Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Shadow-Vampire Hare

The final number vanished, and for a moment, the room became completely silent.

Then the crimson cocoon surrounding Qhuin cracked.

A thin fracture spread across its surface like lightning crawling through glass. Another followed. Then another.

The entire cocoon shattered, and a wave of dark red particles burst across the bedroom.

Lina threw an arm over her face as fragments of crimson light scattered through the air and dissolved into nothing.

The violent pressure that had filled the room for almost an entire day suddenly disappeared.

The silence that followed felt even stranger,Slowly, Lina lowered her arm.

Her eyes widened. Qhuin was sitting in the middle of the bed.

At first glance, he still looked like a rabbit.

A small harmless rabbit, but the differences were impossible to miss.

His white fur looked cleaner and smoother than before. The tips of his long ears were now covered in soft midnight-black fur that faded naturally into white further down. A thin line of black shadow fur continued from the back of his head all the way down his spine.

His ruby eyes seemed brighter and stronger, filled with wisdom not belonging to a rabbit.

The sleepy look he used to carry was gone, instead, his gaze held a calm brightness that made Lina feel as though she were standing in front of someone much older than herself.

Qhuin slowly looked down at his paws, flexing them, then a faint smile appeared on his face.

The evolution had succeeded,Several blue screens immediately appeared in front of him.

[Evolution Complete]

[New Race: Shadow-Vampire Lord Hare]

[Rank D+ — Elite Variant]

[Current Level: 10]

[All Physical Base Statistics Increased, Long-Term Quest Progress Updated: 5%]

[Contractor Symbiosis Calibrated]

[New Skill Acquired: Vampire Charm Lv. 1]

[Combat Mode Lv. 2 Updated]

Qhuin’s eyes paused on the final notification,more text unfolded beneath it.

[Combat Mode Lv. 2:

Temporarily releases the sealed Shadow-Vampire hare Beast Form.

Duration: 3 Minutes.

Physical Attributes Increased by 500%]

For the first time since waking up, genuine interest appeared in Qhuin’s eyes.

A true combat evolution hidden beneath his harmless appearance.

Unfortunately, the system refused to show any further details.

The form remained completely sealed unless he entered combat mode,

Qhuin clicked his tongue internally. ’The system loved being dramatic’

Before he could examine the rest of the notifications, another burst of light exploded inside the room.

Lina jumped, new golden screens materialized between them.

[Contractor Talent Activated]

[SSS-Rank Talent: Infinite Symbiosis]

[Transferring 50% of Acquired Mana]

[Transferring 50% of Acquired Speed] 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

[Transferring Compatible Active Skills]

For a moment, nothing happened, then Lina gasped. A surge of energy erupted from Qhuin’s body.

The dark red mana crashed into her like a tidal wave, and Lina stumbled backward.

The world around her spun, and her knees gave out. She landed heavily on the mattress while clutching her chest.

The energy pouring through her body felt endless, every muscle tightened, every nerve screamed and her mana core expanded violently.

The sensation lasted only a few seconds, but to Lina, it felt like hours.

When it finally ended, she remained frozen on the bed, breathing heavily, something had changed and everything looked different.

She could see dust floating through the air near the ceiling. She could hear distant footsteps moving through the hallway outside.

Even the ticking of the clock on her desk sounded unnaturally loud.

Lina slowly turned her head, the movement felt strange, and the room seemed slower than before.

Not actually slower, but must easier to follow Her senses had sharpened dramatically.

Meanwhile, Qhuin calmly reviewed the system notifications. His contractor’s talent was even more ridiculous than he originally thought.

An SSS-Rank talent.

Even in his previous life, talents of that level were rare enough to shake entire nations.

Lina stared at her hands, then she looked toward Qhuin. Then back at her hands, her expression suddenly changed.

Panic returned.

"Oh no."

Qhuin immediately knew that tone, It was the tone people used right before they said something incredibly stupid.

"What now?" he asked mentally.

Lina jumped slightly when his voice appeared inside her head again. Then the words exploded out of her.

"Snowy! We have a huge problem!"

Qhuin remained silent and Lina rushed forward. "Professor Valerius knows something happened last night!"

She began pacing around the room. "Before classes started this morning he walked into the amphitheater and dragged Marcus away!"

Qhuin’s attention sharpened, Lina continued.

"He said it was another security investigation. Marcus looked terrified. He kept saying his eagle was missing."

The room became quiet. Qhuin thought for several moments.

The situation was worse than he had hoped, Valerius wasn’t guessing anymore.

The hunter had found a thread and was now pulling on it.

Marcus was weak, cowardly, and completely unprepared for pressure.

Especially pressure from someone like Valerius.

"The hunter is thorough," Qhuin finally said.

Lina stopped pacing, as he continued

"He knows the eagle is connected to something. He may not know what yet, but he knows enough to investigate."

Lina swallowed.

"You think Marcus will tell him?"

"I think he will eventually break."

Lina sank onto the edge of the bed.

"What do we do?"

Qhuin’s ruby eyes drifted toward another system notification.

A new skill icon glowed softly.

Vampire Charm Lv. 1: Distort Memory and Perception.

Activation Requirement: Direct Eye Contact or Thrall Proximity.

A plan was immediately formed in his mind, Marcus didn’t need to stay silent forever.

He only needed to stay silent today, long enough for Qhuin to erase the problem.

"We reach him first."

Lina blinked.

"What?"

"We reach him before Valerius gets answers."

Lina stared.

"You make that sound easy."

"It isn’t."

The rabbit hopped down from the bed.

"But it is necessary."

Qhuin reviewed the academy layout from memory, the holding cells sat beneath the administrative wing with multiple security checkpoints and several rune barriers.

Far too many obstacles for him to go alone, fortunately, he had something better.

A human, His gaze shifted toward Lina.

The girl immediately felt nervous, whenever Qhuin looked at her like that, it usually meant extra work.

"Put on your blazer."

Lina groaned.

"Why?"

"We are going downstairs."

"Why?"

"We need access to the administrative wing."

"Why?"

Qhuin’s patience nearly snapped.

"Because Marcus is currently being interrogated, brat."

"Oh."

That seemed to answer everything, several minutes later, Lina left her room.

Qhuin sat comfortably inside her carry-bag, the academy halls felt colder underground.

The further they descended, the fewer students appeared.

Eventually, the polished marble floors gave way to dark stone corridors reinforced with security runes.

The atmosphere changed completely, the part of the academy felt less like a school and more like a fortress.

Lina tightened her grip on the bag strap, every step made her heart beat faster. She was already rehearsing excuses in her head.

Door handle report, maintenance follow-up, or maybe a lost paperwork.

Anything that sounded believable. Then she rounded a corner and froze, someone was waiting.

A familiar woman leaned casually against the stone wall, in white robes, with her bright smile, and golden hair.

Assistant Professor Elizabeth.

Beside her stood a massive griffin.

The beast’s golden feathers shimmered beneath the corridor lights, and its sharp eyes tracked every movement around it.

Aurelion.

The same griffin that had arrived on the balcony the previous night, Lina nearly stopped breathing.

Elizabeth’s face lit up immediately.

"Oh my!"

She pushed herself away from the wall.

"Lina, sweetie! Fancy meeting you down here."

Lina forced a smile.

"H-Hello, Professor."

Inside the carry-bag, Qhuin remained perfectly still, he felt something was wrong, very wrong.

His evolved senses picked up a faint disturbance, a little holy mana fluctuation.

Qhuin focused carefully, then the source revealed itself, concealed inside Elizabeth’s sleeve was a miniature holy compass.

A detection tool and the needle were spinning wildly, but Elizabeth continued smiling, completely relaxed.

Then the needle stopped moving, and Qhuin’s body went still because the compass had settled and its tip pointed directly toward Lina’s carry-bag.

Directly toward him, and Elizabeth’s smile never changed as she stared at them.