Supreme Vampire In Black Clover

The forest stretched endlessly into the night, its towering trees swaying with the whispers of the wind. The only source of light in this vast darkness was a small, flickering fire—its weak glow barely holding back the shadows that loomed just beyond its reach.

It was past midnight. The cold breeze never ceased, threading through the branches like ghostly fingers, but Derek hardly noticed. He had spent the last two hours hunting, adapting, learning.

The system panel, at first a frustrating distraction, had begun to feel like an extension of himself. He had figured out how to control it, how to silence notifications that once flashed before his eyes at the worst moments. It was progress—but not enough. There was still so much he didn't understand.

He sat three meters away from the fire, his back resting against a fallen tree. The warmth licked at his skin, but it did little against the chill that clung to the air. Beside him, a pile of small beast skeletons lay stacked, a silent testament to his efforts.

His kills had become cleaner. Faster. Efficient.

His first hunt had been sloppy—his strength overwhelming, his speed difficult to control. But now? Now he moved with purpose.

He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers. His nails were sharp, almost unnatural, but they no longer startled him. They were a part of him now.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling.

Something was watching him.

Suppressing the unease, Derek summoned the system panel and checked his status.

---

[ Blood Magic Unlocked ]

ENHANCED SENSES (Passive)

BLOOD SENSE (Active)

SHADOW STEP (Active)

MANA DRAIN (Passive/Active)

BLOOD INTEGRATION (Passive)

[ HP: 100/100 ]

[ MP: 100/100 ]

[ Stamina: 100/100 ]

---

Derek wasn't the type to take his blessings for granted, but Blood Magic stood out like a sore thumb among his abilities. He understood how the others worked—but this?

"It must be related to this thing called mana... I accumulate it through Mana Drain, but I have no idea how to actually use it."

He scrolled through the panel, making sure he hadn't missed anything.

---

[ Notification: Magical beast consumption no longer provides further physical enhancements. ]

[ Unlock the next stage of your Vampiric Bloodline to progress. ]

---

Derek let out a long breath. "So I jinxed it by calling myself lucky."

No more easy power-ups from just eating. But still… he could feel it. His physical abilities had increased by nearly 20% since he first arrived. That alone was a massive boost.

"The main question remains… HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO UNLOCK THIS NEXT STAGE?!"

Frustration gnawed at him, but he kept walking. He had no answers, but one thing was clear—he needed to get out of this forest as soon as possible.

The trees stretched endlessly ahead, their gnarled branches twisting in unnatural angles. The cold breeze that had accompanied him all night suddenly stilled. No rustling leaves, no distant howls.

Just silence.

The air felt heavier now—not in weight, but in presence. The kind of stillness that didn't belong in nature. Like something unseen had shifted, something subtle yet absolute.

Yet Derek ignored it.

He exhaled sharply. "Calm down. You're just tired."

Then, he took another step.

And another.

Unaware that with each step forward, the line between reality and illusion blurred—twisting, warping, reshaping the world around him.

And just beyond the veil of his senses, the true architects of his trial watched in silence.

From the shadows of the forest, six pairs of eyes followed Derek's every movement.

Mei Duskbloom stood at the center of the group, her iridescent eyes flickering in the dim light. The air around her pulsed with unseen magic, reality bending at the edges of her will.

"He doesn't suspect a thing," she murmured, voice carrying the weight of confidence.

"He's too focused on himself," Nymeria Nightveil added, watching Derek with her piercing silver gaze. "He's been testing his abilities, but he doesn't realize we're testing him."

Valeria Stormrune scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. "I'd rather test his strength in a real fight than some illusion. If he's a threat, let's see how he handles a blade to his throat."

"Blunt as always," Selene Thornweave said, shaking her head. "But brute force isn't the only measure of strength. If he can't break free from an illusion, he has no place in this world."

Nyx Vesperia, standing just slightly apart from the others, tapped her fingers against her arm. "Are we certain this is the right approach?" Her obsidian eyes flickered to the Queen, who had remained silent throughout the discussion.

Finally, the Witch Queen spoke.

"This is not just a test of strength, but of the mind."

The witches fell silent as her words settled over them.

Mei smiled, stepping forward. "Then let's begin."

With a flick of her fingers, the illusion tightened its grip on Derek's reality.