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But with over a hundred people brandishing bright torches and advancing under the vampires’ lead in the dead of night, they cut quite an imposing figure. At the very least, those formless spawns of fear lurking in the shadows dared not randomly jump out anymore.

These invisible beings were manifestations of astral tainted energy guided by mortals’ emotions. In other words, as long as the collective emotions of fear and despair subsided, the number of spawns would relatively decrease as well.

To put it simply, the more you fear them, the more of them there will be.

But now, the flickering flames cutting through the rubble and night air of Transia rekindled the people’s courage. In their culture, fire was sacred, just as a traveler’s campfire in the night would always deter evil things lurking in the darkness, preventing them from running rampant.

Of course, Murphy and the other two vampires, as well as Maxim and the small players, occasionally had to play the role of combatants. The spawns of despair were merely a negligible nuisance, it was the astral beasts that emerged from time to time to terrorize people that posed the real danger.

For the two ladies, Lady Tris and Lady Adele, these creatures that could only hunt in the outskirts were not difficult opponents. But for Murphy, they were quite a challenge to deal with.

He was currently at the outskirts of the area he was responsible for, battling a pack of astral wolves.

Compared to their physical world counterparts, these beasts were far more ferocious. In their ethereal state, one could even see their inner skeletons, and their eyes burned with a dim glow in the night. Their fangs and claws were imbued with tainted energy, and being struck by them would inflict a minor mental shock.

These were traits unique to astral beings.

They existed outside the material world, born and raised amid the tainted spirit energies of the astral realm, making them adept at inflicting spiritual harm on material life.

The good news was that Murphy was not fighting alone.

The astral direwolves he had summoned were also formidable allies, loyal and vicious enough to take a considerable load off his shoulders.

The vampire was not using the Tomb Guard Sword Arts he had just learned or the Shadow Elf Secret Sword Arts he had “leeched” from Adele for this battle. Both were advanced sword arts, powerful but requiring time to gradually improve.

The Blood Vulture Sword Arts he had mastered and could use in a wild and unrestrained manner were more suitable for the current intense battle.

With the direwolves’ cover, Murphy swiftly took down four of the six astral wolves with his sword and hand crossbow. The remaining two, seeing the situation turn against them, tried to flee but were viciously pounced on and torn apart by the ferocious direwolves, leaving only one survivor.

That last one fled into the night, but Murphy did not give chase. Instead, he calmly drew the permanently poisoned spirit hand crossbow from his belt.

This was one of the few times he had used a ranged weapon, but he showed no signs of inexperience.

This was probably due to the Marksmanship Mastery that Adele had imparted to him. Coupled with a vampire’s precise and undisturbed night vision, he easily locked onto his target and squeezed the trigger a few seconds later.

“Shwip”

With a faint hum, the short but razor-sharp crossbow bolt glowing faintly green streaked out, blowing out the fleeing astral hound’s brain from behind. The entire body flew out and crashed to the ground, quickly dissipating.

【Shooting Skill – Hand Crossbow Proficiency increased, currently at “Novice” level.】

A prompt flashed before Murphy’s eyes, letting him breathe a sigh of relief.

He actually had a dwarven hunting rifle taken from a Witch Hunter in his pack, but that thing was too loud, not befitting a vampire’s stealthy style. Moreover, it didn’t match Murphy’s understanding of “firearms.”

However, its power was decent and could be paired with close-range crossbows.

According to Miriam, these hunting rifles fired lead bullets laced with a special engineering powder called “Combustion Gold,” giving them considerable medium to long-range destructive power. Apparently, dwarven high priests even had a special “Dragonfire” round that could ignite all dark malignancies at close range.

Priests carrying large-caliber guns to physically exorcise malignant entities?

Very good, very dwarven, very martial in spirit.

“Lord Murphy, this district has been searched. We’ve rescued another 37 people. Shall we proceed further?”

Black Stockings, his face and armor covered in soot as if he had just crawled out of a coal pit, came running with a report.

He was carrying an iron shovel, his standard infantry longsword slung across his back.

He looked quite energetic. Murphy glanced back at the crowd behind him. Those men brandishing torches had proactively shielded the rescued women and children in the center, while others were still scavenging through the rubble.

Compared to their departure, their morale had gradually recovered.

“Fall back to the city wall defenses first. There’s water and food there,” Murphy replied. “Rest for 15 minutes, then we’ll head back in. Also, make note of the most active individuals. Miriam will issue them weapons, and Maxim will recruit them into the militia. Before dawn, we’ll conduct one more sweep, going even deeper and into greater danger.

Hmm?”

Murphy’s keen vampire senses picked up something, and his ears twitched as he turned to face the night ahead. He told Black Stockings:

“You all head back first. There’s a ‘big one’ up ahead!”

“I can fight alongside you!”

Black Stockings immediately straightened his posture and said something nice, obviously trying to take the opportunity to increase his favor. Murphy glanced at him, his expression gentle as he patted his shoulder and encouraged him:

“Wait until later. Your potential needs time to be realized. Precious warrior blood cannot be wasted here.”

His favor increased!

Black Stockings’ favor definitely increased!

Seeing Murphy’s gentle expression, Black Stockings felt a surge of joy in his heart. He then obediently retreated back.

Watching Black Stockings’ joyful expression as he left, Murphy deeply felt that his acting skills were soaring daily through interactions with the small players. At this rate, he would probably soon become the best actor among the Blood Vulture clan vampires.

The rescue team brandishing torches soon withdrew towards the city outskirts under Black Stockings’ and Lumina’s escort, while Murphy clutched his swift sword and hand crossbow. He patted the crouching astral direwolf by his feet, then ventured ahead into the night with it.

He cast an area scan, and soon a vague reddish tag floated in the darkness:

【Astral Lynx – Hunting State – High Danger】

“Is this thing invisible?”

With his vampire night vision, Murphy could barely make out the existence ahead. It seemed to be an amorphous mist, prowling back and forth amid the ruins.

The astral direwolf at his feet let out a low whine like a dog, clearly sensing the dangerous presence.

According to Tris, astral wolves were not particularly powerful among astral beings. Their individual combat strength was poor, but their keen senses and outstanding hunting talents meant they often had to form packs to face greater dangers.

This astral lynx clearly belonged to the “more dangerous” category.

However, Tris also said that a full-fledged astral wolf pack was truly a dominant force in that realm, so every life form likely had its own way of survival.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Murphy crouched down, stroking the agitated direwolf’s head as he said softly:

“We’re just a pack of two wolves, and I’m your alpha. Follow me, let’s hunt it.”

The astral direwolf seemed to understand Murphy’s meaning.

It calmed down, licking Murphy’s fingers with its rough, ethereal tongue, then followed Murphy’s directions to scout the surrounding darkness.

Seeing Murphy alone, the stealthy astral lynx immediately perked up. It began circling closer to Murphy, making the hairs on the back of his neck prickle with a needling sensation.

The vampire was no longer a novice combatant.

He adjusted his breathing, gripping the Blade of the Desire Clan at his waist while his other hand silently squeezed the crossbow trigger.

This was a classic weapon. Its power was decent, but it needed to be reloaded after firing.

He may need a more flexible ranged weapon, like the crimson hand cannon Lady Adele wielded that could fire six shots. But that thing definitely looked like a custom weapon the lady had made for her maid.

In this closed, conservative Transia, such firearms would be seen as cowardly by the fierce people and not welcomed by their customs.

Perhaps sensing Murphy’s wandering thoughts, the hiding astral lynx soon launched its attack from behind.

Like a wisp of mist, it swiftly pounced down, aiming to instantly kill Murphy with the signature throat-lock of felines. But in that split second of descent, the vampire gracefully sidestepped with a flowing evasion.

Shadow Elf Secret Sword Arts – Stealthy Steps.

Though he hadn’t had time to thoroughly study this elven sword art imparted by Adele, Murphy had been secretly practicing its evasion techniques. Now, with his rare template granting 16 points of agility, he seamlessly transitioned into a counterattack upon evading.

The Blade of the Desire Clan transformed into a striking viper, viciously biting into the astral lynx’s ethereal hide as the hand crossbow fired, only for that cunning beast to eerily phase through the bolt.

The vampire did not hesitate, immediately engaging the vicious lynx in a one-handed sword fight.

Despite being called a lynx, this thing had no relation to normal lynxes in size, it was more akin to an enlarged clouded leopard, nearly as big as a tiger.

Aside from the telltale ethereal hide, burning eyes and tainted fangs of astral beings, this creature had three tails, each ending in a scorpion-like barb.

“Thwack”

One barbed tail lashed out like a throwing knife, grazing Murphy’s cheek before embedding in the wall behind him, cracking the bricks and demonstrating its destructive power. But then Murphy swung his blade, severing the tail and causing the astral lynx to retreat in pain with a low growl.

However, the direwolf that had rushed out earlier now came charging back at full speed, slamming into the lynx’s midsection and knocking it to the ground.

The two astral beasts tore viciously at each other with howls and snarls as Murphy seized the opportunity to launch a brutal two-hit combo on the lynx.

The astral wolf’s individual weakness was soon exposed as the lynx, fighting for its life, clamped its jaws around the direwolf’s throat in a death grip. But like a wolf following its alpha, even as its material projection faded, the direwolf retaliated with claws and bites, ripping the lynx’s left paw clean off before dissipating.

At this point, Murphy’s victory was assured.

Murphy did not grieve over the astral wolf’s death, not because he was cold-blooded, but because astral beings in the material world were merely projections, just like players. Once the skill cooled down, he could resummon them back to life.

They would only truly die if killed in the astral realm itself, which was ironically similar to certain demons in another cosmology.

“Splurch”

With a flick of his wrist, Murphy’s quivering swift sword thrust forward, gouging out one of the astral lynx’s eyeballs in a spray of blood. The agony drove the beast into a frenzy, but lacking eyes, claws and tails, it could only await death before Murphy.

Two minutes later, Murphy stabbed his sword into the lynx’s ear, scrambling its brain for a clean, decisive victory in this hunt.

Besides the sense of accomplishment, there were more tangible rewards:

【Blood Vulture Sword Arts proficiency increased to “Grandmaster”!

This sword art’s proficiency has reached the limit and cannot increase further!

Blood Vulture Swordsman job level reached 10!

This job has reached the limit, cannot advance further. Seek a promotion method.

Note!

The standard promoted job for Blood Vulture Swordsman is Blood Vulture Tomb Guard. You currently know Tomb Guard Sword Arts, please raise it to “Proficient” and craft a Tomb Badge to complete the promotion.

You currently know the Shadow Elf Mejeva Family Secret Sword Arts, optional promotion is: Shadow Elf Blade Chanter.

This promotion requires raising the Mejeva Secret Sword Arts to “Proficient” and visiting the Mejeva Family Temple, completing the promotion with the Fate Maiden’s aid.

Character level reached 10!

“Trial of Strength – Black Iron Body” triggered! Please read the Strength Tiers and Trial rules in detail, then complete this Trial of Strength.】

The long string of prompts delighted Murphy.

Though not from regular monster grinding, this intense battle with the astral lynx had undoubtedly allowed his foundational Blood Vulture Sword Arts to naturally break through their final bottleneck.

This was not actually difficult, since no matter how complex, it was still just basic techniques.

What surprised Murphy was that this elven sword art he had “leeched” from Adele could actually trigger a special job promotion. This gave him a bold idea.

Perhaps

This foreign sword art could serve as a “hidden reward” for the small players’ outstanding contributions?

And if there were hidden rewards, it wouldn’t be enough flavor to not also have a lucky turntable or blindbox package with other cherished items. This “game” couldn’t have pay-to-win mechanics of course, otherwise they might as well put out this supremely enigmatic elven sword art as a VIP 3 membership reward.

With these regretful thoughts, Murphy found the details on the “Trial of Strength – Black Iron Body” in his character’s Strength Tiers section:

【Term – Black Iron Body:

An extension from ancient elven traditions, this division of individual strength is categorized into stages: Mortal -> Professional -> Black Iron Body -> White Silver Body -> Transcendent Golden Body -> Transcendent Perfect Body/Demigod Threshold.

These respectively represent the ancient elven descriptions of life’s strength at different levels.

The Black Iron Body can be understood as an ordinary person, through rigorous training and constant battle, mastering their physical form to the utmost and unleashing its inherent destructive power. The purpose of the Black Iron Trial is to challenge powerful foes, unlocking and continuously excavating the individual’s hidden potential.

Throughout the entire Black Iron Body tier, the individual will have their potential continuously unearthed, undergoing a powerful reshaping of their life form, before facing the true White Silver Trial of embracing transcendent spirit power.】

“Not bad! Not too hard to understand, and the elves’ division system really does have that game strength system flavor. It’s perfect enough that I don’t need to modify it to use directly as game lore.”

Murphy gave this explanation a thumbs up.

Then he looked over the details of his own Black Iron Trial, and his expression immediately darkened:

【Trial of Strength – Black Iron Body – Vampire Race Exclusive: Independently hunt and completely drain the blood of Black Iron tier enemies until potential is unlocked, or independently challenge Black Iron tier Elite beings to unlock potential.

This trial must be completed solo, any outside interference will be considered a trial failure!】

“Damn it!”

Murphy cursed in the darkness:

“So it’s just simply grinding higher level monsters? To become Black Iron I have to kill a Black Iron elite first? And it has to be a living, blood-bearing creature?

So astral beings don’t count?

Crap!

In this chaotic wartime situation around Kadman City, where am I supposed to find a Black Iron tier living enemy?

Why don’t you just spawn one for me out of thin air?

That old saying really is true, reality is a crappy game!”