He began to push deep into the brush. — "Ah, I recommend you follow the path toward your right. I imagine you wouldn't want to be caught by the guards with that sword; that path is used by smugglers and bandits to bypass the wall through the sewers. But be careful—there are patrols and criminals hiding there."
Gantz bowed. — "Thank you, Master Mazadan."
When he looked up again, Mazadan had already vanished into the vegetation.
Taking Geremia, Gantz followed the indicated path. Despite the difficulty of navigating narrow passages with a donkey—only being able to mount again when he finally reached a flatter area—the journey seemed serene. He was sipping from his canteen when, suddenly, his vision faded.
Droplets precipitated as atypical noises echoed from some undefined point. Haunting murmurs surrounded him. His body was inert, subdued by an invisible weight. With a strained effort, he forced his eyelids open; initially, his blurred vision suggested ropes laid over him, but as clarity returned, he realized the "ropes" were viscous, reddish, and emerged from his wide-open abdomen up to his chest. Sweat poured from his body, his brain seemed to whirl in confusion, and pain was an inexplicable absence—yet it didn't feel like an illusion. His body was heavy and slow.
— "Look who's awake! It seems imperative to add a new dose," whispered a sweet female voice that seemed to hiss in his ears.
Shifting his gaze to the side, Gantz saw a naked woman. Her hair was straight and long, her skin white as if it had never been touched by sunlight. Her reddened lips and breasts contrasted with her milky skin where blue veins branched out. Her sublime musculature defined every part of her hairless body, save for a curled tail that resembled a squirrel's and pointed, feline ears. It would have been a stunning sight if he weren't where he was, in the state he was in, which made the situation even more disturbing.
— "I never imagined that in such a desolate place I would find such a specimen! Look! Look at what I've done to you!" — She pointed to a large, black-blue scorpion appendage coiled atop a table. — "There is more! But now I need you to sleep so I can finish putting you back together."
His eyes darted frantically as the darkness returned to devour him.
Amidst a myriad of hallucinations and psychedelic dreams—perhaps due to something injected into his bloodstream—that terrible vision returned to haunt him. At moments, he saw himself as the armored soldier, walking toward his sister with expressions twisted into a malevolent grin. His perception flickered between his own body and that of a specter observing the scene from above.
Everything happened at once: the blade's cut, the falling head, screams, pain, death, repetition. His mind was a spiral of agony. When his eyes opened, the lights in that dark cavern blinded him; that beautiful, sick woman was tinkering with his body—then darkness again.
At some point, he felt relief. He didn't know when or why, just a sleep, finally free of nightmares or dreams.
— "Sorry I'm late," whispered a familiar voice.
The voice rose and fell like a boat sinking into ocean waves.
— "It seems what has been done cannot be undone, but don't worry, she is very good at this. I'll leave a compensation for you."
Gantz bolted upright from the table. He looked around and then ran his hands over his abdomen. Everything was normal; there was no scar. A shiver ran down his spine when he noticed his black fingernails; they slid from his fingertips, expanding into the size of claws.
Gaping at his nails, he spotted a paper with a gray ring on the stone table where he had been lying.
I apologize for many of my crimes. In fact, I used you to track my dear niece, Rupia, who was unfortunately infected by dark matter. I knew her obsession with chimerization would tempt her to continue her research in unpleasant and unethical ways. I simply didn't expect certain setbacks that prevented me from coming to your rescue sooner. Therefore, I leave you this ring as a way to compensate for the troubles explained here. I also assure you not to worry; my niece is an expert in the field, and your body is in no danger of degradation. I believe it will even aid in your future adventures and battles. I hope from my heart you can forgive this lying old man. Signed, Mazadan.
— "Son of a bitch!" — Gantz punched the table, cracking it in two and causing the ring to slide into the crevices, but he caught it before it was lost in the depths of the stone.
Another surprise? he thought.
— "What the hell! A ring is supposed to compensate for this freakishness?! Fuck! Fuck! Go to hell! My father always said not to trust others! Dammit! Shit!"
He threw hundreds of punches while cursing. Abruptly, a scorpion tail pierced the stone, terrifying him and sending him falling onto his backside. Looking around for the creature, he realized the sharp tip, dripping with venom, followed his movements left and right.
— "No, no, no, you son of a bitch! Don't tell me that..." — He twisted his body and saw the tail connected to his own back. His face went pale as he fell unconscious to the floor.
— "I hate scorpions!"
After some time and a great deal of mental effort, Gantz managed to deal with everything that had recently transpired. He placed the ring on his finger and let his mana flow—a large space appeared, looking like a small rift as if reality had been torn.
He found a set of black combat suits. — "Thank God, I thought I was going to have to stay naked." — He also found his donkey floating in the pocket space with its eyes closed, and with a thought, the animal was pulled out.
— "Hey there, my friend. I thought I'd never see you again." — Gantz gave a tight hug to the animal's neck.
Geremia brayed and stomped his hooves, shaking his head.
— "Come on, let's get out of this bizarre place! And remind me never to trust anyone again."