[Host gained 15 Skill Points]
Asher looked at the notification, remembering how he had killed over 40 goblins but had only gained 15 skill points.
"[Skill points depend on enemy level too]," Sol voice reminded him.
Asher nodded at this, then looked at the green blood scattered around. "Condense," he murmured, and all the blood began to gather, eventually forming into several dark green, glowing beads.
"What is this?" Emily asked as she observed the floating beads.
Asher glanced at her, then flicked one of the dark green beads forward. Once it reached the spot he intended, he calmly commanded, "Burst."
Under Sebas and Emily's watchful eyes, the bead suddenly elongated into two long blades, piercing the trees on either side. The holes left were substantial, and one of the trees soon broke in half.
"This is a new technique, isn't it?" Emily asked, examining it closely. "It's effective but might be easier for experienced opponents to dodge. It's perfect for monsters and beasts, though." She thought, It's a great technique for someone his age.
"That's impressive, young master," Sebas said, and Asher nodded.
"But," Asher added, "I suppose it still needs some refining. How about we go to the next Bronze Door?"
He nodded in agreement. Asher thought to himself, I've gained enough points, but there's always room for more. And they continued on their way.
Soon after leaving the Iron Door, they reached the Bronze Door. As they entered, Asher found himself in another forest biome.
"Youth master, this area is inhabited by Bronze Realm goblins," Sebas reminded him. "They know some basic mana techniques and have crude iron weapons they've forged themselves."
Asher nodded, then closed his eyes as his Sanguine Supreme ability activated. Soon, the world around him turned black, and several red dots appeared in his vision. These red dots connected like veins, forming a network that mapped out the goblins' positions.
Behind him, Sebas observed in surprise. Blood Vision? He unlocked it this quickly? His eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, continuing to watch Asher.
Blood Vision is like serpents thermal vision, where the can only see the heat signatures around them, while Blood Vision show only blood flowing through one, it mapped out one's whole vein system.
I wonder how far you can go, he thought, continuing to guide the young master.
Asher extended his hand toward the beating hearts he could sense, then clenched his fist. The hidden goblins, who had been preparing to attack, suddenly clutched their chests, coughed up blood, and collapsed, lifeless.
Once again, Asher condensed their blood into beads.
[Host gained 21 Skill Points]
Asher nodded, pleased with his progress.
As Asher condensed the last of the goblins' blood, he felt a surge of power ripple through him, the collected energy fueling his abilities. He focused, gathering it into a condensed dark Green orb that floated above his palm, glowing faintly with raw energy.
"Good control," Sebas remarked, a hint of pride in his voice. "But remember, the Bronze Realm may be only the beginning. Your powers will need refining in the higher realms."
Asher gave a slight nod, his gaze shifting ahead. "The goblins were weaker than expected," he said, a faint edge of disappointment in his voice. "I need stronger opponents if I'm to master Blood Vision."
Emily, who had been quietly observing, approached. "Not every enemy needs to challenge you, Asher. Sometimes the lesson is in control, not strength."
Just then, a sudden rustling echoed from the dense forest surrounding them. From the shadows emerged a large goblin, armored in heavy iron plates with faint etchings of runes carved into the metal. Unlike the others, it wielded a menacing-looking spear, dark and jagged, as if crafted for a single deadly strike.
Sebas tensed slightly, stepping forward. "Careful, young master. This one's a Goblin General, far stronger than the rest. They're rare in the Bronze Realm, but this one seems to have developed some form of dark enchantment on his weapon."
Asher nodded, already aware of the Goblin General's unique abilities. He had deliberately chosen not to kill him outright; after all, he wanted to try something different. His heart-grasping technique worked well on goblins, given their lack of proper mana control and weak defenses around their hearts. But against a skilled opponent, this technique might not be as effective.
He needed to test his limits and explore new tactics if he wanted to be prepared for stronger foes.
This was also the reason Asher had spared the Goblin General—he wanted to test another of his weapons.
The Goblin General roared, raising his greatsword as dark flames began to flicker around it.
"Interesting... a variant appeared in this door," Sebas murmured as he noticed the dark flames. These were no ordinary flames; they were resentment flames, created from gathering the hatred and anger of the goblin's fallen comrades.
"Young master, Should I kill it?" Sebas asked.
Asher shook his head, his eyes glowing faintly -ominously. "Perfect. I could use the practice." He called upon his Sanguine Supreme ability, and the world around him darkened once again, red veins highlighting the goblin's pulsing form.
The Goblin General let out a battle cry, charging forward with surprising speed, sword thrusting directly at Asher. With a fluid motion, Asher summoned two Dark Green blades from the condensed blood orb in his hand, crossing them just in time to intercept the sword. Sparks flew as iron clashed with his blood-forged weapons.
Asher looked calmly at the Goblin General. "you lost" he said, his tone steady and cold.
Emily and Sebas watched intently as the Goblin General tilted his head in confusion, seemingly processing the question. But before he could respond, the tips of Asher's blood-forged swords suddenly extended, piercing the Goblin General's head with lethal precision. The creature collapsed, lifeless, the fight concluded in an instant.
[Host gained 45 Skill Points]
Asher glanced at the new skill points he'd gained, nodding in satisfaction. "It was a fairly intelligent one," he remarked. In that last moment, the Goblin General had tried to dodge by tilting its head, but Asher had simply curved the extending blade, piercing through and finishing it. The most updated novels are published on Novel~Fire. (n)et
Sebas and Emily exchanged a look, both impressed by Asher's precision and adaptability.