4 Chapter 4 - First Blood

After watching the monster depart from the scene, he flew towards the adventurer who was on the brink of death.

"What... What is this sensation in my body? What is this pleasant smell? I... I can't control my thirst. What's happening to me?" Bong exclaimed in confusion and distress, his voice reflecting his inner turmoil and growing unease.

"This urge to drink human blood," Bong whispered to himself, his voice trembling as he grappled with the unfamiliar and unsettling sensation running through his veins.

A scent of blood whirled through the air, it awakened the thirst for blood within him. He reincarnated as a bat, his primal instincts surged forth, and he found himself unable to control the overwhelming urge to drink it.

"I cannot do this. I need to stop myself," Bong muttered urgently, his inner struggle evident in his voice as he fought against the overpowering urge to give in to his instincts.

[ALERT]

[Need urgent blood for survival and evolution of host]

[ALERT]

"Stop it, stop it! I'm begging you, As a former human, I can't do it. It goes against my morals, " Bong pleaded desperately, his voice trembling with inner conflict.

[ALERT]

[The host will die if blood is not consumed]

"What a dilemma. What should I do? Is this the only option in front of me?" Bong pondered aloud, his voice filled with uncertainty as he grappled with the difficult situation.

Bong clenched his teeth, his inner struggle visible on his face as he fought against his instinctual craving for human blood. He tried to resist, to control his urges, but the thirst was overwhelming. His eyes flickered with desperation as he hesitated, his resolve wavering.

His gaze locked onto the injured adventurer, whose life force was draining away. Bong's internal conflict reached its peak, and in a final moment of desperation, he succumbed. With a mixture of hesitation and fear, he leaned in, sinking his teeth into the adventurer's flesh. His thirst was quenched, and a mixture of relief and guilt washed over him.

As he withdrew, his eyes were haunted by what he had done. He had taken a life, even if it was to save his own. The weight of his actions hung heavy on his conscience, but survival had prevailed over morality in that crucial moment.

[ALERT]

[LEVEL UP]

[Required EXP needed for the next evolution: 1000]

[EXP gained: 1000]

[Do you wish to evolve? : Y/N]

"Yes," he replied, his voice filled with excitement as he looked forward to evolving into the next phase.

[Evolution will begin. Host will go into hibernation]

"Wait, what hibernat..." His voice trailed off, his eyes widening with surprise and confusion, before his body succumbed to the hibernation process, leaving his sentence unfinished.

Bong's body underwent transformation while he was in hibernation, lying beside the lifeless body of the fallen adventurer in a dark and eerie dungeon. He was vulnerable to any danger, as he did not know that evolution came with the price of being attacked by anyone in the middle of evolution.

After one week had passed, a significant amount of time had gone by.

"Agghh, my head... Is the evolution completed? You should have told me about the hibernation in advance. Next time, I need to find a quieter place," Bong exclaimed, his voice tinged with irritation as he experienced the aftereffects of his evolution.

"How much time has passed while I was unconscious?" Bong inquired, curious about the duration of his hibernation.

[ALERT]

[One week]

"What! An entire week? I was lying beside a dead body this whole time. I could have died," Bong exclaimed, a mixture of shock and concern evident in his voice.

[ALERT]

[Indeed :)]

"Why are you smiling?" Bong questioned, a hint of suspicion in his voice as he noticed the smile on System screen.

"Beat it. Let me check my status first. 'Status'," Bong said firmly, his tone indicating his need for privacy as he focused on examining his current condition.

[ALERT]

[Name: Bong Jum]

[Species: Immortal Bat]

[Class: Shadow Bat]

[Level: 11]

[Health: 500/500]

[Mana: 100/100]

[Innate Skill: Immortality, Gluttony]

[Skills: Shadow stealth ( Proficiency: Beginner), Sonic Sense ( Proficiency: Beginner) , Swordmaster ( Proficiency: Beginner)]

"Wait, Swordmaster skill? How did I acquire this skill?" Bong asked, his voice filled with surprise and curiosity as he noticed a new skill in his status.

[ALERT]

[Due to the innate Skill: Gluttony, You can absorb skills from opponents]

"Ah, so this adventurer was a swordmaster. But what's the use? I can't even wield a sword in my current form," Bong mused, a touch of frustration in his voice as he contemplated the limitations of his bat form.

"Let me check my other two skills, what are Shadow Stealth and Sonic Sense?" Bong questioned, his curiosity piqued as he examined the details of his newfound abilities.

[ALERT]

[Shadow Stealth : Gain mastery in stealth and manipulation of darkness, becoming an unseen observer]

[Sonic Sense : Deepen echolocation ability, enabling precise mapping of surroundings using sound waves]

"Let me see, I'm curious about Sonic Sense," Bong muttered to himself as he delved into the description of the skill, eager to understand its capabilities.

As he activated the skill, a whole new world opened up to him. Sound waves traveled in all directions, echoing back to him and creating a three-dimensional image of the dungeon. He was now able to view his surroundings in a unique way, thanks to the capabilities of Sonic Sense.

With the power of Sonic Sense, he could now sense the entire dungeon from his current location. Even in the darkness, he could extend his perception far beyond and observe distant areas.

However, his newfound senses picked up on something that sent a shiver down his spine. Four unfamiliar adventurers were approaching the dead body, presumably arriving to assist their fallen party member.

"I need to hide quickly! They can sense me, and it would be dangerous for me," Bong thought urgently, his heart racing as he realized the potential danger of being detected.

Four adventurers reached the spot where their fallen comrade lay. One of them knelt down and pressed his hand against the fallen adventurer's wrist, searching for a pulse. He then gently placed his fingers near the adventurer's nose to check for breath, but there was no sign of life. As the realization hit them, tears welled up in their eyes.

The group mourned for their fallen party member, their collective pain evident in their tear-filled eyes. They were deeply moved by the sacrifice he had made to ensure the safety of the rest of the party.

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