The hours of sunlight were a form of torture. Vicky lay still, the curtains sealed tight, every muscle protesting the simple act of breathing. His once-exciting powers were reduced to a dull, aching thrum beneath his skin, constantly fighting the Daylight Debuff. He felt exposed, vulnerable, and profoundly weak. The thought of Level 5—the threshold to neutralize the sun's penalty—was his only focus.
He used the forced downtime to execute the next phase of his plan. Using his laptop and a cheap, untraceable burner phone he ordered online, he meticulously mapped out Marcus Keller's life. Keller was sequestered in a high-security penthouse atop the Keller Tower, living out his last days under constant care. Vicky's college research skills, honed by years of late-night engineering reports, were now directed toward corporate espionage.
Vicky realized that to command a man like Keller, he needed to appear invincible, not just desperate.
He brought up his status screen again.
VICKY THORNE: STATUS (Daylight Debuff Active)
Level: 2 (5/200 XP)
Stat Points: 1
He allocated the remaining point, deciding he needed maximum impact for his first meeting.
VICKY THORNE: STAT POINTS
Allocation: 1 Point to Strength (STR)
New STR: 7 (Currently 5.6 due to Debuff)
The small boost helped stabilize his shaky hands, allowing him to type an encrypted, anonymous message that landed directly on the personal tablet of Keller's head nurse: "I have the cure for Stage IV Metastasis. Tonight, 02:00. Keller Tower roof. No security. Come alone."
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, washing the city in twilight, the Daylight Debuff vanished.
The transformation was immediate and glorious. The crushing fatigue evaporated. Power flooded his limbs, every sense sharpening to an overwhelming degree. The world went from a dull, muffled painting to a vibrant, high-definition panorama. He could hear the hum of the city's electric grid and smell the ozone from two blocks away.
VICKY THORNE: STATUS (Debuff Inactive)
Level: 2 (5/200 XP)
Strength (STR): 7
Speed (SPD): 6
Endurance (END): 7
Vicky moved. The three kilometers that had nearly killed him that morning now felt like a quick sprint. He scaled the external fire escape of a neighboring building, his Speed and Strength making the climb effortless.
Keller Tower was a fortress, but Vicky didn't try to brute-force the front entrance. Instead, he used his enhanced senses to find the weak points: an overloaded HVAC vent, a blind spot in the infrared coverage, and a maintenance ladder leading directly to the roof access door. He was in and out of the security layers within minutes, moving with the cold efficiency of a predator.
Marcus Keller was waiting on the helipad, shivering despite the mild night. He was thin, pale, and dressed in silk pajamas that hung loosely on his skeletal frame. Two burly guards stood several feet back, their hands subtly hovering near their concealed weapons.
"Who the hell are you?" Keller rasped, his voice weak. "And how did you get past my security?"
Vicky stepped out of the shadows, his presence suddenly dominating the vast rooftop. He didn't rush; he controlled the pace.
"My name is irrelevant, Mr. Keller. What is relevant is that your doctors have given you six weeks. I offer you an extension—centuries, if you prove worthy."
Keller scoffed, a dry, hacking sound. "Another snake oil salesman. I've paid off men like you a thousand times."
"But they were men," Vicky countered, stepping closer. He focused his energy, and his eyes flashed a deep, unsettling crimson for a mere fraction of a second. The air around him dropped in temperature. "I don't sell oil. I sell power."
He then activated his Blood Claws—not defensively, but as a demonstration. The wicked, blood-red blades extended, catching the city light. The guards instantly drew their weapons, safety locks clicking off.
"Blood Shield!"
Vicky didn't move. A powerful, crimson aura flared around him, completely enveloping his body. The guards froze, intimidated not by the threat, but by the sheer impossibility of the energy radiating from the student-aged man.
"Five million dollars," Vicky said, his voice level, the shield humming around him. "In untraceable crypto, transferred to a designated account before sunrise. You will also transfer complete control of the shell corporation, Nightwatch Holdings, to me. In exchange, I grant you the initial blessing—the removal of your disease and an accelerated regeneration of your body. This is phase one. Phase two, the full transformation, requires total, unquestioning loyalty to me."
Keller stared at the shield, then at Vicky's eyes, a flicker of raw, desperate hope warring with decades of cynicism. He was facing death; this impossible phenomenon was his only lifeline.
"How do I know this loyalty is… binding?" Keller wheezed.
Vicky deactivated the shield and leaned in, his voice dangerously low. "Because I am the Progenitor. You cannot disobey me. You cannot betray me. Your deepest desire for life and power will be eternally tied to my command."
Keller's hand, shaking, reached for the phone in his pocket. He keyed in the commands, and the transaction was confirmed.
Vicky felt a sharp, pleasant pull of energy—not XP, but power.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Financial Asset Acquired: $5,000,000 USD.
Corporate Asset Acquired: Nightwatch Holdings (Shell Corporation).
Vicky smiled, a genuine, terrifying smile. He bit his own thumb, drawing a small bead of his potent, Level 2 blood.
"Welcome to the start of your long life, Marcus."
He pressed the drop of blood to Keller's lips. The old man swallowed it without hesitation. Immediately, Keller convulsed, his body arching off the ground as a visible sickness—a cloud of smoky gray energy—was violently expelled from his mouth. His skin regained a faint pink color, his breathing deepened, and the years seemed to fall away.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
New Follower Generated: Marcus Keller.
Tier: Low-Tier Infected.
Follower Level: 1 (0/100 XP).
Loyalty Status: Absolute.
VICKY THORNE: XP GAIN
XP Acquired: +100 XP (Follower Creation Bonus).
XP Total: 105/200 XP.
Vicky had gone up to Level 3 in less than 24 hours. The initial pain was gone, replaced by a deep satisfaction. He had wealth, power, and a high-placed slave.
"Go to sleep, Marcus," Vicky commanded softly. "When you wake up, you will be well. And you will begin working to consolidate the Progenitor's power."
Keller nodded, the absolute loyalty already etched deep into his eyes. "Yes, Master. It will be done."
Vicky left the rooftop, his mission complete. He was richer, stronger, and no longer just a college student. He was a Level 3 Vampire Progenitor. The first domino had fallen.
Vicky now had the money and the influence to properly begin his operation. The next stage involves finding a safe place to operate and possibly running into a few more nocturnal enemies.