Chapter 84: Pureblood Vampire Professions

“Heheh, I’m sure you’ll look stunning in that dress, Brun!” Sigrid said with an enthusiastic nod. “Give it a try!”

“Later,” Brunhild replied. “I feel like the dress isn’t in its complete form yet…”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Sigrid asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“It has some kind of shapeshifting function,” Brunhild explained, her gaze focused. “The dress is more like a surface appearance. Its threads respond to mental signals and blood energy fluctuations. I’ll look into the details later.”

Her eyes quickly moved to the third piece of equipment, the Cursed Bat God’s Fang Helmet. It looked like a powerful piece of protective headgear, something she was currently lacking. However, it also carried a potent cursed aura. She could sense that while it might grant great power, it could also overwhelm the wearer with uncontrollable bloodlust.

“This one’s dangerous. The curse will need to be purified or refined… maybe even tamed,” Brunhild murmured. “I think I can handle it…”

“The curse?!” Sigrid exclaimed. “It has a curse?”

“Your dagger and this dress have curses too,” Brunhild nodded. “Though they seem weaker compared to this helmet. This thing feels like it was made to brainwash whoever wears it. Why would the system even create something like this?”

Freyja analyzed the helmet for a moment before responding. “Hmm, well, the items were created using the leftover soul and essence of Alistair as a Vampire and ‘Monster’ of the Dungeon. That is how item creation works in this case.”

“I see…” Brunhild nodded slowly. “So that cursed power inside him influenced these items… Even these ones.”

The Trait Awakening Scroll looked particularly powerful now that it had reached S Grade. Brunhild felt tempted to claim a new Trait for herself, but she also thought about her dear family. Perhaps they would benefit more from these power-ups than she would, since she was already quite strong.

The other items were all vampire-related and had evolved into “Pureblood Vampire” variants, making them significantly stronger as a result. One was the Pureblood Vampire Skill Awakening Scroll, which should allow anyone to obtain a powerful Pureblood Vampire Skill. Although the exact skill might be random, the scroll did not explicitly mention randomness.

Lastly, there was the Pureblood Vampire Profession Selection Scroll, which intrigued Brunhild the most. She knew about Classes, but Professions were a surprising discovery. It wasn’t that she was completely unaware of them, but she had not expected to encounter anything related so early.

After all, in Barbarian Conquest, Professions were normally unlocked midway through the game, after the player overcame the great War between the Barbarian Tribes that broke out at the beginning and reached its conclusion in the middle stages. Once that campaign ended, the story shifted into the World Conquest phase. The player would then expand into the Land of Shifting Dunes and across the Vast Azure Ocean, encountering two new massive Empires and entirely new threats. Those empires, she recalled, had even been secretly colluding with various warbands to destroy the player by supplying them with resources and soldiers.

She could still remember how intense the game became after that point, and she dreaded how terrifyingly difficult things would grow once they reached that stage. But until then, there were bigger and more immediate problems to worry about.

Nevertheless, Professions were special. They could be compared to “Subclasses” that specialized in certain aspects of power. Unlike Classes, they could not be obtained through normal leveling and selection, nor did they feature large skill trees to advance through. They could only be earned through special events, by meeting strict conditions, or by receiving them directly as gifts from gods.

What made Professions truly unique was that once the player character obtained one, it could be taught to others who were compatible with it. Classes, by contrast, were often innate or chosen only once at the very beginning.

“A Profession from the Pureblood Vampire Lineage…” Brunhild muttered under her breath. “What sort of power could I gain from this?”

She decided to take the Profession Selection Scroll as her reward for now and leave the rest for when her family and friends woke up. She was confident that at least nobody would want the beautiful red dress, so she would keep it for herself. Later, she could modify it using her Leatherworking and Alchemy skills to make it more flexible if needed.

Swallowing nervously, Brunhild walked back home, tired of the cold snow, and entered the house. Her family was still sleeping peacefully. Sigrid followed close behind, and together they sealed the door with a protective barrier, leaving Fenrir and Huginn to stand guard outside.

“Are you going to use one of the scrolls?” Sigrid asked curiously.

“Yeah, I’m still thinking about it,” Brunhild answered.

The two girls prepared a hearty stew using fresh meat from the monsters on the first floor, which Brunhild had stored in her Inventory. They added potatoes, carrots, and several other ingredients, creating a delicious meal accompanied by refreshing Sun Fruit juice.

Aside from that, there was a basket full of red apples that Sylvanus had grown for them. The apples were wonderfully sweet, juicy, and firm. Brunhild made a mental note to make apple pie later or at least teach her parents how to prepare some.

After finishing her meal, Brunhild took a deep breath and opened the scroll. Dozens of glowing red runes emerged, crawling across her arms and fusing directly with her skin.

“Wow!”

She felt a powerful surge of blood energy rush through her veins. Her heartbeat quickened rapidly, growing stronger and louder in her ears, but the ritual was not yet complete. Three distinct options appeared before her eyes. She had to choose before the scroll could fully activate.

[You have opened the Pureblood Vampire Profession Selection Scroll (S+ Grade)!]

[Please choose between the three profession options.]

[Blood Hunter – Tier 1]

[Crepuscular Vigilante – Tier 1]

[Knight of the Scarlet Order – Tier 1]

“These are Professions I’ve never seen before,” Brunhild thought, swallowing hard as she read the names. Her hands trembled slightly with excitement and nervousness. “Let me see the details, Freyja.”

[Understood.]

The detailed descriptions unfolded clearly in front of her.

Blood Hunter – Tier 1

A ruthless profession born from the ancient Pureblood lineages dedicated to the eradication of corrupted bloodlines, rogue vampires, and monstrous aberrations. It grants abilities related to hunting and chasing prey. Your senses sharpen dramatically toward blood signatures. You can track hidden or disguised prey across vast distances, detect blood toxicity, and identify weaknesses in any creature with a heartbeat or blood flow. 

Blood Hunters can tear apart internal blood vessels or crystallize an enemy’s blood with a touch or thrown weapon. Highly effective against other vampires and regenerative monsters. Unlocks advanced tracking, blood curses, trophy harvesting by turning defeated foes’ blood into blood vials, and later tiers focused on becoming an apex predator of the night. 

Slight increase in bloodthirst. Requires periodic consumption of high-quality blood or blood elixirs to maintain the profession’s abilities at full strength. If blood is not consumed within a certain period, all abilities and bonuses can drop as low as 50% of their original power. 

Excellent synergy with daggers, tracking skills, and your existing Evolution trait for creating specialized anti-monster weaponry.

Crepuscular Vigilante – Tier 1

A shadowy profession of lone guardians who thrive in the liminal hours between day and night. Purebloods who chose this path became legendary assassins, spies, and protectors of hidden truths. 

Your presence and mana signature weaken dramatically during dawn, dusk, or in areas of low light. Grants natural stealth, minor illusion capabilities, and enhanced agility and reflexes in dim environments. 

Crepuscular Vigilantes can also conjure short-range teleportation through shadows or twilight mist. Combine with blood energy for silent strikes or rapid escapes. 

Unlocks information networks, poisoncraft using blood, dual-wielding mastery, and later tiers that allow you to become nearly undetectable or create safe “twilight sanctuaries.” However, there is reduced power for all profession skills and abilities in direct, bright sunlight, encouraging nocturnal operation. 

Perfect for bows, daggers, and throwing weapons. Specializes in stealth and assassination.

Knight of the Scarlet Order – Tier 1

An honorable armored warrior profession from the ancient Scarlet Orders that once served as elite guardians and generals for Pureblood Vampire Houses. They embody martial excellence, leadership, and the controlled power of blood as both weapon and shield. 

By sacrificing blood and transforming it into blood energy, it is possible to strengthen your own physique and nearby allies. Grants enhanced strength, endurance, defenses, and minor regeneration to chosen comrades in combat. 

Sacrifice blood to manifest blood energy into temporary armor, weapons, or barriers. Can also “mark” enemies, making their blood burn when struck by you or your allies. 

Grants enhanced talent and knowledge with mounted combat, especially with bat or wolf-like mounts, command skills for small elite squads, blood oaths for loyal followers, and higher tiers focused on becoming a true Blood Lord or Scarlet Sovereign capable of leading entire orders. 

Higher mana and stamina consumption when protecting multiple allies. Encourages honorable, direct confrontation over pure subterfuge.

“Huh…”

Brunhild was amazed by the options presented to her. Each one sounded incredibly strong and appealing in its own way. She had to choose carefully which of these three would suit her best right now.

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