Wolf of the Blood Moon: A Blood Magic

Book 1: Chapter 52: The Hotel Fracture Part IV

Scarlet

Who knows how much time passes as I slaughter my way through the fifth through tenth floors, not even stopping to talk to the few people I do once in a blue moon find as it would only waste my stacks. But eventually I do have to stop since despite the nice effect on my mana that Blood Thirst has, the drain on my mana from fighting is still greater than the stacks in the end, albeit only by a little bit. So I do run out and have to take a break.

I lean up against the window as I let all of the System messages flow by.

{Level 3 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x29

{Level 1 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x11

{Level 2 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x14

{Level 4 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x23

{Level 5 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x12

{Level 6 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x4

{Level 7 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x5

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 18. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 19. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

[Skill Blood Claws has leveled up to level 4.]

[Skill Life Drain has leveled up to level 3.]

Well, there goes my Skill Points.

I did tell you at one point that Skill Points would become harder to come by at later levels, Tar says while simply looking out the window at the moon.

Yeah, that you did. Im rather surprised we havent run into any hounds yet though.

We will likely start running into them soon, Tar says before floating down and sitting on the ground. Im willing to bet well be seeing some huntsmen soon as well.

I groan at the thought as I remember the feeling of being struck by a huntsmens crossbow bolt.

That was not fun. Not in the slightest.

But on the bright side, it also means I should be getting Skill Points again soon.

Whether I want to spend those points on leveling up my skills or just buy another skill is an important question though.

Id recommend getting your current levelable skills to level five before going to get more again, since if you keep that up youll never level your purchased skills, Tar advises me, giving me a flat look from the ground next to me. One that looks rather adorable given his furry nature.

Yeah. Right. Makes sense. Ill probably also want to level the legendary skill, since that apparently gets a lot better as it increases in level. Since of course the first few levels of it arent legendary, what with the skill not being static and all.

Oh, right. While were waiting for my mana to regenerate, I was wanting to ask this for a while.

What is it? Tar asks, tilting his head.

Well, from my understanding, humans drain the life force of the demons they kill. But if thats the case, then why does the System say Bonus EXP or EXP Penalty when we get a message about killing something?

Tar looks surprised for a second before he answers I guess you could say its because the System is processing the life force into you in a way. And it takes some of that life force for itself to keep itself running, giving you only a portion of it, which you give a small portion of to me. But when you do something extraordinary, like fighting something that is a lot stronger than you, the System tends to reward you for it by giving a larger portion. And its the same with the penalties, with it punishing you for killing something weaker than you.

I stare at Tar for a few seconds before muttering, So its like the System is playing us all like a video game just pulling our strings?

Tar nods his head. Thats a fair assumption. But we fae dont believe the System is actually sentient. From our understanding, it was created to be this way by the original Fae Ruler, who is long since passed by now.

Oh. Wait, I thought Oberon was the original King of the Fae?

Oh, no. Tar responds, sounding a little bit reverent of his king and father. My father has been the king ever since the first Demonic Assault two hundred years ago, but before that, it was Queen Titania who ruled over the fae. And it was Her Majesty that created the System in the first place before passing away.

Huh. Thats interesting.

You also sound like you respect this queen Titania?

Tar immediately nods his head, showing a rare smile on his tanuki face as he gushes, Oh, yes! Titania was amazing as a Queen! She was fair to all of her people and let the fae do as they pleased, giving us absolute freedom before father took over!

I blink in surprise.

Wait, so your father took away the freedom she gave with his tyranny, yet you still respect him?

Of course. Hes my father, and he is the most powerful of all the fae by leagues and bounds, Tar says, defending his father with a frown. Whats not to respect?

I stare at the tanuki for a few seconds before rubbing my temples.

This is starting to give me a headache.

What is? Tar asks, making my headache grow worse.

Oh, nothing much.

I think we just have vastly different ideas of whats normal and whats respectable.

Oh, the tanuki mutters, seemingly growing contemplative as he lies back with his head resting against my thigh. Come to think of it, you seem to dislike physical contact with others, but also seem fine with me lying down on you. Why is that?

I blink in surprise at the sudden shift in topic.

Well, because youre a cute tanuki. Not a human. No other reason.

The tanuki in question sits up and glares at me as he complains, But Im not a tanuki. Im a fae, and my form in-

Youre a tanuki. It doesnt matter if you look like a blue human or a humanoid bat in your realm, youre a tanuki here, and thats all that matters tanuki.

Tar grumbles about something, but I just chuckle as I lie my head up against the window, simply waiting for my mana to regenerate.