Published at 9th of July 2026 7:25 am

Chapter 225: New Skin

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Chapter 225: New Skin

The revelation slammed through the group. Every one of them felt as though the world had turned upside down. Fingers digging into the edge of the table until her knuckles whitened, Min stared at the smooth white surface as if it might reveal some hidden truth.

"This can't be real. I've never trusted them, but...this is insane."

"I assure you, the results were the same no matter how many times I reviewed the data. A god has too much ego to completely hide who they are. Little clues here and therealone they meant nothingbut the truth was there. The cause of the Convergence is the same group pretending to protect humanity from it."

Ash's aura started to build, hazy at first, then the blue quickly deepened and solidified as his fists clenched against the tabletop.

Surprised, Min, Split-jaw, Teal, and the robot all turned toward the boy as bloodlust began leaking from him like heat. Feeling the pressure build, Min slowly reached out.

"Ash?"

"Millions of lives. Billions..."

His breathing grew quicker, each breath rougher than the last, and his aura surged with it.

"No point getting worked up"

"No point?!"

Ash shot to his feet so fast the bench scraped across the floor, and he slapped Min's hand away.

"What else should I do?! The whole world, Min! They set us back hundreds of years! People are dying every single day, and it's all their fault!"

On the table, a sharp hiss escaped Triss as her back arched. Split-jaw sprang to his feet and lunged toward the boy, but before he could reach him, streaks of gold began mixing into Ash's blue aura. A violent burst of force ripped from him like a shockwave, rattling cups across the table and forcing Split-jaw back.

"I'll kill them! I'll fucking kill Orashal with my bare hands! Make him pay! MAKE HIM DIE!"

The room fell silent except for Ash's ragged roars. His features twisted as veins bulged beneath his skin, their color turning gold. Flesh split at his brow as two horns forced their way through, followed by another erupting from his cheek, then another bursting through his eye socket.

"The curse!"

Reaching across the table, Min yanked Teal behind her as system light flared and her shield gauntlets materialized around her arms.

"Ash! Calm down!"

"What is wrong with the boy?"

Mr. Gates whirred over, the face on his screen hardening as lines of analysis and processing bars flashed across it while he scanned Ash.

"He's been cursed by Baal!"

The screen instantly switched to a flashing red warning symbol.

"Baal?! The Baal?!"

Still roaring, Ash's body continued to change. Blood dripped steadily to the floor, pooling around his feet as his muscles swelled and shifted beneath his skin. Patches of flesh changed color one after another until they gleamed with a metallic gold sheen.

Watching the horror unfold, Teal's fingers dug into Min's arm hard enough to hurt.

"We have to stop him!"

"How?!"

Min had nothing. No skill to use. No experience to fall back on. Her mind raced through one useless answer after another while, beside Ash, Mr. Gates slowly rolled forward...raised an arm...then brought it down across the back of the boy's head.

Instantly, his aura snuffed out as he crumpled into the robot's waiting arm.

"Ash!"

Teal rushed over, dropping to her knees as she caught his body and eased him onto the floor. The rigid tension left her shoulders as the horrific transformation began reversing before her eyes.

"If you'll allow me, I'd like to bring him to the medical wing. I can run some tests."

"Do it."

"Min!"

Split-jaw rounded on her, his ghostly form trembling, but Min never looked away from the boy.

"If he wanted to hurt us, he's strong enough that he wouldn't need to play games. Maybe he can help...unless you've got a better idea."

The ghost couldn't argue. His jaw tightened before he finally turned toward Mr. Gates.

"Please forgive my rudeness."

Split-jaw bowed, but the robot dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"You're only cautious because you care. Let's move the boy now that he's back to normal."

As the robot bent to pick Ash up, it was clear the transformation had stopped. His skin had returned to normal, the horns were gone, and his ruined eye had restored itself. As Mr. Gates straightened, Min's brow furrowed, her eyes catching on the base of Ash's neck.

"Hold on."

She stepped closer and gently lifted his head. Just above the collar, a patch of skin about an inch across had turned a dull metallic gold.

"Go ahead."

A heavy feeling settled in her chest, refusing to lift. It only grew heavier as they followed the robot out of the dining hall, the sound of their footsteps fading into the vast facility beyond.

-----

The smell cut through the stink of blood, smoke, and rotting flesh. The creature's head snapped up, nostrils flaring as instinct shoved everything else aside.

Home.

A guttural cry rumbled through its drooping mouth, rows of razor teeth grinding together as it threw itself forward. Massive arms slammed into the ground, launching its wormlike body ahead in great lunges. Concrete burst beneath its fists. Trees shattered across its shoulders, trunks cracking before tumbling into the darkness. Broken walls and rusted vehicles fared no better, reduced to flying rubble as it charged straight through them.

The scent grew stronger.

The clan.

Bright gray blood streamed from deep wounds across its back, splattering stone and twisted metal behind it. Loose flaps of torn flesh slapped wetly against exposed muscle with every lunge, leaving streaks across the wreckage. One arm faltered for half a step, its muscles trembling from blood loss, but the hesitation lasted only an instant before it forced itself onward.

Pain meant nothing. Home was close.

It crashed through the remains of a collapsed building, dust and chunks of concrete rolling across its broad shoulders as another breath filled its lungs. The scent was unmistakable now. Familiar. Safe.

Its pace somehow quickened despite the blood pouring from its body. Every bound tore wounds wider. Every landing sent fresh jolts through shattered bones, but it barely noticed. Its massive arms dug into the earth again and again, hurling its body forward.

Just a little farther.

From the corner of its vision, a flash of light reflecting off steel caught its eye. It slammed to a stop, dirt spraying beneath its hands as something fast whipped through the space its head had occupied a heartbeat before.

"No fair!"

Ignoring the female voice, the beast lunged forward again, but not before wrenching a chunk of broken concrete free and hurling it back toward the sound. Rebar whined through the air as the slab disappeared into the darkness.

Light slowly filtered between the trees as the sun began to rise.

"Where you goin'?"

A roar burst from the creature as it swung toward the toothy grin floating in the dim light. Its claws carved through empty air while laughter echoed around it, impossible to pin down.

Another slash raked across its back, nearly sending it sprawling. Then another. Bright gray blood sprayed across the broken ground, flaps of torn pink flesh peeling farther away, but it never slowed.

Almost there.

"Finish it."

It didn't understand speech, its mind no more develope than a toddler's, but every instinct screamed the same thing the moment it heard that voice.

Death.

With every scrap of strength it had left, the creature threw itself forward, only to pitch violently as its weight collapsed beneath it. Looking down as it fell, it realized both of its arms were gone.

A scream ripped from the beast as it crashed into the ground, tumbling end over end through dirt, broken concrete, and shattered branches before finally skidding to a stop in a trail of gray blood and dust.

Looking down, Panic's face hovered inches above the monster's own.

"Almost."

Panic opened his mouth, and the creature continued screaming and thrashing as he began to eat. The cries quickly weakened, fading into wet choking sounds before finally stopping, leaving behind only the occasional twitch.

Leaning back from the kill, Panic exhaled as steam drifted from his face. He slowly licked the bright gray blood from his lips, eyes half-lidded in satisfaction.

Behind him, multiple crimson eyes opened in the darkness as flames ignited the clearing. Pain landed with a heavy thud, the ground shuddering beneath his weight.

"Good?"

A quiet laugh slipped from Panic as his eyes rolled back.

"Delicious..."

The rest of the brood surged forward without waiting for another word, tearing into the carcass as flesh ripped free beneath claws and teeth.

Watching the beast disappear beneath the feeding brood, Seo-jin fought the urge to join them. The smell of hot blood filled the air, making his stomach tighten, but he held himself back. Luckily, Widow seemed determined to make up for her earlier behavior. For the past couple of days, she'd taken every chance she could to dote on him.

"Here, Father. It's the best part."

Her hair fell to her shoulders, black as pitch against skin pale and as white porcelain. She stared up at him with wide, pleading eyes that made it difficult for Seo-jin to meet her gaze. Looking past her instead, he focused on the brood feeding nearby, almost ignoring the steaming liver she cradled in both hands, gray blood running from the organ and staining her silver-spun dress.

"You eat it. You're still too weak."

Tiamat and Bahamut both turned toward the broodspawn and hissed, mimicking Seo-jin's disappointment.

Widow lowered her head, her face scrunching for a moment before she stomped a foot hard enough to kick up dust.

"I said I was sorry! I promised I wouldn't, didn't I? Please, Father, I really didn't know. I just saw their dicks and, well"

"Okay, okay!"

Snatching the liver from her hands before she could finish, Seo-jin hurriedly took a bite.

"Just focus more on your training instead of...your brothers. That last throw should've hit. Especially with your weapon, any miss is a mistake you can't afford."

"I know. And I will, I promise!"

Grinning from ear to ear, Widow clapped her hands before leaning in and planting a quick kiss on Seo-jin's cheek. She skipped away, silver dress swaying, then dove back into the pile with her siblings, all of them tearing into the last of the bones with eager snaps and crunches.

"If you're not going to finish that, I will."

Seo-jin shot Bug a flat look before stuffing the rest of the warm liver into his mouth and swallowing.

"If you want to eat, kill it yourself."

Bug's eyes dimmed as they lingered on Seo-jin's now-empty hand. Unlike the rest of the brood, she'd been given one strict rule. No sharing. Every scrap of food and every point of experience she earned had to come from her own efforts. Unfortunately, that rule also meant Law rarely got to enjoy the spoils of their hunts.

Seeing the escort drooling as his eyes stayed fixed on Bug, Seo-jin sent a thought through the link. A second later, Bile lumbered over carrying a massive femur. The moment it hit the ground, Law snatched it up, cracked it clean in half, and eagerly began sucking out the steaming marrow under Bug's openly jealous stare.

"How should we attack the beast's den?"

Turning to Snare, Seo-jin followed his gaze toward the direction the worm creature had been fleeing. Activating Soul Sight, he looked beneath the ground and found a cluster of auras gathered in a large underground chamber.

This was why they'd let the beast escape. Rather than chase it down immediately, they'd followed while it led them straight back to its nest.

Looking up, the morning sun had fully crested the horizon. Long bands of orange light stretched across the broken landscape, warming the cracked concrete and shattered trees.

His eyes returned to Snare as he considered the den below. There weren't many enemies, and none of them rose above low C-rank. It wasn't enough to justify sending the entire brood.

"Take Fang and Sin. You three will clear the nest on your own."

Snare straightened immediately, bloodlight curling from his body as his chest swelled with pride.

"Yes, Broodfather."

Turning away to gather his brothers, Snare already understood his father's intent. His class had been on the verge of advancement for some time now. Hopefully, this nest would provide the final push he needed. Unlike Seo-jin, the broodspawn received no quest prompts or notifications to guide them. They could only trust their instincts.

Right now, every instinct in Snare's body felt ready to burst.

"May I join them?"

Seo-jin let out a sigh. He was starting to really dislike the sound of Bug's voice.

"If I don't get a chance to hunt, then Law will also suffer. If you're worried about me betraying"

A sharp laugh escaped not only Seo-jin, but several of the brood close enough to hear.

"Don't assume your importance, Bug."

Looking between his two newest additions, he had to admit she had a point. He couldn't let Law fall behind simply because of the arrangement he'd made.

"Fine. You and Law can join them. But you still have to hunt on your own. Law can participate with the others."

Turning away, Seo-jin felt Law's excitement surge through the broodlink, while Bug's frustration simmered beneath it.

He wasn't worried about the bug queen. Even if Law wasn't watching her, Snare would be there. The Broodfather's eyes would be on her the entire time.

"The rest of you will clear a perimeter. Pain, start a fire. I want it big. Lots of smoke. And Tomb"

Pulling a claw from between his teeth, the bearded broodspawn straightened. Even after shrinking, his broad shoulders now stood nearly level with Pain's.

"When they get back, your cooldown should be up. You'll start the next pull."

"Yes, Broodfather."

One of the many blessings of the Auction House had been its shrinking potions. It took Synapse several attempts to find the right dosage, but Tomb had finally reached a size that made moving through the Freelands practical without sacrificing his strength.

Walking toward the remains of a ruined building, little more than the first-floor walls still standing, Seo-jin watched the brood spread out without another command, each moving to carry out their task. Dust shifted beneath his feet as he reached the broken wall and rested a hand against the cracked concrete

A pulse rolled through his body.

He stopped.

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Took long enough."

A familiar red panel flickered into existence before him, its script glowing against the morning light.

[System // Notification]

[Corruption Complete]

[Target // Slims]

The tex continued scrolling, and Seo-jin's smile widened.

[Achievement Unlocked // Origin of Sin]

[Conditions // Corrupt a Living Entity for the First Time // Complete]

[Rewards Distributing....]

At that moment, he couldn't have cared less about achievement rewards. His attention was fixed entirely on what lay ahead.

Heavy chunks of steaming flesh slapped onto the ground one after another.

A thick aura rolled from the growing mass, carrying a presence that reminded Seo-jin of the Maw itself. The air seemed to grow heavier as the flesh twitched, folded, and began knitting itself together.

Slowly, Slims started to solidify into his new form.

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