CHAPTER 91: GUT KICKER

Inside the illusion.

Alex lay stretched out. Arms behind head. Eyes closed.

Humming.

Soul Elder stood over him. Trembling.

"GET UP!"

Screamed.

Raised his hand. Dark energy formed. Mental blade.

Slashed down.

WHOOSH.

Hit Alex’s chest.

Nothing.

Alex yawned.

"Mm... five more minutes..."

Soul Elder’s eye twitched.

Again.

SLASH SLASH SLASH.

Dozens of cuts. All mental attacks. Direct to the mind.

Should shred consciousness. Should destroy willpower. Should break the soul.

Alex scratched his stomach.

"That tickles."

Settled deeper.

"Keep going."

Soul Elder stumbled back.

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Breathing hard.

"This is a MENTAL DUEL!"

Pointed at his head.

"Pure consciousness!" "No physical body!" "No defense!"

His hands shaking.

"You should be SCREAMING!"

Alex cracked one eye open.

"Should I?"

Closed it again.

"Nah."

Soul Elder formed a spear. Massive. Pulsing with dark energy.

Threw it.

WHOOOM.

Pierced Alex’s forehead.

Soul Elder grinned.

"FINALLY—"

Alex sat up. Spear still stuck in his head.

Pulled it out.

"Huh."

Looked at it.

"This yours?"

Tossed it back.

Laid down again.

Soul Elder caught it. Stared.

"How..."

His voice breaking.

"How are you—"

Looked at his hands.

Flickering. Transparent.

"No..."

His power draining.

Fifteen minutes in the duel.

Energy bleeding away.

Alex stretched.

"Man, this nap is great."

Patted the ground.

"Solid eight out of ten." "Would recommend."

Soul Elder fell to his knees.

"This can’t be happening..."

Tried another attack.

Weaker. Barely formed.

Dissolved before reaching Alex.

"I’m... I’m Soul Elder..."

Voice cracking.

"I’ve killed FORTY-SEVEN—"

Alex’s snore interrupted.

Loud. Obnoxious.

Soul Elder’s face crumbled.

"Please..."

Desperate now.

"Just... just die..."

Alex’s snore interrupted.

Loud. Obnoxious.

Soul Elder’s face crumbled.

"Please..."

Desperate now.

"Just... just die..."

His form flickering. Nearly transparent.

Then—

His eyes widened.

"Wait..."

Reached into himself. Into the absorbed souls.

Found one.

Recent. Fresh. Still screaming.

JB.

Soul Elder grabbed it.

"YES!"

Pulled the soul in. Consumed it.

WHOOOOOM.

Energy flooded back.

His body reformed. Shifted.

Face changing. Hair darkening. Features morphing.

Became JB.

The cultist editor.

Soul Elder—now JB—stood.

Laughed.

"HAHAHA!"

Voice mixed. Both of them.

"I SURVIVED!"

Flexed his hands.

"New body!" "New power!"

But something else came with it.

JB’s memories. His hatred. His desires.

Soul Elder’s grin widened.

Twisted.

"Oh yes..."

Looked at Alex.

"You think you’ve won?"

Walking closer.

"I know EVERYTHING now."

JB’s memories flooding.

"That pretty woman." "Lilian, right?"

Licked his lips.

"Such a delicate thing."

"Perfect skin." "Soft voice."

"I remember wanting her."

Laugh growing darker.

"When I get out of here—" "And I WILL—"

Leaned down.

"I’ll finish what I started."

Eyes gleaming.

"Drag her into a room." "Lock the door." "Take my time."

"Make her scream." "Make her BEG."

"Then kill her." "Slowly."

His smile vicious.

"But not before I—"

Described it. Detailed. Revolting.

Alex’s eye twitched.

Soul Elder—JB—continued.

"And that traitor Michael!"

Spat.

"Him and his pregnant whore!"

Laughing.

"I’ll gut him in front of her!" "Make her watch!"

"Then I’ll—"

More threats. More graphic details.

"Rip the baby out myself!"

"End their whole bloodline!"

Pacing now. Energized by hatred.

"Every beautiful person!" "Every happy couple!" "Every SMILING FACE!"

Voice rising.

"I’ll RUIN them!"

"Defile them!"

"DESTROY THEM!"

"Because I HATE—"

Alex opened his eyes.

[CHOICE APPEARS]

[Option 1: Keep Sleeping] [Wait for energy depletion] [Reward: Vine Control Lv3]

[Option 2: Kill Him Quickly] [End it efficiently] [Reward: All Slime Stats +10%]

[Option 3: Torture Him To Death] [Make him suffer] [Reward: Mysterious Treasure Map, Fertility +30%]

Alex stared at the options.

Option 1.

Keep sleeping?

He scoffed internally.

Too passive.Just lying there like a turtle.Waiting for him to die?

Looked at the reward.

Vine Control Lv3.

Not worth it.

This bastard threatened Lilian.Threatened Flora and Michael.Threatened to kill a baby.

And I just... sleep?

Pathetic.

Option 1 dismissed.

Option 2.

Kill him quickly.

All Slime Stats +10%.

His eyes lingered.

That’s actually solid.

10% across the board.Defense, size, everything.

Clean.Efficient.

But—

He looked at Soul Elder—JB.

Still grinning. Still confident.

Remembered the words.

"I’ll drag her into a room...""Rip the baby out myself...""Ruin every beautiful person..."

His jaw tightened.

Quick death?

For THIS?

No.

Not enough.

Option 2 rejected.

Option 3.

Torture him to death.

His eyes lit up.

Mysterious Treasure Map.

Treasure map...

Could be anything.Rare items?New skills?Hidden dungeons?

His smile grew.

And then—

Fertility +30%.

YES.

THAT’S what I’m talking about!

His grin widened.

If I’m gonna date multiple girls—Lilian, Rose, Raven...and absolutely more!

This stat needs to be MAXED.

Can’t have any... performance issues.

Nodded to himself.

Gotta keep everyone happy.

Gotta have the stamina.

He looked at Soul Elder—JB again.

Back at Option 3.

Plus...

This piece of trash DESERVES it.

Threatened the people I care about.

Made Lilian cry.

Tried to kill an unborn baby.

Decision made.

JB is still ranting.

"I’ll show her—"

Alex sat up.

Slow.

Soul Elder—JB stopped.

"Oh?"

Grinned.

"Finally awake?"

Alex looked at him.

Silent.

Face blank.

Then clicked Option 3.

[SELECTED: TORTURE HIM TO DEATH]

Alex stood.

Cracked his knuckles.

"Huh."

Paused.

Soul Elder—JB laughed.

"What are you going to—"

Alex’s fist moved.

CRACK.

Straight to the groin.

Full force.

Soul Elder—JB’s eyes bulged.

Voice cut off.

High-pitched wheeze.

Collapsed.

Hands clutching.

"AHHHHH—"

Alex grabbed his wrist.

Twisted.

SNAP.

Arm bent wrong.

"STOP! PLEASE—"

Another punch.

Same spot.

WHAM.

Soul Elder—JB convulsed.

Rolling.

Trying to crawl away.

Alex stepped on his back.

Pressed down.

"Huh?"

Grabbed the broken arm.

Pulled.

Soul Elder—JB shrieked.

"I’M SORRY!"

"I’M SORRY!"

Tears streaming.

"I DIDN’T MEAN IT!"

Alex yanked harder.

CRACK CRACK.

Shoulder dislocated.

Let go.

Soul Elder—JB sobbed.

Face in the dirt.

"Please... please stop..."

Alex circled him.

Kicked his ribs.

THUD.

Body flipped over.

"Huh?"

Another kick.

CRACK.

Rib broke.

Soul Elder—JB coughing.

Blood on his lips.

"I... I won’t—"

Alex stomped.

On the same spot.

Again.

WHAM.

Another stomp.

CRUNCH.

More ribs.

Soul Elder—JB couldn’t breathe.

Gasping.

Choking.

"Can’t... breathe..."

Alex grabbed his hair.

Lifted his head.

Slammed it down.

THUNK.

Nose shattered.

Blood pooling.

Soul Elder—JB whimpering.

"Kill me..."

Voice broken.

"Just... kill me..."

Alex tilted his head.

"Huh?"

Grabbed his hand.

Bent the fingers back.

SNAP SNAP SNAP.

One by one.

Soul Elder—JB screaming.

Thrashing.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!"

"I’LL DO ANYTHING!"

Alex let go.

Stood up.

Walked around him.

Soul Elder—JB curled up.

Broken.

Bleeding.

Sobbing.

"Please... I beg you..."

"I’ll leave them alone..."

"I’ll disappear..."

"Just... please..."

Alex looked down.

Soul Elder—JB nodded frantically.

"Yes! Yes!"

"I’m done!"

"I swear!"

Alex raised his foot.

Soul Elder—JB’s eyes widened.

"Wait—"

STOMP.

Right on the groin again.

CRUNCH.

The scream echoed.

Raw.

Primal.

Soul Elder—JB convulsing.

Eyes rolling back.

Foam at the mouth.

Alex wiped his hands.

Watched him twitch.

Suffering.

Dying.

Slowly.

The illusion began to crack.

Light breaking through.

Soul Elder—JB’s form dissolving.

Still screaming.

Still crying.

Until—

Nothing.

Gone.

Alex stretched.

[TORTURE COMPLETE]

[REWARD OBTAINED: Mysterious Treasure Map]

[REWARD OBTAINED: Fertility +30%]

[TORTURE COMPLETE]

[REWARD OBTAINED: Mysterious Treasure Map]

[REWARD OBTAINED: Fertility +30%]

A scroll materialized.

Appeared in Alex’s hand.

Ancient parchment. Yellowed edges. Intricate markings.

He unrolled it.

Map revealed.

Detailed terrain. Mountains sketched. Rivers marked.

Center showed peaks.

Alex grinned.

"Nice."

Rolled it up.

Tucked it away.

Then—

Warmth.

Spreading through his body.

Started low.

Rising.

Energy flowing.

And bigger,stronger, harder than ever!