In a dimly lit cavern, a few bioluminescent mushrooms cast a greenish glow upon a haunted skeleton and a child. Despite their physical differences, the two beings were brothers. Lying in the center of the chamber on a rune-covered platform, a young woman appeared to be asleep. She was stunning, with smooth skin and all limbs intact. Recent treatnt had healed both her body and soul. Beneath her lay a crystalline block containing her soulless clone.
"Let's begin," a voice echoed from beyond the grave. "If you move, you die. Osiris, get ready."
"Seth, be nice!" the child exclaid before turning to the young woman. "Sorry about him, he's in a foul mood because of the Necro Envoy. What he ant was that transferring the soul from one body to another is a delicate operation. Syncing the brain, mind, and soul is a nightmare, especially with your [Homo Elysian Obsession]. Thankfully, my brother here is a genius, so don't worry too much!"
"I may be a genius, but she's not. If she moves, it's all over."
Exhausted from the recent healing sessions, Jasmine gritted her teeth to prevent herself from decapitating the skeleton. She needed him and his brother would ensure everything went smoothly. Osiris was kind, generous, caring, understanding, and in love with her—the opposite of his brother Seth. The only thing the two siblings had in common was their insane talent. Where the younger was a body specialist, the elder was a soul expert. When they worked together, miracles happened.
A hum signaled the ritual's activation. Soon, the inscriptions etched into the stone platform by Kazuki lit up. The ambient aether rushed into the stone and then into a gemstone beneath Jasmine. The focal point, an alchemically treated diamond, was embedded in the chest of a body that could have been Jasmine's twin.
The goal of the operation was simple: transfer Jasmine's soul into the body of her Tribulation doppelgänger. The maneuver was dangerous but worth it because her new body possessed a Shadow Heart. This mutation was so perfectly tailored for Jasmine's Shadow Concept that it was like giving wings to a tiger.
"Now!"
When Seth grasped her soul, Jasmine refrained from resisting. Her soul space trembled as it was ripped from her body, but she ignored the pain. ntally, she felt the subsystem implanted by Priam follow. If Jasmine still had a body, she would have sighed in relief. Cut off from the main system, her own system followed strict rules. If it decided Jasmine was trying to defy Priam's authority, it would bathe her soul in terrible energy. She had seen her doppelganger's soul burst when Priam had used [There is no Heaven], and she didn't want to die like that.
The world stabilized again. Housed within the diamond, her soul struggled to translate the sensations it experienced. A feeling of vertigo assaulted her consciousness before a desire to vomit replaced it. The negative experiences then gave way to monts of intense joy. Satiety, liberation, and euphoria jostled her mind in turn. Unable to gauge ti, Jasmine was reassured when an imnse force propelled her soul into her new body.
Talent won!
As Jasmine's soul settled into her new vessel, the assassin held her breath. Seth had explained that a soul transfer could be critical. The slightest incompatibility could have tragic consequences. With a click, her soul adapted to her new form, and a wave of relief washed over Jasmine. She felt no pain or discomfort, indicating a successful operation.
It was expected, as the System had created this body, and Osiris had taken care to keep it in optimal condition—going so far as to train its muscles and modify its geno again.
As her senses and Talents synchronized with the vessel, her new heart pulsed for the first ti. A torrent of vitality surged through her veins, distributing a flow of blood and shadow aether throughout her body. Her new body lived up to its promise, bringing Jasmine closer to the Shadow Concept. Without waiting, she connected to the cavern's shadows and rode them.
The next mont, a dark silhouette appeared a few ters from Osiris and Seth.
"How are you feeling?" Kazuki's deep voice inquired. The Hoplite warrior had been a formidable bodyguard and negotiator.
Weaving shadows to cloak her nudity, Jasmine turned to him. "I'm feeling great! This new heart allows to dive even deeper into Unity."
"Good. You should try the Skull Temple," the warrior advised. "There's a shadow bloodline waiting for you at the end."
Jasmine nodded. Priam was a monster with few weaknesses, but she preferred a specialized build. Following the way of the Shadows was what she'd been trained for and one of the few things she didn't reject from her upbringing. Jasmine loved the shadows, and the shadows loved her back.
"Can I examine you?" Osiris asked, approaching. Despite his professional tone, the young boy looked at the ground, blushing. A scan would provide him with a three-dinsional view of Jasmine's naked body.
"Sure thing, doc," smiled Jasmine. She didn't particularly like kids because of their childish behavior—except for Sphinx—but Osiris was intelligent and mature. Even his crush on her was rather amusing.
Over the past few days, they had spent a lot of ti together. Osiris had healed and rejuvenated Jasmine's body, pulling her soul from the clutches of death. Defeating old age had granted the assassin a Legendary Title, [Ageless]. During these sessions, Jasmine's body had gradually regained its youth, which had unsettled the young biomancer. He had remained professional, but she had seen him looking at her when he thought she couldn't see him.
Ascending back into the brothers' lair, Jasmine donned so clothes before sitting on a stone. Osiris scanned her body for any anomalies while Seth watched from afar. Despite the necromancer's deanor, Jasmine felt him on the lookout for a possible soul rejection.
"Everything's fine," Osiris finally declared. "The fact that the System created a perfect copy of your body made the soul transfer easy. Do you confirm?" he asked his brother.
"The Seven seems to think it's a success."
Seeing Kazuki raise an eyebrow, Jasmine explained. "He must have gained a Title to reward him for a perfect soul transfer. I gained a Talent myself."
"Oh? Which one?"
Jasmine glanced at her notifications.
[Perfect Vessel - Gold] - This isn't your original body. Yet, your soul, mind, and this vessel are in perfect harmony. Be it luck, talent, or opportunity, your madness has allowed you to achieve a feat.
Your soul and body are linked. Observing and analyzing this intimate connection can give you insights into Micro.
"[Perfect Vessel]," Jasmine replied with a smile. "It's going to help unlock Micro II."
"You should focus on Domain instead," Osiris advised. "With [Homo Elysian Obsession] and your recent experiences, you must be close."
"I can almost taste it," Jasmine confird. "After feeling my soul rejuvenate, I now know how to sense it. I just need one final inspiration."
"Then you two have nothing more to do here," Seth growled. The necromancer was already inspecting the assassin's old body.
Her rival had agreed to perform the soul transfer only if she left him her old body. The second part of the paynt was the diamond that had served as the focal point for the ritual—one of the rewards of the quadruple Tribulation.
"Can't you wait until I'm gone before indulging your perverse desires?"
"Do you really think I still have an attraction to flesh?" the necromancer retorted.
"No, I'm sure you have so weird fetish. Are you gonna cum on my toe bones?"
Despite her taunt, abandoning her old shell didn't really bother Jasmine. She had been trained to sell her body to survive, and that's exactly what she had done. Literally.
Seth's eyes glead at the provocation. "I'm torn between the tatarsal and the calcaneus."
Jasmine gritted her teeth. The necromancer knew that the assassin had never received a general education and didn't hesitate to remind her regularly.
"You'd need to be capable of having a boner. Quite a paradox for a skeleton."
"That's enough," Osiris sighed, stepping between them. "Our cooperation isn't over yet. Seth, I'll finish up with them."
The older brother held Jasmine's gaze for a few seconds before taking the corpse of Jasmine further away.
Osiris sighed before turning to Jasmine and Kazuki. "You better go. Tell Priam that with the new diamond as the focal point, we'll be able to summon an even more powerful Necro Envoy and control it for a few minutes. If he still wants our help."
Kazuki nodded. "I think he does. Thank your brother for our exchanges."
"I will."
Seth had targeted Kazuki with light spiritual attacks. The goal had been to hurt the hoplite's soul enough to make him aware of its presence. The last Supremacy, Domain, now beckoned to him. In return, Kazuki had given advice to the two brothers on unlocking Mastery. All rivals aid to beco Aces.
Jasmine approached and hugged Osiris. "Thanks for your help."
"Y-you're welco! Co back anyti," the young teenager replied, blushing.
"Alain!"
The old man put down his hamr and looked up at Hyshana. The lean warrior almost seed to teleport to his side. The difference in attributes was significant, but she must have used Micro to be so fast.
"Is there a problem?"
"A group is approaching," Hyshana announced, her expression grim.
"A new horde?" Alain asked, his throat tight. Despite the general upgrade of their defense, the fights weren't any easier, quite the contrary. Every day, the revenants beca stronger, smarter, and more nurous.
Hyshana shook her head. "According to our sensors, they're alive and don't match any of our rivals. The locals have found us."
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