Wolf of the Blood Moon: A Blood Magic - Book 4: Chapter 52: Slowed Progress

Scarlet

I wipe the sweat from my brow as I walk through the streets of the city that was made into a temporary base out on the frontlines after we recovered it from the demons and freed the humans in it. Then I blink, realizing that I have Clean and instead use that.

“You must be tired if you’re forgetting Clean,” Tar points out, and I just nod my head in response.

Well, I’ve been trying to get to Class V as quickly as I possibly can over the past month, even if that’s only left me at level eight hundred and fifty. Much lower than I was hoping for.

“I mean, it makes sense considering that most of the demons you’re killing aren’t even Class IV, and the ones that are? They’re only levels five hundred and one through seven hundred for the most part,” Tar says, making me numbly nod my head again.

At this point the only reason I’m still gaining EXP is because of the whole tenth of a level thing that I get after killing a certain number of beings.

And inching up to a thousand through that alone isn’t helping me much.

I tried taking on a Noble over the past month but lost spectacularly despite Apex Predator and all of my other skills. So I won’t be trying that again until I’m at the cusp of breaking through to Tier V myself.

“Allen gave you a real scolding for that one,” Tar says with a chuckle. “Amelia as well. And pretty much everyone else you know.”

Yeah, yeah, everyone was mad. But I had to try it.

And I’ll be trying it again when I reach level 1000.

“Hmm, yeah, I think you should be able to handle a Noble at that level as long as the Noble is only level 1001,” Tar says after a short pause to think about it.

I glance at my shoulder with surprise visible on my tired face as I walk.

You actually approve?

“Yes, I do,” he says with an amused snort at my surprise.

Nice.

Anyways, I walk into the base located near the wall of the city, only to pause in place when I hear a familiar voice from within the building now that I’m actually paying attention. One belonging to Emily.

Then I hear Michael and Michelle’s voices next after hers.

They’re finally here?

Belle made it to Class III very quickly thanks to her unique mental barrier magic, since it’s a known fact that mental magic users often level faster purely due to them having one of the easiest magics to attack and involve themselves in combat out of all known magics. Since they’re directly attacking or blocking mentally from a distance without even having to get up close and personal.

So from what I’ve heard, Belle snuck her way to the frontlines while still at Class II and participated in the war by using her mental barriers on everyone, giving her a little bit of the EXP of everyone they killed.

A rather sneaky way to get EXP, but it worked in the end for her. And she survived, albeit with an earful from her father. So that’s all that matters in the end to me.

“Like you’re one to talk about recklessly endangering yourself for levels,” Tar grumbles, but I, of course, ignore him.

I close my eyes for a second and focus my senses on the building itself before narrowing in on where I hear their voices coming from. Then I open my eyes again after finding the group to all still be at Class II, but they’re at least in their low 200s, so there’s that.

It’s the beginning of November right now, so it’s been a little over a year since we all contracted. Close to a year and three or four months. Although closer to a year and two months for me.

Also, why does it feel like it’s always snowing wherever I go? I don’t mind the snow myself, in fact I like it, but it always seems to be snowing.

“Does it really matter?” Tar asks, and I shrug the shoulder he’s on, making his claws dig into my armor to stay in place.

Not really.

As I walk, I glance at my status to find all of the improvements I’ve made over the past month of demon slaughter.

Name: Scarlet Art Asger de ArcheronSpecies: Human/Blood Lycan HybridMagic: Blood Titles:The Apex Predator Age: 20Level: 850SP: 4 Stats: Physical: 2,547Mental: 2,547Magical: 2,546 Physical/Level: 2Mental/Level: 1Magical/Level: 2 Free Points: 0Mana: 300,133/ 11,996,624.7Free Points/Level: 5 Active Skills: Pain DiffusionSkill Level: 26Description Null Magic FieldSkill Level: 24Description Blood of RuinSkill Level: 20Description Blood NullificationSkill Level: 15Description Rain of BloodSkill Level: 13Description Metallicized BloodSkill Level: 21Description Blood EmpowermentSkill Level: 18Description Blood SwarmSkill Level: 12Description Beast TransformationSkill Level: StaticDescription Metallicized Blood ClawsSkill Level: 29Description Life AbsorptionSkill Level: 30Description Partial ShiftSkill Level: StaticDescription Blood PullSkill Level: 22Description Blood ChainsSkill Level: 20Description Blood DiffusionSkill Level: 18Description Gradual Corruption NullificationSkill Level: 20Description Blood PlagueSkill Level: 15Description Crimson OverdriveSkill Level: 20Description Blood ShadowSkill Level: 15Description Blood RetributionSkill Level: 15Description Blood ArmorSkill Level: 10Description Blood ManifestationSkill Level: 10Description Blood SacrificeSkill Level: 10Description Blood BoilSkill Level: 10Description Blood BankSkill Level: 10Description Passive Skills: Blood RegenerationSkill Level: 26Description Blood AuraSkill Level: StaticDescription Blood AbsorptionSkill Level: StaticDescription Sanguine EffectSkill Level: StaticDescription Life SenseSkill Level: 20Description Apex Predator

Skill Level: StaticDescription Blood ThirstSkill Level: 15Description Bloody ThornsSkill Level: 15Description

Everything is really shaping up to look quite nice.

Although I’m still annoyed that I haven’t gotten another inherent skill for who knows how long.

Just when am I going to get my next inherent skill? The last time I got one was over a hundred levels ago, and the last time before that two hundred and fifty levels before it.

“You’ll probably get one at level one thousand,” Tar says, giving me an answer I really didn’t want to hear. “Hey, it’s either get really good and powerful legendary inherent skills once every blue moon, or get a bunch of low rarity run-of-the-mill skills every couple dozen levels. I’d rather have the legendary ones.”

I mean, you have a point. But still. It’s annoying.

My thoughts come to a halt when I enter the hallway that Emily and them are walking down, making me smile at the sight of their faces. Faces that look pleasantly surprised to see me.

Now this is a reunion that’s been long in the making.