Ran lowered her gaze and turned around. “I’ll open a path. Stay sharp!”

She discreetly swept her hand to close the windows appearing endlessly in front of her.

DING!

Warning! Overconsumption! Critical state!

Ran breathed deeply. Her hands were shaking and her mind was hesitant. That twinkle of an idea had latched onto her and she didn’t know what she should do. This was another world, maybe what she couldn't do back there would be possible here.

She closed her eyes and murmured. “Activate paired skills. Unlock true body.”

DING!

Activated. True body is being unlocked.

….

The air around her began to change. It was as if there was an invisible current flowing deep within her body and spreading to her limbs. Her body softly shook and small arcs of statics could be seen seeping out of her pores. Her posture straightened and she grew taller. Her body became more athletic and flexible; taut with a hint of savageness. Her featuress lost some youthful roundness and turned sharper. Her skin darkened, her ink-black hair straightened on her back. Her hazel eyes changed into a striking blue colour.

Ding!

True body status unlocked

Name

Ranee

Age

??

Job

Weaver

Race

??

Status

[Tired/ tipsy]

Level

7

Title

[Two-Faced]

Skill Points

6

HP

70/140 (+30)

Fatigue

45

MP

75/90

STR

4 (+2)

INT

5

AGI

8 (+4)

WIS

5

VIT

6 (+5)

LUK

3

In the depths of her eyes burned something dark. Ran breathed in deeply and gathered her hair into a ponytail. She stretched a bit to familiarize with this body she had never used. Parvian and the others were flabbergasted.

“What was that?” Parvian couldn’t believe his eyes, “How can you grow taller and change to this extent in an instant?”

“I’m not stupid enough to let unknown people with hidden motives see my real appearance. That body is just compatible with my fighting style,” Ran explained. “I am better accustomed to fighting in melee, so I'll control the flow of the battle.”

At her feet laid the carcass of a beast. She stepped on it and the blood wove itself into the boots and shin guards. Ran’s entire appearance and demeanour gave them an impression of a general in the Demon King army. She gave her arms and legs a few swings. Each swing felt slow and soft yet Rikku couldn’t help feel they looked eerie. He had the feeling that a wall had appeared between them.

“I’ll be the vanguard. Stay at least 20m behind, so you don’t get caught in the mess.” Ran instructed as she secured 2 short swords on the small of her back. “Rikkun, you’ll take the sides, Parvian the rear and thin out the crowd when possible. Dorian, focus on driving and leave the rest to us. Stay alert in case they need support.”

“Are you sure about that?” Rikku asked, “Why don’t we just give up on the carriage and make a run for it?”

“How far do you think we can run?” Ran replied with indifference.

Rikku placed himself in front of her and stared deep in her eyes. “You said we have a lot in common. That’s true. I see you. I know that look, I had the same one. Don’t give me that bullshit reason.”

Ran was startled and somewhat puzzled.

“I see you,” Rikku repeated himself again with seriousness. “I’m there too. Don’t leave me behind.”

Ran frowned. She wanted to ask what he meant but her words were lost beneath a thundering roar and the quakes of the ground.

“Let’s go!”

Ran was exuding a deep and ancient aura. Feeling the bloodlust and killing intent within, Rikku broke into shivers. Her eyes gleamed with ferociousness and fighting spirit. It had been a while since she indulged herself in a battlefield.

DING!

New stat created - Fighting spirit

A dense wave of beasts was storming out of the forest. Parvian’s delicate face drained of its colours. He bit his lips and loaded his bow.

“Wait!” Ran commanded.

This wave comprised at least 15 beasts and their group didn’t have enough lives to fight against them. Ran clasped her hand together. She had to gamble on a bold move right from the start. Her hands moved apart from each other and in between a blood orb appeared. She had to retrieve all the blood she had accumulated thus far.

“Spin!”

The orb spun around and grew at a fast pace until a gigantic blood orb floated in front of Ran. This was going to cost her a great deal of mana to manipulate. She gritted her teeth, waved her hands and turned the single orb into several dozens of blood lances. She waited for the beast to move closer before hurling the lances. The blood lances rained over the beasts. Thundering wails echoed across the camp. The lances didn’t kill any of them because of the level gap. Even so, the aim wasn’t to kill them but injure and weaken enough. Torrents of blood inundated the way to the road.

DING!

Warning! Critical condition!

New skill created - Burning flame

Levels and stats will be burnt to alleviate Fatigue and replenish HP and MP.

Ran wobbled on her feet, pale and a bit out of breath. She fell to her knees, swiftly drank a mana potion and another one. As soon as she was back on her feet, Ran pushed her feet against the ground and flashed forward. She threw a punch at the closest beast. It was already near death, a punch and a dropkick on its head finished it off. On her back, a crimson reel materialised. The reel spun at an unbelievable pace, reducing the splashing blood and mana into threads.

Until this time, the guys were so stunned that they forgot to budge. A second beast had already dropped dead before they snapped out of their daze. Ran moved slowly forward punching down, kicking up and collecting corpses. The reel on her back was threading new threads and supplementing her gauntlets and boots in a perpetual cycle. From afar, she looked like a puppet supported by endless threads.