Episode 38: Kin
Episode 38: Kin
"This is the place. Spacious and nice, right? It's a shame it's outside Seoul, but our guild covers fuel expenses too. Make sure to get your driver's license when you get the chance."
As Isia had said, the house was spacious and comfortable.
The only downside was that it wasn't located in Seoul,
but considering I was receiving support, that barely counted as a drawback.
"Yes. Thank you, unnie."
Seol-hwa replied casually.
During the car ride, they'd agreed to call each other sisters.
"Your first workday is in two weeks. See you then."
Isia disappeared.
"Hmm. I'll look around the house a bit."
I detached from Seol-hwa's body.
Planning to inspect the house alone.
First, I opened the basement door.
The basement was a vast space of about 1,650 square feet.
The thick walls between the basement and first floor ensured no voices would leak through.
I returned to Seol-hwa's side.
No other areas needed inspection besides the basement.
Seol-hwa was engrossed in shopping.
A house.
Things she'd wanted but couldn't buy due to space constraints.
Items too inconvenient for a studio apartment could now be purchased freely.
I understood that feeling well.
What I'd wanted most while hopping between studios was a real home of my own.
Things too precious to buy for a rented space.
Items too bulky for cramped quarters that she could now buy to her heart's content.
She must be bubbling with excitement beyond control.
"Seol-hwa. Add this one too."
I enjoyed shopping with her. Though unfulfilled in my human days, I could now live this dream.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Seol-hwa stood up.
Checking the intercom, she saw the South American ability user from the interview standing at the door.
Buzz.
[Ah, she was looking for you so I gave her your address. Please treat her well when she arrives.]
Isia's belated text arrived.
She said the guild leader had requested it.
Letting her in was the right choice.
"Test her once."
But I wanted to confirm if my suspicions were correct.
"What brings you here?"
"Haha. Pretending you don't know? I came to talk as Kin. Open the door."
The expected had arrived.
I instinctively knew my prediction was right.
"Open up."
"Living in a house provided by the guild isn't the best choice. But since you've already chosen, nothing can be done. Follow me. I hate talking in places like this."
The South American ability user left the house.
Her Korean was fluent.
But her speech felt awkward.
As if reciting lines someone else had fed her.
"Let's follow."
We had to follow.
I made Seol-hwa trail behind her.
"Get in. I know a safehouse. We'll talk there."
The car door opened.
Not a trap. Seol-hwa and I held no value worth luring in to kill.
The car departed.
We arrived at a hotel in Seoul.
A famous global chain with worldwide locations.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Arondra. But... this person?"
The manager greeted us.
A beautiful woman with delicate features.
"My recommendation."
"Ah... understood. We'll issue her membership card immediately."
"I'll explain the details later - urgent matters to discuss now."
The manager approached Seol-hwa.
Arondra took the keycard and pulled Seol-hwa along.
We boarded the elevator.
She pressed the top floor button.
The hotel room door opened.
She straddled the bed.
The South American ability user removed her clothes.
A slug-like monster clung to her golden-brown skin.
"A hotel run by Kin. Remember this if you ever go overseas."
The monster spoke. Like me, it communicated through mental projection.
"Hello. Show your true form too, won't you?"
"Sorry, first time meeting Kin. Caught me off guard."
I extruded tentacles.
This was my first encounter with another Kin.
I wondered if she too had transformed from human to monster like me.
"Never expected to find Kin in this country. Not once have I met Kin here before."
"Ah... really? Do you know when our Kin first appeared in this world?"
"Obviously after the Gate Incident, right?"
I fished for information while testing reactions.
Perhaps because this was a conversation between Kin, the slug answered without hesitation.
Some of it proved useful to me.
"Oh, then how does brainwashing work?"
"Hmm? Eat humans. Devour a few brains and you'll instinctively know how. Haven't eaten humans yet, I see? Well, hard to hunt freely in a well-policed country like this."
Brainwashing.
The exact ability I needed now.
Invaluable for erasing witnesses' memories or training subjects.
'Should I eat her?'
She already possessed the brainwashing ability.
Devouring her would let me acquire it.
'No. First integrate into their society. Can always eat them later.'
I reconsidered.
These creatures had already established their place in society unlike doppelgangers.
Exploiting them would be more beneficial.
"Good. Since I've shared information, time to pay up? Hand over your pet. You wouldn't want to surrender your core assets, right? Pets can always be replaced later."
"Eeek! Understood."
The South American ability user removed her bra.
D-cup breasts swayed heavily.
Two slugs clung to her chest.
Offspring. The slug attached to her nipple squirmed incessantly.
"When you sufficiently enhance your current abilities, you'll need to acquire new pets for further enhancements. Don't tell me you've grown attached? Occasionally we get such fools."
The slug projected some mental command.
Slugs hidden beneath clothes began crawling up her body.
Head, neck, shoulders, breasts, stomach.
Slugs covered every visible area.
Mucus identical to mine oozed from their skin.
Likely Weakness Slime. Several times more potent than mine.
"Hiiik!"
Arondra moaned with every slug movement.
Her lower lips must be thoroughly drenched beneath.
"Wait... gaining abilities? How?"
One part of her statement confused me.
"Gaining abilities." Without detailed explanation, I couldn't tell if she meant my Predatory Ability.
"Huh? You really know nothing? By eating Kin, of course. Don't worry - trading yields more than random devouring."
Relief washed over me at the slug's words.
If this ability were default among Kin, Earth would already be theirs.
"Well? Accepting my offer? As said earlier, I don't mind borrowing your pet. If it defeated Isia, my Swordsmanship Ability could advance further."
"No. I refuse."
No way. I wouldn't hand Seol-hwa to another monster.
Though the slug's mental voice felt oddly feminine, my answer remained no.
"Instead, I'll give you my offspring. Eat it or not - your choice."
But payment was necessary.
I decided to offer a Swordsmanship Factor enhanced to +2.
"Ah... really? Didn't expect that choice... Fine. Proceed."
Most Kin couldn't freely insert/extract traits like me.
They passed their existing traits directly to offspring.
"Eat my offspring" literally meant taking all my core assets.
But I possessed Predatory Ability.
I could arbitrarily select traits to implant in offspring.
'Average Physique, Exceptional Stamina, Elastic Muscles...'
Giving only Swordsmanship Factor would raise suspicion.
I compiled useless traits.
This combination shouldn't arouse doubts.
"Ready. But... may I use your pet?"
Arondra was a classic South American beauty.
The slug showed no particular affection toward her.
A chance to taste another beauty.
"Fine. Go ahead. Today's her ovulation period anyway."
The slugs crawled up to form a crown-like shape on her head.
I detached from Seol-hwa's body.
Creating massive tentacles, I approached her.
"Wh-what? N-no... too big... I'll die... spare me..."
She panicked.
Clutching the slug, begging for mercy.
"Sorry. My fault for spoiling her. Lately she's been acting high and mighty without training my pet properly."
"At least... lower the sensitivity..."
"You think you can make requests? Unacceptable. Needs punishment."
The slug remained merciless.
Instantly dismissing her pleas.
"I'll increase sensitivity instead."
Granting the opposite of her request.
"Eeek! Stop! No! Scared!"
Arondra completely terrified now.
I grabbed her legs. Ripped her black stockings.
Pulled aside her soaked panties. Her love juice-drenched pussy exposed.
Licked her pussy.
"Hiiik!"
A gasping moan escaped.
[Weakness Slime level increased.]
Simultaneously, skill level rose.
I opened my Status Window. Weakness Slime had jumped three levels.
The slug's mucus contained incredible Weakness components.
More licking might increase it further.
Slurp.
Another lick.
Unfortunately, levels stopped rising.
This method had limits.
I gripped her trembling legs.
Whether from the slug's command or fear, she only trembled without resisting.
I tested the enhanced Weakness Slime.
Applied mucus to her skin.
Twitch.
Her body shuddered. Tremors intensified with more application.
The body the slug developed reacted to my Weakness Slime.
"Nn...ahhh...no...not like this..."
Weakness Slime effects overlapped with brainwashing.
Even I couldn't predict what would happen when tentacles entered now.
"Shall we begin?"
Weakness applied. Time for the main event.
I formed ridges on my tentacles.
A Hunter's body could withstand this without dying.
"Hiiik! Hiiik! Hiiik!"
Her breathing grew ragged.
As tension eased, I thrust the tentacle inside.