「Change.」
The thought hammered in Tatsuya's mind as he plummeted, the ground rushing up far faster than he could comprehend. The cold air howled in his ears, whipping at his face. But none of that mattered. Change. That was all he needed—some way, any way—to avoid the inevitable splatter waiting below.
His grip on Yuki's mental link loosened, severing their bond for a moment, his mind now solely focused on the horrifying reality of free-falling toward jagged spikes below.
He could see it—death, sharp and unforgiving, rising up to meet them. His mind raced, frantically clawing for a solution. What can I do?
Panic twisted through him. "I can't stop in mid-air, there's nothing to grab!" he thought. "Maybe I can soften the landing with water magic? But I don't have enough mana! I don't even know how to picture it fast enough!" His thoughts scrambled through memories—crafting clay to fight the shelf spider, repairing the stone bath—but none of it could help in a fall like this.
Then, an idea struck, lighting his brain like a spark igniting dry tinder. Weathering... Stone into soil... into clay! The air's moist here—maybe I can break down the rock before we hit!
It was a desperate gamble, but it was all he had.
Tatsuya's diamond-shaped pupils flared blood-red as he reached for Yuki's mind. "Yuki, I need your brain for this one!" he muttered, urgency thick in his voice. Through their bond, he borrowed her sharp mental processing, pooling their combined focus for a spell he had no time to perfect.
The rock beneath them began to shift, faintly glowing. Beams of light flickered across its surface, as though breaking apart the stone. He had seconds, maybe less.
But then—
Crash.
Tatsuya hit the ground with a brutal impact.
The world exploded in pain. His bones snapped like brittle twigs, limbs twisting unnaturally. Blood pooled around him, soaking the ground beneath his crumpled body. His skull hit the stone floor with a sickening crack, and his mangled form sprawled out like a broken doll, limbs grotesquely scattered. His mind faltered, then flickered away into blackness as consciousness slipped.
Yuki, who had leapt onto his back moments before the impact, was flung across the cavern. Her small body tumbled through the air before slamming into a jagged stone spike, collapsing into a limp heap. A soft, pained squeak escaped her as she struggled to stand, her white fur matted with blood. She glanced over at Tatsuya's broken body.
There wasn't much left of him to look at.
Her mind trembled with panic. What should I do now? Yuki limped between the stone spikes, her small body darting through the cold, damp cavern. In the distance, the heavy sound of the Iguana Monster stirring filled the space. It had been woken by the crash.
It's coming...
Her sharp eyes caught sight of the King Spider's corpse, still impaled on one of the spikes. Its legs twitched in the final spasms of death, its lifeless body slumped over. Yuki hesitated, her red eyes flickering as realization struck.
Tatsuya's undead... The thought clicked. He shouldn't have died—not even after a fall like that. He's unconscious... but he's still alive. He's one of us. A monster.
Her eyes darted back to the Spider's corpse, still brimming with residual mana, the raw power seeping from its flesh.
If I consume the flesh of something this powerful... maybe I can evolve. Maybe I can save him.
Without hesitation, Yuki lunged at the King Spider's remains, sinking her teeth into its tough exoskeleton. The taste was revolting, but she forced the flesh down, gulping it greedily. Her small body shuddered, trembling as power surged through her veins. Her vision blurred, and her mind was flooded with energy.
The transformation had begun.
Her body convulsed violently as blood poured from her eyes and mouth, her form shaking uncontrollably. She collapsed onto the cold stone floor, gasping for breath. In her consciousness, three paths appeared before her, glowing softly against the backdrop of her inner world.
The Blue Path—a direct evolution, amplifying what she already was.
The Red Path—self-evolution, giving her the freedom to mold herself into what she desired.
The Black Path—an evolution tethered to Tatsuya, fueled by their shared blood bond, entwined with his monstrous power.
Yuki hesitated, her heart wavering between the choices. Part of her wanted to evolve into something entirely her own, something built on her independence and strength. But the connection she shared with Tatsuya, their bond—it was stronger than anything she could create alone.
He saved me. I owe him everything.
With renewed determination, Yuki chose the Black Path, trusting in their blood bond.
Her transformation was swift. Her body elongated, her fur melted into silky white hair that cascaded down her back. She stood taller now, humanoid but still retaining features of her former self—long, twitching rat ears and a slender tail that flicked behind her. Her skin gleamed pale under the dim cavern light, smooth and unmarred. She looked almost human, but there was something otherworldly about her, something beautifully eerie.
"This form... it feels strange," she whispered, gazing down at her hands. Her new body hummed with raw power, but there was an elegance to it, as if the strength was perfectly controlled.
The Iguana Monster had moved closer, its forked tongue flicking in and out as it tasted the air. It had caught the scent of Tatsuya's blood and mangled flesh, its hunger evident as it lumbered toward him.
Before the beast could strike, Yuki acted.
A black stone dagger flashed in her hand, driving deep into the Iguana's hide. The blade twisted as it pierced the thick skin, sinking into the flesh with ease.
The Iguana bellowed in pain, thrashing violently. Its massive tail swung through the cave, shattering stone spikes as it tried to hit Yuki, but she was already gone, darting across the cavern floor with effortless grace. Her movements were fluid, weaving between the creature's legs, each strike leaving deep gashes in its tough hide.
The beast roared, growing frustrated as its attempts to catch her failed. It lashed out again, but Yuki was too fast, slipping through the gaps in its attacks, each step more precise than the last.
She danced around the Iguana, her dagger slicing through its body with ease, her attacks relentless. It was as if the battle had already been won, her power overwhelming the beast from the start.
But as the Iguana continued its desperate flails, Yuki's expression darkened. This isn't enough... I need something final. A killing blow.
Her gaze shifted to Tatsuya's broken body, still lying in a pool of blood. Maybe... it's time to test something.
Yuki dashed toward Tatsuya's remains, cradling his mangled torso in her arms. The Iguana, enraged at seeing its prey stolen from it, lashed out with its long, slimy tongue. The appendage wrapped tightly around Yuki's waist, yanking her toward its open maw.
Her eyes widened as she was pulled toward the beast's gaping mouth, still clutching Tatsuya's body close.
"Please let this work..." she whispered, gritting her teeth as the Iguana's jaws snapped shut around her.
For a moment, it seemed like the end.
But then, black and purple flames erupted from Tatsuya's body, engulfing the Iguana in a fiery storm. The creature screeched in agony as the flames consumed it, its flesh burning and cracking, the fire spreading from its insides.
The Iguana stumbled toward the cave entrance, its movements slowing as the flames ravaged its body, aging it rapidly. By the time it reached the courtyard, it had withered into a gray husk, no larger than a carriage.
Yuki tore her way out of the charred remains, gasping for air as she collapsed onto the stone floor, her body covered in slime and blood. She lay there, trembling, staring up at the first rays of sunlight breaking over the horizon.
"I... won," she whispered, her voice barely audible as exhaustion overwhelmed her. The battle was over, and the bond she shared with Tatsuya had saved them both.