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🧬 Chapter 8 – Glitched Awakening
A loud explosion shook the city once more.
But this time… I didn't run.
Instead, something inside me surged.
A voice echoed through the static of my mind.
> "It's not over yet. Wake up."
My body… revived.
I gasped—my neck was whole again. I had died. I was sure I had died.
> "What now...? What am I supposed to do?"
Suddenly, a ripple in the air tore open, and from it…
slithered a slime.
It stared at me with eyes that didn't belong to any creature I've ever seen—
not rage, not curiosity.
Judgment.
> "W-What… is this?!"
Another slime dragged it back.
And then—another one emerged.
This time, I could understand its voice.
> "Hello. You can understand me, right?
I need your help to free him from that thing."
> "Free… who? I don't have power! I just… I just died!"
> "You don't understand. Your power now… might be rebirth itself.
Or maybe… something worse."
> "What are you talking about?!"
> "This body. It doesn't belong to you, does it?"
> "How do you…?!"
Another explosion.
> "No time. Listen—
If you believe… you can fly."
> "Fly…?"
I stared up. My heart raced.
Then I thought, "Fly."
My feet lifted off the ground.
I rose—higher—into the air.
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✦ Somewhere Else...
> "WHAT?! Did I mess up the command lines?!"
The Reaper's voice was panicked.
> "Sir—there's no anomaly in the code," said his assistant.
> "Then WHY. IS. HE. FLYING?!"
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Back to me.
I was still floating.
Still alive.
> "Now do you see?" said the slime.
> "Why am I up here? I don't understand...!"
> "Oh for the love of logic… stop questioning and just help him."
The slime pushed me forward.
And then…
Our eyes met again.
His—the beastkin who had just crushed my throat.
His voice wavered—half human, half… something else.
> "You're still alive…?
You should be dead."
> "I don't know why. I don't even know who I am anymore..."
> "THEN LET ME REMIND YOU."
Blades of energy burst from his hands.
He charged—slashing.
I couldn't think.
I didn't know what to do.
But deep inside me…
something else had already awakened.
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