Chapter 21: A Change

After collecting the blood of the two beasts in a vial, I made my way deeper into the forest. I had brought with me two empty vials and my pendant for storage. Overall, I would be able to store a total of three litres of blood, which would be enough to sustain me for several days at my normal consumption rate, unless I encountered Kyle once again. I cursed the author for such a weakness. I constantly needed blood to maintain my rationality and control, but after remembering some of the weaknesses other characters faced in the novel, I stopped complaining. Seraphina's Valkyrie bloodline made her physically incapable of retreating from any fight, even when retreat was the logical choice. Kyle had to knock her out many times so they could retreat and escape their predicament. It was simply blood instead of regular food. Instead of hunting for meat, I had to hunt for blood. When viewed that way, it wasn't too terrible of a trade-off. Around two hundred meters deeper into the forest, I encountered a pack of wolves. There were three of them, and fortunately no alpha accompanied the group. I spotted them before they noticed my presence, giving me the crucial advantage of surprise. They were feasting on the carcass of a Thornback Boar, clearly having ganged up on the poor creature and torn it apart while it was still alive. The pack consisted of two regular Forest Wolves and what appeared to be a slightly larger Dire Wolf variant. All three were Noble-rank beasts, but their coordinated pack tactics would make them more dangerous than the previous two creatures I'd faced individually. After scanning the surrounding area to ensure no other threats lurked nearby, I decided to emerge from cover. I wanted to get this fight finished quickly and efficiently. Three wolves wouldn't pose too much of a challenge, especially with my current abilities. I was unable to launch a surprise attack due to the distance and terrain. Nonetheless, it wasn't a big deal, they were easy targets. I stepped into the clearing with my sword drawn, immediately catching the attention of the feeding pack. All three wolves raised their blood-stained muzzles from their meal, ears flattening against their skulls as they assessed this new threat. The largest wolf, the Dire Wolf variant, let out a low growl that rumbled through the forest. Its companions flanked it on either side, adopting an aggressive formation that spoke of pack hunting experience. Without waiting for them to coordinate their attack, I activated my Blood Control trait and targeted the fresh blood covering their muzzles and paws from their recent kill. The crimson liquid responded to my will, forming thin tendrils that snaked toward their eyes and nostrils. The wolves reacted with alarm as blood began obscuring their vision and blocking their airways. The Dire Wolf shook its head violently, trying to clear the blood from its eyes, while its packmates pawed at their faces in confusion. I capitalized on their disorientation by charging the nearest Forest Wolf. I arrived there within a few seconds. My sword sliced cleanly through its neck before it could react, dropping it instantly to the forest floor. Thud! The second Forest Wolf, partially blinded but still dangerous, leapt toward where it had last seen me. I sidestepped its clumsy attack and grabbed its hind leg with my supernatural strength, using the creature's own momentum to slam it against a tree trunk. The impact stunned the wolf, giving me the opening I needed to drive my blade through its heart. With two wolves down, there was only one left to go. The Dire Wolf had managed to clear most of the blood from its eyes and was circling me warily. This one was smarter than its fallen packmates, recognizing that a direct assault would likely end in death. It began feinting attacks, darting forward only to retreat when I moved to counter. The creature was trying to tire me out or force me into making a mistake. I decided to end its cautious strategy immediately. Focusing my Blood Control on the creature's circulatory system, I began applying pressure to its major arteries. The wolf's eyes widened as it felt its blood flow being constricted, causing dizziness and weakness to spread through its body. The wolf fought through the discomfort and launched a desperate final attack as it felt its immanent death, its jaws aimed at my throat. I caught its head with both hands, my vampire strength easily overpowering the weakened wolf and with a powerful twist, I snapped its neck cleanly, ending its suffering. Three wolves eliminated in under two minutes. My combat efficiency was improving with each encounter, the effort I've poured into training was bearing fruit. I collected blood samples from all three creatures, filling my second vial completely. The Dire Wolf's blood had a slightly different scent than regular wolf blood. After securing my blood samples from the wolves and the boar and cleaning my sword, I decided to head back. Five litres of various beast blood should sustain me for at least a week under normal circumstances. There was no need to put myself under risk for no reason. As long as I played it safe, I was bound to survive this world. My current power level was well off, and even if the academy started today, I would have a very good base. I was in no hurry to increase my strength by risking my life. "Slow and Steady wins the race," I muttered to myself, a small smile forming on my face as I made my way back to the city. As I made my way back, I suddenly heard a scream coming from the north. I wasn't far from returning back to the city, around a hundred or so meters. The sound was that of a young woman. "HE...LP!" Her voice was distant and slightly muffled in my ears. She was around a hundred meters away or so, despite the distance, I could hear the panic and fear in her voice. Wanting to check out what was happening I darted in the direction where the scream came from. It didn't take me long to arrive at the location. I looked at the scene in front of me with a huge frown on my face. Before me stood a woman; she appeared to be in her early twenties. The woman wasn't the reason for my frown, it was what was next to her shivering body. A large bear, which I immediately recognised as an elite-ranked beast, lay dead on the floor. Yet again, that wasn't the reason. The reason was... Kyle. Kyle had saved the woman by killing the elite-ranked boar. I could see his chest rising and falling in hangered breaths, the fight wasn't easy it seemed. How... this has never appeared in the novel. Would such a scene be left out in the novel, or is this another change in the timeline? I thought to myself, the frown remaining on my face.