A Mutant Collector Quest

Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, lies nestled in the heart of the Balkans, bordered by the enigmatic nations of Symkaria, Latveria, Transia and Transylvania.

With a population exceeding 7 million, Serbia boasts a significantly stronger economy than its neighbouring countries, particularly when compared to the less prosperous Symkaria.

As you drive through the night streets of Belgrade in your sleek sports car, the contrast in infrastructure becomes evident compared to the poorer nearby regions you have previously visited.

"Luke, have you reached the place yet?" A British female voice sounds in your ear.

"I will be there in five," you reply, your fingers instinctively brushing against the invisible triangular device magnetically attached to your ear.

It's a recent invention of yours, a compact augmented reality device inspired by the Focus from Horizon Zero Dawn.

"I still wish you had joined me, El," you say with a smile, navigating your newly purchased car through the desolate streets.

"We Bloodstones are too famous around here. I am afraid someone might recognize me right away," Elsa responds with a smirk.

"You could have used the mask I offered, if you were worried about that," you say, checking your altered face in the rearview mirror.

It's a handsome face, but from the black hair to the dark eyes, it is entirely different from your original look—crafted by the Anti-Cognitive Mask, making it impossible for anyone to link this face to Lucas Watson.

"It's fine, mate. I am not really cut out for this infiltration business anyway," Elsa replies.

Your car glides through the empty streets, passing shuttered stores, giving the city an air of stillness. But soon, you arrive at a place that's very much alive.

"El, I have reached the Red Night Club," you inform her as you notice the neon sign.

---

"Good. I am in the vicinity, so let me know as soon as you spot any of them," Elsa says into her red bracelet, a smile playing on her lips as she admires the nifty piece of tech gifted to her by Luke.

According to him, it's a Personal Forcefield Generator, an Advanced Communication device, and even a Universal Translator all in one.

"Surely, they will crawl out of their hiding for such a handsome bait," Elsa smirks, wearing an overcoat and carrying a guitar case as she strides into a dark alley.

Deep within the shadows, Elsa notices a man pinning a woman to the wall, his face buried in her neck.

With a swift motion, Elsa pulls back her arm and hurls the guitar case at the man with tremendous force.

Woosh!

Bang!

"AAHH!"

The guitar case hits with such velocity that it sends the man flying with a pained scream.

The woman collapses unnaturally to the ground. Elsa rushes to her side and gently props her up. The woman's eyes are open, but she seems to be in a trance. Elsa traces her thumb over two puncture marks on the woman's neck, where oddly no blood is flowing out.

"You fucking bitch!" the man snarls, recovering from the blow and getting to his feet further down the alley. Elsa, relieved that the woman is still alive, turns to face him.

In a flash, the man covers the distance between them, displaying inhuman speed. "You messed with my meal. Now die!" he growls, his fist hurtling toward Elsa's face.

But Elsa catches his fist mid-air. "What? How??" The man's eyes widen in disbelief as his powerful punch is effortlessly stopped by this seemingly ordinary woman.

"You are very unlucky to have crossed paths with me tonight, mate," Elsa says with a smirk, the red gem on her choker glowing faintly.

The man's already pale face turns even paler as his eyes flash red, nails growing out of his hands.

Hisss!

The man opens his mouth and bares his sharp fangs at her in fury, attempting to lunge at her neck, but Elsa swiftly counters, pressing a knife against his throat.

"AHHH! Silverrrrr!" the man screams as the blade cuts into his neck.

"Yeah, Silver knife. Handy, right? Now listen up, bloodsucker—you are going to answer my questions truthfully, or this night is going to get bloody painful for you," Elsa says with a vicious smile, digging the knife a little deeper into his flesh.

The man stares at the redhead holding him, an unfamiliar fear creeping into his heart.

---

"Just a plain whisky," you say to the bartender in Serbian, your Universal Translator integrated into your Focus ensuring you sound like a local as you sit by the counter.

Belgrade's primary language is Serbian, and while you are not fluent in it yet, the Translator makes sure you blend in seamlessly.

The music in the club Red Night isn't too loud, allowing you to bob your head subtly to the rhythm as you survey the room. Only about thirty people are dancing and drinking in the spacious nightclub, making it seem quite unpopular, but you have your suspicions.

One thing is clear though—none of the patrons here are the ones you are looking for.

You can tell because of your newly invented AR device, the Focus, which constantly scans everything and everyone around you, feeding information directly into your line of sight. It can even respond to your gestures for specific functions.

Like if you concentrate on the woman in the red dress on the dance floor, the Focus displays her name, age, address, and any other information it can pull from D.A.I.S.Y.'s database and the internet.

It is almost like you are in a video game, using an Inspect or Appraisal skill on everyone.

The bartender places a glass of whisky in front of you. You thank him, keeping an eye on the crowd while pondering your mission.

According to Elsa, there has been a notable increase in missing person cases in Belgrade over the past few weeks, particularly at night.

D.A.I.S.Y. confirmed this, revealing over twenty missing person reports filed with the police. The authorities chalked it up to an underground body trafficking ring, but whether due to laziness or incompetence, they have yet to find any leads.

Elsa, on the other hand, is convinced that this is the work of Vampires, not human traffickers.

Vampires, Bloodsuckers, Creatures of the Night—the Undead. You are familiar with the terms from countless movies and shows in both your past and present lives.

The idea of vampires existing in this Marvel universe doesn't surprise you, as they have always been an integral part of the marvel comics and movies.

Your new friend Elsa did kindly correct your various misconceptions about real vampires, separating fact from myth. And the Bloodstone Huntress surely knows what she is talking about, as she has hunted vampires with her father since she was just a nine year old!

Even this plan of staking out the famous nightclubs in Belgrade was hers, based on her belief that modern vampires often hunt their prey in such places.

You take a sip of whisky, your gaze drifting to the dance floor. Shaking hips, ample breasts, short dresses—its a feast for the eyes. You shake your head, trying to dispel the lusty thoughts creeping into your mind.

This newfound horniness is something you have noticed recently, especially on this trip. It wasn't much of an issue at your base, where you had multiple partners to satisfy your appetite. But here with none of them with you and spending yesterday and today in close proximity to Elsa, a busty redhead, inside a private plane, has only heightened your arousal!

Perhaps it's a side effect of the serum you took, or maybe it's linked to your powers. You are not entirely sure. However it is still not too bothersome; your willpower is strong enough to keep it in check.

There is an easy remedy for this, just nail someone, but none of the women here can even compare to Elsa. Maybe after the mission, you could explore that possibility with her.

Just as you were tempted to switch your vision to an x-ray mode with the Focus to see through the clothes of the women on the dance floor, your attention is drawn to a woman emerging from an inner chamber of the nightclub.

Your eyes widen in surprise as you take her in—silver hair, plump lips, an enchanting gaze, and a killer body wrapped in a short black dress. She was hot!

***

[Expert Training: Complete]

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[Expert Training: Tier 2 Complete]

(50 Exp/Tier 2)

[Tier 2: Invisibility (90) (Expert) -> Tier 2: Invisibility (100) (Expert)]

[Tier 2: Invisibility (100) (Expert) -> Tier 3: Invisibility (40/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Black Cat Physiology (55) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Black Cat Physiology (100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Black Cat Physiology (100) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Black Cat Physiology (5/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 2: Telepathy (85) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Telepathy (100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Telepathy (100) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Telepathy (35/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 2: Clairvoyance (60) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Clairvoyance (100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Clairvoyance (100) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Clairvoyance (10/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 2: Astral Projection (60) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Astral Projection (100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Astral Projection (100) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Astral Projection (10/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 2: Holy Fire Magic (68) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Holy Fire Magic (100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Holy Fire Magic (100) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Holy Fire Magic (18/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 2: Hair Weaponry (25) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Hair Weaponry (75/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Hell Cat Physiology (0) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Hell Cat Physiology (50/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Phoenix Magic (45) (Adept) -> Tier 2: Phoenix Magic (95/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 2: Transcendent Angel Mage (18) -> Tier 2: Transcendent Angel Mage (68/100)]

[Tier 2: Archmage (22) -> Tier 2: Archmage (72/100)]

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[Expert Training: Tier 3 Complete]

(40 Exp/Tier 3)

[Tier 3: Precognition (50) (Apprentice) -> Tier 3: Precognition (90/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 3: Earth Portal Creation (70) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Earth Portal Creation (100) (Adept)]

[Proficiency exceeded 100 of Power: Earth Portal Creation]

[Attempting Evolution of Power with Tier Increase]

[Evolution Succesful]

[Tier 3: Earth Portal Creation (100) (Adept) -> Tier 4: Elemental Portal Creation (0/500) (Novice)]

[Tier 3: Chi Manipulation (54) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Chi Manipulation (94/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 3: Temporal Looping (44) (Adept) -> Tier 3: Temporal Looping (84/100) (Adept)]

[Tier 3: Data Warping (0) (Apprentice) -> Tier 3: Data Warping (40/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 3: Psychokinesis (0) (Apprentice) -> Tier 3: Psychokinesis (40/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 3: Electricity Manipulation (20) (Apprentice) -> Tier 3: Electricity Manipulation (60/100) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 3: Transcendent Human Physiology (79) -> Tier 4: Transcendent Human Physiology (19/500)]

[Tier 3: Lightning Angel (81) -> Tier 4: Lightning Angel (21/500)]

[Tier 3: Personal Anti-Magic (0) (Novice) -> Tier 3: Personal Anti-Magic (40/100) (Apprentice)]

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[Expert Training: Tier 4 Complete]

(30 Exp/Tier 4)

[Tier 4: Personal Anti-Power (60) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Personal Anti-Power (90/500) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 4: Metal Constructs (50) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Metal Constructs (80/500) (Apprentice)]

[Tier 4: Force Field Manipulation (0) (Adept) -> Tier 4: Force Field Manipulation (30/500) (Adept)]

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[Expert Training: Tier 5 Complete]

(20 Exp/Tier 5)

[Tier 5: Personal Anti-Force (106) (Novice) -> Tier 5: Personal Anti-Force (126/1000) (Novice)]

_

[Ability Amplifier Perk Activated]

[Tier 3: Data Warping (40/100) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Data Warping (0/500) (Novice)]

[Proficiency exceeded 100 of Power: Psychokinesis]

[Attempting Evolution of Power with Tier Increase]

[Evolution Succesful]

[Tier 3: Psychokinesis (40/100) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Psychokinesis (0/500) (Novice)]

[Tier 3: Electricity Manipulation (60/100) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Electricity Manipulation (0/500) (Novice)]

[Tier 3: Personal Anti-Magic (40/100) (Apprentice) -> Tier 4: Personal Anti-Magic (0/500) (Novice)]

_

[Elemental Affinity Perk Activated]

[Gained Affinity: Electricity (Basic)]

[Magic Warrior Trait]

[Tier 4: Elemental Portal Creation (0/500) (Novice) -> Tier 4: Elemental Portal Creation (0/500) (Apprentice)]

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[Gained Perk: Lightning Wings]

[Gained Perk: Regenerative Healing]

[Gained Power: Tier 1: Chi Aura (72/100) (Novice)]

[Gained Perk: Omnidirectional Energy Waves]

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