The winding path continued and the snake started to release how big the place it was in was. The snake headed towards the closest of creatures around its level of power. The purity of blood mana it had was compared with the surrounding creatures to find the best match.

Thoughts were easier for the snake, not as broken as before when it was incomplete.

Eventually the surroundings changed and the hard store became dirt and gravel. That is where the snake found its prey. They were many, all burrowed into the wall. He slithered towards the closest one through the many holes that made up their burrow. Even in the dark the snake could still see what the creature looked like. It was almost similar to a wolf, 4 legs a long tail but the teeth were bigger and it was smaller. It was a-

[Ground Rat Lv1]

The snake flinched when the glowing runes appeared, but the Ground Rat did not seem to notice them or the light they produced in the dark. So the snake pounced. Its fangs sunk into the rat and its length coiled upon it, keeping it still. Now any of its cries were muffled, keeping it from alluring the others in its nest. The snake drew on the blood mana in the rat, willing it once again to spill from the wound into its mouth. This time was far harder than the wolf had been. Possibly from the creature still being alive.

After ⅓ of the blood was devoured, the rat was killed. The snake drank the rest of the blood at a quicker rate. That way the others would not smell the blood and he could gain back the mana spent on wrestling with the blood of a living being.

[Blood Manipulation has grown from Lv 1->Lv2]

[Blood Conversion has grown from Lv 1->Lv2]

[Blood Sense has grown from Lv1->Lv2]

The strategy worked so well that the snake did not change its tactics. Until eventually.

[Achievement: Pest Control! You have cleared out the Ground Rats nest. Bonus XP Rewarded!]

[You have consumed potent blood, XP Gained!]

[Level Up!]

[Strength+1,Agility+2,Endurance+1,Magic+3]

[Blood Manipulation has grown from Lv 2->Lv3]

[Blood Conversion has grown from Lv 2->Lv3]

[Blood Sense has grown from Lv2->Lv3]

Now the nest is its. The other creatures being so far away let the snake relax while in its nest. The snake coiled up and slept, but it was not a peaceful sleep.

It knew that not all fights would be so easy. No one wanted to give up their blood mana and the snake was not content praying on those lesser than it to grow. It was safer but didn't fill its desire for blood. Only the purity found in those stronger than it would be worthy of consuming.

Thus it needed a new way to fight, only one thing would let it do that.

[Blood Manipulation]

The snake used Blood Conversion in reverse for the first time, changing its blood mana into blood.

But the snake didn't know the best way to fight with blood. Blood manipulation was only strong enough for it to pull the blood in a direction even with its growth the skill was still too weak to do any damage. It would have to find a different way to use Blood Manipulation to hunt those stronger than it. While the snake thought of a new way to fight, it left the nest to search for the next prey. Blood Sense now had a wider ranger so it could search farther and more accurately.

Crawling down the winding hallway, the snake eventually found its prey. It was another fuzzy-thing from when it hatched but this time it was alive and strong.

[Tunnel Wolf Lv 4]

…

The wolf lifted its head and sniffed the air. Behind it the wolf smelled weakened prey, it smelled blood. The wolf traveled down the tunnel until it found its prey, a dark wiggling shape was trying to hide in the corner but with all its movement the wolf easily found it.

The wolf pounced on the struggling creature only to be surprised. The bite seemed to melt the creature and it dissipated into liquid. Next thing the wolf knew was its neck felt pressure and then the pain started.

Its very essence was being devoured by the creature on its neck but the wolf had no way to reach it. Thus it wined and howled but nothing could stop the greedy being on its neck. Eventually it all went dark.

…

[Achievement: Heavy Hitter! You have slain a being 2 levels higher than you. Bonus XP Rewarded!]

[You have consumed potent blood, XP gained!]

[Level Up!]

[Strength+1,Agility+2,Endurance+1,Magic+3]

[You have created the Sub-Skill Blood Phantom!]

[Blood Phantom is a Sub-Skill of Blood Manipulation and thus will count towards its proficiency and level.]

[Blood Phantom: creates blood clones of the user. The max number of clones is 1. Warning! Blood Phantom will take mana based on the user's current size!]

[Achievement: First Skill Creation! You have successfully created your first skill. Gain Bonus XP!]

[Blood Manipulation has grown from Lv 3->Lv4]

The snake had found a way to use its Blood Manipulation. All the other beings the snake noticed were not as smart as it was, so it devised a strategy to trick its prey and bite where it couldn't reach.

Fighting beings above its level appeared to be beneficial besides the tastier blood. Gaining more XP was always good, the snake was able to level only after one kill! Just imagining how much faster it could grow was making it light headed.

Faster growth meant better blood, and better blood meant faster growth. It was a perfect cycle!

The snake decided it wanted an even stronger target after fighting the wolf. So it only had one option left, the strongest being in the dungeon.

[Level: 3]

[Race: Elemental Snake(Blood) ]

[Skills: [Blood Sense LV 3],[Blood Manipulation LV 4],[Blood Conversion LV 3] ]

[Sub-Skills: [Blood Phantom Lv4] ]

[Strength:3]

[Agility:6]

[Endurance:3]

[Magic:9]

[Titles: [One Who Chooses] ]