"You summoned me, Lady Elizabeth?"
She looked up, a small smile curving her lips.
"Damon." Her voice was calm, but held a firmness that always made him straighten. "Finally awake."
He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Elizabeth rose gracefully from her chair. The soft heel of her shoes made only a soft click against the marble floor as she walked to the nearest bookshelf.
Damon watched her curiously.
Her fingers slid along the spines until they rested on a thick, black leather-bound tome. Crimson red symbols were engraved on the cover, pulsing with a strange, almost living energy. Elizabeth removed the book carefully, as if handling something precious—or dangerous.
She turned, holding it in front of her.
"It was difficult to obtain something like this," she said, her gaze glinting with satisfaction and a hint of warning. "It cost a lot, favors and... connections I'd rather not mention."
Damon raised an eyebrow.
"All this... because of me?"
Elizabeth just stared at him silently for a few seconds, and then a faint magical glow ran through the book.
TING!
A message appeared before Damon's eyes:
[You have received a Cultivation Technique]
His heart raced.
Elizabeth approached and, with a firm gesture, placed the tome in his hands. The cold, dense energy emanating from the cover made his fingers tremble instinctively, but he didn't let go.
"It's time for you to become stronger, Damon." Her voice sounded like an order, but also like encouragement. "Learn this."
He looked at the book, and the red letters on the cover seemed to glow even brighter now, as if recognizing him.
Technique Name: Crimson Night Eater
A shiver ran down Damon's spine. The title itself oozed malice and power.
"Devourer of the Crimson Night"..." he murmured, almost reverently. "That sounds... dangerous."
Elizabeth crossed her arms, her cold smile returning.
"It is. It is a demonic cultivation technique, created specifically for those who live on the brink of temptation and hunger." Her eyes narrowed, assessing his expression. "And who better than an incubus to master it?"
Damon swallowed.
"This technique... what exactly does it do?"
Elizabeth leaned forward slightly, as if sharing a secret.
"It feeds its essence from the life energy of others. But not just in carnal encounters, as is natural to your race." His voice took on a darker tone. "With it, you can consume the vitality of defeated enemies, absorb their darkest emotions, and transform them into power."
Damon's eyes widened.
"You mean... I can fight and grow stronger... by devouring my enemies?"
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
"Exactly. The Crimson Night Eater turns every battle into sustenance. But be careful..." She held up a warning finger. "The more you feed, the harder it will be to resist your hunger. If you lose control, there will be no difference between you and the demonic plagues that infest this world."
Damon clutched the tome to his chest. A mixture of fear and excitement boiled within him. It was exactly what he needed: power, growth, a way to not be just a burden carried by others.
He took a deep breath and looked up at Elizabeth.
"I will master this."
A satisfied smile curved her lips.
"I hope so. Because, from today onward, there is no more room for weakness."
And as if in response to her words, new messages appeared before Damon:
[A new path of cultivation has been opened]
[You have initiated the Crimson Night Devourer bloodline]
[Warning: Your hunger will increase as you progress]
[Side quest unlocked: "Master the First Stage of the Technique"]
Damon kept the book pressed to his chest for a few moments, feeling the symbolic weight of that decision. Elizabeth remained silent, simply watching him with that look that blended anticipation and coldness. There was no doubt in the air: for her, Damon had no choice—he would either grow, or be crushed by the world that now surrounded him.
He took a step back, bowing slightly in respect.
"Thank you, Lady Elizabeth. I... will not waste this."
Elizabeth didn't respond immediately. She simply inclined her head, the red glow of the candles reflecting in her eyes like hidden embers.
"Leave," she said finally. "And don't come back until you've taken the first step."
Damon felt a shiver run down his spine, but he restrained himself and simply nodded. He turned and walked to the door, not daring to look back. As soon as the dry sound of the wood closing behind him, he released the breath he'd been holding.
"That woman…" he muttered to himself. "She doesn't give you room to breathe."
The book felt heavier with each step toward the bedroom. It wasn't just the physical weight, but the almost living pressure emanating from the black leather cover. Crimson symbols pulsed gently, as if the tome had a heart of its own. Damon wondered if it was truly a simple manual—or an artifact that would test his sanity.
He walked through the mansion's corridors, passing servants who eyed him curiously but avoided asking questions. Since arriving, he had attracted enough attention; now, with a clearly dangerous book in his hands, he seemed to radiate an aura that kept them at bay.
When he finally closed the bedroom door behind him, he sank down onto the bed, resting the tome across his lap.
"Okay... let's see what you have to show me."
He ran his fingers over the red symbols. They glowed brightly at the touch, as if reacting to his incubated essence. A low click echoed, and the book opened by itself, the pages flipping quickly until they stopped at a dark stain in the center, like dried blood.
Damon swallowed.
On the first open page, crimson letters slowly appeared, drawing themselves as if someone were writing before his eyes:
"Demonic Technique – Devourer of the Crimson Night."
Below, instructions began to form.
"To cultivate this path, embrace your hunger. The Devourer is not the one who fears, but the one who consumes. Absorb the life essence of all that opposes you—and transform it into power. But beware: hunger is your blade and your chain. It will make you grow, but it will also shackle you."
Damon gritted his teeth.
"So... it's not enough to just train. It's like a drug... the more I use, the harder it will be to stop."
He turned the page, and new diagrams appeared. Human silhouettes showed energy channels being corrupted by crimson lines, converging toward the center of the chest. There were instructions on breathing, on how to direct negative emotions to strengthen the core, and even on how to manipulate the lust, fear, and anger of others to accelerate the process.
[Side Quest: "Master the First Stage of the Technique" — Progress: 0%]
The message appeared in his vision, cold and objective.
Damon took a deep breath and rested his hand on the book, feeling the energy pulsate as if the tome were a sleeping creature.
"Looks like I'm finally going to get to play this damned game..." he muttered, with a wry smile.
He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the first cultivation session. But before diving in completely, he let out one last thought:
"Elizabeth... I hope you know what you're getting me into."
The room fell silent, only the red glow of the pages illuminating his face as he began to walk the dangerous path of the Crimson Night Eater.