Chapter Seven: Cologne

The light bleeding through the window felt different.

Sharper. Too sharp.

I sat up slowly, blinking away the remnants of sleep. My body felt... alive. Not just rested—primed. The kind of energy that buzzes beneath the skin like lightning waiting for a storm. My muscles didn't ache like they usually did, and when I ran a hand through my hair, it felt smoother. Cooler.

Then I saw it.

The mirror above my dresser caught my attention, and I froze.

My eyes.

They weren't the same. Still dark brown—but deeper, like an abyss. And beneath the surface... a flicker of red, so faint it could've been imagined. My skin was pale, smooth, flawless even. I stepped closer.

"Is that... me?"

Even my jawline looked sharper. Cleaner.

[SYSTEM NOTICE: ADAPTATION SUCCESSFUL]

[Body Synchronization: 82% Complete]

[Status: You no longer belong among the ordinary.]

A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn't fear—it was excitement. Whatever last night had triggered... this was just the beginning.

I turned to grab my hoodie when I noticed a smell—toast. Eggs. Bacon.

Confused, I made my way to the kitchen, only to find a plate neatly covered with foil, steam still rising. Beside it, a note written in hasty, soft handwriting:

"Thank you... for the exam card and all you have been doing for me brother since dad died and mom left. I was wrong about you. Enjoy breakfast. Allan picked me up for class. See you later. – Clara"

I blinked.

She... cooked?

The edges of my lips curled into a rare smile. The type that creeps up when your world, for once, feels a little bit right.

Maybe I'm not a total screw-up after all.

[SYSTEM NOTICE: +10% EXP – Emotional High Detected: Sibling Bond Strengthened]

I wolfed down the breakfast, grabbed my bag, and bolted out the door—only to glance at the time on my system-linked phone.

8:56 AM.

"Shit. I'm late!"

I raced to the subway station, moving faster than I ever had. The wind tore at my clothes, but my body didn't feel tired—if anything, it craved the motion. I made it just in time to slide into the closing train doors.

People stared.

I wasn't sure if it was the speed, the look, or the sheer energy I was giving off. Maybe all three.

 Azure Crest College

Leo stood by the lockers, headphones in, scrolling through his phone.

"Yo Leo!" I called out as I approached.

He barely glanced up, did a double-take, then squinted. "Whoa—Jayden?"

I smirked. "Who else would it be?"

"No way, bro—you look like you walked out of a vampire K-drama. Sharp jawline, dead-serious stare… You even smell different."

I shrugged. "New cologne."

"Sure. Right." He side-eyed me. "Since when do you wear cologne?"

Before I could answer, the bell rang. We headed into Literature class, slid into the back seats, and zoned in as the teacher began talking about Gothic symbolism. I was trying to listen—but the buzzing in my bones wouldn't let me rest.

[SYSTEM PASSIVE ACTIVATED: Night Sight]

Even in the well-lit class, everything was clearer. Crisper. I could hear the page turns from across the room. I could feel every heartbeat near me. It was intoxicating.

Meanwhile, at the Capital – Golden Circle Headquarters

A roundtable of men and women in golden-lined robes sat in a sealed room beneath the city.

"Demon attacks have increased by 73% in the last month alone," a woman with glowing circuitry tattoos reported. "We've lost six outposts in the western region. This isn't coincidence."

A hologram flickered to life, showing recent attack footage—mutated beings cloaked in shadow, tearing through soldiers.

"We're activating the tiers," said the Head Marshal. "Category: Red Blood."

Murmurs broke out.

"That's a Crimson-level threat…"

"We've only issued Red Blood three times in the last century—"

"We have no choice," the Marshal interrupted. "Deploy the Asphodel Knights and awaken the dormant units in Sector 3."

"We'll also need to activate… the Watchers."

A silence fell over the room. No one liked saying that name.

B Jayden's Class

The projector flickered during the lecture, drawing groans from students.

"Again?" the teacher sighed. "Leo, check the—"

BZZT!

The projector snapped off completely, replaced by a flashing red alert. Every student's phone vibrated in sync.

[EMERGENCY BROADCAST – CODE 667]

This is not a drill.

ATTACK REPORTED – CENTRAL ZONE: ZAFAR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

My heart slammed into my ribs.

Zafar University.

That's where Clara was.

A shaky live feed came online, showing students screaming, running through fire-filled hallways. The camera caught the glimpse of a monstrous figure—horned, long-limbed, dripping with shadow.

And behind it… bodies.

One of them wore a familiar hoodie.

"Clara—"

I was already standing before I knew it, my eyes fixed on the screen, a growl rising in my throat.

[SYSTEM WARNING: BLOODLUST SPIKE DETECTED]

[PASSIVE UNLOCKED: HUNGER'S CALL]

[CRIMSON EDICT INITIATING—OBJECTIVE: DEFEND BLOODLINE]

"You're nothing yet."

But I didn't care.

Because now?

I had everything to fight for.