(Gore chapter)
Brain cell 1 is similar to what Stacy mentioned earlier. I hope you guys have the stomach for this.
Brain cell 2: Haha, as if someone will get sick reading about this.
Brain cell 1: Well, you never know. They might have an insanely good imagination.
Brain cell 2: That's true. Our host does have some dumb imagination. Especially seeing as he still has imaginary friends.
Host: I do not have imaginary friends! They are real! Cough, cough. I am sorry. My brain cells went on a dumb rant there. Just ignore them. Let us get back to the story... And I really do have real friends.
(Gore warning)
"So, you guys are the only healers we have?" I asked, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the five figures trembling before me.
Their robes were clean, hands clasped nervously together, but I could see their knuckles whitening, their shoulders stiff like prey cornered by a predator. They weren't ready for this. Not even close.
"Yes, young miss. We are the only healers at the capital at the moment. The rest are out on missions." One of them—a man with a shaky voice—spoke up.
"Missions?" I tilted my head, frowning. "Like group missions?"
"Yes," he swallowed hard, "dungeon exploring. The dead forest has many unexplored dungeons, and parties are sent out every week to go and explore them."
Kayda, leaning against the wall with her usual unimpressed face, added flatly, "It's true."
I shrugged. "Oh, okay. Whatever. Let's start."
Turning on my heel, I faced the row of fourteen private soldiers chained together. Their uniforms were stained, their faces pale, and their eyes darting like cornered rats. I smiled thinly, baring just the edge of my teeth.
"It's surprising," I said, drawing their fear out, "that out of the twenty-four capture targets, only one is female… and she isn't even from our kingdom."
Their silence was broken only by one muttering. A desperate chant, repeated like a broken record:
"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die—"
The sound grated on my nerves. My smile vanished.
With slow steps, I walked toward the source of the muttering. Each step made his voice falter, then crack, until I was standing right in front of him. His head was lowered, his hair greasy and clumped with dried blood.
"Ken," I said coolly. "Tank. Mid-private for the last five years. What are you muttering about?"
He jerked his head up, eyes wide, and I caught the tears streaking down his cheeks. His lips trembled, words spilling out like bile.
"Aah, please, I don't want to die!" His voice cracked into a sob.
I grabbed his head, tilting it up so he couldn't look away from me. Fresh blood trickled down his temple.
"Hmm," I hummed, pretending to ponder. My other hand caught his collar, lifting him half off the ground with little effort. He kicked weakly, pathetic. My gaze shifted to my free hand. I flexed my fingers, the faint gleam of my nails catching the torchlight.
A chuckle slipped from my throat. "To think I can have claws in my human form… well, close enough. Just nails, but an inch longer is enough, isn't it?"
Ken thrashed. "Please, I beg you! I would do anything—I just don't want to die!"
"Oi. Shut up." My voice cut like ice. My fingers clamped on his jaw, silencing his babbling as I dragged him back toward the others.
The healers stiffened as I stopped in front of them. Ignoring Ken's desperate squirming, I tilted my head. "So, how much do you all know about the human body?"
"We… we know the human body has internal organs, muscles, and bones," one explained hesitantly.
"Mm. So, you at least know the basics." My tone dripped with mock approval. "Do you know what's more important? The lungs or the kidneys?"
They blinked in confusion. "Longs? Kidneys?" they repeated, like children failing a test.
My eyebrow twitched. "Okay. Then what do you call the organ you use to breathe?"
"We don't have names for the organs. We divide them into upper half and lower half. We understand that the upper half is considered more important than the lower half.
A hollow laugh tore from my throat. "You're telling me you've never dissected a human body before?"
"Dissecting?" They mumbled, looking at one another.
"You've got to be kidding me." I sighed, the sound long and sharp, before extending my hand. Frost spiraled into existence, shaping into a pristine ice table large enough to fit a body. Its cold mist curled around my legs.
"You torture squad," I said, jerking my chin at the group still struggling to keep the prisoners subdued. "Make this dumbass shut up." I shoved Ken toward them.
"Yes, ma'am."
Before they could move, my fingers twitched.
RIP!?
THUD!?
The sound split the silence. Every head turned just in time to see Ken's person—still attached to a length of his spine—hit the ground and roll.
I stared at my hand, flexing it. "Damn. Ripped the spine out too." My voice was more disappointed than guilty.
"BLEGH!?"
Half the room lurched forward, vomiting violently. The stench hit the air instantly—sour bile mixing with the metallic tang of blood.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue. "You're already puking, and we just got started."
Laying Ken's limp, headless body on the table, I summoned blades of ice, slicing away his clothes. His skin paled further against the cold surface. "I'll give you ten minutes to recollect yourselves."
"Give them thirty," my mother said calmly from the corner, her tone unbothered. "There's no way the healers will recover in ten."
I glanced at the five healers. They were already on the ground, pale, trembling, and heads bowed. Pathetic. Still, Mom was right.
"Fine. Thirty."
My eyes slid to Lily. Rebecca was holding her hair back as she retched.
"I'm surprised at you, Lily," I said, tilting my head. "Sick from something like this?"
Lily spat, wiping her mouth. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. Sorry if I disappointed you."
I shook my head, almost amused. "Why would I be disappointed? I'm just surprised. I mean, come on—you're married to Rebecca, and your nightly activities are… colorful. I thought you'd be tougher."
Her face flushed crimson, Rebecca choking on laughter. I only shrugged.
"Don't worry. You won't easily disappoint me, Lily. You haven't seen war yet, and your style doesn't exactly throw you knee-deep into blood. You'll toughen up." My smile was sharper this time, genuine enough to make her blink in shock.
"Hehe," Rebecca chuckled, still holding Lily. "The more you talk, the more you sound like Stacy."
"But I do have one question," Trinity said, wrinkling her nose. How can you tolerate the smell?
I laughed. "I burnt my nostrils before we started. Can't smell a thing. I'll heal them back later."
Trinity blinked. "You're insane." She bent and picked up Ken's head by the hair. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Put it back."
She stared. "What?"
"Put. It. Back." I smiled, pointing at the floor.
Trinity scowled but obeyed, dropping the head where it landed with a wet thud.
"Good girl."
Her teeth ground audibly.
I turned back to the healers, ignoring Trinity's clenched fists. "Are you ready now? I'm only going to show you four times where every organ is. Thereafter, each of you gets one body to practice on and one for your test. Take notes—you'll have to teach the rest of the healers in the black ops."
Their hands shook as they pulled out notebooks, scribbling feverishly.
"Let's start body studying." I grinned. "Medieval style."
My blade sank into Ken's chest with a wet squelch.
[Stacy POV]
Trinity's eyes were locked on Kitsuna, her face caught between disgust and disbelief. "She moves like she's done this dozens of times."
"Well, she has. Like… five times." I said, my tone casual.
"Five, my ass. No one gets that good after five." Trinity's lip curled.
Rebecca smirked knowingly. "Is it because of HIS notes?"
"Yeah," I admitted.
Trinity blinked. "Who is he?"
"You don't need to know," I said, my tone sharp enough to cut off further questions.
"I see."
We all turned back as Kitsuna worked. Her movements were disturbingly precise. Each cut, each gesture—it was practiced, clinical. She explained every organ, every muscle, her voice steady, unaffected.
"I was wondering," Kayda murmured, frowning. "Did she really rip that guy's head and spine out by accident? Or was it on purpose?"
I grinned, teeth bared. "She's my daughter. What do you think?"
Kayda's face paled further.
SPLAT!?
Another corpse was tossed aside like trash, slamming against the bars beside Trinity. Blood sprayed across her arm.
"Next!?" Kitsuna barked.
Trinity's jaw clenched, blood dripping down her sleeve. "Yeah. She's your daughter, alright."
Rebecca snickered. "Well, she did say we needed to make a scene before the real torture begins."
Trinity looked up sharply as Kitsuna tapped a prisoner's forehead—and the man collapsed instantly, dead before he hit the ground.
"How the hell—"
"She froze his brain with ice magic," Kayda explained coolly.
"O-oh." Trinity's eyes flicked back to Kitsuna, unease settling in.
I noticed Lily then—eyes wide, unblinking, glued to Kitsuna's every move. She hadn't even flinched at the gore this time.
'Of course,' I thought, smirking. She's a rapier user. The instructor will sharpen her combat instincts if she learns anatomy.'
"Lily, you can join them, you know," Rebecca said.
Lily hesitated. "No… I'm fine here."
Rebecca shoved her lightly. "Just join them."
"A-ah!" Lily stumbled forward.
Kitsuna caught her hand without missing a beat. "Finally joining us," she said warmly, pulling Lily closer to the table. Then she returned to dissecting, explaining muscle structures with calm precision.
Trinity leaned toward me, voice low. "She's going to teach them torture too, right?"
I smirked, folding my arms. "Oh, yeah. Just wait until she shows her favorite method."
Trinity's brow furrowed. "What method?"
"The Blood Eagle."
Her face drained of color.
And I just smirked wider.