∼ Day 8 ∼

Standing in the crown of a large tree, I scouted out the situation in front of me.

Once again, I find myself in front of a goblin den.

The special thing about this den though, was that the target of my attention was inside it.

This den was deeper into the rocky hills and seemed to be somewhat bigger than the last.

When flying up high I couldn't see where the rocky hills ended, so I expect it to be quite a large region compared to the glades.

If I'm not wrong, then I should begin to expect larger and higher leveled goblins and dens, not to also mention better evolutions of goblins.

Before doing anything I wanted to see if can do anything with my newly acquired magic, so I pulled up the skill list to take a better look.

-Skill list!-

Skill list Name Type LVL -Appraisal- Information 4 ⇒ 5 Appraises a target and creates a profile. The amount of information is determined by the skill level of the user and the difference in power between the user and target. -Blood Magic- NEW Magic 1 The ability to use the magic type, blood magic. Increased effectivity in blood magic. -Blood plague- Unique 1 ⇒ 2 Influence and control the sanguine plague. -Blood profiling- Information 5 - (MAX) Consumes the blood of biological creatures to create a profile on the creature. Profiles are fused with appraisal to help analyze the target. -Blood Shaping- NEW Unique 1 Allows the skill holder to manipulate and shape blood with the use of mana. (Blood lord variant skill)

-Dash- NEW Transport 1 ⇒ 2 Consumes stamina to dash short distances. -Greater Puncture- Offensive 2 ⇒ 4 Increased penetration capabilities. -Greater Smell- Sensory 1 ⇒ 3 Allows the user to better detect heat sources. -Healing Surge- NEW Defensive 1 ⇒ 2 With the use of a gland in the user's body, they can release a healing compound to hasten the healing process. -Language Adaptability- Information 1 When exposed to a basic language of the world of Eve, the skill holder automatically learns the language over time. Amount learned depends on the amount of exposure. -Lesser Enhanced Exoskeleton- NEW Defensive 1 Enhances the exoskeleton of the user. Increased toughness and resistance. -Lesser Enhanced Organs- NEW Defensive 1 ⇒ 2 Enhances the inner organs of the skill user, providing them with increased the toughness of their insides and also a slight increase in the effectivity of those organs. -Mana Control- NEW Magic 1 Allows for increased control and manipulation over mana. -Obscurement- Defensive 3 ⇒ 5 Increased hiding capabilities. Can be activated to create an obscurement effect in exchange for stamina. -Paralyze- Offensive 1 ⇒ 4 Creates a gland at the user's mouth or claws that produces a paralytic compound that can be injected into a target. -Silent Flying- Defensive 1 ⇒ 3 Reduces the sound produced by flight. -Thermal Sight- Sensory 1 Allows the user to better detect heat sources. Grants the ability to detect heatwaves with vision. -Swift Flight- Transport 1 ⇒ 4 Enhanced speed and maneuverability. -Weak Infusing Slash-

Offensive 1 ⇒ 4 Slashes the targets with the bladed appendage of the user.

Damn, this list is really starting to get long.

Looking over my newly acquired skills I find out new information about my magic.

It would seem that the skill, blood magic, only gives me access to magic related to blood. So would I need something like fire magic to be able to use magic related to fire?

And that blood shaping skill I also got, seems to not actually be directly magic but just a skill depending on mana to be activated. This skill was apparent only granted to me because a got the blood lord variant race.

I wonder what I can do with it.

Very interested, I decided to first try it out on myself.

Drawing a little bit of blood from my wrist, I try to tap into the instinctive knowledge of how to use this skill.

Exerting an immense amount of mental pressure, I become awed as I see my blood starting to move against the natural laws of gravity.

Instead of flowing down and dripping onto the ground, my blood started to follow the guidance of my mind and moved up my arm.

Snaking around my arm, the blood in my control didn't even leave a bloodstain, or at least if I wished it not to.

Wanting to push the boundaries, I try and pull on the blood.

To my pleasure, the little stream of blood began to float up into the air.

Beyond excited, I made the small amount of blood fly around.

Suddenly feeling the drain on my mana starting to wear me out, I try to push it the last step.

Since the skill was called blood shaping, then I must be able to shape something out of it.

Forming a mental image, I impose it on the small amount of floating blood.

This time around, I was a lot harder.

The amount of mental pressure I had to exert was mind-boggling.

At the point where I was almost about to pass out, I managed to accomplish my task.

[Blood Shaping has reached LVL: 2]

In my hands where a small dark-red needle about half the length of my finger.

Fuck yeah!

Quite exhausted, I look at my status to check how much mana that cost me.

-Status!-

Status

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 10 Skills 19 -Race- Azde (Blood Fiend) VIT 20 Traits 5 -Sex- Male AGI 35 Titles 2 -Rank- F DEX 20 Skillpoints 5 -Level- 1/35 INT 20 Resistances

Health 82/82 CHR 5 Physical Resistance 10 Stamina 31/32 WILL 18 Magical Resistance 5 Mana 1/5 MAG 15 Mental Resistance 8

Damn, that really almost took all of my mana, and if the dreariness and confusion clouding my mind now is any indication. Then if my mana hits zero, I'll most likely pass out.

Wanting to see the fruits of my labor, I inspect the little blood needle in my hands.

It doesn't seem like it will lose shape, and its hardness is nothing to scoff at.

Now, for its sharpness.

Putting the needle against my carapace, I was surprised at its sharpness.

While not as good as my claws, it was almost just as good.

And this is just a little amount of blood coupled with my low skill level, which could produce such a result.

With images of me forming all matters of tools and weapons from my blood, I make blood shaping a high priority skill to level when I have mana available.

Wanting to see just how much the needle takes, I apply all of my strength on each end.

It takes me most of my effort with ten points of strength to break it in two.

Nice, whatever I create won't easily break, that's good to know.

Doing another once-over of my status, it seems that mana has an extremely slow regeneration process since I haven't even gotten a single point yet over about 10 minutes.

Waiting for more than an hour, I finally see that my mana had fully replenished.

Damn, I really need to use my mana sparingly if this is the case. I can only use mana related abilities and skill a few times each combat if it takes this long to regenerate.

I at least hope I'll be able to increase it in the future.

Getting ready for the next phase of experiments, I find a lone goblin around the den.

Moving in I make quick work of breaking all four of its limbs and limiting its ability to make any sound to alert others.

Now with an incapacitated goblin at my beck and call, I can begin.

This time around, I wanted to test blood shaping on other creature's blood than my own.

Taking a moment to focus myself, I allow my mental exertion to flood over the goblin's body.

This time around I felt a noticeable conflict against my influence.

When using blood shaping on my own blood, I felt nothing of the sort. Clearly it must have something to do with the fact that my blood would be willing to my own influence since it is my own.

Drawing some blood from the goblin, I try and make it flow at my command.

Hardly making it flow in another direction I stop the flow.

Wait...

Stopping the flow of the blood running down its shoulder seemed easier than forcibly making it move how I wanted it to.

Getting an idea, I place my hand above the goblin's chest, right where its heart is.

Suddenly applying all of my mental pressure on stopping all blood flow in the area of my hand, I take a full 10 seconds of excruciating mental exertions.

But to my delight, I see the life slowly fizzle out of the goblin.

[LVL: 6 Goblin has been slain!]

[You have been rewarded with 36 points of EXP]

Falling onto my ass in exhaustion, I look at my status.

Urgh... 1 mana point left.

Damn, that was draining.

While definitely not effective compared to other methods, I had literally just stopped another creature's heart with my mind.

How fucking cool is that?

If I manage to level this skill and become more powerful, I could simply snuff out the life of my enemies.

Very satisfied, I return to the tree after making sure the goblin body won't be found while I rest and wait for my mana to refill.

‹ 1 hour and 20 minutes later ›

With my mana now refilled, I can return to my original objective of investigating the infected goblin and figuring out my magic skills.

It's time for some sweet fucking payback you little green asshole, I'll have to show you that my leg didn't come at a cheap price.