"Those blood flowers are not you, you grow them, you nourish them, just like Mother Earth nourishes all the life."
"That is a bit too much of a stretch, even for ." As Rosso spoke these words, his lips curled up with a smile. "But I like the na." With those words, he left the scene. He was not intending to fall for the girl any further.
Why did he say those words, Rosso didn’t understand.
It might be what they call attraction because Rosso knew for sure this was not love as it can’t develop so simply, so easily. He was a male sex attracted to an opposite sex, simple as is. Those words he said probably ant to show his appreciation for the opposite sex, or sothing along the lines.
It was a confusing feeling, confusing action, which was what one experienced in the early stages of attraction, which can turn into love, or not.
As for the bodily attraction? Rosso didn’t believe in that. Although his creator was not cruel enough to entirely remove such functions from his body, they were heavily suppressed as they might affect him on his path. However, if he wishes to recover, he could with simple control of his blood.
’Odd feelings, this woman, I have seen more beautiful ones before her, but why her?’ In the world of transcendent bloodlines, magical potions, and powerful spells. The strong naturally always appeared beautiful. Among the ones he had killed, countless won begged for their lives using their faces as collateral. But Rosso had never been affected by those faces, with the exception of this girl called Arahi.
’Creator, if only you were here.’ Although Rosso is able to understand his feelings very well, what he didn’t understand was why he felt such things. Which is why he thought of his creator, a faceless being who was sothing akin to a father to him.
And it’s a Father’s job to teach his child how to regulate these emotions and make sense of the situation. "Focus." Leaving the area, Rosso found a hiding place and took out the Mask again.
Then with the little knowledge he had of the Dwarven Animancy and engineering, he started to find if sothing stood out from the little runic symbols on the mask. But with his limited knowledge, he found nothing. "Should be safe." He thought before finally making up his mind and shaving his barely brown head once again.
It would seem he would be bald from now on.
The process was as simple as the girl had told him, after balding himself, Rosso made so cuts over his bald head, exposing pieces of his bleeding flesh, and then wore the mask, which seed to co alive after touching his blood, slowly sucking on it and causing Rosso imnse pain.
But Rosso didn’t budge at all. This kind of pain was natural to him, he experienced it each ti he opened his chest to hide items. Although possessing the capability of suppressing the pain just like he did his sexual drive, Rosso had always chosen to keep it active, even making it exceed the normal amount, causing him to feel greater pain than usual.
All because such pain was the sign that so harm had been done to his body, but if the harm was too small, let’s say a small mosquito bite, he wouldn’t be able to feel it until it was too late. Which is why he made it so that he felt more pain than usual.
And the reason he even ca up with this idea was because of his own abilities. There might be others in the world with similar talents, so isn’t it better to be sure?
The Mask stretched slowly before tightening around his head, then before Rosso could wonder what would happen next, he felt a prickling around his neck, feeling as if sothing just connected to his body, to his nervous system.
Which was the start of a true transformation.
Under even more pain, Rosso felt his bones grow slowly. "This... this is not as simple as I expected... this is a total change in body." This artifact, this tool was far from simple.
He had expected magic, hexes, or even so odd exorcist techniques at use here, which were the general ones used in his creation.
But, this is entirely controlling and forcing a different direction of growth for his body. This was directly changing his body for good. "This, is this a trap?" Rosso, even under all the stress and pain kept his thoughts clear. And the thought that this might be a trap ca to his mind.
This mask, even under the scrutiny of his eyes didn’t show any oddity, but now it was permanently changing his entire physical form.
Which when one thing about it was the best way to hide his face.
As there were many transcendent in the world that could detect face-changing techniques from miles away. Which was originally the reason why he struggled so much. But this, he will gain an entirely new body, a new form to walk in.
"I was away for a few years, and they have already developed tools like this?" And as Rosso ca to terms that this might be the best way to change his face, He soon ca to wonder about the advancents happening in Yethel while hiding from the world.
There are tis when centuries go by and nothing happens, and there are days when century worth of things happen.
And Yethel is currently going through the very sa technological boom. Rosso was already the greatest creation when he left the place, but in the last three years, many new things might have been developed based on the old tech and the war data collected five years ago.
"One thing is for sure, this is not a tool for just any operative. There might be few, and being given this only ans one thing." This can be his master’s help from far away.
’The communicator, the other party spoke of helping the one that held my Pager... which ans she might be given even more directives I might not be aware of.
From this simple instance alone, Rosso ca to a reasonable explanation for why this all happened. Or why such a powerful tool was given to him.
"I just hope it’s not sothing experintal," Rosso said with a pained smile while his face kept twisting up along with his body. It won’t be long before the new him is born again with a new face.
******
: I have handed the mask..: Is there anything else I need to do?
"No, for now, just get back, the city is going to face so troubles in a few days."
: As you say, master. : But master, is it alright to leave Blood Flower alone?
"I see questions that shouldn’t be asked, my precious disciple, tell the very first thing I taught you?"
: ... Don’t get attached, don’t ask questions.
"Good, so co back and don’t think too hard." This was the last ssage the tall woman wrote in her pager, before closing it and then turning to look toward the door.
As she expected, after a while, the door did open and a man entered it. "The hearing had been postponed again, it would seem the Enforcer’s hard work was for naught." The man who spoke such words was none other than Raja, who had just received the report that under the pressure of so families, the church was forced to extend the hearing for many reasons.
Though all of them had this woman’s shadow behind her.
"Hard work or money... the nobles are really greedy these days." The woman spoke with so sadness.
Although new to the Bartender’s Guild, the woman had proven her strength multiple tis in the seas and to retain her in their organization, the Guild had done her best to keep her happy.
One of which was, that as long as she could save money for the Guild, all that money would belong to her.
Which she had taken advantage of multiple tis before using her fist. But the nobles in the capital were not so simple. They were smarter and stronger than the fools on the seas, the most she could do was pay them to shut their mouth.
"That’s the price of operating in their territory." Raja sighed for a bit, feeling a bit frustrated over being sent to this place at this point.
"What price, if not for that old sailor, none of this would have happened... " The woman said, Before glaring at Raja and asking a question she had asked multiple tis before. "Will you still not tell , who is that old man?" She was a re enforcer, an outsider who was to act as diator between the Bartender’s guild and the Nobles.
A tool whose loss won’t hurt the bartender if she were to fall under the machinations of politics. And she had the strength to back her up as well. Which is why Raja remained on the back while she made the dealings around the district.
Which was also the reason why most of the details were hidden from her. Including the identity of the man she was ant to be protecting.
"I am bound by the restrictions, speaking a word of it will cause my head to explode. Which I very much like to keep intact." Raja said the sa things he had spoken multiple tis before.
"Do tell who he is the day you feel suicidal. I wanna know what kind of man I was sent here to protect."
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