Beneath the thick fog, everything before them was almost entirely gray-white, making that streak of crimson stand out all the more clearly.
It hovered just a few meters away and even showed signs of spreading outward.
A thin thread of blood rose from the ground like an IV line, feeding blood into the mist and gradually bringing it to life—
But anyone could tell it was sucking blood.
Like breathing, it drew in the blood Fide had spilled from her throat onto the ground only moments earlier.
"Damn it, it's latched onto me!"
Fide's gaze had also been drawn to that bloody mist. Then a sharp pain struck her neck, as though fine needles had pierced her pores, and a suction that seemed to reach into her marrow drew out her blood, making it part of the mist.
Only then did she realize it wasn't that crimson mist could suck blood—
It had turned crimson because it had sucked blood.
The spilled blood seemed to have summoned it. It lurked within the dense fog, and no one had noticed anything unusual.
Then it slowly approached until it surrounded its target, whose bloodstains had dried.
Finally, it penetrated her living skin and sucked her blood like mosquitoes!
She had only just been brought back to life. Although the wound on her neck had healed, her exhaustion had yet to fade.
In just a few seconds, she felt as though death was beckoning to her again—
With no other choice, she let the beast's soul forcibly take control. Her body suddenly swelled, rising to two meters tall. Muscles bulged beneath her loose clothes without tearing them, and her face promptly took on the features of a brown bear.
Her beast form's regenerative ability fought against the draining of her blood, keeping her