42 Chapter 40

"Good work all of you. We won this confrontation but it's not over. More are still coming so don't rest on your laurels just yet. For now, rest up and recover." Miko said to the warriors who had just returned looking worn out but victorious.

While they scattered and chatted among themselves, Reid's attention was somewhere else as he separated from the others.

[Mission Completed]

[You have participated in the your first battle of war. Survive until the battle is over.]

[Bonus Objective: Find the hidden observer.]

[Bonus Objective: Kill the hidden observer.]

[Reward: Skill, Title]

[Bonus Reward: Skill Card x2]

[Bonus Reward: Evolution Card]

[You have gained 'Disguise Mastery'!]

[You have gained the title 'Warrior'!]

His face was indifferent but he was satisfied if not a bit confused by the rewards. Disguise mastery was as the name implied. The title on the other hand was the real reward.

••••••••••••

[Warrior]

[1st Effect: When in battle, increases all skill damage by 10%]

••••••••••••

'That's very useful! It says first effect. Does that mean that titles can have more than one effect. Amazing…and useful.' He thought as he walked towards one of the tents that was set up.

He looked into his inventory and saw the 'Evolution Card' and 'Skill Card' sitting there. From the minor information he received upon getting it, it could only be used on skills to evolve them further. For example if he used it on [Sword Mastery], it would change to Divine Sword Mastery or something similar.

'The potential in this..! I can't use this carelessly. Who knows when I'll get another one. The skill card on the other hand…' He pondered.

The skill card could be used to level up a skill. It seemed to be more common than the previous one since he was given more than one. Even with that, he would have to be careful about using it.

He raised his hand to massage his head but stopped as he realized something pressing.

'I'm covered in blood.' He realized, lowering his hand. He then recalled the weird looks that had bee thrown at him on their way back and suddenly it made sense.

'Well my clothes are ruined for good.' He thought as he walked in the direction of the nearby stream.

On his way there, he passed the group of children who gave him scared looks as he passed them. The one who had come back from the battlefield with him was the most frightened out of them all. He was present on the field when Reid began his slaughter.

'After two of them didn't come back, they're even more afraid. It would be best to send them back to the village, they'll only drag us down.' He thought as he passed them, paying them no heed.

Miko who watched from a distance, frowned a bit seeing the tiny interaction between Reid and the other kids.

'They're ostracizing him…' She thought sadly. It wasn't like she could order them to spend time with him so her hands were tied.

She had listened to the report of what happened during the fight, including Reid finding the spy wasn't hidden to her.

'I knew he had some level of perception but I didn't think it was that powerful. Just how did he manage it?' She wondered to herself as she watched her son walk away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Standing in his underwear in the stream, Reid stared at his reflection in the water. His wet hair stuck to his skin and allowed water to trickle down his body.

The blood what was on his body was now completely washed off. As he stood there, he couldn't help but think of the new skill he acquired.

Quickly spreading his perception around him to make sure he wasn't being monitored, he activated the skill. A thin wisp of smoke appeared from his body and spun around him.

In less than five seconds, his entire body was covered in the smoke, sticking to his form. His smoke figure began to change form, growing taller and more muscular until it stopped. Features began forming on the smoke until soon enough he took the form he pictured.

He stared at his reflection to be only mildly shocked at what he saw.

'It's really accurate.' He thought as he stared at himself. Staring back at him was the frowning face of Ghira Belladonna, faunus features and everything.

'It feels like a skin tight suit.' He noted as he raised the big hand. Although he assumed Ghira's form, that didn't mean that he took on his strength.

He felt the amount of Aura it took and shook his head. It wasn't too draining but it was too inefficient.

This was a skill designed for stealth and espionage. The thought of the skill canceling out in enemy territory because he ran out of aura made him cringe.

'Another skill to grind.' He thought tiredly, mentally sighing as he dismissed the skill level up notification.

He canceled the skill as Ghira's form turned to smoke and dissipated, revealing Reid. With his perception still spread to make sure he wasn't being spied on, he was satisfied that nobody had seen him.

He got out of the water and moved towards the pile where he kept his things. The blood soaked clothes lay in a separate pile while a clean pair lay in another one.

He didn't wear his clothes just yet. He picked up his sword which lay on the floor and unsheathed it.

'Just as I thought. I'll have to get a new one or get this one repaired.' He thought as he inspected his sword.

He could see small chipped areas on the blade. Although it didn't show cracks, he could feel the metal of the blade itself was weakened. This was the effect of continuously running Aura through a normal blade.

He was surprised that it even lasted this long. That itself spoke volumes about the skill of the maker of the sword.

'Still, I'd have to find a way to acquire the appropriate metal to forge a new sword. One that can handle the constant flow of aura and change of nature.' He thought.

At that moment, he remembered something that didn't add up.

'Qrow and many others ran their aura through their weapons and nothing happened. Either they regularly maintained their weapons so they didn't notice or…' He paused his thinking to feel his aura.

During their trip to menagerie, he had taken the opportunity to feel the aura of others. He had also felt the aura of his fellow clan members and he had found something interesting.

Faunus and humans had the same kind of aura, the only thing differentiating them was the slight bestial feeling to it. Despite that, that wasn't the interesting part.

'My aura is different…far different.' He thought as he let his aura become visible on his raised hand. It swirled around like purple mist before he retracted it.

His aura still had similarities with his mother's and Ashton's but that was due to them have opened the aura nodes in their bodies. He couldn't tell the exact difference since he wasn't some kind of aura expert but he felt it.

'I'll figure that out when this is all over. For now, I need to focus on training.' He thought, suddenly not in the mood to relax or go back.

He walked back towards the stream with a determined look on his face. Still in his underwear, he sat cross legged on the surface of the flowing water.

If anyone saw him at this moment they would be shocked to the core. He was sitting on the water like it was solid ground. He put a hand into the water and concentrated on his task.

Less than a second later, the sound of chirping birds filled the area as lightning ran across the water. Stray arc of lightning flew out and struck the ground around him with a loud sound.

'I will master this ability!' He thought with determination.