"That's the heavenly sword. What are you doing with it?" Gabriel seemed annoyed.

I didn't listen, and I quickly picked it up.

Heavenly Sword (Growth/Soul bound)

Durability: Infinite

Description: only its master may bring out its full potential. Incomparable sharpness, able to slice through even space and dimensions. With evolution, can potentially even slice through the void. Will never break and can always provide light. Can be imbued with heavenly energy if heavenly affinity >120% (human), causing sword to grow by two inches. Sword can change length at the master's will. Attribute: telekinesis. Sword can be controlled with thoughts before gaining requisite skill. Description of growth and soul bound attributes omitted. Attribute: invisibility: Sword can only be seen by those approved by its master. Attribute: heavenly: 10,000% more effective against undead, demons, and similar monsters. Creates a shield protecting its master from any death energy-related spell master does not permit.

Intelligence: 10%. Can correct attacks, making it easier to wield.

I was amazed. It could be even more powerful than Blackmail! I immediately named it Persuasion.

"So, it chose you as its master. I must admit, even I am surprised."

"What do you mean?" I asked Gabriel.

"That's the best sword in the entire army, but it wouldn't approve of anyone to be its master. 10% intelligence is a lot for a sword, making it very proud."

I didn't think anything of it. I just named it, and it worked.

Everyone around seemed astounded, because, to them, it just disappeared. In reality, I equipped it next to Blackmail on Purity.

Just by gaining the sword, my techniques leveled up! I could now use illusion multiplication. For each of my two swords, I could create ten illusions as I attacked, confusing the enemy who wouldn't be able to ascertain the correct one.

We quickly left the area and proceeded to an oval area. Gabriel touched the stone at the center, and it revealed a spiral staircase. We descended even further, arriving at a door with fire prints on it. Behind the door, I saw many books. Gabriel, however, led me to a circle formation similar to that of the queen's. He was going to directly impart the necessary angel skills upon me!

I stood in the normal spot.

"It seems you're already familiar with this formation. It's very advanced, and even I can't comprehend it."

"Yes, I am."

"Then Let's begin," Gabriel said as he stood in his spot.

Reverence

Level:

Requirements: be an angel, heavenly affinity 90% (human)

Description: Causes lesser races and others around you to revere and possibly worship you. Passive skill. Can be turned on or off.

"This is what I usually have active, like when you first met me. Of course, mine is higher due to my race being above yours," he explained before continuing.

Spot purification

Level: 6

Requirements: be an angel or be blessed by an angel

Description: purify wherever you step. Passive skill. Can be turned on or off. Purification level increases with skill level, and, at level nine, consecrating the land may be possible.

"Some have levels, like this skill. Other skills and spells don't. It took a lot of energy to transfer this one—I wanted to make sure it was useful, so I set it at level six."

Angelic Halo

Requirements: be an angel, heavenly affinity 350% (human)

Description: Doubles all stats for the duration of use, spells require more MP or HE unless 1DE is used

"That's the halo skill I told you about earlier."

Angelic Feather

Requirements: be an angel

Description: An angel's feather can cure all status ailments

"That's it for the skills. Now, it's time to teach you the spells."

"I'm ready," I responded.

Heavenly Bind

Rank: A+

HE use: 5/chain (max: 100 chains)

Requirements: Be an angel

Description: Releases heavenly binding chains to restrict target. 500% more effective against undead and can drain all energies, including DE, SF, and MP from victim

Angel's intuition

Rank: C

HE use: 1/use

Requirements: Heavenly affinity 250% (human)

Description: Determine truth from lies

Deathly angel's hug

Rank: SS+

HE use: 10/use

DE use: 150/use, can use more to strengthen spell

Requirements: Heavenly affinity 150% (human), darkness affinity 50% (human)

Description: selected target will be infiltrated by pure death energy from caster. DE use may return to caster, recovering their energy and HP.

Dark angel's shadow hop

Level: 1

Rank: B+

HE use: 25/minute

DE use: 75/minute

Description: hide and move in the shadows where you can never be found unless by others who are also in the shadows. Energy consumption and hiding abilities increase with level.

"Finally, here's a gift," Gabriel said as he forced me to learn the advanced dungeon-locking rune. "This rune can temporarily lock a dungeon. I hope it helps when your world experiences the great catastrophe. Good luck to you all. Also, you may need these at some point. Only open them if you need to."

As we left, he handed me a backpack filled with more spell and skill scrolls than what could normally fit in the space. He also handed me a card, and, with it, he told me I could exactly copy the library into my spiritual world. The pin's information was easier to search through but not as complete.

Bella, Krystal, Kylie, and I returned to the dungeon. While at my mansion, I gave the two new rooms for the rare chance that we take a night here. We also all agreed to have them be friends from school who we hang out with. At night, they can move around in the shadows and darkness. Also, they can always come into my spiritual world since they reside in my soul. Gabriel's instructions also allowed me to easily build the library, so we could have fun reading and searching through books. There were even history books and fiction stores from other planets we could read to pass the time. I put the scrolls in the library, should we ever need to use them. Using >, I also found some scrolls I already learned, such as low and intermediate heal, and some with other functions such as contacting the army.

Our party went to the ninth-floor battlefield. Especially with Krystal and Kylie's knowledge of military tactics, I thought we could win.

Suddenly, I found myself in a coffin. I couldn't open it, and I couldn't see past it. I felt my spiritual plasma boiling, and the blood in my blood pouch was doing the same. It rose up to the coffin lid, and a strange rune pattern appeared before it went back into my body.

[Unknown reward: dual race initiated]

I remembered that the ??? class had such a reward before, but I didn't think I'd be utilizing it now. I had no idea what happened. I stayed still in the coffin, awake, for at least one hundred years. I don't know what I thought about or how I didn't go insane, but, finally, I felt something different. It was a feeling of coldness, but it was coming from my bones. Then, they started cracking. Darkness was intertwined with them, and heavenly energy didn't lose out either. They both completely remade my bones. The effects were small, but I could see better, especially in the dark, with my normal eyes. I didn't have to use the demon transformation. There were also lesser effects for both my nose and ears. I realized what happened! I am now both an angel and a vampire at the same time! I'm not 50% one and 50% the other, but, somehow, I'm 100% both! I don't understand how it happened, but I somehow comprehended new skills as well.

Vampire hand

Description: the hand of a vampire, able to steal blood and crush anything. Condensed blood can be shot out as a weapon

Vampire brain

Description: thought speed and data processing double

Vampire's light

Description: Emits a light poisonous to living beings

Sunlight

Description: Channels the power of the sun, turning it into a beam of heated power

Twilight ambush

Description: Causes darkness to descend around skill user, making their movements quicker in such darkness and blinding others

Midnight massacre

Description: sends death energy directly to kill thousands of souls at once. The power of a midnight vampire should not be trifled with!

Midnight's leaf

Description: 5% comprehension and understanding of time, able to use such constructs

Skill creation:

Description: ability unique to evolved race's high-class evolution, the ability to create new skills from existing skills and knowledge

Note: Not enough mastery, likely to fail

Skill descendent

Description: Due to the effect of class: Skill lord, skills can be recorded on skill scrolls and passed to others

They all seemed fairly simple, as they only had the name and description. My strength and endurance also rose by forty, and my wisdom by thirty.

I decided to use the golden communication rope to contact Charon and ask him about this evolution.

"Charon, are you there?" I asked with the rope in hand.

"Roberto, how are ya? Have you recovered your strength and memory?" he asked.

"Not my memory, but I've gotten some of my strength back. Actually, that's what I'm calling about."

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

"What's the evolution path of a vampire, especially compared to angels?"

"Angels, eh? You've got yourself in some trouble."

"It's over, but I did run into an archangel."

"It's easiest to begin with archangel then. Normal archangels are comparable to midnight vampires, like me. Commander archangels are even stronger! Our lineage, let's say, begins with vampire before becoming an elder vampire. An elder is similar to an angel. After that comes a master vampire, then, finally a twilight vampire. This is the real fighting force, similar to a high angel. I've already mentioned midnight. After that comes dusk, but they still can't contend with those commanders. The real scary vampires, if there are any remaining, are the nightmare vampires. They are at the same level as commanders. With enough practice, they may be able to fight a little divinity even! I've never seen any myself, but there are legends about the strongest vampires: daybreak vampires. They are stronger than most royal demons."

"Is that true?" I asked Amdusias and Vepar, the dukes.

"Yes, while we are hellfire fully-powered, if a daybreak vampire appeared, it would be a tough fight. Not for our old master, though."

"Thank you for the explanation," I said to Charon.

"Do you know what your specific race is?" he asked me.

"My strength is still sealed, but I'm definitely a midnight vampire. I remember that."

"Amazing. As far as I know, I thought I was the last in the universe. I know of a few dusk vampires hiding out and one controlling an evil planet, but another midnight."

"Yes, thank you."

"Thank you. I'm no longer alone. I wish you luck. If you can become a daybreak vampire, legend says you can comprehend and toy with time."

Again, I asked my demons about messing with time.

"There are some who specialize more in the time area than others. In your terms, we generally have about a 10% grasp overall on the theories and practices. Fighting against one who has entirely comprehended all types of laws, though, would be challenging," Amdusias replied.

"Thank you, but I know very little about any laws."

"Here, I'll pass onto you the divine law knowledge I have gained over the centuries. It isn't much, but I hope you can learn it. It will be a great asset. I will also give you the 50% I've comprehended on the natural-law level. I am most likely unable to make any more progress, though, as the power needed far exceeds mine."

"Thank you. I'll treasure these."

"So, laws pertain to more than the elements?" I asked after hanging up and removing the rope

"Correct. Time and space are specific examples of this. Very few of us know about the full effects of divine laws, though. You are lucky to learn any. For time, even just 10% of the natural law would be very difficult to find."

Suddenly, a flood of knowledge entered my mind. I was lucky for the vampire brain, or else I would never have been able to comprehend this.

It began by talking about time as a straight line, like water flowing through a pipe. It is possible, though, to divert the flow of water and make it into a circle and then stop the flow from continuing in the circle forever. This is the principle behind rewinding time. In order to do so, objects larger than the Earth are required to influence the flow, like how the moon influences the tides.

I could comprehend a little more, but it's difficult to put into words.

I tried, again, to lift the coffin lid. It still wouldn't budge. I tried calling forth Blackmail and Persuasion to tear through the top. When Blackmail was called forth, more blood came out from my pouch, and it formed a strange, almost runic sequence.

[sword has evolved into death's spiritual sword, harnessing the power of death]

New attributes

Form change: can become any length instantly, including a dagger

Hell's right: damage increases 10,000% against angels and similar monsters

Divinity expulsion: can cut through divinity

Void remembrance: possibility to have the void aid in strikes made with sword

Death to life: can convert death energy into HP

Intelligence: 20%. Can correct attacks, making it easier to wield. Can possibly launch second attack after miss

After the upgrade, I was finally able to break free! Once outside, I found myself in an old-fashioned stone room. The coffin disappeared, and a diamond necklace appeared in its place. There was also an old scroll. The scroll explained how to use the necklace, which could create a crystal coffin. Resting inside it, I could recover from wounds 350 times faster. Also, it explained this room is unique to vampires. It was created by a daybreak vampire using a special formula to help other vampires when it was time for them to evolve.

I pressed into one of the stones, and the wall slid back, revealing a hallway. I exited and found myself looking at an endless hallway, filled with nameplates denoting the rooms of all of the countless other vampires. I continued on, down a few more corridors, until I arrived at a familiar room.

When the voidmaster had kidnapped me before, this is where he brought me! There were many more similar rooms. I continued exploring until I found a room with a map. This building was gigantic! Even that was an understatement! It was as big as a continent on Earth, and there where fourteen other buildings making up the entire planet! Of the fourteen, six were even bigger!

I wondered what kind of might this ancient elder must have acquired in order to make an entire vampire planet.

"I thought you'd be transported here."

I turned around, looking at the source of the voice. It was Charon! Behind him was Julia.

"Hello, friend. I see you are recovered a little of your strength. Welcome back to our home."

"Thank you," I responded, "but, what are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be in your own planets?"

"The daybreak vampire who ruled this world completely comprehended divine time," Charon explained.

"Now that your power has returned, time spent here is equivalent to no time at all on any other planet. In essence, time is stopped while here," Julia continued.

Sophia showed up from behind the other two, saying, "we spend a lot of time here."

Anton also joined in on the party, stating, "since we're all vampires, we can all stay here together. Most of us spend a lot of time here, but it is more for socializing than getting stronger."

Charon retook the lead in the conversation. "Most of us have given up on evolving, but you may still have a chance. I can at least tell your sealed powers aren't completely undone. Your stats haven't even passed two hundred yet! I want to introduce you to three of our elders. They're not too many vampires left, and I'm glad you joined our club. You should still meet with them, though—seeing how you are a midnight vampire."

He led me through many more corridors and out into a courtyard. Luckily, my room was close to the entrance! It could take years to walk throughout the entire place. Soon, we arrived at a transportation portal. Once through it, we arrived in a large room.

[Coordinates of world: Revenantium added to coordinate book]

After the system's message, I realized that there were three chairs at the other end, and there sat two men with white beards and a similarly old-appearing woman.

Seeing us, they reverted their appearances to be more youthful.

Charon introduced them. "These are the dusk vampires Aaron, Orion, and Mia. All of them have lived for millions of years, if not billions. No one knows just how long."

"Enough with the lengthy introductions, Charon," the one named Aaron commanded. Just his command sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't tell how exceedingly powerful he was!

"Yes, Lord Aaron," Charon backed off.

"Midnight Vampire Roberto, congratulations on waking up and recovering some of your powers," Mia said.

"Thank you," I responded.

"Charon has informed us about your current weak state, but even we cannot tell what kind of seal has been placed. We now know of only two midnight vampires—even if there are seven of us just in this small area, it's still a big deal to find another one. As such, we have agreed to gift you some blood bars to increase your stats at least a couple more points," the last one, Orion, said.

They waved their hands, and three brick-red bars floated in front of me. I tried picking one up, but it was so heavy that I couldn't even lift it, even with my strength of 166!

"I see you must have also forgotten this," Charon said. "You must take the blood inside your body and into your pouch."

I tried following what he said, and the bar quickly entered my blood pouch. The energy contained within it increased my strength by thirty, endurance by twenty, and wisdom from fifteen! I keep getting stronger!

"We pride ourselves on our strength, which is much, much higher than most races. We'll know your true power once you have strength equivalent to one newborn dragon's punch," Orion said.

"Around what number would that be?" I asked

I knew my two daughters were nearing one thousand, but angel races didn't focus on a specific strength.

"Around twenty thousand," Mia replied.

Even they were nowhere close. As dark angels, they were more evolved than normal angels, but they weren't quite as advanced as me. I still thought it crazy that midnight vampires, similar to archangels, had such strength! Based on strength alone, midnight vampire must even outclass the archangels!

Charon added, "Commander archangels have a strength, at minimum, around 60,000. Most midnight vampires have a strength around thirty thousand to forty thousand."

"If they're this strong, how strong must my demons be," I thought

"I hope you quickly unseal your strength. You could be a big help around here once you do," Mia said.

"Thank you," I said.

At the same time, I appraised Charon. His strength was 40,869—over 400 times that of an average human! He could probably crush gigantic boulders with his fist and split the oceans with his kicks!

"Good luck," Sophia said as I went back to the dungeon.

"Husband, where did you run off to?" Bella asked.

"You left us all alone for five seconds before returning," Krystal explained.

"A vampire wanted to talk with me again," I answered.

They showed different expectations.

Bella said, "They shouldn't be taking my husband without me."

At almost the same time, Krystal and Kylee exclaimed, "Vampires!"

Kylee than asked, "What business do you have with vampires? Do you need assistance in taking them down?"

Since they were bound to my soul and I knew they wouldn't betray me, I decided to tell them my secret of having dual races. As such, I brought them to my spiritual world.

"Bella already knew most of this, but I'm going to tell you a secret," I began. "I am 100% a deathly angel, but, at the same time, I'm 100% a pureblooded midnight vampire. It doesn't make sense, but that's who I am."

"Amazing! Krystal, our new father's both an angel, like us, and a vampire, like one of our enemies!"

"So true, Kylee!" Krystal agreed.

"I don't care. I love husband because he's him," Bella said, kissing me.

I then spent the rest of the day explaining to them what happened in the coffin, which I wore as a diamond necklace, and the world I was in. They weren't as surprised as I was. I guess they nothing could surprise them more than me being two races. By the time I was finished explaining, along with the time I spent on the other planet, it was already November third. The next day would be my sister's birthday. Since she's coming home from college to celebrate, we had to, again, put off the ninth floor. It's as if the universe doesn't want us conquering that floor ever.

I wanted to make a gift for Emily, so I sold a fragile sword to a pawn shop and used the money to buy some gemstones. I then used >, >, and > to make a rough outline to put the stones into. The trickiest part was setting the stones, which I used my mana to do. "Blacksmithing Techniques from Another World" mentioned ways of refining the gemstones and adding them in, but my skill level was too low. Luckily, Kylee and Krystal had spells to help me with this step and with setting the stones so they wouldn't fall out.

Finally, I was done and ready to surprise my sister with the gift! I hoped she liked it!