Crazy Blood Demon

When Bob heard that voice, he almost went mad and began laughing uncontrollably. It struck him as strange that he would laugh in such a situation, but at the same time, it felt oddly natural. His manic laughter echoed through the clearing, unnerving Nina, who fell to the ground in fright.

[Blood Shadow wonders what that crown is]

[Mysterious Wanderer looks at you grimly]

Suddenly, Bob stopped laughing and pointed to the corner of the clearing.

"I need to calm down for a moment. Sit there while I collect myself," he instructed, his voice steady but strained.

Nina, trembling, obeyed and sat on a nearby stone.

'Hahaha, I like your personality, Bob,' a voice echoed in Bob's mind.

Gripping the crown firmly on his head, Bob attempted to pull it off. His face turned red with the effort, but the crown wouldn't budge.

Behind him, Nina watched with a mix of fear and confusion. Bob, struggling like a fool, only heightened her unease.

'Hahaha, your attempts are futile. We've already connected our souls,' the voice said with an eerie laugh.

Bob froze, his mind racing. 'Who the hell are you?' he demanded silently.

[Ruby Ruler wonders why you look upset]

'I am a bloody ghost,' the voice responded coolly. 'I don't have a name, but you can give me one if you like.'

Bob gritted his teeth, unwilling to dignify the voice with a response.

'That's not important right now,' the voice continued. 'What's more pressing is that you help me name our family.'

'What family?' Bob retorted mentally, still trying to process what was happening.

[Ruby Ruler and Mysterious Wanderer wonder what you're thinking]

The voice pressed on. 'No time for explanations! Just suggest a name. The force trying to control me is nearly unstoppable.'

After a moment of thought, Bob muttered in his mind, "Keauzmur." He wanted something that sounded imposing and powerful.

'Hahaha! Perfect. Bob Keauzmur,' the ghost declared.

Suddenly, a surge of energy coursed through Bob. It was as though his identity had shifted, as if he was reborn as Bob Keauzmur.

'You currently have zero cores,' the ghost stated in a sinister tone.

'What are cores?' Bob asked, bewildered.

The ghost explained, 'Cores measure the number of beings in your family. When you kill someone with blood, I extract it from them. This blood forms the core. The more cores you create, the more blood is needed for the next. Stronger creatures yield higher-quality blood, but even weak ones might have superior blood if they descend from powerful ancestors.'

The ghost gave Bob no time to digest this before continuing.

'You can only have one family member from each species. For instance, if you make an elf a family member, no other elves can join your family. Similarly, a dark elf would be excluded, as they are still classified under the elf species.'

Bob held up a hand to his temple and thought, 'Let me process this for a moment.'

Despite his initial resistance, Bob felt an inexplicable urge to build this "family" the ghost spoke of.

'I understand,' Bob finally conceded.

'Good. Now name me,' the ghost demanded.

Bob thought for a moment. 'Your name is Remo,' he declared.

The ghost seemed satisfied. 'Remo, the ghost of the Keauzmur family. That sounds excellent.'

Bob reflected on the name choice. He had spent eight months in Luo, Africa, tracking a target. Disguised as a local, he had learned their language out of necessity. In Luo, "remo" translated to "blood," and since the ghost identified as a bloody spirit, the name felt fitting.

'Now, enough questions. I'll explain more when we're in a safe zone,' Bob said firmly in his mind.

"Let's go," Bob said aloud, turning to Nina.

The journey back was uneventful, much to Bob's annoyance. He had hoped to encounter monsters to test the crown's powers, but none appeared. Remo, however, remained silent, which was the only thing that comforted Bob.

As they approached the safe zone, Bob noticed envious glances directed at him.

Suddenly, a skinny man stepped in front of them, blocking their path.

"Looks like your expedition was a success," the man said, eyeing Bob's crown. "You even brought back some treasure."

He glanced at Nina. "I saw two others from your group cross to the other side. What happened? Did you have a falling out?" His tone was overly friendly, masking a hint of malice.

"None of your business," Bob replied coldly, stepping around him.

The man's grin twisted into something darker. "Looks like it won't be that easy," he muttered grimly, his voice laced with menace.