By the time Ocelio returned to the Warrior Association, the light crystals had turned dark brown.

He sat on his bed and entered a meditative state. With his eyes closed, he regulated his breathing. After a few minutes of doing this exercise, his face looked peaceful as he activated the spirit eye technique.

Despite the peaceful state he had just entered, his face morphed into shock when he noticed the changes that took place in his personal container.

The bloodsea that used to release tranquil waves below his feet was no longer there. Even the two apparitions that used to loom over his head like celestial bodies were nowhere in sight.

Instead, when he appeared inside his personal container, he became surrounded in an endless amount of red water. Everything around was him was bright red, he could see the currents as if he had been teleported inside the bloodsea but he knew that wasn’t the case.

[An ocean of blood…is this the mark of the Progenitor bloodline?]

He didn’t seem sure of what was happening to his bloodline, he had read very few information on the Progenitor bloodline.

The red ocean was covering his whole personal container. He stood underwater but couldn’t come into contact with the blood as if it was immaterial.

After walking around and getting used to the new scenery, he found the Void Rabbit and the Triple Eyes figures submerged in the ocean. A thin golden and black energy shield blocked the red water from coming close to them.

[They are wary of my blood ocean…of my Vampire bloodline?]

When he came close to the Triple Eyes, he noticed that it was constantly releasing golden rays of light around it. When the blood came into contact with the golden lights, it would turn a hue softer.

[What is it doing?]

He tried coming closer to the Triple Eyes, yet, every time, a repulsing pressure would appear, preventing him from nearing it.

When he came into contact with one of the golden light rays, it went through his body without harming him, yet he appeared to feel uneasy as he backed off.

His eyes remained on the Triple Eyes after creating some distance from it, taking refuge within the blood water.

After glaring at it for a few minutes, he walked to the Void Rabbit and tried to interact with it, though, this time he appeared more prudent.

His finger, then a hand went right through the silver Rabbit covered in patches of darkness.

All of sudden, he perceived something in his mind: the scene of the Void Rabbit’s power being used to travel between worlds was revealed. He could see how every ounce of power was mobilised and how the technique worked.

He took a few steps back, staring at the Rabbit with an uncertain expression on his pale face.

[What are you trying to say?]

A tendril of darkness came out from within the shield, reaching for his head. He was shown the scene when he arrived in this world, of him traversing the portal and trying to touch it.

[So that’s why I couldn’t use your power…you’re out of power and now need a refill…]

He seemed to have realised something, the wariness rose along with his contempt for the creature shrouded in mystery.

[That’s why you showed me that vision, you can’t regenerate your energy through my blood so you want me to pick up some energy for you. As expected of a treacherous Rabbit, even its bloodline is as crafty as the original user.]

He was gripping his fists tight, despite his calm appearance, his voice betrayed his fury.

[I am your master! This is my spirit container! My soul and body! If you do not serve me, you have no place being here.]

He was facing the Void Rabbit but it was clear he was also speaking to the Triple Eyes.

Receiving no response, he continued his search inside the blood ocean for any other change, irritation still written on his face.

When he made it to the top of the ocean, he managed to find something that stood out from the blood red water.

A dark red bubble as large as his head was floating there, inside he could see the shape of a long drop of blood with white teeth.

[The Nosferati nature!]

As soon as he saw it, he exclaimed in surprise.

Right after, he returned to reality with a joyful expression on his face.

He stood up in his apartment and tried to use the techniques of the Shacaw, then the techniques of the Antesto constitution.

Yet, neither his previous constitution nor his sister’s appeared to respond to his efforts.

[It seems I’m no longer of the Nocturna nature…My bloodline has changed, but why? Did the Progenitor bloodline erase my original nature?]

He pondered with his head held down for a few minutes. His black hair covered his face but he appeared sad for some reason.

[It doesn’t matter, I am a Progenitor now. All natures are mine to acquire. Starting from the Nosferati.]

He paused to think before going to his desk and writing on a piece of parchment:

Nosferati: Lord of Blood

Trait: Glutton – Gourmet

Constitution:

- Locintis: drain the blood of the opponent to increase one attribute related to the bloodline of the victim for a short duration.

The stronger the bloodline of the opponent, the better the effect.

…

- Arrenati: refine their blood to infect and connect multiple bloodlines.

One is dominant while the others are dominated. Allowing the Arrenati to spy on them without them realising anything.

The Arrenati can take control of the infected’s body, putting the dominated mind into temporary sleep, unaware of what’s happening.

…

As soon as he finished writing down all the information he had acquired from the Vampire Book of Ancestry on the Nosferati nature, he threw a drop of blood on the parchment. The drop of blood acted like it was acid, eating away at the paper.

[Once again, blood is the key. However, the Progenitor bloodline is much more violent than I had anticipated. It’s dangerous to increase my strength without serious consideration. This time, I was saved when I awakened the Nosferati bloodline, but…what would have happened if it was another one…]

Using the blood inside his finger, he drew words in the air, making them levitate using spiritual power.

Sufferus: Lord of Pain

Nosferati: Lord of Blood

Maieteiv: Lord of Death

Nocturna: Lord of Stealth

Enteirnis: Lord of Magic

Silvus: Lord of Immortality…

He appeared deep in thought as he watched the red words and the heavy meaning they had.

He seemed to pay special attention to the Sufferus and Maieteiv natures. His heavy expression showed traces of dread when he looked at the two words painted in blood.

He had read about their characteristics and constitutions and knew where their power came from.

His eyes turned to the Silvus nature; the Vampire Book of Ancestry only recorded their name with a short sentence: “The first nature of the Progenitor.”

He had never heard of them before, no one had ever mentioned them at school, if it was not due to the Book of Ancestry, he wouldn’t have known about them having existed.

[Can my actions influence the order in which the natures are awakened? I awakened the Nosferati bloodline right after sucking Briseis’ blood, was that the trigger? If my assumption is right, I need to find the requirements to activate the Nocturna or Enteirnis natures. And whatever I do, I need to avoid pain and death…]

His body shuddered as cold sweat trickled down his back.

After taking a warm shower and dressing in a khaki knitted sweater, dark blue trousers and a black woollen coat jacket, he packed his dark cloak in a small bag before leaving the Warrior Association.

Unlike the other districts, a small portion of the people in this district still went out in the streets at night to frequent the establishments still open. There was a curfew in place but it was still early in the night and they had a few hours before the guards would force them to return home.

A few continued to whisper behind his back and glance at his hair or eyes but it was a much warmer atmosphere compared to a few days ago when he had just arrived in this city.

His steps were hurried and firm, his eyes looking straight ahead and did not seem to be distracted by the crowd in the street.

[Another one came…Did something happen?]

[It’s a woman, she’s a beauty I hear…]

[She’s at the Water Fountain, will she stay in our city?]

The fragmented discussions from the passer-by reached his ears, informing him of the arrival of a person with a similar eyes colour in this city. A trace of interest surfaced in his eyes at the news but he didn’t let it distract him from his current task.

He walked a few more streets, hearing the same rumours being repeated by the citizens. Yet, no one seemed to know the actual situation and why important personages were visiting their city. They were surprised since the city was in the border of the Kingdom and had nothing interesting to attract them here.

When he stepped into a dark alley, the warm ambience of the street changed into a sombre atmosphere. His face turned serious at the sight of the dark oval shape that seemed to be distorting the air in the middle of the alley. It emanated an energy similar to the Void Rabbit, yet at the same time, its presence was even fainter.

Nobody appeared to have found the portal’s presence in the city, but it looked to have reduced in size compared to the last time he had seen it. When he came closer, he passed his hand through the portal but just like his first try, nothing happened as if it had no physical substance.

However, when he put his hand inside the darkness and summoned the power of the Void Rabbit within his personal container, a change happened. Trails of dark energy from the portal entered his hand and coursed toward his chest, where his soul was located.

After a few minutes, the flow of power stopped. Yet, the portal revealed no change.

[Does it mean I only took a small part of the energy contained inside?]

He gave one last glance at the oval portal before activating the Void Rabbit’s power. The next second, his body turned invisible as the void energy shrouded his existence from the world.

He experimented with the use of the energy, cloaking only a part of his body but no matter what it tried, the energy appeared to cease to exist as soon as it left his body.

He wore the dark cloak he had prepared in advance and jumped to the roof of the nearby house in a single step.

His white canines appeared for a moment as he licked his lips with a ravenous expression on his face. His silhouette was hidden in the darkness of the city, jumping from roof to roof, yet, his eyes were like blazing flames yearning to burn even brighter.