As soon as Kai put on the earring, a surge of energy from it engulfed him.
[Checking the vessel...]
[Eligible. You are now officially a vessel for a god. You should feel honored, vessel.]
Before Tyler could attack, he was sent flying by an invisible force.
"UAGHHH!!!"
Kai's eyes started watering as an unbearable itch and pain spread through them.
When he opened them, his pupils had turned serpent-like.
Tyler charged forward and swung his sword.
Kai's eyes flicked to the side, instantly analyzing every movement Tyler made.
With a smooth motion, he dodged, and the sword struck the ground just a centimeter from him.
Then, he kicked Tyler's legs, knocking him to the ground.
"Too slow..."
From Kai's perspective, everything was moving in slow motion.
That was good—it meant he could see every one of Tyler's sluggish movements and counter them easily.
But the downside?
"IT ITCHES SO MUCH!!!!!!!"
Kai clutched his eyes, rolling on the ground, desperate to rub them but too scared to damage them.
How the hell was he supposed to turn this thing off?!
Tyler got back up and launched a kick at Kai.
Forcing his eyes open, Kai barely saw the incoming attack and dodged to the side.
But the itch was unbearable—tears blurred his vision.
"Fuck! I can't see shit!!"
Desperate, he rubbed his eyes.
It only made things worse.
Tyler didn't waste time. He slashed straight across Kai's chest.
Blood sprayed—except he wasn't bleeding.
The wound sizzled, then healed instantly.
What the fuck? An Attack on Titan reference or what?
Kai stared in disbelief at his rapidly vanishing wound—until a new wave of pain spread through his body.
"???"
Oh, fuck—was this the price for regeneration? It hurt as bad as a leg cramp!
Why did this earring feel less like a power-up and more like pure suffering?!
Tyler watched as Kai writhed in agony, then prepared to finish him off.
He swung his sword down—Kai saw it coming.
He raised his revolver just in time.
CLANG!
The sword shattered into pieces.
"???"
What kind of gun was this tough?!
Kai didn't waste time—he smashed the gun into Tyler's face, then pummeled his stomach.
But it barely fazed Tyler.
With a single slap, Kai was sent flying, a tooth knocked loose.
The pain from regeneration flared up again, making him even more frustrated.
"Stay calm, stay calm... I can't go all out on him. That thing's just a monster using his body."
Kai struggled to his feet—only for Tyler to rush at him.
A brutal kick slammed into Kai's chest, launching him into the air.
"AGHHH?!"
Tyler yanked his sword from the wall, using such force that the entire house collapsed. A chunk of rubble got stuck on the blade.
Then, he swung it at Kai, slamming him into the wall.
Two waves of excruciating pain surged through Kai's body.
And it was not fun.
"...You think you can fuck with me?"
Just a damn slime, controlling someone else's body, using their strength to fight.
It had to be weak and cowardly, right?
Alright then.
Let's see how long it can play with him.
Kai got up. The steam rising from his body disappeared.
Tyler locked eyes with him, then charged.
Stab!
The sword plunged straight into Kai's heart.
"Stuck."
It wouldn't budge.
Tyler struggled to pull it out—his eyes met Kai's.
"Old tricks always work."
Kai slammed his forehead into Tyler's.
Then drove his fist into his gut.
"A MONSTER LIKE YOU—ALWAYS RELYING ON OTHERS, HUH?! YOU THINK I'M SCARED?! YOU THINK I WON'T FIGHT SOMEONE I KNOW?!"
He yanked the sword from his own chest and slashed Tyler's shoulder.
The attack didn't even make him bleed.
But Tyler's eyes trembled.
Tyler lunged forward, but this time, Kai didn't dodge.
Kai took Tyler's punch straight to the face.
A loud CRACK! echoed, but Kai remained standing.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with fury.
Kai roared and swung down. His blade sliced through the air, plunging straight into Tyler's shoulder.
The slime flinched. It hadn't expected Kai to attack so recklessly, without hesitation, without fear of pain.
Kai yanked his sword out. No blood spilled, but the wound darkened.
He charged forward again, striking relentlessly.
With every hit, pain seared through his body like fire, but his eyes only grew wilder.
The slime hesitated. It made Tyler step back, but Kai didn't give it time to think.
He swung again, this time aiming for Tyler's armpit—a weak spot most wouldn't notice.
CRACK!
The blade snapped in half the moment it made contact.
Kai stared at the broken sword in his hand.
The slime felt relief.
Too bad it was wrong.
"I'VE STILL GOT MY FISTS!!"
Without hesitation, Kai put all his strength into a punch.
SMACK!
The hit was so powerful that Tyler was sent flying backward.
Something slipped out from the back of his neck—a writhing, slimy black mass, squirming on the ground.
Kai didn't think.
He lifted his foot—
SQUELCH!
And stomped it into oblivion.
Beneath his boot, the slime burst apart, unable to let out even a single scream.
Kai panted, and smoke rose from his wounds.
Pain spread through his body, burning with every injury he'd taken.
"Great. Hurts like hell."
He collapsed, trying to endure it.
Eventually, the pain faded, replaced by exhaustion. He just wanted to sleep.
But before that, he picked up the revolver he had dropped and walked toward Tyler.
Then Tyler's eyes snapped open.
"…"
I thought he'd stay unconscious for longer.