Chapter 16: Blood and Steel
After two hours as the blacksmith emerged from his workshop with the finished weapon, he handed it to Leo. The scythe was sleek and menacing, its black blade glinting with a crimson sheen. "I tried my best to make it the strongest possible," the blacksmith said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But it only turned out to be an **A++ weapon**. If it had been crafted by an **S-rank werewolf blacksmith**, it might've reached **S+** at best."
Leo, unfamiliar with weapon grading, looked puzzled. He asked the system for an explanation.
**System Notification**: Due to reaching level 10 and today's achievements, a major system update will occur at midnight. Full details will be provided after the update.
Leo frowned, recalling the painful transformation he had endured earlier. "I seriously don't want to go through that again," he muttered.
The blacksmith, noticing Leo's distant look, snapped his fingers. "Hey! Are you still with me? What do you think? Is it to your liking?"
Leo smiled and swung the scythe lightly, feeling its perfect balance. "Yes, I like it," he said, nodding. "How much do I owe you?"
The blacksmith grinned. "How about we strike a deal instead? You bring me any monster parts you collect, and I'll buy them at market value. In return, I want you to exclusively use weapons I craft—like a living advertisement. As a bonus, I'll make any **A-rank** or higher weapons for you free of charge. What do you say?"
Leo considered the offer and then extended his hand. "Deal."
As they shook hands, a loud commotion drew their attention outside. They saw groups of **A-rank vampires and werewolves** gathering, clearly alarmed. Leo and the blacksmith hurried out to see what was happening. Spotting a vampire, Leo approached him. "What's going on?" he asked.
The vampire, visibly anxious, explained, "A group of **C-rank adventurers** reported a **Shadow Goblin** in rage mode at the chanter forest might make its way to the village. We need to mobilize quickly before it causes any serious damage."
Hearing this, Leo and the blacksmith exchanged a knowing look. It was the same **Shadow Goblin** that Leo had already defeated and whose body had been used to create the scythe.
"There's no need for a search party," Leo said confidently. "The monster is already gone."
But the adventurers, too caught up in their haste, didn't listen and rushed off. Leo watched them leave, then turned back to grab his scythe. Just as he was about to head home, the system's urgent alarm rang in his mind.
**System Alert**: Multiple monsters detected attacking your mansion. Defense is weakening rapidly.
Leo's eyes widened in shock. "System, use all available points now to upgrade the mansion's defense!" he commanded.
**System Notification**: All 150 points have been used. Mansion defense upgraded to level 5.
Despite his exhaustion, Leo sprinted back to his mansion, gripping his new scythe tightly. As he approached, he saw the carnage. A swarm of wolf monsters, their eyes glowing red, were clawing at the gates and walls. The upgraded defenses held them back but were visibly strained.
Leo leaped over the fence, landing in the middle of the pack. The wolves snarled, baring their fangs at him. Even in his tired state, Leo's instincts kicked in. He gripped the scythe with both hands and prepared to fight.
One of the wolf monsters lunged at him, its maw wide open. Leo sidestepped the attack, swinging the scythe in a wide arc. The blade sliced through the wolf's neck effortlessly, sending its head rolling across the ground. Blood sprayed out, and the other wolves hesitated for a moment, sensing the power of the weapon.
Leo panted, feeling his fatigue weighing down on him, but he couldn't stop now. A larger wolf, clearly the alpha, charged at him, its massive body barreling through its own pack. Leo planted his feet, tightening his grip on the scythe. As the alpha wolf lunged, Leo spun around, slashing upward. The scythe's blade glowed with a faint crimson light as it cut cleanly through the alpha's chest, splitting it open. The beast let out a pained howl before collapsing to the ground.
The remaining wolves circled him, wary but still aggressive. Leo could barely keep his eyes open, his body screaming in exhaustion. Despite his state, he smirked, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Come on," he taunted. "Let's finish this."
Two wolves leaped at him simultaneously. Leo pivoted, slashing one in mid-air and kicking the other away. As the wolf he kicked hit the ground, Leo lunged, stabbing it through the heart with the pointed end of the scythe. He yanked the blade out, blood splattering across the ground.
Suddenly, three wolves rushed him from different angles. Leo knew he couldn't dodge them all in his tired state. Instead, he raised the scythe above his head and slammed it into the ground. **Blood Manipulation** activated instinctively, and crimson tendrils shot out from the scythe, impaling the wolves instantly. They fell lifelessly, blood pooling around their bodies.
Leo stood there, panting heavily, the scythe's blade dripping with blood. He looked around. The remaining wolves, seeing their pack decimated, hesitated and then scattered into the forest, their fear overcoming their bloodlust.
Leo dropped to one knee, using the scythe to support himself. He was exhausted, his vision blurring from fatigue. "System," he muttered. "Are there any more monsters?"
**System Notification**: All intruding monsters have been eliminated. The area is now secure.
Leo let out a sigh of relief, a faint smile crossing his lips as he looked at the scythe in his hand. "Guess you were worth it after all," he whispered.
As Leo staggered back to his feet, panting heavily from the battle, he glanced down at his scythe. The bloodstained blade gleamed in the moonlight. He frowned, remembering the moment when he instinctively activated **Blood Manipulation** to impale the attacking wolves.
Confused, he asked, "System, why was I able to use **Blood Manipulation** just now? I thought the vampire bloodline effect had worn off after I returned to the city. It should have deactivated, right?"
There was a brief pause, as if the system was processing his question. Then it responded:
**System Notification**: Due to the recent **Full Blood Injection** and the awakening of your **SSS+ potential bloodline**, certain abilities, including **Blood Manipulation**, have become semi-passive. This means they can be activated unconsciously in moments of intense need or danger, especially when your life is at risk.
The system continued, sounding almost hesitant:
**System Update Note**: The full integration of your bloodline abilities is incomplete. Until the update at midnight, certain skills may activate without conscious control as your body and the system adjust to the new bloodline parameters. After the update, you will gain full mastery and control over these abilities.
Leo gritted his teeth, feeling both relieved and frustrated. "So it was basically an emergency response from my bloodline... Great," he muttered, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand. "But that also means I have no idea what other abilities might trigger randomly until this update finishes. Perfect."
He exhaled sharply, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle into his bones. The fight had taken everything out of him, and now the uncertainty of his rapidly evolving powers added another layer of fatigue to his already strained mind.
"Guess I better get inside and prepare," Leo sighed, glancing one last time at the blood-soaked battlefield before slowly making his way toward the mansion.
As Leo entered the mansion gates, exhausted and covered in blood, he muttered, "This has been one heck of a night."
Inside, Aisha ran up to him, her face pale with worry. Tears welled in her eyes as she saw the blood. "Leo, you're hurt!" she cried.
He managed a weak smile. "Don't cry, Aisha. It's all over now," he assured her.
Aisha sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I-I made a warm bath for you. And... I heated up some soup," she added hesitantly, clearly uncertain about her cooking skills.
Leo felt a rare warmth in his chest. *Is this what having a home feels like?* He nodded, heading for the bath. The hot water soothed his aching body, washing away the blood and tension.
Afterward, he found a small bowl of simple soup waiting on the table. Aisha watched nervously as he ate in silence. Despite its plain taste, he finished it quickly, too tired to care.
"I'm going to bed," he said, standing up. "Don't disturb me. I need to rest."
Aisha nodded quietly. "Okay... Good night, Leo."
Without another word, Leo headed to his room, collapsing onto the bed. His thoughts swirled briefly before exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone