Back in the village, the people gathered around Kael and Lys as they emerged from the old storage, covered in dust and the stench of a rotten cave.

Old Jenkins, with his left eye aiming at a rock and his right at the horizon, was the first to appear, gripping his trusty shovel.

“WELL?!  

DID YOU GET THE BASTARD?!  

I WANNA SKIN HIM MYSELF!”

Kael, with his usual controlled boredom, replied:

“We did.  

But… he blew himself up.”

Jenkins froze, took a deep breath, and screamed:

“SON OF A B*TCH!!!”

Kael raised his hand.

“But chill.  

He was part of some weird cult, contaminating the well with black magic.”

Old Jenkins’ eyes lit up like someone had set off fireworks inside his skull.

“THERE’S MORE?!”

Kael nodded.

“Probably.”

Jenkins dropped the shovel, opened an old chest, pulled out worn leather armor, a tattered bandana, and a dull sword.

“THEN I CAN STILL SKIN OTHERS!!!  

FOR THE YEARS I DRANK FECES…  

THEY WILL PAY!!!”

Kael turned to Lys and muttered:

“Now we have… The Sacred Skinner.”

The ghost just spun slowly, letting out a quiet “Oh my god…”

Kael then approached the well, opened the grimório, and activated his new ability:

**“Vital Expulsion” — Activated!**

A wave of Vital Energy burst out of the well, illuminating the entire square with a vibrant white light.

However… an unforeseen side effect:

The entire village bolted for the woods.

One villager shouted:

“IT’S COMING OUT! I CAN’T HOLD IT!”

Another:

“RUUUUUUUUN!”

Within seconds, the square was empty, except for Kael, Lys, and Old Jenkins, who watched everything with a psychotic smile.

Kael closed the grimório, expressionless.

“This world… never stops surprising me.”

Lys, laughing and breathless:

“That was… epic.”

Jenkins then grabbed the sword, tied the bandana, and turned to Kael:

“GIVE ME A STARTING POINT!”

Kael pulled out the corrupted necklace and handed it to him.

“The owner of this… was part of the cult.”

Jenkins clutched it like it was a treasure map.

“THAT’S ALL I NEED!  

FROM THIS DAY FORTH…  

I AM… THE SACRED SKINNER!”

And he marched off towards the road, disappearing into the morning fog.

Kael just watched.

“Good luck, old man…”

The grimório glowed discreetly:

> New Side Quest:  

> “Investigate and Defeat the Cult of Shadow Contamination.”  

> Reward: Unknown.

Kael read it and muttered:

“Summary: hunt more lunatics messing with crap.”

Lys adjusted her spear on her back.

“And now?”

Kael looked towards the horizon, closed the grimório, and gave a slight smile.

“Now… we follow the trail.”

And the two began walking down the road, leaving behind the village… finally purified — and a new hero, The Sacred Skinner, on his personal quest for vengeance.