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nNick’s Zephyx Synchronizer was attuning to the Maw.

nSadly, creating a hole in the Specter Core could prove disastrous for Nick.

nCracking the Specter Core with pressure created a fracture that went along one of the manipulation lines, which made it easily repairable.

nHowever, breaking through the Specter Core via forceful implementation of a blade created a deep cut that didn’t go along any manipulation lines.

nThis meant that fixing the manipulation lines after repairing the Specter Core wouldn’t be as easy.

nThe problem was that trying to break the Specter Core in the same way the Maw had broken it was far too risky.

nTo be frank, the fact that Nick’s Zephyx Synchronizer didn’t break under the Maw’s forceful grip was sheer luck.

nIt could have easily broken in two, which would have represented Nick’s death.

nOn top of that, compressing the Specter Core in one’s own hands was not easy. Attempting to do that would have been far too risky for Nick,

nSo, he had been forced to use his weapon.

nYet, that was still far better than being killed by the Maw because he couldn’t attune to its ability.

nAs Nick was attuning to the Maw, he felt his Specter Core repairing.

nCrk!

nNick put his blade back in to keep it from closing up.

nSimultaneously, Nick consumed more and more of the Maw’s Zephyx.

nSuddenly, a white light shone out of Nick’s neck through the hole that his blade had created.

nHe couldn’t see it, but at this moment, white lines were forming on Nick’s Zephyx Synchronizer.

nAt the same time, Nick felt his muscles shake and his blood boil.

nWHOOM!

nThen, the Specter Core around Nick’s Zephyx Synchronizer started to shine.

nBANG!

nNick’s blade was violently pushed out as the Specter Core rapidly closed.

nFor a moment, Nick became panicked, but he quickly realized that the attunement had already been completed.

nHis Zephyx Synchronizer was attuned to the Maw.

nHowever, Nick wasn’t entirely sure what was happening to his Specter Core.

nNick focused on the Specter Core and felt manipulation lines forming on it.

n‘Of course!’ Nick thought. “This is a Specter Core, not a blank slate! This means that it is technically an entire Specter!”

nJust like how I am becoming a Specialist, the Specter Core is becoming a Fanatic!’

n‘But what does that mean for the manipulation lines I’ve created?’ Nick thought with anxiety.

nWould the mutation of the Specter Core erase all the hard work of the past years?

nNick felt the formation of new manipulation lines and the deletion of old ones.

nSure enough, all the old manipulation lines were vanishing.

nThis was bad!

nThe new lines that formed were far less numerous than the ones that had vanished, and Nick felt his Zephyx being thrown into chaos.

nNick’s entire body shook, and the back of his neck started to shine even brighter.

n“This is not just manipulation lines!’ Nick realized.

nHis entire Specter Core was shining, and Nick felt like he was being encased by molten

niron.

nEverything was hot!

nIt was like his heart was sinking into magma!

nHe even swore that he could hear the sound of sizzling flesh coming from his neck.

nPain.

nAgony.

nIt was almost like a hot liquid was slowly becoming solid again.

nCrk!

nBurnt flesh fell from Nick’s back and neck as new flesh regrew.

nNick remained lying on the ground.

n‘I’m still alive, he thought in relief.

nAfter calming down, Nick slowly stood up.

nNext, he closed his eyes and focused on his Specter Core.

nEven without looking at it, he could already feel that something fundamental had

nchanged.

nFirst of all, Nick felt very different on a base level.

nEarlier, the foreign Zephyx from the Specter Core had felt like a constant pressure or

nthreat to him.

nBut now, it was different.

nThe foreign Zephyx was still there, but it didn’t feel foreign or alien anymore.

nNick felt like the Zephyx was supposed to be there.

nHe felt like this was his Zephyx.

nAs Nick looked closer, he also realized something else.

nThe shock he felt was one of the biggest ones he had ever experienced in his life.

n‘Where’s my Zephyx?’ Nick thought, not being able to come to terms with what he was

nwitnessing.

nThere was no human Zephyx inside of him.

nNothing!

nNick quickly checked his Zephosis cycle.

nNothing!

nNick was not undergoing Zephosis at this moment!

nYet, he felt full of power.

nBut how was that possible without Zephosis?!

nWithout Zephosis, Veterans and stronger couldn’t survive since their vital functions used

nup more energy than nutrition and oxygen could provide.

nA shocking thought appeared in Nick’s mind.

n‘I don’t need nutrition or oxygen anymore, he thought slowly.

n‘I am essentially a walking corpse!

n‘Or…’

nNick almost didn’t dare consider that possibility.

n‘A Specter!’

nSilence.

n“I can’t jump to conclusions, Nick thought with urgency as he narrowed his eyes. ‘I have

nto test this!’

nThe next moment, Nick looked at his left hand.

nShing!

nHe unsheathed his blade and cut one of his fingers off.

nNick gritted his teeth and watched his severed finger fall to the ground.

nAnd as he continued watching, more and more pressure built inside of his head.

nHis finger…

nIt was turning into black mist!

nThis was not how human bodies acted!

nThis was how Specter bodies acted!

nNick looked at the stump on his left hand.

nThen, he saw black pillar growing out of it before it changed colors and form to

nbecome Nick’s finger again.

nSilence.

nThis was undeniable proof.

nThis was no longer a human body.

nNick gritted his teeth.

nCRK!

nA moment later, he made a hole in his Specter Core again.

nNick went deeper and deeper until, eventually…

nCRK!

nThe tip of the blade came out of the other side.

nNick’s perception was reeling, and was difficult for him to remain conscious due to the

ndamage, but he forced himself to stay awake.

nFinally, he pulled his blade out.

nNothing.

n“There’s no Zephyx Synchronizer!’ Nick realized as his perception entered his Specter

nCore.

nThe Specter Core was empty or, from another point of view, solid.

nThe fact was that there was no Zephyx Synchronizer in the middle.

nThere was only a Specter Core.

nAt that moment, Nick took note of his surroundings, or more accurately, the things lying

naround him.

nFlesh.

nPieces of a human body.

nHis human body.

nNick could even see his own head and his own eyes lying on the ground.

nThe human body was not in one piece.

nIt looked more like the molt of an insect.

nIt looked like something had crawled out of the body’s back and cast the old body off like

ntrash.

nNick felt a profound feeling of alienation.

nThis was not him.

nHe was not. Nick.

nWho was he?

nWhat was he?

nNick’s mind panicked, and his emotions were going wild.

n‘Emotions?’ Nick thought at that moment. ‘Specters don’t have emotions, right?’

nNick focused on his own emotions.

nWere these emotions?

nThe more he focused on his emotions, the more distant and artificial they felt.

nWas he actually feeling what he was thinking he was feeling?

nHow could he tell whether or not his emotions were real?

nAs Nick asked himself these questions, he calmed down.

nIt was like the storm in Nick’s mind had moved to the back.

nSo, these were not emotions…

nAnd yet, the storm of emotions was still there.

nIt was just in the back of Nick’s mind.

nIt had not completely vanished.

nThey were just very dulled.

nThe storm of emotions in the background calmed down a little as Nick realized

nsomething.

n“This is not a complete transformation, he thought.

n“This is not a complete takeover of my old Specter Core. My old Specter Core did not

ncompletely consume and annex my Zephyx Synchronizer.’

nNick focused on his own emotions.

nWere these emotions?

nThe more he focused on his emotions, the more distant and artificial they felt.

nWas he actually feeling what he was thinking he was feeling?

nHow could he tell whether or not his emotions were real?

nAs Nick asked himself these questions, he calmed down.

nIt was like the storm in Nick’s mind had moved to the back.

nSo, these were not emotions…

nAnd yet, the storm of emotions was still there.

nIt was just in the back of Nick’s mind.

nIt had not completely vanished.

nThey were just very dulled.

nThe storm of emotions in the background calmed down a little as Nick realized

nsomething.

n‘This is not a complete transformation, he thought.

n“This is not a complete takeover of my old Specter Core. My old Specter Core did not

ncompletely consume and annex my Zephyx Synchronizer.’

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