Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Feverish Evolution

Lina could barely remember how she made it back to her dorm room, everything after the hallway felt blurry inside her head.

The dead Shadow Hound, the blood covering the floor.

The strange voice that had spoken directly into her mind.

And most frightening of all, the red mana is pouring out of Qhuin’s tiny body.

The moment she entered the Class A dormitory room, Lina quickly locked the door behind her before rushing toward the bed. She carefully placed Qhuin onto the blanket while panic filled her silver eyes.

"S-Snowy..."

Qhuin’s body trembled violently, as dark crimson mana leaked from beneath his white fur like smoke escaping from burning paper. Every few seconds his small body twitched painfully against the blanket.

Lina immediately grabbed a wet towel and placed it gently beside him.

"You’re burning up..."

Qhuin didn’t respond, Inside his consciousness, the system windows flashed endlessly.

[Blood Energy Threshold Reached]

[Forced Evolution Beginning]

[Race Advancement In Progress]

Pain exploded through every part of his body, His bones felt like they were breaking apart and rebuilding themselves again and again. Blood rushed violently through his veins while strange energy spread into every inch of flesh.

Qhuin gritted his teeth internally.

’Good. This was good, Finally, no more fluffy toy body.

The evolution continued for hours.

Lina stayed beside the bed the entire night while watching him nervously. Several times she almost ran to call a professor, but each time she remembered the strange voice from before.

Sleeping... Do not disturb...

So she endured it alone.

At some point during the night, Lina accidentally fell asleep beside him while holding the edge of the blanket.

Morning arrived quietly.

Sunlight passed through the dormitory window, lighting the room softly.

Qhuin still hadn’t woken up.

Lina slowly opened her eyes before immediately looking toward the bed again.

"...Snowy?"

No response.

Lina’s worry only grew worse.

She skipped breakfast.

Then classes.

She stayed inside the dorm the entire day watching over him.

Several students knocked on the door during the afternoon, curious why the famous "rabbit girl" hadn’t shown up for orientation, she could also hear commotion in the hallway about a dead beast.

Lina ignored all of them, by evening, the changes finally became more noticeable.

The crimson mana around him became thicker during the afternoon. His white fur slowly began to change as his body grew larger, little by little.

Lina stared in shock.

His soft round rabbit body was becoming leaner. Longer and Sharper.

The cute harmless appearance slowly disappeared.

His ears stretched upward while crimson lines appeared beneath his fur like flowing blood. His claws became darker and slightly curved, and even his face looked more dangerous now.

Lina slowly covered her mouth.

"...Snowy?"

The rabbit on the bed no longer looked completely harmless, he looked like a predator pretending to be a rabbit.

Then suddenly—

Qhuin’s crimson eyes snapped open, a wave of pressure spread through the room.

The windows shook lightly.

Lina froze, for the first time since meeting him, Qhuin truly looked like a creature connected to darkness and blood.

Qhuin slowly stood up on the bed.

[Evolution Complete]

[Race Upgraded]

[Blood-Seeker Hare (Rank D - Variant)]

[Level Increased: 1 → 5]

[Bloodline Unlocked: Vampire Noble (5%)]

[New Skills Acquired]

Looking at the screen, his body felt light and powerful.

He could hear footsteps across the dormitory building. He could smell the blood moving through Lina’s veins. Even the mana flowing through the academy walls felt clearer now.

’Finally...’

Qhuin looked down at himself, no more round fluffy rabbit, no more weak toy appearance.

The evolved form looked elegant and deadly.

A properly evolved vampire beast, a grin almost appeared on his face.

’Now this is much better.’

Lina stared at him nervously from the side of the room.

"You... changed..."

Qhuin looked toward her proudly, Of course, I changed. I am no longer some pathetic decorative pet.

Then suddenly—

Ding!

[Warning]

[Combat Form Exceeds Current Survival Parameters]

Qhuin frowned.

’What?’

Before he could react, crimson chains made from system energy suddenly wrapped around his body.

His eyes widened in panic

"What is this?!"

The chains tightened instantly, then his evolved body began shrinking.

The sharp claws disappeared first.

Then the lean body.

The crimson markings faded.

His dangerous aura vanished completely.

Within seconds—

Qhuin was back to being a small fluffy snowy rabbit sitting on the bed.

Silence filled the room.

Lina blinked twice.

"...Snowy? What happened"

Qhuin stared at his tiny paws in horror.

Then at his fluffy white fur, then at his round body.

"...What?"

His back leg suddenly thumped against the blanket repeatedly.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Qhuin froze.

’Why is my leg doing that?!’

Another system screen appeared before he could process what had happened

[Base Form Suppression Active]

[Current Host Must Maintain Harmless Appearance]

[Reason:

Avoid Hunter Detection

Conceal Vampire Bloodline

Increase Survival Probability]

[Combat Mode Unlocked:

Temporarily releases true evolved form for 01:00 minutes]

Qhuin stared at the screen silently, then he looked at himself and then back at the screen.

"...You sealed me back into cute mode?"

[Correct]

Qhuin nearly lost control.

"I suffered through twelve hours of agony for THIS?!"

Lina only heard angry squeaking noises.

"Squeak! Squeak! SQUEAK!"

She tilted her head slightly.

"...Why do you sound upset?"

’Because I LOOK LIKE A PILLOW AGAIN!’

Qhuin jumped off the bed furiously.

Or at least—

He tried to.

Instead, his fluffy body bounced awkwardly against the blanket before landing face-first into a pillow.

Lina stared for a moment before slowly walking closer.

"...You’re still cute."

Qhuin turned toward her with pure vampire rage in his crimson eyes.

Lina reached down carefully and picked him up, the moment her fingers scratched behind his ears, his body immediately relaxed against his will.

His eyes narrowed slightly, in absolutely humiliation.

Lina smiled softly while holding him against her chest.

"You worried me so much..."

Qhuin tried maintaining his dignity, but his rabbit instincts betrayed him again when his nose caught the scent of fresh mana herbs sitting on the desk nearby.

Before his brain could stop him, he leaned forward automatically and bit into one of the leaves Lina had collected earlier.

Crunch.

Qhuin froze.

Lina blinked.

"...Were you hungry?"

Qhuin immediately spat the leaf onto the floor.

’Disgusting, Why does this body keep eating plants?!’

Lina laughed softly for the first time since yesterday.

Qhuin turned away in shame while opening his status window again.

[System Status Window]

Name: Qhuin (Snowy)

Race: Blood-Seeker Hare (Rank D - Variant)

Level: 5

Blood Energy: 0 / 500

Hidden Bloodline: Vampire Noble ( - 5% Unlocked)

Skills:

Blood Predator Lv. 1

Crimson Pressure

Combat Mode (01:00 Minute)

Blood Turn (Lv. 1)

Qhuin stared at the new abilities quietly.

Especially—

[Blood Turn]

Can convert defeated or submissive beasts into loyal Blood-Thralls.

A slow smile appeared inside his mind, if Combat Mode allowed him to reclaim his true form temporarily...

Then Blood Turn would allow him to start building something much more important, Servants, Spies and he already knew exactly which beast would become the first one.