Magic.
A technique that creates miracles in reality, impossible under normal circumstances, in exchange for mana.
The methods of its use were diverse.
Creating fire without any fuel, healing wounds in the blink of an eye, and even reversing death.
Because it was such a mystical power, traditionally, only those who were chosen could possess it.
“You’re too greedy. Do you think I’d teach our clan’s magic just to get some animal blood?”
The way she bared her fangs and showed wariness was reminiscent of a cat.
Well, I understood why Bathory was so averse to my proposal.
The price I offered for magic lessons was ridiculously cheap.
[Strategy Tip: Newbies should absolutely not become magicians]
[Even if you exhaustively complete quests given by the old mages at the Magic Tower, you’ll still be weaker than warriors]
[Here come the shameless mages again. But still, the high entry barrier remains unchanged, right?]
[You really haven’t tried if you say things like this. You need to donate money. Write reports diligently. Procure your own magical ingredients. Would you still want to be a mage?]
For veterans, maybe, but for beginners, it was an incredibly tough profession to get into.
Lost in these thoughts, Bathory approached me.
“And first of all, your magical power is ridiculously insufficient. Even if I taught you, it would be futile for you, a commoner, no, a dullard.”
And she hit where it hurt.
My stat of Magic Power at 1, which barely reaches 2 even after training, was a terrifyingly poor talent that even a magic-proficient vampire like Bathory shook her head at.
But that wouldn’t make me back down.
“Magic power isn’t the issue. You can teach me blood magic, can’t you?”
The reason vampires are particularly skilled in magic among demonkin isn’t just because they are born with innate magical power. It’s largely due to a unique form of magic called blood magic, which allows them to use their stored blood as a substitute for mana.
“…So, you want me to teach you blood magic?”
“You’ve understood correctly.”
“Of course, knowing about the existence of Vlad, it’s impossible not to know about blood magic. But there’s one fact you’re overlooking.”
Bathory continued with a cold, disdainful expression, as if looking at a madman.
“Do you think just anyone can use blood magic? Maybe vampires, but other races might die using such magic.”
I was well aware of that.
Having played the game, I had not only faced the mid-boss Luciana but also researched various hidden pieces, strategies, and skills day and night for the final boss raid.
I dare say I’m the most knowledgeable about blood magic among humans in this world.
‘And I also know very well that at this early stage, when my magic power is practically useless, there’s no magic as useful and efficient as blood magic.’
Minor risks?
For the sake of winning the martial arts tournament, I needed to employ every means possible. Now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
“I had no idea you cared so much about me.”
“Of course! If you die, who will provide me with this blood? My recovery will be delayed as well.”
Ah, this is a bit too much.
I didn’t expect any kind of kinship among demonkin.
Since reality was being invoked so starkly, I had to respond in kind.
I shrugged my shoulders defiantly and pulled the jar towards me.
“If the concerned party is unwilling, then the deal is off.”
“Deal?”
“Wasn’t it a trade? I take on some risk to procure the blood of monsters, and in return, I learn magic.”
Her emotions seemingly mirrored in her posture, her previously straight back slumped.
The darkened expression on her face was an added bonus.
“How about a different compensation? If I regain my powers, I’ll ensure you’re well rewarded! I have hidden assets in Evildon and can arrange a position for you.”
Such uncertain promises were not my cup of tea. They were too easily susceptible to deception.
I wasn’t interested in ending up like the native king waiting endlessly in the Western Underground Catacombs.
“I didn’t see that coming. So, you’re a ‘vainvampire’, Bathory?”
“Va, vainvampire?!”
Her face, previously pale, now flushed red, indistinguishable from the color of her eyes.
“Me, shameless…?”
Seemingly confused by the unexpected insult, she clenched and unclenched her fists.
Before that definitive anger could convert into a punch that even subdued Luciana, I quickly added more.
“It’s a term of endearment I use for only a very few vampires. Those who show a rosy future to insignificant minority races like mine and shamelessly overwork them. I’ve encountered several such individuals.”
Not just vampires, but many from the three major demon races often had a sense of superiority, believing they were better than other races.
The incessant civil wars in the Evildon Empire were also largely due to the inherent greed of the demon races, coupled with their hostility towards other races.
“I… I am different from them!”
“Well, from my perspective, there’s no difference between those from the past and Bathory, who now recklessly demands monster blood.”
Unable to respond, she just clenched her fist.
‘Is this okay?’
Swallowing nervously, I regretted speaking so freely. If my words had turned her hostile, my life could be in immediate danger.
“I understand. So, you value the immediate acquisition of magic over an uncertain future?”
“Correct.”
“Even if that magic could threaten your life?”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Bathory sighed deeply, seemingly resigned.
“I’m not sure if this is right. Come closer.”
It seemed she had made up her mind, and fortunately, in a positive direction.
“Exactly! Unlike Rezzing and Gazzon, you truly deserve to be called a noble vampire!”
“Rezzing and Gazzon, what bizarre names are those?”
Though she said that, she must have known they were similar derogatory terms to the ones she had heard earlier.
The slight upward curve of her lips proved this.
Mocking the likes of Levine and Gargoyle was like a melodious affirmation of vampire pride.
Especially for her, who had been defeated by Levine.
“Stop talking nonsense and come closer. To use blood magic, a vampire must directly touch the blood vessels of the individual.”
…The game never mentioned this. Just a click, and a notification would pop up saying I had learned blood magic.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Of course. It involves forcibly altering the structure of your blood vessels.”
“Please be gentle.”
At my words, Bathory flashed a mischievous smile.
“So you have moments of weakness too? Well, I’ll try.”
“Argh!”
The procedure was excruciating. It felt like needles were being jabbed into every corner of my body where blood vessels ran.
“For the first time, I’ve heard a doppelganger-like cry from you.”
“Ugh… No, it was a genuine scream of pain, okay?”
Was she mistaken, or did she find amusement in my screams? Only she knew the truth.
“Why are you so obsessed with magic? You seem strong enough among humans, I presume?”
Was it because I had managed to dodge her strike before?
Bathory was certainly giving me more credit than I deserved.
But I knew my limits better than anyone.
“What good is it to just dodge? I need a means to counterattack.”
If there was one thing I realized during my sparring with Luciana, it was that my offensive capabilities were severely lacking.
Tut? Certainly, it’s unmatched in rendering armor useless.
Skills? The Thief’s Step, which smoothly evaded Luciana’s sharp sword strikes, had definitely saved me several times from peril.
But ultimately, it was just a support tool, not a weapon to neutralize the opponent.
The only weapon I had was a single dagger, and even my skills with that were not exceptional, as it was easily blocked by Luciana, who wasn’t even wearing armor.
“Hmm, Hans. It’s a bit awkward to say this, but it seems like you need to work on your basics.”
During our sparring period, my record against her was almost 9:1, with me being the 1, of course.
The reason was clear.
In the end, unlike Luciana, who had means to overpower me once I was worn down, I lacked a weapon to exploit her weaknesses.
“I hope we can face each other in the finals. Of course, I’ll be the winner.”
True to her wish, I advanced through the preliminaries, the main rounds, and reached the finals.
And to stand a chance against Luciana, I had to employ every method available.
“To give our noble lady a surprising gift, I need to grow stronger. Hehe.”
“Another descendant of that hero? Are you treating this as feeding time, or are you seriously serving?”
Bathory shook her head in disbelief.
The look of someone watching a madman was an added bonus.
“The deal is done, so bring monster blood the next time you come.”
“Of course! This Frost Mane is thorough in trades!”
“Frost Mane… That’s your name.”
Bathory repeated my name somewhat absentmindedly.
Thinking about it, to her, Hans Byron was just my false identity; I had never revealed my real name.
“Now, let’s start with some basic magic lessons. Learning only blood magic is useless without other magics to manifest.”
“Stop talking like everything’s already decided!”
Bathory was truly an excellent teacher.
Despite her grumbling, she demonstrated various basic magics on the cave walls, helping me to learn them.
***
“The martial arts tournament is tomorrow.”
I had been pushing my body to its limits with sparring and personal lessons during the day, and at night, I squeezed out blood for magic training.
All that effort had definitely borne fruit.
My dagger skills and basic magic had improved to a fairly respectable level.
[New Skill Registered]
[A rank: Blood Magic]
[A unique racial magic that can only be used by vampires and those they acknowledge.]
[Uses blood instead of mana to cast spells. If there is no blood in the vampire’s unique organ, the blood pouch, health is consumed instead.]
Among these, the most outstanding achievement was undoubtedly Blood Magic.
With my limited mana, being able to cast spells by using just a small amount of my physical energy was a definite advantage, considering the high barrier to entry for magical skills.
“However, considering I had the best teachers Luciana and Bathory, the results seem a bit modest.”
With this, not only winning against Luciana and taking the championship seemed far-fetched, but even reaching the finals was uncertain.
“But it’s not impossible.”
If my two teachers had innate talents in their respective fields of swordsmanship and magic.
I had my own methods.
“The strength in any game ultimately boils down to gear.”
As I desperately dodged Luciana’s sword strikes in the training arena and cast magic while feeling dizzy from anemia, I pulled out the artifact that had been sleeping in my pocket.
The pink bead I had taken from the Baltrion house had now turned a brilliant red, showcasing its splendid radiance.
‘The Amplification Bead has ripened just enough.’
It was an artifact that stored energy equivalent to the amount of training one underwent. By swallowing it, it would enhance one’s stats, a consumable item specifically tailored for growth.
Originally, it was supposed to be an elixir for the shameless young master of Baltrion, but what could I do? Since I had stolen it, I might as well make good use of it.
“Hmm…”
As I was about to swallow it, I hesitated slightly. If I was going to use an artifact, I wanted to extract its maximum efficiency.
Unfortunately, the bead wasn’t fully primed yet. It seemed such a waste.
If I had trained a little more, it could have been fully charged.
“But there’s no helping it. Think of it as an opportunity cost.”
This was an investment.
There’s no point in fretting over a little investment when expecting larger gains.
After a brief moment of contemplation, I put the bead in my mouth.
For a moment, it felt like swallowing fire from my esophagus, but soon a subtle vitality spread throughout my body.
[You have consumed the elixir ‘Amplification Bead’.]
[Your base stats have been altered.]
[Health 2 -> 4]
[Strength 2 -> 3]
[Agility 6 -> 8]
And to confirm that what I was feeling wasn’t an illusion, the status screen objectively diagnosed my physical state.
“Now I’m ready.”
Winning tomorrow’s martial arts tournament was the only thing waiting for me.
Cliche Novel 
Next chapter when?
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