Book 5: Chapter 22: Mutation

Book 5: Chapter 22: Mutation

Scarlet

I wake up with a gasp, shooting straight forwards and sending the blanket that was on me flying off and crashing into the wall, actually leaving a dent in the wall despite it being a blanket. Then I immediately look around, finding myself to be in an unknown location. But after sensing and hearing Amelias voice nearby, I relax again and instead look down at myself with a frown.

What is this feeling?

I raise my arm, finding myself to be wearing a normal T-shirt and shorts. But what catches my eye isnt my clothes. Its the glowing red veins that occasionally appear and disappear across my arm.

Even that doesnt catch my attention as much as the strange shifting sensation across my body. Like something is moving inside of me.

As if on instinct, I raise my hand, palm up, and let some sort of glowing red blood leak from the pores in my hand and begin floating in a ball above it, writhing back and forth without me even directing it to. And after just a few seconds the orb of strange blood attempts to stretch outwards, away from the orb.

Is it fighting my own control?

Amelia immediately appears just seconds after I summon forth the strange red blood, her eyes wide in a mixture of wariness and happiness at the sight of me. Then she says, Please put away the Red Plague for now.

I frown at that but comply anyways, sending what I now realize is the Red Plague back into my body. Albeit with a struggle.

First time Ive ever had a skill fight against my own control

Its because your Title-Bearing skill is a unique mutation one, Tar says while appearing in the air, filled with tension. And according to my father, its calling the rest of the Red Plague in the universe to you.

I blink in surprise at that before my frown grows.

Tar glances at Amelia, who frowns for a moment in return only to leave the room anyways.

Wait, did he just kick out the White Knight of Humanity?

That shouldnt be possible, Tar says, making me sigh in relief. Unless the Red Plague decides it wants to fight against you when you touch someone, that is.

I try half-heartedly to swat the tanuki, only for him to dodge me.

Say that first next time!

Guess that means I wont be touching anyone. And right when I was starting to become fine with physical contact.

Well, its highly unlikely that the Red Plague would be able to break out of you unless you have too much of it in your body, Tar explains while lying his head down on the bed. And the only way for you to take in more Red Plague than you would naturally have is to find the Red Plague in the universe, or let it replicate outside of your body.

Oh. Right. Its self-replicating.

How fast does it replicate anyways?

See for yourself, Tar says while motioning his paw towards my hand.

I frown before sitting up and raising my hand, pushing some of the Red Plague out of it. Then I just sit here and watch the orb of writhing and glowing crimson liquid.

Time passes and after a couple seconds, I notice the orb of writhing blood slowly beginning to expand.

At least it doesnt seem to self-replicate very quickly. Although it does appear to be replicating faster the more there is.

I blink as I remember something that happened when I was getting the skill. So I reabsorb the Red Plague and immediately summon my armor.

Only to find glowing red cracks all over it.

Well, fuck.