The crimson orb suspended before Jacob gradually drifted toward his chest. Upon making contact with his skin, the sphere detonated into an immense sphere of ruby waves that emanated a metallic aroma. Jacob quickly recognized that this red torrent was indeed blood, and despite his attempts, he found himself powerless to escape the restraints that bound him.
The surge of blood overwhelmed Jacob and enveloped him at its center. The blood coursed through his veins via every pore of his being, permeating his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. Searing agony and intense pain seized his body, inducing suffering so immense it drove Jacob to the brink of wanting to shred his own skin and fearing the fracture of his sanity.
He could feel his mind slipping and despite his desires, he could not even cry under the amount of blood being absorbed into his body. Jacob sensed his bones shattering, his veins rupturing, and his skin dissolving. The sole force propelling him forward was that fleeting moment when he contemplated death as a companion, pondering the aftermath his mother and father would face upon losing not just the sheep, but him as well.
Jacob gritted his teeth and did his best to hold on. He was only 14 years old and had never experienced pain like this before in his life. He wished he could just die, and it would be all over, but he also wished to see his parents again.
Under such circumstances, Jacob persevered on the brink of death. His physical form was gradually deconstructed in a protracted and agonizing process, undergoing a transformative reconstruction. Fresh crimson lines, reminiscent of intricate nerves, sprawled out like the branches of a blossoming tree, intricately linking to his unscathed brain, the sole part of his being untouched by the annihilation he endured.
Jacob felt as though his mind was fracturing as his brain began to shimmer with a ruby glow. The metallic aroma of blood in the chamber grew increasingly intense. In a shadowy corner, the spectral figure of an aged man adorned in a luxurious black suit emerged, regarding the scene with acute interest. "This insignificant lower being may actually possess the resilience to endure the sovereign's essence," he mused contemplatively, though it was still too early to reach a definitive judgment.
It would all depend on whether Jacob could hold out until the process was complete.
Jacob, in contrast, was completely unaware of his surroundings, as he had long since lost his sight. He hovered on the brink of consciousness, desperately holding onto fond memories of his parents and their warm smiles, and visions of their relief when he finally returns home after an endless period of trepidation during the storm.
Slowly Jacob's body began to be reformed around his brain; initially, his cranium was reconstructed, and the remainder of his skeletal framework gradually materialized from his skull, extending down to his toes. Except his bones were not white as a normal person's, but were now an obsidian black with a tinge of scarlet.
After Jacob's skeletal structure was fully developed, vibrant crimson veins began to emerge, delicately weaving their way along his bones, coursing through every inch of his being. Then emerged his well-defined muscles, intricately sculpted, followed by his flawless skin. His complexion underwent a transformation, emerging with a hue slightly paler than its original tone. His hair, once an auburn brown that reached just past his shoulders, underwent a remarkable change, emerging in a vibrant red tone that flowed elegantly down the center of his back, with dark roots subtly contrasting against the crimson color.
Slowly, his eyes underwent a transformation, evolving from their original brown hue to a deep black shade with a hint of crimson at the center, while his ears acquired a more pronounced pointedness at their tips as they were reconstructed. In the midst of his suffering, Jacob remained oblivious to the restoration of his sight, exerting every effort to preserve the delicate balance of his sanity.
A dark, viscous substance was expelled from the crimson aura enveloping Jacob, which had visibly dulled over time. As the substance made contact with the ground, the final remnants of the aura were assimilated into Jacob, giving rise to a tattoo depicting a scarlet rose pierced by an onyx sword with ruby embellishments, manifesting above his heart. Subsequently, the tattoo dissipated, along with his hair and eyes reverting to their original state as the assimilated power settled.