As Quinn watched the blonde man in the video, he noticed the pale skin, striking looks, and red eyes—everything he'd read about in fantasy novels. The man then stated Quinn was one of them: a vampire. There was strange wording too, like not knowing how much time had passed. Was the video old? Was the man even alive?
For now, Quinn set the questions aside.
The video continued.
"To whomever this is shown to, I will demonstrate a set of skills you should be able to perform. Our kind work best when using weapons that cover our hands."
He got into a stance.
"I will cover two basic moves. If you forget, open your system and rewatch anytime. The first is a defensive move—Flash Step. You'll need at least 15 Agility."
He crouched and vanished to the corner of the room, leaving an afterimage.
"This consumes stamina, so only use it to dodge fatal blows or strike quickly. It can move you five meters at most."
Quinn immediately realized how useful it would've been against Loop, but he lacked the stats to use it.
"The next skill is Hammer Strike."
He lifted his foot, slammed it down, and launched a powerful punch in one motion, the air shifting from the force.
"For this, you'll need at least 15 Strength. That's all for today. A slowed version will be saved in your system. Good luck, my friend."
The video ended, leaving behind a new tutorial tab with detailed explanations of both skills. Quinn couldn't help but wonder who the man was. Did he know about the system? Was he tied to the book Quinn's parents had left behind? He couldn't remember ever meeting someone like him.
Still, Quinn was glad the system was being helpful to him.
Currently, Quinn had 16 points in both Strength and Agility, so he was more than ready to test the skills he'd unlocked. After watching the tutorial videos, he immediately entered the Power Fighters game to train.
Days blurred by as he relentlessly practiced both moves. By the end of the week, Quinn was eager for a real challenge. This time, he selected Quick Match, letting fate decide his opponent instead of choosing by power level.
In reality, you couldn't pick who you fought. Quinn knew he had to learn how to adapt.
A few moments later, a match was found.
When Quinn entered the arena floor, he saw his opponent: a tall figure in a long red cape, two daggers gleaming at his sides. In the stands sat another person, quietly observing.
"Oh, aren't you the infamous hacker who used crimson lines?" the caped man sneered. "You don't seem to be using them anymore. I guess the supervisors finally dealt with it. It'll be fun to deal with you now." Then he gestured to the bystander. "Oh, don't worry about him. He's just my senior—watching so he can give tips."
Quinn blinked, confused. He had no idea there were even forums about him. He tried using Inspect, but the skill didn't work in the game. Instead, he kept his status screen open off to the side, wanting to watch his numbers in real time.
The countdown began.
3…2…1…Go!
The caped man immediately drew his daggers and swung, sending two sharp wind blades slicing across the arena. The attack was faster and reached farther than Quinn's crimson lines had ever gone.
Quinn countered with his own water blades. The two forces clashed midair and canceled each other out.
"Wait—wasn't he an earth ability user? Since when does he use water?" the caped man muttered.
This time Quinn pressed forward, closing the gap. The man launched another barrage of wind blades, but Quinn answered with four water blades. The first two neutralized the wind strikes; the next two kept flying straight toward him.
The caped man spun his cloak wide. The water attacks smacked into the fabric and vanished without leaving a mark.
"Beast armor," Quinn realized, narrowing his eyes. "And a high-level one at that."
The fighters closed to striking distance. The caped man's daggers flashed with precision, each swing enhanced by the slicing wind around them. Quinn managed to catch both blades with his gauntlets, but the elemental wind extended the daggers, stabbing through and piercing into his shoulders.
The caped man smirked. "It's over."
But before he could land the finishing blow, his strike sliced through nothing but air. Quinn had vanished.
"Flash Step," Quinn whispered, reappearing at his flank. His claws extended, glowing faintly with the water ability.
A savage swipe tore through the caped man's side. Then another, and another—relentless strikes hammering at him faster than he could react. Finally, Quinn stepped back and unleashed two water blades that cut across his opponent's chest, sending him collapsing to the floor.
[25 Experience Gained][30/200 EXP]
In the stands, the senior shot up to his feet, shocked. The two of them had been on a winning streak, cutting down opponents one after the other. For his partner to fall here, so decisively, was unthinkable.
"That skill at the end… what was that?" he muttered.
As Quinn was about to log out, a voice rang out across the arena.
"Wait!" the senior called. His eyes burned with challenge. "Please… fight me."
Quinn accepted without hesitation. What he didn't know was that the man in the stands was one of the strongest students from another military school.