The moment Ian confirmed his choice, his body trembled. A deep rumble echoed from within, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. His bones creaked, expanding as if being stretched by unseen forces. Muscles pulsed and swelled, sinews twisting and tightening. His exoskeletal armor groaned under the sudden surge, reinforcing itself in real-time. His height shot up like a monstrous tree breaching the heavens.
It didn't stop. The transformation continued, the ground beneath him trembling as his increasing weight pressed against it. His vision stretched higher, trees shrinking beneath his towering frame. His joints cracked and popped, adjusting to the new proportions. Finally, it came to a halt at a staggering 87.75 meters.
Ian exhaled, sending a gust of wind outward, rustling the trees violently. His hands clenched into fists, the raw strength surging through him intoxicating. A vicious grin spread across his face. Time to test his new body.
With a simple stomp, the entire area quaked. Birds scattered from the treetops, and deep cracks split the earth where his foot landed. He lifted his leg and stomped again—BOOM!—a five-meter-wide crater formed beneath him. His grin widened.
Next, he balled his fist and slammed it against a nearby mountain of boulders. The impact sent shockwaves in every direction. The rocks shattered into dust, flying out like cannon fire. Ian chuckled. His power had surged beyond recognition.
Not satisfied yet, he bent his knees slightly and jumped. His massive frame shot into the sky like a missile. The wind howled past his ears as he soared, the ground rapidly shrinking beneath him. At the peak of his jump, he could see the entire Blood City in the distance, its crimson glow flickering like a tiny ember. Then, he descended. Fast.
His landing obliterated the earth below. The trees around him were uprooted, dirt and debris blasting outward in a wide radius. A deep pit formed where he stood, at least fifteen meters deep. He felt no pain, no discomfort—only raw, unrelenting power coursing through his massive frame.
A deep laugh rumbled from his throat. He was no longer the same Ian from before. He had ascended. He had evolved.
Satisfied, he called out in his mind—
-Body Structure-Increased Bone Density.
Skeletal Claws (Retractable). Body Size (+86 meters). Increased Muscle Mass. Kagune. Exoskeletal Armor (Steel+Tungsten).
Biomass Remaining: 40,950
Ian let out a breath, his massive chest rising and falling like a tidal wave.
"This is just the beginning..." he muttered.
Ian's mind was dizzy with excitement as he stared at his remaining Biomass reserve. Now, with half of it allocated to increasing his body size, he still had 40,950 Biomass left for custom upgrades. The thought sent a thrill down his spine. Time to customize!
As he pondered his next enhancement, an idea struck him like lightning.
"Laser eyes... just like Superman."
A grin crept across Ian's face. He had always thought heat vision was one of the coolest powers ever. The ability to unleash concentrated beams of destruction from his eyes? That was a must-have. But how would it actually work in a biological sense? Ian wasn't going to settle for some cheap, unexplained fantasy power.
He thought back to the vampire anatomy books he had read. Bioluminescence and thermal radiation—these were naturally occurring in certain creatures. If he could engineer specialized infrared-emitting photoreceptor cells in his eyes, similar to how pit vipers detect heat, but vastly intensified, he could create high-energy optical blasts. The cells would function by storing energy from his internal metabolism, rapidly converting it into focused thermal radiation through a controlled biochemical reaction. With an adjustable lens-like membrane, he could focus and widen the beam as needed.
"Damn... If that works, I'll literally be a walking executioner."
The cost? 15,000 Biomass. A hefty price, but worth it.
Just like that, changes took place in his eyes. A glint of crimson light flickered until Ian felt his eyes burn. 'Success!'
Next, another idea slithered into his mind, one inspired by the very creatures vampires were often compared to—bats.
Unlike regular vision, echolocation would allow him to perceive his surroundings in complete darkness, even through walls. He recalled how real-world bats used high-frequency sound waves that bounced off objects, creating a mental map of their environment. If he developed a specialized vocal organ, one that could emit ultra-high-frequency sound pulses, and paired it with enhanced auditory receptors, he could detect the shape, distance, and even texture of objects around him.
He'd become virtually untouchable in combat. It'll function like Observation Haki, right?
The cost? 8,000 Biomass.
With both upgrades locked in, he still had 17,950 Biomass left.
"Tch... let's push it further."
Ian flexed his skeletal claws, the retractable weapons he often relied on. They were strong, yes, but not enough. He needed something sharper, deadlier—something that could cut through flesh and bone like butter.
"Silver claws... but not just any silver."
Why Silver? For revenge! Werewolves are naturally vulnerable against silver. Even a higher werewolf isn't exempted.
Silver was known for its lethal effect on werewolves and certain dark creatures. However, pure silver was too soft. He needed a composite—something reinforced. He envisioned of infusing his claws with a new metallic compound that he had read in the book that existed in this world, a material as tough as diamond, but a hundred times sharper. After experimenting in his mind, it was called "Astraenium." by this world.
Astraenium had a nano-layered crystalline structure, allowing it to maintain razor-thin sharpness while being nearly indestructible. But why stop there?
"What if I could make them burn?"
By integrating pyrophoric metals, like those found in thermite reactions, his claws could generate instantaneous combustion upon contact with oxygen. With a simple flick, he could ignite his claws at will, sheathing them in an inferno hot enough to melt steel.
The cost? 17,950 Biomass. Every last point he had left.
Ian clenched his fists as the modifications were done. His muscles tensed, his bones shifted, and a sharp heat burned through his body as the upgrades finalized. Then, silence.
He exhaled, his breath shaky yet exhilarated.
Silver Astraenium claws wreathed in flames.
His enemies wouldn't even have time to scream.
A wicked grin spread across Ian's face.
"Even Higher Vampires and Higher Werewolves aren't safe against me now. What about Elders? How can I fare against them?"
Increased Bone Density. Laser Eyes. Bat Larynx & Modified Cochlea (Echolocation).
Silver Astraenium Retractable Claws + Pyrophoric Metals. Body Size (+86 meters). Steel Kagune. Exoskeletal Armor (Steel+Tungsten).
The next time Ian and Garry met, Garry would be in for a surprise!