With how powerful she was, he was barely able to control her and now that his mana was weak, the blood shadow bond might not even work if he commanded her!
Just how powerful was she!?
He felt his face turned incredibly hot and his neck flushing red as it spread towards his face. Not even the blood the stained his face could cover his reddened cheeks!
At that moment, something incredibly thick, long and hard rose from within him, his third leg wasn’t even bothered that she wasn’t human! As long as there’s a hole, there’s a goal! (A/N: Sun Tzu probably)
’Damn it! What sort of charm is this!?’ Reason and fear instantly snapped him out of it. This Blood shadow was just too powerful. He couldn’t even see her grade with his current void seer.
"I..." Lucian started, then cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "I..."
Kyra giggled, a low, throaty sound that did nothing to help his situation. "Cat got your tongue, Master? Don’t worry," she leaned closer, whispering near his ear, her breath warm, "I can be very... persuasive."
That was it.
"Recall!" he spoke, maybe a little too loudly, pouring the last bit of his recovered focus into the command.
Kyra’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then narrowed with a flicker of annoyance, quickly replaced by amusement.
"Aw, playtime over already?" she pouted, but her form dissolved into swirling particles of black, gold, and crimson light.
Lucian let out a massive sigh of relief, slumping against a nearby rock, his heart pounding. That was... intense. Way too intense.
A Blood Shadow that could talk back, tease, and even use her charm against him? He needed to figure out how to handle her, and fast. But not now. Now, he needed to recover and get organized.
He checked his Blood Shadow status.
[Blood Shadow Slots: 20/20]
His blood shadow a lot was filled up, the hell hounds were more powerful than the lesser blood shadows.
Lucian wanted to sever his connection with the weaker ones but his gaze suddenly flickered when he saw his experience points.
[Level: 16 (12,680 / 60,000 Exp)]
He navigated to the Blood Shadow skill description.
❰❖ Blood Shadow (S) [Upgradable]<1000>- Allows the user to revive a fallen entity... The revived being becomes a Blood Shadow... (1/20).❱
"System, use 1000 EXP to upgrade Blood Shadow."
[-1000 EXP]
[Blood Shadow Skill Upgraded!]
[Blood Shadow (S) → Blood Legion (SS)]
[Effect]: Allows the user to revive fallen entities as Blood Shadows. Maximum number of shadows increased to 100. Revived shadows retain more inherent abilities and stats. Mana cost for revival slightly reduced. Shadows can now gain EXP and level up alongside the user (at a reduced rate).
[New Ability]: Blood Shadow Meld - Can temporarily merge shadows into a single, more powerful entity (requires mana and luck).
[Blood Shadow Slots: 21/100]
One hundred slots!
Moreover, he could merge blood shadows together to form a single powerful beast!
Lucian was giddy with joy. He looked back at the battlefield, littered with the charred corpses of hundreds of Hell Hounds.
He spent the next hour slowly regenerating mana, popping a few basic mana recovery pills he’d rerolled earlier from common drops. Once he was filled up, he began the process.
"Rise." "Rise." "Rise."
One by one, he dripped blood onto the Hell Hound corpses. The cost was significantly less now, maybe 3000-4000 mana per hound thanks to the upgraded skill. Crimson light flared repeatedly across the desolate landscape.
[Blood Shadow Awakened: Hell Hound (Elite)] x 80
Soon, 80 Hell Hounds stood silently before him, their eyes glowing with crimson loyalty, adding their collective strength to his legion. They weren’t as individually powerful as the Titans, but their sheer numbers were intimidating.
[Blood Shadow Slots: 100/100]
Lucian surveyed his new army and he was incredibly satisfied. But when he thought about Kyra he shook his head slightly.
Until he was absolutely sure he could control her, he would try his best not to use her for the time being. Something so Uncontrollable and unstable made Lucian fell uncomfortable using her.
Then he summoned the 80 hell hounds and then decided to merged them together with the shadow merge trait from the blood shadow skill.
Blood Shadow Meld - Can temporarily merge shadows into a single, more powerful entity (requires mana and luck).
Lucian surveyed his new army. Eighty crimson-eyed Hell Hounds stood silently before him, filling the magma filled land. It was an impressive sight, a sea of level 35 plus shadows ready to obey his command.
He focused his intent, mentally selecting a group of ten Hell Hounds standing near the front. Their crimson eyes flared slightly in acknowledgement.
"Blood Shadow merge," Lucian commanded, channeling mana into the skill again.
[-2,000 Mana]
[Targeting Blood Shadows: Hell Hound
x10...]
[Initiating Minor Fusion... Luck Factor assessment in progress...]
The ten selected hounds shook violently and simians scattered into massive streams of bloody energies.
The streams converged, swirling into a chaotic vortex of energies more than ten meters wide.
There was a brief flicker, a moment where it seemed like it might collapse, but then it stabilized.
[Permanent Rank Upgrade Achieved!]
The swirling energy condensed rapidly, solidifying into a new form. It stood roughly seven meters tall, significantly larger and bulkier than a standard Hell Hound.
Its fur was darker, almost obsidian, with streaks of crimson fire running through its body like veins.
It possessed a single, massive head, but its jaws were thicker, its teeth longer and sharper, capable of crushing bone with ease.
Two powerful horns, made of hardened shadow materials, curled back from its skull.
Its claws glowed with intense heat, and its single tail was thicker, ending in a spiky club like bones.
[Merge Complete! Permanent Blood Shadow Enhanced!]
[Name]: Infernal Mastiff Alpha
[Rank]: [Elite]
[Loyalty]: [Absolute (Fused Instinct)][Abilities]:▸ [Shadowflame Breath]: Exhales a concentrated blast of intertwined shadow and fire.
▸ [Bonecrusher Jaws]: Bite attacks have a high chance to shatter armor and bone.
▸ [Enhanced Resilience]: Increased durability and regeneration compared to standard Hell Hounds. Moderate resistance to fire and shadow.
▸ [Alpha Presence]: Emanates a minor aura of intimidation affecting weaker enemies.
Ten Elite shadows had fused into one powerful shadow! Lucian felt a jolt of excitement. This was exactly what he hoped for.
He immediately targeted another group of ten Hell Hounds.
"Blood Shadow Meld!"
[-1,800 Mana]
[Targeting Blood Shadows: Hell Hound (Uncommon) x10...]
[Initiating Minor Fusion... Luck Factor: High Success!]
[Permanent Rank Upgrade Achieved!]
Another vortex formed, this one swirling with slightly more vibrant crimson light.
It condensed even faster, forming a second Infernal Mastiff Alpha, nearly identical to the first.
Lucian didn’t stop. He repeated the process, group by group.
"Blood Shadow Meld!"
[-2,100 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: Moderate Success!] → Third Infernal Mastiff Alpha created.
"Blood Shadow Meld!"
[-1,900 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: Very High Success!] → Fourth Infernal Mastiff Alpha created, slightly larger, claws burning brighter.
"Blood Shadow Meld!" [-2,000 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: Success!] → Fifth Infernal Mastiff Alpha created.
"Blood Shadow Meld!" [-2,200 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: Moderate Success!] → Sixth Infernal Mastiff Alpha created.
"Blood Shadow Meld!" [-1,700 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: High Success!] → Seventh Infernal Mastiff Alpha created.
"Blood Shadow Meld!" [-2,000 Mana] ... [Luck Factor: Success!] → Eighth Infernal Mastiff Alpha created.
Now, instead of eighty hell hounds shadows, eight imposing Infernal Mastiff Alphas stood before him.
Even though his shadow consist of 28 slaves, Lucian was still happy about it.
The eight Infernal Mastiff Alphas lowered their massive heads in unison, their six pairs of crimson eyes fixed on him with unwavering loyalty.
"Good," Lucian nodded, recalling the newly formed Mastiffs, they transformed into blends of lights that merged into his skins as tattoos.
He collected the remaining loot, including Kyra’s massive greatsword which had reformed near her corpse after the final transformation he made a metal note to reroll the blade later on so she can use after he was able to control her.
It was time to leave this hellhole. He located the exit portal, a shimmering tear in reality amidst the volcanic chaos, and stepped towards it.
"Finally..."
He stepped through the portal, his feet landing stably on the ground of the hotel as he was teleported back.
However, before Lucian’s brain could comprehend the surroundings his perception screamed at him like a sirens as an intense feeling of danger overwhelmed him like a flood!
Lucian’s eyes widened as death closed in on him like a glue!
"Slash!!!"
Faster than thought, faster than his enhanced reflexes could fully react, something incredibly sharp sliced through the air where his head was!
Lucian felt an heated line of steel pass directly through his neck smoothly!
For a horrifying microsecond, the world went suddenly black. Death!
But then,
"PING!"
A brilliant, golden light erupted as it coalesced around him, forming into a protective shield around him!
[Amulet of Final Stand Activated!] [Fatal Damage Negated!] [User HP Set to 1!] [Invulnerability Activated (3 seconds)!] [Mana Cost: -30% Max Mana!]
Lucian vision suddenly snapped back.
He was alive, but his head was hanging by a single bit of flesh!