Corrupted souls are ranked into five tiers, each one generally stronger than the last. However, there are times when a weaker corrupted soul can overpower a much stronger one—provided it is able to exploit a specific weakness that only it can perceive. Like all Exalteds, they are also sustained by Render energy, which fuels their existence and abilities.
These entities are typically born from the sins of mankind, stretching from the beginning of the world to its current era. Since humans commit sins daily—whether knowingly or not—the cycle of corruption never truly stops. For instance, if one average person commits three to five sinful acts per day—such as lying, stealing, or acting out of malice—then a group of just twenty people could collectively commit between sixty to one hundred sins in a single day. Each of those sins has the potential to give birth to a corrupted soul, meaning that in a world of billions, hundreds of thousands of these creatures can be born every twenty-four hours.
Naturally, countries with higher rates of crime, violence, and immoral acts tend to produce significantly more corrupted souls. While Britain does not rank the highest in this regard, many other nations surpass it due to far greater volumes of human transgression.
Paricifer – These are the newly born corrupted souls. Weak and relatively easy to kill, they are mindless creatures driven solely by the urge to consume humans. Over time—and with more human consumption—they evolve, becoming stronger the longer they persist in the world.
Ferit – Above the Paricifer. Slightly tougher to kill, with a greater mental presence and stronger balance with the corrupted energy of the world. Still mindless and incapable of taking on or possessing a human form.
Vigoria – A step above Ferit. Difficult to kill and more attuned mentally and spiritually to the world. While they still can't assume or inhabit a human form, they possess limited intelligence—enough to sense changes in their environment and react accordingly.
Kine – Far more powerful than the previous three. These are difficult to eliminate and pose a serious threat even to those ranked as [Above]. They are more refined in their control over Render—the energy corrupted souls use for attacks or enhancement. Highly intelligent, Kine may possess partial human forms or take over one, though with minor disfigurations.
Apex – The deadliest of corrupted souls. Apex-class entities are threats even to [Above] and [Heavenly One] ranks. They exhibit complete control over Render, possess high intellect, and can inhabit flawless human forms without detectable disfigurement or aura—hiding the corruption perfectly. Dreem, the Emperor of Corruption, stands beyond even this level.
In addition to these ranks, corrupted souls are categorized by types—similar to daemons, monsters, giants, and others. A type's natural body structure, abilities, and potential may allow it to overpower another of the same rank. Simply put, type matters just as much as rank. That's just how the world works.
The one before them now was a Grasper-class, considered the strongest of the Ferit rank. Its defining features: thick, bladed limbs sharper than steel and the terrifying ability to extend them endlessly in any direction.
Carla was the first to react. She darted forward, slid beneath a lashing limb, then leapt clean over the corrupted soul before it could respond, disappearing swiftly down the hall.
That left only August and Young in the room.
Unfortunately for Young, he had already been surrounded. The creature's limbs had curled around him in a looping prison of blades—like the structure of a tightly wound steel serpent. He couldn't move, his entire body was frozen in the ringed entrapment. All he could do was glare furiously at his situation and pray the soul didn't decide to drive its limbs through him before he figured out a way to escape.
August quickly vaulted over one of the extended limbs, prompting another to lunge after him. Feigning a moment of hesitation, he positioned himself directly in front of the soul. As it charged without a second thought, he swiftly sidestepped, causing it to impale itself. Ashen blood burst from the wound.
'Take a hit for yourself and give me a review, you damnation,' August thought bitterly as he dashed away.
He didn't spare a glance at Young, who was still trapped—his focus remained solely on the threat in front of him.
Out of nowhere, nine more limbs shot towards August, but they were instantly cleaved through in a spiral of blood. Carla had appeared in front of him, phasing into view with an emergency axe in hand, severing the limbs in a single, powerful motion.
The pain sent the corrupted soul reeling, forcing it to retract its limbs from across the building in a desperate attempt to recover. This freed Young from his cage. Carla tossed him the safety axe, and without hesitation, he charged forward, swinging the weapon with his left hand. It was a feint. As the soul moved to block the supposed attack, it failed to notice Carla and August had already flanked it. Young, now above it, brought the axe down in a brutal arc, spraying corrupted blood with a single blow.
Reacting violently, the soul expelled its limbs in every direction once more. But the trio were gone. Carla had phased them all out of the building—it was far too confined to continue the fight there.
They landed on the ground outside, their feet skidding back from the explosive force of the corrupted soul tearing through the school in pursuit.
"August, Young! Flank it—keep the limbs occupied. I'll strike the head when I find an opening!" Carla commanded.
Unbeknownst to her, they were already on it.
What Carla hadn't expected was August's sheer strength. He tore through the soul's limbs with his bare hands, dodging with fluid, almost unnatural agility. It was clear—he'd evolved with Cold Synchronisation, as per her understanding. There was no other explanation for such a boost in his stats.
Young, wielding the axe with wild, chaotic swings, had no technique, no form—but his unpredictability made him effective. It was just enough to give Carla the window she needed. She charged through the opening towards the soul's head.
"Young—the axe!" she shouted mid-sprint.
He heard her. In a fluid mid-air flip, he dodged nine incoming limbs and hurled the axe with precision. Despite their lack of combat experience with an actual corrupted soul, they were holding out far better than expected.
Carla caught the weapon mid-run and closed in. The soul's head was fully exposed—open and vulnerable. There was no way she could miss.
But then, more tears streamed from the crying half of its face.
Its head split apart—deliberately, of its own accord.
'What in hell just happened...?' Carla froze, stunned. The perfect strike was lost.
A limb shot towards her, nearly impaling her. She phased out just in time, though the exit was clumsy. She hit the ground hard and rolled, the axe tumbling away in a different direction.
August snarled, dodging a whip of corrupted flesh, and sprinted in, ready to strike.
But before he could—
"Hmph. I suppose it's my turn to take a swing now. Lucky me," a young feminine voice said from behind him—uncomfortably close.
A blinding burst of erupting flames followed in the next instant.