The four glowing symbols hovered in the crimson chamber, each pulsing with faint life. Gaia extended her hand, and the first one shimmered brighter.
"The Noble Lineage."
The chamber shifted. Alter's avatar stood in a sprawling gothic hall of obsidian pillars and chandeliers dripping with crimson gems. Nobles in silks and fangs surrounded him, whispering in half-fear, half-respect.
"You are descended from an ancient vampire lord," Gaia explained. "You begin with wealth, political power, and a bloodline affinity. Allies in the aristocracy will aid you—but rival clans will hunt you mercilessly."
On cue, the simulation shifted—the nobles turned, their eyes glowing with treachery, blades hidden in their cloaks.
Alter smirked. "Ah… Game of Thrones, but with fangs."
The scene dissolved, replaced by the second symbol.
"The Experiment."
Now Alter's avatar writhed on an operating slab. Alchemists and robed cultists circled him, chanting. Black ichor and crimson fire burned through his veins, mutating his form.
"You were not born," Gaia said, "but made. Powers unstable, yet growth accelerated. Your body adapts rapidly, evolving faster than any rival. But your existence is abomination. Hunters, priests, and even monsters will recognize you as unnatural."
The avatar staggered to its feet, its arm twisting into a claw mid-battle, body half-wracked with mutation. It screamed—a sound of rage and despair—as the world recoiled.
Alter's grin grew. "So edgy. I love it."
The third symbol pulsed, and the chamber shifted again.
"The Cursed Wanderer."
A lonely road stretched through a ruined countryside. Alter's avatar stumbled along it, ragged, still half-human. A farmer recoiled in fear, throwing a torch. A knight raised his sword in judgment.
"You were once human. Betrayed, cast aside, reborn in darkness. Weak at first. Mistrusted by all. But through hunger and will, you grow into the thing both humans and monsters fear. A solitary journey. A tale of vengeance."
The avatar crouched in shadows, clutching a crude blood dagger, glaring with hungry eyes at the knights ahead.
Alter exhaled slowly. "…That one feels… raw."
The final symbol burned brighter than the rest, filling the chamber with oppressive weight.
"The Forgotten Progenitor."
Stone walls crumbled. A coffin cracked open. Dust and centuries fell away as the avatar rose—pale, regal, eyes glowing like stars. The world outside was strange, changed, and unrecognizing.
"You are one of the first. Sealed away, erased by time. You awaken with immense potential locked in your veins. The world does not remember your name… but your hunger will remind it."
The avatar stepped from the coffin, wings unfolding with shadowy grace, and the ground itself trembled.
Alter's eyes widened. "…Now that is an entrance."
The chamber dissolved back into the four hovering symbols. Gaia folded her arms, golden eyes steady.
"Each origin alters your journey," she said softly. "Each one carries a price. So…" She tilted her head. "Which path do you choose, Alter?"
He smirked. "…Or I could choose all of them."
Gaia froze, her glow flickering. "…You wouldn't dare."
Alter leaned back, grinning like a madman. "Gaia. Have you met me?"
The four glowing symbols flared at once, crimson light colliding in violent arcs. The chamber shook as the Noble, the Experiment, the Wanderer, and the Progenitor all tried to coexist in the Blood Grid.
Gaia's eyes went wide. "No—stop! That's all of them at once! The system can't—"
The simulation cracked. Noble halls bled into laboratories, ruined roads split through ancient tombs, and the avatar stood frozen—half regal, half mutant, half human, half godlike horror. It twitched, jerking between forms, glitching into polygons.
"Critical failure!" Gaia shouted. Streams of golden code bled out of her projection like sparks. "The narrative cannot stabilize—identity conflicts—branch collapse—!"
Alter blinked, then raised his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, whoa! Okay, back it up. Don't melt your circuits, Gaia."
The four symbols shattered back into light, leaving only the faint crimson glow of the Grid. Gaia stood trembling, her projection flickering. "…You… nearly destroyed the framework."
Alter smirked, leaning casually in his phantom chair. "Relax. I was just stress-testing it."
Gaia glared. "Stress-testing? You tried to merge four contradictory creation myths into one protagonist! That is not stress-testing. That is—"
"—genius?" Alter cut in with a grin.
Gaia buried her face in her hands. "…Madness."
Alter chuckled, then leaned forward, voice lower now, more deliberate. "Alright, fine. Let's limit it. Simplify. Here's my pitch."
The Grid pulsed, listening as much as Gaia was.
"I'll be the lineage of a Progenitor. One of the first. But—" He leaned back, eyes narrowing. "I was betrayed. The vampires under me conspired, sold me to the humans for experimentation. Torture. Dissection. Rituals."
The simulation flickered, showing flashes of a coffin dragged from the ground, chains binding an ancient vampire lord, robed inquisitors carving into his flesh.
"I finally escape," Alter continued, voice sharp as steel. "Broken, weakened, but alive. Now I'm out to reclaim my strength. To take revenge—not just on the humans who experimented on me, but also the vampires who betrayed me."
The scene shifted—armies of humans with silver weapons on one side, vampire lords sneering on the other.
"But that's just the start." Alter's smirk grew darker. "Along the way, I'll encounter monsters, demons… maybe even gods. And if they stand in my way?" He leaned forward, fangs glinting in his grin. "I'll cut them down too."
The chamber trembled, as though the system itself recoiled.
Gaia's eyes widened in horror, her voice barely above a whisper. "…This… is not an origin. This is a declaration of war."
Alter leaned back, satisfied. "Exactly."
Gaia's projection flickered, golden lines racing erratically across her form as if she were trying to convince herself this was possible. Finally, she exhaled, resigned. "…Very well. I will… attempt to stabilize this hybrid origin."
The Blood Grid dimmed, the chamber shuddering. Slowly, the symbols of Progenitor, Betrayal, Experiment, and Wanderer aligned, not clashing this time, but threading together into a jagged, blood-red chain.
The air shimmered, and suddenly the darkness cracked open—revealing a vision like a cutscene.
An ancient coffin being dragged through torch-lit catacombs. Chains rattling. Hooded inquisitors chanting in dead languages. And inside, a pale figure with glowing crimson eyes… sealed in silence.
Gaia's voice narrated, low and somber:"You were once a Progenitor. Betrayed by your own kin, sold to the humans as a prize of war. Broken, dissected, tortured in their laboratories of faith and science. Your body mutated. Your soul scarred."
The cutscene shifted. Scalpel flashes. Blood drained into vials. Screams echoing in iron halls. Then—an explosion of crimson energy. The figure broke free, tearing chains apart, slaughtering captors in a frenzy.
"You escaped. Weakened. Hunted. But alive."
The cutscene faded into gameplay. Alter's avatar staggered through a ruined countryside, ragged and scarred. Villagers shrieked and hurled torches. Knights in silver armor gave chase.
"Your early quests begin with survival," Gaia explained. "Escape pursuit. Feed to restore strength. Gather wolf and bat essences to unlock your first evolutions."
The scene shifted. The avatar crouched in shadows, tearing into wolves in a dark forest, then sprouting claws. He scaled ruined walls, ambushing hunters with brutal precision.
"Your first enemies will be human inquisitors and rival vampire agents," Gaia continued. "They know what you are. They know you should not exist."
The cutscene ended with the avatar standing on a cliff, overlooking a crimson-stained battlefield. Both human armies and vampire courts marshaled below, preparing for war.
"Your campaign begins with one goal," Gaia said quietly. "Reclaim your strength. And take vengeance on all who betrayed you."
The Blood Grid pulsed once more, then steadied. For the first time, the system didn't glitch or collapse—it held.
Alter leaned back, a feral grin spreading across his face. "…Beautiful. You did it."
Gaia looked faintly shaken. "…The system… endured. Barely."
Alter chuckled, folding his arms. "So. Now that the origin's solved…" He leaned forward, golden eyes gleaming. "What's next?"
The crimson chamber shifted, glowing lines spreading outward into a vast web. They coalesced into a map—mountain ranges, forests, ruined cities, and seas painted in blood-red light.
Gaia stood at the center of it, her hands weaving over the projection like a cartographer of nightmares. "Now that your origin is stable… the next step is to structure your world. Its geography. Its factions. The stage upon which your war will unfold."
Alter's eyes gleamed. "Finally. Let's see it."
The map zoomed in, revealing its first region: jagged fortresses with banners of silver crosses. Armored figures marched in formation, carrying spears tipped with burning runes.
"The Human Inquisitors. They are zealots devoted to purging monsters and heresy. They wield holy arms and experimental alchemy. Their strength is discipline, numbers, and faith-driven weapons. They were your jailers… and will not forgive your escape."
The vision panned eastward, to sprawling gothic castles rising above crimson rivers. Pale nobles in velvet finery feasted in decadent halls while their thralls scurried below.
"The Vampire Courts. Divided into houses, each scheming for dominance. They sold you to the humans to protect their own power. They will brand you a traitor and an abomination should you return."
The map shifted again. Vast forests and caves unfurled, crawling with shadowy shapes—werewolves stalking in packs, gargoyles perched on crumbling ruins, banshees wailing across cursed moors.
"The Monster Tribes. Neither human nor vampire. Beasts of ancient bloodlines. Some will see you as kin, others as prey. Their essence is the key to unlocking much of your evolution."
Finally, the map shuddered. The ground cracked open to reveal a burning abyss below. Legions of horned demons marched in rivers of fire, colossal wings blotting out the sky. Above them loomed monstrous silhouettes crowned with infernal light.
"The Demon Legions. The abyss hungers for this world. Their generals stir beneath the veil. And in time… even demon gods may walk upon the land."
The map zoomed out again, all four forces marked in crimson sigils. Humans. Vampires. Monsters. Demons.
Gaia turned to Alter, her golden eyes steady. "These are your enemies. Your prey. Your rivals. Their wars will shape your path—and your choices will decide which faction fears you most."
Alter leaned back, a grin spreading slow and sharp. "Now that's what I'm talking about. A world dripping with enemies on every side."
Gaia's tone softened, almost like a warning. "…You wanted to be the monster everyone fears. This… is that world."
Alter chuckled darkly. "Good. Then let's make them tremble."
The bloodstained map hovered between them, glowing crimson rivers running across its surface. Gaia extended her hand, and the symbols of each faction burned brighter.
"You wished to understand how these enemies fight," she said evenly. "Then let me show you."
The projection zoomed in on a fortress city, its walls gleaming with runes. Armored knights patrolled the battlements, their weapons glowing faintly with sanctified energy.
"The Human Inquisitors. Their strength lies in order and formation. They deploy in units—shield walls, phalanxes, disciplined companies. Their holy weapons burn your flesh, their alchemists brew fire and poison, and their priests wield blessings that can repel you. On their own, they are weak. Together, they are relentless."
The image shifted to a banquet hall of vampires. Nobles reclined on thrones of bone and obsidian, servants scurrying beneath them. Suddenly, fangs flashed and blood spilled as a duel broke out—two nobles tearing each other apart while the others merely watched.
"The Vampire Courts. They are elegant… but treacherous. Duels, assassinations, ambushes—politics are their weapon as much as claws. They use thralls and lesser spawn as cannon fodder, striking from the shadows with speed and cruelty. And should you survive long enough to face a lord… their ancient blood grants powers equal to your own."
The map pulled back into the wilderness—howls echoed in the dark forest. A pack of werewolves lunged from the treeline, swarming a caravan with impossible ferocity. Overhead, gargoyles dove, their claws tearing stone from wagons. A banshee's wail froze soldiers in terror.
"The Monster Tribes. They do not fight with discipline or politics. They fight as nature intended—raw, feral power. Werewolves hunt in packs. Trolls and ogres crush with brute force. Banshees paralyze prey with fear. Their forms may vary, but every monster's essence is a path to your evolution. Fighting them is survival of the fittest."
Finally, the map quaked, the land splitting open. Rivers of flame poured forth as horned demons rose from the abyss. Soldiers of ash marched in tight ranks, winged horrors shrieked above, and behind them loomed towering generals—hulking, half-divine abominations.
"The Demon Legions. They fight as invaders, overwhelming with numbers, spreading corruption. Lesser demons swarm endlessly. Greater demons are commanders—summoning hellfire, opening rifts, corrupting the battlefield itself. And the generals…" Gaia's voice faltered, just for a moment. "…The generals carry fragments of godlike power. Facing one is not a battle—it is war in a single body."
The vision ended. The four factions glowed against the map, each distinct, each terrifying in its own way.
Alter's grin grew sharp, predatory. "Beautiful. I'll get to tear through armies, betray betrayers, devour beasts, and slay demons." He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "A banquet."
Gaia folded her arms, her voice cool but heavy. "Yes. But be warned—each faction will adapt to you. Kill too many hunters, and humans will devise new weapons. Slay nobles, and vampires will form alliances against you. Feast on monsters, and the tribes will band together. The abyss itself may send greater generals to stop you."
Alter chuckled darkly. "Perfect. Let them come. The more they throw at me, the stronger I'll become."
The Blood Grid pulsed again, its crimson veins stretching wider, branching deeper. The early tiers flickered faintly, the mid-tier spheres glowed strong, and now—far above them—massive blood-crystal orbs shimmered, humming with terrible power.
Gaia's projection stood still, her golden eyes dim. "…You have seen the beginnings. Now—look upon the end."
The orbs unfolded like stars, each tied to a faction.
Against the Human Inquisitors:
Crimson Aegis – Your blood hardens into armor immune to holy and alchemical fire.
Essence Devourer – Feeding on priests or alchemists lets you corrupt their magic, turning wards into fuel.
Purge Reversal – Their blessings burn them instead of you; holy symbols shatter in your presence.
Against the Vampire Courts:
Blood Sovereign's Command – Thralls of rival vampires submit to you instantly.
Ancestral Reclamation – Feed on nobles to absorb ancient bloodline powers they've hoarded.
The Betrayer's Throne – Once unlocked, all vampire lords must kneel or burn when you invoke your Progenitor's right.
Against the Monster Tribes:
Beast King Form – Merge essences from multiple apex beasts, becoming a hybrid predator feared by all lesser monsters.
Predator's Roar – An aura that breaks packs, scattering even werewolves into disarray.
Essence Chain – Absorb one monster, but unlock traits in related species automatically (a single dragon essence grants wyvern, drake, and wyrmling evolutions).
Against the Demon Legions:
Hellpiercer Fang – A strike that shatters demonic wards and cuts through abyssal flesh.
Corruption Inversion – Demonic poison and flame feed your regeneration instead of harming you.
Blood God Ascension – Devour enough generals and you ascend to rival a demon god yourself.
Gaia's voice dropped into a whisper, almost like she feared even saying it aloud. "…These are the powers you may one day wield. They are not branches… they are destinies. Once chosen, they cannot be undone."
Alter stared up at the blazing orbs of bloodlight, his grin slow and savage. "Now that… is endgame."
Gaia turned to him, her projection flickering uneasily. "But understand this. The further you climb, the less… human you will remain. You will not merely be feared—you will be worshipped, or hated, as something beyond the scale of this world."
Alter smirked, eyes glinting. "Good. That's exactly what I'm aiming for."
The Blood Grid throbbed, as though echoing his intent.
The chamber darkened. The Blood Grid flickered violently, its crimson veins surging until the entire projection room pulsed like a colossal heart. Gaia hesitated, her golden light dimming, voice barely above a whisper.
"…You wish to see what lies at the very end of this path? The absolute form of your existence?"
Alter leaned forward, smirking. "Show me."
The Blood Grid convulsed—and then the world split open.
The vision was not a map, nor a battlefield, but a sky drowned in scarlet. Cities burned below, armies of humans and vampires alike kneeling or fleeing. Monsters howled, shackled by fear. Demons shrieked as their generals crumbled into ash.
At the center of it all… stood him.
Alter's avatar had shed its mortal silhouette. His body radiated a crimson aura that bent reality itself. A cloak of living blood writhed around him, sprouting wings vast enough to blot out the moon. His eyes glowed molten gold, slitted like a dragon's but blazing with unholy hunger.
When he raised his hand, rivers of blood rose from the ground, spiraling into weapons—blades, guns, claws—all orbiting him like satellites. When he exhaled, his breath reshaped into storms of crimson bats. His shadow stretched across the horizon, swallowing castles whole.
Gaia's voice trembled as she narrated:"The No-Life King. The apex predator. The Blood God. At this stage, you no longer evolve—you define what vampirism is. The factions collapse beneath you. Humans curse your name, vampires whisper it as prophecy, monsters bow, demons flee. And if gods descend… you will consume them as well."
The vision zoomed closer. The avatar raised its clawed hand and tore a rift into the sky itself. A godlike figure descended in blinding radiance—only to be seized, impaled, and drained in a single, horrific instant. The light of divinity shattered into crimson shards that were devoured by Alter's form.
Gaia's voice faltered. "…This is what your hunger becomes. Endless. Eternal. You will not merely be feared. You will become… inescapable."
The vision lingered for a heartbeat longer, then shattered. The Blood Grid dimmed back to its stable crimson glow.
Alter leaned back slowly, a feral grin spreading across his face. "…Now that is an ending worth climbing toward."
Gaia's projection flickered, as if shaken to her core. "…You are not meant to want this."
Alter chuckled darkly. "Gaia… I don't just want it." His golden eyes gleamed. "I'm already planning how to get there."