Ryo spun around abruptly; his body still tense from all that he had just been through. In front of him stood a girl with silver-red hair that fell to her back, shining softly in the academy's artificial light. Her crimson eyes met his with an intensity that ran shivers down his spine.
"W-What was going on?" he stammered, his voice revealing his fear and confusion.
The girl slightly tilted her head, looking at him calmly yet expressionlessly. "Time for dinner," she stated blandly. "Students need to go to the cafeteria now."
Ryo blinked. Dinner already?
How long had it been? The ceremony at the entrance had only just ended—or at least, that was what he assumed. No one had said anything about dinner to him in his previous life. He had merely gone to his dorm and begun classes the following day.
Did I just overlook this point previously? Or… is something different this time?
His growling stomach brought him back to reality, that though he was confused, he was still half-human. He nodded and exhaled. "Okay… I'll go."
The girl said nothing, instead spinning on her heel and taking a step away, as if waiting for him to catch up. Ryo lingered momentarily before falling into line with the other students traveling in the same direction.
But as he began to move forward—
[Ability Unlocked: Blood Rampage]
[Ability Unlocked: Blood Weaponry]
[Ability Unlocked: Hemokinesis]
[Ability Unlocked: Regeneration Boost]
[Ability Unlocked: Blood Puppetry]
Ryo stiffened, every muscle tensing. There was a wild flash of power within him, a burst of energy like a shot of adrenaline—but deeper, more animal, as if something within him had woken.
His heart pounded in his head, but simultaneously, his blood was lighter, racing abnormally quickly within his veins. What was occurring to him?
"Are you coming?"
The girl's voice cut through panic. She'd stopped a few steps in front of him, her crimson eyes observing him closely.
Ryo breathed, quashing the nervousness clawing at him. ".Yeah. Nothing's wrong."
He dragged himself on walking.
But internally, he was confused and petrified.
And this was just the start.