John said nothing more, merely extending his hand… pointing directly at the backpack on Jack's back. If you recall, that was the backpack John had enchanted to shrink—small in size, but no lighter.
"Whoosh!"
The backpack immediately expanded back to its original size, as large as Jack himself, heavy enough to send him tumbling backward.
"Ouch! What was that, John! You should've warned me!" Jack yelled, rolling on the ground like a pressed sack of flour.
He muttered as he unbuckled the straps:
"At least give a heads-up next time…"
John didn't bother to reply. He immediately dove into the backpack, pulling out item after item, searching as he spoke:
"We're going to disguise ourselves. I didn't bring all this Vampire Hunter gear for nothing. Hehe…"
Jack and Mira looked at each other, eyes wide.
"Disguise? How!?" they both exclaimed in unison.
"Here it is!!!" John pulled out a leather suitcase about half his height, adorned with intricate patterns characteristic of the Solar Order—the oldest Vampire hunter organization in Aetherion.
"The special Vampire Hunter disguise kit—genuine Solar Order goods!"
Mira's mouth dropped open.
"Woah… you managed to bring all this stuff too?" Her voice was filled with surprise, unable to hide her admiration.
Jack crossed his arms, propping his chin. His gaze slowly shifted from suspicion to a stranger emotion.
"A disguise kit… why does it feel… familiar."
For a fleeting moment… a memory flashed in his mind. The image before Jack suddenly blurred, then shifted to a brightly lit room, a faint scent of perfume wafting through the air. A beautiful woman appeared in the memory fragment. Around 24 years old, soft blonde hair, fair skin, an oval face with vibrant eyes—she was captivatingly beautiful.
"You look so handsome disguised like this, Jack." Her voice was soft as wind, then she gently kissed his cheek.
Jack looked at her, a tightening sensation in his heart.
"Lyra… do you know you're very beautiful?" It was his own voice. Gentle. Intimate. Warm. He embraced her. The memory faded, shattering like a cracked mirror. Everything was swallowed by the red hue of the current sky.
Jack stood frozen.
"…Lyra." he murmured softly. "That's my wife's name."
The remark silenced the air around them.
John and Mira looked up almost simultaneously. They had been absorbed in exploring the disguise kit… but then froze, their eyes shifting to stunned silence.
They didn't know what to say. For those brief seconds… no one uttered a word. A name. A wife. And a part of the past buried deep in blood, ash, and darkness…
John and Mira were both dumbfounded. The two had been intently examining the special Vampire Hunter disguise kit when Jack's words made them both stop.
John set the clothing down, his gaze turning thoughtful. "It seems your memory is making progress, Jack."
Jack smiled faintly, with a hint of warmth. "Thank you, John. Honestly, if it weren't for you… I might still be that Butcher Jack."
He took a light breath, then looked down at the disguise kit spread on the rock before him. "Anyway, let's get back to business. What exactly does this outfit do?"
John gave a mischievous grin, the familiar smile he wore whenever he was about to unveil an unusual plan.
"Before I tell you about the disguise's function, I'll tell you my plan. Listen closely." He glanced at Jack and Mira. "You, Jack, will disguise yourself as a noble Vampire returning to the capital, NoxValen, needing to stop in Hollowrest for supplies."
Jack's face went blank for a few seconds. "Me? A noble Vampire?"
Mira interjected faster than thought. "What about me? What about me??"
John turned to Mira, his face still serious. "You and I will disguise ourselves as his slaves."
Mira's mouth dropped open, her face darkening. "Nani?! Be a slave to this guy? No way. Not in a million years!"
John sighed, hands on his hips. "No, Mira. I'm serious. We will pretend to be Jack's servants, his slaves—a noble Vampire. Nobles always have humans accompanying them, serving, carrying things, or simply to flaunt their power. This is the only way for us to maintain our cover, and at the same time, enter the city to find Silverium for you."
Mira spun around, turning her back, her face pouting. "Hmph... hmph... no way I'm being a slave to a Vampire… huhuhuhuhu…"
Jack subtly shrugged, his voice turning serious again. "Actually… this method is pretty good, John. If I play the role of a noble Vampire, we can bypass the Blood Sigil check. Slaves and pets accompanying high-ranking Vampires aren't required to have Blood Sigils, nor do they need to submit blood periodically."
John chuckled, his eyes gleaming with the characteristic smugness of someone who had just completed a perfect plan.
"Haha, of course. I've thought it all through. Alright, let's begin. Remember—we only have one vial of Silverium left, so let's make good use of our time."
With that, he leaned down to the old leather suitcase, opening a hidden compartment inside. From it, he carefully pulled out an object… that made Jack frown instantly just by looking at it.
A… transparent tunic. It was almost see-through. The material was wet, glossy, its surface glistening as if coated in gel, looking nothing like clothing at all, but… more like a dying jellyfish than something one could wear.
"Here, take it. Put it on, Jack." John held out the tunic with a perfectly straight face.
Jack took it, grimacing, shuddering as he held it.
"What is this… why is it transparent? And… so wet?" He held it up for a closer look, his eyes as skeptical as if he were holding a monster's toy rather than a shirt.
"It feels… like… squeezing a jellyfish, squishy…"
Mira, standing at a distance, also frowned, wrinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue.
"Ew… what in the world is that? You call this a shirt? That's disgusting."
John chuckled, as if he was perfectly used to this reaction.
"You two don't know. That thing is miraculous! This disguise kit is a rare item from the Solar Order. No joke."
Jack looked at John, then down at the "living shirt" in his hands.
"So, do I need to take off my old clothes? Or just put this on over them?" He frowned, still turning the oddity in his hands as if it might bite him.
John nodded, crossed his arms, a mysterious smile on his face.
"No need, kid. Just put it on over your current clothes… and wait for a miracle to happen."
Jack shook his head, muttering something unclear, then began to slide his arms into the tunic. The first sensation was cold, then… damp. The tunic slid onto his body like a living skin, clinging tightly, soft and cool. It took a few minutes of struggling, but finally, the transparent garment fitted perfectly around his body.
Not too tight. Not too loose. But it fit as if… it was tailor-made just for Jack.
After struggling to put on the slimy transparent layer, Jack sighed in relief. But immediately, his gaze was drawn to a small detail… right in the center of the tunic's chest. A blue gem, glowing faintly in the red twilight of the sky.
"You noticed, didn't you, Jack?" John nodded, arms crossed. "Right in the center of your chest is an Arcane Crystal. It's a magic stone, one of the foundational materials for all magical systems in Aetherion."
He stepped closer, pointing to the head of his staff—which also had a blue gem, but larger and sharper. "Not just the tunic. My staff also uses this stone to conduct magic. Runes, ancient magic, or even Solar Order technology… all originate from Arcane Crystals."
Mira also subtly shifted, reaching out to touch the body of her StormFury Bow slung across her back. From the lightning rune cluster, a blue shimmer appeared—it was the gem embedded deep within the bow.
"Now then…" John said slowly. "Place your hand on the stone. Press it lightly."
Jack complied. His finger touched the stone—cold, like crystal steeped in snow. He pressed gently.
Click.
The stone immediately lit up, a soft blue light spreading. In an instant, the stone… lifted, detaching from the tunic's chest and hovering before Jack. The wet tunic began to disintegrate into tiny shimmering water droplets, swirling around his body like a living mist. The glistening water particles reflected light from the Arcane Crystal, forming a gentle vortex—magic had begun to activate.
Both Jack and Mira stared in amazement.
John smiled faintly, his voice becoming serious: "Aetherion is not just a land of magic. It's where science and magic intertwine. And when that happens… things once thought impossible become reality."
He slowly stepped closer to Jack. "Now then… close your eyes. Think of a noble outfit, a hairstyle, a face, a specific image you want to become. Lock it in your mind. Trust absolutely in that image."
Jack closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply, letting himself drift into his subconscious. But the deeper he sank… the more he realized he had nothing to hold onto. Memories were too vague. Memories of himself before being Butcher Jack… were almost empty.
The fragmented memories were only screams, blood, fear… and darkness.
But then—an image suddenly flashed amidst that chaotic sea.
A blonde Vampire, tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark purple noble suit, each intricate hand-embroidered pattern seemingly inlaid with silver. His collar stood high, his hands gloved in black. His face was handsome, cold, his eyes sharp as northern ice.
Jack saw him. Somehow… he knew this wasn't his own memory, but it felt very close, very real.
He grasped that image. Locked it in his mind. And whispered internally:
"I will become him."
Outside, the tiny water droplets continued to swirl around Jack's body. But now, they began to change their structure. The Arcane Crystal on his chest glowed brighter than ever, its blue light radiating like internal fire.
The particles began to coalesce, layer by layer, strand by strand, forming structures that clung to Jack's body like regenerating biological tissue. His face gradually changed—his nose, lips, skin, hair, suit… everything appeared little by little, overlaying his old body like a second skin. Jack's body was being recreated, in a transcendent way, a form of techno-magical disguise no one could have predicted.
A few minutes later, the Arcane Crystal reached its peak luminescence, then...
Pop!
It shattered, exploding into millions of tiny blue specks of light, scattering like a magical rain then vanishing into the air.
And before them...
The new Jack had appeared.
A noble Vampire—with slightly curly blonde hair, a tall build, a handsome and cold face, sharp eyes behind a pair of slender glasses. His black suit was perfectly tailored, accented with silver-hued noble buttons. From his aura, his gaze, to his posture—this was a true noble Vampire.
Mira's mouth fell open, unable to believe her eyes.
"Un… unbelievable…"
John stroked his silver beard, chuckling delightedly.
"See! I told you. This is one of the Solar Order's legendary magical inventions!"
Jack was currently examining his face in a mini-mirror from the disguise kit, his expression initially satisfied… until he paused.
"Wait, you two… something seems off. My eyes are still orange."
He frowned, bringing the mirror closer. Indeed—his distinctive glowing orange eyes were still there. The color of purification, the color of twilight, something that did not exist in any Vampire in Aetherion. Mira glanced over, nodding in confirmation.
"You're right… they really are orange. Clearly, that eye color is too distinct. A Vampire with orange eyes—it sounds ridiculous."
Jack sighed. John was still stroking his beard, chuckling as if he had anticipated everything.
"Heh heh… it's all part of my plan."
He leaned down to the suitcase, pulled out a small wooden box carved with silver runes, opened the lid, and held it up high.
"The Solar Order's Make-up Kiiiiiit!"
Mira gasped, her eyes wide.
"What the hell?! Vampire hunters make makeup too?"
John nodded without hesitation.
"Exactly! This suitcase has everything you need to transform anyone into someone completely different. Especially useful when needing to infiltrate or blend into the Empire's ranks."
With that, he pulled out a pair of red contact lenses, offering them to Jack. Jack took them, put them on—in an instant, his orange eyes vanished, replaced by the blazing red irises of a true Vampire.
Now… Jack truly was a perfect noble Vampire. The three looked at each other. No one spoke, but everyone understood—the disguise was complete. Now they just needed one last thing…
"We need a name."