Chapter 147: Passion and Pressure
Necks craned across the room as every human fought for a look. The noise alone scraped nerves raw, wet sounds that crawled under the skin. Once a few actually saw it, regret followed fast. Even Min's mouth twisted at the sight.
Cartilage popped. Tendons tore. Bone cracked slow and deliberate. From the mess, something new dragged itself free. It bit at its own flesh, shrieked, tail snapping, then tore the gore from its body. Steam rolled off it as it pulled in a deep breath.
[System // Notification]
[Broodling x1 // Spawned]
[Would User like to assign a name?]
[Yes/No]
Seo-jin dismissed the panel without answering. Naming could wait. He needed to see what he'd made.
The skin came out dark green, slick with fluid. Two horns curled back tight along the skull. Nothing in its build stood out. No obvious bulk. No clear tells. Then it lifted its head and opened its eyes.
"Me first!"
Panic lunged in without warning, scooping the newborn up and spinning him around like a stolen prize.
Pain stepped in immediately, fire dimming as he wrenched the broodling free. He turned the new one once, twice, then set him down hard.
"He's quiet. Say something."
A shove. No response.
Snare moved to Seo-jin's side and rapped his staff once against the ground.
"Enough."
The effect was instant. Panic froze. Pain backed off. Neither feared Snare, but both respected him. He saw angles they didn't.
Snare drew breath to speak.
The broodling beat him to it.
"What am I?"
Caught off guard, Seo-jin smiled wide.
'The first. Interesting.'
The first to ask a question as soon as he was born.
Bloodlight lifted off Seo-jin in slow coils as he stepped forward. The pressure alone drove every broodling back. Knees hit stone. Heads bowed.
"You are a broodling. Born of my flesh."
No flinch. No hiss. No instinctive snarl. The new one stayed upright, eyes steady, weighing the words instead of fearing them. After a beat, he spoke again.
"What is my purpose?"
Seo-jin's smile died.
"Pain. What is your purpose?"
Heat detonated. Flames surged as the firstborn's aura spiked.
"To burn the world."
Seo-jin turned.
"Panic. Your purpose?"
Eyes slid shut. Panic's body trembled, pleasure rippling through him as his head tipped back.
"To kill. To end. To spill them open. Make purpose from their shiny insides."
Seo-jin shifted again.
"And yours?"
Snare glanced at the newborn. Something in his chest tightened, as if the ground under his role shifted by a fraction. He answered without pause.
"To clear the path for the Broodfather. To lead the brood through every enemy until none remain."
Hex leaned forward, chest tight, waiting for his turn. It never came. Seo-jin's attention stayed on the new one. Hex felt disappointed. So did Widow. Bile only exhaled, relief plain.
"You will choose how you fulfill it, but the truth of it should already be there. Speak. What is your purpose?"
The newborn didn't rush. Thought moved behind his eyes. He took the time no other broodling ever had.
"My purpose is to serve the Broodfather. To earn my place among my brothers."
He dropped to one knee. Forehead touched the ground.
"I swear on my life I will not fail you."
Seo-jin's smile came back. This one hadn't failed him...yet.
"Stand. From this moment on, your name is Synapse."
[System // Notification]
[Name // Assigned]
[Broodling // Synapse]
[Broodling // Synapse]
[Classification // Demon Spawn]
[Subclass // Broodling (Imp)]
[Rank // F]
[Level 1]
[HP // 50/50]
[EXP // 0/202]
[Core Stats]
[STR // 6 // E]
[VIT // 5 // E]
[AGI // 7 // E]
[INT // 9 // E]
[AP // 0]
[NATURAL WEAPONS]
[Claw // F // Slashing Damage 7–9]
[Bite // E // Piercing/Crushing Damage 11-13]
[Tail // F // Blunt Damage 6–7]
[DETAILS]
[Appearance]
[Two brown horns arcing along from the side of the head // Standard body for a broodlings // Dark-green leathery skin // Large black eyes, thin-set jaw]
[Behavior]
[Quiet until commanded // Can act independently, but will always follow direct orders through the Brood Link // Shows heightened intelligence]
[Habitat]
[Artificially spawned from MC's flesh; no natural habitat]
[Notable Traits]
[Heat Resistance // A]
[Dark Vision // A]
[Wall Crawler // C]
[Stealth // B]
[Abilities]
[Feed (Passive)]
[Can consume any organic flesh to restore 2% HP // Not tied to soul integrity; functions even on spoiled or inert flesh]
[Brood Link (Passive)]
[Maintains a mental link with summoner and other Broodlings // Transmits basic emotions, location awareness within 50 meters // Can relay simple mental commands // Breaks if outside range or if the Broodling dies]
[Weaknesses]
[Fragile skeleton; blunt damage +25% bonus]
[No magical resistance]
[Passive without command]
[Note]
[Cannot evolve; limited to mutation or class development]
Bloodlight detonated out of the newborn. His spine arched as the name carved itself into him, eyes flaring as if something deep had been welded into place.
From the edge of the firelight, John watched with a sick pull in his gut. Without meaning to, he drifted closer to the flames the brood clustered around. They had grown. Not just larger, but heavier. The air pressed in, thick with rot, heat, and intent. The demon he had sworn himself to had climbed again. John hadn't moved an inch. Not in strength. Not in rank.
A hand clamped down on his shoulder and stopped him cold.
"Easy. You get too close, they might make you part of it."
Split-jaw's eyes stayed on John longer than needed. He knew that look. He'd worn it himself years ago. The itch under the skin. The envy. The hunger to be more. That urge ruined men faster than fear ever did.
"Sorry. Just… looking."
He stepped back, sweat slicking his neck despite the night air. Dropping down near the fire again, John laced his fingers together to keep them from shaking and stared into the coals like they might give him answers.
Min saw it. Seo-jin saw it. Neither cared. She rose and crossed the space in a few long strides, shoulder-checking Widow aside without slowing. The broodling snapped around, ready to bare teeth, then caught sight of who'd hit him. His snarl died. He wrinkled his nose instead and silently mouthed an insult as she passed.
She dropped down and fed another splinter of wood to the fire, sparks snapping up around her boots.
"How many of these fuckers can you make?"
The offhand way she said it made Synapse stiffen, already sorting faces, postures, threat and rank in the circle without being told.
Seo-jin shrugged.
"No idea. Haven't hit a ceiling yet."
Min clicked her tongue, spat into the flames, and let system light crawl over her knuckles.
"And their level cap?"
"Don't know that either."
She let out a low whistle and swept her gaze across the brood. The thought of a army of these broodlings sent a hot, restless pulse through her crotch.
"You're sending a few of 'em out, right? I'll come along, keep things from getting—"
"Not happening."
Seo-jin lowered himself beside her, system light blooming in his palm as both of them ended up with small wooden tankards.
She stomped once, the floor groaning under it, and slumped back with a scowl.
"I'm fuckin' bored! Nothing to break, nothing to fuck, and not even enough booze to make it bearable."
She drained her ale and tossed it into the fire. The complaint was already loading when she stopped cold, eyes narrowing.
"That one."
Her finger leveled at Pain.
"You sending him?"
Seo-jin squinted, the pause stretching just a beat too long.
"Nooo. Why?"
"None of your business."
She was already on her feet.
"Lend him to me."
Pain felt it before she reached him. A pressure. A promise. Something bad wearing a grin.
She stopped in front of him, leaning in as she called out behind her.
"You don't mind, right?"
His thoughts locked up, heat rushing through his chest. The answer fell out before he knew he'd decided.
"…Don't mind."
Shooting his father a look that screamed help, Pain suddenly found himself being dragged out of the room. A part of him fought. A part of him didn't. Since his last mutation, his newest organ had yet to be used. Plus seeing the jealousy on Panic's face made it all seem less scary.
Watching Min haul her prize into the shadows, Lynn felt something sour coil in her chest. Not envy of the hunt. Envy of the contact. Her fingers curled as she glanced at Seo-jin, a decision hardening behind her eyes.
"Broodfather? Is Pain going to be alright?"
The question came from Widow. Seo-jin had marked him as the curious one, always watching, always cataloging what changed.
"No. But he'll survive. Probably. Don't concern yourself with him."
He turned from the spectacle and cut straight to purpose.
"You two will escort Synapse on a hunt. You do not return until both of you gain a level, and Synapse advances at least five. Bile."
From the moment they'd gathered, Bile hadn't met his gaze. The shaking never stopped. When his name landed, it nearly dropped him.
"B-Broodfather!"
Snare caught Panic by the arm before he could move. Fear was rot, and rot drew violence. Since Bile's birth, part of Snare's routine had been keeping his elder brothers away from the runt. Not out of mercy—out of restraint. Snare himself wanted to end him. But his father had intent behind every act. Nothing he did was wasted. Nothing at all.
Clamping down on the urge to tear the broodling apart himself, Seo-jin let his voice drop into something cold and final.
"You've given me no reason to keep you alive. Fear is disease. You either burn it out tonight, or by dawn I throw you to the lessers. Cowards don't even deserve to feed my sons."
Whatever thin bond Widow and Hex still held with Bile snapped. They edged away without a word, leaving him alone. The broodling shook where he stood, twitching and wide-eyed, a cornered thing with nowhere left to hide.
"I—I obey your will, Broodfather."
That was all it took. No guidance. No mercy. He sent them out with nothing but orders. The three moved straight for the broken edge of the structure and began climbing down into the dark.
The jealousy in the broodlink from those remaining was potent, but this had to happen. Until now, the weaker ones had always leaned on stronger claws. Battles cushioned. Mistakes erased. Not tonight. Tonight they learned, or they died and fed something else.
There was value either way.
The ceiling shuddered as a deep, animal growl rolled through the floor above them, dust sifting down in lazy sheets.
Seo-jin turned toward the sound drifting from the direction Min had hauled his son, his mouth tightening.
[She might actually kill him. Might want to go save him.]
'I'm not stopping them. Fuuuck that.'
[Everyone grows eventually I guess. Brutal way to start though.]
'It'll harden him. Or it'll end him. Either way, it settles her down. Fair trade.'
At the sounds coming down from above, an itch started to crawl up his spine. He glanced toward Lynn, only to catch her already looking away.
A slow grin pulled at his mouth as he rose to his feet.
"Why not."
That night, as three broodlings stepped into their trial, two more endured one of their own. A test of strength. A test of restraint. A test of silence.
Watching from the edge, Snare, Panic, and Hex burned with envy...two staring downward, one painfully aware of himself.
They could only hope they would eventually grow one themselves.
----
Fear. Raw and animal. It flooded Bile's body until there was nothing else. Not fear of dying. Fear of failing him.
He'd known it since he crawled from flesh, and no amount of effort ever cut it out. The tremor stayed. His limbs betrayed him no matter how hard he clenched them.
There was only one time the shaking stopped. When his claws split bodies and his teeth worked through meat. When blood ran hot over his hands, his body listened again. Whole. Obedient.
He never said it aloud. There was no use. The outcome never changed. He wasn't a coward. Not truly. Charging into mobs in the Broodfather's name was all he wanted. Violence was the only place he felt right.
The fear came from somewhere else. From the thought of letting his father down. That single possibility, imagined or not, was enough to hollow him out.
Keeping low, the three moved through the ruined streets, their forms swallowed by shadow. No footsteps. No breath. Just the thud of Bile's heart hammering against his ribs.
Up ahead, Widow slid to a halt. Behind him, the new one—Synapse—was already crouched, nose down, reading the ground.
Bile tasted the air.
Meat.
Widow turned, yellow eyes burning.
"Smells soft. We hit first. You clean what's left."
The new one tilted his head, thinking. Then he straightened.
"Let me draw them. You two wait here. I'll pull them into an ambush."
Widow snarled and seized Synapse by a horn, jerking him close.
"I lead. You're too weak to—"
"They're in open ground. Fighting there invites interference. This spot gives cover. An ambush ends it faster than a frontal rush."
The shaking stopped.
Widow released him. Both stared at Synapse like he'd grown a second head.
Bile wiped sweat from his eye.
"He sounds like Snare."
Widow scratched at his side.
"Creepy."
Turning away to hide his contempt, Synapse kept his voice flat.
"Climb up. I'll bring them to you."
He dropped to all fours and vanished before either could answer.
They shared a look, then moved. Claws found purchase along the tilted face of a collapsed building. Bile edged toward the broken lip and peered down.
"Stupid newbie's gonna die. Then the Broodfather's gonna be pissed."
The fear burned out, replaced by heat. His gaze locked on the dark where Synapse had gone.
"He better not."
He forced his bloodlust down, but it pressed hard, eager to spill. Watching the shapes ahead, restraint felt impossible.
Bile didn't know what they were called. Didn't care. Anything that walked upright and wore cloth was dangerous.
Green skin didn't change that.