Chloe’s entire body froze.

The silver moonlight poured through the window behind the rabbit, turning him into a dark silhouette wrapped in an almost holy aura. Except there was nothing holy about him.

His ruby eyes glowed like burning stars and the air itself felt heavier.

Beside her, Bubbles remained completely motionless, every strand of fur standing upright as primitive fear overwhelmed its instincts.

Chloe could no longer hear the wind outside, she could no longer hear her own breathing and all she could hear was that voice.

That deep, ancient, monarch-like voice echoed directly inside her head.

"You wept for power, fragile human. Tell me... if I offer to pull you out of the dirt and grant you the power to shred your noble masters, do you possess the resolve to work for me?"

Chloe’s lips trembled, her fingers instinctively gripped the bedsheets beneath her.

The question itself terrified her, not because it sounded impossible, but because a part of her desperately wanted to say yes.

Her eyes slowly lowered toward Bubbles, the little otter still hadn’t moved.

She could see that it was afraid, just like her. Then she remembered Marcus bursting into the cafeteria earlier that day, with bloodshot eyes and his screaming and drawing the dagger.

That terrifying realization that if nobody had intervened, Lina could have died, then another thought surfaced.

If Lina could be attacked...

What about her?

Who would protect her?

Who would protect Bubbles?

Her eyes slowly filled with tears again.

"I’m tired..."

Her voice barely came out."I’m so tired of being scared all the time."

The rabbit didn’t move, it just watched her, like a predator waiting for prey to stop running.

Chloe hugged her knees tighter. "Ever since I entered this academy... It’s been the same."

She laughed weakly. "The nobles look down on us. The teachers focus on the talented students. Everyone says if we work hard we’ll survive..."

Another tear rolled down her cheek. "But surviving isn’t the same as living."

She lowered her head.

"If someone stronger decides to hurt me tomorrow..."

Her voice cracked.

"...I can’t stop them."

Silence filled the room, then the rabbit finally spoke.

"No."

Chloe looked up, it crimson eyes burned brighter. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"You cannot."

Her body frozen hearing its words knowing it was speaking the truth.

"You are weak and vulnerable, easy to prey on."

Every word pierced her chest. Yet strangely...she didn’t feel angry. Because for once... someone wasn’t lying to her.

The rabbit continued.

"You know it and even your beast knows it, the own academy knows it."

His eyes stared down at her. "So why continue pretending otherwise?"

Hearing this something inside Chloe broke and she burst into tears, quiet, exhausted tears.

The tears of someone who had finally admitted the truth to themselves, then she lowered her head and whispered almost sounding desperate

"Then help me.", as her shoulders trembled.

"Please...give me strength."

The room fell silent, and the moonlight shifted across the floor. Then... the rabbit voice sounded in her head.

"Excellent."

The shadows beneath the room suddenly expanded. Chloe blinked, and it disappeared.

Her pupils shrank, one second qhuin sat on the windowsill.

Next, he was standing on her shoulder.

Before she could react two razor-sharp fangs sank into her neck.

"Ahhhh!"

Pain exploded through her body causing her to fall off the bed, her entire body convulsed, and her hands clawed against the wooden floorboards.

She felt hear surged through every vein and her heartbeat accelerated.

Then blue screens appeared before her eyes.

[System Notice: Blood Turn Lv. 2 activated.

Compatibility detected.

Human vessels possess high battle affinity.

Initializing race conversion.

Race acquired: Dhampir.]

Her entire body arched backward, then she screamed again, her muscles burned and her bones ached.

Slowly her senses exploded outward, she could suddenly hear the ticking of a clock two rooms away, footsteps of someone moving in distant corridors, and the sound of rainwater dripping through academy pipes.

Then her eyes burned as she shut them instinctively.

When she opened them again, the world had changed.

Everything looked clear and brighter, as if she could see through the darkness then she slowly lifted her trembling hand.

She could see every tiny detail on her skin and every muscle movement and even the speck of dust floating in the air.

Suddenly beside her, bubbles screamed. She immediately turned around, the Frost-Whiskered Otter had collapsed onto the floor.

Its body was shaking violently, all the fur on its body stood upright and slowly its small frame expanded.

Crack.

She heard the sound of bones shifting.

Crack.

As its muscles grew larger and its spine lengthened.

"B-Bubbles?!"

The transformation accelerated and its soft fur darkened into deep maroon strands, its paws grew larger and its claws sharpened.

Its body stretched until it rivaled the size of a timber wolf, then its mouth opened, revealing rows of terrifying steel-like fangs that emerged and beneath it hide Blood-red mana pulsed.

The cute support beast was gone, in its place stood something monstrous and dangerous, and it was breming with power

The creature slowly turned its head toward Chloe.

For a brief moment, she felt scared, then the massive beast lowered its head and nudged her hand.

The same way it always had and her eyes widened.

"...Bubbles?"

The beast let out a low whistle and her shoulders instantly relaxed, the tears returned.

But this time.., they weren’t tears of sadness, she wrapped her arms around its massive neck.

And for the first time since entering Aurelius Academy...

She felt safe.

The rabbit calmly hopped onto her study table, as the aura in the entire room revolved around him.

His crimson eyes glowed beneath the moonlight.

"You have been reborn."

Chloe slowly stood up and she immediately noticed the difference, her body felt lighter and stronger.

She looked at her hands and clenched her fists and she felt power running through them, real power, she didn’t feel helpless anymore.

The rabbit’s voice echoed again. "You are now part of The Crimson Eclipse."

"You will hide your strength and continue pretending to be weak."

His eyes narrowed. "And when the time comes, you will tear apart those who believe themselves untouchable."

Hearing his words, something inside her stirred. Excitement.

The feeling startled her; yesterday, she would’ve been terrified.

Today...

She felt anticipation and when she thought about the noble students, their mocking smiles and arrogance.

Their certainty that commoners would always remain beneath them.

A smile slowly formed on her face, feeling something inside her she dropped to one knee

Beside her, the massive Blood-Fang River Otter lowered its head as well.

She placed a hand over her chest.

"As you command...", her ruby eyes glowed under the moonlight.

"M..master."

Outside, the academy remained peaceful, and guards patrolled.

What no one knows is that another piece had just been placed on the board, and inside class A dorm room 402, Lina slept peacefully.

Inside another dormitory, Marcus’s cousin quietly gathers information.