I Choose You, SENTRY GARGOYLE MODE - ON!

Chapter 12 - I Choose You, SENTRY GARGOYLE MODE - ON!

Carn knew of five different types of shapeshifters.

The first type was mimics. These monsters were capable of flawlessly replicating and evolving all the organs and physical features of their victims. These creatures didn't just assume a new form, but they also inherited the memories of those they consumed, blending into their surroundings with perfect precision. 

Mimics could grow stronger in their new bodies, evolving over time, making them extremely dangerous. Carn had once employed such beings in his dungeon, where they silently infiltrated human societies.

The second type, copycats, could almost match the abilities of mimics. However, they were limited in their ability to retain the memories of their victims or grow stronger than the original. 

Still, this didn't make them any less deadly. Many copycat monsters had slain adventurers and even heroes without Carn's direct involvement. A selected few elite copycats who mimicked hero abilities had risen to become demon generals under his command.

The third category consisted of disguisers. Carn himself could be considered one if he used a shapeshifting spell. 

Disguisers lacked the ability to copy their target's powers, but they could freely alter their appearance, physique, or even gender at will. Their strength varied depending on their race, the amount of Aether they possessed, and their mastery of shapeshifting magic. Some were deadly due to sheer physical prowess, while others used subtlety to infiltrate.

The fourth type, transformers, were creatures that grew more powerful by transforming into unique second forms. Werewolves were a prime example of this category. 

These monsters gained immense strength when transformed, but their abilities were restricted to specific conditions. Some humans in Carn's previous world took inspiration from these monsters and had even developed gadgets that could change their appearance or provide new powers.

Lastly, there were the skinwalkers, a mysterious group Carn had only heard of through rumors. In his previous world, they were said to have gone extinct, and Carn had never encountered one. 

Skinwalkers were infamous for wearing the skin of their victims, making their grotesque appearance stand out. They were reputed to have immense physical strength, an insatiable appetite, and terrifying hypnosis abilities, enabling them to control others with their will. 

Based on the stories, skinwalkers were among the most feared shapeshifters, and the human countries formed an alliance for the sake of removing these monsters from their land for good. Even the demon lord hated them because of their powerful mind spells. 

Carn now had a suspicion. If this grotesque entity wasn't a doppelganger, it could very well be one of the elusive skinwalkers.

If this guy was really a skinwalker, Carn knew exactly where to strike. He steadied himself, holding his breath as he activated a bigger spell, hardening his skin into stone.

Sentry Gargoyle Mode - ON!

Carn's skin turned gray, his face, hair, and clothes becoming the same rough, stony texture. He locked his gaze on the skinwalker just before the petrification reached his eyes, transforming him into a lifelike stone statue in a matter of seconds.

Meanwhile, the skinwalker hissed in frustration, searching the area for Carn. One of its eyes landed on the statue and paused. The other eyes followed, locking onto the stone figure. 

The monstrous hand crawled over, dragging its grotesque fingers closer. The tongues from its finger-mouths extended, licking the surface of the statue. But all they tasted was cold stone.

"Ptui!" The monster spat in disgust, recoiling its tongues. Losing interest, it turned away from Carn, dismissing him as a threat.

As soon as the skinwalker's back was turned, the statue shifted with blinding speed. Carn moved like a shadow, reappearing behind the creature in an instant. His stone arms moved faster than the eye could follow, leaving behind afterimages as his hands shot out, targeting the monster's grotesque fingers.

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK*

The sound of bones breaking echoed through the eerie silence as Carn dislocated and shattered the joints of the skinwalker's fingers. 

The creature screeched in agony, turning into a frenzy, but by the time it looked back, Carn had already returned to his original spot and resumed his statue pose.

The skinwalker's eyes swept the area in confusion. It stared suspiciously at the stone figure, but its senses detected no life. Frustrated, it scanned the mall. 

Just as the monster looked around, a store employee who had finished closing her store, leisurely walked down the escalator to leave the building. The store employee, flashlight in hand, looked below. 

Then, the flashlight shone upon the monster. She froze when her eyes met the monster's grotesque form.

"EEEK!" she screamed, dropping the flashlight in horror. She turned tail and ran back to where she had come from.

The skinwalker's attention immediately shifted to her, and it flipped itself over, crawling after the fleeing woman with its mangled fingers.

Carn seized his chance. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared on top of the skinwalker, moving his stone hands with brutal efficiency at lightning speed. He shattered the entire bone structure of the hand, leaving it a useless lump of muscle and skin.

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK* 

*CRACK*

The sound of breaking bones echoed like a symphony in the darkened mall. The creature didn't even have time to scream. Within seconds, its hand was nothing but a limp mass, unable to move.

Carn reverted to his human form, but the toll on his body was immediate. Blood dripped from his nose, and the familiar searing headache hit him like a hammer. He collapsed to his knees on top of the now-crippled monster.

'Five minor spells for the sentry mode... that's seven spells total. This is over my limit,' he thought while his vision blurred.

But the monster wasn't dead yet. Carn pushed himself up, staggering toward the skinwalker's suitcase. He reached for a blood-soaked rusty knife. 

With the knife in hand, he stabbed it and dragged it across the creature's back, slicing it open. Inside, a pulsing purple cubic mass—its core—was embedded in a tangle of crimson flesh and organs, feeding the monster with mysterious energy.

Carn snickered at the sight. He grabbed the cube and yanked it free, tearing it from the creature's innards. 

As soon as it was removed, the skinwalker's massive body began shriveling, withering like decayed flower petals.

The cube continued to pulse in Carn's hand, regenerating purple tendrils that reached toward him, trying to bond with his skin.

"Wanna eat me? You've picked the wrong host, you pest," Carn muttered.

With a firm grip, he crushed the cube, smashing it into pieces. The purple blood splattered across his face and clothes but evaporated upon contact with the outside air. As for the last remnants of the cube's flesh, it dissolved into dust.

It was over.

The monster finally died.

Carn looked up, noticing that the crimson haze had cleared, leaving behind the victims' spirits.

They were free at last. 

Hundreds of tiny will-o'-wisps floated in the air, glowing faintly. Some of the spirits ascended, fading into nothingness, while others hovered around him.

'Thank you,' they whispered.

The will-o'-wisps briefly morphed into the faces of the people they once were, gazing at him with gratitude. They hovered around Carn before they faded into nothingness, vanishing into the ether like fleeting memories. 

As the last wisp disappeared, shimmering silver dust settled on Carn's right arm and hand, etching 150 silvery scratch marks into his skin. Two of those marks quickly faded, replenishing some of his drained energy, and leaving him with 148 Aether marks. 

Finally, Carn managed to score a surplus, but it was still less than what he had hoped for.

The yield had been lower than anticipated because of the earlier cooperation with the spirits. Some of them had expended the last of their strength generating a poltergeist-like effect, shattering every CCTV camera lens, frying mobile phones, and scrambling any electronic device capable of capturing footage of him. 

The effort had cost him precious Aether but bought him invaluable cover. But looking at it on the bright side, there would be no footage of the monstrous fight or evidence of what had really transpired there. The exchange was worth it. 

Carn clenched his fist, quietly celebrating his victory. He could now "farm" Aether without overextending himself. 

But his moment of peace was short-lived.

Loud footsteps echoed through the mall as five police officers burst into the scene with their guns drawn. As soon as they spotted Carn holding a rusty bloody knife, they pointed their pistols at him.

"HANDS UP!!"

Carn frowned, exhaling a sigh. Memories of old movies flashed through his mind—scenes where the cops always showed up AFTER the hero had already dealt with the villain.

"Hah... I'm gonna get detained again, and Mom's gonna kill me," he muttered under his breath, preparing to face his mother's wrath.