With a loud crash, Frank yanked a fire hydrant out of the ground, intending to hit Peter with it. Peter swiftly dodged and closed the distance between them. His arms transformed into alien claws, aiming directly at Frank's head.

A sharp whistle cut through the air, accompanied by burning flames and falling water droplets. Frank raised his arms, now transformed into those of a spider-like monster, to block Peter's strike. His strength surged, power exploding from his body.

Grabbing Peter's arm, Frank flung him away with all his might.

**Bang!**

Peter crashed into the ground, feeling a sharp pain radiate from his chest as he collided with a fire hydrant. Breathing heavily, he looked at Frank, who now wore a twisted smile that no longer resembled anything human. However, that smile faded quickly as Peter rose to his feet once more.

Peter stood tall, his heart racing as his body temperature soared. A violent urge to kill overwhelmed him, rising from the depths of his mind and coursing through every fiber of his being. His frown deepened as he slowly extended his arm.

Under the flames and the spray of water, a black silicon-like shell formed over his arm, resembling an exoskeleton. But unlike before, the shell didn't just cover his arm. It spread across his entire body like a black fire, consuming his clothes in the process.

Peter felt a rush of power, the heat radiating from his body filling him with overwhelming confidence. This time, the exoskeleton didn't feel like an obstruction. It felt natural, like it was part of him.

"No... This isn't clothing; it's bone," Peter muttered to himself, examining the black armor-like layer now encasing his body.

From the information Peter had gathered, an alien's exoskeleton forms based on its host—whether it's a bird, reptile, or even an arthropod. The outer layer, hardened and siliconized, functions as a protective armor.

This ossified skin, which doesn't conduct heat, adapts to extreme temperatures and pressures. As a result, Peter's body was now invisible to thermal imaging, and his resilience to bullets, electric shocks, and even extreme temperatures had significantly increased.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

In essence, Peter was now wearing this alien armor.

Across the way, Frank stared at Peter's black exoskeleton in shock. The visual transformation was so jarring that it left him momentarily speechless.

"Peter, you're just like me!" Frank muttered after a moment, the red light in his spider-like eyes glowing brighter. "We're both monsters now, with beasts inside us!"

Peter frowned. The term "beast" sounded familiar. "Are you with the Hand?"

"No, I'm not. But my father was," Frank spat, his voice filled with rage. "He experimented on me, grafting a 'beast' inside of me, thinking he could harvest me one day. But I awakened my powers early...and ate him."

In the flickering flames, Frank let out an eerie, insect-like laugh. "Is it so strange? Insects eat their parents once they hatch, don't they?"

He continued walking toward Peter. "Now I want revenge. I want to hurt them, make them beg for mercy. We're gods, Peter. We don't have to fight each other."

Before he could finish, Peter moved with blinding speed, appearing in front of Frank in an instant. He grabbed Frank by the throat and lifted him off the ground effortlessly.

Frank, his spider eyes filled with disbelief, choked out, "Walter?!"

**Swoosh!**

From behind Peter, a tail-like appendage, covered in the same black exoskeleton and emitting an icy mist, shot forward and pierced Frank's throat. The tail entered on one side and exited on the other, spraying blood everywhere.

Frank's eyes went wide with horror as the light in his numerous eyes slowly dimmed.

**Thud.**

Peter released his grip, letting Frank's lifeless body fall to the ground. The alien tail that had sprouted from Peter's back slowly retracted, disappearing as though it had never existed.

The tail had materialized as a natural part of Peter's body, guided by his instinct to kill. It was as if his body had been trained to use this deadly appendage in battle.

Peter stared at the burning stage in the distance, his expression shifting to one of solemn contemplation. The thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of killing Frank faded, replaced by a weighty realization.

He was becoming more like the alien inside him with each passing moment.

Peter glanced down at Frank's corpse. Would he become a monster like that someday?

The sound of sirens echoed in the distance, the flames on the playground growing more intense, unaffected by the splashing water.

Setting aside his troubling thoughts for now, Peter turned to leave.

But before he could take a step, a roar rang out behind him. Frank, despite having just been killed, leaped toward him in a final desperate attack.

**Vroom!**

The roar of an engine echoed through the night. A car crashed through the playground's wire gate and sped towards the flames.

Before Frank could reach Peter, the car slammed into him with incredible force. The Mercedes-Benz's front bumper crumpled, and the car skidded several meters before coming to a stop.

**Bang!**

The driver's door was pushed open, and Gwen, panting and battered, staggered out of the wrecked vehicle.

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