Sitting in the center of an empty white backdrop, Bie automatically began Gazing, whilst his consciousness was brought into his Inner World.
In front of his spirit body was a distinct pattern, derived from the gilded kaleidoscope sigil. It appeared as a globe of nigh transparent energy wrapping around a simplistic insignia of an androgynous face possessing otherworldly beauty. The face had an odd smile, and a sense of laughter and tyranny was released from it.
It was the face of an angel crueler than devils, and more ferocious than a demon.
-The Demon Killing Method has integrated with your soul. Changes are being reflected.
From outside of Bie's Inner World, Hugo and Casmere sat atop a mighty slithering beast with four sets of red wings. Behind him was a sigil engraved on a red sheet, both shifting to reveal abstract images of a cup with liquid and darkened feathers flowing within. The smile was increasingly evident, and Casmere as well as the slithering beast viewed the changes happening to the meditating Guide.
Beneath the black curtain of his veiled hair, his ears changed from their rounded shape and started writhing. As Bie's bob began to float upwards, the ears began to rupture and harden like clay in an overheated furnace. Blackened blood overtook the light baby blue flesh, and when it was fully covered...
It broke entirely. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, two wings squirmed out of the injured spots the ears used to be. The feathers were a mix of white and yellow, the latter color bright as if to compliment the luminescence of the other.
The wings gently flapped, before growing and shrinking several times in succession as feathers slowly fell from it. The size began to resemble human ears once again, ones small enough that it would barely, if ever peak out from his bobbed hair. As if discontent, it quickly morphed into a human shape and emulated the rest of Bie's skin, before returning to its form swiftly after.
As if to showcase that it held the abilities to alter its form. With that said, the movements didn't stop there. As his simple bob fell once again, the outermost edges of the wings spanning the sides of his hair converged in front of his eyes.
A winged veil was created just like that, and Bie's mouth formed a serene smile. An overbearing sense of cruelty, domination, and the will to slaughter spread out with the boy as a nexus. There were no changes to the outside, other than his now winged ears, however, on the inside...
"Interesting. He will not be a Red Angel, despite the Red Space's influence. Of course, his survival depends on whether he can achieve the First Revolution of the Demon Killing Method, heh."
"Sir, you promised to save him if anything goes awry." Casmere spoke up, visible concern etched onto his face. Hugo turned his head in not so much surprise, but rather cold acceptance.
"That was provided I knew how. Casmere...you are not the man you were. It remains to be seen if that is a good thing." Although Hugo displayed no aggressiveness, his words still felt as if someone was pushing down on him. Casmere barely shrugged off the weight, shutting his mouth as he hoped that Bie would be able to get through this.
--
Bie's Inner World was shaking, the very foundations threatening to crumble over the empirical majesty of the angel's insignia. White and gold lights were shooting in every direction, bathing the world in its splendor. Even the black atmosphere became affected, as tendrils of incandescent branches made of phosphorescent energy started to keep the deep darkness at bay.
Everything, even his spirit body seemed to gradually decompose. Sound became nothingness, ringing in his head as an unstopped barrage of blows wrought wound after wound. A hand loomed over the horizon, drawing ever closer as it seemed to enlarge in Bie's line of sight.
Until Ariadne's Thread released a hazy, maroon glimmer of its own. Suddenly, he could see its unending body undulated and flowed through the air, expanding as it moved. It languidly wrapped around pillars and the angelic energy, scattering the hazy light as it did so.
-Ariadne's Thread is preventing the Demon Killing Method from overtaking your body. Excess energy is being diverted.
The blackish grey floating effigy appeared out of the boundless white, and the sharklike grin parted as the teeth seemed to grow even sharper. The crescents thinned before blossoming into a circle, and energy was drawn towards it. Somehow, he felt pleased as he viewed this, unable to notice that far off in the distance, another spirit body looking like Bie's began to open and close as well.
-Excess energy is being diverted.
-Smile of the Mountain has emerged and has begun absorbing most of the energy.
The overwhelming desire to consume more of the energy battered against Bie next, and he felt as if he was starving. His canines on both the top and the bottom rows slightly elongated and became more pointed, as if they were a shark's fangs. They still maintained the appearance of the human root as a base, but if that wasn't enough, Bie felt like his blood was thickening as it roiled against the confines of his frame.
The red haze shown over him, but instead of covering him was simply pulled inwards. Bie absorbed the energy rather easily, and the imprint of a smiling maw appeared behind his spirit body, threatening to consume all that came close.
-Ariadne's Thread began preventing Smile of the Mountain from overtaking your body, but realized it's already incorporated within you. Mountain's Blood has been concentrated and integrated with the blood of the Angel Crueler Than Demons.
-The rest of the energy has been diverted towards Krampus Tailor, your Torch and Sconce, as well as sowing the seed for further body remolding. Your body has been recognized as a Prize level Treasure.
The white and gold condensed into runes, engraving itself on the effigy of Krampus Tailor as well as on parts of his Inner World, which was soon returning to normal. Bie's outside body began to settle as the angel insignia shone a mote of light into the sky before Grafting itself onto Bie's Torch.
Unknowingly, the floating white spirit body that lurked in the very depths of Bie's Inner World stirred. His eyes slid over in the direction of the Demon Killing Method, gazing at it intently before reaching out a hand. The insignia shone lights on the both of them, fully integrating and forming another foundation in his world as it was incorporated into it fully.
The figure directed his head towards the Dirty Crown, contemplative. The crown seemed to tremble under his gaze, but Bie's other spirit body remained unmoved. He curled back up into a ball, not even moving his slightly opened eyelids.
Back at the Torch, the globe surrounding the angel insignia began to turn, slowly at first. When it was halfway, it seemed to heat up as it moved faster and faster still, until it completed one full revolution.
4 small dots floated within the globe, before flying towards Bie and implanting itself within his stinging mind. As the pain began to subside, Bie realized that four names, presumably abilities, made themselves known to him.
--
First Revolution:
Demon Expedition - Improves physique when fighting against multiple or powerful demons of a high standard. Produces a movement technique and improves speed. You must learn the technique on your own.
Demon Voyage - Improves energy when fighting against multiple or powerful demons of a high standard. Produces the ability to walk on liquid terrain and can summon a boat. You must learn how to summon the boat on your own.
Cruel Thesis - The power of the angels, remolded for those with a crueler bearing. Disregards holy constraints on behavior.
Demon Eating - Allows the digestion of demonic materials, and erases demonic corruption from their attacks, bodies, etc. Eating demons and demonic energy will strengthen you.
--
Upon reading this, Bie opened his eyes. What greeted him was the room full of sleeping Guides, back in the Hunter headquarters of Morris Capitol.