Bai Ya exhaled, gently slipping off her cloak as the power of the Essence gradually settled. At some point, the rain had stopped, though the sky remained overcast.

"Little Ash, no more wandering off lately," Bai Ya said, ruffling her own hair.

Silence answered her. She turned to find the gray cat had already slipped into the house, leaving only Yue Ge sitting frozen in place.

Honestly, she didn’t understand.

Any ordinary person witnessing this would’ve been terrified beyond reason. Essence didn’t flow among common folk. If it were that easily accessible, the Organization wouldn’t have valued her so highly. Or… was he simply paralyzed by shock?

"The rain stopped," Bai Ya stated simply.

Yue Ge didn’t hear. He couldn’t process what had just happened. The world felt slightly unhinged.

All he’d seen was Bai Ya snapping her fingers—and everything where she’d stood vanished. Literally. The ground, the raindrops, the black-clad man facing her—all swallowed in an instant by some unseen beast, leaving only Bai Ya behind.

Reality-shattering. Unimaginable. It had unfolded right before Yue Ge’s eyes.

"What… was that just now?" he murmured unconsciously.

"The power of Essence." Bai Ya mimed a finger snap, silent this time. A self-mocking smile flickered on her lips. "Or rather… the power of monsters."

It was the first time Yue Ge had seen any expression on her face.

"Monster power, huh." Yue Ge scratched his head, unsure how to react.

"Mm. Monster power." Bai Ya repeated it flatly. Boredom seemed to settle over her. She turned toward the house without another word.

Watching her retreating back, an impulse surged in Yue Ge. He stood abruptly. "Can I learn it?"

He realized then: those endless hospital days hadn’t dulled his restlessness. They’d ignited a hunger for this thrilling life. Never before had he burned so fiercely to *do* something.

This world was far more fascinating than he’d imagined. And the key to it lay right here—in Bai Ya’s hands. Not trying meant zero chance.

Bai Ya didn’t seem surprised. She tilted her head slightly back. "Do you want to become a monster too?"

"Yeah." Yue Ge nodded.

"Why?" Her voice dropped low as she studied him.

"Maybe… because it’d be interesting?" Yue Ge ventured uncertainly.

Bai Ya froze mid-step, words catching in her throat.

People despised monsters yet craved their power—even if it twisted them beyond recognition. Humans always chased strength for higher status. But… no one ever sought this path just for "fun." Becoming a monster demanded a price.

"I’m tired of the same dull life," Yue Ge continued. "I want to live brilliantly. More brilliantly than anyone. So that when I die someday… I’ll have no regrets."

"At any cost?" Bai Ya faced him fully for the first time.

"At any cost." Yue Ge grinned.

He craved more. Like a desert wanderer who doesn’t just want one tree but an entire oasis. He didn’t merely want to survive. If needed, he’d give everything—to leave even a trace of his existence. He stood at the threshold of another world. Having glimpsed what lay beyond, he’d never turn back.

"What a reckless reason." Bai Ya shook her head. Her gaze sharpened as if recalling something. "Even if it means death?"

For some reason, she sensed a possibility in him… *If it’s him, maybe there’s a chance.* Even failure would just add another case file—a footnote for that "failed product."

"Doesn’t matter." Yue Ge stepped toward her. "If I can… I’ll do anything."

"Understood." Bai Ya gave a slight nod and walked inside.

Yue Ge hesitated, then followed. The dim interior was messier than it appeared from outside—books, pillows, clothes scattered everywhere. Little Ash had curled up atop a cabinet. Otherwise, it was just an ordinary old house, the ceiling light casting a weak glow.

"Wait here."

Bai Ya disappeared into a room. Two minutes later, she emerged holding three or four test tubes of different colors. She handed Yue Ge the black one, then poured the others into a single tube.

Yue Ge didn’t know what the black liquid was, but he guessed. Just looking at it sent a bone-chilling aura through him. Strangely, it felt familiar.

"This is the last Essence I have left." Bai Ya’s expression tightened as she watched him hold the tube. "Essence is power extracted from monsters. But this one… it’s different from what’s circulating outside."

"How?" Yue Ge was a good listener.

"Humans name the most terrifying monsters ‘gods.’ This was stripped from a ‘god’—the highest-grade Essence. Yet all Essence exists to be absorbed. Otherwise, it’s meaningless. That’s why this became a ‘failed product.’" Bai Ya’s voice lowered.

No one knew this Essence better than her—she’d created it. She knew it was flawless. It was merely… rejected. By everyone. Even the Organization had abandoned this "failure."

Through countless experiments, she’d realized: people didn’t choose Essence. *This* Essence chose its master. Even with its vitality long dead, it still refused unworthy hosts. And because Bai Ya knew the condition… she believed Yue Ge might succeed.

"What happens if I fail?" Yue Ge stared at the tube, his mind suddenly calm.

"You die. That’s all." Bai Ya’s eyes dropped to the black liquid. "This is the Reaper’s Essence. No one can withstand it—not with sedatives, not with anything. Success requires its acceptance. And those who fear death… can never win it."

Yue Ge didn’t speak. He simply held out his hand.

Bai Ya placed the second tube in his palm, pressing her lips together. "You’ll drink it even after that? I won’t take responsibility if you die."

Yue Ge shrugged with a faint smile. "Which one first? Or both together?"

"You’re hopeless." Bai Ya sighed. Her hand hovered near her ear—the white cloak materialized around her. "Drink them together. I’ll be ready to reclaim the Essence."

"Mm." Yue Ge finally recognized that familiar aura.

The moment Bai Ya spoke the name, he’d sensed it—that nostalgic yet repulsive chill.

*Death whispered in his ear.*

Like a dying man feeling his end approach. The Reaper stepping closer. Raising its scythe.

That soul-freezing presence washed over him again.

His body trembled. His arm refused to lift. Instinct screamed *no*. For that single moment, the world froze. Bai Ya’s retreating motion slowed. Colors drained into silence. Only he remained.

The Reaper stood before him. Black robes. A massive scythe. The blue flames in its skull flickered. Its skeletal hand pressed down on the tube in Yue Ge’s grip.

"Again," it rasped. "Think you can get lucky again?"

"This time," Yue Ge met its hollow gaze and grinned, "I’ll win." He raised the tubes and downed them in one gulp.