The Mutagenic Catalyst pulsed in Yuto's inventory like a heartbeat.
Small. Faintly glowing. A drop of liquid chaos sealed inside a hardened gland.
He didn't know what it would do exactly—Nyx's records were vague at best.
[Mutagenic Catalyst]
A compound designed to trigger forced mutation. Only usable after consuming an Abyssal Fragment.
Warning: Mutation direction will be unpredictable.
Yuto hesitated.
But he knew better than to waste chances down here.
"Let's do this," he muttered.
He crushed the catalyst in his mandibles.
The effect was instant.
A burning wave of agony ripped through him.
His carapace cracked. His vision twisted. Systems exploded in his mind—
[Emergency Mutation Initiated.]
[Analyzing Abyssal Strain…]
[Mutation Path Chosen: Abyss-Touched Stalker]
[Evolving Traits…]
– New Passive: Hollow Hunger (LV1)
– New Active: Warp Skitter (LV1)
– Trait Gained: "Instinct Override"
– Mutation Risk: 17% Mental Instability (Manageable)
Yuto convulsed on the floor as his body changed again.
Limbs stretched longer. Eyes multiplied. Tiny orifices opened along his thorax, pulsing softly as if… breathing.
When he rose again, he no longer looked like a mere bug.
He looked like something the Abyss itself regretted making.
He tested Warp Skitter.
A flicker—
—and he reappeared ten meters away in a silent blink of black mist.
"Whoa."
[Skill: Warp Skitter – Allows instant short-range repositioning through Abyssal space. Cooldown: 15 seconds.]
That alone made the risk worth it.
Then came Hollow Hunger.
A passive desire—no, a need—to feed, not just on flesh… but fear.
When a prey creature trembled near him now, he could taste it.
Nyx interrupted his thoughts.
[Alert: Surface tunnel breach detected.]
[Entities entering Outer Abyss: 4 humans.]
Yuto's blood froze.
"Humans?"
[Affirmative. Equipped with dungeon clearance gear and scanning relics. Estimated levels: 8–14.]
Yuto slinked into the shadows of the ceiling tunnel.
He didn't expect emotion.
But when he heard one of their voices echo through the cavern—clear, proud, familiar—
his claws tightened into the stone.
"I don't get why the professors are sending us down here for a damn relic search," a voice complained. "This place is full of nothing but bugs and ghosts."
Yuto's eyes locked onto the speaker.
It was Kaito Shiba.
The golden boy.
The one who'd shoved him into the street back on Earth.
The one who'd laughed when Yuto was hit.
The one who watched him die.
And now he was here—smiling, armed, strong, alive.
[You are experiencing elevated rage.]
[Trait: Instinct Override – Suppressing aggression… failed.]
Yuto's body moved before he could stop it.
Fangs dripping. Skittering silently across the ceiling. Warp Skitter prepped.
A shadow in the Abyss.
Predator.
Selkith's voice echoed in his mind:
"Prince or pawn. Prey or predator. Choose."
Yuto hissed softly.
"I choose…"
"…revenge."