[You have been impaled. Several projectiles have been dislodged in your body.]
[A poison has been detected. You will not be able to regenerate for a while.]
’Crap, I forgot that Ethisians could shoot out their scales.’ Due to his ignorance, Ace suffered large wounds on his body with several scales dislodged in his body. Even worse, the scales were tipped with a type of poison that, according to his system, hindered the regeneration of his cells.
Swiftly, the boy’s body started to grow numb as his blood dripped out of his body. His muscles stiffened and grew sore, his limbs became partially numb, and his vision started to blur. His breathing intensified as his body fought to keep him standing.
Quickly removing all the scales from his body, Ace created thick, rubbery patches of blood which he used to cover his wounds until the poison wore out of his body. Until then, he opted to be more careful with how he’d fight.
’This creature has more tricks that I’m yet to know of,’ he thought to himself as he watched the Ethisian lift its head at him with an eerie smile. ’I cannot rush in to attack cockily. My moves have to be more calculated.’
"The poison in your body will start to eat away at your flesh," the Ethisian elaborated while slowly approaching the Blood Bishop. "In a few seconds, your legs will not keep your body up anymore. After, your hands will not be able to hold onto that axe that belongs to me. And finally, your heartbeat will stop due to your heart’s muscles growing old and wearing out in the process."
’That’s it, get closer to me.’
"Y-you...you tricked me!!" Ace played along, satisfying the Ethisian’s ego with his dramatic act. "y-you shall pay for...this."
To make his dramatic act more believable, the Blood Bishop bit his tongue and vomited blood. Despite knowing the Ethisian’s elaboration, Ace wasn’t moved by it whatsoever for his system had not warned him of such a thing. Upon learning this, he knew that his body had a natural tolerance to poison. Either that or his symbiote had something to do with it.
"Would you look at that," the Ethisian laughed. "You’re already vomiting blood. Looks like the poison’s stronger than I thought. I do commend you human...."
’That’s it, just a little closer. Step into the puddle of my blood.’
"...you put up quite a fight but your skills are far too miniscule to deal with mine. The only thing that you beat me at is speed. But I’m superior in strength."
With an ugly frown on its face, the Ethisian marched towards Ace and stood in front of him. Ace, hanging his head downward, hid the smile on his face as his own blood slowly climbed the Ethisian’s body.
"Y-you..." he exaggerated his breathing and speech. "you will...you will pay for this...."
[You’re suffering broken ribs. Healing will not take place for a while.]
Unexpectedly, the Ethisian landed one powerful blow on Ace’s chest, bringing him to his knees with real blood seeping out due to internal injuries. However, despite the pain, the Blood Bishop continued with his elaborate acting to trick and fool the Ethisian.
His goal was to get as much of his own Blood on the creature as possible so he could execute his next plan.
[Your spine has been cracked. Healing will not take place for a while.]
This time, instead of manipulating his blood to slowly climb onto the Ethisian’s leg, Ace vomited as much as possible on the creature, further spreading his bodily fluids on it. As he did so, he’d cry and whine bitterly to solidify his act.
The Ethisian started to laugh as it stood over Ace. Looking down on him, it felt a sense of pride and joy that it was about to kill a Blood Mutant.
"Time for you to die." It said while raising its hand over its head. The claws on its fingers grew much longer and sharper as it quickly dropped its hand directly on Ace’s neck. However...
"WAIT!!" Ace dramatically shouted, his hand resting on the Ethisian’s chest. "Please, I beg you, spare me. I’ll be your slave. I can pretend to be dead so you’ll earn your freedom but trust me, the Granians won’t let you out of here."
"I’m NOT LYING!!" He shouted again with tears running down his Blood Bishop eyes. He did so while constantly tapping on the Ethisian’s tough chest. "Do you think these Granians will just let you walk out of here? They won’t but if you spare me, I will help you get out of he..."
[Your neck is being punctured.]
[You’re taking too much damage.]
"Begging for your life will not save you," The Ethisian, its claws gripped around Ace’s neck, cursed angrily while digging its claws deeper into Ace’s body. "I would let the poison stop your heartbeat, but it’s better I do it myself."
"Can I do the same to you?" Ace smiled with his palm resting directly on the Ethisian’s chest. His constant tapping earlier wasn’t just for dramatic display but was actually him looking for the Ethisian’s beating heart.
[Pulse Breaker Skill: Activated.]
Immediately, the Ethisian’s heart stopped beating in an instant, followed by all of the blood in its body coagulating in an instant. His veins, capillaries, ventricles, and arteries clogged up with the creature’s own blood, causing it a great deal of pain.
Its body slowly started to swell as various organs suffered from a lack of air supply. Ace watched as the Ethisian fell to its knees while he stood up, looking down at it the same way it looked down on him.
"This is a nice change of view," he smirked. "It could use a little bit of light though."
[Blood Fire Skill: Activated.]
While its heart stopped beating, its blood stopped flowing and its muscles stopped working, the Ethisian suffered more pain with its body now on fire. Oblivious to the Blood Bishop’s cunning nature, the Ethisian ended up paying dearly and painfully with its life.
Before dying, it looked at the Blood Bishop once more with hatred, wishing that it could drag along to the afterlife.
"You...bested...me!!" were the final words it said before dying, its body now getting consumed by the Blood Bishop’s intense flames. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁
To Ace, what he did was a perfect display of cunning wisdom and trickery at its finest. Contrary to what Grim said, he had managed to use his brute skills while taking caution at the same time. He may have suffered injuries, but it was much better than him dying.
Meanwhile to those watching, namely Grim and his team, Ace’s trickery reminded them of how dangerous the Blood Bishop was. It hadn’t been long since he had awakened from his six-year-long slumber and yet he had grown much faster than expected.
[You have completed the Sixth Phase.]
[You have killed An Ethisian in the Warrior Class.]
[You have used your Blood lust and Brutality stats to your advantage.]
[You have struck fear into the hearts of your enemies.]
[Rewards shall now be granted.]