Chapter 38: Reclaiming the Body

In that harrowing moment, as a result of this fierce resistance, the mark of sacrifice carved on Elliot’s neck responded, discharging a numbingly magical wave that coursed through the limbs once more, paralyzing its movement and leaving it lying completely helpless. The possessing soul, watching astonishment envelop the place alongside that strange magic manifesting before its eyes, simply could not believe its eyes!

It did not know the nature of this magnificent entity that had whispered into its mind and commanded it to resist, nor how it managed to form that wondrous magical portal, yet from the deepest point of its heart, it harbored all gratitude and thanks toward him!

Meanwhile, the din of the roaring crash onto the table—the heavy collision with the wood and its total shattering—was enough to echo across the entire wing, audible to every guard and servant waiting outside. Yet none of them dared to burst into the room or object; for everyone assumed it was a wild, heated night that had reached the point of smashing furniture and breaking bones, without the true terror unfolding within those walls ever crossing their minds!

Michael’s body suffered massive, severe damage from the impact with the ceramic cups, the sharp knife, and the splintered wood, until merely standing up became a near-impossible, futile battle for him.

Suddenly, the System’s luminous screen popped up to scream in extreme agitation:

[You must finish this matter immediately! Hurry up and get up!.. Distance yourself more than five meters from her body before the magic sends you to the ceiling again!]

However, the System’s advice came far too late! Elliot had anticipated him, exploiting the last drop in his magic reserve to open another transport portal directly beneath him. The portal dragged Michael’s agonizing body, casting him down once more from the highest point of the ceiling toward the floor, crashing with even greater force and multiplied pain!

"Oh!.. Aaaargh!.."

The soul screamed in silent agony, its limbs and bones thrashing and suffering immensely from this hideous, repeated fall.

In the internal, dark world, Elliot felt utter exhaustion; he had consumed all his remaining magical energy on these two portals, meaning he would not be able to execute that move again.

He possessed no additional option and had no idea how to act if this scoundrel pulled himself together and renewed his assault to violate him.

Nothing crossed Elliot’s mind in this decisive instant save for one single matter that bore no delay: he had to begin reclaiming his body completely right now, returning immediately to his original male form to teach this scoundrel a lesson he would never forget!

Yet time was insufficient; for the soul residing in Michael’s body pushed through its injuries, struggling from the floor and stumbling to stand with boundless rage and hatred!

The System’s text appeared in the air, egging him on maliciously:

[Now!.. Go and attack immediately! It seems he has completely lost his magical capability and exhausted his energy.. his winning cards are finished!]

The soul possessing Michael did not understand what entity the Guide was referring to in its alert; it did not pause to think or analyze, for all that occupied its vengeful mind was exacting revenge for its violated dignity. He rose from the floor, ignoring his pain, heading with all the brutality he possessed toward the numbed body resting on the bed.

The sudden fall and the magical portals had caused a complete collapse of his defenses and psychological composure, generating a single, brutal motive within him: he had to teach this woman a lesson she would never forget, striking her harshly so she would never dare resist or think of touching him again!

The scoundrel reached the bed and fiercely dragged Elliot’s hybrid, androgenic body by its feet, sweeping it forcefully to crash onto the floor! Yet the impact did not harm the head; for the sudden movement dragged the heavy blanket along, serving as a protective cushion that absorbed the shock away from the head.

The soul possessing Michael did not settle for this much, but raised Elliot’s body off the floor savagely, throwing it far away with all the strength it could muster to discharge its charge of vengeance and malice:

"You whore!.. I do not know what trick you pulled, but this is the least of what you deserve!"

In those decisive moments, deep within the furthest recesses of the internal consciousness..

Elliot’s voice was screaming with firm resonance throughout the soul’s mind:

{Give me full control!.. I can save us all from this nightmare.. abandon resistance and rest now!}

The soul did not know how things would unfold, but when it felt a strange, powerful will attempting to submerge its consciousness and grasp the reins of the body, it understood immediately what it had to do; it decided of its own free will not to resist that magical energy permeating its entity, surrendering to it entirely.

The moment it ceased resisting his will, the magical pathways that had been shut in his face opened wide before Elliot.

In the real world, the eyes of Elliot’s body closed completely.

When the soul possessing Michael saw the closure of Elliot’s eyelids and his stillness, it let out a mocking laugh dripping with contempt:

"Heh!.. Are you trying to feign death now? Keep dreaming!"

He stepped forward to lift the body once more and throw it again to complete his revenge, and at that exact instant, the body’s limbs quivered violently and its muscles shuddered, but the possessing soul paid no mind to this trembling, dismissing it as mere death throes.

Suddenly.. the System’s screen screamed in frantic text:

[Leave her quickly!.. Get away from her now!]

At the precise moment the soul’s attention was recklessly distracted, Elliot’s hand moved with lightning speed! Elliot aimed a decisive strike with two extended fingers toward Michael’s face, driving them with maximum force directly into the eyes!

Before the mark of sacrifice on the neck could throb and discharge its numbing payload to paralyze him, Elliot’s free will had already assumed complete control!

The soul possessing Michael recoiled backward in terror, clutching his face violently, screaming from the agony of the sudden strike that had nearly blinded him.

When he opened his eyes with difficulty to discern what was happening before him, his face turned pale and the blood froze in his veins!

That slender, androgenic body was dissolving and lifting off the ground; frailness was replaced by the emergence of toned muscles, the stature lengthened and solidified, and the soft hair receded to reveal a sharp, square jaw and dominant, strict masculine features!

The hybrid body vanished entirely, and Elliot reclaimed his solid, complete male form in all its power!

Elliot cracked his neck right and left, making its vertebrae roll with a booming sound, then popped his knuckles forcefully and raised his eyes—blazing with sparks—toward the stunned soul, gesturing to him with his fingers to step closer:

"Alright, hero.. how about we fight man to man now?"