“Oh… shit,” were the last words Jack was able to eke out, before a torrent of reddish-black energy covered every aspect of his body, making it look more like the flames were consuming him than empowering him.

The process lasted a full minute, causing Luna to come back from her hiding spot when she saw Jack’s entire body on fire, the reddish-black energy giving her the chills- she knew it was the same energy as the entity she encountered in the cave, and dared not to approach. Her intervention would do nothing, she was smart enough to understand and acknowledge that fact.

The process ended, and in place of Jack was a….. Familiar figure. Luna immediately retreated a few meters, mewling angrily trying to intimidate the creature that Jack…. Had transformed into? Possessed Jack? She wasn’t sure.

Staring back at Luna was a humanoid creature- except there was nothing human about him. His bright red eyes stared inquisitively at her, sending shivers down her spine. His skin was an eerie pitch black, with long, thin and extremely sharp looking black claws protruding out from its nails. His chest and abdomen were completely exposed, a robust set of black bones forming a ribcage with no heart to guard. He was completely hollow from inside, and all Luna could see was a black ribcage and spinal cord connecting to the waist. His forearms and legs still retained the fleshly form, and somehow turned to be extremely muscular. His head was much like a human, except for its pitch black skin, red eyes and the third, unopened eye slit on its forehead.

A new system prompt materialized in front of him, except this one clearly did not belong to the divinity/system he was used to dealing with. The box was half golden and half reddish-black, as if the two forces were clashing with each other for supremacy.

[Lesser Ghoul Transformation Complete]

“Hello, Cat,” He spoke in his raspy, eerie voice, transforming into the very thing he’d destroyed to emerge victorious from the trial.

“....Jack?” Luna’s voice echoed out, uncertain if this monster in front of her was the same Jack that used to treat her so gently.

“Oh, gods no. Shawn Beck, trailer trash and murderer with mommy abandonment issues at your service,” The Ghoul replied with a mock bow, stunning Luna. “Ah, it’s good to be back,” The Ghoul said, taking a long, deep breath but stopping abruptly.

“Not needing to breathe is surprisingly inconvenient,” The Ghoul replied with distaste, though it was hard to tell with his monotonous ghoul voice.

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“Who are you? What did you do to Jack!” Luna started to approach the Ghoul threateningly, causing him to focus his eerie red eyes on her.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, cat. I am Jack, as much as Jack is me. Tell a child a lie long enough and he starts to believe it. Jack is the lie, and I am the truth. Or have it the other way around, it doesn’t matter,” The Ghoul replied nonchalantly, using its sharp nails that could be used to maim animals, to scratch his head instead.

“I-... what?” Luna looked completely stunned, not knowing what Jack had gone through in his early years.

“Tell me, Cat. Would you die for me? Or the one you call Jack. Would you die for him?” The Ghoul asked musingly, as if it was pondering on a decision.

“What? If he was in danger…. “ Luna felt angry just at the thought, “Of course I would!”

“Hmm, I suppose I can respect loyalty. Fine, I guess I won’t kill you,” The Ghoul nodded, as if it were the correct course of action. Or at least it thought.

“You can’t be Jack!” Luna screamed at the Ghoul angrily. “Jack would never say something like that!”

“Oh, my dear kitten, I am Shawn Beck. I suppose you are new to this ‘sentience’ business, hmm, how do I explain it. Yes, yes, that should do the trick. Now, you see my friend Jack, he likes to believe that he’s a pragmatist. Nope, too emotional. Too much thinking. Why do humans think so much. Oh, he attacked me first, so is it right for me to kill- gah! The constant need for justification, jeez man,” The Ghoul animatedly explained, sounding almost comical with his raspy voice being in contrast to the words he was spewing out.

“And what are you supposed to be?” Luna asked defiantly, still in denial.

“Me? Oh, I’m the small, traumatized kid who got beat up by his mother’s boyfriend on a daily basis. Wanna hear a secret? My mother was the one who orchestrated it, because she wanted me to awaken these freaky powers. Insane, right? Guess it worked out, eh mum. Oh I also ripped off that guy’s head when I was twelve, barehanded too! So what does that make me? Hmm. The guy that kills everyone that gets in his way? Sounds about right,” The Ghoul slapped his thigh, as if a particularly amusing joke had been cracked in the background.

“What-” Luna tried to ask, but was cut off.

“Seriously. Q&A is over. Get out of my way now, kitty cat. Those weren’t empty threats, you know,” The Ghoul twiddled his fingers in Luna’s direction, causing her to back off.

The Ghoul ignored Luna, walking straight through the forest and into the Orc Titan’s field of view.

“Hey, you fat bucket of lard! Daddy’s back!” The Ghoul screamed at the top of his lungs, causing a furious roar to echo out in response.