I Became an Ancient All-Host Lifeform - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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032 A Day That Never Ends

Phew. That was harder than I’d hoped.
Once the situation wrapped up and I returned to Elina, the Status Window materialized before me as if it had been waiting.
Notifications had piled up, probably because I hadn’t checked them until now.

[You have successfully taken ‘Elina (Priestess of the Lumina Sect) lv21’ as a host.]
[You have acquired the Genetic Code of ‘Human’.]
[You have acquired the Essence Genetic Code of ‘Priestly Nature’.]

Excellent. An Essence Genetic Code again this time.
But this one says “Nature,” not “Aptitude.”
On the face of it, “Nature” looks like a talent grade far higher than “Aptitude.”
Elina’s Status Window materialized in my mind immediately after.

【Elina (Priestess of the Lumina Sect) lv 21】
【Traits】
「Faith」, 「Compassion」, 「Light Elemental Affinity lv 5」
【Skills】
「Holy Magic lv 4」, 「Prayer lv 3」

So Elina was level 21, then.
No wonder I couldn’t do a thing when I came to my senses and joined the battle.
Next came a new notification that appeared as the situation concluded.

[You have obtained numerous followers and established the foundation of a new faith.]
[You have obtained the Achievement “First Cornerstone”.]
[“First Cornerstone”: The faith of your followers is converted into your own Mana and accumulates.]

What? Faith converts directly into Mana?
That means I won’t have to sit cross-legged anymore, wasting time on tedious Mana cultivation just to gather power!
As long as I keep breathing, the followers will fill my Mana Pool for me—there’s no reason to squander my time!
In other words, the more people who believe in me, the fuller my Mana reserves will become.
Then I can cast spells and Skills recklessly, and later on, I’ll even be able to wield more powerful magic.
So should I give Elina orders right now?

‘Kk… then now we can truly begin to establish our sect….’

The moment I turned my gaze away, painting a glorious future in my mind, the pitiful state of the house courtyard came into view.

“Ow… my head!”
“Please… someone help me….”

The courtyard was still littered with villagers whose skulls had been shattered by the Metal Bat.
Ah, never mind the Mana Pool—I need to save these people first.
I immediately gave Elina her orders.

‘Before we do anything else! Help the people right away.’

Now that I’d just realized faith translates directly into Mana, every single villager had become infinitely precious to me.
They were my beloved batteries… no, my little lambs!

‘Not a single death will be tolerated! Go, now!’
‘Yes! Right away!’

Hmm? Her reply just now was rather quick.
Now that I’ve called myself an angel of Lumina, her guard seems to have lowered somewhat.
I added one final instruction for her.

‘I will send you revelation again tonight. Lie in your bed with your eyes closed and keep praying. When the time comes, I will visit you once more.’
‘Y-yes, yes of course….’

At the announcement that I would return tonight, Elina flinched and replied.

‘Good. Then I’ll leave it to you.’
Whoosh.

I hastily pulled myself out of Elina’s ear canal.

“Ah…!”

Her legs buckled as though all strength had drained from them.

“Lady Elina! Are you all right!”

The Holy Knight started in alarm and moved to steady her, but Elina quickly pushed his hand away and straightened up of her own accord.

“Ah, I’m fine. More than that….”

Though dizzy and swaying, she pressed forward.

“Wait, everyone please step aside. I will treat them!”

Before she could even gather her scattered thoughts, her footsteps were already carrying her toward those bleeding and wounded. Her holy demeanor—placing patients before her own safety—was the very image of a saint.

* * *

Rustle.

Bokgu awoke at last from the dormant state he had entered after the battle ended.
The moment the surroundings became safe, Bokgu’s evolution—which had been held at the Level cap—began at last.

Woof!

The figure that rose, shaking dust from itself, was unmistakably transformed. The dull ash-grey fur that had been so scraggly was now a sleek blue-grey, and his frame had grown considerably larger.

‘Wow! Our Bokgu has gotten incredibly cool!’
Hehehehe….

Bokgu’s mouth curled up in delight as he lolled out his tongue.
I immediately checked his Status Window.

【Bokgu (Sparky Gust Wolf) Level 10】
【Traits】
「Wind Elemental Affinity Level 2」, 「Lightning Elemental Affinity Level 1」, 「Keen Nose」, 「Hunting Instinct」
【Skills】
「Gust Level 2」, 「Electric Fang Level 2」, 「Gust Dash Level 1」, 「Electric Shock Level 1」

As expected, genetic influence is absolute in evolution.
Thanks to the influence of the electric sheep’s Genetic Code, the original Wind attribute has now been joined by a Lightning attribute as well.

‘Now that he has the Electric Shock skill too, there’s no need to run around gathering static electricity anymore. Things will be much easier from now on, Bokgu.’
Woof woof!

Bokgu, equally pleased, thrust his snout at me and wagged his tail like a propeller in frenzied circles.

Woof!

Hmm, is he telling me to ride him?
Bokgu kept barking at me as if asking for something.

Woof!

Yeah, that’s right! Now that Bokgu’s evolved, I’ve got to try riding him.
I was curious about the performance of his new Gust Dash skill anyway.
The old Wind Dash was already so good—I wonder how much faster Gust Dash will be.
Just then I glanced up at the sky and realized evening had already crept in.
There’s still plenty of time before my appointment with Elina.

‘Perfect. Let me loosen up and get a good run in.’
Woof!

I slipped into his body without hesitation.

[Using Parasitism Level 3 on target.]
Zzzt!
The moment I connected to Bokgu’s nervous system—

Squeak?

Gyusik was staring up at me from the side with a wistful look in his eyes.
He clearly felt left out standing there alone.

‘What, you want to come too, Gyusik?’
Squeak!

Gyusik nodded his head vigorously.
Right—I can’t leave him out of a trial run.

‘Okay, come on. Jump on!’
Crackle!

The moment I gave the word, Gyusik leaped up and perched on top of Bokgu’s head.
Now that I thought about it, the last time the static in Bokgu’s fur made for a pretty uncomfortable ride.
Sparking here, crackling there…
But now that Bokgu can control his electricity freely, that problem should be completely solved.

‘Alright, Bokgu. Run as far and as fast as you want!’
Woof!
Boom-boom-boom!

The instant my words left my mouth, Bokgu launched himself forward with a powerful kick against the ground.

* * *

This was the hardest day of Elina’s life.
In every way—mind and body alike.
Assigned the largest room in the Chief’s House as a temporary lodging, Elina knelt quietly in the darkened chamber.
Following the angel’s command, she kept her hands clasped and her eyes tightly shut, waiting for his arrival.

‘Usually by now I’d be asleep, preparing for dawn prayers tomorrow…’

For a priestess of the Lumina Sect who had lived her entire life in devotion, tonight’s promise stirred in her both a terrible fear of the transcendent and a strange exhilaration.
Yet still, all she could hear was the soft whisper of leaves brushing against the wind beyond the window.

‘Hmm… when will he arrive? It feels like quite a while now.’

I had been praying for quite some time now, but no matter how long I waited, the angel never appeared.

‘Hmm….’

As the silence stretched on, Elina’s mind began to wander with countless stray thoughts.
Even the most devoted priestess finds it difficult to maintain perfect focus throughout every moment of prayer.

‘But was he really an angel? I did exactly as he instructed, and the villagers did come to no harm. He even showed me the miracle of resurrection. So why did he appear now? And of all people, to me….’

She who had lived as a priestess of the Lumina Sect had, overnight, become revered as a saint who saved the village.
Suddenly, she pressed her clasped hands together more tightly and made a vow.

‘No, I mustn’t doubt the Lord’s work! Steel yourself, Elina!’

In the room, darkness lay thick and heavy.
Waiting endlessly for someone whose arrival was uncertain proved far more tedious than she had imagined.

‘…But when exactly is he coming?’

This had been the most exhausting day of her life thus far, yet her ordeal was far from over.

* * *

[Activating skill ‘Gust Dash Level 1’.]
Whoooosh—!
‘Insane! Come on, Bokgu!’

Wow…! This was far more than simply riding the wind.
Fierce gusts compressed around my center, then detonated all at once, launching Bokgu forward like a cannonball.
This wasn’t just a charge—it could work as an attack skill too.

Squeeeee—!

Gyusik, clinging to Bokgu’s head, let out an exhilarated shriek as if riding a roller coaster.

Whoosh-whoosh—!

The small twigs scattered throughout the dense forest were swept aside by the violent gust surrounding Bokgu.
We tore through the forest like an arrow, moving at literally impossible speeds.
It was absolutely dizzying.

Pant-pant-pant!
Squee!

Bokgu, caught up in the thrill of it all, tore through the forest with his tongue flapping wildly in the wind.
We luxuriated in the exhilaration of the wind enveloping us, ravaging the forest for a good while longer.
Before long, I noticed a full moon hanging in the sky.

‘Phew. That blew all the stress away in one go. Time to head back to the village, I suppose?’

The village was quiet at this late hour; most of the people were already asleep.
Mm…. Perhaps I was running a bit late? In any case, our esteemed saint would be waiting for me.
I recalled hearing earlier this afternoon that they’d prepared Elina’s temporary quarters at the Chief’s House.
We crept quietly back into Debri Village and stopped near the Chief’s House.

‘Bokgu, you’re too big to go unnoticed, so wait here for a bit. I’ll be right back.’
Woof!

Leaving Bokgu outside on watch, I slipped into the house using Gyusik’s body.
The largest room in the Chief’s House.
She would be waiting there.

‘Let’s see~ I wonder if our saintess is waiting patiently?’

By the bedside where moonlight filtered through, Elina knelt in her pajamas.
She had her hands clasped together just as I’d instructed, offering a devout Prayer….

Nod, nod, nod….

…except she wasn’t?
What? Dozing off on the first night? So much for being a saintess!
I left Gyusik beneath the bed and crept quietly behind her.
Without hesitation, I burrowed into her ear canal.

[Using skill «Parasitism Lv. 3» on target.]
Zzzt—!

The familiar sensation of neural network connection.
I barked at once.

‘I told you to wait, and you’re sleeping?!’
“Mom?!”

Startled awake, she cried out in alarm.
At the sound of her scream, the Village Chief and his wife came running down the hallway.

“Saintess! What’s the matter?”

She hastily waved her hands in apology.

“Ah? N-no, nothing at all! I’m so sorry….”

She kept bowing repeatedly in contrition, and the couple, now assured nothing was wrong, finally relaxed.

“Goodness, I thought she’d had a terrible fright in her sleep. You gave us quite a scare.”
“It seems our saintess must have been troubled by a nightmare.”

She continued to bow apologetically to the elderly pair.

“I… I’m so sorry for waking you…. Truly, it was nothing. Haha….”

Hmm… could I have chosen the wrong proxy?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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