I felt… strange.
Beastialification had evolved?
Then—
Pain.
Something sharp pierced through my neck—something I couldn't fully comprehend. It surged through my body, violent and sudden, as if something inside me was forcing its way out.
I staggered.
My vision split.
And then—
It changed.
I could see…
From two different angles.
Two perspectives.
A second head.
The realization settled slowly.
I had grown another head.
Both felt… natural.
Armored.
Refined.
My body shifted further.
Subtle scales lined my skin, darker and more defined. My mane flowed behind me, heavier now, while the armor across my form glinted with a menacing sheen.
I looked like something bred for war.
Not human.
Not beast.
Something else.
Something closer to—
Totality.
I exhaled slowly.
Then focused.
My new ability.
I turned toward a cluster of trees in the distance and activated—
[Infernal Discharge]
Dark orbs formed at my mouth, gathering rapidly as vast amounts of magic condensed and fused together.
The pressure built.
Compressed.
Condensed further—
Until it reached its limit.
I released it.
Boom—
A dark beam of scorching flame erupted forward, tearing through the forest. The trees were erased instantly, reduced to ash as the surrounding area blackened under the heat.
Silence followed.
I stared at the destruction.
…Impressive.
"Well," I muttered quietly, "that's useful."
Null reappeared beside me.
Without another word, I deactivated Beastialification and stepped through the Plane's exit.
***
3rd Person POV
Aaron stepped through, his figure emerging on the other side as he unsummoned Null.
Cassandra's heart caught in her chest.
Aaron—already quite handsome—now looked… refined.
Sharper.
More defined.
But it was his eyes that unsettled her.
Once a golden yellow—
Now they had darkened into a deep crimson.
His aura had changed.
Predatory.
Heavy.
As if something within him sought to devour… to change.
The longer she looked at him, the less he felt like a mortal.
More like a beast wearing human skin.
Or worse—
A mortal who didn't yet understand what he was becoming.
She shuddered, dismissing the thought.
Behind them, the Plane's gate collapsed, condensing into an Essence Orb.
Tier 2.5.
Aaron caught it without hesitation and stored it away.
"Now, Aaron," Cassandra said, regaining her composure, "we will head to my training ground—my hideout. There, I will begin your combat training."
Aaron nodded stiffly.
But inside—
He felt… empty.
Not pain.
Not exhaustion.
Hunger.
It wasn't overwhelming.
Not yet.
But it lingered.
Pressing.
Waiting.
"Yes, ma'am."
A sudden, wild screech cut through the air.
The same monkeys.
Several of them dropped from the trees, surrounding the two.
Too late.
In the next moment—
Aaron and Cassandra vanished.
When everything settled, what greeted Aaron was a vast room.
A hall.
Massive in scale.
A running track circled a central arena stage, where numerous training dummies stood in place. Along the walls—if they could even be called that—were mounted racks holding practice weapons and dumbbells.
There were no windows.
No visible doors.
And yet—
Fresh air flowed constantly, carried by faint, steady winds.
White flames burned atop tall stands, casting an even, pale light across the entire hall.
It felt enclosed.
But not suffocating.
Cassandra glanced at Aaron—then vanished from his side.
A small jump.
She landed effortlessly atop the central stage, a considerable distance away.
She turned and gestured for him to follow.
Aaron moved immediately.
A short run—
Then a leap.
He landed beside her.
Cassandra studied him for a moment before speaking.
"Would you mind removing your shirt?" she asked casually. "Training with me won't be easy. You'll overheat quickly otherwise… unless you prefer being drenched in sweat."
Aaron hesitated.
A bit irked.
A bit… self-conscious.
But he complied.
As he pulled his shirt off, Cassandra's lips curved—just slightly.
A smirk.
His physique wasn't overly defined.
Not yet. A
But paired with his face—
It made for a striking combination.
"Alright. First, I want you to try and track me," Cassandra said. "Touch me. If you fail, you'll do ten push-ups each time. Is that clear?"
Aaron nodded—
And leapt at her.
She moved.
A simple step.
A soft shift.
And he missed.
Again.
He closed the distance—
And again, she slipped away, just out of reach.
It felt intentional.
Like a trap.
Every time he got close, she simply… wasn't there anymore.
"Enough."
Her voice cut through sharply.
"You've failed five times. That's fifty push-ups. Begin."
Aaron froze for a second, his face tightening.
Fifty?
He hadn't exactly been athletic in his past life—
And now this?
Still, he dropped to the ground.
One.
He pushed up—
But before he could even complete it—
Weight.
Something pressed down on his back.
Aaron turned his head—
Cassandra sat on his back calmly, a faint, nonchalant smile on her lips. Her auburn hair spilled lightly across him.
"Hey, Aaron," she said softly, "don't stare. Get back to your push-ups."
A brief pause.
"And this is your punishment for that."
Her weight increased.
Suddenly—
It felt like a mountain had been placed on his back.
Aaron's breath hitched as the pressure crushed down on him, forcing the air from his lungs. Every movement became heavier. Slower.
Harder.
Legend-tier beings… and Entities—
They weren't normal.
Their weight, their presence—it was something else entirely. As if their very existence carried mass far beyond what it should.
Cassandra was holding back.
Severely.
Even now, she was releasing only a fraction of her true weight.
Aaron gritted his teeth.
And pushed.
One.
His arms trembled.
His muscles screamed.
But he didn't stop.
Above him, Cassandra shifted slightly, adjusting her position as if searching for the most comfortable way to sit.
Unbothered.
Relaxed.
Time stretched.
Slow.
Heavy.
And then—
Something changed.
His body began to adapt.
Faster than it should.
Much faster.
The strain dulled.
The weight—while still immense—became… manageable.
Another push-up.
Then another.
Easier.
Too easy.
Suddenly, Cassandra's eyes gleamed.
A faint smirk touched her lips.
I knew it… this boy is different.
Interesting.
I chose correctly.
Now it only depends on how far I'm willing to go… for him.
Her gaze softened.
Just slightly.
Warmth flickered through her expression—
Before she shook her head, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
Pat—
Aaron felt Cassandra's hand rest lightly on his shoulder.
"Aaron, get up. Let's do it again."
He didn't hesitate.
He moved instantly—
But she had already dodged.
His first attempt failed.
She slipped past him in a blur.
Aaron turned sharply, chasing after her.
Faster.
More focused.
But still—
She evaded him effortlessly, slipping through his reach like sand.
A soft chuckle escaped her.
"Aaron… try again," she said lightly. "Unless you want to do more push-ups."
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each attempt—
Faster.
Sharper.
Closer.
Something shifted.
His eyes darkened—
Crimson deepening.
And then—
——————————————
New Ability Learned:
[Phantom's Dash]
——————————————
Aaron moved.
He vanished.
An afterimage lingered where he once stood.
Cassandra landed a distance away—
As always.
But this time—
Two fingers tapped her shoulder.
She turned.
And smiled.