Vampire's Path to Peak

Max crouched low in the underbrush, his glowing crimson eyes fixed on the two women as they moved farther from their group. Rael, the support caster, glided with an air of confidence, her glowing runes pulsing faintly as she maintained a protective barrier around herself. Beside her, Mira kept a bow nocked and ready, her sharp eyes scanning the area for threats.

Max's lips curled into a slight grin. Okay, pairs of two will be harder to hunt. But they made it easy for me anyway, because two doesn't equal four,' he thought. His senses were sharp, his body humming with the thrill of the hunt. This was nothing like playing games or reading about epic battles in books. The adrenaline coursing through his veins was intoxicating, and every fiber of his being demanded action.

"I still don't understand why Rennick hasn't reported back," Rael said, her voice tinged with irritation. "He's careless, but this is ridiculous."

Mira shrugged, her gaze fixed ahead. "He probably got distracted. You know how he is."

"Still," Rael replied, "we can't keep splitting up like this. Whatever killed that beast might still be out here."

Max moved silently, his enhanced hearing catching every word. 'They're uneasy. Good. That makes them easier to handle.' He waited until they were well out of sight from the others before making his move.

...

Rael paused suddenly, her runes flaring as a soft hum filled the air. "Something's off," she murmured, her eyes scanning the darkness.

"What is it?" Mira asked, her grip tightening on her bow.

Rael opened her mouth to reply, but Max struck before she could finish. He moved with blinding speed, his claws slicing through the air as he aimed for her barrier. Sparks erupted as his attack collided with her protective shield, the force sending Rael stumbling backward.

"Rael!" Mira shouted, turning and loosing an arrow in one fluid motion. Max twisted to the side, the arrow grazing his arm but doing little to slow him down.

Rael's barrier flickered but held. Her runes pulsed as she reinforced it, sweat beading on her brow. "It's a kid," Mira said, her voice incredulous. "What the hell?"

"Don't let his appearance fool you!" Rael snapped, her voice sharp despite the strain. "If not for this shield and my new gear, I'd already be dead."

Max's smirk widened. 'They're underestimating me,' he thought. 'Mistake... big mistake.'

He lunged at Rael again, his claws extending as he aimed for her chest. The barrier crackled and buckled under his assault, but it didn't break. Mira fired another arrow, this one embedding itself in Max's shoulder. He grunted in pain but didn't stop, the wound already beginning to close.

'So this is what regeneration during the combat feels like,' he thought, a strange satisfaction washing over him. He darted to the side, using the trees as cover as he circled his prey while his crimson eyes glowing faintly. His mind raced with strategies, recalling countless games and stories where precision and patience were key.

...

Rael steadied herself, her hands glowing as she cast another layer onto her shield. "Mira, keep him distracted! I need a few seconds."

"Seconds we don't have!" Mira hissed, loosing another arrow. This time, Max caught it mid-air, snapping it in half with a flick of his wrist. He darted toward Mira, his movements a blur, forcing her to leap backward to avoid his claws. She landed in a crouch, quickly nocking another arrow, her sharp eyes locking onto him.

Max feinted left, then pivoted sharply, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. Mira barely managed to roll out of the way, his claws raking the ground where she had stood. Dirt and leaves exploded into the air, obscuring their vision for a moment. Taking advantage of the chaos, Rael unleashed a burst of light from her runes, illuminating the area and forcing Max to retreat momentarily.

"He's too fast," Mira muttered, frustration lacing her tone. "I can't keep up."

"Just hold on," Rael replied, her voice strained. "I can… I can reinforce the shield."

But Max didn't give her the chance. He lunged again, this time feinting toward Rael before pivoting and slashing at Mira. She barely dodged, his claws tearing through the fabric of her cloak and leaving a deep gash in her side. Mira cried out, dropping to one knee as blood seeped from the wound.

Rael's runes flared brightly as she cast a defensive spell, a wall of light erupting between Max and Mira. "Stay back!" she shouted, her eyes blazing with determination.

Max tilted his head, his glowing eyes locking onto hers. "You're good," he said, his voice low and taunting. "But not good enough."

He darted around the barrier, closing the distance in a heartbeat. His claws tore through Rael's shoulder, breaking her concentration and causing the barrier to shatter. She stumbled back, blood staining her robes as she struggled to stay on her feet.

Mira, despite her injury, nocked another arrow. "Rael, get behind me!" she yelled, her voice trembling with pain.

Max moved to press the advantage, but Mira's arrow struck true, embedding itself in his thigh. He hissed in pain, his crimson eyes narrowing. 'They're putting up more of a fight than I expected,' he thought. 'But it won't matter.'

...

The clearing became a blur of motion and blood. Max fought with savage precision, his claws and fangs tearing through armor and flesh. His own wounds healed rapidly, the adrenaline and blood fueling his every move. Mira and Rael fought back valiantly, their teamwork honed from years of adventuring, but they couldn't match his raw speed and ferocity.

Finally, with a guttural roar, Max struck the finishing blow. His claws slashed through Rael's chest, her runes flickering one last time before fading completely. She crumpled to the ground, her lifeless eyes staring at the sky.

Mira, her body trembling from blood loss, tried to nock another arrow, but her strength failed her. Max advanced slowly, his glowing eyes fixed on her as she collapsed.

"You fought well," he said softly, almost as if offering a twisted form of respect. Then he lunged, his fangs sinking into her neck.

*Gulp*

The taste of her blood was intoxicating, and he drank deeply, the hunger within him finally sated.

...

As he pulled away, Max wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His body hummed with newfound energy, his wounds closing faster than before. 'This is different from the time in the lab, even after many experiments and injections into my body in those hard months, my body does not improve that much,' he thought, flexing his claws. 'Stronger. Faster. What am I becoming? What is changing in me?'

He barely had time to ponder the question before his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. Two sets, heavy and deliberate. The remaining adventurers were coming.

Max's eyes darted to the treeline. He knew he couldn't face them both in his current state. With one last glance at the bodies of his fallen opponents, he melted into the shadows, his crimson eyes disappearing into the night as the footsteps grew louder.

'This isn't over,' he thought, a predatory smirk curling his lips. 'Not yet.'