I tested the limits of [Bloodcontrol]. A single bead of blood rose from my palm, shifting seamlessly into a razor-sharp needle, then into a perfect, miniature effigy of myself.
The control was absolute. If this was only 50% mastery, I could hardly imagine the god-like potential of 100%.
My thoughts were interrupted by [Acute Hearing]. Heavy, rhythmic footsteps were approaching.
[Time to unleash hell,] Bloodcode whispered.
The doors hissed open. Twenty guards stood there, a wall of tactical gear and high-caliber rifles. "Surrender, Zero! You're surrounded!"
I let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Me? Surrender? Never."
I flicked my wrist, releasing ten droplets of blood. They streaked through the air like guided bullets, finding the gaps in their helmets.
Ten guards dropped instantly, holes bored through their skulls. The remaining soldiers opened fire. I raised my palm, and the spilled blood on the floor rose, hardening into a shimmering crimson shield.
"Keep firing! Don't let up!" the lead guard screamed.
I advanced through the hail of lead, the bullets thudding harmlessly against my blood-aegis. When their magazines ran dry, I was already standing in front of them.
I activated [Bloodcontrol: Flow Acceleration] and shaped a jagged, vibrating dagger of blood. Within seconds, the hallway was a butcher shop.
As the last body fell, a wave of dizziness hit me. My vision blurred.
[You've expelled too much of your own essence. You are severely anemic,] Bloodcode warned. [Consume their blood. Quickly!]
I knelt amidst the carnage and activated [Bloodlust].
[Siphoning... 20 targets processed. Abilities: None.]
Nothing. Just cattle for the slaughter. I ignored the faintness and sprinted toward the elevator that led to the surface.
But waiting in the lobby were the only ones who could actually stop me: One, Three, Four, and Five.
"Four against one," I remarked, leaning against the wall. "Hardly fair, don't you think?"
They didn't answer. The Hydra conditioning was too deep.
"Fine. If you won't talk, you'll bleed."
I targeted the weakest first: One. His face-shifting was perfect for espionage, but useless in a brawl.
I fired a blood-spike at him, but Five—the brute—blocked it with a forearm that sounded like hitting stone. Simultaneously, Three scuttled across the ceiling, dropping down behind me.
[The only way out is to pick them off one by one,] Bloodcode hissed. [Pin the others down with blood-bolts, focus on a single target, and watch your reserves.]
I unleashed a volley at the group. One took a hit to the leg, Four parried with his shadows, and Five simply tanked the hits like they were mosquito bites.
Using my accelerated flow, I lunged at Three. My blood-dagger carved through his side, but Five charged me like a freight train. I vaulted over him, mid-air firing six shots at Four to keep him busy.
I landed in front of One. He swung a desperate punch, but I slipped the blow and buried my dagger deep into his abdomen. [Bloodlust] triggered instantly.
A heavy thud echoed behind me—Five was closing in. I conjured a blood-gauntlet to parry his massive fist, the impact vibrating through my bones. At the same time, I heard a faint scuttle above.
Three was wounded but still hunting.
I fired three blind shots upward; two caught him in the chest, and the final one pierced his skull. His limp body fell from the ceiling, crashing directly onto Five, staggering the giant.
I turned my sights on Four. He was hobbling on a mangled leg. I fired two suppressive bolts into his shadow-construct and delivered a crushing kick to his knee. As he went down, I slit his throat and triggered [Bloodlust].
Finally, I turned to Five. He was the last one standing, but he was slow. I riddled him with blood-bolts until his massive frame finally collapsed. One last activation of [Bloodlust], and then... silence.
I slumped against the elevator door, gasping for air as the notifications flooded my mind.
[Status Update,] Bloodcode whispered with dark satisfaction. [Bloodlust success. Analyzing DNA... Multi-Synchronization detected: 'Shadow Control' and 'Facial Reconstruction' are compatible. Accept Synchronization?]
"Accept."
STATUS WINDOW
Name: Zero | Surname: Bloodcode
Core Abilities:
[Bloodcode]: Grants access to internal stats and sub-categories.
[Bloodlust] (Passive): By consuming the blood of another being, you can permanently siphon one of their abilities.
[Bloodlock] (Active): Ingesting a target's blood allows you to induce total paralysis. (Effectiveness scales with the target's willpower/power level).
[Bloodcontrol] (Active): You can now manipulate blood outside your body as an extension of your limbs.
New Feature [Sentient Puppet]: You can create a remote-controlled blood clone with any appearance you desire.
Mastery: 50%
Copied Abilities:
[Acute Hearing] (Passive): Sonar and lie detection via heartbeats.
[Wall Crawling] (Passive): You can move across vertical surfaces and ceilings with ease.
[Enhanced Muscle Mass] (Passive): Your base physical strength is permanently doubled.
I felt the new power knitting my muscles together, the strength of Five and the agility of Three flowing through my veins. I approached the elevator when…