Chapter 252: Katolin Transformed

Ned felt the fatigue boring his very veins like the razor-sharp spikes of the Kruthiks. And as if it wasn't enough, the pressure on his head tingling like it wanted to burst out.

Ned tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were heavy as a rock. Instead, he focused on his senses. His ears caught dripping water, then splashing, then ripples.

Aside from the deep underwater current, the surface of the lake was calm.

So why the splash? And ripples? Ned thought.

Then, after he lifted a finger, he heard a voice.

"Ned!"

Wasn't soft but swift. Wasn't sweet but piercing. Wasn't boring but pleasant. Her voice was like a dagger in the hand of a careful assassin.

"W-who… "

Ned opened his eyes. His face was stern but wasn't paling anymore. Although lacking in energy, his mana was gradually increasing due to the thick mana surrounding him. It helped to keep him in a steady state.

Ned could barely hear the footsteps approaching him. It was as if her every footstep were counted in a very careful manner.

And then, what he saw next was something he shouldn't be allowed to look at.

It was a womanlike figure.

Under the light of the crystals, her skin shimmered like yellow sand. But purer, and soft.

Ned stared at the figure kneeling beside him.

"Ned?" She spoke. The movements of her lips were precise like that of a string from a bow.

Ned could barely recognize her. Long and braided golden hair that was tucked between her ears. Her eyes were piercing gold boring at Ned with complete familiarity.

"Y-you… " Ned responded. "Ka… " he could barely move his lips along with his body. "Katolin?"

She nodded. Her eyes were twinkling like those of a cat wanting and waiting to be patted by her master. If only Ned could afford to pat her. His arms were frozen like meat.

She got the purest, and softest body Ned had seen so far. Beautiful was a disgrace to describe her. Id people stared at her, they would be in awe of her goddess-like curves.

"You're… " Ned pulled his eyes away from Katolin. "Naked."

"Why?"

"... " What why? Ned thought. His brows furrowed. So, she lived. Ned smiled after the thought. But still, naked...?

"Does it bother you, Ned?"

"No. But having a cover was a custom. Let's… keep the custom that way."

Ned wasn't sure how to explain to her how she was naked and needed to be covered.

"Tell me if you don't like me being naked. Oh~wait." Katolin said she got a tone that of a sharp violin. "I don't have anything to cover myself."

Ned's thought reached for the cloak inside his spatial inventory. The black-to-black cloak fitted her well, but since she was taller than Ned by inches, some parts below were still visible.

"You don't look alright, Ned? Do I being like this bothers you?"

Saying those words, she even stood and turned around like a dancer presenting herself to Ned.

Without Silk Road, I'm practically naked, Ned thought after he wondered if he should give her the Silk Road. Ned broke his sight from Katolin. She was taller by inches before her transformation.

She was more human now than a beast. Ned shook his head while rubbing his temple as his curious eyes still darted Katolin in front of her. If only the cloak was longer. Ned wouldn't be tempted to at least throw a peek.

Ned sighed.

So this was the result. He thought. Of my blood bonding with a humanoid beast. Now, to test her memory.

"Kamma," Ned whispered.

Hearing Ned's word. Katolin hid her joyful smile and stared at Ned.

"I know."

"How much you know?"

"Up until now."

"Like what? Does it hurt? The memory? Was it too much?"

She slumped on the ground then she covered her eyes with her hands. Her shoulder shuddered then she cried.

"A-at," she said. "At first the memories were painful. I don't know how to say it. But your memory was combining inside my head. Too much that I have forgotten most of my memory. But they're coming back slowly. So, Ned? Kamma? And Calahir? They're long gone."

Ned nodded. He was being reserved talking about someone about the people and friends he once had. Changing the topic to break the ice, Ned asked, "So, you're a human now."

Katolin smiled then wiped the tears running down her eyes and cheeks.

"So-so," she said with a playful smile. "Is that how you say it? So-so?"

Ned nodded with a smile. No hiding in front of Katolin. She got his memories, so why hide?

"What do you mean by so-so?"

"Well," she said, scratching her pinkish cheeks. "This is my human form… "

She blushed.

What? Ned thought. "Are you shy?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you liked me in my beast form. I'm naked in my beast form. So… I'm not sure if you should be seeing it."

Wait...what? Ned thought, taken aback. You were half-naked now in human form, and you weren't why? Also, before the transformation, she's naked, so why now?

Ned coughed. The difference in thinking must be different since she was a humanoid beast.

"Show me," Ned said with a stern face. Trying to hide his confused face.

Suddenly, the thorns under her jaws appeared. Her skin then loosened and stiffened then turned to a thicker exoskeleton scale. Behind her, under the cloak, between her shoulder blades, her skin cut open and limbs, stronger, thicker, and golden revolted from her back.

Then the limbs helped her stood in front of Ned. She towered Ned for almost ten feet. He had to look up to observe her. She looked like a human caught in a spider's web with the spider hugging her from behind.

Wow, Ned said. Amused.

Her exoskeleton covered her body like armor. Hiding both her upper and lower region. But for some reason, her face was still blushing with redness.

Are you seeing this? Ned thought to ICE.

[Of course.]

She responded. A hint of jealousy in her voice was too faint for Ned to notice.

[This is evolution.]

[And another reason we need to keep you a secret.]

Well, Ned thought. By we, it means the three of us now.