Rise of the Blood Weaver - Chapter 80 (Patreon)

An hour had passed. They had gotten further than ever before. Arlo and the others just finished with another group of crazed Beasts. All that was left was two scorpion creatures. Bones was battling them. He made it look easy.

Dodging the stinger. He grabbed hold of it and using his massive strength, used the stinger against the Beast. He used it like a dagger and plunged it through its eye. It died. The next creature tried snapping its pinscors against his bony leg. As it closed shut like a pair of scissors, the wound the scorpion was expecting to create didn’t happen. Bones just took it, then stomped on its skull with his foot.

After a few more flurry of punches and kicks, the beast was dead just like that.

Surprisingly, it was the first time there wasn’t a single Monster rank amongst them.

During the fight, Arlo felt like something was missing within himself. He took on risks he usually wouldn’t do. Like getting too close to incoming attacks. But because of that, he was quickly refining his combat skills. He was putting everything he had learnt from his sparring sessions into practice. He just had to perfect the timing, that was all.

Of course, he knew this was something to do with Louis’ death pulling him forwards. It was playing at the back of his mind. He had to get stronger, faster, so that he could protect those close to him.

But that wasn’t what Arlo was focused on. He had discovered something else. And it wasn’t the fact that Bones was an incredible help during their fights. No, it was because of–

[You have slain a Tier II Beast, Scorpion.]

| …

| Your blood becomes stronger.

Bones had killed the last one and he was given the reward for it. That made his previous decision of whether or not to sacrifice his Blood Fragments an easy one. But it would have to wait until they returned to the safe zone. Arlo didn’t know what the process was like, how long it would take, or if it somehow incapacitated him. Besides, he would have to get used to the sudden loss of power.

Merc notified everyone that they had made good progress and that it was time to return back to the safe area.

Entering, Arlo took in the surroundings. It was so peaceful. But he knew it wouldn’t last. Everyone was silent. Arlo wasn’t sure if he should give them time to grieve, or if it would be better to cheer them up somehow. Or maybe they didn’t really care that much?

Merc had made it very clear. The expression on her face told Arlo that she wasn’t too bothered by it. She was busy looking over her Remembrance. There was a chip in the blade. She frowned and returned it back to her core so that it would repair itself.

Then she started shadow boxing.

She never stops, Arlo thought.

Arlo was of the same mind. A fire was burning within. He was about to send his consciousness into his core, but he realised something. If he was going to sacrifice his Blood Fragments, he had to tell the others. He would grow weaker. It would be obvious. Not only that, but they were fighting side-by-side. If Merc sent a monster she knew the current Arlo could handle, but he was weakened, mistakes would happen.

And mistakes couldn’t happen.

So he gathered everyone around. He decided to tell them half a truth.

“So,” Arlo said, he paused. Everyone looked at him funny.

How should I say it? He was about to tell everyone about his unique core. And about evolving his Reflecting. Especially, about evolving his Reflection. To Arlo’s knowledge, it had never been done before. It was probably because of his unique core.

The lineages probably already know, Arlo thought. Oh, screw it.

He continued, “So, I received a unique Reflection. The reason I’m telling you this is because I was given a choice to evolve Bones. The downside is that I’ll be a lot weaker than I am now.”

It’s not that he wanted to keep things a secret from his party. Merc and Justin knew of his unique core. Maybe they didn’t tell anybody, maybe they did, but Arlo was uncomfortable going against the advice he had received from Justin and Jay.

He knew how dark the world could be now. What if someone more insidious had learnt about his Core? What if they had magic to do something with it?

It was too risky now.

“Evolve?” Merc asked.

They all gazed at Bones. He stood by Arlo’s side. Menacingly.

“I can sacrifice the cores I’ve gained from killing creatures and use them to strengthen Bones,” he said. “I’m not sure how it works exactly, but I’m almost positive that once I do it, I’ll turn weaker than before until I can gain them back.”

“And that’s why you're telling us,” Merc said, nodding along. “So we can alter our fight strategy accordingly?”

“That’s right,” Arlo said. “Bones will be taking my position while I grow back to my previous strength.”

“But is it really worth it?” Elian asked.

“Of course it’s worth it,” Justin said. “I’ve never heard of a unique Reflection that can grow stronger alongside their master.”

“Not even you?” Arlo asked. Justin shook his head. He looked at Merc, but she was just as clueless as he was.

So that means my Core is one of a kind?

“In fact,” Justin said with his arms crossed, “it’s better that he starts growing it now instead of later. It’s an investment for the future. I say that whenever you can upgrade it, you should. You may grow weaker, but you can have ‘Bones’ protect you. I still can’t believe you named it that. You have no creativity.”

“What else should I have called him?”

“I don’t know, what about the Undying Slayer of Justin’s Party, or something?”

“Sometimes I just can’t tell if you’re being serious or not,” Arlo said, shaking his head. He smiled. “Anway, I thought I’d let you all know before I did it.”

“You made the right call,” Merc said. “Alright, you can do it. It just means you’ll have to be protected more than before until you can catch up.”

“Just like the first time we entered this place, huh?”

Without further ado, Arlo returned Bones back into his core, and followed him with his consciousness. Bones stood next to the red pool of blood.

“Alright, Bones, here goes nothing.”

Evolve Bones, He thought, but nothing happened.

[You need to physically touch your Reflection.]

“Because that’s not creepy at all,” Arlo said. But he did as the Spirit System said. He grabbed hold of Bones’ shoulder. He activated the evolution process.

Arlo’s blood boiled. It lurched through his core, somehow entered his arms, then continued to his hands. He felt a slight prickling sensation as a cut opened from his palms. His blood first covered Bones’ shoulders, then head, and it continued until every inch of his body was completely covered. There was so much blood, Arlo wondered how he hadn’t passed out.

But he didn’t. There wasn’t even a hint of pain. But he did feel himself weakening at an alarming rate. He couldn't stop it, even if he wanted to. In a flash, 100 Blood Fragments had transferred from Arlo’s Blood Core, to Bones.

It looked like his Reflection was doused in dark blood, not a single bone was visible. But the colour changed. It lightened, turning from a sickly black scarlet, to an almost dark pinkish red. It reminded Arlo of muscles without the flesh.

Bones was no longer a skeleton. His face had no nose, or ears. But he had a mouth and vivid green slitted eyes like that of a cat. Two rows of razor sharp teeth displayed themselves. Bones flexed his new muscles. It was as if he was testing his new body. He closed his mouth. Thankfully. It was quite creepy.

[ 100 Blood Fragments sacrificed.]

| You now have 93 Blood Fragments.

[Bones (Undying Warrior) has evolved.

| Bones (Undying Warrior) -> Bones (Undying Blood Soldier)

Arlo stared at the humanoid in shock.

“I guess I should give you a proper name now? How does Vyr sound?”

Vyr just looked back at him. There wasn’t a single thought behind those new, green eyes.