The blue glow hovered before his eyes—unnatural, otherworldly.
Dray Ballack sat on the cold floor of his dimly lit orphanage room, blinking slowly as the system interface floated in front of him like something out of a futuristic game. But there was no console in his hand, no headset wrapped around his face. This wasn't VR. This was real.
Name: Dray Ballack
Bloodline: [LOCKED]
Race: Human (Dormant Vampire)
Level: 2
Class: [Unassigned]
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Endurance: 0
Vitality: 4
Skills: [None]
Inventory: [Empty]
System Shop: [Access Granted]
Next Level: 40 EXP
Status: Awakening in Progress…
Dray exhaled slowly. He'd stared at this screen for over an hour, trying to make sense of what had happened. The glowing blue interface was as detailed as it was overwhelming. It felt like he had been dropped into a story—his story—but without a guide or map.
And that voice… the one that had spoken into his mind earlier, calling itself the "Lost Bloodline System."
"System," he said hesitantly, as if speaking to a ghost. "What's locked?"
A pause.
Then the voice returned, smooth and direct.
"Certain core data—including bloodline classification, origin report, potential abilities, and mutation paths—are sealed. Unlocking requires system integration and host advancement."
"So… I have to level up?" Dray asked.
"Correct. Experience points (EXP) must be earned through various actions. Combat, physical activity, quests, and achievements will provide EXP. Certain system features may also require direct EXP expenditure."
Dray raised an eyebrow. "So not everything unlocks just by leveling?"
"Correct. Some knowledge must be purchased."
His fingers curled into a fist.
"How much EXP does it cost to unlock my bloodline?"
"Basic Bloodline Report: 250 EXP."
His jaw tightened. "That's… a lot."
Considering he'd just reached Level 2, and the system told him Next Level: 40 EXP, he wasn't even a fifth of the way there.
"To access Class options, skill inheritance, or genetic enhancements, host must reach designated thresholds or pay corresponding EXP costs."
"What about vampire traits? I don't feel… anything."
"Vampire traits remain sealed. Awakening is not yet triggered."
Dray let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. His shoulders sagged. No glowing eyes. No fangs. No superhuman strength or speed. No bloodthirst.
He looked just like… himself.
"So let me guess," he muttered. "You won't tell me how to trigger the awakening either."
"Insufficient authority to access that data."
Of course.
He stood slowly, stepping toward the mirror above the old dresser in the corner of his room. His reflection stared back—slim frame, pale skin, dark circles under tired eyes, messy black hair.
Seventeen hours ago, he was just an orphan with a stubborn streak and a dusty box left behind by parents he'd never known.
Now?
Now he was something… unknown.
A prince in hiding? A weapon in slumber? A key?
Whatever he was, it was buried too deep for him to reach.
Later That Day
Dray ventured out of the orphanage, hoodie drawn over his head. He kept his eyes down as he made his way toward the edge of the city's industrial zone. A heavy rain had passed recently, soaking the streets and leaving behind the smell of damp iron and broken machines.
He arrived at the old scrapyard where he sometimes helped out—mostly under the table jobs. Manual labor. Backbreaking work.
Just what he needed.
"Physical activity. Gain EXP."
The system had said so. He'd test it.
The owner, a crusty ex-tech named Gresh, was exactly where Dray expected—smoking something foul-smelling near a pile of collapsed droid chassis.
"Back again?" Gresh grunted. "Didn't expect you so soon."
"Need work," Dray said simply.
Gresh gestured to a rusted stack of metal. "Sort through that pile. Separate anything with copper or live charge cells. You know the drill."
Dray rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
The first hour was all pain. His palms blistered, and sweat soaked through his shirt. Metal cut at his hands, and rust stained his fingers. But he kept going. He needed the pain. Needed the motion.
Needed the experience.
And then—
DING!
+2 EXP Earned. Physical Activity Recorded.
Dray paused, heart pounding.
He wasn't imagining it. It worked.
"Keep going..."
By sunset, he'd earned +9 EXP total.
Next Level: 31 EXP
Status: Stable System Integration Detected.
He left the scrapyard exhausted but satisfied.
That Night
Back in his room, the system interface reappeared with a soft whirr.
He tapped on the System Shop out of curiosity.
Most items were locked or required levels far beyond his current state. But some were visible:
Skill: Lesser Focus
Increases mental resilience and resistance to fear.
Cost: 20 EXP
Item: Minor Recovery Serum
Heals minor physical injuries over 5 minutes.
Cost: 15 EXP
Upgrade Node: Vampire Detection Sense (Inactive)
Locked. Requires bloodline activation.
He scrolled further down, stopping at a grayed-out listing:
Genetic Awakening Path - [Bloodkind Tier 1]
Status: Dormant
Requires: Bloodline Unlock
There it was again—Bloodline Unlock.
The wall he couldn't climb yet.
"250 EXP," he muttered. "That's going to take a while…"
As he lay in bed, he stared at the ceiling, listening to the system gently hum in his mind.
"Why me?" he whispered. "Why now?"
The system didn't answer.
But somewhere deep inside, a pulse responded. A hidden rhythm in his bones. Ancient. Silent. Patient.
Waiting.