Chương 682: The Vampire Breaks the Limit

Luke had brought an egg onto the ship. [Defective Alpha Sea Guardian Egg]: A rare Sea Guardian egg, the rarest type found among their clutches. Not just a Sea Guardian, but an alpha. Its mere presence in the water calms nearby Sea Guardians and drives away other marine predators. These creatures lay their eggs along the sea borders of the [Abyssal Zone], though some are swept away by waves and currents. Unfortunately, the creature never developed and died, though traces of it still remain inside the egg.

A legendary delicacy or ingredient.

"A real find, Luke Moon," Cadmus said. Luke stared at the egg, thoughtful.

"So that's probably why there were so many Sea Guardians around. But the egg's sterile, like grocery store eggs." Protein. That was all it was.

"Can we cook with it?" Charlie asked.

"We don't have a pot that big," Anne said.

"That's pretty gross," Layla muttered. The egg was bigger than a basketball, with a smooth shell the color of pale orange honey. Even sitting still on the deck, it looked too out of place to be food.

"I'll be in my quarters," Erza announced from her chair, still sunbathing.

"Time is short, Luke Moon. I appreciate you helping us level up, but you need to make that beacon." Stephen leaned against the egg, studying it through narrowed eyes.

"Excellent alchemical ingredient. I'm getting a lot of information on possible uses. Do you have any idea how much concentrated magic is packed into this thing? And there's a nice concentration of that adrenaline fluid, too." Stephen's [Identify], adapted for alchemy, revealed information only he could see, the same way Luke saw different data when analyzing a plant. The ship stayed on course while Luke kept staring at the egg.

"I imagine it would make an excellent breakfast," Artemis said. Out of curiosity, that egg we found in the labyrinth, the one we turned into food, how valuable was it?

"That firebird egg could've bought you a few castles," she replied in his mind. Charlie and Angie were distributing their free points. Charlie, especially, was carefully reading through every vampiric skill option.

"We could tie the egg to the ship and use it to pass through the territory more calmly," Angie suggested.

"I thought about that," Luke said.

"Will it work, Stephen?"

"Pretty sure it will. And this thing's tough, so if it bumps into something sharp, I don't think it'll cut right away. Still, we might lose what's inside."

"I'll get some rope," Eleanor said. Layla was holding Katarina, who kept snapping at the air like a maniac.

"Your little plant's lost it."

"She wants to eat the egg."

"No, Katarina. That's disgusting," Layla said. Katarina shook her head, opened her mouth, and kept chewing at the air. She wanted it.

"Later. Some other time," Luke said. Even his kukris trembled, hungry, wanting to absorb the blood of whatever was inside the egg. By afternoon, Ulric had ended up helping Eleanor secure the egg inside a net. They tested leaving it in a rowboat, but apparently the power only worked if it stayed submerged in seawater.

Later, in the laboratory, Luke stared at a vial full of liquid. [You have successfully created a Potion!] Your profession [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya] has reached Level 85! (+5 Strength, +3 Agility, +4 Vitality, +4 Intelligence, +12 Free Points) [You have unlocked a new Profession Skill] It was ready. The perfect adrenaline potion, capable of emulating the process that happened inside a Sea Guardian's body.

"For the eighteenth time, I have to warn you about the risks," Stephen said.

"Drinking this potion would be useless for me. My stomach wouldn't process it properly, and even if it did, the effect would last seconds. I'll have to inject it. I know." It was less of a potion and more of a superdrug. Luke poured the liquid into three syringes Stephen had made with [Transmutation].

"I have a wide range of drug-related experience, some of it pretty recent," Stephen said.

"And that thing? Superhuman or not, it's going to give you a heart attack."

"On a scale from zero to ten, what are the odds this gives me a heart attack?"

"Eleven. Explain to him, Maid Number Three who keeps following us around, what happens to someone during a heart attack." The guard maid looked at Stephen like she wanted to vaporize him. She was probably already tired of how much he annoyed her. Even so, she stayed professional.

"Not even we superhumans survive a heart attack without consequences. If that happens and your heart stops, your HP will start ticking down. When it reaches zero, you die. Because we're superhuman, we can remain alive for a while even without a heartbeat, but only as long as our HP can sustain the body."

"Well, damn. You know your stuff," Stephen said.

"I specialize in poisons. So I understand a little of what you're doing as well."

"A poison specialist who understands drugs? Yeah, we're doomed to be friends."

"Don't push it, man."

"And what's your name? We're all here together and I don't even know."

"Maid Number Three."

"Okay… Maid Number Three. You have a sense of humor. So, did we talk him out of gambling with a heart attack?"

"Relax. I can survive a heart attack. And I've got her," Luke said, pointing at Angie. Angie raised her hand, and electricity crackled between her fingers.

"That still doesn't lower the risk," the maid said.

"But if you're going to inject yourself with this super-adrenaline, only do it with her nearby."

"I'm a healer," Angie said.

"I can be his defibrillator and heal him at the same time." Luke walked out onto the deck near the cabins. Without any ceremony, he injected the adrenaline.

"Are you insane, kid?" Stephen snatched the empty syringe.

"What the hell did you just do, Luke Moon? You didn't even test a low dose first," Maid Number Three said.

"I can feel it. It's kicking in fast." Stephen pulled a pile of junk from his storage item and shoved a few things into Luke's hands.

"What are these?" Luke asked.

"This one'll mellow you out like a sedated slug," Stephen said.

"And this one's to make you sharper than a meerkat."

"That makes no sense whatsoever," Maid Number Three said.

"The trick is the effects merge into this kind of nirvana, and you end up close to normal, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm still not testing those." Then Luke jumped off the ship. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Half an hour later, he had run every test he could think of. In the water, out of the water, sparring against Charlie, measuring every improvement the potion made to his body. By the end, just as expected, his heart stopped. A heart attack. For him, that wasn't exactly a problem, thanks to the secondary skill of the [Eye of Sariel].

[Eye of the Archangel]: The eye functions as a second heart and a second brain. If either vital organ is destroyed, the eye assumes its role, allowing the body to continue functioning while severe injuries are gradually restored. Sitting on the ship's deck, Luke felt the adrenaline begin to fade.

"It worked. Better than I expected." He had also tested the potential of the eye's skill. Even with his heart stopped, Luke remained alive and did not lose HP. Angie electrocuted him, and his heart started beating again.

"Testing complete."

"You're kind of crazy, Luke Moon," Maid Number Three said.

"No. I just do what needs doing."

Luke was in his office, one hand on his ear, focusing on [Transmutation]. At the same time, he took notes on his progress.

"Still doing the elf thing?" Artemis asked.

"The skill that lets me alter small parts of my appearance, like hair or eye color, has good synergy with [Transmutation]."

"And elf ears are your next step, I assume."

"I'm trying to alter my flesh and skin. The ear is a safe part of the body. It's just cartilage and skin. No bone." Which meant he could try to change its shape without causing something serious, like he would if he tried to change the size of his arm.

"You know, there's another part of your body that has no bone, is made of flesh and skin, and happens to be cylindrical. You could try transmuting its size," she said. Luke froze for a moment when he realized what she meant.

"Oh, no. I am absolutely not risking that magic on Little Luke."

"Little Luke? You couldn't come up with a better name?"

"It was the best I had in the moment."

"You have to admit the idea was good, though."

"Biologically and magically speaking? Sure. Aside from the ears, it's probably one of the least risky parts. No 'oh no, I messed with my hip bone and now I'm paralyzed' problem. But it's also at the very top of the list of things I'm not risking magical alteration on."

"The guy from earlier took a massive dose of adrenaline without thinking."

"The guy from earlier spent weeks studying adrenaline and experimenting with it using magical blood." Luke paused the tests for a moment.

"Transmuting a body part is an interesting step, Luke. And my elf joke can actually help you."

"How?"

"That kind of skill is tied to creativity. So having a clear reference for what you want, like making your ear look like an elf's, is a good path."

"I thought you were just messing with me."

"I give you a lot of tips by messing with you. When goddess-me said necklace-me could help you, I wasn't lying. Of course, giving you all the answers would be too easy. So I stay here and evaluate your progress. If I notice you're close to something, maybe… if I'm in a good mood and properly fed, I'll give you a good hint."

"The part about altering the size of… Little Luke""That part was pure nonsense."

"Good."

"But if you want to take it out so I can—" Luke squeezed the necklace, silencing her.

"Looks like you're back to normal."

"Okay, fine. No harassment for a few minutes. But if I had to give you one tip: a higher-rank body becomes easier to alter, since with every rank mortals climb, they get closer to being a construct of mana. You know, divine science nonsense." A few hours later, Charlie entered the laboratory with Angie. The angel woman stayed near the door. Charlie set a tray of snacks on the table. There were too many sandwiches. A good portion of them was obviously for Artemis.

"The waves are getting bigger, Master Luke. The robot said we're getting close. I think we'll arrive by morning," Charlie said, stopping beside him. She wiped Luke's mouth with a cloth.

"I can wipe my own mouth while eating a sandwich, Charlie."

"But I like taking care of you."

"That much?" She nodded hard. Angie lifted a finger. She was wearing a magic ring, one of the items Luke had taken from Peter Weiss in the past.

"Barrier activated," Angie said. A yellow barrier appeared around the room.

"Now no one on the ship can hear us." It was a barrier against sound and other spying magic. [Soundproof Barrier (Common)]: The cleric shapes mana into a rectangular barrier that seals a small area, preventing sound from escaping beyond its edges. Originally used to keep the cries of wounded patients from revealing their position during treatment, it later became useful for private conversations, stealth, and keeping sensitive words away from spies and unwanted ears.

Luke activated [Witch's Gaze] to check whether any object nearby was receiving magic, in case someone was trying to listen in. He also looked through the walls. No one was on the other side.

"The maids don't usually stay near me. They spend more time around Stephen, since he spends all day making drinks out of things that could set half the ship on fire or blow it up." Still, they took every precaution.

"Everyone knows you're a vampire, Charlie, and they've been living with you for days. Have you noticed any change in their behavior?" Luke asked.

"No, Master Luke. Everyone treats me well, like normal. There was just… one question about it."

"Who asked?"

"Eleanor."

"Ah. Eleanor?" Eleanor was an unknown. She was a friend, but she was also part of a government connected to the Vampire Hunters. With all the chaos involving Serena, Luke had barely had any chances to speak with her alone.

"She asked if I was a good person and whether I was going to turn you into a vampire."

"And what did you say?"

"I said I had no bad intentions and that I wouldn't turn you." She doesn't know I'm half-demon, which makes me immune to vampirism. Makes sense she'd ask as a friend. They went over everything they needed to.

"Lagras's soldiers came by again to ask if I wanted to be part of their kingdom," Angie said.

"And I think they want to recruit you, but they're going about it indirectly."

"I have zero interest in joining their kingdom. And the interesting part is that they don't know which kingdom Erza is from. If they did, they would've stopped trying to invite me." Luke stood, analyzing the information and deciding the next step.

"Once I make this beacon, we'll have one month left before the sixth beacon's deadline. And that will be the final Stage." The [Sunken Realms] event would be over. But winning would not be easy. Stage 3 was still a mystery. If it was something that put him against other participants, Luke would have to be ready to face both versions of Rhiannon, Jonathan, the Lich, and whatever other monsters were waiting there. Would the vampire lord go for that? He was also a dangerous enemy.

Would he risk his own life in that Stage? If it was daytime, he'd be fifty percent weaker.

"I'm seriously thinking about not letting you go to the next Stage, Charlie. If you don't make the last beacon, you'll return to Earth at the end of Stage 2."

"What? But why, Master Luke?"

"Because if you go back to Earth earlier, you can help my family. They'll return from the event to a changed world. An Earth full of new threats." Luke also did not know how long Stage 3 would last.

"My lord, we don't even know if your family will return when Stage 2 ends," Angie said.

"They might be forced into Stage 3 of their own event." Luke studied her. There's a strong chance she only said that because she wants Charlie by my side protecting me in Stage 3. Angie worries about me on a level similar to Charlie, but her intelligence is even higher than mine.

"You have a point, Angie."

"But… I don't want to leave you, Master Luke," Charlie said.

"You won't. The smart play is keeping both of you close in Stage 3." Luke yawned.

"Sleepy?" Angie asked.

"A little. I think it's a side effect of the drug." After they decided the next steps, it was time to choose. Charlie opened the system interface. The list of rejected vampiric skills appeared.

"I only get to choose one skill. What a shame," she said. Out of all the options, only two real contenders remained. [Vampiric Bite II (Ancient)]: Your Vampiric Bite grows stronger. When you sink your fangs into a living target, the bite stabilizes with predatory precision: the fangs pierce more easily, allowing you to drain blood faster and more efficiently while simultaneously converting it into vitality to restore your body.

The enhanced bite also allows you to absorb 10% more Blood Energy than the previous version. [Blood Core Expansion I (Ancient)]: A natural evolution of the Blood Core that expands the vampire's capacity to store vital energy. This enhancement allows the core to hold an additional 25 units of Blood Energy, significantly extending its natural reserves.

A rare and ancient improvement, a sign that the vampire's blood is beginning to adapt, expanding its dark heritage and strengthening the core that sustains its immortality.

"That's a real choice," Luke said. One option would improve her feeding and allow her to gain [Blood Energy] faster. The other directly increased her maximum reserve. [Charlotte Vespertilio has acquired the Race Skill: Blood Core Expansion I] Charlie placed a hand over her abdomen. For a moment, her body glowed red. [Blood Core: 83/125]"It worked!" she said, excited. Her limit had expanded.

"And if everything goes right, that skill path will keep evolving. Congratulations, Charlie," Angie said.

It was night. The storm was fierce. The wind howled through the masts and ropes like a chorus of whispers. Lightning struck the water far too close to the ship.

"By the gods!" Hugo shouted, startled. The waves grew larger as they sailed toward their source. Luke approached Stephen, who looked far too calm for someone out at sea in a storm that size.

"Do you drink because you're addicted, or because you like it?" Stephen turned his face toward him.

"What? What kind of question is that, kid? You a therapist now?"

"What I want to know is whether superhuman people like us can get addicted. Like you with your drinks or your mushrooms."

"I drink because I like it."

"You sure?"

"If you like your addiction, does that still make you addicted?"

"Isn't that exactly what an addict would say?"

"Look, if I wanted to stop drinking, I'd stop. But I'm like a Mustang, kid. I only brake when I feel like it." Stephen pointed at him with the bottle.

"But I get your point. I'm pretty sure I warned you about this."

"You said something involving Snoop Dogg and parties."

"What I said was, if that thing worked, there was a huge chance it'd implode your neurons with addictive feedback. Like smoking weed with Snoop Dogg, Madonna, and Michael Jackson while listening to Johnny Cash. It'd be such a mind-blowing experience that you'd definitely want to go back to the killer little party and do it again. But don't stay out too late at a famous Hollywood party, and turn down invitations to billionaire islands." He frowned.

"I got a little lost in the metaphors, but the point is: stay away from drugs."

"Got it. Good to know." Then, a massive bank of fog appeared on the horizon.

"What the hell is that thing?" Roland shouted. Everyone looked in the same direction.

"It's one of those ghost ships," Joanna said.

"It's fine. Those things show up from time to time. As long as we don't get close, it shouldn't be a problem." A ghost ship? Luke climbed onto the ship's railing.

"What are you doing, Luke?" Eleanor asked.

"Don't worry about me. I'll find a way to navigate back to you. I'm going to that ship."

"To the ship, Cinderella?" Evangeline said.

"We're in the middle of a storm on some weird sea. You're going to get yourself—" Luke jumped into the water before she could finish.

"Why does that guy jump straight at danger every time it shows up?" Joanna said. Luke sank into the ocean. The force of the water was absurd, crushing and dragging at him like it wanted to swallow him whole. He focused and conjured the Spectral Beast. The kraken appeared in the depths, and one of its tentacles wrapped around Luke before pulling him toward the ship. There was a mission he wanted to complete.

[Kill a Sea Guardian (Exclusive to the Island Champion)]: Completed Reward: Beast Hunter's Gloves (Reward Received) [Visit the Abyssal Zone (Exclusive to the Island Champion)]: Completed Reward: Abyssal Mask (Reward Received) [Face a Ghost Pirate Ship (Exclusive to the Island Champion)]: Not Completed Reward:??? Only one island mission remained. Fun fact: there's new artwork of Eleanor for this chapter over at that other place.