"You guys sure can eat. Aren't you afraid of bursting your stomachs?"
Kenmei Isayama helplessly picked up several round-bellied Tyranid larvae from the bleached bones. They were truly gluttonous.
Their mouthparts were efficient enough to lick even the meat scraps from the bone crevices clean. Skin, flesh, blood—not a single drop was wasted. In the end, they were even gnawing on the bones, trying to suck out the marrow.
Even the most skilled flaying master couldn't compare to these newborns. They were the most efficient devouring machines; the speed of bleeding from a large laceration couldn't keep up with the speed at which the larvae consumed.
Watching the satiated Ripper Swarm larvae, Kenmei was reminded of mosquitoes full of blood. Their bellies were so round. Sensing the wave of delight radiating from them, he couldn't help but smile.
Originally, he conservatively estimated that a quarter—25%—of the body would remain. Who would have thought only 5% was left? Aside from the head and everything above the shoulders, everything below was gone.
Crack.
With a crisp sound of bone fracturing, Kenmei snapped the spine with his bare hands and removed the ribs, leaving only the head connected to the spinal column.
Because snapping the bone released the scent of fresh marrow and blood, the stuffed little ones became frenzied again. Their tiny bodies and wriggling legs rolled around restlessly.
"No! You can't chew this."
Kenmei firmly refused them. Seeing there was nothing left to eat, the little guys instantly wilted, making hissing sounds.
Indeed, the most terrifying thing about the Tyranids, besides their overwhelming numbers, was their insatiable appetite. They had just enjoyed a feast upon birth, yet seeing the exposed marrow, they still wanted more.
Thanks to his time as a feeder, he had summarized some parenting experience.
The most important lesson: these little things would eat Kenmei into bankruptcy. He had to strictly control the population.
The remaining bones were given to the adult Ripper Swarms with amazing bite force to use as chew toys. Not even bone dust would remain.
Was it a bit cruel?
Kenmei never considered himself a good person, but he wasn't a bad one either.
If someone offends me, I will repay it a hundredfold!
The only pity was that Nakamura didn't have any relatives. Otherwise, treating them to a "Hannibal's Feast" would have been an option. In the end, he could only feed the bugs.
Kenmei tossed the "round object" in his hand into the air and caught it by the "handle"—though it was hard to believe.
"Actually, this guy is still alive!"
The execution scene earlier was too horrific to watch, but Kenmei hadn't blinked once.
Nakamura was weak; he fainted before even a tenth of the process was done.
Kenmei had said he would repay the pain his sister suffered a thousand times over.
Nakamura thought losing his body was the end? Kenmei still had ways to punish him.
Holding the "handle" (spine) and looking at the bloodshot eyes rolled back in the head, Kenmei showed an expression like a child finding a fun toy and walked toward his workshop. (Big head, thin spine—it looked like he was holding a lollipop.)
After some time, the modification of Nakamura was complete.
Kenmei didn't stop. His body was covered in green energy—the WAAAGH! Field constructed by consuming Mana.
In front of him was a steel rebar, the very one the idol Cursed Spirit had held.
Kenmei had taken a liking to it instantly. This rebar had been with the Cursed Spirit for who knew how long, absorbing Cursed Energy until it was on the verge of becoming a Cursed Tool.
It was the perfect material for crafting a shoota, so he brought it home along with the spirit.
Perhaps the Orks' scavenging habits were influencing Kenmei, but he really liked this piece of rebar.
Next, he just needed to place the cut rebar and other materials together. After seeing the prompt [Deducting 500 Mana], the materials inside the WAAAGH! Field would automatically transform into the shape Kenmei envisioned in his mind.
[Spirit of the Mekboy] was smarter than he imagined, completely freeing his hands.
"AHHHH!!!"
Just then, Kenmei's train of thought was shattered by an extremely wretched male scream.
"You damn monsters! Don't eat me!"
It seemed Nakamura had woken up and was making a fuss.
"Shut up. Stop screaming."
What's there to scream about? Kenmei grabbed a piece of scrap metal and swung it, smashing it heavily onto Nakamura's skull.
Ding!
The impact on Nakamura's head didn't produce the dull thud of hitting flesh, but the crisp, melodious clang of metal on metal.
This strike completely woke the terrified Nakamura, whose mind had gone blank. His last memory was of ten terrifying larvae crunch-crunching away at his body.
No one could remain indifferent to that pain and horror. Nakamura's will had collapsed the moment he saw his own bare leg bones.
"Poor" Nakamura had never suffered such torture. Kenmei had even injected him with a drug that amplified his five senses. Adding that to the existing pain meant 2x2—four times the agony.
Kenmei thoughtfully used psychic energy to protect Nakamura's mind, ensuring he didn't become an idiot or lose his sanity from the pain.
It was terrifying just thinking about it. If he could cry, Nakamura would have been bawling already.
But for some reason, he couldn't cry. And his current state was strange; he had lost connection with all his organs and couldn't move.
All this suffering was brought upon him by the smiling boy in front of him.
He truly regretted everything now. If he had known this kid was such a psycho, why did he ever mess with him?
"Fck, I was wrong! I deserve to die!"
"Can you just kill me? Scum like me doesn't deserve to live!"
Nakamura just wanted to die. He wanted release.
(O_o) For real?
Kenmei was dismissive internally but kept a hair-raisingly gentle smile on his face.
"Maybe you'll like your new body."
He pushed a mirror in front of Nakamura. The fake, tearful confession of being scum finally stopped.
"! What the did you do to me?!"
Nakamura was dumbfounded. He had turned into a bare skull covered in metal components, with a spine still attached below, hanging on a rack.
One thing was certain: he had thoroughly bid farewell to his identity as a human.
""
"Noisy."
Kenmei frowned and muted the guy.
He hadn't done much. Just stripped away all of Nakamura's remaining flesh and replaced it with metal protectors, surgical implants, and enhanced optical sensors.
In the Imperium, this was a popular item called a "Servo-Skull."
It was said that only the most devout Imperial citizens could become one. Nakamura really didn't know what was good for him.
Kenmei placed his hand on the cold skull. Now that the guy was awake, he could query his memories.
What exactly happened back then?