CH1

An explosion nearly blew my eardrums through my earplugs; enchantment sucked donkey balls. Gabriel hid away from his monitor like a quartz explosion could hit him a thousand miles North in Bavilim. 

"Maybe a skill can't be set on an enchantment," Gabriel said. 

"It's the rock. Quartz enchantment stones are 10 for 10W. They're cheap if Dad let me use a better rock," I was interrupted rudely. 

"Then your house would be gone. I told you we should have waited for success and practice. Then you could have acted like you got it right the first time." 

"That's what we did," I said. 

I fished a stone out of my expanded pockets and held up a blue, glowing hunk of crystal. The edges of the blue crystal were already faded. Temporary skills enchanted onto a rock were apparently temporary. 

"Then you should have succeeded," Mai said. 

The Oni brushed her long white hair behind her ear and smirked at me. She knew what she was doing, but Mai was bored of my practice. 

"So, it did work," Gabriel said. 

I shook the rock, throwing sparkling bits of mana into the air for emphasis. 

"Are you sure it's not going to explode?" Gabriel asked. 

I stopped waving it immediately and looked the enchantments over. Mai handed me a handkerchief to wipe the bits of blue crystal from my goggles. Zoom functions flicked on with a tap of my hand, giving me a better picture of the situation. Little stresses were everywhere but no more significant than when I grafted the enchantment on with my talents. The skill's boundary was deteriorating, but it had six hours of function left. 

"This one won't survive a trip through a transporter," I said. 

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't leave our house at night anyway." 

On one of my monitors, I saw a local map of the area and the different shadings that determined monster saturation. Gabriel's village was on the edge of the red zone. At least it wasn't like the territory to the East of them. In places, Rasputin was dark red and black, meaning some monsters were beyond even rank 3 on the official Weston monster ranking system. Around Gabe, there were only a few blackened areas. 

Pinned to the wall was a half-naked group of vampires called the Fear Sisters. They were supposed to have come from Bavilim and were all human originally. I ensured not to play their music when Gabe could hear through the monitor. As a resident of Bavilim, he wasn't a big fan of vampires or anyone supporting them. That's why their poster was behind the monitor and webcam. 

"Well, since I can't get my hands on it, why don't you try it yourself," Gabriel said. 

I held the stone up and watched it twinkle while it faded. That was by design. Doing anything with the system before the age of 16 was illegal. Grand Champion Francis Heracles might get a call if they heard about someone building a skill to take a peak. Fortunately, my enchanted rock could only be used once. Then, it would self-destruct, removing all traces of my enchantment. 

"Sure, I would love to show my genius," I said. 

I folded my hand in prayer away from the monitor. There was no way I would show Gabriel anything but confidence in my abilities. The skill enchanted onto the rock's wonky soul should work on the rock's owner. I stepped on half of my enchanting stylus and felt it snap. On top of a slightly better rock, I needed a new enchanting stylus. That was expected, unfortunately. 

The skill activated, and a fuzzy screen appeared before me, fortunately too blurry for Gabriel to pick up on. I stared at the class and read the patch notes for a class swap finalized by System Admin Grant Parker. 

Atom Walker lvl0 

Class: Farmer lvl0 

 "It works better than I thought. My class is clear as day." I said. 

"Ok, then what is it?" Mai asked. 

"Tamer, like I told you," I said. 

"Liar, I bet it enchanter," Gabriel said. 

The rock cracked in my hand, and I winced from the magical discharge. Mai placed a hand on my shoulder and clearly saw my class. What would she say? I closed my eyes. 

"That's enough, Gabe. Let the genius enchanter bask in his glory in peace. Tell your friends, but only your friends, we have items that can show your class before you're sixteen. Delivery on demand only." Mai said. 

She turned off my computer and covered the camera. "He means well," I said. 

"Gabriel is a blockhead I'm sure he's going to be a Knight or Fighter." 

"Better than digging holes and planting seeds." 

"I have a hole you can dig and fill all you want," Mai said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean," Mai placed a finger on my lips. 

"Butt hole loophole remains in effect until you become my tamer," Mai said. 

I sighed and sat on my bed. The little explosion in the middle of my floor hadn't woken anyone up. The walls were well insulated for reasons. I tapped my goggles and activated augmented reality mode. Tabs of various files filled my vision, and I clicked on one with Jean D Ark. 

The dark-skinned blonde bombshell of a vampire was the cover image of a file containing numerous snippets from a skill I had been putting together since I heard of their band. Synthetic blood covered her lips and dripped down her chin into a cup of Mocha Magic brand Kahlua, her favorite flavor of artificial blood. Her gold and ruby inlaid tiara kept her long, silky blonde hair back, and her white wedding dress completed the outfit. She was the picture of purity and grace, with two cross-shaped earrings that were said to restrain her true power. 

I was a fan. 

6 months of constant editing, shattering, and recombining led me to a skill encompassing many blood-based skills. Online skill shards could be viewed in their entirety, rank 2 and below. I played with a particular skill type during my downtime between studying the boring, feces-filled, enchanting textbooks. 

Blood control, blood familiars, blood drain, blood temple, and the skills went on as I acquired those that resembled her skills and abilities. It was so much fun, and I couldn't resist building my a skill. While I might not be able to use it, a vampire might join my team if I played my cards right. If I was strong enough, perhaps I could get Jean to join and show her the ultimate skill to replace all of hers with something even stronger. We would be the perfect team. She liked making music, and I liked her music. 

I closed the file but kept it tabbed for later. There was time, and I had to do some research. I purchased and saved my tab on Easton cultivation texts, then moved on to laws on the farmer class. 

Augmented reality shut down, and I stared up to see a sexy toned red butt in my face with two delicate hands slowly pushing down Mai's tight daisy dukes. I grabbed the fragile equipment that was my goggles and tossed them on my desk. They slid off the wood and onto the hard floor, bouncing twice. 

"Am I distracting you?" Mai asked. 

"N," She shoved her butt down, my mouth clamped down on her delicious red lips, and my nose pressed against her tight, wrinkled red sphincter. Delicate twitches alerted me to the fact that Mai had been getting ready. Her legs shifted, and she slid my nose between her labia like she was swiping a credit card. 

Mai usually didn't let me interact with her pussy much. This was a rare treat. 

She raised her bottom until her cunny was just over my face. "Did you really want to become a tamer?" Mai asked. 

I tried to look away, but her thighs tightened, keeping me facing the red Oni's backside. Her dark red lips twitched, spilling a few drops of Oni nectar. I lifted my chin and licked her like a half-breed addict from the slums chasing after their succubi sisters. 

Banging sounds from Mai's attempt to relieve me of my belt returned me to some measure of sanity. Pulsing red lips covered in tiny white hairs met my tongue blow for blow as she wiggled, keeping her clit out of my reach. I read that it was the one way to make girls go crazy, and I wanted hers. Making Mai go crazy would be a feat. 

Her question banged around in my mind, and I didn't have an answer which was answer enough. 

I felt her wrestle my member out of my pants like it was some great serpent. She laid kisses on it in appeasement while I lapped at her already-drenched lovely cunny. I grabbed her hips, and they were soft in all the right places and hard like steel when she moved. 

Briefly, I remembered the video of a man getting hot and heavy with their monster and getting ripped in half. It was a worry. I chose not to think about it. My favorite Oni held my dick firm and kissed the head. Her red lips appeared in my mind's eye as they spread slowly around the head of my mushroom and descended. I licked, trying to force my tongue in deep, but her hymen felt like an impassable barrier. I licked and licked, but she had no intention of letting me take her virginity. 

Mai chuckled around my cock, and it tickled as her hot pussy dripped down while I stared up at her bubbly red cheeks in wonder. She had grown from my tomboyish friend into a natural beauty. I felt the head of my cock enter her throat and moaned. She was still chuckling all the way down to the base. 

She held herself there like the porn star we watched together, covering my crotch with her white hair as she swallowed. I felt her muscles rhythmically roll up my member, and it was everything I could do to resist moving. But I knew from experience the moment I moved, she would gag. Instead, I waited, and Mai slowly pulled back until she kissed my Oni girl spit-covered member. She whipped around to face me and bent down while spreading her cunny. Mai's red labia moved aside to reveal a pink interior, a tiny pinprick of her urethra, and the barrier of her hymen. 

"If you want this, you'll have to help me find a way. No more working by yourself. We're going to crack books until we find a solution." Mai said. 

She had a way with words. My dick was waving back and forth in anticipation. Mai caught my member and aimed it while lowering herself. I felt her butthole crown my cock, and she released her grip on it. 

"This is so gross," Mai said. 

Her amber eyes were so beautiful. The way her majestic horn graced her face, contrasting with her beautiful white hair, made every meeting a delight. Maybe she was right. I needed to rel, my thoughts were cut short when she groaned. 

I felt the head of my cock slip through her tight wrinkled barrier into the warm, comforting confines of her tightness. She clenched and bent lower, driving more of me into her as she took inches like the champion monster she was always meant to be. 

She flashed her fangs and clenched her teeth as she lifted her fabulous behind, and I chose that moment to assist. My fingers brushed her clit, and Mai lost her footing on the bed. Her mouth opened wide as she took me to the base in an instant and squirted. Oni girl femcum splashed me in the face as her foot found its resting place on my shoulder. 

"My butt will never be the same after this," Mai said. 

Tears welled up in her eyes. Honestly, I thought she was being overly dramatic. Oni could heal from near-mortal wounds in a matter of days. Her backdoor would be fine. 

"Well, since we're already this far along," I said. 

I grabbed her leg, and she resisted movement. "What are you doing?" 

"Your ride is over. It's my turn to mount up." I said. 

Mai let me gently flip her over. An Oni's healing was insane. She gripped me and gave me side eyes while she shook her red booty. I pushed forward, slamming home, and she groaned. Her stretched butt hole tightened hard enough to hurt as I pulled out slowly. 

I pulled the drawer out from the dresser beside the bed and pulled a bottle of lube free. Mai's side eyes widened, and she turned her head back. 

"You had that this whole time," Mai said. 

"Surprise," I said, squirting out a heaping layer of lube and sliding it inside. When I pulled out, she moaned. "The lube had cooling relief and elasticity support. I felt you wouldn't give me the chance to prepare." I said. 

I rocked in, and she pressed back with her sexy red rear. Her butthole stretched and gripped my lubed cock. Her backdoor tightened with every pump as I grabbed her hips and went all out. She moaned and humped back as I released. Mai clenched with every spurt inside her. 

After three more times, we slept in my dirty bed with my softening member still inside her. 

… 

At breakfast, my older brother Michael ate his steak and eggs while looking at a tablet running one of many stock exchange apps. He rubbed his favorite coin, which he had gotten from the Temple of Hades. My brother looked so focused, and then Mom walked in dressed for a day in town. Her monster bag was strapped to her hip, meaning she was going somewhere possibly dangerous. 

"Can Mai and I go with you? We could use some practice before I'm 16?" 

"No, I'm afraid it will be too dangerous for you where I'm going. A dungeon is no place for a boy without levels, much less a rank 3 dungeon." She gave me a knowing look before asking a more important question. "Mai seems to be a little on the sore side. You weren't doing anything weird with her, were you?" Mom asked. 

"No, of course not," I said. 

She gave me a contemplative look. "Maybe you should think about getting a different monster. Mai is a born battler but needs a firm hand. You aren't good at giving commands." Mom said. 

Dad's voice came from the living room. "Oh, he just needs practice. Why don't you enter her into underground battles and earn yourself some money." Dad said. 

"His trust should have all the Westons he needs. I grew up with less, and so can he. We can't all be sons of Senators." Mom said. 

"Ouch, speaking of being rich, how is your new bag treating you. Is that an Arachnid Drider 10 carry?" Dad asked. 

"Oh, I didn't notice the brand. When you grow up poor, you try to get the most for your money," Mom said. 

This was normal, I remember going to Grandpa Ross's farm in the Southwest Territory of Paradise. Golden fields of wheat and the occasional blessed monster type running around gave the land its name. When I was younger, we went there often, and I rode on my mother's Ci Pegasus Crystal. Mom cracked a smile when we were there. It's where she keeps her old team to look after Grandpa and his farm. Few tamers would dare mess with rank 4 monsters. 

Mom has been taming monsters from dungeons, usually those that cause problems and other tamers can't handle. 

"Oh, before I forget. Michael, your bride will arrive at the midpoint of this month. I expect you to raise all of your team to rank 3 beforehand. We picked a good one. Mari Summers will be your bride." My eyes widened as one part of the mystery was finally revealed. The question was, who wanted this to happen enough to screw me over. 

...

Will, unbroken by death, rose from the depths of the Walker mansion. From an heirloom left to rot and breakdown. A prisoner was able to wield the power of a demigod. The MN drive wirred to life, bereft of its old safeguards. Even without a body, the will of an ancient Easton cultivator reached out. 

 …

"You could always check again," Mai said. 

"4 times is enough," I said. 

I shook my head and pushed down the collar of my lab coat. The rich mana environment of my workshop was the only place I could relax. Heavy walls prevented any sound from coming out, and Jean D Ark's vocals echoed through the building. I turned the music up too loud to hear Mai's words. Her fists shook, and she glared at the lab-grown sapphires in my hand. A week had been just enough to combine the skills I needed. 

Steps had already been taken to ensure I would emerge from this in the best position possible. System connections were always broken or destroyed. 

The synthetic blood I ordered raised some eyebrows, but Dad let it go when I told him I had sent a letter to Jean D Arc and requested her to join my team. Yes, I did send the letter; I have been sending them since I was 13. 

A red gem rested on the table of my workbench. It glittered like any lab-grown jewel, perfect in every way, unlike the imperfect gems in nature. The cost was 5,000W, one of my most significant purchases for enchanting, and it would easily contain a permanent enchantment. This device wasn't made to break down like sapphires or quartz. Over the last week, I consolidated my understanding of cultivation, blood skills, and regeneration. The gem would fit in an amulet hidden by the triangle with batwings instead of points forming the logo of the Fear Sisters. 

I felt good about hollowing out some official merchandise to show off my merch and cultivate without anyone being wiser. After all, an amulet cost 20W. Who would steal my amulet when they had no idea what was inside. 

Option 2 was a penile piercing, and I held off on that. 

However, when I thought about it, Mai would look cute with nipple piercings. 

I shook my head and focused on the blue gems. The sapphires glowed brighter than ever after being enchanted with two simple goals in mind. How they worked was simple: the system interacted with skills, often updating and even creating them. My first skill would identify my connection to the system, and the second would destroy it. I had no intention of risking it. 

Changing my class was a laughable dream. Families with mountains of resources and skilled skill smiths have tried a workaround and failed. 

"What if something goes wrong? Without the system, humans can't grow stronger." Mai said. 

"That isn't true. Humans without skills connected directly to them can cultivate. That is what the blood is for." I said. 

Demonic cultivation techniques were some of the best for rapidly moving through the ranks. The only price was a tribulation from the heavens of Easton. I smirked at my simple and easy method of subverting a big problem. Who knows, I might be rank 3 before my birthday in the Spring month. Demonic cultivation used others to pay the price for their cultivation instead of hard work, luck, and talent. Since chi was absorbed by specifically bred monsters to deprive Easton of a foothold in our country, typical means of cultivation weren't possible. For me, it was basically pay to win. That's why I planned to buy a 20k Town model blood synthesizer. All I needed was a vampire to live with me as an excuse or appear like I thought my idol would come live with me. 

Maybe Gabriel knew someone. 

…

Skill creation, alteration, and optimization were where I shined, not enchantment, and it showed. Any half-descent enchanter could attach my skills to quartz. They are optimized to be used in enchantment. 

Once I got enchantment down well enough to attach skills to gems, it opened the door to endless possibilities. 

I activated the first sapphire and saw where my spirit connected to the grand system. A rainbow cord attached to my abdomen glowing with near-infinite potential. While it had near-endless potential, it was also the smallest string imaginable. My second sapphire created a spiritual scalpel and cut the cord. There was no pain on my end as the cord connected to me withered. 

"Why was that so easy?" Mai asked. 

"The state uses power to invest in us. Letting the state keep it instead of investing only lets the state give it to someone else. There are no punishments for opting out. It is getting back into the system that has a price." I said. 

"You are knowledgeable about it," Mai said. 

"I plan on forgetting most of it. Wasting so much of my time reading about classes is officially a waste." I said. 

"What are you going to do to get stronger?" Mai asked. 

While the other side of the connection existed, I walked over to the red gem and felt a red cord reach out and connect to me. "And like that, I'm a demonic cultivator," I said. 

…

A metal can of synthetic blood hovered in the air, not lifted by the bottle but by the blood itself. There was a price to be paid, and I felt it as my head pounded and blood leaked down from my nose. With a slight alteration, the blood began to vanish stored within the gem. Once the last drop vanished, the container fell into my hand. 

I stacked the empty containers of synthetic blood from an off-brand called Thirst, not the expensive Mocha Magic stuff. Mai was busy running my bath while I found an excellent place to begin operation cultivation. The cheap rubber meditation mat sat in the middle of my workshop bathroom floor beside the drain. The hose was unfurled and ready. Apple Cider incense burned for a good reason and was sold by a shady seller named Meng Bao. 

The Easton-sounding name gave the product a little reputation. I was sure what I was buying would handle this trial. I stripped off my lab safety equipment, including my underwear. Some books said the method was painful, while others said opening meridians was only painful when resources were scarce. 

Like in life, throwing enough money at a problem will solve it. "So let me get this straight," Mai said. 

"There are no Weston Cultivators. Any Weston with the system will die if they try and cultivate." I said. 

"We don't know if any Easton scrolls or books are accurate. They could be like divination, complete make-believe." Mai said. 

I sat down on the rubber mat and tried to get comfortable. Mai walked to the water hose and turned it on. She hadn't bothered with any heat. 

"Rank doesn't lie, and I've compared the information to interrogation from multiple sources and some scrolls that came from a sect that was sacked decades ago. Humans and monsters have spiritual organs and organ systems. By the way, the system connects to us. I believe it works like the system of cultivation. Maybe it's more streamlined." I tapped my stomach. "That's where the Dantian is supposedly located. Think of it like a spiritual stomach; the meridians are the large and small intestines." 

"Does that make your gem the mouth and rumen?" 

I opened my mouth and closed it. "Maybe I need a lesson in Oni physiology." 

Mai brushed her hair behind her ear. "Go ahead and try to access this Dantian. I'm sure your gem has been chewing its cud for long enough." 

I wanted to grab a tablet with internet access to look up Oni. There was so much I didn't know. 

Mai flicked me on the forehead. "Don't make me get my club," Mai said. 

I looked away and focused. Using my gem had been intuitive since I knew how the skill worked and made the enchantments myself. I wanted to burn my textbook for telling me I had to make arrays flat on a surface or carve them into an object. That was neither here nor there. 

When I had free time, I would write the author's name in my book of grudges Mai asked me to keep. 

"Should I play your favorite track," Mai asked. 

"No," I said. 

I focused on the gem, a well of energy red glowing like a bonfire in my mind's eye. The sense appeared when I connected with the gem a week ago when we were performing every test imaginable. Before I drained my entire stock of blood, I played with it, forming blood into objects and hardening them into solid objects. The practice wasn't what raised the gem's skill level. 

No, the gem only brightened when I added more blood to it. Before, it had been a soft red light before I drained nearly 100 people's worth of blood into it. What I did would have labeled me a demonic cultivator already in Easton. Fortunately, with technology, it has become a victimless crime. 

Raw materials were ordered, and my blood synthesizer would soon start producing. A town-grade synthesizer built to feed an entire town of vampires would feed my cultivation. I had beaten the Eastons at their own game. All I had to do was figure out cultivation. If insane, mass-murdering psychopaths could figure it out, then I had a shot. 

I tried for 30 minutes and failed to convince my gem to drop some of its stored energy my way. The sounds of rushing water and whistling wind from the screen in the bathroom weren't helping. If anything, it felt like it was doing the opposite. 

"Mai put on a Days to Die music video," I said. 

White face paint, spiked collars, and long black hair filled the screen. Throaty roars echoed through the bathroom. 

"Why was this video saved on the bathroom TV?" Mai asked. 

I didn't answer, and my mind was engrossed in the gem. The music pumped me up. I could feel my blood pressure rising, and the cord connecting me to the gem shook with the drum beat. Something was coming, and a small golden drop of blood flowed down the red cord attached to my soul. I felt so empty as I saw the decline of gold fall into me like a desert that had missed the rain for 100 years. 

When it hit, oh, I felt it. The lead guitar played while the drums beat in time with my heart. Heavy emotions were the key to demonic cultivation, and music was the king of emotion. I opened my eyes to a scene of a man pounding nails into a man's wrist for a torturous execution. My heart pounded in my chest at the sight. The unjustly accused was punished while the evil noble went free. Gold exchanged hands in the scene, and I felt it. Another drop entered my Dantian. The golden drops immediately pushed against a blockage.

I wanted to reach through the screen and strangle the fat noble with my bare hands. He slept with the wife of the man he killed. Then it showed the crucified man as his eyes turned black as a sorcerer held up a black stone that had become the prisoner's phylactery. The undead monstrosity an innocent man had become for the crime of having a beautiful wife. It showed the noble throwing the new Lich's child off the balcony. The music reached a low point. 

The music video that was banned in 7 territories continued. The lead singer showed his proper form as a lich. His black eyes, long black hair, and white face sold his anguish as he screamed at the still body of his child. 

More drops of gold flowed through my connection with the gem as the music picked up. Laughter from his wife completed the betrayal in the Lich's mind as the sorcerer waited as the Lich tore through guards. 

I felt something break, and then pain shot through my stomach. The pain was initially minor and sharp, but then it spread quickly. More drops flowed through the connection as my skin burned. 

Hands gripped the noble's neck as the Lich choked the life out of him. Several images appeared on the screen, showing the laughing wife beside a distraught woman. The Lich took a dagger and murdered his former wife. At the climax, black tears fell from the Lich's face, and as the music dropped, the sorcerer placed a hand on the Lich's back. While the sorcerer held the Lich's phylactery, he would serve the sorcerer forever. 

The music video ended as another barrier broke inside me as more golden drops flowed through me. Mai hit me with the water hose. I spluttered and coughed as black sludge flew off me and down the sink in gritty, maggoty strands. My head hit the tile on the ground as she continued blasting me. 

Well, at least I didn't explode. 

…

It was a shame that Easton had no vampire population to worry about. Without a wealthy tax-paying vampire base of citizens and lobbyists with suitcases filled with Westons, there was no impetus to develop synthetic blood except for blood transfusions. Blood and sacrifices were the extensive requirements for demonic cultivation. With my blood synthesizer running, I had limitless blood to use as a resource. 

Demonic cultivation was beyond simple. All it took was heavy metal, blood, and a water hose. Emotions were like the control on a floodgate for my gem. The deeper and darker the emotion, the more golden drops flowed. 

In only two more weeks, I reached stage 5 in the first rank. This one was all about clearing out my meridians or the circulatory system for my soul. 

Under a microscope, my cells looked like those of a cultivator at a similar stage. The internet scans matched my own in my workshop exactly. Also, my class detectors have sold well enough. Out of 150W of materials and an hour per 10 scan stones, I sold them for 150W each and managed to sell 120 already. 17,850 was a little less than I got each week from my trust fund, but it was still a tidy sum. Gabriel sold them for 450, which his sister told me, but I was ok with that. He took most of the risk by being my middleman. A large cut of the Westons was also spread through his sellers as payment. 

I was only in my workshop to finish some last-minute enchantments on the latest batch. More kids our age wanted to know what class they had and were more than willing to dip into their savings to get a peek. The answer to a mystery was worth more than a Jean body pillow. 

My attention turned to the rejection letter sitting on my desk. I knew we didn't know each other, and it was an intellectual long shot. Still, I hoped beyond hope I would have an excuse for the blood synthesizer. 

I soon needed to put out an ad for a vampire willing to live with me for free blood. Searching for girls that looked like Jean was difficult. They all wanted free houses, land, and men with O-negative blood. 

My blood type had changed into something completely different, resembling a cultivator's, but not quite. 

I felt my phone buzz and answered an angry Gabriel. 

"My sister was taken. You have to help me. She's been taken," Gabriel said. 

My first thought was to call my grandfather. If anyone knew how to deal with kidnappers, it was the old man. "Calm down. What happened? Who took her?" I asked. 

"A piece of shit vampire, who else. I did everything right; I kept the windows locked, the curtains pulled, and garlic covered the house. This isn't happening." Gabriel said. 

He was in shock. "Gabriel, why would a vampire take your sister when they can go out and buy blood?" I asked. 

It didn't make any sense. "This wasn't about blood. He took Ana in the night. I watched him do things to her." Gabriel said. 

I texted, but my grandfather's secretary said he was in a meeting. "What rank was the vampire?" I asked. 

"I don't know," Gabriel said. 

When turned, vampires started at rank 2, which was five times rank 1. "Do you think he was a new vampire?" I asked. 

"No, he wants a poster. Let me check. His name is Clouse Vanraven. He is wanted for 10,000,000W, which would set me for life," Gabriel said. 

"How long ago did this happen?" I asked. 

"It was 11 hours ago," Gabriel said. 

"Hera's fat ass. Why did you wait?" I asked. 

"The vampire destroyed my internet connection. I had to repair it after the sun rose." Gabriel said. 

Ana was either dead or about to be turned. I stared at the map of Canite territory and tried to remember everything I knew about the territory. There was a vampire stronghold called Castle Carmilla to the North of Bavilim. Jean D Ark was born there, and that's all I know about the castle. The vampire population in the surrounding town of Nocturn was roughly 42.5% vampire, 23% other monsters, and 34.5% human. According to the last census 50 years ago. To the north was the Savage Garden, where monster violence peaked. Monsters up to rank 5 were considered fodder there, and a group of vampires were said to rule a fief in that land. It was those powerful vampires that kept a Senator like my grandfather from throwing his dick around and clearing them out. 

This was one of the few situations I couldn't help with. "I thought you put garlic around the windows and inside the rooms," I said. 

I heard a buzz, and Ana was calling. "Gabe, I have another call. It's your sister." 

"Atom, this is Ana. I need your help. I just killed someone, and I don't know what to do." 

"In that game, I recommended. I know where you're at. Let me help you get through this part." I said. 

That idiot, she just admitted to a crime over the phone. Our phones were tapped regularly by my grandfather's enemies. Has she seen a court case? Doesn't she realize phone records are all recorded along with GPS locations? How else are tamers found when they die out in the wild? Becoming a vampire was supposed to make her more intelligent, not less. Maybe Gabriel was wrong, and she became a zombie instead. 

"Wait, I don't think I made it through. Maybe you should go find your brother and sort this out. He made it further than I did." 

"I can't go home until after he saw me with him. Please help me. I'm alone here and don't know where I am." Wherever she was, it had to be within the border of Canite territory and not in the north. "Your brother is on the other line. Let me add him to the call," I said. 

What else could I do? 

"Ana, where are you? I'll get to you. Let me grab my gun." Gabriel said. 

"No, you can't. I don't want you here. Please stay where it's safe." Ana said. 

I also didn't have a clue how to help. Mai didn't have any ideas either. I sent a text to her, but she sent me back a poop emoji. From my computer, I created a profile on Fang Space, a mostly vampire social media platform. In the descriptions, I added that my blood type was O- and immediately gained 20 followers. I opened a PM sent by one and found a picture of a vampire that appeared my age with tan skin, a blonde wig, and fangs extended. More PMs appeared with unsolicited fang picks. One follower appeared a Clouse Vanraven of Carmilla Castle. 

As it turned out, vampires were easy. All I needed was what they wanted. Maybe it was a little disingenuous to list my status as a virgin, but it was a myth that vampires could smell it on men. As it turned out, we didn't have a hymen to break. I sent a mass message to my growing list of followers about wanting a vampire to join my team when I became a tamer. My followers reached 2k after I posted an image of blood type O- and my looking through a microscope. 

"Atom, are you still there? You've been silent?" Gabriel asked. 

"I just received a train ticket from a blood countess to her castle to meet and greet the vampires there," I said. 

"How," Ana and Gabriel asked. 

"I claimed I was O-, a virgin, and looking to add a vampire to my team as a tamer. The Walker name isn't exactly unknown, and I'm easy to look up. Thankfully, my blood type isn't public knowledge." I said. 

"My gaming victim was blood type AB. I can smell it in other victims." Ana said. 

"Don't worry about it. I have a workaround." I hit purchase on a new perfume that made their wearer smell like different blood types to vampires. Fortunately, I managed to buy O- before it was sold out. "Try to survive long enough for me to pick you up," I said. 

"Atom, this is a bad idea," Gabriel said. 

"Well, if you find a good idea, let me know. Until then, I will have to entertain some thirsty vampires." I said. 

Operation Catfish was underway.

…

She had done it, Carmilla couldn't believe her luck. One of Senator Walker's brood was to take a train to her castle. He reached out to willingly become her hostage. It was a stroke of good fortune. By Artemis's virgin blood, she was lucky. 

There was only one loose end. Carmilla stared down at the thrice-cursed Clouse Vanraven, the scourge of all her careful planning. Taking a hostage to get the backing of a senator was always the plan, but Clouse was never the instrument. He was only ever a tool to cause terror and stoke the flames of hatred for male vampires. 

The rules and harsh punishment painted a picture of the public eating with a spoon. Female vampires are victims. Clouse Vanraven was a wanted fugitive, and Jean D Ark was a famous singer and idol. Both had a trail of bodies behind them, and both were turned by her. All of it was to maintain her deal with the governor. In exchange for a haven from the Savage Garden, she played her part and kept her girls' fangs clean. Canite wasn't suffering from a vampire problem. It was suffering from a male vampire problem. Everyone knew they were unrepentant killers. 

Carmilla shut off her tablet after purchasing the train ticket for the senator's grandson. Should she give him some of her blood, just enough to make it addictive? He would beg her to turn him and blame his grandfather for forbidding it. There was an opportunity to ring the young man for entertainment for decades. They could turn him during an election year and demand anything to keep it from getting out. 

"Clouse, did you return to hide behind mommy's skirts? Do you think I'm unaware you answered your sister's mail?" Carmilla asked. 

He still had the temerity to look ashamed. Carmilla smiled, showing off her fangs, clearly showing her displeasure. The younger vampire grimaced at the display. Carmilla flicked her finger, and a twister of blood blades appeared before him long enough for the fool to understand his predicament. The twister overcame his reflexes and ripped his body apart for 10 agonizing seconds. Carmilla's smile grew as the man collapsed on the ground. 

"You only live because everything is going just as planned." Her fangs glittered in the moonlight as Clouse lost consciousness. 

…

Mai stared at Atom and his dumb face as he looked at himself in the personal mirror in his room. She didn't like that his once crooked nose was straight. She had done that to him when they were kids when he touched her horn without asking. His teeth, which were slightly far apart, were straightened. Muscle definition showed, and the fat that Atom could never quite get rid of vanished. Every stage changed Atom, making him feel less like himself. Her friend appeared like someone had made a heroic version of him. 

However, from what she recalled from Classes 101, the hero class had been banned since the first Grand Champion took power.

She turned away to stare at the poster of Ares, the god of war and silently prayed to the battlefield wanderer. He was the patron god of most Oni, who didn't like a strength boost when overcome by blood lust? The poster was a new addition. The little Alter to Athena, the goddess of battle strategy, was still present, with Ares looming on the wall. 

Despite being able to take Atom to meet her friends since he started worshipping a proper god, she was worried. He wanted to go to one of the local dungeons. Even if she went with him, it was going to be dangerous. Two tickets sat on his dresser only a few hours before the pre-dive party. The perfume he ordered sat beside the mirror as he looked over the various changes his cultivation had earned him. 

There was no such thing as free power. Eventually, Atom would face hardship no matter how he tried to hide from it. Living without a system had already crippled his job prospects. Even if he had to become a farmer, he would eventually reach level 100, gain a new class, and return to the family. Instead, he viciously cut away what allowed humans to conquer Weston territory. 

"You aren't ready for a dungeon," Mai said. 

Atom looked back at her while zipping up a bulletproof vest. His amulet hid behind it, not that it mattered, even if it was stolen. The power wasn't in the rock. It was in Atom's head. She would grind her own horn down and give Atom her virginity before she believed he didn't have backups or plans for upgrades. He broke into Easton's cultivation and almost reached Stage 6 of 9 before rank 2. He was charging through the ranks, and she still hadn't found a law to get his class back. 

"I need battle experience, and I would feel safest if you watched my back." Atom said. 

That was the worst part, his decisive reckless Ares damn erotic action had made her want him all over again. She couldn't have him unless he was her tamer, and it was driving her mad. AI search engines and nearly a decade of legalese videos hadn't helped. This hole in the Noble Punishment Act wasn't considered a problem by the former noble faction, the progressives, libertarians, or the conservative parties. The other parties scattered across the Weston territories didn't have enough influence. 

The representatives wouldn't make a new law, and half the current mayors were former nobles ruling their cities no differently than their forefathers. All they had to do was play to their tamer class and screw over the others to maintain their power. Only Tamers could hold office seats to be voted on or voted on. 

 Did Atom realize he threw away any chance to rule in Weston? 

"I want to keep watching it even after you turn 16," Mai said. 

"For 5,000,000W, Dad will sell you to me." Atom said. 

There was wealth, and then there were the tamers in the Walker family. If Atom became a tamer, his family would pour money into his career. His brother Michael started with a Sleipner and a Pegasus. She was worth only a quarter of either of their value. Without a Tamer's license, Atom would be severely limited in his capacity to interact with monsters. 

"I need to get ready," Mai said. 

She left for her room. If they were going to a party, she needed to devote at least three hours to her hair to show off her horn. Atom liked her black top that showed off her belly button, and then there was that black gold belly ring he bought her. She wasn't the type of girl to wear something so expensive around their home, but this was an opportunity. Mai's eyes were bloodshot from crying; she would need the right eye shadow to distract from that. 

…

I tossed a shot as a blonde-haired, pale, skinned vampire huffed in my ear. She had acted like she was interested in my complaints about enchantment while I knocked back more liquor than an ogre could handle. Dionysus was with me, or it was an unknown benefit or downside of demonic cultivation. 

Mai had checked my head for horns for the first couple of weeks of it. I didn't have the heart to tell her demonic was just a name, mostly. 

"I haven't had an O- virgin before," Melony whispered. 

Her blood wine had made her drunk, and her eyes glowed red whenever the bartender told her she had enough. I was sure she was glamouring him, but I wasn't sure. 

"So why are you joining the dive?" I asked. 

"The drops, of course, are one of the few dungeons that drop the rank 3 skill Blood Frenzy. If I ever want to become an elder, I must learn it early." Melony said. 

I saw Mai dancing to some techno beat, showing off the ring I bought her on her birthday. A guy tried to grope her butt, and she broke his nose with a dancing elbow. Someone dragged the guy off either to help him sober up or to rob him. I didn't care which. Play stupid games and win ridiculous prizes, but the guy who dragged him off was a werewolf. Really, I saw it happen, and I would have to be a real dick not to rescue him. 

My attention turned to the vampire. They had a long history of hating werewolves. She seemed to hang on to every word of my life and even corrected me when I contradicted myself. Still, it was good to know my cologne worked well enough to interest a vampire in my rage-filled enchantment rant. Did I hate the profession I had forced myself to become proficient in? I had to study it twice as hard without skills for minimum results. 

"Melony, what do you think of werewolves?" I asked. 

"They are disgusting dogs that should all be drowned from birth and their bodies burned to ensure they don't pollute the world," Melony said. 

There was transparency, and then there was the burning hatred vampires had for werewolves. It reminded me of my hatred for enchanting. Why do the runes have to form squares and then a circle? I needed a better explanation than because it works. 

I didn't want to bring in observer theory, but I was sure it only worked the way it did because enchanters believed it did. After shaking those thoughts, I reached out and grabbed her hand. It was cold as ice and sucking the head from my bones. She quickly warmed to the touch before I could jerk my hand back. 

"Sorry, that was so sudden. I didn't expect you to be so forward." Melony said. 

"Focus, a werewolf just took someone," I said. 

"Then we have to murder it and burn the body. It's the only way to be sure." Melony said. 

I nodded toward Mai as we exited the club, and she slowly approached us. 

"I smell the dog, and I'll lead you to him," Melony said. 

"I think you're both drunk and might need to lie down," Mai said. 

"I saw a werewolf take the guy who tried to grope you away," I said. 

Mai looked between Melony and me. "Can you introduce your friend?" 

"Jean," I said. 

Mai gasped, and I burst out laughing. "I'm kidding. Her name is Melony Nightroad." I said. 

"That was mean. Do you have any idea how many boys your age have tried to proposition me because of my hair color? It makes me feel underappreciated." Melony asked. 

I raised an eyebrow. 

"Ok, it's pretty great. My hair was white since my father was a Shinso Vampire, but it's easy to dye. I've been able to pick and choose my blood donors. All I have to do is wear a dark foundation and long sleeves, and they march on me in droves." Melony said. 

Mai gave me a questioning look. "She was on her 3rdbottle of blood wine before we left," I said. 

Mai grabbed my face and forced me to look at her in her beautiful amber eyes. They almost glowed in the flashing light of the club. "A werewolf on the dive is more valuable than a ranger class human." 

"What if we need to track someone?" 

Mai raised an eyebrow. The shots might have had some effect on me. But I wasn't giving up. This was a life that deserved to be saved. 

"Alright, what if we need to tame some animal-type monsters? I said. 

"We have tamers for that," Mai said. 

Perhaps I was extremely drunk. 

"What if we need someone to stealthily shoot something from far away?" I asked. 

Melony raised her hand. "I can double as a stealth archer. That's why I joined up literally the most useful assassin class for a raid. Unless the dungeon is a wooded forest with lots of sunlight, no shadows, or bats, I'm the better choice." 

"We actually have a druid assassin." I blinked. "Sorry, I memorized the class list for the teams going on the dive," Mai said. 

"We should still save him because it's the right thing. What if one of us was completely useless and needed to be saved?" 

"Maybe the dungeon will spontaneously redesign its first floor to a desert with no shade. I would feel like a fool then." Melony said. 

I decided to pack an umbrella and extra water.

Melony could track the werewolf to a hotel room reserved for divers. I kicked open the door to see the werewolf tucking the guy into bed. 

"The fuck," he sniffed the air. "Vampire, let me guess, I was profiled as a dangerous creature." The werewolf growled. 

I realized all I had was my bulletproof vest and no way to fight a rank two man who could turn into a wall of fur, muscle, and regeneration. The squishy human led the charge with my strong-as-hell monster pals in the back. This was not an ideal confrontation. 

"Sorry," I thought quickly. Claiming Mai wanted to apologize would be a crap way of getting out of this. 

The werewolf clenched his fist, and hair sprouted around his knuckles and face. The man's blue eyes flashed golden before he sighed. 

"Max is a friend of mine. This isn't the first time he has been punished for acting handsy. I fear for his chances in the dungeon tomorrow." The werewolf said. 

"It's only rank 1," I said. 

The wolfman laughed. "It's clear you are a noob. My name is Charles Forest. May I have the names of the people watching my back?" 

"My name is Atom Walker, my Oni friend is Mai Ito, and this beauty is Melony Nightroad," I said. 

"A Nightroad, you are far from the Savage Garden," Charles said. 

I glanced back at Melony to see her fangs twisted in a snarl. There was definitely bad blood between them. 

"Walker is a common name, but wouldn't you happen to be related to the Senator?" Charles asked. 

There was no way I would make myself out to be a helpful hostage. My grandfather was a complex man and would sacrifice me without a second thought. He might be the man I most admire. No matter the sacrifice, he stuck to his principles if it benefitted the people. 

"I'm sorry, but no, I'm just another Walker born from common stock," I said. 

"A pity that man has done the packs many favors in his reign here in Thrace. Sparing a member of his family from a brutal beating would have garnered some favor from the man." Charles said. 

"Instead, you gained some favor with the people you have to watch your back," I said. 

 Charles stood to his full height of 7ft, towering over us. The werewolf, even in his human form, was built like a brick shithouse, as mom would say. By his expression, this was going to be a fight. 

I shrugged. "Well, if we are doing this, then we better do it officially, or we could be disqualified from entering the dungeon tomorrow. There is an arena in the basement for this sort of thing." I said. 

Letting other people get caught, even if the ranger class was practically redundant compared to a werewolf, would be a Hedes damned thing to do. I wasn't about to cause collateral damage to other people. 

"Lead the way." 

"I'm not giving a dog my back," Melony said. 

I looked between Mai and Melony. "We will go first and take the elevator down. Meet us there." I said. 

…

Melony had texted in the hallway the entire time we walked to the elevator and the basement. 

"Atom, he could turn you with a bite, and there is nothing we can do to stop him if it's in the ring," Mai said. 

"I'm not too worried about that." I smiled at her. "Remember when we used to fight when we were kids," I said. 

She gave me an annoyed look. "I always held back." 

"So did I," I said. 

It felt fantastic when I said it. 

Mai spluttered. "No, you didn't. I used to send you crying to your mother, and she told you to toughen up." 

I tried another approach. "Listen, Charles is only at the beginning of rank 2, or he wouldn't be here. I have a chance." I said. 

"You don't fight a werewolf you have equal attributes with," Melony said. 

"What level are you? My Inspect contacts keep reading error?" 

"Do you have an extra set I can buy off you? I forgot to buy them when they hit stores, and they sold out in the first 10 minutes." I said. 

My drunk vampire friend flicked my head and glared at me. "How much are we going to have to carry you." 

"I have 60 physical and Mental attributes spread evenly." That's what I could sense from myself. 

About 63% of my meridians had opened and flowed chi through them. I was hitting a snag and wanted to get some monster blood to see if I could get a workaround. From what I could tell, demon cultivators didn't harvest blood from dungeons or mystical realms in Easton Culture. They preferred to use humans only for some reason. I wanted to see if different blood types enhanced or weakened my cultivation speed. 

There was also a skill I wanted. The rank 3 skill Blood Refinement was said to drop in the rank 1 dungeon 0.0001% of the time. So, all I had to do was get extremely lucky. My bloodstone did that already, but a skill dedicated to the process could make it smoother. 

"Why did you choose this dungeon round to enter? Does your class need a specific type of monster to level?" Melony asked. 

I didn't tell Melony my age, or I couldn't enter the dungeon. Fortunately, I was able to get a fake ID. 

She certainly was good at spying. "No, this is all about getting combat experience in a safe environment," I said. 

"We are here," Mai said. 

The elevator doors dinged open to the sounds of drunken cheering. Over 300 people were gathered around the arena, waiting for the fight. I looked over at Melony, who had a smirk on her face. 

"More people make the fight more fair," Melony said. 

I pulled 1000W out of my wallet and handed it to her. "Put that on me. I want to fight him first. If Mai goes up there, I doubt I'll get to fight him." I said. 

"Stop being sweet and let me go in. I know you've gotten stronger, but I wouldn't put money on you against a drunken ranger, let alone a werewolf." Mai said. 

On the wall, money started appearing in the betting pool, and my odds kept dropping. Drunk patrons made for great gamblers. The pot didn't take long to get huge, and hardly anyone put money on me. 

I felt that blow to my self-esteem, and by the cameras recording the insult, I knew the money would be sweet if I won. 

"Don't werewolves mostly focus on vitality and strength," I said. 

"Yes, so they are swift and hard to put down. Why?" Melony asked. 

"He should have almost no resistance to magic at his current rank." 

The resist attribute was essential for any class that wanted to deal with mages. I looked up the werewolf builds, and they focused on resistance only after rank 3. That was important because I wasn't about to brawl with a werewolf. 

People cheered as I took off my tie and entered the caged arena. The drunk men and women wanted a show, and I was it. 

Across from me, looming like the scythe of Kronos, was Charles the werewolf. 

"Let's still be friends after this, alright," I said. 

The werewolf gave me a disgruntled look, and fur slowly sprouted over his body. His bones snapped, and he gained two more feet in height. Black fur erupted from the werewolf's body, and his eyes glowed a sickly yellow. The bones in his face made noises that made me cringe with every pop. 

Melony behind me was making gagging noises while Mai gasped. I raised my hand and felt something blocking me from gripping the blood in the werewolf's veins. I turned my attention to a ring on the werewolf's hand. 

I nodded my head. He knew about his build weakness and used equipment to compensate. He didn't have the ring on before we left, so I assumed he slipped it on in preparation. From what I could tell, it only prevented me from outright ripping the blood from his veins and would weaken fine control when he came in close. The werewolf was still distracted by his transformation. 

Plan B was going to be far less pleasant than messing with his blood pressure until he passed out. From my stone, I released two bodies worth of blood, identified a point of gathering, which was the werewolf's lungs, and launched the wave of blood at my target. 

The werewolf took a mighty breath to howl, and the blood synthesizer crossed the distance between us. Then, the werewolf entered through his mouth and nose. Rank 2 vitality wasn't rank 2 endurance or constitution. Even if he spread his attributes, breathing was still a necessity. Drowning my opponent was the favorite move of water mages since Poseidon came into existence nearly 10 millennia ago. 

I watched the werewolf's eyes widen when he finally noticed the wave of blood coming his way. The transformation had taken too much of the werewolf's attention, and his ring gave him confidence against debuffs and most magic attacks. 

My hand remained outstretched as I maneuvered the blood to go into the lungs. While my control wavered when it touched the werewolf's skin, guiding momentum was easy. The werewolf tried to gasp, but more blood filled Charles' lungs as he started to drown in blood. Charles tried to cover his snout and cough the blood up, which was when I made me move.

I stepped closer, and my control over the blood already in his lungs increased. Simply moving the blood around caused further irritation, coughing, and hacking. The blood that had dripped on the ground rose in pillars, collecting into a singular source. 

The coughing, spluttering werewolf looked up to see another wave of blood slam onto him. When I couldn't move through his nose or mouth, I slipped the blood in through his eyes, breaking into his sinus cavity, and followed the maze inside straight for his lungs. He fell to his knees, coughing and hacking. Whenever he tried to make a move, I agitated his lungs. 

Werewolves were mighty creatures and could easily take a beating, even from trolls, Oni, and other heavy hitters. They were a balance between high strength and toughness. All of them had regeneration skills and focused on them heavily. Some even chose to add the training skill to gain a few more attributes. 

I formed a series of blood clots in the werewolf's lungs, further limiting his ability to breathe, and waited until one clogged his trachea. 

The werewolf turned his attention to me and opened and closed his mouth in panic. The 9-foot-tall mountain of muscle. Flopped on the ground like a fish on land while I lowered my hand. 

"Slap your hand on the ground 3 times if you surrender, and I will spare your life," I said. 

A flash told me people were taking pictures of my fight. That was fine. No one would question a mage taking down a werewolf. It would hardly be news. Someone might get a few likes on their feed. For water mages, I'm sure this was perfectly normal. 

The werewolf lunged, and I stepped aside as it crawled toward me, filled with madness but no strength. 

"I'm calling it. Charles Forest has lost the fight." Max, the man's friend, said. 

Nodding my head, I left the arena. I closed the steel cage behind me before returning Charles his ability to breathe. "Good fight," I called out. 

I checked my account, and 200,000W dropped into it, thanks to Mai and Melony. 

It was best to maintain good relations, especially with people I was about to dive into a dungeon with.