Birth of the Blood Flower

'Huh...? What's this...'

Suddenly, a scorching heat surged up from deep within my body. The tip of my stem glowed red-hot, and the change spread through me in an instant. New leaves sprouted between the two ruby-like ones. They unfurled roundly like blooming petals, a more vivid crimson than before. Then they deepened further, igniting like molten lava.

The transformation didn't stop there. The clustered leaves parted one by one, rising upward. A new flower bud emerged between them. As its six petals slowly opened, a chilling beauty stained with blood was revealed.

Whoa... to think something like this is possible...

My reflection in the ice crystal was shocking, to put it mildly. It resembled a red lily, but without leaves—just a flower at the stem's end. A thick purple stamen, shrouded in red mist, extended long and flicked gently like a viper's tongue. The stem connecting root to flower was pitch-black, like a slice of the night sky dangling down, captivating enough to steal anyone's gaze. The flower atop it was nothing short of wondrous—like a single bloom crafted from crimson moonlight, shimmering translucently, each petal sparkling like a gem. It was hard to believe this pure, beautiful form harbored a death-dealing poison.

It looks just like a spider lily.

The faint blue light of the ice cave filtering through the petals created a mystical glow, like moonlight. But the lethal poison hidden within that beauty made me all the more dangerous.

The roots had changed dramatically too. The thread-like black roots had darkened to the stem's hue, thickened, and multiplied into dozens. Like spiderwebs, they burrowed into the ice floor, far longer than before, their tips still sharp as red needles. When I tested them, dozens of roots stabbed into the ground at once, cracking the solid ice like glass.

Am I... seriously this strong now? It doesn't even make sense!

I was no longer a cute little sprout. I had become a flower with deadly allure and terrifying attack power. Though I still couldn't become human, I quite liked this beautiful, perilous form.

Michael... thank you.

I offered a quiet prayer. It had started as a simple plea for water, but now it brimmed with genuine gratitude. Without Michael's encouragement, could I have been reborn so strong and beautiful?

Whoa... whoa... whoa...

My mouth wouldn't close. Not that I had one.

The stat changes were insane first off. All my stats ending in 44 had jumped to triple digits, with HP and Attack at a whopping 244. That was unheard of for level 20. It varied by monster race, but recalling Shadow Symphony, a level 20 hobgoblin averaged around 100.

This strong? HP and Attack are like a level 50 troll!

But the surprises weren't over. The evolved skills: Fierce Poison and Black Root Protrusion. I didn't know Fierce Poison's power yet, but Black Root Protrusion's—I'd felt it testing the roots.

And with becoming a flower, Pollen Release and its seductive property. Perfect for luring monsters when I couldn't move.

Perfect! I can evolve again soon!

I wanted to lure monsters right away, but one thing remained unchecked.

Hmm... is this like seduction too?

Recalling the hibernation description that nearly got me killed, I pondered deeply, but nothing came ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to mind. Even I, who'd seen countless plant photos on Plant Gallery, found myself a bit—no, extremely alluring.

Yeah! Even I think I'm super pretty!

I startled at my own villainess-lady line, but since it was about a pretty flower, it was fine.

Think I've checked everything. Time for explosive growth!

Evolved, I was confident against ten Ice Hyenas. I focused on my head—er, flower part—shaking it slightly. Pollen scattered everywhere.

Oh...

Against the blue ice walls, the red pollen created a mystical scene. Admiring it, I wished in my heart for monsters to be lured. The floating pollen slowly turned pink.

Then I felt something drain from within.

Uh-oh.

Mana, which I'd never spent before, had decreased. Pollen - Seduction felt different from my other skills.

Roots for basic attacks, others passive? Or...?

No-mana skills were nice, but draining mana meant big effects. Promising.

Great! Come at me! Turn into EXP!

Mana only good for seduction anyway—might as well burn it.

The pastel pollen rode invisible winds, spiraling upward. Meeting ice crystals falling from the cave ceiling, they turned to twinkling starlight, then descended softly, dancing in the air. With the ice's whispers from deep within, the pollen spread wider—like magic born of winter and spring meeting.

Swimming between ice pillars, the pollen moved slowly as if time had stopped, yet ceaselessly, dyeing the entire cave in fantasy.

…

In the cave's deepest recesses. One tiny pollen particle from a long journey touched the nose of the labyrinth's ruler, majestically guarding the innermost layer.

Huh...?

Skills leveling up in a row left me flustered. Then monsters started pinging on my detection radar—one, two. But the numbers exploded, countless beyond counting.

Uh......

No! Wait! Help! Michael! Save me!

My desperate inner scream echoed. Whether prayer worked or not, the monsters ignored me, charging at each other.

Whoa! Michael! I believed in you!

The light god couldn't control monsters, but the timing was perfect. The scene was an EXP feast. Ice Horn Rabbits crushed under troll feet, Snow Hyenas tearing throats. Salamanders and Floppers freezing each other endlessly, Frost Wolfing rampaging in the chaos.

I spread roots to absorb blood, finishing off the dying with last hits.

Insane! Totally insane!

The cold ice cavern stained dark red with corpses and blood.

Wooow! Levels won't stop rising!

Did plants have dopamine? Pleasure waves crashed over my mind. Absorbing blood while watching the status, levels rose in real time. Crystal Snake blood was shockingly sweet; Elemental Salamander's like fizzy soda.

This is a real party! As expected! Michael!

Watching the monsters' brutal melee, faith and ecstasy swelled unbidden. This was the most fun fight ever. Just sitting, EXP pouring in! No need to kill directly—just watch them rip each other, then finish.

Michael loves bloody slaughter!

A priest would faint, but I trusted only what I'd seen and felt!

Aaaah! Kill more! Fight more! Hyper Burning Max!

Like a game 1000% EXP event, I grew unbelievably fast. Dying monsters' screams and erupting blood banquet couldn't be more beautiful. At this rate, next evolution soon.

…

BOOM!!!

Mid-carnage festival, the ground shook violently. Epicenter off my radar.

Wha...?

Cold air grew heavy. The festival halted like deathly silence swept the cave. Indescribable pressure crushed me. An immense presence approached—heavy as eternity, freezing even a petal.

Help... me...

Instinct screamed flee, but as a plant, futile. Detection useless against this unknown; my proud stats mere numbers.

Then—

The detected entity's info froze my consciousness.