The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

"Yes," the young man replied, his voice filled with a hint of uncertainty. The atmosphere in the tavern shifted as the girls' expressions turned serious, their gazes intensifying. Without hesitation, one of them began to chant a spell, drawing upon the ambient natural energy that permeated the air. It swirled around her lips, gathering with an otherworldly intensity.

As she opened her eyes, a sense of purpose gleamed within them, and she leaned forward, pressing her lips against the young man's. A faint sound, akin to a delicate munch, escaped their connection. Suddenly, the young man jolted awake, his body convulsing as he coughed violently.

His eyes bulged with a mixture of shock and a poisoned affliction, his once vibrant complexion turning an alarming shade of blue.

He stared at the two girls standing before him, bewildered and struggling to comprehend the sudden change in his condition. Before he could utter a word, one of the girls swiftly lifted him up, her strength surprising him. As his gaze shifted downward, he felt the soft sensation of her left hand cradling his, briefly calming his racing thoughts.

But the calmness was fleeting, for a strange sensation began to swell within his body, causing him to writhe in discomfort.

Clutching his stomach and releasing intermittent burps, he glanced up at the girl carrying him, a mixture of confusion and embarrassment dancing in his eyes. Unfazed by his gaze, the girl continued to walk steadily toward the far end of the bar table. Pausing momentarily, she exchanged a knowing glance with the bartender, who nodded in silent approval, granting her passage.

Unbeknownst to the young man, had he turned his attention to the stares from the bartender and the other girls, he might have been inclined to flee immediately. The sight that would have greeted him was far from the innocent facade he imagined. The girl's once-human back had undergone a grotesque transformation, now adorned with small scales that extended from her neck down to her buttocks.

A reptilian tail had emerged from her lower back, piercing through her delicate clothing.

Her eyes, once filled with warmth, now held a slitted, yellowed gaze, while her iris and sclera darkened, consuming her gaze until it resembled the abyss of a cold-blooded creature. Oblivious to this transformation, the young man's view was obstructed by the sudden appearance of two imposing mounds that pressed against his face, an unintentional consequence of their close proximity.

As he felt the softness and warmth against his face, a fragrant aroma enveloped him, further fueling his daydream-like state. Meanwhile, the burly man ventured deeper into the tavern, his steps carrying him toward a room with an invitingly open door, revealing a pentagram inscribed on the floor's center.

Stepping inside, he positioned himself in the heart of the pentagram, his gaze fixated upon its intricate markings.

Without hesitation, he retrieved a gleaming dagger from his possession, its blade glinting ominously in the dim light. With a resolute determination, he sliced through the layers of his skin, allowing a droplet of blood to fall upon the pentagram just beneath his feet.

The impact of the crimson droplet caused the outer circle of the pentagram to emit a soft bluish glow, synchronizing with the surge of natural energy that enveloped the burly man.

Observing the unfolding spectacle, the burly man remained eerily composed, his eyes fixated on the bizarre transformation taking place. The once-gathered natural energy around his body morphed into a swarm of ravenous piranha-like entities, viciously nipping at his exposed flesh, exposing his inner layers. The bites inflicted upon his skin caused additional splatters of blood to escape his body.

In a matter of minutes, he stood before them as a skinless human, his raw, fleshy form revealed from head to toe.

Strangely, the burly man displayed neither pain nor fear, but rather a curious fascination. He calmly observed the beads of energy, suspended in the air, entwined with the remnants of his skin. The energy droplets, initially resembling small spheres, began to undulate and grow in size, taking on elongated shapes with tooth-like protrusions.

However, they maintained a translucent, ethereal appearance without any physical substance.

"Humans' skin is indeed fragile," the burly man remarked, a wicked grin spreading across his face. Dismissing any trepidation, he extended his hand, reaching out to touch the peculiar energy formations. To his surprise, the energy made no attempt to repel him. Instead, it gradually drew closer, eventually latching onto his hand and, in a surprising turn of events, bit into his flesh.

Other energies followed suit, enveloping his entire body.

From an outside perspective, it appeared as though the burly man had become host to an array of enormous leeches, their energy tails writhing in every direction. With his skinless state, the leech-like entities sank their teeth deep into his exposed flesh, causing blood to flow, despite their lack of physical form.

"Ah... how amusing," the burly man chuckled, his laughter portraying a peculiar enjoyment of his torment. Amidst his laughter, one of the energy leeches ventured into his open mouth.

A gulp resounded as the burly man ingested the entity. "Ah, delicious," he proclaimed, his skinless lips glistening as he savored the peculiar taste. Instantaneously, all the leech-like entities that had been latched onto his body ceased their biting, abruptly retracting and penetrating deep into his flesh.

This sudden turn of events startled the burly man, causing him to lower his head in bewilderment.

Simultaneously, the pentagram's concentric circles radiated a deep, ominous black light. The darkness expanded relentlessly, engulfing the entirety of the burly man's form until he was completely enveloped.

In the meantime, the bartender, engrossed in wiping down the counter, and the girls who had attended to the young man, were jolted by a resounding thud emanating from the depths of the tavern. A tinge of panic gripped them, their gazes fixated on the room ahead, beads of cold sweat trickling down their foreheads.

As the darkness gradually receded, the burly man's eyes fluttered open, revealing his surroundings to be the very room he had occupied before, the pentagram still etched beneath his feet. From the front, a chilling voice pierced the air, prompting him to lift his gaze.

Before him stood a woman dressed provocatively, wielding a weapon that resembled a broomstick, albeit with a thin, razor-sharp blade in place of bristles.

"State your business," she commanded, her tone devoid of warmth. He hesitantly raised his head, studying her face, and then ventured to ask, "It's me, don't you know me?" His words carried a touch of uncertainty, tinged with playful charm.

Upon entering the room, the burly man had discovered that not only was his pain eradicated, but even his torn and consumed skin had miraculously regenerated. However, his newfound respite was short-lived as the woman swiftly executed a single slash with each blade adorning her weapon.

With a sickening "plop," one of the blades found its mark, piercing his eye. Others lodged themselves in his chest, arms, and inflicted scratches across his torso. The burly man's previous composure shattered, his body suddenly expanding in size, muscles bulging with unrestrained fury. His once-calm countenance contorted into a visage of anger and bloodlust.

His mouth elongated, taking on a beak-like shape reminiscent of a bird of prey. In a startling transformation, his hands erupted with additional flesh, extending outward and unfurling into a pair of formidable wings. A thunderous roar erupted from his throat, shattering the eardrums of all within the confines of the room, including the woman who instinctively recoiled, taking a step back.