When the crystalline structure violently synchronized with his circulatory system, the pain suddenly became unbearable, and Lynn screamed, his voice echoing through the confines of the secluded cave.
The previous delicate balance broke, forcing him to collapse onto his knees. Sweat poured down his face, mingling with the bloody tears. Every nerve ending felt like it was on fire, muscles spasming uncontrollably.
The energies of the [Distorted Flesh] and [Cursed Doll] surged forth, sensing the influx of the new polluting force. They lashed out, tendrils and twisted shadows coiling around, seeking to overwhelm the latest addition.
"Damn it!" he cursed through clenched teeth, realizing the direness of his situation. If they were allowed to suppress the [Bestial Heart], he would not even be able to survive, let alone complete the ritual.
His mind quickly raced to find a solution. The obvious answer was to use his unique talent, the ultimate trump card that could push his capacities to unbelievable heights. However, he instantly dismissed the option.
He could only use [Gemini Soul] once, and its duration was not long enough to complete the entire ritual. Otherwise, he would perform the sublimation in that heightened state and avoid all this trouble.
Additionally, this ability had already been reserved for a crucial moment at the very end. As Lynn battled against the encroaching forces, a sudden inspiration struck. "That's it!" he thought with a wave of clarity.
Gripping the butcher knife in his hand, now covered in growing porcelain skin, he raised it high. Without a hint of hesitation, he drove it forcefully into the gaping wound in the chest.
The blade traversed the path created by the previous incisions and precisely hit the repressed bestial core. A discernable cracking sound reverberated amid the frenzied cacophony of haunting laughter and anguished sobs when the tip made contact.
Immediately, the dark, palpitating mass inside seeped from the fracture, oozing out in a sticky stream. The sinister substance erupted with a feral, untamed vigor that had bottled up until this moment.
The instant this happened, the two other pollution sources intensified their assault, lashing out with renewed fury. This time, however, the [Bestial Heart] refused to be submerged and subdued.
Roars, howls, and evil laughter filled the surroundings as the three forces seemed to reach a fever pitch, with his body at the epicenter of the chaotic clash, suffering from the relentless turmoil.
His facial expression froze in a rictus of agony, features hardening into a porcelain-like visage. Proliferating tentacles of corrupted tissue also burst forth from beneath his skin, writhing and pulsating with a mind of their own.
Grotesque and unknown organs that had nothing to do with his anatomy emerged from the distorting flesh, their unnatural shape taking root and becoming a part of his internal landscape.
With each passing minute, the progressively deforming body began to lose its original human shape. Even the consciousness started blurring, teetering on the edge of oblivion.
But Lynn did not despair - his will, as unyielding as the mountains, refused to be extinguished. Nightmare Paradise had deduced everything required; he only had to follow the process to succeed.
Suddenly, something emerged from the sparks of the tumultuous and continuous collision. At first, it was barely perceptible, indistinct flashes that flickered at the edges of the frayed awareness. But slowly, a shape coalesced from these fleeting glimpses.
He quickly and firmly grasped this minuscule particle through the haze of agony. That was the moment he had been awaiting - the chance to seize control and complete the ritual of assimilation.
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Without hesitation, he drew upon his unique talent, channeling every ounce of focus and willpower into its activation. “[Gemini Soul]!” he internally roared, awakening his clouded consciousness.
His perception and processing abilities were amplified to unimaginable levels as the world around him abruptly slowed, and all noises and distractions faded away like an unreal dream.
Switching to the second soul, he floated like a transcendent being existing on a higher plane. His gaze pierced through the fabric of reality, observing the unfolding mutation in meticulous detail.
The emotionless eyes saw with clarity the three malignant sources of pollution within him, spreading like wildfire and each competing to modify and reshape his form into a vessel for their chaotic power.
"These sublimation materials look alive," he analyzed with icy detachment, then quickly reconsidered this initial assessment. "No, that is wrong. They are inanimate entities but contain a residual will.”
That was the origin of their corrupting influences– lingering echoes of powerful existences, trapped and festering within these objects. When Lynn wanted to delve deeper, countless images flashed through his heightened mind.
Runic and symbolic significations emerged, trying to engulf his consciousness like a roaring mountain and a crashing tsunami. Madness, blood, moon, violence, flesh, evolution, pain, darkness, beast...
Under normal circumstances, this attack might have shattered his spirit and plunged him into the abyss of insanity. But in his current state, such an assault did little to distract or deter his focus.
Suppressing the curiosity to delve deeper into the esoteric origins of these polluting items, he turned his attention back to the minuscule nascent element holding the key to his sublimation and evolution.
Born from the convergence of the [Distorted Flesh], the [Cursed Doll], and the [Bestial Heart], it was a delicate, shimmering mote of power dancing amidst the roiling waves of the chaotic maelstrom within him.
The entity possessed a unique combination of characteristics drawn from these three catalysts, enabling it to act as a fragile bridge through which he could seize control and coordinate the discordant forces ravaging his body.
With laser-like focus, he studied this vital element. Its flickering essence was the most compatible with him, attuned to his very being in a way the other sublimation materials were not. That was his path to transcendence.
However, controlling and directing this embryonic power was far from simple. It was inherently unstable, liable to be lost and destroyed if Lynn did not exert extreme care and precision.
But with [Gemini Soul], he felt no fear or uncertainty. His unique talent truly shone in this phase of the ritual. With his mind operating at transcendent levels, this step was the easiest part.
Reaching out with his spirit, he gently enveloped the sparkling mote of power, coaxing and guiding it. Ever so slowly, it began to weave through the chaos within him, gradually swelling in size and density.
Tendrils stretched outward from it, probing and entangling the warring essences that threatened to consume him. Like a spider web, the strands wove through, seeking to bind and assimilate the disparate forces.
As it continued growing, Lynn felt his body change in response. The once human physique, now unrecognizable, started to stretch and contort, mirroring the transformation occurring within.
His limbs elongated, the joints popping and reforming, while his torso compressed and undulated. It was as if the vitality in his body was in constant flux, surging and receding like the ebb and flow of the tides.
One moment, his frame would swell and bulge like a monstrous beast; the next, it would collapse inward, streamlining and compacting. This strange, rhythmic pulsation reminded him of a heartbeat.
The churning pollution that had threatened to consume him displayed a newfound sense of order and balance, moving in a strange synergy, their once-wild energies connecting into a sublime harmony.
Progressively, a tangible shape emerged from this turmoil - a flesh cocoon of swirling energies that enveloped him. Its translucent layers ticked with an otherworldly glow, creating a mesmerizing display.
Within the confines of this gestating shell, his consciousness remained acutely concentrated, perceiving the sensation delivered by his body. For a moment, he felt a shroud of fog enveloping him.
All the pain and all the frantic sounds slowly disappeared, receding into the background. Faintly, because of his heightened state, Lynn noticed something within the assimilating sublimation materials.
Three indescribable beings, each existing in disparate realms, momentarily became visible to his transcendent gaze. This vision lasted a split second before vanishing like it had never been there before.
In their place, countless mysterious wisdoms descended upon his body and mind like a vast ocean, flooding his consciousness with esoteric secrets and mysteries, unlocking insights beyond ordinary comprehension.
He absorbed it all voraciously like a starving man presented with a royal banquet, his perceptive faculties operating at their maximum potential. Every drop of insight was grasped, categorized, and stored away for future reference and application.
With each passing moment, a tangible shift occurred within him as layers of limitations peeled away. Physical strength augmented, spiritual potency swelled, supernatural perception expanded, and many more.
Then, everything became quiet.