Chapter 87: Blood Manipulation [1]

The three days of rest after acquiring the blood magic from Velra helped me quite a bit.

Even Hans—the stern head butler—came to check on me once. That alone was surprising enough. But what truly caught me off guard was what he brought with him.

Two mid-grade healing potions.

He handed them to me without a word, his expression as unreadable as ever. I blinked, unsure if I was hallucinating from the lingering fatigue.

“…These are for me?” I asked, hesitantly.

He gave a short nod. “The Lady gave the order. Use them wisely.”

Just like that, he turned on his heel and walked off, as if he hadn’t just handed me twenty gold worth of medicine.

Sixty gold.

That wasn’t pocket change. A single mid-grade potion could cover a commoner’s living expenses for several months. Even nobles didn’t throw them around lightly, unless it was a battlefield emergency or a personal favor.

Thanks to the healing potion, I recovered faster than expected—but I still wasn’t in top form.

That’s the reason I couldn’t take down Bjron back then.

…And now, because of that, we’ve ended up in his hideout.

I knew charging in alone would’ve been suicide. That’s why I made a plan.

I disguised myself and joined a merchant caravan under the Lotus House. Lila, the merchant, was heading toward the Draken Duchy.

Coincidentally, her route passed right through the area where Bjron was rumored to be hiding.

I figured he’d attack—and he did. He ambushed us with his men.

There were sixteen of them in total, including Bjron himself.

The mercenary group I temporarily joined managed to kill eight before we were overwhelmed. I couldn’t finish Bjron off in time.

But that doesn’t mean this is over.

His men are relaxed now, their guard lowered. They think the fight’s done.

That makes this the perfect chance to strike back.

…And Bjron? He’s not even here. He’s probably off preparing to butcher Lila right now.

But I’m almost certain he hasn’t started yet.

…At least, I hope not.

I peeked outside the cell. The corridor was drowned in darkness, with only a single flickering torch casting shadows along the rocky walls.

’…Good. No one’s around.’

Without wasting a moment, I swung the [Echo Rod] at the cell’s lock.

Thwack—!

Thud—!

The lock shattered under the force of the artifact and clattered to the ground.

Click—!

Mira, who had just finished puking in the corner, looked up at me. Her eyes were wide, filled with surprise and questions.

“E-Eren… How did you—”

“If you don’t want to end up as food for that psychopath bastard, then stand up and move,” I cut her off before she could finish.

My voice came out colder than I intended—but there was no time for softness.

I had to move. Now.

Bjron’s minions were scattered, unprepared. If I wanted to stop him before he butchered Lila—and did God knows what else—I had to strike first.

Time was running out.

Mira looked at me. The trembling in her limbs slowed. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up, legs still shaky… but she was standing.

Mira wobbled beside me, her steps unsteady but determined. She didn’t speak, but the fear in her eyes was replaced by something fiercer—resolve.

We crept down the dark corridor, the faint light from the torches casting long shadows that danced on the jagged stone walls. Every step felt like it echoed too loudly, but I kept my pace steady, my mind focused on the task ahead.

I needed to move fast. I needed to be ruthless.

The bandits were distracted, assuming we were still bound and helpless, but I could feel their presence—hear the faint shuffle of their boots, the low murmur of their voices. They were confident. Relaxed. They thought they had us cornered.

That’s their mistake.

As we turned the corner, I signaled Mira to stay quiet. She nodded and crouched beside me, her breathing slow and shallow.

Ahead, a group of three bandits loitered near a makeshift table, their eyes lazily sweeping the corridor. They were relaxed. Too relaxed. They didn’t notice the soft click of the cell door behind us, or the quiet shuffle of our feet against the stone.

I leaned toward Mira and whispered, barely above a breath, “Your comrades are down that corridor—right side, second cell.”

I pointed toward the narrow passage, and she followed my gaze, eyes sharp.

“What are you going to do now?” she asked quietly.

“I’m going to kill everyone here,” I replied without hesitation.

She stared at me for a moment, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something—but she didn’t. Instead, she nodded and slipped off into the shadows to free her people.

Good. Now that I was alone… it was time.

Time to use my magic.

I turned back to the bandits and exhaled slowly, calming my pulse.

Then, I brought my hands together in a deliberate clap—fingers interlocked—before shifting them into a shape that resembled a gun, my index finger pointing straight at the nearest bandit.

“Blood Manipulation: Blood Needle.”

The circuits inside me, created by Velra, flared to life. I could feel them activate, humming beneath my skin like coiled lightning.

A faint glow traced along my arms as blood surged to my fingertips, sharp and pressurized. Then in instant blood began form at the tip of my fingers tips, it spun and change it shaped to …a long, needle-like spike—thin, gleaming crimson, and deadly.

With a subtle twitch of my finger, it shot forward.

Shlick—!

The nearest bandit didn’t even make a sound.

One moment he was leaning lazily against the wall, chewing on a strip of dried meat—and the next, he collapsed, the blood needle buried cleanly through his temple.

Thud—!

His body slumped to the floor with a muted thud, and the meat slipped from his fingers.

“What…?”

“What happened to him?”

The two remaining bandits turned in confusion, their sluggish minds struggling to register what had just happened.

Too slow.

I didn’t give them time to process.

“Blood Manipulation: Shard Bloom.”

With a flick of both hands, I scattered droplets of blood midair and willed them to expand.

Each droplet bloomed outward like a flower of death—blades of blood arcing silently through the air.

Slash—! Slash—!

“Kuchh!

“Ugh… W-What is going on?”

Both men staggered, bleeding from deep gashes across their throats and chests. One gargled, trying to scream, while the other collapsed onto the table, knocking over a tin mug as blood pooled beneath him.

I exhaled, heart pounding. The spells took a toll, even in short bursts—but the power was undeniable.

Then open the system window to see the details of Blood Manupaltion.

——

[Blood Manipulation]

[Rank: S-Rank]

[Description: The user manipulates their own blood to manifest offensive and defensive constructs. Blood can be shaped into needles, blades, whips, and barriers. The potency and scale of the constructs are influenced by the user’s vitality and mana control.]

[Note: Excessive use can lead to severe blood loss, dizziness, and death. Use with caution.]

[Active Techniques Unlocked:]

— Blood Needle: Forms a high-velocity needle of blood. Pierces soft tissue and bone. Cost: Low.

— Shard Bloom: Splits multiple droplets of blood into slashing projectiles. Wide range. Cost: Medium.

— Blood Clone(Locked)

— Bloodforged Armor(Locked)

——

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