CHAPTER 3.9: THE ROOTS OF CORRUPTION

The morning air was thick with the scent of damp earth and leaves as Beatrice and Coco stood by a small patch of ground in the forest clearing. The others watched in curious silence, unsure of what to expect. Beatrice, looking mischievous as ever, smiled to herself as she gestured toward the dirt.

"Alright, Coco," Beatrice said, her tone playful. "Place the bird down. Let's see what happens."

Coco nodded and gently set a small bird on the ground. The group stared, bewildered by the oddity of it all. It was a simple bird, nothing extraordinary about it. But then things got... weird.

Beatrice, her eyes twinkling with excitement, looked at Carpio, another Bird who had been standing nearby, a cigar dangling from his mouth. "Carpio, do your magic," she said.

The air shifted as Carpio flicked his fingers, and the bird suddenly sprang to life in a way no one could have predicted. The bird ignited a tiny cigar, took a deep puff, and then opened a wooden notebook that seemed to materialize from thin air. The bird began to scribble in the notebook before looking up, its beady eyes narrowing as it started... seeding messages into some sort of magical, ethereal medium or better known as WizardMedia a Popular social website where magicians shares their histories, photos and even videos!!!!

The group stood in stunned silence, unsure of what to make of it. Frosty raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Skully. "Is this... some sort of magic trick?" he asked, unsure whether to be impressed or confused.

"I don't know what to expect from this anymore," Skully muttered, staring at the bird. "Is it some kind of... wizard social media bird?"

Beatrice watched them all with a satisfied grin. "We’re going to attract people to this forest with these fake dating messages," she explained. "Then, Omega Man and Rookie, you’re going to handle the killing. Coco will trap them, but you two will do the... necessary work."

The group exchanged uncertain glances.

Rookie frowned. "I'm not sure this is going to work. It seems... ridiculous."

Omega Man crossed his arms, looking skeptical. "I have to agree with Rookie. This is... strange."

Frosty let out a short laugh. "It sounds absurd, even for us. Who would fall for this?"

Skully, shaking his head in disbelief, spoke up. "Are you sure this is going to work? I really doubt anyone could be that stupid..."

Beatrice simply smiled, her gaze soft but confident. "You’ll see."

20 Minutes Later...

The group was still waiting in the clearing when they heard footsteps approaching. The rustling of leaves gave way to the sound of a light voice humming in the distance. An elf appeared, looking a bit too enthusiastic for the situation at hand. He seemed to be looking his MagicPhone while following the fake dating messages that had been sent out by the bird—messages promising "Elfas enceladas" waiting for him in the forest.

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The group stared, hardly able to believe it was actually working.

Rookie blinked. "This is so absurd," he said, shaking his head.

Omega Man sighed deeply. "I know... it’s insane."

Frosty chuckled, a dark humor creeping into his voice. "How does someone have such low expectations? This guy’s walking into a trap with a smile."

Skully snorted, his bony hands resting on his hips. "Even my bones are smarter than this guy."

Beatrice laughed, leaning against Coco as she observed the elf’s arrival. "You all need to lighten up. This is too perfect," she said with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Coco, who had been watching with mild amusement, puffed on his cigar and laughed softly. "This is the kind of nonsense I can get behind."

The Trapping Soul

Suddenly, Carpio snapped his fingers, and thick branches shot up from the ground, wrapping around the elf in a trap of feathers and vines. The elf yelped in surprise, struggling against the restraints, but there was no escaping.

Beatrice stepped forward, her voice low and commanding. "Now, Omega Man, it’s your turn. Kill him. No remorse."

Omega Man stepped toward the trapped elf, his hands tightening into fists. He hesitated, though. The elf’s terrified screams pierced the air, and for a moment, Omega Man found himself frozen, unable to act.

Then Beatrice’s voice came again, cool and chilling. "You know what to do."

The Murder of The Soul

Before Omega Man could react, Beatrice’s magic surged through him, seizing control of his left arm. With a single, forceful push, Omega Man’s arm flew forward, punching the elf’s face with brutal force. The elf’s scream was cut short as his head snapped backward from the impact.

Omega Man cried out, his voice strained and filled with conflict, but his body kept moving. Beatrice’s magic forced him to continue the assault, each punch landing with sickening accuracy.

But the nightmare didn’t stop there. Coco reached forward, grabbing Omega Man’s right hand, forcing it to swing in time with the left. Together, they made Omega Man deliver punch after punch, shattering the elf’s body in ways that made even the veteran killer flinch.

First, the elf’s head exploded under the force of Omega Man’s blows. Then his torso cracked open like a broken doll. Finally, the elf’s legs were reduced to nothing but pulpy meat. By the time the carnage stopped, there was nothing left of the elf but a bloody, unrecognizable mess.

The Awakening of Corruption

Omega Man stumbled back, his body shaking as he looked at his blood-covered fists. He was processing what had just happened—how his body had been controlled, how he had been forced to commit such an atrocity. He felt sick, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was... too easy.

Rookie was the first to break the silence. "That was..." He trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.

Beatrice, however, leaned closer to Omega Man, her voice soft yet dripping with approval. "Amazing. You did a good job, Omega Man," she praised.

She whispered into his ear, her words laced with a dark secret. "And between us..." Beatrice chuckled softly, "There was no real grip here. Coco and I were faking the control over your arms. We just needed you to think you not were doing it by yourself."

Omega Man stood there, his mind racing. The weight of what he had done lingered in the air, but the realization that he hadn’t been in full control sent a strange sense of relief washing over him.....even when he knows he was the full responsible here.....

As he processed everything that had just happened, the rest of the group simply stared, still digesting the absurdity of the situation. But Beatrice... Beatrice was already moving on to the next step of her plans, her mind always working, always in control.....with a clear next objective................Rookie