The Vampire Count Returned to the Apocalypse Game

Gabriel placed the neural helmet over his head the moment he closed the apartment door.

The physical exhaustion still clung to his muscles after spending the entire day traveling the streets as a courier, but mentally he was more awake than ever.

His thoughts constantly revolved around the game. Anxiously simulating different possibilities in his mind.

About the grotesque difference between the miserable life he lived outside and the monstrous opportunity that had just opened inside the game.

The system began synchronizing while darkness slowly covered his vision. And when he opened his eyes again... he returned to the Novice Village, where everything had begun.

The fresh air of the virtual world filled his lungs with unnatural clarity. Gabriel remained still for a few seconds while observing the place before quickly opening his status panel.

The first thing he checked was his appearance. Surprisingly tall, thin, and pale. White hair fell messily over his face with an oddly elegant aesthetic, though not excessively refined.

There was something cold about him. He knew he would inevitably attract attention even while trying to remain unnoticed.

Gabriel slowly closed the window as a realization surfaced in his mind. He had not done the normal tutorial. Nor did he possess a conventional class, and he definitely did not have any kind of starting equipment or real weapons.

The only extraordinary thing he possessed... was himself.

He had understood that his own biology was a weapon. And precisely because of that, he could not afford to reveal it so early.

If someone discovered he possessed a unique constitution related to legendary monsters before he became strong enough, he would end up becoming a target for clans, corporations, or players obsessed with obtaining hidden advantages.

Gabriel slowly exhaled and began walking through the village’s dirt roads. The place looked like an idealized representation of a distant Renaissance civilization.

White stone houses, windmills, and small plazas filled with hidden details. There were various religious sculptures adding to its charm.

Everything possessed a humanistic aesthetic impossible to find within the metallic cities outside.

But as he advanced, he began noticing the true changes his new biology had caused. His senses were absurdly precise. He could easily hear distant conversations and the wind sliding through the trees.

Even... the heartbeats of other players and NPCs.

Entire hearts echoed around him like small hidden drums. But his intuition had also changed, carrying a constant sensation inside him, as if he could detect small dangers or intentions before rationally understanding them.

Excitement slowly grew within his chest. Vampirism was not merely a class, it was a complete reconstruction of his avatar.

Instincts, reflexes, perception. Everything had been refined.

Gabriel tried to smile out of pure emotional satisfaction... and immediately remembered the acquired weakness. His facial muscles did not even respond. The result was uncomfortable.

His face simply remained cold almost all the time. It gave him a distant and slightly intimidating appearance even when he had no intention of looking that way.

Eventually, he arrived before the blacksmith shop. The metallic sound of hammers striking steel constantly echoed from within.

Outside, sitting upon an old wooden chair, an old man observed a coin through a worn monocle.

Gabriel greeted him with a slight nod, and the old man responded by barely lifting his gaze before continuing to inspect the coin.

He crossed through the entrance of the smithy and the heat struck him immediately. The interior was suffocating. There were no other players around. Only tools hanging from the walls and a gigantic man working before an anvil.

Golyat. The blacksmith was enormous, with absurdly thick arms and a beard blackened by soot.

Gabriel decided to wait patiently until the man finished his work. The sound of the hammer continued for several more seconds before Golyat finally stopped and slowly turned toward him.

Gabriel spoke first with cordial calmness.

"Good afternoon. I’m looking to purchase a light weapon suitable for hunting."

Golyat scanned his appearance from top to bottom. His expression immediately twisted with disdain.

"Another noble rat pretending to be an adventurer?"

Gabriel maintained his composure.

"I only need equipment."

"Your hands look too soft to hold real steel." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Gabriel immediately understood the type of person standing before him. An old mentality, exaggerated worship of physical effort, and disdain toward refined appearances.

Basically a resentful old man disguised as an honorable one. He had met similar people before.

"Appearances rarely determine usefulness," he replied calmly.

Golyat let out a mocking laugh.

"Pretty words. Very fitting for someone who’s never truly worked."

Gabriel slowly rested one hand upon the counter.

"And yet you sell weapons, not opinions."

The atmosphere immediately tightened. But neither raised their voice, the discussion began transforming into a cold battle of pride and rhetoric.

Golyat constantly tried to belittle him while Gabriel responded with sharp calmness and controlled etiquette. He neither lost his composure nor acted like an aggressive idiot.

And precisely that seemed to irritate the blacksmith even more.

"Men like you forget the problems outside. The real problems," Golyat growled.

Gabriel almost smiled at the irony.

"And men like you forget that the world changes whether you wish to accept it or not."

The blacksmith stepped forward.

Then an aged voice intervened behind them both.

"Enough."

Gabriel slightly turned his head. It was the old man with the monocle.

Golyat clicked his tongue.

"Father, this brat—"

"He is not a coward," the old man interrupted effortlessly.

Then he looked directly at Gabriel.

"And he does not lower his head easily either."

The old man slowly walked toward the counter and observed Gabriel’s hands.

"If you want weapons... prove it."

A window immediately appeared before Gabriel.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

MISSION RECEIVED:

[Horns of the Outer Forest]

Objective:

• Obtain at least three pairs of deer antlers.

Reward:

• Pair of hunter daggers.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Gabriel immediately accepted the quest.

The old man nodded in satisfaction after discussing the intrinsic aspects of the task.

But Golyat looked even more annoyed.

"Tch. Then stop wasting time."

The blacksmith grabbed a pair of simple daggers and practically threw them toward Gabriel.

"Use them and come back alive if you can."

Gabriel caught both weapons easily. Then he slightly inclined his head in gratitude, which only worsened Golyat’s mood.

"Get out of my smithy."

Gabriel left without replying.

But he perfectly understood where he had just gotten himself into. The Outer Forest was widely recognized as the second training ground of the Novice Village. The deer were not especially dangerous monsters, but they were fast and difficult for new players to track.

The journey was short. Many beginners advanced toward the forest full of excitement and ignorant arrogance.

Some even talked about leveling up quickly and becoming elite players within a few weeks.

Gabriel did not mingle with them. The moment he crossed the forest entrance, he silently separated himself from the crowd and cautiously ventured deeper among the trees.

Once he was finally far from any prying eyes, he decided to open the Medium Chest obtained from the unique mission.

A blue light immediately appeared before him.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

ITEM OBTAINED:

[Black War Axe]

Category:

Rare

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Gabriel slightly widened his eyes.

Obtaining a rare weapon at level one was definitely an absurd reward.

The axe was enormous and heavy, covered with dark lines and an intimidating blade. Gabriel observed it for a few seconds before immediately storing it away.

He needed level 5 to meet the requirement, and he also had no intention of carrying such weight while hunting fast creatures.

He closed the inventory and continued advancing.

And then he understood something terrifying.

Hunting was easy. It had become a ridiculously easy task.

His vampiric senses detected trails with absurd clarity. Smell, footprints, breathing. Even the blood flow of nearby small animals.

Gabriel moved silently until he located a deer feeding near a clearing. The animal raised its head too late.

Gabriel lunged forward explosively. The deer was immediately alerted and tried to escape, but the physical difference was too great.

Gabriel quickly caught up using enhanced speed and agility. The confrontation lasted only a few seconds before the daggers pierced through the animal’s neck.

The deer collapsed heavily onto the grass.

Gabriel slowly breathed while observing the corpse.

Then he remembered something else: Leviathan’s Gluttony, his skill.

He hesitated for a few seconds before activating it.

And the result completely surprised him. Tiny imperceptible threads detached from the animal and a warm sensation spread throughout his entire body.

The hunger began disappearing and the fatigue lessened. Even the animal’s blood released an oddly pleasant scent.

The skill transformed the corpse into usable energy for him.

Gabriel slightly widened his eyes while processing the monstrous utility of that ability.

But then he heard something.

It was a fast and nervous heartbeat. And it definitely did not belong to the dead deer.

Gabriel immediately turned his head toward the dark undergrowth of the forest.

And saw curious eyes staring directly at him from within the shadows.