The moment Rakin heard the four words that left Isaac’s mouth, his expression shifted ever so slightly. The smile became a little more genuine and maybe even relieved. His eyes also lit up, the silver in them almost turning to a soft yellow. It was kind of strange, seeing the Overlord like that—like a puppy trying to hide its excitement.

  Right then, Isaac understood that, for once, his Patron hadn’t taken his decision for granted. Hell, if anything, it seemed like Rakin had expected him to refuse the Scar. Why? He wasn’t so sure, though it definitely put some things into perspective.

  Troubling things.

  What’s done is done, he thought with a sigh. I’m not taking my words back.

  As if hearing him, Rakin extended the hand carrying the Scar forward. “Go on then,” he said. “Claim your destiny, kid. Make your Origin whole. Just remember, there is no turning back after this.”

  Isaac nodded and hesitantly reached out. But before his fingers could touch it, the Scar surged toward him. It ignored his raised palm and went straight for his chest. In the blink of an eye, it vanished.

  He gasped, lurching forward and falling to the floor as both his Blood and Virus Core moved, dragged toward each other by some alien force. No… not alien. It was the Scar’s doing. He could feel it, almost burning him from the inside out.

  Of course… he coughed weakly. Wouldn’t be my Origin without the usual dose of pain, right?

  But nobody answered him, leaving him lying on the warm floor. For a few seconds, maybe minutes, the constant pain from his injuries vanished, replaced by something greater. All he could do was close his eyes and stand—lie—witness to how the two of his Cores clashed.

  Pain didn’t quite describe what he felt each time they collided. Yes, the hurt was there, a lot of it, but it wasn’t alone. Joy, exhilaration washed over his mind too, getting stronger with each broken piece of his Cores that floated toward and surrounded the Scar.

  Now, maybe Isaac should have been afraid, too. After all, the process was destroying the very things that made him who he was. The Blood Core, his new heart, the organ that kept him alive. The Virus Core, the recent evolution of the source of his power.

  Without them, there would be no Viron. No him.

  Yet… even curled on the floor, writhing as the last pieces broke apart, he felt no fear. And it wasn’t thanks to some whispers that promised everything would be all right. No, he simply knew that this was necessary.

  And so, he waited.

  More time passed, and bit by bit, the pain along with the other emotions began to fade. The countless pieces of his broken Cores also settled, now reshaped into a single entity—one that sat at the edge of reality. Curious, Isaac poked it, and it answered in kind, opening its floodgates before him.

  Blood and Viron. Separated, but definitely stronger. Like twin raging rivers that wanted to break free from their cages.

  No, he commanded.

  A single word, but it was enough. The two powers stilled before slowly returning to their new home. There, they remained, finally letting him open his eyes and push himself to his knees.

  The waiting room was still there. So was Rakin, watching him with a furrowed brow. Their eyes met, and a wide grin returned to the Overlord’s face.

  “It worked…” he muttered, a laugh slipping past his lips. “It really worked.”

  Ignoring the almost maniacal laughter, Isaac took this time to rise fully from the floor and retake his seat. He also rechecked the connection to his new Core, trying to make sure it functioned as both his heart and the source of his power.

  The latter was easy enough to confirm. Even if his Viron felt slightly different, it was still there, still flowing. Ordering it to form a small Blood Dagger outside his body also didn’t give him any issues.

  Now for the other function… there, he wasn’t so sure.

  The blood was still there, yes, quite a lot of it too. But unlike with Blood Core, he could hear no heartbeat. Only the steady flow of blood through the channel connecting his Core to the rest of his body stopped him from panicking.

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  Okay… so, can I even still be called human? Pretty sure I just became something most people would call undead… I swear, if I suddenly develop a craving for blood, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.

  Vampires. Isaac never liked them. Why, he couldn’t even say. Something about them had always rubbed him the wrong way. Which, honestly, made zero sense, as those creatures didn’t even exist… probably.

  He shook his head and looked up. Rakin was snapping his fingers in front of his face, clearly trying to drag him back to reality.

  “What?” he asked.

  The alien huffed, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t 'what' me now. How are you feeling, kid? Can you sense the Scar? Any notifications?”

  Isaac blinked at the onslaught of questions. “I’m… good? And I haven’t checked yet. Give me a second.”

  “What’re you waiting for then?” Rakin clapped his hands. “Chop, chop!”

  Isaac barely restrained an eye roll. Right. I have the strange feeling you’re more excited about this than I am. He didn’t say that aloud, of course. Instead, he reached inward, deeper into his new Core, past the layers that held his power.

  At first, he couldn’t find the one responsible for the change. Then, he pushed even further, his mental fingers brushing against the surface of the Scar slumbering somewhere deep inside his Core. If it looked the same, he couldn’t tell, but its power… it was leaking, enhancing his blood and Viron.

  I see.

  At once, Isaac snapped back to the real world and summoned the Interface. As expected, it had a couple of notifications waiting for him.

  Due to surviving a process beyond your level, Pain Resistance has broken its shackles. Unbroken Will obtained.

  [Unbroken Will | Grade: Mystic | Max Tier]

  A passive ability that breaks the shackles of pain over your mind and body. You will still feel it, but in times of need, it becomes a non-issue. Additionally, you’re now slightly more resistant to all types of attacks that target the Host’s senses or mind.

  Huh. Isaac scratched his brow. Certainly didn’t expect this. Explains why the pain didn’t bother me much later on. And more resists… nice.

  Still, as happy as he was with this addition to his arsenal, he dismissed the description and reached for the next notification. He had to know what happened to him.

  Mystical Scar: Blood, absorbed successfully. Congratulations, Isaac Walker, you’re now the host of the Genesis of Blood. Your Blood and Virus Core has merged, forming the perfect vessel. Genesis Core obtained.

  [Genesis Core | Grade: Unique]

  Virus and Blood made into one. Grants all the benefits of its predecessors while enhancing the potency of stored Viron and blood. Strengthens the bond between the Host and Virus. This Core grows stronger with the Host’s Virus and Origin. Genesis may now be awakened after successfully unsealing the Mystical Scar slumbering within (1 condition remaining).

  “Oh,” Isaac muttered, carefully reading the description again. Most of it made sense, even if his Blood Core shouldn’t have been able to advance without Origin Fusion. Yet, there was still one thing he couldn’t quite understand.

  He looked up, meeting Rakin’s expectant gaze. In hindsight, maybe he should have asked this before accepting the Scar.

  “Just what is this… Genesis?”

  Rakin’s grin widened. “So you got it then? The Core?”

  Isaac gave a curt nod, earning an exaggerated sigh of relief from the alien.

  “Thanks fuck. I was ninety… no, maybe eighty percent sure it would work, but to have it confirmed… Damn. What a ride.”

  For a moment, Isaac wanted to ask just what could have gone wrong, but something told him he really didn’t want to know. Besides, he still didn’t get an answer to his previous question.

  “The Genesis?” he pressed again.

  “Right, right!” Rakin rubbed his hands together. “Could leave you hanging… but nah, I’m not that cruel. In short, kid, Genesis is an ability. Not just any ability, though. It’s the first power of every primary Origin. The foundation. And it can only ever be wielded by one Host at a time because of what it requires.”

  “The Core,” Isaac whispered.

  Rakin snapped his finger. “Exactly! A Genesis always needs its Core, and that Core can only form when someone becomes the host of the primordial piece of their Origin. The Genesis piece. See the pattern?”

  “Yeah,” Isaac said quietly. “And this is supposed to help me win the war. Just how powerful is it?”

  Rakin tapped his chin, humming. “That depends. Some Genesis powers are subtle. Some are monstrous. Yours, though…” The bloodthirsty glint in his eyes returned. “There is a reason why it was one of the few Scars ever created.”

  Isaac let out a sigh. “You’re not gonna tell me what it actually does, are you?”

  “Of course not!” Rakin barked out a laugh. “Where’s the fun in that? Just kill an Emperor and find out for yourself.”

  Once more, Isaac’s gaze returned to the Core’s description, or rather to the last line in it. One condition remaining. Killing the Emperor—the sandworm—if the Overlord was to be believed.

  Fitting, I guess, even if it doesn’t help with the task itself. A bit disappointing, but not unexpected.

  It was always like this with Rakin. He never offered Isaac an outright power-up without first earning it in some way. Winning the duel earned him an enhanced Core with potential for more. To unlock it, he now had to prove himself again against the sandworm.

  Some might have called it cruel, even unfair. After all, his deal with Rakin was also supposed to help in the fight against the Emperor. Yet, Isaac couldn’t bring himself to be angry. Not when he felt the overwhelming power pushing against the Scar inside his Core.

  He took a slow, steadying breath and closed his eyes.

  Plan A is a go then. Nothing changes. Then… the Zerians will die, whether this Genesis is useful or not.