"You're going to be a little surprised," Seraphine said.
"Hmm..." Arin muttered, "show me, then."
With that, Arin waited for whatever Seraphine had in store. Since she said he would be surprised, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Seconds passed, yet nothing happened, and Seraphine still hadn't said anything.
Arin furrowed his brows in confusion. "What is goi—"
Before he could finish, a bright flash of red light suddenly shot out from his chest, illuminating the room.
The red light formed into a small orb, levitating in front of him.
Arin stood still, eyes fixed on the orb, waiting for what would happen next. He wasn't sensing any danger, so he remained calm.
The red light brightened, further filling the room with its glow. This time, it was too intense, and Arin squinted his eyes against the brilliance.
'Maybe it's a weapon...' Arin thought, his eyes still closed. 'I mean, what else could it be?'
Moments later, the light finally dimmed, and he slowly opened his eyes. But then...
"Huh?!" Arin exclaimed as he stared at the figure in front of him.
"How did you do it?" he asked, still gazing at Seraphine, who now stood before him.
She looked just as she had when they first met in the forest—perfectly fine, without a single scar. Her long black hair was neatly in place, her red eyes glowing. Her fangs and claws were visible, and her pale skin contrasted with the black cloak and boots she wore.
A smile formed on her face as she stared at Arin. Then, without warning, she knelt down, lowering her head. "I greet the Master."
Her voice was unchanged, and she addressed him as "Master," meaning it was still the same Seraphine who had pledged herself to him.
Arin closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Stand up."
Seraphine rose immediately, the smile still on her lips.
Arin squinted as he stepped closer to her. He reached out and touched her hand to confirm if her body was real. And yes, it was.
"How did you do it?" he asked again.
"It's one of the perks of having the Blood Core," she explained. "If a vampire who possesses the Blood Core dies, their soul remains within it."
She paused for a moment before continuing. "The vampire can then choose to leave the Blood Core and materialize their soul, taking their original appearance before death."
Arin furrowed his brow, a finger resting on his chin. He felt there was more to it, and indeed, Seraphine wasn't finished.
"But," she added, "the vampire can only stay in this form for thirty minutes. After that, they'll return to the Blood Core."
Arin nodded. "I see..."
What he was seeing now was just Seraphine's soul in physical form. After thirty minutes, her soul would return to the Blood Core, back into his mind.
Seraphine noticed the understanding in his eyes but continued. "In this form, I can still use all my vampiric abilities. But as I mentioned, after thirty minutes, I'll return to the Blood Core."
Arin had been about to ask about this, but Seraphine had already clarified it. If that was the case, then...
A smile spread across Arin's face. "This just got a whole lot better..."
They discussed it further, and Arin learned that the thirty-minute limit reset every twenty-four hours. Seraphine could only materialize once per day for thirty minutes, unless she returned to the Blood Core early. In that case, she could come out again to use the remaining time.
Seraphine was right—Arin was indeed surprised. This ability would benefit him in more ways than one.
With his new Chaos Element spell and his status as a Progenitor, he was steadily growing stronger.
Arin sighed as he sat down on the bed. "Now I've got a lot of things to test."
He was still yet to test the Water Bubble Spell he recently made, and now, he had to test his new Chaos Element Spell, and of course, his Vampiric Abilities.
He still had to keep strengthening his mental fortitude in order to handle the side effects of using the Chaos Element while removing it from it's initial stage.
It was a lot to handle, but Arin didn't mind. Any chance to grow stronger was always welcome.
"Is something wrong, Master?" Seraphine suddenly asked, interrupting his thoughts.
She noticed Arin staring blankly at the wall and thought something might be bothering him.
Arin sighed softly as he glanced at her. "You know, you don't have to stand there like a statue. Be comfortable."
Seraphine nodded eagerly and walked over to the bed, sitting beside him.
Arin glanced out the window and noticed that morning was approaching. In just a few hours, the sun would rise.
He didn't feel tired, and he never would again. In fact, this was an advantage—he could work on creating new spells and strengthening his mental fortitude throughout the night without needing rest.
Many mages would envy this kind of ability... though not many would want to become vampires for it.
"It's gonna be a long day..." Arin muttered.
With the teachers and principal returning to the Academy this morning, there was sure to be some sort of meeting with all the students. In short, a lot was about to happen.
Suddenly, the system screen appeared in front of him, displaying some new information.
[Your Blood Energy has been measured.]
[Your Vampire Rank will now be displayed.]
Finally!! Morning is approaching, and it's time to leave. Let's see what'll happen next!!