ALL NOVEL Chapter 57. What we became
"Morals... Don't make me laugh... True, it's important to have a code to live by, something to keep you from stepping too far over the line if you don't have to. But morals? So restrictive, so... boring. This is the Void, my friend!
Here, if you are not from Ger, only the strongest thrive. So trust me, you don't want something like morals holding you back. Throw them away and do what you must. Do what you have to survive and thrive. No matter what..."
~Casual conversation between a Tariem soldier and a new recruit
The moment the control of his body returned, Leo should have dropped the two corpses and backed off. The gravity of what he had just done should have hit him, perhaps even made him throw up. Those were humans, after all, and not some mindless beasts that he could slaughter in dozens.
Yet Leo remained motionless, his hands bearing the weight of two lifeless bodies pressed against the wall. Crimson trails trickled from the wounds where his claws entered through their flesh, while their Essence slowly flowed into him, rejuvenating his own being.
Tendrils of disgust and guilt stirred within Leo, buried deep and failing to intensify to the levels they should. It was a stark contrast to the overwhelming emotions he had experienced during the early days of the Outbreak when he had mercy-killed the man in the shack. Back then, there had been an urge to vomit and flee, but now, after this ruthless slaughter, he felt numb.
Well, numb was probably the wrong word to describe it. The truth was, Leo's mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. Anger, confusion, hunger, pain, and a myriad of others surged within him, all vying for attention. They simmered just beneath the surface, and Leo had no clue what to do with half of them, especially given the situation he found himself in.
Guilt, disgust Leo could handle. It would take time to accept what he had done, but that was how the world worked. Yet, here he was, feeling only an ounce of what he probably should...
Is it because this was self-defense, or did my evolution already mess with my mind that much? Fuck, maybe it is both... Leo gritted his teeth as he watched fat slowly burn away from the dead bodies, leaving only sunken skin behind.
Nikra had warned him that changes to his mind and nature would come, but Leo hadn't anticipated them happening instantly. In the coming weeks, even days, maybe, but right away? Definitely not…
No, Leo shook his head, the pain he felt barely an ache now. This might be part of the reason why I don't really feel bad about this, but that's not all... I had felt the rage among the pain when they tried to kill me, the same rage that carried my body. And while some of it was mine, most wasn't…
Then there was the fact that the dead duo wore police uniforms and equipment, so Leo's bias against them might have leaked into his emotions. After all, it was no secret in Wolford that their police force was a bunch of assholes and, most likely, corrupt fucks. Still, they did their job most of the time, so not many people really tried to voice their opinions.
Leo grimaced. I'm grasping at straws here... Trying to justify this massacre based on the mere possibility that they were corrupt assholes is a stretch... Yeah, something definitely shifted within me, but at least for now, I'm aware…
Not that being aware helped much, but it was still better than being completely brainwashed by evolution. With how things were going, Leo might at least get a chance to slowly adapt like he wanted.
Adapt or die. Adapt or die. Leo repeated it like a mantra, and the next moment a notification forced itself into his sight. What the? He muttered internally as the corpses finally slipped from his claws, completely drained, or rather devoured.
Condition stabilized. Thanks to surviving, Prime's Rage is now permanently unlocked.
Leo's head tilted slightly. So there was something more to this alien rage... Show me!
Prime's Rage (Unique)
Within the depths of every being lies a fight-or-flight response waiting to be unleashed. For a Prime, their instincts' primal rage is the last defense when even the mind fails. Primes do not perish on their knees...
Effects:
This ability only activates automatically when the User's ability to fight and control their body is compromised. The primal instincts of a Prime will surge forth, fighting on behalf of the User until they are capable of regaining control. With sufficient mastery, the User can learn to command these instincts to some degree, leading them to follow a different path.
This... This is what saved me... Leo's eyes widened. I don't know if I couldn't move, but there was no way I could have defended myself with the same efficiency or maybe even at all... Shit. So this is just another part of being a Prime...
As unsettling as it was to be a mere passenger in his own body, an automatic defense system was nothing to scoff at. Besides, just like the skill mentioned, Leo could learn to command those instincts or, at the very least, influence them a bit.
And it only activates when there is no way for me to fight on my own. I just have to hope that it won't cause problems one day by attacking someone it shouldn't…
A problem for another day; for now, Leo should probably take care of the aftermath of his evolution. The death of the two policemen was… Well, Leo couldn’t truly put this into words, but he also couldn't even force himself to feel bad about it. His mind just wouldn’t allow it. And besides, those people wanted to kill him, so he at least had one normal reason for not feeling as bad as he should.
Leo averted his gaze from the corpses, swallowing hard. There was nothing else to do about what had happened. It was beyond his control…
Right… Appearance first, notifications after.
He already had a fairly good idea of how his arms transformed, but now that Leo truly gave them a proper look, he understood how much really changed. The pitch-black claws that replaced the last parts of his fingers were now slightly longer than his human digits, but he had no doubt that those could shred through matter like his previous claws never could.
I tore through that guy's neck like it was barely there...
Then there was the skin, just as black as the rest of his body, smooth and almost snakelike, without nearly any of the prior malformations. It definitely was a significant change from Leo's previous slightly tanned and human skin. However, even then, when it came to his arms, this transformation wasn't what completely caught his gaze.
No, this honor belonged to silvery blades on each arm. They grew out of his forearms' outer part, starting from the elbows and ending just shy of his wrists. At most, they extended approximately an inch or two from his arms, adding quite a weapon to his arsenal.
Yet, Leo couldn't help but remember the moment he cut the second man's head with a blade. A blade that easily extended past his hand, his claws.
How did that happen? Leo frowned, scrutinizing the blades intently. While he could feel them as an integral part of his body, it still didn't offer him the answers he sought.
What if... Leo trailed off as he made a fist from one of his hands. And while the blade didn't extend, there was a sudden tingling near its end.
And now, if I do that... A single spark of Essence shot into the spot, and instantly, the gleaming blade extended at last a foot past Leo's pinkie, forming the same weapon his crazed self used.
I take that this must be the Night Hunter's blade... Fitting, I guess. At least I won't have to worry about losing my daggers anymore... Leo shrugged, and the blade shortened once more when his hand opened.
Looking down at the rest of his body, Leo grimaced a bit. This will take some getting used to.
Thanks to the System, and the general struggle over the last few days, Leo gained some muscles. And although those gains remained, they had definitely adapted differently to fit his evolution better. After all, his monstrous body now possessed a lean and streamlined build, optimized for speed and agility more than ever while still retaining enough muscles to potentially overpower some creatures out there.
Not that the appearance of my body really decides that. I have Might for strength. Leo noted as his gaze dropped to his legs, which, apart from the changes to his skin, didn't really transform much.
Well, except for the feet. One thing is for sure, I can say goodbye to any kind of footwear…
While Leo's feet remained almost human in build, the second part of his toes transformed into very short, curled claws. Or, well, talons would probably be a better word, in Leo's humble opinion…
It could always be worse... like, let's say, the fucking tails growing out of my behind. God dammit... Three slender yet muscular black tails were definitely the last thing Leo expected to appear after the evolution, yet here they were.
To make matters worse, instead of growing out of his tailbone, like any normal tail should, only one of those appendages did that. The other two grew out next to it, one on each side, separated by an inch or two of free space from the middle one. Really, with how they were situated, they could be almost compared to a coat’s tails. Only Leo's were alive and much longer, easily reaching the ground…
And to think I once wanted a tail when I was little... I guess you need to be careful with what you wish for.
While Leo could see the tails being useful for balance, especially now that his torso was always leaning a bit forward, it didn't mean he enjoyed their presence. Hell, he could barely control them, and it took most of his focus to do that.
I guess they will feel like any other limb sooner or later, but man, it's gonna be a pain until then... Leo grumbled as he stumbled back into the bathroom and snatched a piece of glass off the floor. And now to finish…
Even prior to catching a glimpse of his own face, Leo knew that nothing remained the same there. After all, the once-familiar, slim neck of a human had vanished, replaced by a broad mass of flesh that initiated directly from his shoulders, where his arms seamlessly melded into his form.
Gradually, the width of Leo's new neck narrowed as it extended, culminating at the end into an elongated head similar to a creature Leo had once seen in a game. In fact, his new form forced him to be always hunched over and constantly leaning slightly forward in order to see what lay ahead. Really, if he were to straighten his entire body, neck included, the sky would remain the only thing in sight…
No more worrying about posture... And hair, I guess. Leo chuckled internally, trying to slightly lessen the impact of those changes. Not that it helped, not when an unfamiliar face stared back at him. If it could even be called a face anymore…
His head, as a whole, bore resemblance to that of a serpent, albeit with a slight humanoid roundness to its shape. Additionally, barely noticeable slits replaced Leo's nose while his ears were nowhere to be seen. Which was another mystery considering he could hear just fine. And the less said about his wide mouth lined with razor-sharp, serrated teeth, the better.
At least my eyes improved, and now I have something to share with the creatures I take over. That's got to count for something, right? It was hard to argue this fact. Leo never really liked his gray eyes, so to have them transformed into the slitted, violet orbs lifted his spirit at least a bit. That they were now slightly slanted and placed a bit wider apart was another plus; a broader range of sight could never be bad.
Those tiny spikes on my upper back and spine are also pretty cool, so yeah... Leo thought with a shrug as he gave himself another once-over. It would take time, but this was his true form now. There was no going back.
Oh, well, it could have been worse. Now I just need time... Leo sighed, carefully running his hand along his bald head and neck; or was it just neck or head? Whatever, at this point, they are one and the same with how I look…
Plopping down against the wall while being mindful of his new tails, Leo called out to the Void.
Alright then, System. Show me what I'm really working with...
