These three must survive...at all costs.
The thought came naturally, without hesitation. Her failure at the compassion trial had stripped away any pretense of universal healing duty.
Save who matters. Use whatever means necessary.
A lesser demon broke through the archer's covering fire, claws extended toward his exposed back.
Jasmine reacted without conscious thought. She immediately used the art that she was given as help to win the trial.
Dark Blood's First Art — Blood Steal
Power erupted from her hands—not the golden light of traditional healing, but crimson energy that struck the demon like a physical blow. The creature's life force ripped free from its body, flowing through the air as scarlet streams toward Jasmine's position.
Amazing. I can feel its vitality becoming mine.
After some time, the demon collapsed as its blood essence was drained completely. The stolen life force converted automatically into healing energy that Jasmine directed toward the archer.
Wound closure. Stamina restoration. Combat effectiveness enhanced.
"What in the world—" The archer spun, staring at Jasmine with a mixture of awe and terror. "What kind of healing was that?"
"The effective kind."
"Keep shooting. I'll handle the rest."
More demons pressed forward, sensing weakness in the human lines. Jasmine moved among them like death given purpose, her Blood Steal ability turning their aggression into her allies' salvation.
Every enemy death strengthens our forces.
A Lesser Demon—Level 10—emerged from one of the crimson portals. Its presence alone made nearby humans falter with instinctive dread.
Dangerous. But dangerous things have the most life force to steal with my dark blood art.
The creature's four arms ended in claws that could shear through steel. Its hide showed scars from countless battles. When it roared, reality itself seemed to flinch.
Perfect target for field testing.
Jasmine raised both hands toward the Lesser Demon, channelling her Blood Steal ability at maximum intensity. Crimson energy lanced across the battlefield like lightning made of liquid life.
Come to me. All of your strength. All of your power.
The Lesser Demon stumbled as its life force began ripping free.
The life force wasn't being taken at an alarming rate, its supernatural constitution resisted the drain, but steadily enough to weaken its combat effectiveness.
Stronger enemies take longer to drain. But the results are proportionally better.
The knight seized the opportunity, his sword finding gaps in the demon's defences that exhaustion had created. Steel bit deep into corrupted flesh while Jasmine continued her vampiric assault.
Perfect coordination. Drain and strike.
Blood flowed from the Lesser Demon in visible streams, arcing through the air toward Jasmine's position. She converted the stolen life force into healing energy and distributed it among her three priority targets.
The knight's wounds closed. The mage's magical reserves were replenished. The archer's quiver refilled with energy-formed arrows.
"Incredible," the mage breathed, staring at her restored staff. "I've never felt this strong."
Power through healing. I've never expected that a healer would be able to do such a thing...
The Lesser Demon finally collapsed, drained to a withered husk. Its death sent visible ripples through the demonic forces—confusion, fear, uncertainty.
With a demon down and Jasmine's powers, the momentum started shifting.
But even as the immediate threat faded, Jasmine could see more portals opening in the distance. Larger demons emerging. The real battle was just beginning.
This trial isn't about single combat. It's about sustained campaign effectiveness, it's to test my ability as a combat healer. S~eaʀᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
She surveyed the battlefield with precision, counting possible casualties and assessing resource distribution. Dozens of human soldiers had already fallen before she got there. And more would die before the fighting ended unless she does something about it.
Each death reduces my final score. Each survival increases it.
The trial was clear, save as many as possible while ensuring her three priority targets never fell.
Time to prove that vengeance can be more than mere destruction.
Time to show that darkness can protect as fiercely as light.
Jasmine moved deeper into the combat zone, her Blood Steal ability already targeting the next wave of demonic forces.
Let them come. Let them all come.
Their blood will save my people.
The battlefield had become Jasmine's canvas, painted in crimson and shadow.
Three more Lesser Demons charged through the chaos, their claws dripping with human blood.
Level 12 Epic Bosses—dangerous enough to slaughter entire squads under normal circumstances.
Not today.
Jasmine's hands moved in fluid arcs, crimson energy lancing toward the nearest demon. The Blood Steal connected like a physical chain, tearing life force from corrupted flesh with violent efficiency.
"Behind you!" the knight shouted.
Already know.
She spun without looking, her second hand extending toward a demon that had tried to flank her position. Twin streams of stolen blood arced through the air, converging on her wounded allies below.
The seventh soldier was healed. Three more to go.
The demons collapsed as husks, their essence converted into healing power that flowed through the human ranks like liquid salvation.
Broken bones mended. Severed arteries sealed. Combat effectiveness restored.
This is what real power should feel like.
A cluster of archers had taken position on a nearby ridge, their arrows providing crucial covering fire. But demonic magic was wearing down their defensive barriers, and several showed signs of mana exhaustion.
Perfect targets for healing.
Jasmine identified the largest concentration of enemies—a pack of six Lesser Demons advancing on the archer position. Level 11 to 13, all carrying enough life force to heal multiple allies.
Her Blood Steal ability reached out like grasping hands, latching onto all six demons simultaneously. The drain was more complex than single-target extraction, requiring precise control to maintain multiple connections.
It was harder, but more rewarding.
The demons stumbled in unison as their life force began ripping free. Not quickly enough to prevent their advance, but enough to slow their assault and create openings for counterattack.
Weaken enemies while strengthening allies. Perfect synergy.
The knight coordinated the human response with veteran precision.
His sword found the first demon's throat while it struggled against the blood drain.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!