An intense pain surged from deep within Jaxon's body, expanding outward like wildfire. It was as if every nerve, every muscle fiber, was being unraveled and rewoven at once.
He clenched his jaw, refusing to scream. He had to stay conscious. He couldn't afford to pass out now.
Just a few steps away, Xuanwo Yunnai stood helplessly, arms trembling at her sides. She desperately wanted to help, but she had no idea what was happening—much less how to stop it. Her fingers twitched, lips quivering as tears rolled silently down her cheeks.
She bit her lip so hard it nearly bled, forcing herself not to cry out.
What happened to him? Why was he suddenly in such agony?
Half an hour passed in torturous silence, the barrier she had cast still holding firm around them. Then, all at once, a faint red glow began to seep from Jaxon's skin.
No—not his skin—his very blood seemed to exude the light, forming a mist-like aura that shimmered and swirled around his body like crimson vapor.
It was terrifying… and mesmerizing.
---
Morning.
The sun had not yet risen fully. Gentle rays of light peeked over the distant horizon, casting the world in a quiet silver hue. The room was bathed in pale morning mist, the air still and heavy.
Jaxon, slumped over the sofa, looked as if he had endured an entire lifetime of torment. His eyes were tightly shut, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead.
But then—
He exhaled.
A long, steady breath that seemed to carry with it the weight of the pain, exhaustion, and transformation he had undergone. With it, his body relaxed visibly.
Rather than looking drained, however, he appeared... rejuvenated.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
His once jet-black irises now shimmered with a faint azure glow, like a deep ocean reflecting the sky. His black hair had become sleeker and glossier, as if freshly oiled and combed. His skin? Smooth, blemish-free, and radiant like polished porcelain.
He looked like he had been reborn.
"Are you… are you okay?" Yunnai's voice was soft, hesitant. She looked at him with a mixture of worry and awe, her cheeks tinged with pink.
Jaxon turned his head to her, then smiled faintly. "I'm fine," he said, his voice filled with disbelief and joy. "Actually… I feel amazing. Better than I've ever felt in my life."
He raised his hand and studied it closely.
Long, elegant fingers. Smooth, flawless skin. Even his fingernails had become translucent and crystal-like.
This body… it's changed. Completely.
He turned his hands over and over, marveling at himself as if he were a piece of living artwork. It felt surreal. But it was real. All of it.
Then, out of nowhere, Jaxon suddenly burst into laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
Yunnai jumped, startled, taking a quick step back. "W-What's wrong?! Did something go wrong with the transmission?!"
But Jaxon, still grinning, noticed something.
His smile froze.
He looked down.
And instantly—
His heart stopped.
Somehow, sometime during the transformation, all of his clothes had vanished. He was standing completely naked in front of Yunnai!
"W-Wait! I—this isn't—!" he stammered, trying to cover himself, but the damage was done.
Yunnai's face turned a deep crimson—her eyes widened, and she immediately spun around, waving her arms like crazy as if trying to clear her vision. "I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING!" she shouted, clearly lying.
Fumbling for her chakra, she quickly performed a release seal. "Barrier—release!"
The invisible chakra bubble around the room shattered like glass.
And without giving Jaxon another glance, Yunnai practically sprinted out the door like she was escaping from an S-rank threat, slamming it behind her.
Inside, Jaxon groaned.
Not because of pain.
But because of utter, soul-crushing embarrassment.
Still, even standing there in his birthday suit, Jaxon couldn't stop grinning. He walked to the center of the room, arms spread wide, turning in place as he tested the sensation of his new body.
He felt incredible.
Just last night, he was a powerless, chakra-less outsider. No special bloodline. No Kekkei Genkai. Not even the potential to become a Genin.
But now? Now he was something else.
"Who would've thought… I'd actually gain real power in this world?" he whispered, half in awe, half laughing.
Of course, priorities came back quickly.
He immediately checked below the belt. His "brother" was still there.
He nodded solemnly.
"Good. All systems intact."
With that settled, he turned his thoughts back to what truly mattered.
The source of this transformation—the world he had connected to—was the world of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
More importantly, the system had granted him 5% of the power of Rimuru Tempest.
Only 5%.
But even so—Rimuru at 5% was still a monster.
Then, as if on cue, the voice of the System Spirit echoed in his mind:
> "Fusion complete."
"Successfully integrated the power of the Slime World."
"Current mastery level: 5%."
"You now possess:
— Fire immunity
— Ice immunity
— Passive regeneration
— Enhanced sensory perception
— Super speed
— Swordsmanship
— Intimidation
— Basic slime body structure (locked)
— Limited shapeshift (locked)
— Parallel processing (unavailable)"
The voice paused, and then added:
> "Note: World system bugs such as 'Predator' and 'Great Sage' are not part of this replication."
Jaxon rubbed his chin.
"No devouring? No Great Sage AI? Tch… I guess I'm not totally broken yet."
Still, fire and ice immunity, super regeneration, super speed, and enhanced senses?
That was already pushing him into top-tier Ninja territory.
And this was just the beginning.
Even if he only had a portion of Rimuru's strength, that was enough to crush Jonin-level threats with ease—at least in the early stages.
Excited, he clenched his fists.
A wave of power surged from within, spreading through his arms and into his fingertips. It was warm, potent, and stable.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
For a moment, he considered testing his regeneration—maybe cut his palm and watch it heal instantly—but there weren't any sharp objects nearby.
Maybe later.
Jaxon smiled and muttered under his breath, "I guess now… I'm no longer just an outsider."
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