After conjuring the forest world within the illusion, Sinn swiftly ascended the stairs, arriving beside a small, young pureblood.
The creature's injuries were peculiar and alarming, with several gaping holes puncturing its lower and upper abdomen.
It appeared to be in considerable pain, occasionally letting out soft whimpers, clad in a tattered asylum jumpsuit that hinted at its tragic past.
Though blindfolded, Sinn could perceive the crystallized tears seeping from beneath the fabric, each droplet shimmering like a tiny, sorrowful gem.
Parts of its arms and legs were being consumed by strange, small black tendrils, writhing like sinister serpents. These gruesome injuries resisted healing due to a dire lack of nourishment, leaving the creature in a perpetual state of agony.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Sinn quickly departed to locate the scientist near the stairs.
At that moment, all the scientists were embroiled in a terrifying battle within the conjured world, their faces twisted in fear and desperation.
Upon reaching the scientist, Sinn acted with decisive swiftness, delivering a clean, precise cut across his neck, causing the body to collapse with a heavy thud.
In another fluid motion, Sinn plunged his hand into the scientist's chest, extracting and devouring the heart with a primal hunger. He then placed the lifeless body before the young pureblood, making careful incisions around the arms.
With meticulous precision, he positioned the severed limbs in front of the creature's mouth, allowing strips of blood to seep inside. Initially, it spat out the blood, but once its body recognized the vital nutrients, it began to consume eagerly, driven by an instinctual need for survival.
After Sinn had squeezed several limbs and organs by hand, the creature's wounds began to heal at an astonishing rate.
Black thorns erupted across its body, swiftly eliminating the parasitic worms as most of its energy was directed towards mending the abdominal holes.
Despite the healing of major injuries, Sinn took no chances. He carefully picked up the small pureblood figure, leaving the gun behind with plans to destroy it later.
He dashed to the central testing ground, surrounded by large test tubes filled with mysterious substances, gently placing the pureblood down before approaching the remaining humans.
With swift precision, he severed multiple limbs from two scientists and devoured the last heart he needed. As the final heart was consumed, Sinn experienced a profound transformation.
His body ached, and loud bells rang inside his head, echoing like a cacophony of ancient chimes. He collapsed to the floor, veins protruding as black blood oozed from his ears, eyes, and mouth, painting a macabre picture.
A disturbing scent accompanied the pouring black blood, a mix of decay and rebirth.
After what felt like an eternity, Sinn rose again. Examining his body, he discovered patches of skin growing on his lower back and abdomen, a testament to his newfound resilience. His strength seemed slightly enhanced, but the true revelation was his newfound ability to faintly sense and see the Dao of essence.
Dark blue particles floated harmoniously in the air, alongside light blue particles clinging to the atmosphere like ethereal fireflies. Sinn realized this must be the Mana humans spoke of, a mystical force that permeated the world.
His gaze shifted to the massive amount of mana emanating from the gun, forming a solar beam potent enough to melt mana-enforced steel or iron.
Understanding the danger, Sinn dismissed the idea of destroying the gun, knowing a misstep could obliterate the entire room.
He was neither an engineer nor a mech artist capable of constructing such machines. Instinctively, he approached the last human, swiftly ripping out the heart and consuming it with a sense of grim determination.
Only after consuming the heart did Sinn realize he had completed his task. To his utter shock, he felt a strange sensation enveloping his body.
Tiny amounts of essence swarmed around him as he heard a distant bell ringing, this time soothing rather than painful, like a gentle lullaby from another realm.
As the surreal experience concluded, Sinn's instincts screamed at him to move. He dodged to the left just in time to avoid a massive cold and hot beam that scorched the air where he had stood moments before.
Turning around, he saw a young girl with striking black hair and three-inch tiny antlers sprouting from her head, her eyes as dark as the abyss.
She wore a form of light mech armor that glinted ominously under the dim lights. Several other figures stood beside her, all exuding deep hostility towards Sinn.
Before Sinn could utter a word, the young woman wielding a short sword and sporting blond hair interjected with a voice brimming with emotion, "How hideous! Can't I just put it out of its misery, Luther?"
Another young man, presumably Luther, responded to her in a calm yet firm tone, "No, Rebecca. Our mission here is to rescue all the experimented pure bloods, like the last two we saved."
He quickly turned his attention to the woman with antlers, his expression growing more intense as he chastised her for her impulsive actions, "And Luna, please stop attacking everything that moves. You know how the Boss feels about unnecessary casualties."
As Luther's reprimand echoed through the air, Sinn's face twisted into a look of disdain, his features contorting in a grotesque display.
This did not go unnoticed; their argument came to an abrupt halt as they caught sight of Sinn's unsettling attempt to convey displeasure.
His distorted flesh and strained facial muscles emitted a peculiar sound, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
"Is it growling at us, Luther?" Rebecca asked, disbelief evident on her face. However, her expression quickly shifted to one of concern as Sinn vanished from sight.
"Where did it… go…" she began, but before she could finish her sentence, Sinn reappeared right in front of her in the blink of an eye, his presence both intimidating and enigmatic.
Rebecca's hand instinctively moved toward her short sword but halted abruptly as she heard him speak.
"Where's the exit?" he asked, his voice carrying an unexpected calmness amidst the tension.
Tsk!
Luna's face showed displeasure at having her attack ignored by Sinn, a reaction quite different from the others.
Rebecca's face twisted in horror as she stuttered, "It… can… talk…"
Sinn loomed over her, his height surpassing even Luther's.
Despite his unsettling appearance and the disturbing red eyes that seemed to glow ominously, he might have appeared as just another young man or a half-ling with horns protruding from his head.
"Well? Are you going to answer me?" His tone carried a hint of annoyance as he addressed Rebecca, who was visibly anxious.
"I…"
"I'll answer," another woman interjected, emerging from the shattered entrance. Her hair was a slightly longer version of a pixie cut, jet black and sleek, with eyes equally dark.
Nine-inch antlers jutted from her head, exuding a terrifying aura. The sword at her waist hinted at danger—it was clearly no ordinary weapon.
Sinn could only imagine it being an artifact or a highly skilled mech-type sword. The woman was no mystery to Sinn; she was Jenny, the one his brother Nel referred to as a mother.
Sinn was slightly taken aback by the antlers growing out of Jenny's head. After quickly scanning Nel's memories, he discovered that she would soon lose the antlers in two years due to an attack.
"Well, isn't it fine if I take you to the exit?" Jenny's face softened, but her tone remained firm.
Sinn's eyes dimmed as he responded swiftly to Jenny. "I'm fine with that, but first—" vanishing from his spot, he reappeared at the center of the test tubes, gently picking up the young pureblood with careful precision.
He then reappeared in front of the group, ready to leave.
Jenny's curiosity grew as she longed to ask countless questions about Sinn, but she stopped herself after seeing the blood and body parts scattered everywhere.
Turning her gaze to the young pureblood and surveying the bodies of the scientists, she quickly pieced together the whole story.
The broken door made it easy to understand what had transpired.
A sly smile appeared on Jenny's face as she began to see Sinn in a new light.
Quickly grabbing a cigarette, she started smoking and spoke only after taking a couple of inhales.
"Well, let's get going then."