Chapter 20 – Blood Manipulation
The earth quaked beneath his boots as a deep rumble resonated through the forest, heralding the emergence of the beast's colossal form from behind the splintered trees.
Ding!
[Intermediate tier beast detected]
[Earth bear: characterized by power and possessing formidable defense]
Its fur was as dark as buried stone, each strand glinting with an earthy sheen, and its eyes glowed like molten amber—the Earth Bear—a peak intermediate-tier beast, one heartbeat away from evolving to advanced rank.
Edem's lips curled into a smirk.
"A perfect adversary for refining my blood arts.."
The bear emitted a formidable roar, its sound resonating deeply within his bones. Its massive form towered over him, reaching a height of no less than four meters while standing on its hind legs. Its claws resembled curved blades, and its muscles bulged beneath a hide resembling armor.
The forest appeared to tremble in deference to its presence.
Edem raised his guns. The crimson runes etched along the metal flared alive as his energy surged. But this time, he wasn't only relying on bullets. No. His new talent demanded a stage.
"Let's test the limits of Blood Manipulation."
The beast charged.
The ground split under its steps, shockwaves rippling outward.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Edem's dual pistols emitted streaks of crimson, with each shot navigating through the air with impeccable accuracy. However, upon contact, the bear's hide absorbed the impact as if mere pebbles were striking armor, leaving only subtle scorch marks behind.
"Too challenging," he murmured with a click of his tongue, as he swiftly moved aside to evade a claw swipe that obliterated the boulder upon which he had been standing.
His perception spread outward like a crimson net. Through Blood Sense, he saw the beast not as a mountain of flesh, but as rivers of pulsing veins, the rhythm of its heart hammering like war drums.
"Got you."
With a sharp gesture, threads of his energy extended. Crimson lines hooked into the bear's bloodstream, invisible to mortal eyes.
The Earth Bear snarled as its movements faltered, one leg stiffening unnaturally. Edem clenched his fist. Veins bulged along the beast's thigh as blood rebelled against its flow, twisting to Edem's will.
"Blood Bind."
The beast stumbled, crashing to one knee, claws digging furrows into the earth.
But only for a moment.
With a roar of pure defiance, the Earth Bear's muscles convulsed, bursting the microscopic threads apart. Its raw vitality burned through Edem's grip like fire tearing paper.
"Impressive…" Edem muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "But the stronger you are, the more I'll gain from killing you."
The Earth Bear lunged again.
This time its paw came down like a falling mountain.
Edem swiftly moved to the left, yet not without injury—a claw grazed his side, lacerating the flesh. Blood sprayed into the air, and a searing pain shot through his ribs.
For a moment, the smell of iron filled his lungs. His vision blurred.
Then—his lips curled into a grin.
"Good… I needed blood anyway."
The crimson droplets did not descend to the ground. Rather, they remained suspended in midair, drawn back toward him like loyal soldiers. The blood contorted and solidified, forming jagged needles encircling his body.
"Blood Manipulation… Art: Crimson Spikes."
With a mere flick of his hand, the spikes surged forward in a tempestuous flurry.
Shnk! Shnk! Shnk!
The bear emitted a fierce roar as several projectiles embedded themselves deeply into its more vulnerable joints—behind the knee, beneath the armpit, and at the corner of its jaw. Although its hide was thick, Edem had identified its weak points using Crimson Detection. Each strike was executed with precision.
The beast staggered, fury boiling in its molten eyes.
The battle intensified as the Earth Bear uprooted trees, wielding them as projectiles. Edem adeptly maneuvered among them, his agility augmented by the Blood Aura. His pistols discharged incessantly, each shot harmonizing with blood spikes that emerged from his injuries.
Each injury he endured transformed into a weapon. Every drop that was shed returned more acute and lethal than before..
Nevertheless, the bear persevered. Its sheer vitality was formidable, mending wounds and fractures almost as swiftly as Edem inflicted them.
If this dragged on, the beast's stamina would outlast his own.
"I need to end this… now."
His thoughts were in a whirlwind. Blood Manipulation extended beyond merely transforming blood into weapons; it encompassed the control of its flow, pressure, and the very essence of life itself.
He inhaled sharply, focusing all his perception on the beast's chest. Through the crimson web, he saw it—the Earth Bear's heart, pounding like a war drum, flooding power through its body.
"That heart… will be your downfall."
The bear roared and lunged. Its massive jaws aimed for his head, fangs snapping with bone-crushing force.
Edem didn't retreat.
He ran into the charge, weaving between its claws, leaping onto its forearm. His boots skidded across coarse fur as he sprinted upward toward its chest.
The bear swiped, but too late.
Edem slammed his hand onto the beast's chest, palm glowing with crimson light.
"Blood Art… Crimson Burst!"
His energy surged into the bear's bloodstream. In an instant, the blood within its veins ignited like boiling magma. The beast shrieked—a sound that shook birds from distant treetops—as its heart convulsed under Edem's grip.
BOOM!
A fountain of blood erupted from its chest as the pressure exploded outward. The Earth Bear staggered back, slamming into trees, roaring in agony.
Seizing the opening, Edem raised both guns.
"Time to finish this."
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The pistols roared in unison, each shot enhanced with blood-forged rounds. They tore through the ruptured wound in its chest, ripping deeper until one pierced the core nestled within.
The beast froze. Its molten eyes dimmed. With a final groan, the colossal body collapsed like a felled mountain. The earth shook at its fall.
Edem stood still, chest heaving, his side throbbing from the wound. But crimson threads crawled over his torn flesh, knitting it together.
He extended a hand and drew the beast's blood toward him. The crimson torrent swirled into a dense orb before condensing into a glowing core that dropped into his palm.
[Congratulations. You have slain an Intermediate Peak-tier Beast.]
[Core Acquired: Earth Bear.]
[+350 Crimson Evo Points.]
Edem smirked, holding the core up to the dim light filtering through the canopy.
"Not bad. But still far from 2500."
His gaze drifted back to the fallen giant, its blood still painting the battlefield. For the first time, he truly felt the depth of his new path.
Blood was not merely a symbol of life; it represented power, control, and dominion. This, however, was merely the inception..
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To be continued