Closter to Disaster, further from human
Ryuji felt lost, his mind shrouded in darkness. There was a feeling of impending doom as he tried to grasp at the nearest memory. It was all a blur, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make sense of it.
The sensation of something hard against his back caused him to turn over, and he realised he was lying on a concrete floor.
[Prepare yourself. This transformation won't be anything like the last.]
A gentle voice sounded from his hazy mind before he felt like someone stabbed him repeatedly with a hot iron brand. His entire body burned, the sensation of a thousand needles poking into his skin causing him to gasp in pain.
"No..."
He groaned, his fingers digging into the ground as he endured the agony, the flames seeming to sear his very flesh.
No matter how much he tried to resist or gather a defensive thought, the pain wouldn't let up, and the heat continued to grow until he was certain that his skin must have melted.