What If I'm an Undead, So What?
After that little encounter, Masaru found himself resting his head on the table. It wasn't that he felt sleepy or tired—he just had the urge to sleep. Vampires were truly nocturnal beings after all. The ambient noise of students chattering slowly faded into background static as his thoughts drifted. His new reality was still something he was adjusting to, and his body's natural inclinations as a vampire were beginning to take over in ways he hadn't expected.
His crimson eyes remained half-lidded, staring at the wooden surface of his desk, his mind wandering. The scent of blood in the classroom was faint but noticeable—he could hear the rhythmic pulsing of hearts, the slow flow of life coursing through their veins. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was always there. A temptation. A distraction.
Tsk.
Masaru clenched his fist slightly, trying to push the intrusive thoughts away. He wouldn't succumb to them. Not yet.
Everyone soon carried on with their own business, not paying much attention to him—at least, for now.
---
Not long after, their first teacher walked into the room, completely ignoring the students as he went straight to the front. It was their physics teacher, one of the worst in the entire school.
A man with no passion, no drive, and certainly no patience for students. He didn't teach—he just gave out notes and assignments, then followed up with a general test at the end of every class. No explanations, no effort. Just a barrage of problems with no real guidance. Because of this, whenever he came in, everyone was forced to pay attention in hopes of catching even a sliver of information that could help them later.
But there was one rule he enforced more than anything else:
No sleeping in his class.
He had a habit of throwing markers at anyone caught dozing off, a trait that made students wary of even blinking too much. At first, he hadn't noticed Masaru, who was seated at the back, but after a few minutes of writing equations on the board, his eyes finally landed on the unfamiliar ashen-haired boy.
A student he hadn't seen before.
His brows furrowed. Was this a transfer? Or had he simply never noticed him before?
Regardless, the teacher clicked his tongue in irritation before grabbing a marker from the desk.
"Hey! Wake up! No sleeping in my class!"
Without hesitation, he launched the marker straight at Masaru, expecting it to land squarely on the boy's forehead.
Masaru, however, was barely awake. He had already given in to his urges, his consciousness teetering between wakefulness and sleep. Yet, despite his half-lucid state, something instinctual took over.
Just as the marker was about to hit his head, his fingers moved—a reflex sharper than any human should possess.
SNAP.
The marker never reached him.
Instead, it stopped abruptly, caught perfectly between Masaru's index and middle fingers without him even looking.
The classroom went silent.
Students who had been waiting to see the impact of the projectile on Masaru's head suddenly found themselves wide-eyed in shock. What just happened?
Some thought it was luck. Others believed it was instinct. But one thing was clear—that level of reaction wasn't normal.
Masaru slowly lifted his head, revealing his crimson eyes that gleamed in the dim classroom lighting. His gaze was unreadable, but the sheer indifference on his face sent a chill down the spine of anyone who dared to look too long.
The teacher, despite being momentarily stunned, quickly masked his surprise with a scoff.
"Hmph! Whatever. If you sleep again next time, it won't just be a marker I'll be throwing at you."
He turned back to the board, continuing the lesson as if nothing had happened.
But the students?
They wouldn't forget this anytime soon.
---
Memories of the Past
Masaru sighed, running a hand through his ashen hair.
"What a bummer. Why would I suddenly have a dream like that?"
A faint headache pulsed at his temples as a picture of a girl flashed through his mind.
Sakura.
His childhood friend. The only person who had truly stuck by his side in the past. They had been inseparable once, but unfortunately, she had left to study abroad years ago. Ever since then, he had lost contact with her.
So why now?
Why, after so many years, was he suddenly dreaming about her?
---
After physics class, the next period was sports. It was one of the few classes that students genuinely looked forward to, since it meant they could leave the confines of the classroom for a while.
Masaru, however, chose to stay behind.
He wasn't interested in sports—not because he couldn't play, but because he simply didn't want to stand out more than he already did. With his current strength, speed, and agility, even the most casual game would turn into an unintentional display of inhuman prowess.
So, he sat in the empty classroom, letting the voices of his classmates fade as they exited.
But just as he was about to close his eyes again, a presence approached.
Akane.
She walked towards him, her movements graceful yet purposeful. Without a word, she took a seat beside him, crossing her legs as she stared out the window.
Although most students had already left, a few remained behind. Some noticed Akane's actions but chose to mind their own business.
Still, Masaru could feel the weight of a few curious gazes lingering on them.
Akane finally broke the silence.
"What are you doing sitting idly?" Her voice was calm, yet there was an underlying sharpness to it. "Don't you think it's about time you let your presence be known?"
Masaru frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?" He had an idea, but he wanted to hear her say it.
She smirked.
"I mean, it'd be a good idea if you fought Gesshoku and won."
Masaru blinked.
Gesshoku.
One of the best martial artists in the school.
Akane leaned back slightly, her arms folded.
"With your current abilities, you could easily dominate him. If you take him down, there'll be fewer people who'll bother you."
Masaru stared at her, surprised.
"I'm shocked you'd suggest something like that." He chuckled. "I thought you'd be the type to say 'don't show off' or 'don't use your vampiric powers for your own gain'—you know, the usual moral nonsense."
Akane gave him a cold smile.
"You're mistaken."
She turned her head slightly, her crimson eyes gleaming with an intensity that made Masaru's instincts tingle.
"You're a vampire now. A noble race. Every single soul in this school is beneath you. Crush them. Dominate them. Make them understand their place. Even if it means turning this entire world upside down."
Masaru's lips curled into a grin.
That was all he needed to hear.
For a while, he had been suppressing his instincts, holding himself back—but now?
Now, he didn't have to anymore.
His grin widened, revealing the faintest glimpse of his sharp fangs.
"Let's crush them."
With a single motion, Masaru placed his hand on the table—then, in one swift movement, leaped over it effortlessly, landing gracefully on his feet.
His time in the shadows was over.
It was time to make them all understand.
The weak exist only to be devoured.