Scarlet

“Your very voice is now infused with your reality,” Tar says, explaining what’s going on. “But more importantly…”

I frown at him as I realize he’s staring directly at my eyes.

Is there something wrong with my eyes?

“Something wrong… no, but something strange, definitely,” he says, confusing me a bit. “Just take a look for yourself.”

Oookaaay…

I bring a mirror out of my Bloodwell Keep storage skill. And when I look in it, I find a rather surprising sight staring back at me.

Unlike the rest of my body that’s currently visible, like my arms, there are no glowing red veins on my face that practically illuminate my skin with a red glow. Instead, the red glow in my eyes have gotten far brighter.

But more importantly, now there are odd symbols in my eyes. Almost like a liquid fire in them.

And the symbols are glowing with a very pale red, bordering on white light.

That’s not all though. The symbols look alive.

They’re moving around like an actual liquid flame. And it’s kind of disturbing yet peaceful at the same time to watch.

Overall, a very disorienting experience.

I raise my hand towards my eyes, and when my hand gets close, the symbol starts moving slower. As if it’s aware and focusing on my hand near it. Then it starts moving faster again.

“I think… those symbols represent your status as the Red Plague,” Tar says, sounding like he’s only half away of what he’s saying. “Not sure why, but that’s just what comes to mind when I meet your eyes. That I’m looking at the Red Plague itself.”

That gives me pause as I stare at my reflection. Then I turn to look at him with a frown.

Doesn’t this mean I’ve been delegated down to nothing more than a plague?

Tar doesn’t say anything. Instead he turns his head away from me for a second and looks back again.

You just hid a laugh, didn’t you?

“No idea what you’re talking about,” he says, blatantly lying his ass off. “More importantly, what does your status say now?”

My… status?

“I’m curious as to whether or not your species changed again,” Tar continues, giving me a bad feeling about this.

But I open my status anyways.

And immediately grimace.

Name: Scarlet Art Asger de Archeron Species: The Red Plague Magic: Blood, N/u**ll Titles: The Apex Predator, Bane of Corruption, Warden of the Red Plague, Ruler of Blood, Dragon Slayer, The Red Plague Age: 22 Level: 2400 SP: 14 Stats: Physical: 14,240 Mental: 14,239 Magical: 14,239 Physical/Level: 5 Mental/Level: 4 Magical/Level: 5 Free Points: 0 Mana: 912,371,044.5 / 912,371,044.5 Free Points/Level: 10 Active Skills: Bloodborne Apocalypse

Skill Level: 15 Description Beast Transformation Skill Level: Static Description Pain Diffusion Skill Level: 30 Description Null Magic Field Skill Level: 30 Description Blood of Ruin Skill Level: 30 Description Metallicized Blood Skill Level: 30 Description Power Drain Skill Level: 30 Description Blood Nullification Skill Level: 30 Description Rain of Blood Skill Level: 30 Description Blood Transformation Skill Level: 30 Description Healing Reversal Skill Level: 30 Description Blood Control Skill Level: 30 Description Perfect Blood Control Skill Level: 10 Description Partial Shift Skill Level: Static Description Blood Swarm Skill Level: 30 Description Bane of Corruption Skill Level: 20 Description Blood Plague Skill Level: 50 Description Crimson Overdrive Skill Level: 50 Description Vampire Ascendancy Skill Level: 50 Description Scarlet Aegis Skill Level: 25 Description Eldritch Blood Skill Level: 25 Description Blood Bond Skill Level: 10 Description Blood Shadow Skill Level: 30 Description Blood Retribution Skill Level: 30 Description Passive Skills: Ruler of Blood Skill Level Static Description The Red Plague Skill Level: Static Description Lycan's Regeneration Skill Level: 14 Description Blood Immortal Skill Level: Static Description Blood Manipulation Skill Level: 30 Description Lesser Blood Runes Skill Level: 10 Description Nullification Resistance Skill Level: 12 Description Princess's Decree Skill Level: Static Description Dragon Slayer Skill Level: Static Description Bloodwell Keep Skill Level: Static Description Blood Thirst Skill Level: 30 Description Bloody Thorns Skill Level: 30 Description

Yep. My species did change.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I’m now quite literally the Red Plague.

“Scarlet, I’m pretty sure if there’re gods out there, you’d be one,” Tar points out. “You have three fucking transcendent skills now. A skill rarity people didn’t even know existed until you got them. You’re the strongest being in the universe now other than the Voided Overlord. Who technically isn’t in the universe yet.”

Yeah, you have a point there.

And I don’t really think it’s all that possible to kill me anymore. Especially since I always scatter some drops of my blood the moment I appear after being teleported. So even if I somehow died in the battle, I’d just revive myself in those drops of blood.

Although, I do find my Bane of Corruption skill rather ironic considering that I now am technically corruption. Since I quite literally am the Red Plague now.

I do have a problem with this though.

“What is it?” Tar asks, sounding genuinely curious.

I raise my arm, showing off the glowing thing to him. Where my red veins stand out and quite literally illuminate the inside of my arm like a damned flashlight. As if I had one inside of my flesh.

Am I really going to be a glowing lightbulb for the rest of my life?

Tar doesn’t say anything for a second as he stares, only to burst out into laughter.

I’m being serious. I don’t want to be a glowing lightbulb.

“Try thinking… about your blood… no longer… glowing?” he tries to say in-between laughs.

I glare at the tanuki but do as he said anyways. And right when I do, my body stops glowing like a lightbulb.

Although there is still a very faint shimmer from my veins. Veins that are no longer the normal blueish purple color and are now a blood crimson.

But it’s still hard to tell if you don’t have your face right up to my skin. And people won’t be getting that close if I have any say about it regardless of my vein’s color. So it’s fine.

“Well, more importantly than your glowing skin,” Tar says, making me glare at him again. “Your new skill should make absorbing the Red Plague planet easy. So do you want to go give it a shot now?”

I continue glaring for a second before grinning.

“Let’s do it,” I state aloud while clenching my fists.

But my glowing skin is important.

“Sure it is,” he comments before teleporting me without another word.

And when we reappear, we do so right in front of a massive orb of Red Plague that I immediately feel calling out to me.

Time for a snack.