Solo Max-Level Newbie – Pure Blood

Chapter 1: Prologue – ‘The Strongest Bloodline’

If one were to ask what was required to reach the summit…

Countless conditions of all kinds would be brought up.

Innate talent.

Bone-crushing effort.

Reliable companions, or perhaps a fateful encounter that others could never obtain.

However.

There existed an absolute realm that could not be reached by any of those alone.

That was — “Bloodline.”

No matter how much a mouse trained and honed its skills, it could never surpass a tiger that did nothing at all.

In that sense, Kang Yohan was blessed by birth itself.

For he was born between “Alice von Ataraxia,” the head of the Ataraxia family — the strongest among all vampire progenitors — and “Kang Jinhyuk,” the hero who had once saved humanity.

However—

[You have failed to clear Episode (32).]

[Number of Attempts: 999]

Failure.

‘Not easy, huh.’

Yohan mulled over the message before him once again.

Though he had seen it countless times before, every time it appeared, it felt as though all of his efforts had turned to dust.

This was a realm of unknown dimensions.

From the age of fifteen to twenty-five — for eleven long years — he had struggled to reach the ending of this Forbidden Tome.

He had first discovered it in a place within the castle that gathered only the most dangerous and untouchable relics — a kind of tomb.

Commonly called the Blood Vault.

Even high-ranking members of the family were prohibited from entering, and naturally, ordinary vampires had no idea it even existed.

And that was only natural.

Because the things within had the potential to destroy the entire world.

Even the slightest touch,

Or a meaningless mutter under one’s breath…

Could turn everything to dust.

And if one were caught sneaking into the Blood Vault?

The family would likely have to redraw the Ataraxia lineage chart from scratch.

Of course.

Yohan had not the slightest intention of obeying such a gentle request.

After a year of effort, he had finally succeeded in discovering a secret passage into the Blood Vault.

And what he had found there by chance was this Forbidden Tome.

He had always been a voracious reader, but even among all the books he had devoured, this one stood in a league of its own.

‘Still, it was fun.’

It made him feel more alive each day than any of those tedious vampire social gatherings ever could.

‘Most of all, being able to leave the Tower of Trials was what drew me in.’

The Tower of Trials — the very place that had once driven humanity to the brink of extinction.

And the one who had conquered its summit was none other than his father, Kang Jinhyuk.

Afterward, the tower had been sealed, completely cut off from the outside world.

That meant all communication, even with nations like Korea and others, had become impossible.

However, the Forbidden Tome depicted a world beyond the Tower.

A world so vividly realistic that it allowed him to experience modern culture and information in striking detail.

‘Watching ViewTube and Insta Shorts inside the Tome… yeah, that says it all.’

The only downsides were that everything in this world tasted like dust — and that its difficulty went far beyond anything remotely reasonable.

‘No wonder people say it’s hellish.’

The world consisted of thirty-three episodes, each one presenting a trial — not just of strength, but of cunning design and absurd conditions.

[You will soon return to your original location.]

[Time Remaining: 0H : 29M : 59S]

Shattered fragments.

The sky had turned a deep crimson.

The manifested world of the Forbidden Tome was collapsing.

“Ah, before I forget, better record this.”

Yohan quickly pulled out a thick notebook from his chest pocket.

It was his own strategy guide — a compilation of notes, tips, and experiences he had written while exploring this world.

Whenever he failed an episode, everything would reset… except for this one thing — the notebook always remained.

Come to think of it, it was nearly full.

Seeing the densely packed words made old memories resurface.

Rustle.

Yohan turned a page.

[When I went all-in on raising Cerberus because I thought, ‘Our dog doesn’t bite,’ only for that damn mutt to eat the Saintess and become the world’s enemy — that was a bad ending.]

He had spoiled it too much. Shouldn’t have gotten it hooked on chew treats.

Still, at least he had learned a lot about Taming.

[There was also that time I got obsessed with a cursed sword I couldn’t even wield and ended up corrupted — full-blown chuunibyo phase.]

Even now, the memory of covering half his face with his hand while chuckling ‘kuk kuk’ at every sentence was mortifying.

Well, thanks to that, he had memorized the traits of all sixty-six demonic swords in the Tome.

[Then there was the time I thought divine power was the future, played prophet with holy relics, got caught, and was dragged to an inquisition.]

That one was a shame.

If he had gone a bit further, he might’ve fully unlocked the Holy Grail he possessed.

Being a cult leader wasn’t something just anyone could pull off.

Talk smoother. Act better.

Three stars for that one.

[Then there was the time I became the Demon King, acted all high and mighty, and got overthrown by the demonfolk’s coup midway through the episode.]

Brutus.

No — Balrog, even you betrayed me.

Now he knew why that phrase existed.

He drew a skull and underlined: “Next run — I’ll remember you.”

[There was also the time I tried to claim the throne by stabbing the Emperor with Excalibur.]

That wasn’t because Balrog had killed him in the previous run.

It was all… for the sake of seeing the episode’s end.

To remove a tyrant and protect the people and justice. Ahem.

Yohan scratched out the words “Saintly King Darius III” with his pen.

He might’ve been a saintly ruler to some, but to Yohan, he had been a tyrant.

‘Come to think of it, these are all pretty terrible memories.’

Still—

With every attempt, he grew stronger.

He gained experience and insight.

It might not be possible next time, but Yohan thought that if he repeated it just a few dozen more times, he could finally reach the end.

[Upon reaching the end of the Forbidden Tome, one wish of your choosing shall be granted.]

It was the same message that always appeared whenever he failed.

A granted wish, huh.

An absurd notion.

However, if a world could be simulated this intricately, perhaps granting a wish wasn’t completely impossible.

If that were true—

Then maybe… even that one thing he had kept hidden deep within his heart, something he had never spoken to anyone about, might finally come true.

His determination to reach the end burned fiercer than ever.

‘Tsk. If only I could rewind to a week before the start of the episode, it would’ve been so much easier….’

That was his one and only regret.

For some reason, the starting point was always the first day of the apocalypse.

No more, no less.

Just three days.

If he could’ve gone back even that little, he could’ve obtained key opportunities before the chaos began.

The biggest problem, however, was that the protagonist of this world was utterly useless. Even when monopolizing every fortune available, he failed to fulfill his role properly.

On top of that, his ridiculous pride only served to crank the difficulty up another level.

That stubborn narcissist… haah.

Just thinking about him again made Yohan’s neck stiffen.

[You have consumed a ‘Stone of Temporal Distortion.’]

[Remaining Quantity: 13]

An item that warped the flow of time and space.

It was thanks to this stone that he had been able to repeat a total of 999 runs in just eleven years.

It also ensured that time barely flowed in reality while he was trapped inside the Forbidden Tome.

If not for the vampires’ unique trait — [Cold Heart] — his mind would have long since eroded away.

Even in the harshest extremes, that cold rationality had allowed him to endure the endless years.

But now…

Only thirteen of them remained.

‘Not much left.’

He could feel the tension prickle along his skin.

And at that very moment—

Ding!

[A reward has arrived for “The One Who Challenges Without End.”]

[Reward: In the next run, you may bring one item from reality into the Tome.]

“…What?”

An unbelievable message appeared before him.

Before he could even grasp the situation, his vision was swallowed by darkness.

＊＊＊

When he opened his eyes again, a familiar sight greeted him.

A place lined with cursed relics of every imaginable kind.

The deepest chamber of the Blood Vault.

Thump! Thump!

His heart pounded rapidly.

How should he make use of this new variable?

Excitement and anticipation surged within him.

But it lasted only a moment.

He wanted to grab one of the relics scattered around him immediately, but doing so would trigger the vault’s theft-prevention magic.

If he were caught by Absolute Binding, it would all end right then and there — no next run, no future.

‘I need to find a way.’

First, he had to get out and think carefully.

Staying here any longer risked being discovered.

Yohan moved quickly to stand — and froze.

‘Ah, almost forgot.’

He reached for the sword lying beside him.

If he happened to run into someone nearby, he could at least claim he was “training his swordsmanship.”

Stepping out through the secret passage, he was met by a breathtaking sight.

A valley glimmered beneath the pouring moonlight.

The grand, antique castle loomed with dazzling majesty, radiating an aura of unapproachable magnificence.

Once again, Yohan was struck by how beautiful the Black Castle — his home — truly was.

Since it was the night of the full moon, everyone had likely gone out to play.

That lowered his risk of being caught even further.

But—

Any hope for a peaceful escape shattered in the next instant.

Tap.

A sound echoed from the dark passageway.

Yohan stopped dead in his tracks.

‘Damn it….’

Of all people to run into — it had to be this terrifying hound.

Snow-white hair. Crimson eyes.

Her doll-like face was so flawless it almost appeared innocent.

But one should never be deceived by appearances.

Ophelia de Ataraxia.

A vampire who served his mother, ranked ninth within the Ataraxia Family — and a true monster.

She wasn’t of Ataraxia blood by birth, but she had proven her worth through sheer strength alone.

She was especially infamous for her brutal training methods — a source of terror among young vampires.

“Oh my, what brings our little prince to such a secluded place? Don’t tell me you came out for a stroll like me?”

Ophelia smiled sweetly upon spotting Yohan.

He appreciated how kind she’d always been to him, but given that she bore the title “Fang of Ataraxia,” her presence was nothing short of intimidating.

Especially now, when he had something to hide.

Yet Yohan kept his expression calm and replied smoothly.

“I was practicing my swordsmanship for the coming rite of adulthood.”

Definitely not sneaking into the Blood Vault.

Definitely not exploring modern life through a forbidden book.

He was, of course, just a diligent heir spending his day responsibly—

Or so he forced himself to believe.

After all, a perfect lie began with convincing oneself.

“Hmm, sword practice, is it? Well, the ceremony isn’t far off now,” Ophelia said with a knowing nod.

Then she added casually,

“You’re not nervous?”

A light question on the surface—

But its meaning carried far more weight.

And understandably so.

Hybrids were born different from purebloods.

If Yohan had been an ordinary human–vampire hybrid, he would’ve been branded with that stigma for life.

The only reason no one dared speak against him was because his human father was the man who had once made even the gods kneel.

However—

As time passed, subtle resentment had begun to surface.

Those blinded by the dogma that pure blood was supreme.

Ophelia worried about that.

At the same time—

She wanted to see Yohan’s potential firsthand.

How much power did he truly possess?

Did he have the right to wear that heavy crown and lead the family?

Young vampires, before their rite of adulthood, were untested — making this the perfect chance to gauge his true worth.

“I’ll give you a chance. Show me.”

“...Excuse me?”

“If you can demonstrate proper skill, I’ll believe your story about practicing here. So, give me your all.”

So she’d caught on.

…There was no doubt about it now.

Yohan sighed softly.

“Understood.”

Vwoom!

His sword sliced through the air.

Ophelia merely tilted her head slightly — and dodged.

Once.

Twice.

And once again.

His sword cut through the air repeatedly — yet not even the edge of Ophelia’s sleeve was grazed.

Her expression hardened slightly.

“You’re not being serious.”

She could tell from a single movement.

It was painfully obvious that he was just trying to bluff his way out of this.

“Should I… give you a little motivation, then?”

Though her tone was casual, her blade carved through the air with a vicious trajectory.

That movement—

There was no mistaking it.

‘Bloodline Sword Form.’

The signature swordsmanship of Ataraxia.

“You’re joking… right?”

“I’m not joking. If you fail to show me anything again this time, I’ll report to the Family Head that you snuck into the Blood Vault.”

“……”

At those words, Yohan’s expression changed completely.

Getting caught sneaking into the Blood Vault was absolutely not an option.

It wasn’t merely a matter of being scolded — there were still things he hadn’t finished.

“Good. Now that’s a look I can appreciate,” Ophelia said as she began to move her sword slowly.

Bloodline Sword Form.

Scarlet drops bloomed along the blade’s edge.

The signature phenomenon of the bloodline technique had begun to manifest.

And about half a second later—

Yohan’s eyes tracked the trajectory of her sword.

“...?”

Ophelia tilted her head in confusion.

Her sword art — unleashed in less than a second.

And yet—

He was mimicking it?

She couldn’t help but chuckle incredulously.

At least, until she saw what happened next.

Bloodline Sword Form.

The blade in Yohan’s hand shimmered red.

As its fragments of light arose, Ophelia’s pupils widened sharply.

“What…?”

No way.

Was he seriously… reproducing this technique after seeing it just once?

Even amid her shock, Ophelia’s body moved on instinct, continuing the sword sequence she had practiced tens of thousands of times.

First Form.

First Form.

Their forms overlapped — Yohan’s blade mirrored every motion Ophelia had mastered through countless repetition.

He mimicked her.

A duel against the strong—

And then—

He recreated it.

Drawing upon memories of battles fought against beings far beyond Ophelia’s level.

Kukukukuku!

A tangible aura erupted around him.

No mana was mixed within it.

It was pure will.

A fabricated illusion — and yet—

Even though everything had been reset time and again, the memories and experiences accumulated over 999 runs could never be erased.

—The Heavenly Demon’s First Strike.

—The Archangel’s Wrath.

—The Colossus’s Wave.

While others grew complacent in their inherited bloodlines…

…he had never stopped exploring, never ceased advancing — not even for a single day.

The trajectory Ophelia drew and the trajectory Yohan traced aligned perfectly.

The past caught up to the future.

And in that instant—

Scarlet blood rippled along the two blades.

Papat!

Their swords clashed like lightning.

No — to be precise, Yohan’s slash bloomed brighter, redder, and struck first.

A vividly blossomed blood flower.

Its petals of faint crimson converged into a single gleaming line.

A flawless execution of the First Form.

Born of the noblest bloodline.

Refined through relentless passion and effort.

Thus—

“Crimson Annihilation.”

Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa-Kwa!

The past surpassed the future.