Chapter 194 – The Answer in the Flesh
Ren closed the door firmly behind him, shutting out the voices of Ogami and Mei Mei. From the shadow at his feet, he pulled Worm into the room. The creature slid out in its small, compact ball form before stretching, unfolding, and expanding into its full grotesque body. The worm slithered upward and coiled itself across Ren's shoulder, pressing its weight against him.
"Mommy…" it muttered, clinging to his arm and shoulder like a child refusing to let go.
Ren sighed, his expression flat but his voice edged with familiarity.
"Ugh, it's been a while since I last saw you, huh? You're still a weirdo."
He tapped its side with his fingers, speaking firmly.
"Now come on, spit out my body. And also Kai 2."
The worm hesitated, clutching tighter against him, before Ren peeled it off his shoulder and set it down on the bed. Immediately, Worm gagged, its body convulsing as its mouth split wider than its body should allow. From its maw tumbled a headless body—Ren's own—and then the severed head. A final heave and a fish-like curse leapt free, splashing onto the floor before wriggling into the air.
Kai 2.
The curse darted forward instantly, bounding onto Ren's chest like a desperate puppy reunited with its owner. Ren caught him with both hands, holding him steady as the curse pressed against him. For once, Ren smiled faintly, his hand brushing across Kai 2's head as though patting a pet.
"Ugh, little freak. It's been a while, huh? Thankfully, back then, I left you in the mansion with Worm. Otherwise, you'd have been fish sauce by now, right?"
Kai 2 wriggled happily, while Worm crept closer again, pressing against Ren's leg.
Ren's eyes shifted back to the lifeless body sprawled on the bed—his own corpse. His thoughts sharpened. Is it possible? If Rika can eat my own body and I gain Red Stitch… then what if I make her eat my dead body? Would I gain Red Stitch again? No—what I'd gain is more understanding, a deeper connection to it. Coping with Rika has always been like that. The more she devours, the better the copy becomes. The more refined. The more innate. This body could be the key to solving my core problem.
His fingers flexed, nerves tightening. Honestly, this is why I came here. To test it. To gamble everything. Because if this doesn't work… then I'm fucked. I'll have to go back and rebuild everything. Either remake my cursed circuit from scratch or dismantle the 'Spider' I've been building and rethink it all from the ground up.
Ren drew a slow, deep breath. His hands rose, interlacing his fingers into a deliberate clasp.
指組み.
A dim glow sparked around his palms. His voice came out low, steady, and ritualistic:
"Emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness… hide all that is impure and pure."
A shimmer spread outward, a thin veil expanding until it covered the room in an unseen dome. Ren exhaled in relief. Now it's safe. No one will notice. Not even if I fully summon Rika here. There really is no reason to do this… but caution comes first always..
He muttered without hesitation: "Rika. Come out. Devour that body."
The floor beside him darkened, opening into a void. From it, Rika emerged, her presence oppressive and undeniable even within the veil. Worm and Kai 2 clung to Ren instantly, huddling close like frightened animals.
Rika reached forward, claws closing around the severed head. She lifted it, teeth tearing down in massive bites. Flesh, bone, everything was crushed. In seconds, the head was gone. Then she grabbed the rest of the corpse, devouring it piece by piece, until there was nothing left. Her form sank back into the black spot, vanishing into the shadows once more.
Ren's eyes slid shut. He sat still, letting the sensation wash over him, and then the corner of his mouth twitched. A slow grin spread across his face before breaking into a laugh.
"Oh… that's how it is, huh? It works… hahahahahaha—hahahahaha!"
He leaned forward on the bed, laughter spilling out of him, raw and unrestrained. Worm flinched back in alarm, and even Kai 2 recoiled, floating just above the floor as though trying to figure out what had happened to his master.
Still laughing, Ren dragged a hand through his hair. It works. Oh, it works. It feels like I've copied a cursed technique all over again. A brand new one. Red Stitch… but deeper, sharper, and more refined. There were so many little things hidden within it, things I never even knew were there.
His grin grew wider. Wait—if this works, can I keep doing it? Keep using Project Rebirth and feeding Rika my body? Over and over? Would I keep gaining more?
The thought pulsed in his mind for a moment before he dismissed it. No… that wouldn't work. I can only copy a cursed technique once. Not again and again. That's the limit. But it doesn't matter. I got what I needed—the answer to my core problem. And even more: a handful of new ideas for the weapon part of Red Stitch. Ideas I can finally build into reality.
Ren exhaled sharply, a satisfied breath escaping him as the veil dissolved. The room returned to its quiet stillness. He scooped Worm off the bed and tossed him gently into the air before catching him again, the creature squealing with delight.
For the first time in a long time, Ren allowed himself a genuine smile.
End of Chapter 194