead, Paris waited — half-ruined, zombie-infested, and very much alive with things that used to be human.

The plane flew south toward the dead city.