Walking behind the lion-headed professor was an experience in itself. His name, he said in his low, rumbling voice, was Professor Alistair, and he was the head of Combat Arts at the academy. He didn't seem angry, which Leo was grateful for, but his sheer presence was intimidating. Every student they passed, no matter how powerful or arrogant they looked, immediately flattened themselves against the wall and bowed their heads slightly. It seemed Kaelen wasn't the only big shot around here.
"You find yourself in a very precarious situation, boy," Alistair said without looking back, his voice echoing slightly in the grand, open-air corridor they were walking through. The corridor itself was a bridge of solid white light, connecting one of the main towers to a smaller, more ornate spire that floated by itself.
"I'm starting to realize that," Leo said, his voice barely a whisper. He couldn't stop looking around. The scale of this place was impossible. He saw students flying on their own wings, others riding on what looked like small, personal clouds, zipping between the towers. The air was alive with the hum of energy and the distant sounds of lectures, explosions, and laughter.
"The invitation you received was clearly not meant for you," Alistair continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "That it found you at all is a magical anomaly of the highest order. That you survived an encounter with a vampire noble like Kaelen is… unheard of for a human." He paused and glanced back, his amber eyes seeming to peer right through Leo. "And the abilities you displayed… that was not human magic. Explain."
Leo's heart hammered in his chest. What could he possibly say? 'My body has a video game menu now, and it gave me vampire powers after I died'? They'd probably lock him up in a padded room, if this place even had them.
"I… I don't know how to explain it," Leo said, sticking as close to the truth as he could. "When he killed me, everything went dark. And then I felt this… awakening. A power flared up inside me. I just acted on instinct."
Alistair was silent for a long moment, considering Leo's words. "An awakening," he repeated thoughtfully. "Interesting."
They arrived at a set of massive, ornate doors carved from a dark, iridescent wood. Two guards stood on either side, hulking figures in full plate armor with the heads of horned wolves. They saw Professor Alistair and immediately slammed their fists to their breastplates in a salute, pushing the heavy doors open.
They had arrived at the Headmaster's office.
If the rest of the academy was breathtaking, this room was on another level. It was a vast, circular chamber at the very top of the spire, with a domed ceiling made of what looked like solid crystal, showing the twin suns and the purple sky above. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves filled with ancient, leather-bound tomes. Strange magical artifacts floated in glass cases, glowing with soft, internal light. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, ozone, and a faint, sharp scent like cinnamon and ash.
Behind a massive desk carved from a single piece of obsidian sat a man. He looked like a perfectly ordinary, elderly human. He had kind, wrinkled eyes, a neatly trimmed white beard, and wore simple, dark blue robes. But as Leo got closer, he realized how wrong his first impression was. The man's eyes weren't just old; they were ancient. And deep within their grey depths, a faint, golden light swirled, like embers in a dying fire. The sheer power rolling off him in gentle waves was a hundred times more intense than Professor Alistair's. This was a dragon hiding in human skin.
"Professor Alistair," the old man said, his voice calm and warm, yet it filled the massive room without any effort. "And this must be the young man who caused the disturbance in the Grand Courtyard."
"Headmaster Valerius," Alistair said with a respectful bow of his head. "This is Leo Vance. The… recipient of Lord Leonidas's invitation."
The Headmaster gestured to a simple chair in front of his desk. "Sit, Mr. Vance. And please, tell me everything. From the beginning."
Feeling a strange sense of calm in the Headmaster's presence, Leo sat down. He told his story. He talked about his grey, empty life in the human world, the sudden appearance of the letter, the archway in the park, and his arrival at the academy. He described Kaelen's attack, the feeling of his heart being pierced, and the absolute certainty of his own death. Then he explained the 'awakening'—the surge of warmth and power, the new senses, and the instincts that had allowed him to defend himself. He left out the blue screens and the system's voice, framing it as a sudden, miraculous discovery of an innate power he never knew he had.
Headmaster Valerius listened patiently, his hands steepled in front of him, his ancient eyes never leaving Leo's face. When Leo finished, the room was silent for a long time.
"Fascinating," Valerius finally said, his voice soft. "It would seem, Mr. Vance, that you are not entirely human after all. Somewhere in your ancestry, a vampire bloodline must have taken root, lying dormant for generations. Your death, combined with the high-mana environment of this academy, must have been the catalyst to forcefully awaken it."
Leo stared at him, stunned. "A vampire bloodline? But I'm human. I've always been human."
"Your body may be human, but your soul now sings with the power of the night," Valerius said with a small smile. "It would explain everything. How you survived, and how you could manifest a pureblood technique like the Blood Shield. You did not steal the power, Mr. Vance. It is your own—an inheritance you were unaware of."
Professor Alistair looked troubled. "Headmaster, if this is true… a human with a dormant vampire bloodline… The great vampire clans will not take this lightly. They will see him as a dilution, a stain on their pure lineage."
"Indeed," Valerius said, his gaze becoming serious. "Which means he is in more danger than he can possibly imagine."
The Headmaster looked at Leo, his kind eyes now filled with a solemn gravity. "Leo, this academy is a place of learning, but it is also a microcosm of the world outside. It is filled with politics, prejudice, and pride. The scions of the great clans value purity above all else. A human who manifests their sacred abilities will not be seen as a miracle. He will be seen as a threat. An abomination. They will try to destroy you."
Leo's newfound hope faltered, replaced by a cold dread. "So… what happens to me now? Do you want me to leave?"
"Leave?" Valerius chuckled, a warm, rich sound. "Absolutely not. The Elysian Academy does not turn away potential, no matter how strange its form. You were brought here, and you have proven you are not defenseless. You will stay. You will learn. And you will grow strong enough to face those who would see you fall."
He waved a hand, and a neatly folded pile of clothing appeared on the desk, along with a small, silver key. It was a uniform, just like the one Kaelen had been wearing, but in a simple, unadorned black.
"This is the standard first-year uniform," Valerius explained. "And a key to your assigned quarters in the newcomer's dormitory. Professor Alistair will show you the way. For now, your enrollment is provisional. We will observe you. Learn what you are capable of. Do not give me a reason to regret this decision, Leo Vance."
"I won't, Headmaster," Leo said, standing up and taking the uniform and key. The fabric was impossibly soft and light. "Thank you."
The walk to the dormitory was a blur. Professor Alistair gave him a quick rundown of the academy's basic rules—curfew at the chime of the silver sun's setting, mandatory attendance in core classes, and an absolute prohibition on lethal force outside of sanctioned dueling arenas.
The dormitory was another towering spire, and his room was on one of the middle floors. Alistair pointed to a door. "This is you. Your student tablet is inside. It contains your schedule, a map of the academy, and the basic curriculum. Classes begin tomorrow morning. Try to stay out of trouble until then." With a final, unreadable look, the lion-man turned and walked away.
Leo took a deep breath and unlocked the door.
The room was simple, but it was a palace compared to his old apartment. There was a comfortable-looking bed, a wooden desk, a wardrobe, and a large window that looked out over the breathtaking landscape of the academy. He dropped the uniform on the bed and walked to the window, pressing his hand against the cool glass.
He had a room. He had a uniform. He was officially a student. The adrenaline from the fight began to fade, and the sheer, bone-deep exhaustion of the day washed over him. He had died. And now he was here, reborn into a world he didn't understand, with a power he couldn't comprehend.
Sinking onto the edge of the bed, he closed his eyes and called up the system.
PROGENITOR SYSTEM
Host:Leo Vance
Race:Human (?)
Bloodlines: -Vampire (Grade: Fledgling | Purity: 1%)
Skills: -Blood Shield (Active) - Blood Rampage (Active)
He stared at the screen, his own personal secret. The Headmaster believed he had dormant vampire blood. It was a good cover story, one that was close to the truth, but Leo knew the real source was this strange system. He then focused on the message he had received in the courtyard, the one that had appeared when he saw the girl with the violet eyes.
[Soulmate Detected!]
[Name: Seraphina Midnight]
[Race: Vampire (Royal)]
[Status: Soul Bond Latent. Physical contact is required to unlock all sealed abilities of the Vampire Bloodline. Upon contact, the 'Evolution Process' will become available.]
Unlock all sealed abilities. That meant there was more, much more, than just the two skills he had now. And the "Evolution Process" sounded like the key to increasing the 1% purity. All he had to do was make physical contact with her. It sounded so simple, but he knew it wouldn't be. She was royalty. He was a human nobody who had just made a powerful enemy on his first day.
He collapsed back onto the bed, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. His old life was gone. His new life was terrifying, confusing, and filled with enemies who wanted him dead.
But for the first time, he had power. He had a path forward. He had a goal.
Find Seraphina. Get stronger. Survive.
A slow smile spread across his face. The grey was gone. His world was finally, terrifyingly, full of color.
Thanks for reading.....
[A/N]: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy my very first work. If you do, please consider adding it to your collection and sharing your thoughts in the comments—it really helps a lot. I'll be posting 2 chapters per day, along with a few bonus chapters once certain power stone milestones are reached (details will be revealed in future chapters). Stay tuned and enjoy the journey!