Perspective Shift:
Van Helsing slowly came to consciousness, an unpleasant metallic scent of blood filling the air.
What was with this overwhelming stench? Did the cat drag another dead mouse onto the bed again?
Judging by how strong it was… it might even be right above his head. How many times had he said it already—he knew the cat was capable, no need to bring trophies back…
Wait. Something's wrong.
The moment the golden finger fused with Anna's hand, Van Helsing's mind snapped fully awake. It felt like a suffocating brain suddenly receiving a rush of oxygen—clarity flooding back with every pulse.
Where am I?
Looking around, he quickly realized something was off. His perspective was strange—like he was being held in someone's hand. The woman before him lifted him high, her lips curling into a smile, as if celebrating something.
Could it be…
Did I transmigrate?
Seeing how excited she looked… did I become her child? That's why she's holding me in her palm?
"I've got it! I've obtained you—the power of the heretical god, Van Helsing!"
The trembling voice of the ancient-robed woman struck his mind like a bolt of lightning.
Memories surged back as blood continued to flow through the hand.
He had already transmigrated.
Only… inside a wooden box.
To be honest, when he first saw the redwood lid, he thought he was dead—like he'd been laid out in a coffin.
But later he realized… it wasn't even a coffin.
Just a small box.
And he wasn't a corpse either.
That's right—Van Helsing discovered that he was merely a finger.
Not even a whole body—just a single finger.
Hearing someone outside the box muttering about "killing a junior sister" and "a damaged blood core," he had panicked and knocked against the lid, trying to get someone to open it.
After that, lacking sufficient energy as just a finger, he had fallen back into dormancy.
From Anna's fragmented words, he had already pieced together the situation.
He had transmigrated into a Western fantasy game called Under the Gods, becoming a very special existence—one who, from the game's launch until now, had only ever existed in the background lore:
"Van Helsing."
That's right—the same name as his own. No wonder he knew this game so well.
After all, if a massively popular game featured a character with your exact name, your friends would definitely drag you in just to see your reaction.
The reason Van Helsing was considered mere background was simple: he had no direct storyline. From beginning to end, only his overwhelming power—manifested as "Divine Remains"—was ever shown.
As an open-world adventure RPG, players didn't just grow stronger by leveling up—they also had to collect various functional items.
In different games, these items went by different names: Vision, Relics, Echoes…
But in Under the Gods, they were called Van Helsing's "Divine Remains."
His thoughts settled.
Then the next objective became obvious:
Manipulate the Anna before him—make her gather his Divine Remains, and restore him to completeness.
"Oh? You crave my power that much?"
"Y-you… who are you…?" Anna had already been uneasy about using the forbidden relic. Now, hearing a voice in her head, she collapsed to the ground, all her previous joy gone.
"You seek my power, yet don't know who I am?" Van Helsing asked calmly.
Anna's face turned pale, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.
Of course she knew who these relics belonged to.
But wasn't Van Helsing's soul supposed to have been erased by the gods? Only the scattered remains should exist.
So how could he still be alive—speaking inside her mind?
Her gaze fell to her thumb.
Was it because of this?
Her left hand groped for the dagger on the ground, intending to cut it off in one stroke.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Van Helsing's voice echoed faintly.
"W-why wouldn't I be?" Anna tightened her grip on the dagger, but hesitated.
"You covet a god's power, yet fear a god's existence?" Van Helsing chuckled, his tone laced with mockery. "Seems you're nothing more than a twisted worm—indecisive, yet greedy for strength."
His words struck a nerve.
Recalling how she had stood behind her junior sister, dagger in hand, yet unable to act, Anna snapped angrily:
"Who are you calling a worm?! I am a disciple of the Bitter Sea Sect—a legitimate sect of divine lineage! I am destined to succeed in cultivation! You're the worm—you're nothing but shattered remains torn apart by the gods!"
She poured out a torrent of words, as if trying to mask her own insignificance—her status as someone who could be replaced at any moment.
"You heretical god… I should hand you over to the sect and have you sealed forever!"
She raised the dagger high.
"And what about your blood core?" Van Helsing said lightly. "Have you thought about the consequences?"
"Blood core…" Anna froze mid-motion, hesitation flashing across her face.
Van Helsing wasn't surprised.
Someone afraid of being replaced, who wanted to kill her junior sister—but foolish enough to use sleeping drugs instead of poison, then stand there hesitating with a dagger…
A person neither fully evil nor truly good—just weak and easily manipulated.
Perfect.
"Consequences? What do you mean?" Anna asked.
"Do I need to spell it out?" The thumb twitched slightly, as if tilting its head. "You cut me off… and then what?"
"Then of course I'd hand you over to the sec—" She stopped mid-sentence, realization dawning.
"You'll tell them you attached the finger, discovered the soul of a heretical god, and came to turn it in?" Van Helsing finished for her.
Anna's expression stiffened.
She had already violated sect rules by attaching the finger. If she admitted to contacting Van Helsing's soul…
Wouldn't they suspect possession? Mind control?
As an outer disciple, she held little value. The sect could easily eliminate her to remove the risk.
The dagger in her hand slowly lowered.
Van Helsing knew—he was halfway there.
But not enough.
"You've already made your choice, haven't you?" he pressed. "The moment you attached my finger, there was no turning back."
"Have I… already decided?" Anna murmured, her eyes wavering.
"Yes. You're ready," Van Helsing continued, his voice rippling through her consciousness like waves. "Ready to use my power… to reclaim your fate."
"…Yes."
A flame ignited in Anna's eyes.
"I'm ready. I'll restore my blood core… and take back my destiny."
Ambition burned within her.