The duo was still in the library, methodically scanning the books on the shelves one by one, searching for any title that bore the name "Malcavore" on the cover. So far, their search had been fruitless.


    The books they hade across so far covered topics such as basic techniques for high-graded Mutants, including the Advanced and Special Grades. There were also volumes detailing the fundamental characteristics of different sses of mutants and other species like the Sycrax. Yet, despite the exhaustive search, none mentioned anything about Malcavore.


    After several hours of relentless searching, Angelica finally spotted a book on a different shelf. The book was sizable, with the word "Malcavore" boldly embossed on the hardcover in thick, ck lettering.


    "This is it. Finally." Angelica exhaled a heavy sigh of relief as she carefully pulled the book from the shelf and walked over to the table where Ss was waiting.


    They sat down together, cing the weighty book on the table. Without hesitation, they opened it and began reading.


    The first section of the book provided a detailed exnation of what a Malcavore truly was.


    A Malcavore wasn''t like any other mutant. In fact, it didn''t fall under any known ssification. It upied a category of its own.


    A Malcavore could only be created when a particr mutant infected another mutant orpleted the mating process with them. While most mutants were immune to infections from their kind, there were rare exceptions who weren''t.


    Once a mutant was infected, they no longer fit into their previous ssification, nor did they belong to the ssification of the mutant who infected them. Instead, they existed in a liminal space between the two—a unique state known as a Malcavore.


    As Angelica and Ss read on, puzzled expressions crept onto their faces.


    "I don''t understand. What the hell is this supposed to mean?" Ss muttered, his eyes glued to the page as he read the passage over and over.


    "It says here that a Malcavore can be born if a mutant gets infected or impregnated by another mutant. What does that mean? Vic isn''t a mutant." Angelica blurted, confusion evident in her voice.


    "How sure are you?" Ss asked, his voice low and serious. "He''s from the Hardcastle family—a powerful lineage. Why do you think everyone is afraid of them?" He paused, his gaze intense. "There has to be a reason."


    "So you''re saying the leader of the family, Vic''s father, is a full mutant?" Angelica asked, her tone tinged with disbelief.


    "That''s the only reasonable exnation right now," Ss replied. "The Hardcastles are intensely private. Maybe no one knows this secret, and they''ve chosen to live as if they''re human." His voice carried a hint of frustration.


    "But why keep it a secret? And why didn''t Vic tell us anything?" Angelica murmured, her brow furrowed in thought.


    "I have no idea," Ss admitted. "Maybe he swore an oath to his father or something. We can''t me him for that." He sighed. "Let''s keep reading and see if we can learn more."


    Angelica nodded, and they resumed their study.


    The book delved deeper into the nature of Malcavores, exining in vivid detail how they were born. It went on to describe their growth and evolution.


    The text revealed that during the transition stage, a Malcavore required human organs to survive. If they didn''t consume these organs, they would ultimately perish.


    This, the book exined, was one of the reasons Malcavores were so rare. If a Malcavore was born in a mutant realm that hadn''t yet been discovered by humans, there would be no avable human prey. Surrounded solely by other mutants, the Malcavore would starve and die.


    The book continued to borate on the hunger that gued Malcavores. During the transition stage, each use of their abilities drained their energy reserves, triggering an insatiable need for human organs.


    However, once the Malcavore evolved, they would no longer rely solely on humans. After this evolution, they would be able to consume mutant organs as well.


    Frustratingly, the text did not specify how long this evolution process took. It only hinted that the transition period varied—it could take months or even years.


    The evolution brought more than just a change in diet. After evolving, the Malcavore''s strength increased exponentially. Where a transitioning Malcavore''s power wasparable to that of a Grade 5 mutant, an evolved Malcavore rivaled even Advanced or Special Grades.


    The duo flipped through the pages, absorbing every word until they reached the final chapter. Silence fell over them as they processed the weighty information.


    After a few moments, Ss finally spoke.


    "So, he has to keep feeding until he evolves. And since we don''t know when that''ll happen, it could take months, even years. Just great."


    "Isn''t there a way for him to feed without killing people?" Angelica asked, her expression thoughtful.


    "You read the same thing I did, Angelica. He needs human organs to survive," Ss replied with resignation.


    "I know, but does that mean he has to kill people to get the organs?" she countered. "The Blood Market sells all kinds of things. I''m sure they sell human body parts and organs, too."


    "You might be onto something." Ss''s eyes lit up with hope as he turned on his smartwatch and began tapping the screen.


    He navigated to the Blood Market''s website and started scrolling through the items for sale. His eyes skimmed over various bizarre offerings, each apanied by their corresponding token prices.


    Ss scrolled through the site for several minutes, frustration mounting as he sifted through endless irrelevant listings. Finally, fed up, he clicked on the search bar and typed in what he was looking for.


    "Human heart."


    A few seconds after entering the search, several listings for human hearts appeared on the screen, each apanied by a price.


    "Well, what do you know?" Ss grinned, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he examined the hearts on disy. "I think we just found a solution to our problem."


    "But look at the price, Ss. A single heart is worth 500,000 tokens. That''s a lot." Angelica''s cheeks flushed with concern as she caught sight of the exorbitant cost.


    "Don''t worry about the price. I''ll handle the first purchase. After this, Vic can take care of the rest. He is from an affluent family, after all," Ss replied with a smirk, his fingers flying over the interface as he initiated the transaction.


    He transferred 500,000 tokens to the Blood Market''s ount. The payment screen shed green, confirming the transaction, and prompted Ss to fill in some personal information.


    The form required his full name, age, and a detailed location for the delivery. Ss didn''t hesitate. He knew the Blood Market was a ce where anonymity and discretion were guaranteed. In this shadowy corner ofmerce, anyone — even a five-year-old — could order illegal items without fear of judgment or inquiry.


    Once he submitted the details, a final message appeared on his wristwatch:


    [Transactionplete. Your package has been delivered to your dorm room.]


    "It''s done," Ss announced, his voice carrying a note of resolve. "Vic ran out of energy yesterday after all that regeneration. He must be starving. To prevent him from losing control, we need to feed him the heart."


    "Where is he now, though? I haven''t seen him since yesterday," Angelica asked, her brow furrowed with worry.


    Ss paused, his jaw tightening. He remembered the rooftop, that bleak conversation with Vic, the haunted look in his eyes. He had left Vic there, uncertain whether his friend would choose to jump or fight through the darkness.


    "He''s probably hanging out with the boys," Ss replied, his voice deliberately casual, concealing the grim possibility he feared. There was no need to burden Angelica with that thought.


    "I see. Alright then," Angelica said with a small nod, though her eyes lingered on Ss''s face, sensing there was more he wasn''t saying.


    The duo lingered in the library for several minutes, the weight of unspoken fears hanging between them. Finally, they exited the building and began their search for Vic. Ss instructed Angelica to wait on the rooftop while he retrieved the heart and continued looking for their friend.


    When Ss entered his dorm room, his eyes immediatelynded on a small box resting on his bed. He crossed the room quickly, heart pounding, and lifted the lid just enough to peer inside. The heart was there — dark, cold, and lifeless. It wasn''t soaked in blood; instead, it had been carefully preserved, the icy chill hinting at deep-freeze storage to keep it fresh.


    With a steadying breath, Ss closed the lid, picked up the box, and headed to the rooftop.


    As he stepped onto the rooftop, he froze for a moment. Angelica was there, her arms wrapped tightly around Vic. The relief and worry on her face were mirrored by Vic''s weary expression, his body trembling slightly from exhaustion.


    "I''ll leave you two alone," Ss said quietly, setting the box down a few inches away from them. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, his footsteps soft against the rooftop''s concrete.


    Ss descended the stairs swiftly, his mind buzzing with thoughts. When he reached his room, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, exhaling a long, shaky breath. The moment of respite was brief. His eyes narrowed with determination as he summoned the system interface.


    The holographic screen appeared before him, its familiar blue glow tinged with a foreboding intensity.


    [Are you sure you want to begin the evolution quest?]


    Two options blinked back at him:


    [Yes]


    [No]


    He hesitated for just a second, the weight of his critically low soul points gnawing at the edge of his resolve. But now that a solution for Vic''s problem was within reach, there was no point in dying his own path any longer.


    Ss clenched his jaw, his voice low and resolute.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Yes."


    The word slipped out like amand, final and unwavering. The screen shed brightly in response, the interface processing his choice.


    [Evolution quest epted.]


    A pulse of energy rippled through his body, and Ss braced himself for what was toe. Continue your adventure with empire


    """"


    A/N: Golden Tickets and Power Stones will be very much appreciated.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!