"LET... HER... GO!"
A loud banging sound emanated from Ace's container, prompting the two Granians to call for immediate backup while aiming their large guns at the container.
The banging eventually subsided, but the aliens remained skeptical.
"Do you think he's calm now?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe it was just a short burst..."
BANG! BANG!
Cracks began to appear on the tempered glass as the earlier roars echoed throughout the room.
"How can he roar in that thick liquid? It should be blocking his vocals from leaving his mouth."
The banging noises ceased again, leading the Granians to believe that Ace had grown tired or passed out from screaming. "Could he have..."
The glass cylinder shattered, and black liquid started pouring out. Fear filled the faces of the Granians as they beheld the horrifying creature standing before them.
[Blood Mutant System Activated.]
[System Status: Activated.]
[Language Translation Complete.]
[Temporary Fight Mode Measure Initiated.]
The once slim, tall, orange-haired boy now stood at seven feet tall, his physical appearance completely transformed. His body had become a muscular wall, resembling that of a slim body builder. His once-white skin was now covered in a blood-red substance.
His claws were sharper than double-edged swords, and his mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth. His eyes were wider, clearer, and slanted, giving his face a fierce expression.
Ace's eyes glared at the Granians as he snarled, "LET HER GO, NOW!"
The Granians immediately opened fire on Ace, prompting him to raise his arm with the red substance on his body forming a large shield that covered his entire body.
Slowly, he walked forward, deflecting the blasts from the aliens' guns with his shield.
"Back up! WE NEED BACKUP!" Fortunately for the Granians, reinforcements arrived in great numbers. They all joined forces to shoot at Ace, while some of them took the remaining cylinders to different rooms.
"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HER? LET HER GO!" Ace's blood arm extended, swatting away the nearest Granians.
He attempted to push through their numbers in an attempt to get to his sister, but the Granians pushed him back and launched counterattacks. Ace fought as hard as he could, his resilience forbidding him from leaving Cherry behind. However, something strange suddenly took over his body.
[Ding!]
[Fight Mode Deactivated: Energy used up]
[Flight Mode commenced]
Ace the boy struggled to get past the Granians, his body quickly ran to the back of the room and tore a large hole through the metallic casing of the spaceship. Having no control over himself, the boy found himself escaping the Granian ship.
Without hesitation, he jumped out of the ship and curled up into a ball shape. "What's happening to me? Cherry's still in there. How am I supposed to get back to her?" He wondered, genuine fear mounting up as he tried to process what was happening to him all at once.
[Greetings] A mechanical female voice echoed in his head.
[Your DNA has been proven compatible with the Blood Mutant System Program.]
[Description: You are the first of the one thousand test subjects to survive the testing phase. You are now in the System Running Program. Your body and I, your system, will test what you can and can't achieve.]
[Name: Ace Underwood]
[Level: 1]
[EXP: 0/30]
[HP: 40/50]
[Energy: 60/80]
[STATS]
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 6]
[Stamina: 4]
[SPECIES: Blood Mutant.]
[Class: Pawn]
[Skills: None]
"A System? Blood Mutant?" Ace asked with fear and shock coursing through his confused little head. For a moment, the boy looking forward and noticed the Earth getting closer to him. With nothing left to latch onto, he braced himself for impact and prayed he'd survive.
[Prepare for Impact in 3...2...1...]
[-30 HP]
[HP: 10/50]
Ace's body crashed into the ground, creating a large crater. The pain was excruciating, as falling from such a height would be fatal for a human but Ace came to learn that he was no longer human. However, part of his skeletal system were shattered into pieces, some seriously damaged, while others protruded from his flesh.
Blood flowed from his open wounds, and to any observer, he would appear to be dead.
[Warning!!]
[Critical Body Damage]
[Commencing Emergency Healing]
[-50 Energy]
[HP: 10/80]
Ace's bones slowly began to heal, and his wounds closed. The intense pain subsided, and the spilled blood crawled back onto his skin, dissolving through his pores.
[Warning!]
[Your energy and health levels are low. Replenish your energy by consuming blood.]
"Wait! What's happening to me? What sort of System is this?" He asked with close to no energy left. I...I need...I need answers."
[All shall be explained. Your total compliance will be needed in order for your survival to be ensured.]
[Consume blood to replenish your lost energy.]
"WHAT!!" He shouted while reading the notification before him multiple times. "Drink blood? Does this have anything to do with this blood mutant thing? What's a blood mutant?"
Just as he was about to argue with the system, two roaring sounds echoed from the sky. Ace looked up and saw two black pods descending from the spaceship he had just escaped from.
'Is Cherry in there? No, they took her in those tubes...wait. Are they coming for their system?' Not clearly understanding his situation clearly, the boy arose from where he fell and ran into the nearby forest and quickly hid behind some shrubs. Peering through the foliage, Ace watched as the pods crashed not far from his location. Two armored Granians emerged, equipped with heavy alien guns.
The two creatures began speaking in their foreign language, making it difficult for Ace to understand.
[Translation in Progress]
'I can understand them? Calm down, Ace. Assess your situation and find a way of getting back to Cherry.' he calmed himself and then slowly began to process everything that had happened. 'Blood Mutant Program with a system in my head. This certainly is a program, if what the system's saying is true of course. Since it's from these aliens, it has a translation feature allowing me to listen and understand their language.'
"Come in, sector three. This is Zod."
"This is Rod."
"Extraction mission commenced. Communication will be given in three Earth hours. Zod, out."
Like military personnel, the two aliens entered the forest with their guns at the ready, prepared to fire at any sight or sound.
Ace calmly searched for an escape route, realizing that the aliens were drawing closer.
!!GROWL!!
Ace's stomach growled loudly, immediately drawing the Granians' attention to the shrubs where he was hiding.
[Route Calculated]
Ace grabbed a stone and threw it to the other side of the forest, diverting the aliens' attention away from him. He then quickly climbed up a tree to gain a vantage point.
[Energy: 9/80]
[Your energy levels are low. Replenish them by consuming blood. Any non-toxic blood will suffice.]
"Why does this system want me to drink blood?" Ace wondered, feeling somewhat confused.
[Blood Mutant Description]
[Blood Mutants are a malevolent, bloodshedding species of humanoid beings. Their love for war, thirst for blood, and hostility towards other species made them feared throughout the universe. In order to survive, Blood Mutants must consume blood occasionally, hence the name Blood Mutants.]
"Now I understand but drinking blood? Isn't there a blood substitute?" Ace complained for a while, but after a moment of realization, he reluctantly accepted it and re-read the system's description of the Blood Mutants. Knowing he had no choice, he forced himself to accept, learn and adapt to these new changes happening to him but most of all, he needed to find a way of saving his sister.
After reading the system's notifications once more, Ace stood in the forest with confusion clearly showing.
"How am I going to get blood now in a place like this?" he pondered.
Just then, a small fox snuck up on him and growled fiercely. Ace considered consuming a bit of its blood instead of targeting humans.
"Okay... How am I going to do this?" He wondered as the effects of his low energy began to take their toll.
[Skill provided]
[Blood Drain: This skill enables the user to drain the blood of their chosen target. However, they can only drain a certain amount depending on their energy level. Simply hold out your hand, and activate the skill. To activate a skill, simply mention its name in your mind and activate it.]
[Blood Drain skill: Activated...]
Ace cautiously extended his palm toward the fox, witnessing his gruesome skill in action. The once growling fox started wincing in pain as red droplets slowly left its body. The droplets grew in size as more blood drained from the creature's circulatory system.
Ace felt nauseated as he witnessed the fox's body wither away, but the scent of its fresh, warm blood numbed his senses and made his mouth water.
The blood carried a sweet, minty aroma mixed with a pleasant, meaty scent. As the fox's body went lifeless, the blood floated to Ace's fingertips.
"Amazing!!!" he thought, attempting to lick the blood. However, as his fingers approached his mouth, the blood dissolved into his body through his pores.
[Energy: 30/80]
[HP: 20/50]
[More blood is required in order for you to fully recover.]