It had been a day since my escape from far east branch. In that short moment I learned many things about Rei, especially about his immortality.

He said that he was an ancient Aragami. His memories were stored in every single cell he had, even if he got killed as long as part of him remained he will remember everything when he reformed. Judging from his tone he still withheld some important information. He did confirm it but every time I asked he merely said 'not yet'. Stingy Rei.

There still two questions remain. How did Rei know about his own immortality? It was highly unlikely that he capable to do self-research. And how could he claim that he was thousands year old when Aragami started to appear merely 21 years ago?

When I asked about my new ability and diet he said that Aragami Core was the best food followed by other Aragami part, anything else could be considered as dessert. As for my ability he said that if I wanted to learn Oracle based attack I must sate my hunger first.

So here I'm, standing on a field somewhere between Far East Branch and Wailing Plains stalking my first prey, a herd of Ogretails. There was nothing special about this place. Most of the ground was covered by moss, and no interesting landmark except few ruins. Weather here was quite strange though. The wind blowing from a single direction, clouds above never dispersed and thick enough to block the sunrise, not to mention seemingly endless drizzle around me. Perhaps this had something to do with giant tornado in Wailing Plains?

'Hey Rei, are you sure about this? I mean charging headfirst into a group of four Ogretails.'

'Their puny little talon possess no threat for us. They can't even win one on one against newly born God Eater. You need to work on your confidence girl.' A hint of smugness mixed in his voice. It almost like he considers them merely as a pest.

'Rena... Rena Asari... That's my name.' In my entire journey I never gave him my name, where did my manners go?

'Fine, now go Rena.'

I started to sprint. The ground cracked as my pace steadily increasing. With a single leap I jumped forward. First Ogretail noticed my footsteps but it was too late for I'm right above it. As it turn its head I drive my fist down and smashed its back. Blood splattered across grounds with a satisfying crack. Soon a half destroyed body lies motionless on the floor.

'You are supposed to eat the core, not smash it to pieces idiot.' A grumble echoed within my head.

'What can I say, this is my first hunt. I don't expect that I can punch a hole in its torso with single strike.'

Another Ogretail leaped at me. I straightened my fingers and plunged it deep into its chest. My fingers touched something hard and the said Ogretail lies dead as soon as I tore it out. A blue spherical object half the size of my palm rest in my grasp. My hands... they were dyed in red, disgusting.

"Two down, two more to go," I muttered.

Two other Ogretail jumped at me from both flank. I took a step forward between them and placing each of my palm on their head. I shoved their head to the ground; the impact was strong enough to knock them out.

My fight had ended. I sat on the floor in front of one of the Ogretail carcass and ripping it apart.

'Hey Rei, is this okay with you? Well You know... Technically I'm eating your... kind.' How did he consider his less intelligent brethren?

'You mean our kind. Most Aragami are nothing more than a mindless beast, they are animal.'

The scent of blood permeating air around me, disturbingly sweet and mouth-watering. I managed to extract all their core and swallow it one by one. It was delicious, and to my horror a part of me really enjoy it.

"aah" I let out a gasp involuntarily. Intense rush of energy washing through my vein. My heart would beat like crazy assuming I had one. All my senses suddenly became much sharper than before, like a haze had been lifted.

The sheer number of stimulus almost overwhelming me. The previously damp air now held a slight plant like scent in it, probably from moss around here. Thinking about moss, it now had a different tint of green. It still green but now in different shades. Each sounds around me significantly amplified, extremely loud yet not deafening. Few tiny clicking noises coming out from nearby ruins, which was probably rat claws scratching concrete.

'Whoaaa, what happened? Everything seems so... clear now.' I flexed my fingers. It felt like this was not my own body, what a bizarre feeling.

'You are no longer starving, and your body have stopped conserving energy. This is how you should normally feel.'

'I see, but why Aragami tasted like that? It was delicious and why the hell I enjoy it?'

'I don't really know. Maybe you starting to develop Aragami instinct. All of my previous host had it before they lost themselves.'

'WHAT!? Are you saying that I'm slowly become Aragami in both body and mind?'

'How should I put this into words... Yes and no. You may slowly become more like Aragami in behavior but you will always in control. Your mind rule over your instinct so you won't become like these pitiful creatures.'

'So I'm merely showing some Aragami trait. Are you sure about that?'

'Absolutely. Unless you are under extreme starvation, in which your mind weakened and your instinct will take over. Even so, you'll be back in control as soon as the hunger diminished.'

So that means there should be nothing to worry about as long as I'm not overly starved. Just like yesterday, the hunger had receded but it still there.

'Alright, I get most of it. One more thing, I'm still kinda hungry, is it not enough?'

'No, we Aragami are always hungry, it's part of us. You cannot satisfy these hunger no matter how much you eat.'

Damn, better get used to this than. It not really that bad actually, feels like I'm constantly peckish. 'How could you know all of this Rei?'

'Because you are like me. I'm beyond common Aragami, I'm in control and will always be. Enough about that. Now you are no longer starving we can begin your training in Oracle attack. If you're still interested that is.'

'Of course I'm. I don't have to bathe in blood during my hunt if I can use even the basic form of ranged attack.' My mood brighten immediately. To a God Eater dirty cloth was trivial matter, but not me. Unlike them, I didn't have access to a spare cloth or laundry.

'Alright, here you go.'

Sudden wave of images filling my mind, it was like watching a TV. Every details on how to do it had been transferred directly to me. I closed my eyes and began concentrating. In my mind a weapon formed from one of my knowledge, a curved blade complete with its sheath. It was an ancient weapon called Katana by people of the old times, or at least that what my history book taught me.

A weight had been placed, no... it literally grown out from my hand. An almost organic sleek dark blue curved blade rest in my grip. It had no sheath and quite different from my imagination, especially with its multiple bone like protrusion at its body and around the handle. At least it still served its purpose.

'Not bad for your first try. Keep practicing it and you'll be able to create something more exotic. But always remember this, Oracle attack drain much more energy than a simple physical boost.'

'Thank you so much Rei. You have no idea how much this means to me. How often I need to eat?'

'As often as you feel hungry.'

'Thank you very much for your helpful answer.' My voice laced with condensed sarcasm.

'You're welcome. On serious note, depends on your activities. In normal condition a single Core is enough for at least two days. However, if you decided to use Aragami form in every combat, expect a Core or two for each days.'

How could I forget about that. I was about to asked it when we escaped the far east branch.

'Now, explain about this Aragami form you mentioned earlier. Seriously, I feel like I'm straying further away from humanity.' A frown formed at my lips.

'You are not a human, not anymore. Aragami form boast even more destructive power and offer higher protection than your current form, but it require even more Oracle than before, use it sparingly.'

I winced at his bluntness. So basically, a great boost in combat prowess at the cost of literally became the very monster that my sister fought against. Not really a good idea, but getting even more power seemed so... tempting. In this harsh world absolute power was necessary. It was for those I held dear and my own protection. There was nothing much to lose, I had lost my humanity anyway.

'Alright, teach me Rei. I don't really like it, but considering my sister have become a God Eater, I might need all the power I can get to keep her safe.'

'Granted.'

Another wave of images came and in few seconds I learned to use my Aragami form. Suddenly a sharp pain hit my right temple and made me flinched. Okay that hurt, what the hell was that?

'I should've told you first. Sending knowledge directly few times in a row might give you a headache.'

'Thank you for your early warning.' I muster all sarcasm I had.

'You're welcome.'

I really wished that Rei had a physical body right now. That way I could at least smack his head for being cheeky.

'Rei?'

'Yeah?'

'Reminds me, why I'm crawling through a tiny tunnels in somewhere near Tranquil Temple?'

Right now my body covered in dirt and gravel in pitch black tunnel leading to nowhere. The air was stagnant, not even a breeze flew through here. A tree root grazed my back few moments ago but didn't tear my cloth, Oracle infused fabric was surprisingly tough.

'You said that you wanted a warm bath, remember?'

'Yeah but that didn't explain why I'm crawling like a damn mole.'

'Now now, have I ever misdirecting you? On top of that, can't you feel it?'

He was right, again, the temperature slightly increased complete with a tinge of sulfur in the air. Few footsteps echoed in the distances, probably wandering Aragami which is not important. A combination of heat, water, and sulfur could only mean a hotspring, this was exciting. I never took a bath in hotspring before. It was always either fish pond in the orphanage garden or shower. How it feels like? A slightly sulphuric moist air, supply of never-ending hot water...

'Oy snap it out. We'll never reach our destination if you keep daydreaming like that.'

'Whaaa? Oh right...' I wipe off smile in my face and pushed forward, didn't take long before the tunnel had reached its end. I'm in some sort of flooded cave, except that it was lava instead of water that flooding this area. Did a double take at my surrounding but found nothing like hotspring.

'Here we are. Go ahead and take a dip'

I stopped moving around. He told me to swimming in a pool of lava, that idiot...

'Take a dip? TAKE A DIP? It's a damn LAVA you blockhead,' I screamed in frustration. A few hours of walking and crawling ended in futility.

'So? I don't see the problem in here.'

'The problem is, If I do as you told there will be nothing left of me idiot!' A headache pounding my head.

'You are the idiot one in this case. Since when did a heat can injure us?'

It was both confusing and embarrassing. On one side, my logic could understand his way of thinking. A pool of lava was harmless, warm enough, and usable as makeshift bathtub for Aragami. On the other side, my intuition still frustrated by his lack of common sense.

'Oh screw it, let me help you.'

'What are you talki-'

To my horror, before I had finished talking my body began moving on its own. All my senses were not affected but my muscles disregarding my command.

'What the hell are you doing?! Stop!'

'Just shut up and let me do my job.'

My face went cold. He already finished taking off all my clothes and put it away from lava pool. My struggling reached whole different level but not even a muscle following my order. He put my body on the edge and slowly immersing it in the nearby pool. He sat down after found the right spot, leaving only my head above the surface.

'See? Doesn't feel so bad now does it?'

'You! Fine, you won. I'll stay here for a while. Now return my body!' I sighed in resignation. That idiot was way too stubborn for me to convince otherwise.

Suddenly I could move again. He had a point though, while it seems bizarre to anyone, this pool actually felt nice. Temperatures was about right albeit almost too hot. Slightly hotter and it would become uncomfortable instead. Kinda strange though, especially with its viscosity that comparable to mud. My mind began to drifting away. This recent event had allowed me to see another aspect of his power and it made me feel insignificant. He could just shoving me away, locked me in my own body, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Why he never did that?

'Rei? I never know that you can forcefully control my body. Why did you let me do anything I want until now? You even taught me how to fight.'

'I've told you before, You're my first host that still sane after transition and that gave me new experience. I wouldn't laugh at your face back at the den If you didn't survive.'

'aaaaah don't remind me of that. How did you know about my expressions anyway?' I put my hands over my face, my cheeks getting warmer.

'Your body made up entirely from oracle cells. I just mapping location of each cell in your body and project the result, it was hilarious. Want me to send it over?'

'NOOOO! You will never let that one slide will you.'

'Of course not. I'll put it in the most safest vault in my memory. With that kind of face it was worth every effort I made for you.'

'auuu. No, forget it! I have other question to ask.' I must change the topic, else I would end up dead from embarrassment.

'Changing the topic aren't we? Very well.'

'How did you know about your own immortality and memory? How could you claiming that you're thousands year old when Aragami started to appeared merely 21 years ago?'

'The answer to both questions had something to do with my past. I don't want to talk about it, not now. I'll tell you this at least, 21 years ago was not the first time Aragami shown up.'

It was surprising, almost like he was... depressed? Whatever happened in his past had left some scar in his memories.

We stopped talking for a while and I'm sat in silence while playing with lava. Pull it out of pool, let it harden in my palm and formed a hand-printed ball of rock. It so unreal, normal people couldn't even coming close to lava without getting burned. God Eater sturdy enough to reached the edge of lava pool without suffering any damage, as long as they didn't actually touch it. My body on the other hand capable being submerged in lava without any discomfort.

'Hey, did you hear that?'

His sudden speech broke my line of thought. By focusing my hearing I sensed some previously unnoticed voices echoed in the air. Sound of water dripping from far away, sound of Aragami eating something, Aragami running around, and sounds of metal clashing something hard?!

'Someone fights Aragami, it's not far from here...'

'Indeed, so?'

'This person might need our help, I'm about to leave this place anyway.'

I pulled myself out of lava pool and scraped the remains off my body. Not good, from the sound of it this Aragami was much larger than Ogretail. After a few minutes of walking, it was confirmed. A large Aragami standing across wide lava river in the far side of Infernal Subway. It resembling a black giant scorpion with a strange maw as its pincer. However, my body stiffened as I actually recognized the God Eater.

I could never forget him, he looked exactly like nine years ago except now he was older than before. His messy short black hair and pair of black eyes, his large red chainsaw like God Arc, even his brown coat was still the same. It was Lindow, the very same man who saved my sister and my life. Wait... what in the actual hell!? He fought alone? Damn Lindow.

'Oy Rei, what should I do?'

'Calm down, you have two options. One, you can use your oracle attack and give him fire support from this place. Two, use your Aragami form, kill that thing, and escape immediately.'

'I never tried Aragami form before so I won't test it right now, ranged attack then.' Few floating silver spikes formed around me and soaring through the air. Most of these spikes embedded deeply into its muscle and knock the scorpion off-balance. Lindow tried to take a glance at me while it still staggered but he probably sees nothing, considering both distance and darkness.

He dashed forward and my salvo forced to halt else he would be impaled as well. Lindow hacking the pincer with fervor, few cracks formed and a part of it shattered. He was forced to jump back as the scorpion swung its tail wildly. That was my chance, I threw even more spikes at it. Its human like torso armor broke apart just like its pincer, revealing its purple tissue underneath. Lindow launching another series of slash at its interior.

Like a dead spider, the creature fell upside down after Lindow hack it apart. He pointing his God Arc at it and a giant maw not unlike the scorpion pincer formed. It chomped down scorpion torso. After few bites he pulls back his God Arc which now held a shiny purple ball in its maw.

"Stop hiding, I know you're still there," He suddenly spoke.

A normal God Eater wouldn't be able to hear it at this distance, but then again, I'm not normal anyway. Why did he call me? He should know from my projectiles that I'm not a fellow God Eater.

'What do you say about this Rei? Should I approach him?'

'I don't see any harm in doing that. We can always defeat anyone that after us.'

There, his lack of common sense ticked me off.

'We will NOT for ANY reason fighting ANY Far East God Eater. My sister is one of them now.'

'Whatever.'

The said lava river was quite shallow, barely above my ankle, but definitely enough to made me stride across lava river barefooted. My boots and socks was hanging on my arms. I'm not going to test it against lava, it would be destroyed, no matter how sturdy Oracle infused clothing was. Wariness formed in his face when he saw me coming. His hands started to get tense and his knuckles turned white from gripping his God Arc handle. At least he didn't actually pointing his blade at me. His wariness turned into confusion and shock when he recognized me.

"Rena? Is that you? What happened to you? Why you looked like that? How do you do that?" Lindow blurt out all his questions at me.

"Yeah, it's me. It's been nine years since the last time we met. Thank you for everything you've done to us Lindow." I bowed at him. He relaxed a bit and his expression softened. I didn't expect this, Lindow out of all people going on a mission alone in the same place as me. Emotions started to swirling in me. He was standing in front of me, what should I do?

I lunged right at him. He was too slow, didn't even had a chance to raised his God Arc. My body collided with his chest and staggered him. His God Arc thrown few feet away. Good, didn't have to kick it then. He tried to pushed me away. Nope, a God Eater strength was no match against mine. The sound of his heartbeat thumping in my ears as I hug him tightly. The very same thump I heard when he embraced me in my ruined village nine years ago. New scent of cigarette in his coat wrapped me around, normally revolted stench of tobacco strangely calmed me. His comforting warmness felt so...

"Rena... too... tight..."

Wait? What the hell did I do to him? I almost crushed him like what my sister did to me yesterday. I released him immediately and he started to breathe again, slightly ragged though.

"Sorry Lindow, I couldn't stop myself. It's been too long since we've met." Heat risen in my cheek, what a blunder. Hopefully he didn't offend by my lack of control.

He slowly took few steps back and put his usual happy-go-lucky face. He eyes me from my hair down to toe.

"Mind to explain everything?"

"Long story short I'm incompatible in the test but somehow became Aragami instead of dying. I fled from den and wandering around Far East Branch for a while. I was taking a bath in this place when I heard your battle." I gave him basic rundown of my story.

"So you're telling me that you didn't lose your mind even after you've turned?" I nodded at his questions.

"And you found me while you still bathing in lava?" Again, I nodded at him.

"I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see you crossing lava barefooted." To his credit, Lindow maintained his composure. He merely sighs instead of freaking out or anything.

"But seriously, the first thing you do after nine years was leaping at me? I almost got a heart attack thanks to that." His tone had a combination of disbelief and amusement in it.

"I said I'm sorry, geez..." My cheek gotten even warmer than before.

'You are as red as tomato right now.'

'Not you too Rei. Stop it! How the hell did you know about tomato?'

'I'm copying your knowledge. Convenient and definitely useful in teasing you.'

'Jerk.'

'I appreciate your compliment.'

"Thankfully, Sakuya isn't here right now. She might get jealous you know." Lindow said jokingly.

Sakuya? She and Soma was the one that after me right before I'm rammed the den wall.

"A should length dark brown hair wearing a black and green backless dress. She is your girlfriend?"

"So you've met her, she is my fiancée actually." He picked up his God Arc and leaning it on his shoulder.

I grinned at him. Lindow had found his other half, he almost became a husband.

"Soooo, congratulations Lindow. I've met her two days ago, in unpleasant situation I'm afraid." My smile faltered, she aims her God Arc right at my head yesterday.

"Can you explain it?" Lindow inquire.

"She points her gun at me back then when I'm about to escape. I don't mind it, she probably thinks that I'm just another hostile Aragami. Nevermind that, how's my sister doing?" I shrugged.

"She was crying for all days you know. Didn't even coming out for dinner on that night. Almost skipping her breakfast too, but she didn't, thanks to Sakuya. She also the first recruit that got permission to absent right on her first day."

A guilt invading me. My sister crying in heartbreak, she thinks that I'm already dead or changed. Well, I did change, but only in my body.

"Could you please tell her that I'm okay? Tell my sister that I promise her we will meet again."

"Or you can come with me. I'll explain everything to them."

"And become a test subject? No thanks. Not now anyway."

"Fine, it's your call." Lindow took out his radio and push few buttons, "Lindow here, jobs done and ready for extraction."

"So time for us to part way? And Lindow, can you do me another favor?"

He raised his eyebrow at me and ask "Maybe. What do you ask?"

"Can you please not mention me to anyone? Pleasee... I'll make it up for you later." By gathering all of my boldness, I gave him a puppy eyed stare.

"Pfffff stop that, doesn't match your appearance. With your yellow slitted eyes and unnaturally white hair, you look like a Vajra pretending to be a kitten" He laughed at me.

I stuck out my tongue at him. "Worth a try. What kind of Aragami is that by the way?" I pointed my finger the scorpion carcass.

"They call it Susano'o. Okay my transport is approaching, see you later. Oh about your request, I'll keep it secret from everyone except my team and maybe Dr. Sakaki. Don't worry, I trust them all." Lindow turned his back and waving at me.

"Fair enough. And Lindow... Stay safe." I waved my hand back at him.

Watching his back slowly getting smaller reminds me on the day he left us at Magnolia Compass. It made me feel dejected, but it's okay, I'll meet him again one day. Kinda sad though, my long nine years reunion happened in Aragami infested Infernal Subway.

'Now that sorted out, do you have any other plans?'

'This event make me realized that there's still much to learn. I'll return to this morning hunting ground for Aragami form training.'

No matter how hard I tried, the awkwardness was simply too obvious to ignore. Human used their entire sole for walking, unlike what I did now. I just recently recovered from my own stumble-over-nothing for god knows how many times, this was all thanks to my new body.

'Rei can you send me images of my own body?'

'Yeah sure.'

My eyes would be bulging out if I'm still in my human form. Rei had sent me image of large fearsome bipedal lizard. My skin covered in white carapace like plating, something akin to folding blades attached to each wrist, and a strange protrusion growing on each of my shoulder-blade. My legs designed for walking on toes and that was the reason of my endless tripping.

Every inch of my new body emitting dangerous vibe, especially the wrist blades. It gave me funny illogical sense of fear. Illogical because basically I'm fearing myself.

'What is this strange tube like things on my back?'

'Let see... From the oracle composition... That is a booster or something like that. Not large enough to give you true flight but more than capable to let you hover in place or increasing your momentum for leaping.'

'I'm basically a sword wielding giant armored lizard wearing rocket?' My voice strained from disbelief.

'Not exactly but close enough.'

If I had my hand instead of claw I would do a facepalm. This entire new form felt completely different. My sense of touch reduced to almost nonexistent thanks to the armor plate. Few new muscle and a new tail disrupting my stance. I tried to stand up once more but failed miserably and crashing down after my first step.

'Need my help?'

'This new legs take a great deal of pain to get used to. Do you have any advice?'

'No, but I got something even better than advice.' His tone reeking conceit.

A rush of knowledge entering me. Everything about new stance from walking to leaping appeared. That idiot Rei...

'Rei?'

'Yeah?'

'You knew from the beginning that I'm struggling to even standing and you sent me your knowledge after I've fallen so many times?'

'Yep.'

'Why don't you do that sooner?'

'For giggles.'

'I hate you Rei!'

'I love you too Rena!'

My head really throbbed. That idiot became even better than before in annoying me.

'Oh shut up. Try to do something useful instead of annoying me. Scan my entire body, I need to know everything about this.'

'Whatever. Hm... Nothing wrong it seems. Wait... Oh this is interesting.'

'Don't keep me in the dark idiot. Just tell me already.'

'Snippy snippy, first you can launch either fire or ice attack. A rare instance, since normally two opposing Oracle Cells in single Aragami will neutralize each other.'

'Greeeaaat, now I'm a fire-breathing sword wielding giant armored lizard wearing rocket. This getting more ridiculous by each passing seconds.' I fought another intense urge to facepalm.

'And one more thing. Right now you didn't have a core in that body, your humanoid body act as its replacement in your chest.'

'So I'm not actually become a lizard?'

'Yes. This was unexpected, I thought that you will do a rapid evolve, just like the others.'

"Tes...ting" Meh, my voice almost unrecognizable. It was a combination of speech and growl.

'What are you doing?'

'Trying to speak. I might need it in combat.'

"One... Two... Tree"

'It's three, not tree you know.' Another smug filled voice echoed in my head.

'I know, my tongue slipped... stupid Rei.'