At the Nishikino household, the night outside was dark and profound. With no moon, the already oppressive atmosphere of the family grew even eerier. The Nishikino mother and daughter sat at the dinner table, eating in silence.
Maki glanced at her mother.
"Mom…"
"What's wrong? Not liking dinner?"
Maki quickly shook her head. "No, it's delicious."
She wanted to ask about her father but, seeing her mother's weary expression, the little girl held back, putting on an obedient face and eating quietly, her peripheral vision drifting to her father's empty chair.
Three days since he's been home…
She stole another glance at her mother. Though Nishikino Mizuhi appeared calm in front of her daughter, Maki knew she secretly wiped away tears when alone.
"After dinner, go sit for a bit. I'll clean up," Mizuhi said.
"Okay."
Watching her daughter's obedient figure leave, Mizuhi's smile faded. The elegant, red-haired young woman's face hardened with resolve. As if making a firm decision, she pulled out her phone and scrolled to an unmarked number…
On Ginza Avenue, Izuki Shima leaned against the car door, arms crossed, watching the haughty Tomie Kawakami on a phone call. "Mr. Nishikino, I'm not in the mood to dine with you. Can you stop bothering me?"
"You're so annoying."
"Don't you have anything better to do than pester me? So boring. I don't want to see you now—talk later."
Click!
She hung up. Izuki raised an eyebrow, smirking at the irritated black-haired woman. "That guy's rich and influential, and pretty handsome. Why don't you like him anymore?"
"Besides money, what's good about him? No charm, terrible personality. I don't know what I ever saw in him."
Izuki's mouth twitched, her expression odd.
Didn't you like him for his money? Now his personality's the problem?
"That's Tomie Kawakami for you—never satisfied," Muxiao said from the backseat, gazing out the window. "Insatiable."
"What do you mean, insatiable? As the most beautiful woman in the world, it's my privilege."
"Then, Miss Most Beautiful Tomie Kawakami, it's time to provide me with fresh blood," Muxiao said, blinking with a grin. "Only the blood of the world's most beautiful woman can satisfy me."
He pulled out a syringe. "Come on, let's head to the cult."
"…"
This guy!
Should've taken that man's invite. Tomie's face darkened, reluctantly dragged into the car. Izuki, meanwhile, checked her phone, eyes lighting up. "Leader, I think we'll soon have a new believer."
"???"
"Hello, Ms. Nishikino Mizuhi? It's me…"
Nishikino Mizuhi? What, are you guys running a scam? Tomie seduces the man, and you swoop in to recruit the woman?
After hanging up, Izuki slid into the driver's seat, closing the door and buckling up. "Mizuhi wants to meet… Leader, why that look? I didn't do anything. Blame the man for not resisting Tomie's charm."
"…"
"But why isn't Leader affected by Tomie?"
"Fair point," Muxiao tapped his head. "Just don't go too far, especially you, Tomie. Keep an eye on her. Speaking of Nishikino, I need to visit Nishikino Hospital sometime to check out the mysterious monster there."
Back at the Himegami Society, Tomie sat on a floor cushion, clutching her arm, glaring at Muxiao as he studied her blood. "Damn it, drawing my blood so casually like this—I'm not his pet!"
Izuki nearby chuckled silently.
"If this keeps up, he'll drain me dry—"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you're well-fed."
"…"
Like raising a pig?
"Hey! What are you doing? Those cursed duplicates are forming! Burn them already!!" Seeing the outline of her perfect face emerge in the blood, Tomie shrieked.
"No rush," Muxiao waited until the Tomie factor took shape, then doused it with kerosene and lit it. Amid the sizzling and faint wails from the blood, he nodded in satisfaction.
Evolution Points +100
Evolution Points +100
Evolution Points +100
…
Evolution Points: [3718/1000]
"With Tomie, I'll never worry about running out of evolution points," Muxiao mused, tempted to keep more Tomies—no anemia concerns. But imagining their endless drama, he scrapped the idea.
"Time to evolve." He'd spent points on skills last time, but now he'd proceed with his third evolution.
[Evolution Path Unlocked—]
[Evolution Path: Through eons of battle to fend off enemies, your body has become a perfect weapon for combat.]
[Evolution Path ②: Through continuous evolution, you've tapped into cosmic forces, your body shifting toward an unknown direction, genes unstable.]
[Evolution Path ③: Obsession drives your genes back to their original form, but you'll lose your powers. A difficult choice.]
Muxiao studied the three options, lingering on the third. It had no specific name, just a vague silhouette of a normal human.
But lose his powers?
Muxiao shook his head. Even if he could still evolve with his system, losing all his upgraded skills was unacceptable.
He dismissed it, eyeing the first path.
"Perfect body? How's this perfect?" He stared at the spiked, grotesque form—odder than his tentacle monster self. It might be strong, but I'm not weak.
The second path's description was vague, but its image showed a humanoid form. After a moment's thought, Muxiao selected it.
Since the other two weren't ideal, this was the only choice.
The light of his third evolution enveloped him. Unlike the previous times, he felt profound changes—his genes, every cell, transforming into something stronger, more mysterious.
Izuki and Tomie watched in awe, their first time seeing Muxiao evolve.
When the light faded, Muxiao reappeared.
No change in appearance?
Izuki, about to ask, froze as Muxiao's body twisted and morphed, elongating under their stunned gazes.
Muxiao touched his face, staring into a mirror at his past life's features, lost in nostalgic memories, sighing wistfully.
Tomie gasped, "You turned human?!"