NOVEL SIMPLE 156 – Tough Recovery
The moment Genji finished Epivlalis, all realm members across the planet received a prompt from Eternal Void.
{The King of Parasites has been slain.}
{The Parasite faction has been greatly weakened.}
{After this cycle, the Parasites will lose their faction classification, and LuminalRealm will lose contention rights unless LuminalRealm supports an unaffiliated faction.}
When the LuminalRealm members saw this update, they lost motivation and fled the battle. They had no reason to continue anymore since they would be risking their lives for nothing.
Without a stable backer, they would become easy prey for the other realm members. If they didn't want to be hunted down, they would need to find a remote location to hide. They still had half the cycle left before their term was up.
This desertion greatly alleviated Igani's troubles, allowing Bruce to go ahead. For some reason, the Nightbane had a sinking feeling in his heart, as if any delay would result in a lifetime of regrets. In his anxiousness, Bruce carved a bloody path through the weakest side of the army and dashed into the distance.
None of the parasitized creatures dared to stop him. Who were they kidding? The troublesome horse mage finally decided to leave, so why would they delay him? They weren't suicidal, even after experiencing the realm members' infuriating desertion.
As Bruce galloped, he recalled the direction of the compass and realigned himself to the best of his abilities. Luckily, this wasn't that difficult since his destination was obvious from afar. After all, how could he miss the pile of sleeping dinosaurs?
If his speculation was correct, this should be the effect of his master's drug. Bruce had witnessed the entire experimental process, so it didn't take much to guess what Genji wanted to do.
To be safe, Bruce controlled the large stream of blood to dismember the enemies, lest they wake up and interfere with his search. Bruce quickly processed inward and came upon traces of battle, which he followed to a massively destroyed area.
At the center of a large crater, Bruce spotted the unconscious Genji next to two mutilated bodies. Bruce was certain this was Genji since his tattered cloak was something Bruce was used to. Plus, there was even a dagger stuck in one of the bodies' heads. With how much Genji prized his daggers, there was no way he would leave one behind.
Bruce bolted over in excitement, but his mood quickly soured when he spotted the gaping hole in Genji's chest. The chest wasn't moving, but Bruce could still detect a faint trace of vitality struggling to maintain his life. It was an unusual fluctuation since it felt almost artificial, but Bruce didn't have time to care about that.
He quickly stopped beside his friend and started controlling the remaining blood in Genji's limp body, regulating his life force with all his might. Bruce didn't know if this would do much, but it was all he could do if he didn't want to lose his friend again.
A few minutes later, Bruce determined Genji's condition had stabilized and lifted Genji onto his back. The chest hole felt uncomfortable, but Bruce would bear with it.
With one final look, Bruce retrieved the lost daggers and gathered the fallen foes. Bruce could still remember Genji's desire for powerful bodies, so he decided to bring them along, even if it would be more tiring.
After the battle between Igani and the remaining parasites ended, the other factions sent out scouting teams to examine the aftermath. They had received reports of the King's death, but they didn't know the true extent of the damages. Regardless, they still prepared to fight for territory, ready to move out as soon as the reports came in.
Scouts from all sides congregated at the site and concluded that the battle had been a stalemate. However, this only raised more suspicions since a powerhouse had clearly fallen in this battle. Through some reasoning, they guessed that the main battle was somewhere else and expanded their search.
Within half an hour, they found the Parasite's main base and drew a sharp breath. The damage they found was astounding, as if someone had nuked the area. That was how ravaged the scene was.
Still, this didn't stop them from investigating the battle traces. From the remnant energies, they knew the General of Decay had been involved, but his exact status was unknown. They couldn't find the bodies, so they were inclined to believe he survived, but there was a slim chance the Bloodless Killer won the battle.
If it was the former, the situation would be unfavorable but manageable. It was the second possibility that worried them since it implied the Zergs took them. This was the worst-case scenario because it would be a repeat of Silver Empress's case, except without the non-aggression agreement.
This was a scary thought because they would be at the whim of their opponents. If they were unlucky, they might end up in a similar situation as the Parasites, becoming a public target.
Compared to relying on chance, the factions preferred to deal in absolutes and grasp their futures. Therefore, they ordered the scouts to continue investigating and confirm which possibility was true.
Until then, they would quietly gather their forces and prepare for the upcoming storm. It had been a calm four days, but the tempest was inevitable.
Suddenly, a black ripple tore through the air, beheading the perimeter units. Everyone snapped their heads to face the origin, and their bodies tensed up. An attack of that level wasn't common, so they wanted to see which powerhouse was so unruly.
However, when they saw the loose black robes and menacing scythe radiating with darkness, their faces turned pale with fear. What was a reaper doing here? There shouldn't have been enough deaths to attract one.
And even if there were, why was he here instead of the previous location where the two armies fought? That area had way more deaths. It didn't make sense!
"Scatter!! Everyone for themselves," a celestial captain urgently screamed before rushing to escape. His subordinates obeyed without delay, knowing full well the dangers of hesitation.
The other teams also followed this example and dispersed like flies seeing fire. Unfortunately, this was all for naught as a deadly wave of energy brushed through them, claiming their lives with suspense. Within seconds, the entire area was cleared of all life, except for the lone reaper standing amidst the bodies.
"Now that the pests are out of the way, let's see what that energy fluctuation was about," Benya, the reaper who previously interrupted Genji's meal, thought with scrutinizing eyes. "Dance of Death was definitely used, but it feels different. It's like something else is mixed in. Is there a reaper with such a trait?"
This was the second time he sensed this fluctuation, but he had missed the person behind it both times. Due to this, he couldn't help but be curious about it. Just who was this genius that managed to modify Dance of Death to this extent? If possible, Benya wanted to acquaint himself with this big shot.
As Benya was lost in thought, a sudden whoosh came from behind, stopping near him. Despite how unexpected this intruder was, Benya remained calm and turned around, catching sight of the dissipating deathly energy.
*Whistle* "Benya, you really did a number on this place. I knew you were bored, but I didn't think you would attack the worms like this," the newcomer greeted Benya with a light chuckle. "Just look at all these bodies. I bet you had quite the fun."
"Yagasa," Benya returned the greeting and shook his head. "You misunderstand. I didn't do this."
"Oh, don't give me that. I can sense your energy signature all over this place."
"I'm not talking about the weaklings. There was another reaper before me."
"If you don't want to tell me, then don't. Why do you have to lie about it?" Yagasa rolled his eyes.
"I'm being serious. Why do you not believe me?" Benya furrowed his brows at his acquaintance's antics.
"Because there's no other energy signature. You're the only reaper that has been in the area."
At his friend's reminder, Benya had a sudden realization. That was right! He hadn't sensed any other deathly energy when he tracked the fluctuation. If it was truly a reaper that fought those battles, then the area should be overflowing with deathly energy. Yet this was as far from the truth as possible.
In his curiosity, Benya had overlooked this simple fact and assumed it was a reaper due to sensing Dance of Death. But if it wasn't a reaper, then it could only be...
"SHIT! How could I have missed something so obvious?" Benya cursed at how complacent he had become and clenched his scythe, his arm bulging with worm-like veins.
"No need to be so upset. Take this as a learning lesson." Although Yagasa said this, he had a mischievous smirk on his face. It was the same look someone would have after catching their best friend in an embarrassing moment. They would etch this moment into their memories and mention it nonstop in the future, getting a quick laugh at his foolishness.
"Fuck off. This is serious. I suspect Dance of Death has been leaked."
At this statement, even the usually lighthearted Yagasa put on a dead-serious expression. "You sure? This isn't something you can joke about."
"I'm 70% certain."
Hearing this high number, Yagasa swung his scythe and carved an incomprehensible rune on the ground. Benya saw this and joined in, understanding the exact magic circle Yagasa wanted to carve. After a few minutes, they channeled their energy into it, sparking a small messaging system.
'Dance of Death, leaked? Investigating.'
Yagasa carved this short message into the center and activated the spell, draining them of all their deathly energy. It would take a few weeks to receive the message, but it was guaranteed to arrive. That was the elegance of this spell. As for the long wait time, it had to do with the vast distance it needed to cross.
Once the message disappeared from the center, the stone floor beneath the circle turned to dust and scattered into the wind. Benya and Yagasa fell on their behinds and gave each other serious looks, knowing their jobs had only begun.
If it was as Benya suspected, then they would need to find and silence the inheritance theft. Dance of Death was a fundamental ability of the reaper's power system and couldn't be leaked. Otherwise, they would have hell to pay if their enemies analyzed it.
"You better buy me a drink after all this or I'm never going to shut up about it," Yagasa said, slouching against his scythe.
"You and me both," Benya responded with an equally tired tone. "Now, we can only hope this is a false alarm."
It had been three days since Bruce carried Genji back, and his wounds hadn't healed in the slightest. In fact, they had worsened in this period, causing Bruce to be on tenterhooks. If it weren't for Igani constantly forcing bioenergy into his body and Bruce regulating his life force, Genji would have perished multiple times over. That was how deadly his wounds were.
No, it couldn't be described as merely physical wounds. There were traces of energy erosion within them as well, remnants of Epivlalis's ability. It was this energy that gave Bruce so many difficulties in these past few days.
Due to Genji's terrible condition, Bruce couldn't force out the remains as it would agitate Genji's injuries and tip the delicate balance, killing him instantly. The energy also stubbornly latched onto Genji's flesh, making extraction very troublesome. It was debatable if Genji could even survive after this since his heart was missing.
But despite these grim odds, Genji's tenacious willpower latched onto the remaining life force within and tethered himself to the thin line between life and death.
For every ounce of effort Bruce and Igani put into saving him, his willpower fought twice as hard to pull himself back from the cliff. It was an arduous battle, but his willpower eventually won.
On this day, Genji opened his eyes again, despite not improving in wellness. After so many hours of battling, his body had adjusted to these wounds and regained his consciousness.
Genji felt excruciating pain when he awoke, but he refused to be affected by it. He didn't know how long he would stay conscious, so he needed to take advantage of every moment.
Without wasting a single instant, he emptied his storage of healing potions before fainting from the exertion. Luckily, this gave Bruce more than enough to work with, and Genji regained his consciousness after a few hours.
'Seems like I survived again,' he thought as he adjusted his breathing. Well, at least he tried to before realizing his lungs were gone as well. 'What the hell. It's a miracle I'm even alive at this point.'
Genji calmed himself again and sensed his body's condition. Many of his major blood vessels had burst around the area, which would have killed him if it weren't for Bruce's treatment. Many wounds should have been fatal, but Genji was still alive.
Among these, was his missing spine, which should have paralyzed him, but his semi-digitalized body allowed him to bypass it, albeit with much difficulty.
Genji brought out an uncontrollable mutation potion and gestured for Bruce to call Igani. When Igani arrived, Genji started communicating in sign language again, asking Bruce to translate for him. He didn't have a choice since he couldn't speak without lungs.
After a few minutes, Bruce got the basic idea and conveyed the request to Igani. Although confused by it, Igani obeyed and handed Genji a web-woven bowl filled with a murky yellowish-green fluid. A mound of bio-energy was also placed beside him at his request, making the situation that much weirder for the spider queen.
Genji paid no attention to this and chugged his potion, followed by the bowl. The fluid had a disgusting taste, but Genji forced it down, all while suppressing his gag reflex. Then the potion took effect, causing his tired muscles to pulsate wildly.
Genji collapsed without resistance, but Bruce picked him up and carried Genji to the crystal mound. Upon contact, the crystals evaporated from existence and rushed into Genji's gaping chest.
His muscles spasmed uncontrollably as they distorted beyond recognition, bringing Genji untold amounts of pain. His skin broke apart, his muscles twisted unnaturally, and his bones realigned into a new frame, but this was only the beginning of the transformation.
At this distressing sight, Bruce could only sigh with resignation and pull Igani along. All they could do now was pray for a shorter transformation so his master wouldn't suffer so much pain. 'Master, you're a tough one. I believe you will survive this.'
For the next few hours, banging sounds echoed from the room as if someone was experiencing a seizure and smacking their head against the wall. Igani was startled by this noise, but Bruce advised her not to look inside. One trauma was enough for the innocent spider. Although curious, Igani accepted Bruce's suggestion and kept to herself.
Bruce entered the room and neighed at the exhausted Genji when the noise finally stopped.
"Don't worry. This much won't kill me," he said with a raspy croak. "There's always a price for survival."
Genji sounded casual about the experience, but Igani had a mini-heart attack when she walked in. In her sight, Genji sat on a puddle of clear liquid, the remains of bio-crystals that previously filled the area. That was a whole nest's worth of energy, now all gone.
Yet Igani wasn't fixated on that, but on Genji's unusual appearance. His skin had darkened and solidified into a hard shell, resembling an insect's. A faint clicking sound also followed with every movement, showcasing the rigid joints of his new body.
But the most obvious change was his chest, which had closed together to form a new structure. There were still a few cracks on the surface, but it had healed enough to fight in.
His physical shape hadn't changed much and still resembled a humanoid, but his aura had been contaminated with the Zerg's ferociousness. It was hard to say if Genji could still be classified as a human, but he didn't care. He was just glad to be alive.
"AHH, what happened to your body?" Igani suddenly yelped, unable to comprehend the sudden sense of familiarity oozing from him. To Igani, Genji felt like a family member rather than a different species.
"Don't worry about it. Our plan still continues. Focus on developing a powerful army."
"Ah de bah da de ba da." Igani muttered a string of incomprehensible gibberish, still sorting out her confusion. What had her life become and why was it only getting stranger?
'I must be seeing things. There's no way he can become a Zerg. Yeah, that must be the case. I should really get more sleep,' she thought as she walked away.
After Igani disappeared, Genji broke out in a coughing fit, spewing green blood all over the floor. Bruce rushed to his side, supporting him and neighing with worry.
"It's nothing serious. Just some remnants of energy. Give me a few days and it'll be gone."
Although Genji was dismissive about the issue, Bruce still had a concerned look. After all, Bruce had been treating his wounds and understood exactly how troublesome the energy was.
By his estimation, it wouldn't be as simple as a few days. But since Genji didn't want to linger on the topic, Bruce chose to not mention it anymore. 'Oh well. I did my best. Let's trust him.'
Genji gave Bruce a grateful nod and leaned against the wall. Now that everything was over, it was time to check his loot.
[You have slain The General of Decay, Aposynthesi.]
[You have slain: The King of Parasites, Epivlalis.]
[Your maximum energy has reached your bearing capacity.]
[You have obtained: 1.24 million contribution points, Aposynthesi's Decay, and Origin World - Parasites.]
[Aposynthesi's Decay]
Rating: Legendary
Type: Knowledge Book
Effect: Upon use, gain all of Aposynthesi's knowledge on decay and decomposition.
Description: The final inheritance. With this, you have completed the set of Parasite inheritances.
[Origin World - Parasites]
Rating: Legendary
Type: World Coordinate / Consumable
Effects:
- Normal Use (Active): Your next world is set for Proelefsi, the Parasite's world of origin.
- Alternative Use (Active): Trade this item with EverRealm for 100 privilege tokens.
Note: This item is notarized by Eternal Void and cannot be sold.
Note 2: Only one option can be chosen. Upon use, the other option will be lost.
Note 3: In the case you pick the first option, Eternal Void will be responsible for your transportation.
Note 4: Proelefsi is a 1st step world. Before entering, you will need to restrict yourself.
Description: A special reward given to the one who ended a faction's reign. Depending on your circumstances, you can either enter by yourself or contribute to your realm. Choose wisely, you only get one.