Book 1: Chapter 4: Changes


    <strong>Scarlet Asger</strong>


    The heat grows even stronger not too long after we exchange names until it reaches a point thats damned near unbearable. But soon after that, it somehow vanishes in an instant to be reced with extreme pain that has me silently screaming with nothinging out of my mouth for what feels like forever. The pain this time is focused on each of the same areas as before, but for some reason, the top of my head feels even worse.


    Eventually, I find the pain too much to tolerate and pass out, only to wake up again who knows how longter to find that all of the pain is gone. Almost as if it were all a nightmare.


    After a brief bout of confusion, I look down to find Tar  I am not going to bother trying to pronounce his full name, much less his first one  lying down on my chest seemingly taking a nap. And the sight of him there draws conflicting feelings out of me.


    For one, hes adorable. But for two, its an entity who threatened me earlier and likely knows more about me than its telling.


    In the end I decide to get up, letting the tanuki fall to the ground without catching it.


    But no sooner than I reach my full height, I notice something off. Kind of like an extra weight on my head, along with some strange sensation? Some sort of mental switch.


    What is this?


    I frown before shrugging and mentally flipping the switch. And almost immediately, everything around me grows much louder and more detailed. To the point that I can hear the footsteps of a spider demon walking down the hall on the other side of the floor from here. I can even hear a freaking conversation going on within the shielded barrier of one of the bunkers on the floor. The very one I was going to with the receptionistdy.


    May she be at peace with the souls of the fallen.


    Oh, I also hear the tanuki, err, Tar waking up on the floor, somehow having not been woken up immediately by falling onto the ground. But then again, it was afortable carpet.


    Anyways, whats up with my new hearing?


    <strong>Its because you awakened. Youre no longer human, and your appearance matches that.</strong>


    It takes a second for his words to register in my head. Just a second. Then I scramble for my pocket to find my phone to use as a mirror before showing my face in its reflection.


    I blink in surprise at the sight of red eyes. Ones that seem to be glowing in the darkness of the office. But what catches my attention more and has me groaning is the sight of what look like ck and red wolf ears with small bits of white fur on the inside on top of my head.


    <strong>Whats wrong? You dont like wolves?</strong>


    Without even turning to the creature, I answer, expressing my depression with this turn of events rather clearly in how my ears somehow follow my mood and droop, Do you know how much of a pain thesell be?!


    The tanuki, err, Tar. I need to stop doing that. Tar tilts his head and asks in a confused yet still robotic tone of voice, <strong>Physical appearance changes aremon amongst awakened humans. You wont stand out. And creatures of the same race as you cant identify you, therefore no human can see your identi-</strong>


    I cut him off as I turn to him and exim, Now what do I do if people think Im wearing a wolf ear headband wherever I go?!


    Tar just stares at me.


    I re back at him.


    My pride is important, okay?! And animal headbands are not <em>cool</em>!


    We continue our staring match for what feels like hours but is in all honesty probably just like ten or so seconds until he lets out a sigh.


    I smile and give him a nod in triumph before going serious again as I ask, You mentioned that the Guardians cant just identify me?


    Tar nods his little tanuki head.


    Thats good.


    <strong>Is there anything else you would like to check before we move on to your status?</strong>


    I blink in surprise at the question, wondering a little bit why he is actually being slightly considerate instead of the rudeness he was showing before. Either way though, I nod my head and ask, Are there any other changes that I dont know about?


    Something I didnt notice before now thanks to my focus on my ears is that my eyesight seems to be improved a lot, and even has a bit of night vision. Although colors are a bit harder to make out. Whether thats just in the dark or not is something to figure outter.


    I hope its just like that in the dark though.


    <strong>Besides the change in your eyes and ears, you also gained a second heart, and the tips of your canines were sharpened a little bit. Beyond that, your hands were prepared for the possibility of transformation urring in the future through your skills.</strong>


    Thats okay, thats pretty cool.


    I raise my phone up to my face again before opening my mouth to look, only to find that my canines really were sharpened. Albeit not by much. Not even enough to be noticeable if you arent looking.


    <strong>If you are finished looking at your changes, I would like to bring you up to speed on your status. However, something- </strong>he begins, only to cut off as I jerk my head towards the door at the sounds of that very same spider demon that I heard earlier approaching the door. <strong>You can hear it already. We need to hurry.</strong>


    I nod my head, only for my eyes to widen slightly as a notification appears in front of my vision.


    <strong>System Initialization isplete</strong>.


    <strong>Wee to the path of ascension.</strong>


    <strong>May your rise be ever fruitfu</strong>l<strong>, lone half demon.</strong>


    Out of the corner of my eye, I find Tar looking slightly surprised at something on the notification. But he simply ignores it immediately after.


    Interesting.


    So Tar, all I have to say is status, right? I ask, wanting to hurry it up, just to be surprised by the sight of something appearing in front of me in the ce of the notification. Likely my status.


    <strong>Correct. And we will speakter about you calling me Tar.</strong>


    Yeah, yeah, I mutter while reading the status floating in front of me.


    <strong>Name: Scarlet Asger</strong><strong>Species: Human/Blood Lycan Hybrid</strong><strong>Magic: Blood</strong> <strong>Age: 19</strong><strong>Level: 0</strong><strong>SP: 0</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> <strong>Physical: 14</strong><strong>Mental: 11</strong><strong>Magical: 13</strong> <strong>Physical/Level: 2</strong><strong>Mental/Level: 1</strong><strong>Magical/Level: 2</strong> <strong>Free Points: 0</strong><strong>Mana: 71.5/71.5</strong><strong>Free Points/Level: 2</strong> <strong>Active Skills:</strong> <strong>Blood ws</strong><strong>Skill Level: 1</strong><strong>Description</strong> <strong>Passive Skills:</strong> <strong>N/A</strong><strong>N/A</strong><strong>N/A</strong>


    <strong>Okay. Your first skill is called Blood ws. Just think the skills name and it will activate. We do not have time to go over everything there right now, so close out of your status.</strong>


    After very quickly focusing on the word description, I heard it echoing in my head before closing out of my status without bothering to check anything else.


    <strong>{Blood ws - Allows the user to coat their hands with ws of blood. The blood used in the skill is either created through the users mana or drawn from the users body if they are out of mana.}</strong>


    Immediately after hearing the description, I think the word in my head and begin to feel a sort of power connect to me from that word, even if it was just thought in my head. The power then draws on some sort of energy well inside of my chest that I never realized was there.


    Mana.


    I knew of the term from video games and the Guardians interviews Ive watched from time to time, along with the status itself, but it still feels odd that I would have it myself.


    As if straight from a movie or a video game, blood begins to form in the air around my hands, coating them and making them look more akin to the paws of a wolf mixed into the form of a human hand, with sharp ws to match. Kind of like a werewolf from the old horror movies in the old world.


    Is that what I am? I didnt think about checking my species while it was open. Assuming it even listed what type of demon one of my parents was.


    Clearly some type of wolf though, considering my ears.


    My thoughts are interrupted as I hear the spider getting incredibly close to the door. And somehow, it seems to be homing directly in on us.


    Tar seems to understand my thoughts and answers before I even ask, <strong>You were releasing the aura of a noble demon the moment you began awakening. But now that you have awoken, you no longer have that aura on you, your human side having snuffed that noticeable effect out. So now the demons that were avoiding this area can smell you and areing.</strong>


    Oh. Wait a fucking second, did he just say a noble demon?!


    The sharp leg of a certain spider demon suddenly pierces through the door, making me refocus my attention on the creature.


    Kill demon now, question the tanukiter.