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"This is incredible. This power… it's absolutely incredible!"
In a crude little lab, a pale man stood before a sword hooked up to all sorts of wires and machines. The sword had a black hilt, silver blade, shimmering rainbow markings on its surface, and a dazzling golden tip. It radiated a mysterious, powerful energy.
In a corner of the lab, little Sharina was locked inside an iron cage, curled up in fear.
"Joseph, you bastard! What did you do to Sharina?!"
Just as Joseph was celebrating his discovery, a woman stormed into the lab.
"Sharan?! What are you doing here?!"
When Sharan saw Sharina locked in a cage, her fury boiled over.
"Joseph, you monster! That's my sister's daughter! How could you do this to her?! How could you?!"
She couldn't believe it. Her once-dignified, gentlemanly husband had turned into someone who would imprison her sister's orphaned child.
"You're okay, sweetie. I'm here now. Don't be scared."
Sharan unlocked the cage, and Sharina ran into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Her cries were heartbreaking.
Joseph looked at Sharan, his cheerful face twisting into madness.
"Sentimental nonsense. Sharan, do you even know what I'm working on? Do you have any idea how valuable Sharina is?!"
He pointed at the sword furiously.
"You see this blade? Do you know what kind of power it holds? With it, we vampires can evolve—transcend our limits! If I unlock the sword's secrets, we'll no longer need sunglasses or umbrellas to survive in the sun. We'll walk in daylight like everyone else! And when that day comes, I'll be king. The king. Of vampires—and of the entire world!"
"You've lost it… Joseph, you've gone completely insane."
Sharan held Sharina tight, her voice trembling with fear. She didn't understand how her elegant, refined husband had become such a lunatic.
"I don't care what you're planning. I won't let you hurt Sharina!"
Sharan turned and tried to leave with the girl.
"You still don't get it, do you? Fine. Let me show you."
In a flash, Joseph teleported to the door, blocking the way.
"Let me show you what I've become."
As he spoke, Joseph's body turned into a shimmering, stained-glass-like form—then shattered. In his place stood a humanoid monster with dark purple skin.
"AAAHHH!"
Sharan screamed in horror at the sight.
"Monster! Joseph, you've turned into a monster too?!"
Seeing him like this reminded her of her brother-in-law… the same terrifying transformation before he died.
"Monster?" Joseph looked at his claws and cracked a wicked smile.
"This isn't monstrous. This is greatness. With this power, we'll rule the world. And all of that begins with…"
He stared hungrily at the girl in Sharan's arms.
Sharina—the one with the power to destroy an evolved vampire in a single blow—was both terrifying and irresistible to Joseph. If he could control that power, he wouldn't just rule vampires. He'd rule everything.
Sharan saw the desire in Joseph's eyes and held Sharina even tighter.
"Don't even think about it. I won't let you touch her! She's my sister's only child. I won't let you take her—no matter what!"
With a snarl, she bared her fangs, then blasted upward—smashing through the ceiling and flying into the sky.
"Run all you want. You won't get far!"
From Joseph's back, two massive flesh-colored wings burst out. With one beat, he shot into the air like an arrow.
"Sharan! Stop fighting it! Hand over Sharina and join me! Join the glorious evolution!"
Sharan looked back and saw Joseph right behind her.
"Never! I'd rather die than become a monster like you! I'll never let you take Sharina!"
She pushed herself to fly faster—but carrying Sharina, there was no way she could outrun Joseph.
"Why?! Why are you betraying me?! Then DIE!"
In midair, two dark-purple energy fangs appeared out of nowhere—and stabbed straight into Sharan.
"AHHH!"
Screaming in agony, Sharan and Sharina plummeted to the ground. Sharan twisted her body to shield the girl, slamming into the earth hard.
Joseph began draining her life force. Her body started to fade—becoming translucent.
"Sharina… run!"
"Auntie Sharan!!"
Sharina's tears poured down as she saw her aunt wounded because of her.
"Go! Joseph's lost his mind. You're Sharon's only daughter—I won't let you die like this!"
As Joseph came closer in the sky, Sharan made her choice.
With the last of her strength, she shoved Sharina away as hard as she could.
"GO!"
Sharina clenched her teeth and sprinted toward the wilderness.
"Run? You really think you can get away?"
Joseph scoffed, then looked down at Sharan's nearly-transparent form.
"Betray me… and this is what you get."
He raised his foot—and stomped down.
Sharan disappeared from the world.
In the woods, Sharina ran with everything she had, her heart pounding in terror.
"You can't run, Sharina!"Joseph's voice echoed behind her—getting closer and closer.
It was a time of pure suffering.
Sharina was locked in a cage, enduring endless torment.
Joseph tried everything—machines, drugs, brutal experiments. He was desperate to unlock the power in her, but no matter what he did, it never worked.
"WHY?! WHY?!"Joseph roared, trashing the lab and smashing equipment in a rage.
Suddenly he spun around and grabbed Sharina by the throat.
"Ten years! Ten goddamn years! Why won't you just give me the power?! WHY?!"
Sharina stared blankly at the man who had tortured her for a decade.
"Give it to me! GIVE ME YOUR POWER!"
Roaring, Joseph transformed into his vampire form again.
"If you won't hand it over—then I'll just EAT you! You're forcing me to do this!"
Those same dark-purple fangs appeared again.
And as they came at her, images flashed before Sharina's eyes—her dad, her mom, Aunt Sharan… her cousin Kana…
"AAAHHH!!"
Sharina let out a blood-curdling scream—and the mark on her palm, missing for ten years, finally came back.
In an instant, Joseph exploded into ash—destroyed by the very power he chased for a decade.
Sharina collapsed to the floor, completely drained.
No one knows how long passed.
Eventually, a vampire count walked into the lab with his guards.
He took out a handkerchief to cover his nose, clearly disgusted by the mess—the experiments, the girl, the sword.
With a look of mild disdain, he picked up a notebook.
"Project Glorious Evolution?"
He flipped through the pages. A faint smile crept across his lips.Then he waved his hand.
"Take everything."
"....."