Strength: C → B
Endurance: A
Agility: D → C
Magic: D
After the third evolution, Muxiao's strength and agility had improved, but his magic stat remained stubbornly low. He figured he'd need to burn evolution points to boost it.
Two new skills had also appeared.
[Form Shift] and [Mysterious Factor].
"I've already tested Form Shift, but this Mysterious Factor…"
[Mysterious Factor (Special)]: A miraculous factor from the cosmic void, capable of repairing and perfecting genetic cells, guiding life toward a more perfect evolution.
"A special ability that can't be upgraded, and with this description, it sounds insanely powerful, but I can't pin down what it does," Muxiao tilted his head. "Makes me evolve more perfectly?"
Distant headlights illuminated his face. He squinted as a black car stopped before him. The window rolled down, revealing Reina's stunning face in the dim light.
Her gem-like eyes landed on Muxiao, then flitted elsewhere, searching for the familiar figure she expected. Not seeing it, she looked confused.
Watching Reina scan around, completely overlooking him, Muxiao's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter, barely holding it in.
At first, Reina didn't notice anything odd about the figure. But as Muxiao's trembling laughter grew obvious, she turned back, her gaze strange. A spark of realization hit her.
Staring at the cloaked, mysterious boy, Reina's eyes widened in disbelief. "Muxiao?"
"Pfft—"
"Hahaha, you finally noticed, Reina?" Muxiao clutched his stomach, laughing. "Guess you're not that dense. I thought you'd keep looking forever."
"…It's really you?" Reina hurried out of the car, inspecting him closely, incredulous. "Who'd expect you to look… like this? If I hadn't sensed something off, I wouldn't have guessed."
She marveled at the boy, almost entirely human—no, he was human originally, which made this form feel more natural.
"Is this your original look, Muxiao?"
"Close enough, but I've still got some tentacle monster traits," Muxiao said, climbing into the car and touching his glasses, tentacle arms, and lower body. He grinned. "It's a good step, though. Makes me believe I'll fully become human one day."
"It's kind of nice like this," Reina said, playfully squeezing his tentacle arm. "Feels interesting."
"Nice? Interesting?"
Muxiao gave her a sidelong glance. As Reina started the car, his tentacle-arm slithered onto her thigh, clad in a black-stockinged, tight skirt. Reina's body trembled.
"That's not what I meant," she said. As a mature woman, she didn't panic like a younger girl might. She shot Muxiao a reproachful look, her cheeks faintly flushed, focusing on the road. The tingling sensation on her thigh quickened her pulse.
She tried to steady herself, focusing on driving.
Though the stockings dulled the sensation, Reina's recovering health—bolstered by Muxiao's healing and good nutrition—had restored her vitality. Her now-plump, elastic thighs were irresistible to him.
Muxiao's crimson eyes glinted mischievously as his tentacle slipped under her skirt's hem.
Her smooth, silky skin felt like it could make a mosquito slip. Muxiao savored the delicate texture, rubbing and caressing, indulging in Reina's mature allure.
A faint, enticing fragrance wafted from her body.
"Muxiao!"
Reina trembled harder, her voice tinged with exasperation.
"Don't you like this, Reina?" His tentacle roamed her abdomen, creeping lower. "I thought you and Natsumi both liked these weird tentacles."
Reina couldn't stop the mischievous creature beside her. Clenching her thighs to suppress her body's reactions, she sighed. "I don't think Natsumi likes tentacles—she just likes you."
Having seen her students fall in love as a teacher, she understood.
Teenage love was so pure and innocent.
"And you?"
"Huh?"
"Natsumi likes me purely, but what about you, Reina? Do you like me, or the tentacles?"
"…"
The question made the driving woman pause, lost in thought or perhaps memory—recalling her youthful days, when she too craved pure love.
But…
Meeting Muxiao's deep, inhuman crimson eyes, Reina froze. She suddenly realized that, despite his monstrous appearance, the cult leader with mysterious powers was, at his core, no different from a lovesick young boy.
He's truly human.
"Which do you want me to like?"
"Playing dumb, huh?"
Reina's lips curved slightly. Not playing dumb—just an unspoken understanding. Initially, she'd accepted Muxiao for her daughters' sake, for survival.
But now…
Her eyes narrowed. She bit her lip, parting her legs slightly to let his naughty tentacle slide in, gazing dreamily ahead, thinking silently.
Maybe I had regrets once, but meeting Muxiao erased them. The past is trash—I don't miss it. I look forward to the future.
Her daughters' future, and hers with Muxiao…
Vroom—
The car's taillights vanished down the road, stopping at the noble family's villa. The hypnotized residents didn't care about Muxiao's changed appearance.
Only Tsubaki Ryuurikawa stared, surprised. Learning he'd temporarily shifted from tentacle monster to a semi-human form, the cold, fallen noble girl couldn't hide her astonishment.
Her emotions and heart weren't entirely dead.
But Reina had no time for the可怜 girl. "Tsubaki, I'm staying here tonight."
"Understood, Lady Reina."
"Reina, you're not going back?" Muxiao was surprised.
"Do you want me to go?" Muxiao didn't know the old Reina—perhaps hardened by abandonment, raising kids alone, or other struggles, forcing her to face the world coldly, like Tsubaki now.
But with Muxiao, Reina was a sultry enchantress, fully embracing her feminine side. Her teasing, twinkling eyes made him understand instantly.
"My daughters can take care of themselves at home. Tonight… Muxiao, let me get ahead of Natsumi and devour you first."
"…"