Once that was settled, they resumed brainstorming. It wasn't long before Amelia spoke up. "I think I have an idea." Her words drew everyone's attention as she continued, "I remember that when Mikael unlocked the Human (Dirarnia) variation, he gained both an aura core and a mana core. Maybe, using the Records, Lyra, Kiara, and I could do the same, so that we all possess both aura and mana…"
Without waiting for a response, Amelia's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, let me ask the Records if it would work!"
A few seconds passed before her expression shifted—her excitement remained, but a hint of dread surfaced. She took a small breath before explaining, "It should work for all three of us… but there's a problem. The thing is, to gain both an aura core and a mana core, we would need to activate the Human (Dirarnia World Genius Variation). That would allow the Records to grant us both cores. This should work for all of us—even Kiara. She would simply need to temporarily switch to the Human (Dirarnia World Genius Variation) race before reverting to her Personal AI race."
She hesitated for a moment before adding, "But the problem with this method is that race-changing is extremely painful… so yeah."
Despite her words, determination filled her expression. "I don't know about you, but I'm doing it!"
After Amelia's declaration, she turned her gaze to Lyra and Kiara, silently asking them what they would do.
Under Amelia's expectant stare, Lyra fidgeted, uncertain. From what Mikael had previously described, changing races was excruciatingly painful. Did she have the resolve to willingly endure what could only be described as 'torture' just to become stronger? Most people would avoid suffering if given the choice, and she honestly doubted she had the determination needed to go through with it.
As for Kiara, her gaze landed on Mikael. She saw him smiling at her without saying a word, but in his eyes, she could tell that he would prefer if she accepted.
This immediately made her decide. "I will also do it!"
Following her declaration, multiple gazes landed on Lyra, awaiting her answer. Lyra felt 'pressured' under their stares. She trembled slightly, wanting to tell them she would be brave and endure the pain, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
Looking downward in shame, she spoke in a low voice. "Sorry… but I don't think I can do it."
Seeing Lyra's reaction and the 'shame' she felt, Mikael quickly diffused the tension. "No worries. It really isn't a big deal if you don't want to activate your race. I understand—the pain is something else."
Hearing Mikael's words, Lyra raised her head and looked around. She was relieved to see no mocking or disdainful gazes. They truly didn't mind that she had chosen not to go through with it, and that realization lifted an invisible weight off her shoulders.
Following this, the group of four split into two pairs—Mikael with Kiara, and Lyra with Amelia. Each pair moved toward one of the bathrooms to undergo their race transformation.
After a short walk, Mikael and Kiara arrived at the bathroom and stepped inside. After closing the door, Mikael turned around and saw Kiara in all her glory.
Her usual clothes had disappeared, replaced by… nothing. Her naked body was fully exposed—her perky breasts with their red tips in plain sight. Normally, Mikael would have taken a moment to admire her beauty or at least felt aroused, but not this time. He did nothing more than give her assets a quick glance before his gaze landed on her face.
Right now, he wasn't in the mood for anything remotely sexual. He knew that two women he had feelings for would soon be suffering. His arousal, even in the face of this sight, was practically nonexistent.
Kiara felt the same. Normally, she would have at least felt a little shy being exposed to Mikael like this, but now, she was just anxious. As much as she was a little crazy, like everyone else, she feared the pain that was about to come.
Mikael gave her a reassuring smile, which she answered with a shaky one of her own before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her eyes gained a determined glint before she spoke. "I'm starting."
Hearing her words, Mikael tightened his fists. A wave of anxiety hit him. He had endured the race change himself, but watching someone he loved go through it, knowing the pain she would experience… It wasn't something he was looking forward to.
A few seconds passed before Kiara's jaw tightened. Mikael immediately knew that her transformation had begun.
"I'm here with you," Mikael said, his voice softer than usual, reassuring in a way uncharacteristic of him.
A small smile flickered across Kiara's face upon hearing his words, but it quickly disappeared, replaced by a grimace of pain.
That was only the beginning.
Her body began to change, and not in a beautiful way. Not at all.
Her muscles contracted and tore apart, her bones and organs followed the same pattern, and soon, pieces of her flesh littered the ground. The horrifying scene would have shaken even the most hardened of veterans.
Mikael turned his gaze away as a wave of nausea hit him. Placing a hand over his mouth, he barely managed to hold himself together. He felt the urge to leave, to get out of this room, as watching Kiara suffer like this was unbearable. It felt as though his heart was being pierced by a blade. But he forced himself to stay. If she had to endure this pain, the least he could do was be there for her.
Minutes passed, each one agonizingly slow, until approximately fifteen minutes had elapsed since the transformation began.
Kiara's body reformed from scratch once again, but this time, unlike before, it didn't break down again. Her eyes fluttered open, exhaustion deep within them. She met Mikael's gaze, and a small, tired smile appeared on her face. Without saying a word, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backward toward the bloodstained ground.
Or at least, that's what would have happened—if Mikael hadn't reacted in time. Moving swiftly, he caught her in a princess carry just before she could hit the floor.
Mikael looked down at the 'beauty' in his arms, his hand brushing aside a stray blue strand that partially obscured her face. As he did, his fingers became even more stained with blood, but he didn't care. Kiara's entire body was covered in blood and fragments of flesh, remnants of her transformation, yet none of it fazed him.
'Records, the transformation is finished, right? She gained both an aura and a mana core?'
[Kiara Dreyfus has completed her transformation. Her race is now Human (Dirarnia World Genius Variation), and she has consequently gained an aura and a mana core.]
"Okay, nice…" Mikael murmured before casting one—no, multiple—cleaning spells. In an instant, both he and Kiara were spotless. He then carried the naked beauty across the room and gently placed her down in a clean area of the bathroom.
After that, he focused on cleaning the rest of the mess. With a combination of spells, he meticulously erased every last trace of blood and carnage. It took him a few minutes, but by the time he was done, the bathroom—previously a slaughterhouse of discarded flesh and organs—looked perfectly pristine.
With his work complete, Mikael once again lifted Kiara into a princess carry and headed toward the master bedroom—the one they usually shared. This apartment had only three bedrooms, and since there weren't enough for everyone, Kiara had 'sacrificed' herself to share a bed with him.
Once he reached their 'love nest,' he carefully placed Kiara under the blanket. His fingers gently caressed her peaceful visage before he turned away, heading toward his next destination.
The bathroom where Amelia was undergoing her race transformation.
They had separated into two groups beforehand, knowing full well how… messy the process could get. It was better to handle each transformation individually. Now that Kiara's was finished, it was time to check on Amelia.
The moment he opened the door, a thick, metallic scent flooded his senses, accompanied by something even fouler than blood itself. Mikael barely paid it any mind as his eyes landed on the scene before him.
The sight was almost identical to what he had just witnessed with Kiara—Amelia lay naked on the blood-soaked floor, surrounded by torn flesh and body parts. The key difference was that she had already lost consciousness.
In the corner of the room, however, was Lyra.
She was trembling violently, her face deathly pale, her hands clutched tightly against her chest.
Mikael's gaze lingered on Amelia for a moment before shifting toward Lyra. Unlike him, she had neither undergone a race transformation nor seen one before today. It was clear that she was struggling to process the grotesque reality before her.
He let out a small sigh before approaching her. Amelia was unconscious, but her steady breathing indicated she was in no danger. Lyra, on the other hand, looked like she was on the verge of having a panic attack.
Mikael crouched beside her. Lyra looked as if she had just witnessed something straight out of a nightmare. Her wide purple eyes darted between Amelia's motionless form and the remnants of the transformation process. Her breath was quick and shallow, her whole body trembling as though she were freezing—despite the room being anything but cold.
Seeing her like this, Mikael briefly regretted leaving her alone with Amelia during the transformation. In hindsight, it would have been far better to supervise them one at a time.
But there was no changing the past, and regret was pointless.
"Lyra," he called softly.
She flinched at the sound of his voice, as if being yanked back into reality. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Mikael reached out, gently grasping her hand and helping her to her feet. The sudden touch jolted her from her trance.
"Maybe it wasn't the best idea to have you watch over Amelia's transformation," he murmured with a wry smile.
Before she could respond, he pulled her into a hug.
Lyra stiffened at first but quickly melted into the embrace. Mikael held her close, offering silent comfort, feeling the way her trembling gradually subsided.
Only once he was sure she had calmed did he release her.
He gave her a small smile. "Let me take care of Amelia and clean this place up."
With that, he turned toward Amelia. A quick cleaning spell wiped away the thick layers of crimson and the bits of viscera clinging to her body.
Once she was clean, Mikael lifted her into a princess carry—just as he had done with Kiara. He then proceeded to cleanse the entire room with a series of spells, ensuring that not a single trace of the gruesome scene remained.
When the task was complete, he adjusted Amelia in his arms and glanced at Lyra.
"What do you say we take a little nap? We could all use some rest after… everything," he suggested.
Lyra didn't respond with words, only giving a small nod.
Together, they left the bathroom and made their way to the master bedroom. Kiara was already lying beneath the blanket, her breathing slow and steady. Mikael carefully placed Amelia beside her, ensuring she was comfortable.
Lyra hesitated for a brief moment. The thought of slipping into bed next to both Amelia and Kiara—both of whom were completely bare beneath the sheets—flashed across her mind. But she wasn't in the mood to care. Silently, she sat on the edge of the bed.
Mikael observed her for a moment before sighing lightly. Without another word, he climbed under the blanket himself. The warmth of the two beautiful women beside him was noticeable, but he was too drained to give it much thought. Watching them suffer through the transformation process hadn't been a pleasant experience.
Author Note:
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