Ryo woke up to the soft glow of morning light seeping through the dormitory window. Blinking away his drowsiness, he stretched before heading to the bathroom for a refreshing bath.

Afterward, he donned his academy uniform—a crisp white shirt, a red tie, a black blazer, and red-checked pants. As he adjusted his tie and glanced at the mirror, he froze. His hair, which had always been jet black, now had streaks of red running through it.

His black eyes narrowed. When did this happen?

Then, he remembered the Status Window from last night. His newly awakened blood-related abilities. Could this be a side effect?

Shaking off his thoughts, he decided not to dwell on it for now. He rushed out of his dorm for breakfast, eager to eat and get to class on time.

Ryo arrived just before the teacher walked in, quickly taking his seat among the other students.

The first lesson of the day was Theory on Racial Abilities, a lecture discussing the unique traits possessed by different species.

As the teacher listed various species' abilities, one in particular made Ryo tense up—Vampire Abilities.

Enhanced Regeneration

Blood Manipulation

Blood Weaponry

Ryo's fingers clenched slightly. These are the same abilities I saw in my Status Window.

His mind raced. If he truly had vampire abilities, what did that mean for his origins? Could he be part vampire? Or was this a result of some deeper, more complex change?

Before he could ponder further, the class ended, and it was time for Battle Practice.

The students gathered in the academy's massive training ground, an open field designed for combat exercises. This class was designed to help students understand and control their abilities in real-world scenarios.

As he observed the training sessions, his gaze landed on the silver-haired girl from the previous night—the one who had led him to dinner. She stood among the trainees, her crimson eyes sharp and focused.

For a brief moment, Ryo considered approaching her. She might know something about what's happening to me. But drawing attention to himself now might not be the best idea. So instead, he remained in the background, watching the others practice.

That was until the teacher's voice called out.

"Ryo Takashi, step forward."

His turn had come.

With a deep breath, he stepped into the training field, his heart pounding as the eyes of his peers fell upon him.