“YEAAAH!!!” Luna shouted, startling Sunny.

“Jeez, what are you so excited about?”

She jumped on the and hugged him tightly.

“We did it, Master!”

“Yup! We were like shonen protagonists, only a lot cooler!”

“Yes! We! We killed her, Master! Weee!”

“Uh, yes. We. Nice job!”

“We went beyond our abilities, Master! We’ve used our combined strength to defeat a much larger enemy! We were so cool, I was about to piss myself!

“Uh… okay?”

“Bwahahah! I can barely control myself! Holy crap, I’m so excited! Hehehehe, ahahaha!”

“Aren’t you overreacting a bit?”

“Don’t you understand?! Master. we got all the experience for defeating the enemy! All of it!”

“Wait, that means…”

He checked his status.

[ Name: Sunny ]

[ Race: Core ]

[ Level: 10 (60/60) ]

[ HP: 1/1 ]

[ MP: 0/12 ]

[ Intelligence: 4 ]

[ Essence: 4 ]

[ Influence: 4 ]

Every one of his stats became more powerful. But this time it brought not just a boost of confidence. The world around him felt… different. His perception became more powerful.

Waves of energy, blowing as breeze through the sky, became visible. Plants and mushrooms coated themselves in a strong aura.

He could see energy. Not with his eyes, but with his soul. As if the invisible threads bound him and the world together.

And of course, there was another thing.

“I-I’m… I’m max level! That means I will evolve!”

“I did notice you look more handsome today, Master!”

“I’m literally a rock.”

“Huss now and check my stats!”

“Uh, alright…”

[ Name: Luna ]

[ Race: Insect ]

[ Subrace: Silk Moth ]

[ Level: 10 (45/45) ]

[ HP: 8/8 ]

[ Strength: 3 ]

[ Agility: 7 ]

[ Constitution: 3 ]

[ Intelligence: 4 ]

[ Boons: 'Soul-gifted' ]

The world fell silent. Sunny froze as if a bolt of lightning has struck him. And finally, after so much suffering, it was a good kind of lightning.

Even though she had no mouth, Sunny could feel Luna’s warm smile as she said:

“I will evolve, Master. I will survive.”

“L-Luna…” He muttered, which soon turned into sobbing. The gemstone flashed brightly as Sunny cried. Hearing this, Luna laughed, then fell on the gem and cried. It was quite an interesting sight, as neither one of them could actually shred tears.

Crack!

“Hah?” Sunny turned towards the noise, only to be met by a kick in the face. He would’ve flown away, but Luna caught him.

The spider attacked him. Though her body was beyond unrecognizable, somehow she was still alive. And by the way she moved, she was stronger than before.

“Oh.” She muttered. “I see how it is.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Sunny yelled.

Picking up a burning house between her beaks, the camel spider spun around violently. Luna grabbed Sunny and flew up to the sky, to which the spider threw it after them.

“Kahh!” Luna gasped as burning planks hit her.

Losing control over her wings, she crashed into the moss field. Sunny fell right next to her.

“L-Luna? Are you alright? Luna?!”

But he didn’t get an answer. The moth fell unconscious.

“God damn it!”

The spider was fast. Even though her limbs were completely broken, she crawled towards them like a hungry zombie.

“Y-You… Why can’t you just die?!”

“I’m dead. I don’t wish to live anymore. No. Not like this.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Blue aura grew around him as he gathered energy.

“My limbs. I don’t move them. No. It’s Lady Aeron. She revived me. Yes. To control my body. Yes.”

“What? That bitch is controlling you?”

The spider jumped at them, but Sunny blew her away with a burst of energy. Her body rolled across the field before crashing into one of the burning houses.

“Yes. I’m just witness. Slave.”

“Can’t you take back your body?”

“No. Impossible. I’m bound to her.”

The spider climbed out from under the ruins. Her corpse burned. Yet that didn’t hinder her in attacking again. She charged Sunny with the same speed as before.

“I’m slave. Yes. She made me. Yes. When I got soul.”

“Wait, but… your stats said you were born with one!”

“Maybe.” She stormed Sunny, but he blew her away again. “I was spider. Just spider. Yes. Then she came. She gave me intelligence. Language. Thoughts. Yes. I became conscious.”

“But… Isn’t that a good thing? To know and think?”

“It’s torture. I’m in pain.”

Again and again, she attacked Sunny. And every single time, he blew her away with a burst of energy. But every explosion was a bit weaker than the last.

“Core. Weak attacks. Why?”

“I’m… I don’t know…”

“Attack stronger. Yes. Quickly. I feel her. She’s coming.”

“Lady Aeron?”

“She wants swap. Switch bodies. Teleport.”

“W-What? But how?”

“I’m bound. By soul. Yes. So she teleports. Without permission. She can.”

“Shit, that’s bad… if she appears now, I won’t be able to protect Luna!”

The spider’s remaining limbs trembling, she crawled towards Sunny. Her soul didn’t want to. It was Lady Aeron. She wanted to get close before teleporting. If she manages to get close enough, Sunny won’t have any time to defend himself once she’s here.

In that desperate moment when all the stars seemed to have fallen from the sky, something unexpected happened. Something Sunny didn't know was possible.

“Heh... Heheh!” The spider laughed louder and louder. “Hehehe!”

“Tsh, crazy bug! Do you enjoy my suffering?“

“I’m thankful. To have met you. Sunny.”

“Ha?”

“Really. You gave me a chance. To free myself. From that monster. Yes.”

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Thank you.”

Her body shook violently. Blood spurted out of her wounds and her exoskeleton cracked. Still, even in such a weak state, she managed to regain some control. Not over her entire body. Just her head.

But that was enough.

The pain of this world disappeared for those last moments of serenity. She looked up at the sky.

“W-What are you doing?”

A brief moment of silence. To honor the dead? No. But to honor the birth of something beautiful

To honor the birth of freedom.

“Lady Aeron. Ability. Teleportation.”

“What are you—“

“Swap bodies. With followers. Anytime. Anywhere.”

Her corpse stopped.

“Enemies. Far away. No swap. But close. Yes. Very close. Swap.”

Her twitching became more violent, opening more wounds on her body.

“W-Why are you telling me this?!”

“Defeat. Don’t know. Weakness. Shield.”

“Hey! Answer me! Why are you...”

Chitin cracked and joints popped. Her legs broke into hundreds of pieces. Her mandibles turned and twisted until they fell off. From the look of it, it must’ve been hell. Yet she ignored the pain. She pushed through.

“Shield. Magic shield. Energy shield. Yes. Energy. She can’t teleport. Yes. Her base. Other island. Yes. Under the—“

A single loud snap.

Her entire body broke. All her remaining blood shot out as her body suddenly squeezed like a wet towel.

She was dead. Finally, forever.

As her corpse hit the ground, red energy flew out of her wounds. The teleportation was canceled. Lady Aeron had no one to swap places with.

The remaining sight made Sunny nauseous. Just moments ago, he wished the worst for the spider. But after witnessing her courage, he felt… troubled.

The flames lingered on for a while. The villagers watched from a distance as their homes burnt. They waited until the fire died and only ash remained.