~the bat's POV~

My eyes lazily opened as I awoke from my slumber. I feel like I should continue enjoying the comfortable sleep, but I felt rejuvenated enough to ignore the temptation. I stretched my body to initiate a chain of cracking bones. After my routine exercise was over, I settled down and began to think.

I had a dream as I slept, this wasn't strange as I have had the same dream multiple times before, but I always ignored it. The dream was of a majestic man. His aura and presence was enough to fill me with awe and was handsome enough to deserve my praise. His form was the same as Ilhena. I couldn't use [appraise] in my dream for some reason, so I assumed he was a human.

The figure always appeared inside my dream but never spoke a word, but this time it was different. He whispered something to me. Is it strange that I felt his voice sound somewhat familiar? Well, that aside. The thing that he whispered made me ponder.

"Ilhena, I had a dream."

"What dream was it?" Ilhena asks me curiously.

"Well, the dream was of a human, I think. He looked like this... It's better if I show you," Just as I'm about to explain to Ilhena how the human looked like. I remember I have a skill that can do a better job.

"[Shapeshift]," I chant the skill's name as I envision the figure in my mind. My muscles and bones disarrange and change to fit the description, and soon I can see my pale white human limbs just like Ilhena's, my hair I assumed has changed to the color black to fit the figure in my dream.

I notice that although my size isn't the same as the figure's, I'm still taller than I thought I would be, standing on my feet is somewhat problematic, and the fact that I am on a branch isn't helping.

"So a human that looks like this whispered something in my dream," I explain, hoping she has a better grasp of my situation.

"What did you sa...I mean, what did he say," Ilhena's excitement made her stumble on her words.

"He whispered...Felic Bloodrose," I answered while pondering on why the name seemed familiar yet strange. Oh well, it must be my imagination. I shrugged the stubborn thought away.

"What do you think of it?" Ilhena shot out of my body and appeared before me, struggling to hide her smile.

"What do I think of it?" I cocked my head towards the floating Ilhena.

"Yes, what do you think of it? Do you like it?" Honestly, seeing her this excited ruined the image I had of her. Who knew she could be this excited. But to be fair, our interactions in the dungeon were minimal so I didn't know her that well.

Felic Bloodrose, I chanted the name, trying to get the feel of it. Honestly, I don't have any opinion on the name apart from the last part, but that is only because I like blood.

"It's a nice name...especially the last part of it," there's something about blood that intrigues me to the point of lusting it. The goblin's blood was so-so, but it wasn't about the taste. When I sucked it dry, I felt a different kind of hunger getting filled up.

"If you like it so much, then take it," Ilhena intently looked at me with her charming red globs.

*Gasp*

Does she mean to name myself? Looking at my status screen and seeing weird symbols is annoying, so maybe I should?

"How do I do it?" I have decided to take it since there's no harm in naming myself, and I'll finally get rid of the annoying symbols.

"Repeat my words," she adjusted herself, and the aura surrounding her became serious. "From this day henceforth, I shall be named..."

I carefully repeated her words and inserted the name at the end. A sense of accomplishment welled in my throbbing heart. So I have a name now?

Congratulations on naming yourself. All your inventions, be it skills or equipment, shall have your name engraved in them.

I didn't expect the system to announce my naming event, I didn't feel any powerful or special, disappointedly. So it turns out naming doesn't give you anything.

"Do you remember my name?" Ilhena suddenly asked me an unexpected question.

"Of course I do, "although I tend to take things for granted. I always remember what matters, and she's one of them.

"Then forget it," I furrowed my human brows at her sudden words, not waiting for me to ask a question, she continued. "From henceforth, I shall be named Ilhena Bloodrose," haha, I knew it. The name Bloodrose is too captivating even for Ilhena.

Looking at her so excited, a smile formed on my face. Though isn't she taking it too far? Even I wasn't that excited when I named myself.

"Why are you so excited?" Curiosity overwhelmed me, and I just had to ask.

"I got a system message," she cheerily answered.

"What does it say?" So she can also get messages?

"I won't say," hold on. She can see my status, and I can't see hers?

"Hmph, then don't expect to see mine," if she can't show. Then neither can I.

Seeing the panic flash in her face made me even more assertive in my decision. It was either she yields, or I yield. And it is a fact that I don't falter once I make a decision.

"Ok, I give up," she resigned herself and tried to charm me with her innocent eyes. I promptly avoided the witch's spell by turning my head away. "But I will show you later, is that ok?"

I nodded at her suggestion. I don't understand why she wants to see my status that badly. Anyway, after that, she said she needed to rest so that her [mana body] doesn't fade away. I had a lot to ask, like what is a [mana body], but I just assumed it was a body made out of mana.

*Sniff**Sniff*

".."

Is something out there? It was only after hearing the strange noise that it dawned on me that I was in unfamiliar surroundings. I hadn't even explored where I was.

*Sniff**Sniff*

I raised my vigilance and unleashed my perception skills to locate the source. Fortunately, this time my target was quickly identified. Also, I was able to survey the entirety that is this place. I didn't expect it to be so tiny to the point that it looks like a giant rock with vegetation on it.

That aside, I jump from branch to branch towards the thing making the strange sound. From what I could tell, it wasn't my opponent.

This beast is extremely careless, even though I'm right behind it. It doesn't notice me. I have never seen such a clumsy beast, and that is after considering the goblins.

I could tell the beast was female thanks to her long hair like Ilhena's. That aside, I can see the blood flowing inside her veins. Immediately, I have a hunch that her's is more precious than the goblin. My hunger flares up, and a grin forms on my face. I want to suck her dry.

Suddenly, the unexpected happens.

"Who are you?" She turns her crystal blue eyes towards me. I can see two mounds of flesh on her chest jiggle. They look bigger than Ilhena's. As she says that, she tries to crawl to the sea, but she can't move faster since she doesn't have practical legs.

Her lower parts, where her legs should be, are replaced by a scaly tail-like- thing.

"Are you trying to escape now? I could have killed you several times if I wanted to," her pitiful actions prompt me to warn her against them.

"I'm sorry," she meekly says. Why are you sorry?

It seems that she understands her actions are futile, so she stops crawling away. I could see her mouth move though the words she chanted were foreign to me.

Suddenly, crystal blue water emerges from thin air and surrounds her, hiding her figure from me. After a moment, the water curtain fades to reveal a human?