After their shopping trip, the four of them headed back to their dorms. As Quinn went with Fex to the boy’s dorm, he wanted to tell Peter about the tri-spikes he bought. He was hoping to share the technique he came up with to his roommate.

However, upon entering the dorm, they could easily tell that Peter was fast asleep.

’Oh, I guess that’ll have to wait,’ Quinn thought.

There was still tomorrow for Quinn to tell Peter about his idea, and who knows, maybe he could figure out how to reach level 3 in the earth ability before their expedition the day after.

The two of them got ready for bed, but as Quinn was settling in for the night, he was about to place his blue glasses on the nightstand. That was when he noticed that Peter’s round black glasses weren’t there like they usually were.

’Did something happen to them?’ Quinn thought.

It was a little odd, but Quinn assumed that Peter must’ve put them somewhere else for the time being. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

When Erin had evolved into a vampire, there were new tutorial videos unlocked with new moves Quinn wanted to try. As he laid in bed, he spent nearly the whole night watching one of its videos, featuring a particular vampire skill he might be able to recreate.

—

[User: Erin Heley]

[Race: Vampire]

[Level 10]

[EXP 15/100]

[HP 60/60]

[Strength: 20]

[Agility: 20]

[Stamina: 20]

[Charm: 10]

—

With the green portal expedition the next day, the teachers wanted the students to prepare for the outing as much as they could, so they had the whole day off.

Erin had sent a message that morning to Fex to meet up at the gym. She wanted to know if Fex would be able to teach her how to replicate those graceful movements from before. Currently, she was inside in the school hallways, but found that there weren’t that many students around at the moment. It was a good opportunity to try to practice what she remembered.

Holding her brand new rapier, Erin held it up to eye level with both hands, and closed her eyes trying to recall how Fex controlled her body. Then she jolted.

Moving with grace, Erin was trying to dance on her feet as lightly as she could. She pretended to slice, and thrust at an invisible enemy. At first, she was able to get some of the movements down, but she moved too fast, and tripped on her own legs.

Erin fell to the ground, and quietly groaned in frustration.

{Erin} Is Fex still at the gym?

{Quinn} He’s still waiting.

{Erin} Good.

{Erin} Make sure he doesn’t back out of this.

{Quinn} Of course. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything suspicious.

After Fex agreed to help teach Erin yesterday, Quinn suggested that he would come with just in case he tried anything. She didn’t think he would, but said yes anyways as she wanted him to train alongside them.

Erin got off the ground, and grabbed her sword as she did. Before she could continue walking to the gym, that was when someone stepped in front of her.

It was a boy with longish dark red hair and a hastily put on outfit that looked vaguely formal.

"You have to come with me! It’s important!" The boy told her with urgency.

Before she could respond, he took her hand, and ran off somewhere. Despite her strength, she wasn’t able to escape from his grip, and saw his watch listing his ability number as a 3.

The boy took her to a dead end where there wasn’t anyone watching, and Erin was beginning to feel some sort of deja vu.

"I don’t like where this is going," the system commented.

’For once I agree with you,’ Erin thought back.

The boy looked nervous and was fiddling with something in his pocket.

"I... I—I... I— Well, uh—"

"Spit it out, I’m in a hurry," Erin crossed her arms.

The boy’s face reddened and he immediately took out a card with several red and pink hearts all over it. He couldn’t even face Erin.

Erin yanked the card and read it out loud.

"Dear my beloved ice queen, ever since you returned from those treacherous claws of the other cruel horrendous world, I saw your pristine, gorgeous, beautiful hair, your utmost kissable lips, and dainty but luscious lashes. The only way you could improve upon perfection would be if you smiled more. Please give me the chance to be the reason a smile graces your beautiful lip. Bless me with the opportunity to shower you with my love for eternity.

Will you be my girlfriend?

XOXO,

Cameron."

Erin stared down the boy named Cameron, giving him a disgusted look.

"No."

Cameron looked up, shocked, and in disbelief.

"D—did you— uh— read the le—"

"The answer is no."

Cameron’s shocked face then turned into disgust, "You bitch! At least give me a chance after I’ve given you the time of day! Whatever, you’re ugly anyways."

This is what Erin was afraid of. These guys felt entitled to her because they didn’t see her as a person because of her beauty, and it wasn’t the first time it happened. The only way she could get them to stop harassing her was by freezing them, and while she didn’t have those powers now, she had something else up her sleeve.

’Skill activate, Daze!’

[Daze has been activated]

[Your opponent has been stunned]

With Cameron’s eyes glazing over, she swung her leg upwards, and Cameron found himself suddenly having to say goodbye to his future bloodline.

He grabbed where Erin performed ’The Nutcracker’, and toppled over to the side writhing in agony.

"ARGHHHH, YOU BITCH!" he yelled at her, before sobbing and cradling himself, "Why’d I buy beast armor for my chest, but not pants?!"

’Huh, he was hiding beast armor under his shirt. No wonder he seemed fast and strong for a human,’ Erin thought.

With that dealt with, Erin realized that she only got half the experience from this fight.

[25 EXP received]

[40/100 EXP]

’System, why is this?’ Erin asked.

"That is the fair fight mechanic at play. You see, now that you’ve grown into a full fledged vampire, regular fights with normal humans don’t do much for you now," the system happily explained, "The experience needed was reset, and your opponent was now too weak for you, so the system only rewarded you half the EXP."

’What?! But why?’ Erin asked back, ’I was defeating plenty of humans before without much struggle, and I gained 50 EXP just fine. It’s not even like I improved my stats since becoming a vampire.’

"While those are all excellent complaints, the system does not have an unlimited supply of power to give you. You’ll have to earn those levels by working harder."

While Erin was arguing with a voice inside her head, another boy came around and saw her alongside someone on the floor.

"Are you okay?" The new boy cautiously asked, "He wasn’t bothering you, was he?"

Erin turned around, and saw a tall, handsome man with short brown hair, and broad shoulders. His hair helped frame his sharp angular face, making his partially chiseled jawline look sharper. He wore a gray open collared shirt that exposed a glimpse of his visibly toned chest.

"He was," Erin commented before storming out of there.

"Hey— my name is—" the boy said, smiling and holding his hand out for a handshake, but Erin was already gone.

"...Luke."

—

Erin had arrived at the gym to join Quinn and Fex. Quinn was training a bit further away in the gym, and she had caught that Quinn’s figure was beginning to change. He wore a black tank top, revealing that his arms were showing signs of becoming toned. It wasn’t much given that Quinn was only regularly exercising recently, but it was a start.

Fex got up from his spot, having been waiting for Erin, and casually wrapped his arm around her, before leaning in to quietly talk.

"So, I know I said I was going to help you out and all, but I want something in return. Nothing crazy, but uh..."

Fex’s eyes went over to Quinn, and he licked his lips, "If you wouldn’t mind sharing, your buddy, Quinn, looks pretty tasty."