I really don't want to hurt anyone. But as the soldier came closer, David felt a stirring deep inside him—an instinct that belonged to Raven's body, not his own mind.
His muscles tensed, remembering actions they had performed countless times. It was muscle memory, he realized. Even if David wasn't mentally ready, Raven's body knew how to fight.
David moved quickly, dodging the soldier's attack with ease. He hooked his foot around the man's ankle, tripping him to the ground. Before the soldier could get up, David drove his knee into his back and grabbed the sword from him.
"Stay down," David panted, surprised by how coordinated he was. "I don't want to hurt you."
The soldier struggled beneath David, trying to reach a dagger on his belt. They wrestled, rolling on the ground. David felt a sharp pain when the soldier punched him in the face. He tasted blood, which was warm and metallic.
The taste of blood sparked something within David—power rushed through him like flames. Everything around him became clearer; sounds and smells grew stronger. His hands moved on their own, finding the soldier's dagger and using it.
There was a moment of struggle, a surprised gasp, and then silence.
David looked at his blood-covered hands. The soldier lay motionless beneath him, staring up at the sky.
"No," David whispered, backing away. "I didn't mean to—"
```
System Notification:
- +25 Experience Points for defeating Imperial Soldier. Current Level: 1 | Total Experience: 25/100
```
David saw a notification appear, coldly counting the life he had just taken. The sight made him feel sick again, but he couldn't stop to think about it. There might be more soldiers nearby.
He wiped the dagger on the grass and put it into his belt with trembling hands. It was self-defense. He would have killed me. I had no choice.
That reasoning didn't ease the heavy feeling inside him. But just as he was about to leave, he noticed something strange—the blood under the soldier seemed to move when he was near.
The scroll had talked about controlling blood—a basic Bloodcraft skill. Without knowing why, David stretched out his hand towards the dark pool, focusing hard.
The blood trembled, rising in a thin red stream that wrapped around his fingers like it was alive. It felt warm and full of energy. Power surged through him, both exciting and terrifying.
```
System Notification: Bloodcraft Manipulation Activated!
Skill Level Up: Bloodcraft Technique (Trial) - 10/100
Bloodcraft Effect: Blood Manipulation (Temporary)
```
Suddenly, the sound of voices broke his focus. The blood splattered back to the ground as David hurried to his feet.
There are more of them.
He could run, but they would follow him during the day. Fighting seemed futile—he barely understood his newfound power, and he didn't want more deaths on his conscience.
David pressed himself against the lab wall, his heart racing. Three more soldiers came out from the trees, saw their fallen comrade, and shouted in alarm.
"Spread out! Find the killer!"
David held his breath, pressing into the shadows as one soldier moved closer to the lab.
The man came so near that David could see the stubble on his jaw and smell the leather of his armor.
Once the soldier passed, David exhaled quietly. He needed to act quickly while they were distracted. Staying low, he crept toward the forest's edge, wishing every step he took was completely silent.
But, of course, a twig snapped under his boot like it was a cannon blast.
"There!" A soldier shouted. "By the trees!"
David ditched any stealth and sprinted into the woods. Branches slapped his face, and roots threatened to trip him with every step. Behind him, soldiers crashed through the underbrush, hot on his heels.
Something zipped past his ear—a crossbow bolt, slamming into a nearby tree. They weren't just playing around; they were definitely trying to take him out.
Panic kicked in. David's lungs felt like they were on fire, and his legs protested with every step, but he pushed through it, dodging between trees and jumping over fallen logs.
The blood moon above provided just enough light for him to see, but it also made him a target for his pursuers.
David burst out of the trees onto a narrow path that ran along a steep ravine. On his left, the ground dropped off sharply. On his right was more forest. And behind him, the soldiers' shouts were getting louder
David took off down the path, running like mad. If he could just find a place to hide and maybe double back...
His plan fell apart when he turned a corner and collided with two more soldiers. He stopped abruptly, nearly losing his balance at the edge of the ravine.
He was cornered.
The soldiers moved in slowly, weapons raised. "Surrender," one shouted. "You've got nowhere to go."
As he heard his pursuers getting closer, David knew he was in trouble. Five trained soldiers were too much for him. There was no way he could outrun them.
But maybe he could survive the fall.
With a silent prayer to any gods that might be out there, David stepped backward off the edge of the ravine. For a split second, he felt like he was floating. Then gravity kicked in, and he dropped into the darkness.
The impact knocked the breath out of him. He rolled down the steep incline, hitting rocks and bushes that slowed him down but left him bruised and bleeding. When he finally stopped at the bottom, every part of his body was screaming.
```
System Notification:
- Health: 12/50
- Status Effect: Injured (Movement Speed -30%, Strength -20%)
```
He was alive, but barely. Gritting his teeth against the pain, David crawled into a hollow beneath a fallen tree. Blood trickled from numerous cuts, but none seemed life-threatening at the moment.
Out of nowhere, a notification popped up:
```
System Notification:
- Level Up! You have reached Level 2!
- Health: 22/60 | Mana: 35/35
- New Skill Unlocked: Bloodcraft - Blood Chain (Activation required)
```
He had actually gained enough experience from this mess to level up. Not exactly a cause for celebration. True, the health boost had saved him from a critical situation, but he was still pretty fucked up, like a moon emoji.
From his hiding spot, he could hear the soldiers up top. Their voices floated down, debating whether to come down and look for him or just assume he was done for after that fall.
"No one survives that drop," one argued. "If the fall didn't get him, the injuries will."
"We need to make sure," another replied. "The captain said—no loose ends."
Their discussion dragged on, but David's focus shifted when he sensed someone nearby. A figure was crouching in the shadows just outside his hiding place, approaching silently.
The newcomer wore an ornate mask shaped like a bird of prey, its features somewhere between human and raptor. They blended into the night, practically part of the darkness.
"Blood seeker," the masked figure said softly, their voice gender-neutral. "You've made it through your first test. That's impressive."
David tried to back away, but pain shot through him with every movement. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted their head, examining him with golden eyes gleaming behind the mask. "A friend to those with potential. An enemy to those who squander it." They gestured at David's injuries. "You're dying, slowly but surely. I can help you survive."
"Why would you help me?" David asked, caught between suspicion and a desperate need for assistance.
"Because your journey is only beginning, and I'm curious about where it might take you." The masked figure extended a gloved hand. "Sometimes, survival means accepting help from unexpected places.
David wasn't sure what to do. This stranger just radiated bad vibes, but his options were pretty grim—he could either die alone right then and there or risk being captured if he somehow stuck around until morning.
Reluctantly, he took the hand that was extended to him.
"Good call," the masked person said in a calm voice. "Now, close your eyes. When you wake up, we'll find out what you're really made of."
Then something pricked David's arm—a needle injecting a cold, numbing substance into his bloodstream. As he drifted off, one last thought crossed his mind:
I've already switched up the story. Maybe I can change the ending, too.
And just like that, darkness wrapped around him before he could figure anything out.