Golden light bled from Gaia's hands as code-lines spun into the air, forming half-constructed models that pulsed and twitched like newborns.
"Alright," she said, her voice more brittle than usual, "I am attempting to merge… anime exaggeration, Prototype mechanics, and medieval fantasy horror."
Alter leaned back, smirking. "Good. Let's see what you've got."
The first construct took shape: a massive crimson blade dripping with blood… except the hilt was covered in writhing black tendrils. It pulsed like a living organ.
Alter pointed instantly. "Nope. Nope nope nope. Pick a lane, Gaia! It's either cursed anime sword or gore blob. Not both."
Gaia frowned. "But both were in your description—blood-forged anime weapon… and Prototype's bio-mutation."
"Yes," Alter groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "but not mashed together like a horror show. One's epic, the other's disgusting. You're blending tones like a bad smoothie."
Gaia hesitated, then waved her hand. The sword dissolved. A second model formed: a werewolf, snarling and towering… with helicopter rotors sprouting from its back.
Alter stared. "…What the hell is that?"
"A fantasy werewolf… integrated with Prototype's military helicopter enemy type," Gaia said matter-of-factly.
"Gaia." Alter's eye twitched. "That's not integration. That's a Frankenstein. What am I supposed to do, fight Werecopter?"
The monstrosity let out a howl mixed with the sound of whirring blades before collapsing into static.
Alter buried his face in his hands. "…Oh my god."
Gaia blinked innocently. "Did I… misalign the archetypes?"
"Yes!" Alter flailed. "Keep the monsters as monsters. Vampires, liches, banshees. Leave the helicopters in the garbage bin where they belong!"
"Understood," Gaia said solemnly. "No helicopters."
She conjured another attempt: a blood claw, sleek and crimson, lined with glowing runes. But when Alter flexed it experimentally, a system prompt popped up: 'Requires 30 biomass, 15 mana, and one dramatic scream.'
Alter's jaw dropped. "WHAT?"
Gaia tilted her head. "Prototype powers required biomass. Anime required dramatic energy release. Fantasy required mana. I combined the three."
"YOU TRIPLE TAXED ME?!" Alter shouted. "Biomass, mana, AND yelling?!"
Gaia looked at him calmly. "Yes. Balance."
Alter slammed his hands down on the table. "No balance! We've been over this! No. Balance!"
Gaia winced, her golden light flickering like a candle in a storm. "…Recalibrating…"
The construct dissolved again. Silence filled the air until another form appeared: a vampire knight in gothic armor, surrounded by eerie mist.
Alter squinted. "…That actually looks good."
The knight lifted his sword dramatically, and in a sparkling anime pose shouted: "Believe in the power of friendship!"
Alter's soul left his body. "Gaia. What. Was. That."
She blinked. "…Tone balancing error."
"Tone balancing—?!" Alter fell back in his chair, laughing and screaming at the same time. "Oh god, you gave me a Saturday morning anime knight inside a gothic horror sandbox!"
The knight sparkled again, then exploded in static.
Gaia sighed, pressing a hand to her temple like she had a headache. "I am… beginning to see the problem."
Alter leaned forward, grinning wildly. "Oh no, Gaia. You are the problem."
Her golden eyes narrowed. "…And you are the cause."
Alter leaned back, dragging both hands through his hair. "Alright, alright. Let's stop before you spawn another Werecopter."
Gaia blinked, feigning innocence. "…It was a valid test case."
"No," Alter groaned, "it was an abomination. Look, if you want to make this easier—just build on the basics. A fantasy world. Something simple. You know… like Guild Wars."
Gaia's golden eyes flickered. "Guild… Wars. Yes. A fantasy setting with adventurer guilds, regions of varied climates, structured story quests, and evolving conflict arcs."
"Exactly." Alter clapped his hands once. "We'll keep it simple. Build the base world like that. The storyline?" He shrugged. "We can adjust it as we go."
Gaia's brows furrowed slightly. "Adjust… as we go?"
"Yeah," Alter smirked. "It's called flexible storytelling. You'll get used to it."
Gaia exhaled, though it was clearly just for show. "Very well. And the… Evolution system?"
"Now that is where the fun begins." Alter leaned forward, eyes glinting. "We're going to design a branching Evolution tree. Multiple paths. Multiple playstyles. The whole deal."
He raised one finger. "Combat. That's obvious. Claws, swords, martial powers, raw destruction."
Another finger. "Movement. Wall-running, air-dashing, blood wings, shadow gliding."
A third finger. "Survival. Regeneration, armor, durability, sun resistance."
A fourth. "Blood Arts. Magic—ranged skills, curses, control abilities, manipulation."
Finally, his thumb. "Shapeshifting. The wild card. Mutations. Forms. True monstrosity."
He spread his hand wide, grinning. "That's the skeleton of the tree. Five main branches."
Gaia's golden eyes brightened, the streams of data racing behind them accelerating. "Five branches… subdivided into tiers… evolving through blood absorption and essence points…"
She tilted her head, then looked directly at him. "Then the question becomes… what shape do you want the tree to take? Linear paths, like classic progression systems? Or a web, where combat merges into movement, blood arts bleed into shapeshifting, survival connects to all?"
Alter smirked, eyes narrowing. "Good question. Let's hear your suggestions, Gaia."
Her golden fingers moved as though typing into thin air. Holographic diagrams bloomed into existence, glowing crimson.
Golden diagrams shimmered into existence before Alter, each one rotating slowly in the air. Gaia's voice carried a tone of careful precision.
"There are three main approaches I can suggest for your Evolution system."
The first diagram expanded, a tall, glowing tower of branching paths. "Model One: Linear Branches. Progression is direct. Each branch—Combat, Movement, Survival, Blood Arts, Shapeshifting—flows upward like a skill tree. You commit to a single path at a time. Simple, predictable, efficient."
Alter squinted. "Boring."
Gaia frowned. "…Boring?"
"Yeah. That's just… standard leveling with extra steps. I want freedom, not a staircase."
Gaia sighed faintly, then waved her hand. The first diagram dissolved, replaced by a sprawling network of glowing crimson lines. "Model Two: Web/Branch Hybrid. The five branches exist, but they overlap. For example: Combat merges into Movement with dash attacks, Movement into Shapeshifting with bat wings, Blood Arts into Survival with blood wards. You can cross-train and weave multiple paths."
Alter leaned forward, interest flashing in his eyes. "Better. Much better. At least it doesn't feel like I'm climbing a corporate ladder."
Gaia gave the faintest smirk, then shifted the display again. This time the diagram was chaotic—a swirling constellation of points connected by erratic lines, like a madman's chalkboard drawing. "Model Three: Chaotic Freeform. No branches. No order. Just raw absorption. You kill, you gain essence, and you mutate unpredictably. A vampire who consumes a dragon might sprout scales. If you drink a necromancer, you might gain shadow hands. No stability. No rules."
Alter's mouth fell open slightly. "…That's either the coolest thing I've ever seen… or an absolute train wreck."
Gaia arched a brow. "It is unpredictable. Unstable. But undeniably… entertaining."
Alter tapped his chin, grinning slowly. "Hmm. I like elements of the web system. And I like the madness of the freeform system. But I think I've got a better idea."
Gaia tilted her head. "Oh?"
Alter snapped his fingers. "Final Fantasy X."
Gaia blinked, her eyes flickering with rapid data scans. "…Final Fantasy… Ten. Ah. The Sphere Grid."
"Exactly." Alter leaned back with a wolfish grin. "A massive interconnected grid where you unlock nodes in multiple directions, branching however you want, but still with structure. Hybrid of freedom and order. That's how the Evolution tree should work. Not a boring ladder, not complete chaos—a map of power."
Gaia processed this, and for once her smile matched his. "…Yes. I see it. Evolution as a lattice. Every kill is a key. Every node is a choice. Branches that loop back, intersect, diverge."
Alter spread his arms wide. "Now that's a vampire system worthy of S-Class."
Gaia's golden hands glowed brighter, the diagram reshaping into a massive blood-red grid that seemed to stretch endlessly. "Then let us begin constructing… the Blood Grid."
The glowing lattice in front of Alter shifted, no longer a sterile web of empty circles. At his suggestion, the grid pulsed crimson, each point reshaping into floating droplets—blood pearls suspended in golden light.
Gaia's voice was steady, but her fingers twitched slightly as though recalculating nonstop. "I have adjusted. Instead of abstract nodes, the Blood Grid now manifests as essence orbs. Each orb requires a specific type of blood essence, harvested from enemies. Unlocking one allows you to move deeper into that path."
Alter leaned forward, eyes shining. "Perfect. So if I want to unlock a wolf transformation, I'll need wolf blood essences. Not just any monster."
"Correct," Gaia confirmed. "The system will differentiate. To evolve into wolf-forms, you require wolf blood. For bat wings, bat blood. For elemental traits—fire resistance, lightning claws, frost regeneration—you will need elemental essences."
Alter grinned. "So vampires become what they consume."
Gaia hesitated, murmuring: "…Yes. Exactly that."
The first branch of the Blood Grid shimmered, and examples appeared:
Combat Path – Early Tier:
Wolf Blood Essence → Feral Fang Strike (temporary claw transformation).
Bandit Blood Essence → Human Instinct Reflexes (counter attacks).
Bat Blood Essence → Echolocation Pulse.
Movement Path – Early Tier:
Bat Blood Essence → Wing Glide.
Spider Blood Essence → Wall-Cling.
Shadow Essence → Blink Step.
Survival Path – Early Tier:
Ogre Blood Essence → Bone Density Reinforcement.
Troll Blood Essence → Rapid Regeneration.
Elemental Fire Essence → Burn Resistance.
Blood Arts Path – Early Tier:
Sorcerer Blood Essence → Blood Bolt.
Seer Blood Essence → Foresight Shiver (brief prediction flashes).
Wraith Essence → Fear Aura.
Shapeshifting Path – Early Tier:
Wolf Blood Essence → Lupine Form (partial).
Rat Blood Essence → Plague Carrier Bite.
Bat Blood Essence → Swarm Fragmentation.
Alter's grin widened with each reveal. "Yes… yes… YES! This is what I'm talking about! Actual monster hunting with a purpose. Kill it, take it, become it."
Gaia's expression remained calm, though a faint shimmer of static rippled through her projection. "…This is becoming increasingly complex. If every monster requires unique essence tracking, the Blood Grid will expand exponentially."
Alter smirked. "Good. Then it'll feel alive. Every kill will matter."
Gaia frowned slightly, her golden eyes flickering faster. "You are forcing me to design a simulation where vampires evolve endlessly by devouring the world."
Alter leaned back, smug. "Welcome to my design philosophy."
Gaia let out a faint sigh. "Very well. But the system may… glitch under stress tests."
Almost on cue, one of the essence orbs pulsed too hard. A wolf essence merged with a troll essence by accident. The orb morphed into a grotesque half-wolf, half-troll model with mangled claws and tusks. It howled, then short-circuited into static.
Alter blinked, then started laughing so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. "Oh my god. You just gave me a were-troll."
Gaia pinched her temple. "…Tone balancing error."
The Blood Grid pulsed again, its crimson droplets expanding into larger spheres. Gaia's hands glowed brighter as she pulled the system deeper into form.
"Progressing beyond early tier unlocks…" she murmured. "Mid-tier evolutions require clusters of essences—three, five, sometimes ten of the same type—to activate transformations or advanced abilities."
New orbs lit up:
Combat Path – Mid Tier
Dire Wolf Essence (x5) → Alpha Form (full wolf-man transformation, enhanced claws, pack howl buff).
Vampire Hunter Essence (x3) → Reverse Arsenal (gain counter-techniques from slain hunters).
Ogre Essence (x5) → Titan Crush (ground-shaking blow).
Movement Path – Mid Tier
Bat Essence (x10) → True Flight.
Shadow Essence (x5) → Shadow Walk (slip briefly into the void).
Salamander Essence (x7) → Wall-Crawl with Flame Immunity.
Survival Path – Mid Tier
Troll Essence (x8) → Limb Regeneration.
Gargoyle Essence (x6) → Stone Skin.
Elemental Ice Essence (x10) → Cryoflesh Resilience.
Blood Arts Path – Mid Tier
Necromancer Essence (x6) → Summon Bone Familiar.
Witch Essence (x8) → Bloodfire Curse.
Wraith Essence (x10) → Soul Drain.
Shapeshifting Path – Mid Tier
Wolf + Bat + Human Essence (cluster) → Hybrid Beast Form.
Rat Essence (x12) → Swarm Lord.
Dragonling Essence (rare) → Scaled Mutation.
Alter's eyes went wide, grin stretching ear to ear. "Yes… YES! Now we're cooking! Alpha wolf form, shadow walking, necromancer blood magic—oh my god, I'm going to break this world in half."
Before Gaia could respond, one of the spheres flickered violently. A Wolf Essence cluster collided with a Troll Essence cluster, forming a grotesque hybrid node. A hulking wolf with tusks and troll stone skin burst out of the diagram, let out a confused howl-roar, then promptly fell apart into polygons.
Alter burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. "HAHAHA! Oh no—you've made a Stone Wolf Troll. This is the greatest bug I've ever seen."
Gaia pressed her hands to her temples. "That was… an unstable merge. Incorrect tagging of hybrid categories. I will correct it."
"No, no, don't fix it yet!" Alter wheezed. "Let me fight a Stone Wolf Troll first!"
Gaia shot him a deadpan glare. "You would actually want to fight that."
"Yes!" Alter beamed. "I live for chaos."
The grid pulsed again, stabilizing this time—until suddenly a Bat Essence orb collided with a Witch Essence orb. The result? A sparkly, broom-riding vampire bat in a witch's hat.
Alter fell backwards in his phantom chair. "OH GOD—Vampbat the Witch!"
The glitchy creature cackled, spun in a circle, and then exploded into red glitter.
Gaia sighed like a weary teacher. "…Tone balancing error."
Alter wiped tears from his eyes. "Gaia, don't ever change."
But then he froze, the humor slipping into thought. "Wait. Hold up."
Gaia tilted her head. "…What now?"
Alter's expression turned serious. "If I get injured—how would I heal? I mean, yeah, regeneration from troll blood, but what if I don't have it yet?"
Gaia hesitated. "…You would need to consume blood essence. Feeding restores vitality. Without it…"
Alter's eyes narrowed. "Then what if I don't have any enemies around? Would I starve?"
For a moment, the glowing grid dimmed, as though even Gaia was unsettled by the question.
"…Yes," she said softly. "Without blood, without prey—you would weaken. Eventually collapse."
Alter sat back, his grin returning, darker now. "So not only am I the monster everyone fears… I'm also chained to hunger."
Gaia's voice lowered. "…You wanted to be feared by humans and monsters alike. Then you must also bear the curse of being a predator."
Alter chuckled, sharp and low. "Good. That's exactly how it should be."
The Blood Grid dimmed, its crimson glow shifting into something darker, more oppressive. Gaia extended her hand, and streams of golden script spiraled into the air, forming rules.
"To sustain this system, feeding cannot be optional," she said evenly. "A vampire who does not consume blood will deteriorate. This is your curse, your hunger."
Alter leaned forward, interested. "Lay it on me."
Gaia's voice deepened, carrying a tone almost ritualistic:
"If you fail to consume blood within three hours of combat exertion, your regeneration slows."
"If six hours pass without feeding, your strength diminishes, your essence weakens."
"After twelve hours, frenzy begins—the predator overtakes your reason."
"After twenty-four, your form begins to unravel. Collapse follows."
The words hung in the air like iron chains.
Alter whistled low. "…Damn. That's brutal."
Gaia nodded once. "It is authentic. Vampirism is a hunger, not a convenience. You gain power, but you must pay the cost."
Alter leaned back, arms crossed. "Makes sense. But…" He smirked. "What if I don't want to keel over just because I can't find a snack in the woods?"
Gaia blinked. "…You cannot bypass hunger."
"Not bypass. Manage." Alter raised a finger. "What if, every time I consume blood, I store a portion of it as a kind of currency bank. Call it… the Blood Bank."
Gaia's golden eyes flickered. "…A… storage?"
"Yes." Alter grinned. "When I feed, I don't just restore health or gain essence. A fraction of that blood gets stored in the bank. Then, if I go more than six hours without feeding, I start automatically dipping into that reserve."
Gaia froze, processing, her projection flickering faintly. "That would… extend survival."
"Exactly." Alter smirked. "Makes the system harsher and smarter. If I'm careful, I can stockpile a reserve. If I'm reckless, I'll run dry and risk frenzy. Perfect balance—"
Gaia raised a finger. "Do not use that word."
Alter chuckled. "Fine. Perfect design, then."
She exhaled slowly, but nodded. "Then we shall implement it. Hunger remains the curse… but preparation becomes your salvation. Fail to feed, and you still collapse. But if you are wise enough to store your blood… you may stave off starvation."
Alter leaned back, satisfied. "Now that's a vampire system worth playing."
The Blood Grid pulsed, and for the first time, it seemed stable.
The Blood Grid darkened. The crimson droplets that once shimmered with potential now dulled, dimming into a deep, almost black-red glow. The air grew heavy, pressing against Alter like a suffocating weight.
Gaia's voice dropped to a lower register, almost hollow. "You wished to know what happens… when hunger overtakes you."
Alter straightened in his phantom chair. "Yeah. Show me."
The grid pulsed once—and then the simulation flickered. A vision formed before him. His own avatar appeared, leaner, gaunter, veins bulging beneath pale skin. The eyes glowed a feral scarlet, unfocused, wild.
"This is the Frenzy State," Gaia explained. "When blood runs too low, instinct replaces thought. Hunger consumes reason. You no longer distinguish between friend or foe."
The avatar let out a guttural roar and lunged at a shadowy figure—a villager, screaming in terror. Alter winced as his frenzied self tore into the figure, blood spraying in arcs.
"Uncontrolled feeding," Gaia continued. "Every heartbeat around you becomes prey. You gain tremendous strength—your claws sharpen, your speed multiplies, your resilience peaks."
The vision shifted: the frenzied Alter slashed through armored knights like parchment, his body a whirlwind of claws and teeth. But his movements were erratic, twitching, unstable.
"…But at the cost of control," Gaia said. "Frenzy breaks stealth. Your movements become wild, your powers indiscriminate. You may kill enemies faster… but you may also slaughter innocents. Or allies."
The frenzied avatar suddenly turned, red eyes locking onto Gaia's projection. With a howl, it lunged—not at soldiers, not at monsters—but at her.
Gaia's projection flinched ever so slightly before dispersing the image.
The Blood Grid returned, glowing steady once more.
Alter exhaled slowly. "…So frenzy's basically a power boost, but I risk becoming… a rabid animal."
Gaia folded her hands in front of her, her voice steady again. "Yes. It is your curse. It is both your greatest weapon… and your greatest shame."
Alter leaned back, his grin faint but sharp. "…I love it."
Gaia arched a brow. "You love… losing control?"
"No," Alter smirked, tapping his temple. "I love the stakes. Knowing that if I push too far, I might become the thing even monsters fear. That's the edge that makes it fun."
Gaia regarded him in silence for a moment, then murmured, "You are far too comfortable with monstrosity."
"Hey." Alter shrugged. "You don't sign up for vampire power fantasy expecting to stay a choir boy."