Hunt In Reverse

[In the 23rd year, the essence of a foxvamp's core surged through you, bypassing the laborious process of assimilation and propelling your training to new heights.]

[The 25th year saw you consume the Leviasaur's core, its potent energy replenishing your depleted reserves.]

[In the 26th year, the secrets of the Wave Realm - Leviasaur Power - unfolded before you.]

[The 29th year marked a turning point. The jade liquid from the twelve major chambers flowed forth, converging within your furnace like a celestial elixir. The transformation was complete. You had ascended to the initial stage of the Wave Realm.]

[Wave Realm - Melting Sun (Apprentice)]

[Remaining Lifespan: 146 years]

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 1476 years]

"As expected, even unrefined vamp cores have halved the training time." My thoughts drifted, a sense of wonder mingling with satisfaction.

I exhaled slowly, my eyes fluttering closed. In my newfound internal vision, a pool of jade liquid shimmered into existence.

It was thick and viscous, its surface rippling with an ethereal glow. The sight of it was intoxicating, like the sweetest nectar, tempting me to taste its power.

Above the pool, a network of dark red veins pulsed and intertwined, forming a vast net that enveloped the scene. A scorching aura emanated from it, heavy and oppressive, a stark contrast to the cool serenity of the jade liquid below.

The twelve major chambers within me thrummed with life, drawing in the essence of the universe and funneling it into the great furnace, where it was meticulously transformed into glistening droplets of jade.

I opened my eyes, a surge of power coursing through me. As I mobilized the jade liquid, the difference was immediate, undeniable. A wave of essence roared through me, granting me an exponentially larger power. My techniques would now be imbued with devastating force.

"Is this why it is called the Wave Realm?" I wondered aloud.

I reached for the last vampire core, but a sudden, unfamiliar sensation stopped me cold. I stared at my palm in disbelief. This feeling... the last time I had experienced it was upon perfecting the Astral Fortification, a disorientation that had taken quite bit of time to subside.

A jolt of realization struck me, and I hastily opened the panel.

[Wave Realm - Leviasaur Power: Possessing the strength of a Leviasaur]

The description was deceptively simple, yet it sent a thrill of anticipation down my spine.

The twenty-meter Leviasaur, its strength unfathomable. Even when wounded, it had taken nine devastating Bloody Quintet strikes to fell the beast. Claims of it overturning rivers and seas might be hyperbole, but the memory of it effortlessly tearing through my Body of the Golden Sun, its expression unchanged, was a chilling testament to its raw power.

And now, that very power lay dormant within my human frame. The Kongo Shintai method had forged my body into the pinnacle of its realm, yet compared to the innate might of these monstrous beings, it seemed almost insignificant.

"The possibilities are staggering," I whispered, my fingers delicately picking up the last vampire core as if it were a fragile artifact. It would take days to fully get used to this newfound strength.

With the vampire core nestled in my mouth, its essence mingling with my own, I once again poured the vampire lifespan into the Melting Sun. The furnace was primed; all that remained was the patient passage of time.

[In the first year, the sea lion vampire's core fueled your progress, its essence coursing through you.]

[By the fourth year, your chambers and orifices were brimming, nearly overflowing. The vampiric core was spent, and the elusive talent remained out of reach. Yet, the lingering traces of the vampire's power left an unexpected gift: your swimming skills had improved dramatically.]

[In the sixth year, the jade liquid overflowed its confines, cascading through your essence veins. Your body, now capable of channeling several times the previous amount of energy, surged with newfound power. You had broken through to the middle stage of the Wave Realm.]

[Wave Realm - Melting Sun (Journeyman)]

The subsequent entries in the panel brought a wry smile to my lips.

Nature, it seemed, was a miser compared to the bounty offered by vampire cores. Plants, monsters, and even humans—the pinnacle of creation—yielded surprisingly uniform amounts of energy.

[In the 79th year, You relentlessly drew upon the essence of heaven and earth, coaxing forth more jade liquid to nourish your bones.]

[By the 203rd year, your bones, bathed in the jade's glow, had become translucent, transforming into pure jade. You had ascended to the late stage of the Wave Realm.]

[Wave Realm - Melting Sun (Master)]

[In the 326th year, the jade liquid permeated your internal organs. Your entire being was now akin to a precious elixir, radiating an alluring sweetness.]

[In the 585th year, even your blood shimmered with a golden hue. A brilliant light flashed in your eyes, then faded, leaving behind a newfound ability: You could now conceal your aura, a blade hidden in its sheath, safe from the prying eyes of vampires.]

[Wave Realm Perfection]

[Wave Realm - Melting Sun (Grandmaster)]

[Remaining Lifespan: 296 years]

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 891 years]

I clenched my fist, my eyes closing as I plunged into the depths of my being.

Within the grand furnace, where countless crimson veins intertwined, a radiant golden light now blazed, filling my vision. No longer restrained, it surged through me, an unstoppable tide.

My bones, forged of pure jade, shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence. My organs pulsed with a vibrant glow, and my blood, now a river of molten gold, roared through my veins.

The sheer intensity of this vision momentarily eclipsed the earlier pangs of sorrow. Even after I opened my eyes, the golden radiance lingered, a reminder of the transformation within.

"Breathe," I whispered, steadying myself. The sheer magnitude of the change had left my mind reeling.

After countless battles, after the perilous journey to H.A.R.M., I had finally reaped my reward. And it was a bounty beyond measure.

This new body was a far cry from its former self. With nearly three centuries of life coursing through me, I was practically a vampire in my own right.

A wry smile touched my lips. Forget merely regaining my lost years; this was enough years for three lifetimes. Even if I chose to do nothing from this day forward, to simply exist in peaceful obscurity, I could live until the very concept of boredom lost all meaning.

But the vision of that golden radiance, the power it represented, stirred something deep within me. I yearned for more than mere existence. I craved ascension, to climb to heights yet unseen. Yet, the desire for longevity burned just as brightly. To achieve both, I needed the strength to protect myself, to carve my own path through this world.

My eyes scanned the list of vampire-slaying techniques at the top of the panel, each one a weapon in my arsenal.

The memories of Temple Village flooded back, a brutal assessment of my strengths and weaknesses.

The Black Silver, honed to a razor's edge through years of meticulous training, could effortlessly pierce the flesh of vampires, its dark power offering both sustenance and healing. Yet, against larger foes, its effectiveness waned.

Shadow Touch, a weapon of stealth and precision, could immobilize an enemy in an instant. But its reliance on close combat made it a double-edged sword, a dance with death.

The Bloody Quintet, a whirlwind of destruction, exacted a heavy toll on my energy reserves.

My gaze lingered on the Melting Sun and the Body of the Golden Sun.

The former held the tantalizing promise of ascension to the Crystal Realm... or so I hoped. My own limited creative instincts, however, tempered my optimism.

The latter, a gift from Butcher Garcia, had served me well in the First Realm. Its protective light had shielded me from countless blows. But now, with the raw power of the Wave Realm at my disposal, its usefulness was fading.

Initially, I had been hesitant to invest precious absorbed lifespan into it. But the acquisition of the Leviasaur Power had given me pause.

If I intended to face vampires head-on, to engage in brutal close combat, I needed more than just strength and speed. I needed resilience, a fortress of flesh and bone to withstand their onslaught.