Scarlet

As I rush through the battlegrounds, ignoring all of the demons in my way, I quickly open the description of my new skill.

{Blood Absorption – This skill passively absorbs common rarity blood magic skills used by other users that come into contact with the user’s body, converting the skills into mana for the user instead.}

The skill almost makes me stumble in my run, but I manage to continue without stumbling despite it.

Holy shit, that’s a good skill.

Although it’s static.

“If I had to guess, it’ll probably make it passively absorb uncommon rarity blood magic skills along with the common skills at legendary rarity, and rare rarity blood magic skills at mythic, assuming it ever gets to those rarities,” Tar says, sounding rather impressed with the skill himself. “Although it’s also possible the mythic version could skip rare entirely and go to skills up to epic rarity instead.”

That would be very nice. Although it’s still just one type of magic, even if it’s one of the more powerful types of magic.

“Most Class Vs barely even use anything that isn’t rare or higher in rarity anyways,” Tar comments, making the skill a little useless at its current rarity.

I am quite happy with all of these epic rarity inherent skills I’m getting though. Blood Aura alone is very helpful since it’s a passive skill that always boosts my stats by a tiny amount while decreasing the enemy’s stats. Although the amount is smaller than a single percentage of our total stats, so it’s not absolutely amazing or anything like that.

“Your favorite of the skills you got over the last few months is Blood Empowerment, right?” Tar comments as I continue sprinting through the battlegrounds while ignoring all of the demons thanks to my crest being on display. “The one that lets you burn your life energy in exchange for increasing the effect of one of your skills?”

Yeah, that one is almost as useful as Crimson Overdrive. Except that it’s only epic rarity and not legendary.

Plus I can recover my blood without having to do anything simply through Blood Regeneration, but I can’t do the same with my life energy. Not without pulling it from others through either Life Drain or Sanguine Effect.

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Blood Swarm is kind of a meh skill for me though. It doesn’t exactly fit in with my current set of skills.

I’m not really much of a summoner, so summoning a bunch of homunculi made out of blood to fight alongside me isn’t really my style of fighting.

Out of the corner of my eye, I find a Class III demon for some reason trying to attack me despite my crest being on display, only for me to realize that they are an unintelligent one. So I simply whip my tail out of my body towards them, hardening it the moment it arrives, and cutting them in two with it. Then I pull it back inside, not wanting the thing to be out any longer than I need it to fight.

“I’m still surprised your grandfather managed to convince you to use it in battle,” Tar comments, making me grimace.

Well, I’m not going to let the disgusting comments made by those on Earth stop me from using it when it really is useful in combat. Since while the tail doesn’t actually help with balance on a blood lycan, it does help in terms of the range it gives, along with the fact that it’s like a hidden weapon.

Overall, I’m not gonna act like a natural weapon in my beast form doesn’t exist just because of my pride.

Tar gasps at that and exclaims, “You finally broke past your pride in something! I’m so proud of you!”

I quickly try to grasp at the tanuki on my shoulder, only for him to vanish right before my hand reaches him, making me grasp air instead of the furball.

That’s rude.

Tar doesn’t say anything in response, instead just sending a feeling of smugness across our bond.

I roll my eyes at his actions despite the smile inching its way on my face. Then I fling my tail out to cut another Class III unintelligent demon in half as I continue charging across the battlegrounds.

“You seem to be in a better mood now,” Tar comments after several minutes of running.

Probably because I’m no longer pressed for time and should have plenty of time left to get the achievement now. An entire month just to get these two crystals and finish bringing one of my skills up to level 30.

Actually, on that note, do you think I should try bringing Life Drain to level thirty or Metallicized Blood Claws?

As Tar answers, I kill another two unintelligent Class III demons that try to attack me, “Either one works. You’re generally using both at the same time anyways.”

You have a point.

Guess I’ll use both then.

I can train them here in the Battlefield of Blood and Ruin as well. After I get the crystals, of course.

“You know your grandfather isn’t just gonna let you grab those crystals without a fight, right?” Tar asks, and I nod my head.

Of course not. He made me gather all of the Catalysts before, so he’s gonna make me do it again. It’s the blood lycan way after all. Making the members of the pack fight for their own improvement, even if they’re pointed in the right direction in the process.

If I had to guess, there’s probably a powerful demon or a nest of demons located where the crystals are. But that’s only a guess.

“You’re probably right,” Tar says, still not appearing in case I decide to swat him or something. Which is likely a good idea.

He snorts.

I continue charging my way through the battlefield until I finally find myself at the cave that is marked on the map in my head. And the moment I reach it, I hear the sounds of skittering inside of the cave.

Yep. Judging by the number of demons I hear inside, this is a nest.

Which means it’s time to clear out another nest.

I sprint inside of the cave entrance.