Chapter 14 - Blood Authority

'Blood Scan, that sounds like I can scan the properties of blood, but I don't know the specifics of what that entails or what that means for me to scan blood in the first place. Wait, can I scan my old blood? I should try it out and see." Randy thought as he grabbed a small knife from his drawer next to his bed and poke his index finger with it without hesitation. He did not feel any pain when he did or more precisely, he was unperturbed by the pain. This kind of pain is nothing compared to having one's face burned with fire.

After blood started coming out of the poked finger, Randy activated his Blood Scan Skill.

[Activating Blood Scan Skill]

[Error: Unable to fully scan the specific type of blood]

[Blood Abilities Displayed: Unknown]

[Trace of Energies found in the blood: Magical energy, Spiritual energy, Life energy, …]

[Reminder: You cannot use your skill 'Blood Scan' on your own blood] A mechanical voice announced.

'Damn, but at least, I know how it works now. I felt like my mind was looking through the blood to find its property but at the same time, it felt like my own blood was reacting to the blood as I used the skill. This was a very strange feeling as it felt so natural like I have used this skill for a long time, even though I only acquired it.' Randy frowned as he thought to himself about the odd synergy that he had with the skill he acquired.

"Now, it is time to check the Blood Authority Skill, according to what I deduced earlier, this skill might just be a type of blood manipulation ability like my dad's ability." Randy thought to himself as he looked at the skill on the screen.

"Since I already cut my finger, I might as well see if it would actually work on my blood." Randy muttered under his breath with a solemn expression. He does not care if he had to spill more of his own blood to check his recently acquired skills.

With that thought in mind, Randy looked the small cut on his right index finger that seemed to be closing slowly. He picked up the small knife with his left hand and he proceeded to poke himself again on the same spot. Afterwards, when the blood started coming out of his finger again, he activated the Blood Authority Skill.

[Activating Blood Authority]

The moment Randy thought of activating the Blood Authority Skill, he felt like the skill had been unlocked inside his brain as he knew how to use it naturally. And with that, he used it on his blood, and he was surprised that it actually worked on his blood like he thought. No, It was even better than what he had originally thought. Rather than manipulating the blood, he was instead controlling it, that is right, controlling it. He made the blood levitate in front of him without actually touching the blood. This was unlike blood manipulation which needed the user to be in contact with the blood to actually manipulate it.

'Hahaha! This is so awesome. This is just like telekinesis. I wonder whether if I can shape it." Randy thought as he willed the floating blood with his thoughts, and then he imagined what to turn it into.

Shortly after, the floating blood started changing shape before his very eyes as it started turning into a fine line. It was a needle made up of blood, in other words, a blood needle, it seemed to be glistening with a metallic luster even though it was made out of a liquid substance. After Randy controlled his blood, he found out that he can solidify the blood momentarily, but it will go back into its liquid state after a while. He presumed that it had something to do with evolution level being low, at the first-stage Evolved Human.

'This is really amazing. I can even attack with this if I practice it enough. But the downside is that I will lose a lot of blood if I use this skill in battle and get light-headed, it would be fatal if I get attacked during that time. I remember that dad always eat a lot to store energy since his ability relies heavily on his blood. I will see if I can control other people's blood the next time I get the chance, because I feel like it is possible to do so with this ability.'

'Anyway, it is time to shower. Tomorrow is the weekend, and originally, I was not sure about what to do before I awakened my ability, so I will just go register my ability or perhaps go to the mountains to hunt some wild beasts and then try out my blood skills.'

"Ah… I still haven't told my mom about my ability, well, I think it doesn't matter for now. I will just surprise them when I get my ability tested during the university entrance examination. But still, how could my mom not be able to tell that I had awakened my ability especially this amount of mana inside me or was it because she was not paying that much attention to me?" Randy muttered in wonder of why his mother could not see through his ability.

Randy had no idea that it was because of the chaotic energy inside his body that prevent others from telling how strong he really is at a glance. Although the guards outside were able to feel that he was emanating a terrifying aura before, but that was only because Randy had just undone his transformation from his assimilated werewolf mode right before walking through the gate and due to that, there was a residue of energy lingering on his body since he was using the Gale Riding Skill which depended on mana to activate.

Randy concluded that it was indeed the case, that his mother was probably not paying any attention to him and with that, Randy went to take a shower and when he was doing so, he found out that his body had become sturdier than before, although his muscles were already sturdy from his constant working out, but this time, it was like his muscles were filled with energy just by clenching his fist a little. He did not pay any attention to this earlier, but all his scars and even his broken scapula that could not be healed had been healed when he awakened, and there was no pain even when he move his arm around. Right now, he felt like he had been reborn with a new body.

After taking a shower, Randy went downstairs to grab something to eat. He opened the fridge, and he found some fried rice and some salads next to it. It seemed that his mother had wrapped up the food in a plate before putting it in the fridge. Even though, his mother never cared about him generally, it does not mean that she does not care what he eats. She still cooks food for the family, his included. She was only disappointed in his son for not having an ability otherwise, she was a kind mother, well, at least to his siblings, but not so much to Randy.

Randy sat down near the dining table and proceeded to finish his food under his mother's watchful gaze. Randy noticed that she had been staring at him, the entire time he was eating, and so, he decided to finish his food quickly and then left to his room after doing so.

When he left, his mother had a pondering look on her face as she watched her son scurry to the second floor.

'What is wrong with this kid today. He is acting different today. He usually carried this head down whenever he comes home, and he does not even bother to look me in the eye but now, he was acting totally the opposite today. And then there was that strange feeling I got from him when I searched his body for wounds a while ago. Just what was that? Was it my imagination? Did his encounter with the monsters change his personality or something in him? Hmm, perhaps when he almost died to those monsters, he suddenly felt the need to live his life differently compared to before? Which probably led him carrying that strange aura around him? After all, at my current level of strength, I can perceive certain auras from people if I try hard enough.' Randy's mother thought to herself as she thought of her son's behavior today and the strange aura that was surrounding him.

…

The following day.

Randy slept like a log yesterday, he did not even wake until noon. It seemed that yesterday's events had impacted him more than he had thought. Originally, he was fatigued from working out to the extreme and then he was beaten up badly by Jeremiah and his goons and although, he healed completely from those wounds after he had awakened, his body was still at his limit for the amount fatigue pilled up mentally and physically. His mother did not bother to wake him up as he had nothing to do anyway in the weekend besides using the family gym to work out.

However, at this moment, there was a knock on his door. Randy suddenly woke up when he heard the knocking on his door. His senses were being affected by his new skill, Heightened Senses. Although he was not in his assimilated mode, it seemed that it is gradually improving his base senses. With that, Randy forced himself to get up from his bed as he yawned loudly before speaking.

"Who is it?" He asked outwardly.

"Brother, it's me Lydia. Can I come in?" The voice said as they suddenly entered the room.

"Wait!" Randy screamed at the door as he suddenly covered himself with his bed's quilt.