“Ssss… Sssss” 

I slithered so fast I ran out of breath (“You still need more training, young practitioner!”). I wanted to immediately look into my wound, but first.. I saw my siblings slithering by, worriedly. What do I do?! I don’t think I can survive another mind delve right now?!

(“Face the challenge head on!”)

(“Run away!”)

(“Scare them away!”)

(“Pretend to be fine!”)

.. No time to think! I raised my body as much as I could (“Ouch! My side! And my tail! Damn!”) “SssSsssssssSSsssSSS!!” I tried to look as imposing as possible. They stopped, confused. I then jumped a few times. They looked at each other. Then at me. Then at each other, and, even though I’m sure they were out of range of any thoughts, I thought I could hear them slithering “weird brother”

And now, we interrupt our normal broadcast, to bring you a Short poem by our sponsor, Anonymous Snake.

To my savior, meditation, 

By: Anonymous Snake

So many problems with my head,

My mental state makes me dread,

Every time I make my enemies bled,

Due to backwash, I wish I was dead

“SsssssSsssssSSss!!”

(“I’ve been slithering in pain a lot over the past few days, haven’t I?”)

… something is wrong. (“yes, more than usual”)(“a new wound?!”)

I looked at my body. Around the place corresponding to fishes abdomen, a long thin red mark lied, as if someone tried to cut it with a blade. Or a mana infused fin. It wasn’t a bleeding wound, as what I saw on the body of Guerorp… but there certainly was a bruise. And it hurt. Damn it. But why? It never happened before! 

... soul arts. Most likely when Guerorp was using them in the dream, he somehow used a skill that made dreams real (“... that Guerorp?”) (“I mean I sympathize with his history but he doesn’t exactly…”)(“He is dumb. And barely knows how to use mana. No way he could do it”).

Yeah. Then only one option remains- he paid the price.. And amplified one of my abilities. Not sure which one yet. But as a result, both of us are left with an unfortunate souvenir. It should heal in a few days.. I hope.. Speaking of things I hope will heal

Damn it hurtssssssssss. Especially after I had to move so fast to run away! And now! What am I talking about? The place I was hit with the water bullet of course! A bit of blood, dripping down my tail. It was a shallow wound.. Obviously not a serious try at my life. Blopliob was most likely worried of mothers retaliation if anything serious happened to me. Still, f**k. Did I mention it hurtssss? Pain is one of those things, that when you read about it, it’s just a piece of information to remember, but when you experience it.. It consumes all your thought processes, and you forget what it was like not to feel it!

Uhh. ahh. Yey. Everything is good now. (“Ugh.. blood.. It looks yucky”)(“should I look away?”)(“No, no! Let’s look more! Ughhh yucky… look a scab is forming! Damn not having hands and being unable to poke at the scab!”)

… the blood.. Wait.. I moved my face closer to my wound (“If we lick it would we get poisoned?”) And concentrated my senses. My blood.. It did seem to have small amounts of mana in it. It wasn’t MY mana, as I had no core, but it got soaked with ambient particles! I tried moving them with mana manipulation

And it worked! For whatever reason, the particles that are in my blood can be moved! But then why can’t I move any mana inside me? 

Isn’t it obvious? My scales and my skin block outside influences! Unless I become someone like my sky-attuned sister, or the Moonfish, I have to produce what I want to use! But this.. This gives me some ideas. But first, status changes.

Great! I’m getting stronger, has my time finally come! I only had to risk my, and some random fishes life for that! Twice! Also what the hell, I certainly deserve more than 0.2 in acting! And meditation FINALLY broke through.. Must be how I managed to separate some emotions, while amplifying others during the dream.

But wait what the hell is this

Bwah! Stupid gods! Stupid titles! (“I am pretty now!”). I will look at the dream world later, I'm too sleepy to think of dreams..

Time for blood experiments! (“No, time to take a nap!) Fine, then time for rest, and then, BLOOD EXPERIMENTS!

Reisinling

Explanation of why some skills grow faster and some slower in next Guide chapter. Maybe tomorrow?