Two weeks have passed since the incident in the forest.
In that time, things became… interesting.
Rumors about a killer clown began spreading throughout the city and the county.
At first, they were just exaggerated stories.
Then, real concern.
The police held a press conference about the missing girls' case.
They confirmed that the bodies had been found.
It was a cult obsessed with human skin.
However, the direct perpetrators could not be arrested.
They were all dead.
Presumably at the hands of the so-called "killer clown."
---
Vivian missed school during those two weeks.
She had been attending sessions with a psychiatrist.
She still had nightmares.
Madeleine was also in therapy.
The trauma bonded them.
Surviving something like that together… made them inseparable.
But deep down, Vivian felt something strange.
Interest.
Curiosity.
Toward the clown.
She didn't understand why.
During one of the conversations between her mother and the psychologist, she heard another name.
Ana.
Another case.
Another girl who had been saved by the same clown before something worse could happen.
If he hadn't appeared…
Ana would have ended up like those girls — dead and without skin.
Vivian trembled just thinking about it.
---
Chloe learned the details when she overheard her father — the chief of police — discussing the case.
If the kidnappers hadn't been stopped…
She and Madison might have been next.
Her father was furious.
He immediately imposed a curfew on her.
Madison's parents did the same, even hiring additional security.
During those two weeks, there were reports of "clown sightings."
But nothing significant.
Nothing deadly.
For now.
---
Ryan, meanwhile, had maintained a calm friendship with Madison and Chloe.
He hadn't gone out at night.
There were no threats to eliminate.
And the most unsettling part…
The clown hadn't called.
That worried him.
Although a part of him felt strangely relieved.
---
Now Ryan stood in a solitary forest.
In front of him lay the corpses of the Skinless leader and the female Skinless.
It was time to test the sacrifice.
He pointed his hand toward the leader's body.
The corpse began to disintegrate into red particles that floated toward him.
They entered his body.
Something exploded inside him.
Waves of magical energy burst out uncontrollably.
The ground trembled.
Leaves shook violently.
After a while… everything calmed down.
Ryan opened his eyes.
And let out a laugh.
"Hahahaha…"
His power had grown more than he expected.
His body changed slightly.
Defined abs.
Greater muscle density.
His face remained average.
But his presence… was different.
He looked at the female Skinless corpse.
His eyes gleamed with greed.
"Blood magic… now that interests me. The skin thing… no thanks. I'm not separating from mine."
He pointed again.
This time, black and red particles — with a faint hint of purple — emerged from the corpse and rushed into him.
The impact was brutal.
If the previous one had been a wave…
This was a tsunami.
A crater formed beneath his feet.
Ryan screamed, clenching his teeth.
He forced himself to stabilize the energy.
He didn't know how much time passed.
When he finally calmed down, he was panting.
Sweat ran down his forehead.
He stood still.
Looking at the sky.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"Damn… this is incredible. Is this what leveling up feels like?"
He teleported to his room.
He went straight to the bathroom.
In front of the mirror, he examined his eyes.
Black.
With red irises.
He didn't know what ability they possessed.
He pulled a knife from his storage space and made a small cut on his finger.
Blood began to flow.
Not much.
But enough.
Ryan extended his hand.
The blood stopped midair.
Then it moved at his command.
It formed a small needle.
Then returned to his finger.
The wound sealed.
Ryan began to laugh.
"New powers… this is amazing."
The phone rang.
Ryan already knew who it was.
Even so, he was surprised.
Two weeks of silence.
He answered.
"Ryan, my boy. How are you?"
Silence.
"I just saw that you gained new powers. Congratulations."
Ryan clenched his jaw.
"What do you want?"
"Tell me… now that you've 'leveled up'… do you think you can face more powerful supernatural entities?"
Ryan remained silent.
"Perfect. It's good that you don't know. It doesn't matter what you want."
A soft laugh.
"By the way… smile when I call you."
The call ended.
Ryan exhaled slowly.
"Damn lunatic…"
He looked at his reflection.
More powerful entities.
His smile faded.
"I'll think about it later."