Ugh........................ i hate being sick..........................

anyway some good news: Black Blood has a cover now YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bad news is i cant get it onto the fiction page for some reason..... i keep getting error messages about it not being the right size even though it IS the right size......... any thoughts or help would be appreciated fans............

also the artist who made this cover was MadelynBlack, give the girl a round of applause folks.... also go to her if you like the art and want her to make something for you!!!!

now that i do have a cover though, it doesnt mean that anyone doing art for this should stop..... keep doing art stuff, and if you think you can make a better cover, or art PM me...... i am always willing to add or upgrade art for B.B............

anyway enough of that here be your chapter

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was standing in one of the many palace gardens, this one was apparently one of mom’s personal gardens so it was very private. It was also on a giant open air platform I never even knew existed as it was enchanted to be invisible from the outside. Because as mom says “Privacy can only be assured if no one knows where you are” which makes a paranoid sort of sense…

I was standing out on a nice open field that was encircled by flowerbeds, across from me was Rin who looked absolutely joyous. Meanwhile mom and Fera were sitting on a bench of to the side. They both had the perfect view of the entire gardens.

……………. Of course Rin would be happy, she’s a fucking dragon!!!! How am I supposed to beat a DRAGON in a fight I didn’t even have time to prepare for? Of course she would be confident!!!! ..................Why couldn't I be with Yan handing in the guild applications.........

“I believe I would serve as an adequate referee for this challenge. And now that we have a referee all we need are the rules so, would you list the rules for this trial now? Dragoness?” (Mom)

Rin looked up at me and just began to smile wider, she didn’t even glance at mom when she began to speak.

“It’s simple really. Neither of us can use any weapons that are not naturally a part of us, we must fight alone without any outside aid or temporary magics, and lastly the winner is the one who subdues the other. That is all there is to this trial…” (Rin)

……………….. Ok….. Ok, OK I HAVE A PLAN!!!! You got this Alt!!! You’ve slain countless dragons before, this time it’s just without epic gear….. or dice……… or multiple lives……………

“Sounds simple enough. Let the trial BEGIN!!!!!!” (Mom)

I immediately leapt back a few meters. The suddenness of the start threw me off a bit, but I wouldn’t let that momentary shock cost me too much. Rin didn’t even move from where she had been standing, but her smile had turned from “Hey I like you, let’s be best friends!” into a creepy “I’m gonna enjoy ripping you to pieces very VERY slowly….” smile. Honestly it was really NOT helping my confidence level at all…

Geez mom! Way to give us some warning!!!!! What ever happened to “on your marks, get set…” or “3, 2, 1….”!?!?!?! You don’t just yell begin for stuff like this!!!!

I entered my neutral relaxed stance. I wasn’t sure how powerful Rin was, but going off what I saw of that yellow dragon’s corpse… well I was hoping she was a LOT weaker in her human form…

Ok, she should like me right? No one tries to add someone they don’t like into their harem…………. All Mort said I needed for charm to work was the person to have positive feelings for me so……..

I began to lean forward, crossed my arms behind my back, and dipped my head ever so slightly. I looked at her up through my long eyelashes, making sure I made full eye contact, and then tilted my head to the right just so. I gave my innocent and cute smile at its max power.

“Rin, you wouldn’t hurt me………….. Would you?” (Alt)

Rin’s expression changed from something murderous to something that was utterly enamored with what it was seeing.

“Adorable. My, I really did make the best choice for my first mate……. Altorus, you may have the first move, after that I will be sure that I win in a way that is as painless for you as possible. When this is over, remember to make that exact same pose for me, ok?” (Rin)

……………….. Cuteness… bud, we HAVE to talk about how you’ve been dropping the ball lately…….. Oh well, I didn’t really expect that to work anyway, and getting the first move free just for being cute is better than I expected………… Hmmm, now what would be a good weapon to use?

“Yaaaaaaay!!! Thank you Riny! I Wuv you!!!” (Alt)

I kept up my cutest thing on the planet routine, all while I thought of how I could actually win this fight. The first move would be really important, it would let me know whether or not I have any chance at all. If that didn’t pan out, I would have to use my trump card…

Huh, I could lead off with more cuteness? No, if she considers that my move I’d be screwed… if cuteness didn’t work from a distance, I doubt getting closer would change things all that much………… then I should try an attack right? If I put everything I have behind a flat palmed stab it should be able to at least pierce the skin….. If not then I really don’t have any other moves left besides my blood…….

Alright, I think I got this. Go for the throat, and if that doesn’t work take distance immediately. Yeah that seems like the best plan….

I began to walk towards where Rin stood. I kept up the cute act, putting a distinct and cheerful skip in every step. Any hesitation or advantage I could get out of her I would take, and the power of cute was great for getting just those sort of results. About half way to Rin, I had an idea.

……………..Wait, what if I played her feelings against her? If I can squeeze in multiple moves while she thinks I’m only making one…………… Yes, I like that idea VERY much…… now the question is if she will fall for it….

When I was almost to her, I let my foot misstep and fell into a tumbling fall. One quick slice of my nails across my arm, and I was bleeding and ready. I looked at my arm for a perfectly timed two seconds, then made myself tear up.

I looked up at Rin, taking careful notice of her concerned expression and her half step forward, and then began to cry and sob. She was next to me before I had even gotten to my second hiccuping sob.

“A-Altorus, are you alright? Is this where it hurts? Don’t worry, please stop crying it’s just a little scrape that’s all…. Is there anything I can do?” (Rin)

Ahhhhhhh………………. Even when you know better, you still fall for the “Innocent and naïve child” act, huh Rin? I guess I’m not really playing fair though, Empathic Acts makes this act of mine seem REALLY sincere. Now time to begin my “First Move” you so graciously offered…….

I looked at Rin and nodded. She had asked just the question I wanted her to.

“K-kiss it a-and….. Hic-hic….. a-and make it b-better? Like M-mommy?” (Alt)

I watched as Rin Flinched slightly away for a moment. It was just a quick motion, almost like a reflex, and I probably would’ve missed it if I wasn’t observing her so closely, but it was there. That one movement told me all I needed to know, that she knew about my blood or at least knew enough that she wouldn’t be drinking it.

“I-I, Uhhh…… is there anything ELSE I could do?” (Rin)

……………… Well fuck…….. Ok, that’s fine……. On to the next option then……

I made sure that my lips trembled and I began to rock ever so slightly, I did just enough for both to be visible but seem to be unconscious actions. It worked like a charm as Rin’s expression started to resemble the look of someone who has found a poor, wet, stray puppy out in the cold.

“T-then a h-hug?” (Alt)

I held open my arms, but not before I made sure to brush them against my already sealed wound. They both had smears of blood on the palms now, and the left over blood was just enough to hide that there was no longer a wound for me to cry over.

“Of course! That shouldn’t be a problem…......” (Rin)

As she hugged me I made sure that I wiped my blood off on her arms, and the back of her neck and upper back. Even as I checked out multiple things. There was a loud crunching sound coming from where mom and Fera were sitting, but I didn’t let it distract me.

There, that should be enough…. And she seems soft, perfect………….. Soft and perfect……… and bigger than I thought…….. Wow this is nice…… MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm……… WAIT!!! BAD ALT!!!! GET IT TOGETHER MAN, THIS IS A BATTLE NOT THE TIME TO APPRECIATE THE SOFTNESS AND SIZE OF HER TITS!!!!!!!

After a few minutes of my feigning to calm down and otherwise buying time, I felt it was time. I pulled away from Rin before looking back at her and giving my cute smile again.

“I’m better now, and I still want to take the first move. Can I Riny?” (Alt)

Rin looked down at me with a slightly confused expression, then it looked like she suddenly remembered something. When she stood up and brushed off her clothes she was wearing that confident and assured expression she had on before.

“Sure, of course you may Altorus. Please do your very best.” (Rin)

Oh I plan to…………………………

“Thanks!” (Alt)

Even as I smiled and finished the word I was moving. I had already confirmed that when Rin was in this form her skin was soft and giving, it was also felt really nice and smelled of cinnamon, but that was beside the point.

I made my hand into a flat palm, and pointed it slightly long nails first at her throat. I made sure I didn’t hesitate, that there was no wasted effort and my hand was precisely on target. I would just slice lightly and I would avoid the major vessels like the carotid artery, but I would put all my strength behind it as well. It would be the first strike of a series meant to both surprise and subdue her, she wouldn’t even have time to enter her dragon form.

I felt my hand come into contact with the soft flesh of her neck…………… and I felt no give at all. It was like I had just tried to cut into soft, fleshly, concrete reinforced steel. I couldn’t even mar her skin let alone pierce it.

I leapt back using my halted momentum and her own throat as a springboard. As I moved away, I felt a breeze whiz past where my own neck would’ve been.

HOLY FUCK!!!!! How is her skin both soft AND indestructible!?!?!?!?! Are all dragons like this!?!? How the ever loving FUCK do people actually kill these things!?!?!?!

I looked up from where I landed close to where I had begun this trial, a few meters away from Rin.

“Impressive. You used your appearance to get close to me without raising any alarms. Judging by your currant expression everything from before WAS all an act of yours…. I wasn’t sure, it did seem out of character with what you showed me in the carriage, but it just seemed so real……. I guess your acting skill is just another talent of yours huh, and that hug, it was to confirm that my skin wasn’t too hard to cut into right? Very clever, but it seems that you don’t know very much about dragons. Allow me to explain then young Altorus, do pay close attention…” (Rin)

Purplish smoke was coming of Rin as she talked. By the time she had finished it had completely concealed her from my sight, and was turning around like some sort of mini tornado. Honestly it was really cool to look at, and I would be loving this if I wasn’t almost positive it spelt bad news for me.

“You see, the human form of a dragon may SEEM to be weaker, it is lighter and softer than our other form after all, but it still retains all of our power, strength, and defenses. Our clothes, they are just a manifestation of our scales. Our weapons are the same, only with our fangs and claws. When in our human form we can shape these things into any form we so please as long as they maintain their original purpose. That means our scales can be anything we wear or that may cover us, while our fangs and claws can become any weapon we desire.” (Rin)

There were green flashes going off inside the tornado now, but I still couldn’t make out anything else inside it.

“Now normally a dragon could change between our human and dragon forms near instantly, but at times we can also do as I am. What you are seeing is me marshaling all of my power out of my body and using it to force myself into my true draconic form. It’s a process that takes some time, but it also fully restores a dragon’s energies and power. Essentially it brings us to our best, even if we are completely dry of mana and are sleep-deprived and tired. It is also something we do to honor worthy opponents before we do battle with them. I wasn’t planning to do this in this battle of ours Altorus, but you have changed my mind. I feel that facing you with anything less than my own peak condition would both be rude and be an insult to you.” (Rin)

The smoke suddenly cleared entirely under the beat of two large scaled wings, it seemed to be sucked inwards and just faded from existence.

……………………….. Well I’m impressed………. Oh, and so utterly fucked if she even so much as flicks me…….

I looked at Rin, she was now a thirty foot long, fifteen foot tall dragon. She had a horned triangular head and four limbs, the front ones being thinner and having a thumb with the back being thicker and having five straight digits. Her wings were massive and when she held them out they cast me and most of the garden around us into shade. Her scales were purple, but they also had white lines in almost tribal like patterns all along them. Her eyes were the same emerald green, only now her pupils were slitted and reptilian. Also she had big, strong, sharp looking claws, I couldn’t tell about her teeth given how her mouth was closed, but I would bet they were even stronger and sharper than her claws.

Rin looked amazing, majestic, beautiful, and badass all at once. She also looked to be smoking slightly at the arms and at her long neck.

“So here is my true form, young Altorus. This is the form of a true dragon!” (Rin)

Her arms and neck began to smoke even more, and now there was a crackling and popping sound coming from them as well.

Well at least that worked………. Wow I was really nervous there for a second, it’s a good thing I did all those tests over the years on my blood……. Just under fifteen minutes when I’m stressed, that’s all it takes for my blood to become a toxic, poisonous, acid………… I win miss dragon……….

I felt myself begin to smile.

“Huh, my arms and neck feel strange…. I guess your hug did a bit more than I first thought, huh? Oh well, it just tingles and itches a little, nothing serious…” (Rin)

………………………………………………. Or I could be utterly fucked………… that’s KINDA like winning….. in a completely opposite kinda way………………… oh well, just one thing to do now………………..

I looked up at Rin and smiled.

“I forfeit.” (Alt)

Rins mussel curled up into a smile, and I could see that her teeth WERE in fact sharp…….

“Oh Altorus, you can’t forfeit once a challenge has been accepted, you either win or you lose. But don’t worry, I said I would make your loss as painless as possible remember?” (Rin)

I felt my smile slip from my face, even as Rin began a deep laughter that sounded like it was mixed with growls.

Suddenly there was nothing but growing darkness, and the fading sound of mom's voice.

I didn’t even see her move……………….……

“Winner, Rinerruseverretelux Veertwing.” (mom)

.......................... yeah Rin won........................ i mean come ON people, she's a DRAGON and Alt has piss poor physical stats besides his agility................. that's a "Ummm, Duh...." kinda match up for a physical battle.............. how did so many of you all miss that in the poll?

anyway that's pretty much everything i got for today.......... i might not post anything tomorrow, but i plan the nest chapter to be Rin's POV side story........... Imma go throw up now...............

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Author Out................