The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 143

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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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Chapter 143. The Ogre (2)
Two wolves had begun their hunt.
First came the azure wolf, Kai.
Wolf Swordsmanship. Fourth Form.
Shadow Stalk.
Kai’s blade descended like lightning.
The sword, seeking an opening, carved through the ogre’s flank and left a deep wound in its wake.
Grrrraaaaaaagh—!!
The ogre staggered, blood pouring from the gash.
Yet it did not fall.
Its savage eyes gleamed as it fixed its gaze upon Kai.
In that instant.
The black wolf, Adrian, drove in from the flank.
Adrian’s claws tore through the ogre’s hide, and with relentless strikes, he shredded its tough skin and iron-hard muscle like parchment.
“This… this cannot be—!!”
“What in the world—!!”
Gasps of shock erupted from the dwarves.
And with reason—an ogre’s skin and muscle were tissue harder than steel itself.
Even the blades forged by dwarves could not cut through such density.
The Aura Blade that Kai wielded.
Only that could inflict meaningful damage upon an ogre.
Yet Adrian bore no Aura Blade.
And still, he tore through the ogre deeper and more ferociously than any Aura Blade could.
“It cannot be…!!”
Even as the dwarves reeled in shock, the hunt continued unabated.
Relentless strikes poured forth, cutting off every avenue of escape.
The black wolf and the azure wolf.
Like a pack of wolves encircling their prey, the two wolves sealed off the ogre’s every path of retreat—
Wolf Swordsmanship. Fifth Form.
Dusk Hunt.
The encirclement had grown inescapably tight.
From some point onward.
…the apex predator of all the earth found itself pressed into a defensive position.
The ogre had lost any gap through which to escape.
Adrian cried out.
“Kai!!”
Kai drew in a sharp breath and lunged forward.
Like a wolf swiftly overwhelming its prey.
A swift and powerful thrust pierced through the ogre’s defense.
Wolf Swordsmanship. Third Form.
Crimson Moon Strike.
Kai’s blade pierced through the Ogre’s head.
The Ogre convulsed as its head was destroyed.
The Ogre staggered and swayed, losing its balance.
The dwarves watching the battle erupted in shock.
“That monster…!”
“Taken down in a single blow…!”
The Ogre—the apex predator of the surface world.
A creature that all the dwarves here combined could not overcome.
Yet that Ogre had been hunted down by merely two humans.
Every dwarf’s jaw hung slack in disbelief.
Then, in that instant.
“It’s not over yet!!”
Adrian’s urgent voice rang out—
A tremendous shadow descended.
A colossal shadow engulfed Kai.
* * *
The Ogre’s composite skill, Impenetrable Fortress [S-].
One of the individual skills that comprised it.
◆Organ Redundancy System [A]
: Upon acquiring this skill, the player can [duplicate] [vital organs] and deploy [backup organs]. When the player sustains a [fatal wound], the [backup organs] activate [immediately] to maintain life, [instantly activating] [platelets] to stanch bleeding while rapidly proliferating surrounding cells to [recover] from [injuries].
【This skill, when acquired as a passive skill, applies permanently.】
The Ogre recovered from ordinary wounds instantaneously.
In other words, its regenerative capacity rivaled that of trolls.
Particularly in its ability to replace vital organs, it surpassed even the Icetroll’s Regeneration [B+].
Which meant the Ogre did not die even with its head destroyed.
More precisely, it did not die ‘as long as a replacement brain remained’.
Unbelievable as it was, this was information gleaned from Predator’s Instinct [S].
Above all, it was a fact confirmed with his own eyes in his past life.
While explaining the strategy, he had impressed this fact upon Kai as well.
Yet the reality of a creature surviving without its head.
Especially a monster with a fundamentally alien life structure like an Ogre—such a thing could not easily sink in—
“It’s not over yet!!”
It seemed Kai had momentarily forgotten that fact.
The Ogre’s fist connected with devastating precision.
The Ogre’s fist struck Kai with perfect accuracy.
The air shattered explosively.
Kai’s body was hurled back violently from the impact.
His airborne form crashed through the jagged rocks of Rocky Mountain multiple times.
Crash! Crash! Boom! Thunderous impact!
I flew dozens of meters before finally crashing into the ground.
An impact that would shatter my entire body and kill me without question.
But with Dependent Immortality[E], I wouldn’t have died. Still, it was an injury I couldn’t recover from easily.
As expected.
Kai couldn’t get up.
Meanwhile, the Ogre’s wound opened by Kai’s strike.
Platelets activated immediately to stop the bleeding. Cells around the wound site proliferated rapidly, and the injury sealed itself.
…An absurd monster.
In truth, it wasn’t this severe before.
The Ogre I faced in my previous life didn’t die even with its brain destroyed, but it wasn’t this intact and rampaging.
It must be the composite skill, Impenetrable Fortress[S-].
It seemed to be because of its amplification effect.
In other words, the Ogre I faced in my previous life only had the Organ Duplication System[A]. It appeared it didn’t possess Impenetrable Fortress[S-].
‘It’s too strong.’
Far superior to the Ogre I faced in my previous life.
Strength, defense, recovery.
Nothing was lacking.
Not lacking—overwhelming.
Overwhelming strength, overwhelming defense.
And abnormal recovery.
It approached perfection as a combat organism, and it wasn’t for nothing that it was called the complete form of biological evolution.
Still, the Monomolecular Blade[S] could tear through the Ogre’s overwhelming defense.
But there was a drawback.
Ironically, the contact area was too thin at the ‘molecular level’.
Right after cutting with the Monomolecular Blade[S], the severed parts would likely reattach due to mutual attraction.
Especially with something like an Ogre with excellent recovery.
Therefore, I needed to either cut off the severed parts so they couldn’t recombine, or immediately burn them as an additional measure.
The problem was the extreme weight class difference between me and the Ogre.
A monster reaching a full twenty meters.
The Monomolecular Blade[S] alone couldn’t deliver a fatal blow.
‘If I could use Bone Blade….’
The combination of Bone Blade and Monomolecular Blade[S].
I could sever the Ogre entirely.
Like with Blake, I could cut through regardless of the Ogre’s defense and recovery.
But Bone Blade could only be created with Super Regeneration[A].
The required Sanity value was 3,200 or higher.
But my current Sanity value.
[Sanity] – 540/ℵ0
…Hopelessly insufficient.
‘This is difficult.’
The situation is dire.
Kai has been rendered combat-ineffective.
The Ogre has completely recovered from its injuries.
‘First, I need to secure the Arcanohart.’
I quickly retreated backward.
Then I reached out toward the rampaging Arcanohart.
◆Error: Player ownership not confirmed.
◆Cannot store in inventory.
But it wouldn’t enter my inventory.
As expected.
I don’t have the time or luxury to explain ownership details to Broombar right now.
…Indeed, the situation is dire.
Roooooaaarrrrr─!
The Ogre had fully recovered from all its wounds.
It showed no signs of damage, as if its shattered head meant nothing.
I had to separate the Arcanohart from the Ogre immediately.
“Quickly, move the Arcanohart─!”
“We can’t!!”
Broombar shouted.
“The spatial stabilization device is destroyed!”
Following Broombar’s gaze, I saw debris scattered around the Arcanohart.
That must be the spatial stabilization device.
“If we transport the Arcanohart like this, a gravitational collapse could occur! The core might destabilize!!”
Complex terminology spilled out, but the point was simple.
“We cannot move the Arcanohart!”
One careless movement and the Arcanohart would detonate.
Now I understood why they were holding it in place rather than relocating it.
The Arcanohart’s detonation.
That could never be allowed to happen.
◆Arcanohart
: This device is a [Core] that collects and refines mana distributed throughout [the natural world] (atmospheric mana, ley lines, etc.) and converts it into a [high-density mana plasma] state.
The highly compressed mana plasma generates high-output energy through a [fusion process]. The energy generated here is refined into [Ether] form and can be utilized as desired energy such as [magical power, aura, gravitational fields, etc.].
A power source that draws virtually infinite energy through mana nuclear fusion.
If it detonates, everything ends.
Fortunately, Seraphia was controlling the rampaging energy….
“Hnnngh…!!”
She was struggling.
Seraphia’s mastery of her power still fell short of The Frost Lord’s.
Beyond that, controlling the Arcanohart’s rampaging energy was fundamentally impossible in the first place.
Broombar was absorbing the rampaging energy that Seraphia couldn’t contain with his entire body.
“Grraaahhh—!!”
I was forcibly suppressing the rampant energy to prevent it from detonating completely.
Broombar was physically pressing down the runaway waves emanating from the Arcanoheart.
This was only possible because of Broombar’s formidable physique and the power of Ironclad Fortress [A+].
Yet each time the waves burst outward, Broombar’s muscles twisted and tore.
But Broombar gritted his teeth and endured, holding firm.
Broombar cannot move.
Seraphia must control the rampant energy.
Kai is currently incapacitated.
Recovery will take time, and the wounded dwarves are in the same condition.
In the end, I must suppress the Ogre alone.
Should I use Predator [M]?
But after Predator [M], both physical and skill overload will afflict me.
The question is whether Predator [M] can even capture the Ogre.
…I don’t know.
I have no certainty.
The operation fell apart the moment the Ogre tunneled and attacked.
I must devise a countermeasure.
…But there is no method.
Then I must create one.
‘I need to turn the Ogre’s attention toward me.’
My mind spins rapidly.
Experience from my previous life.
Evolutionary biology taught to me by Iliana.
These elements unfold and recombine in my consciousness in an instant.
The reason the Ogre rages madly at the dragon’s biowave signature.
It hunts dragon spawn—hatchlings.
In other words, the instinct to reduce the population of dragons, a natural predator, to ensure the Ogre species’ survival.
Therefore, the Ogre’s blind fury toward the Arcanoheart.
It is rooted in the greatest motivation of all living creatures: the survival instinct.
…I must stimulate that survival instinct.
Without hesitation, I extended Dragon’s Claw [A].
Then, with a sickening tear—
I tore away my entire left shoulder, which I had only just regenerated.
“Wh-what are you—!!”
Broombar cried out in shock.
But I paid it no mind.
There was no time to explain, no room for hesitation.
I immediately kicked off the ground and launched myself upward.
The Ogre’s frame towered at a full twenty meters.
Even for an Ogre, it was an enormous size.
Which meant its dietary requirements were equally staggering.
An Ogre’s tremendous appetite.
It was primarily satisfied by monsters with exceptional breeding rates.
Orcs and Goblins were the most common examples.
But among them, what an Ogre preferred most was—
Trolls.
When an Ogre discovered a Troll, it didn’t devour it immediately. Instead, it captured it alive.
This was so it could tear into it repeatedly until its regenerative capacity was exhausted.
So I tore off my left shoulder and hurled it toward the Ogre.
“Hey!”
The Ogre’s eyes, blazing with fury, suddenly fixed upon me.
Then, as I activated my Regeneration [B+] ability.
Kwaaaagh?!
The Ogre’s gaze transformed entirely.
And for good reason—this wasn’t merely a Troll’s recovery.
It was Icetroll’s Regeneration [B+].
“Does it look appetizing?”
The Ogre’s eyes gleamed with sudden intensity.
Hunger.
It metamorphosed into savagery.
Among the three primal survival instincts, appetite reigned supreme.
By stimulating that instinct, I successfully redirected the Ogre’s attention.
But that was all.
Hunger alone couldn’t fully draw the Ogre to my side.
◆Current Sanity: 540.
◆Consuming 429 Sanity.
◆Berserk [?] grade adjusted to [B+].
◆Composite skill, Draconification [E] activated!
Control over Sanity consumption.
I hadn’t perfected it yet.
Still, it had become more refined than when I faced Blake.
An intense power surged from within my body.
The draconic genetic factors inscribed within me.
As it all manifested completely.
The Ogre’s gaze shifted entirely.
Its instinctive threat detection activated, and the Ogre recognized me as a hatchling—a dragon.
Every nerve and sense converged entirely upon me.
And when the Ogre’s savagery was directed wholly at me.
The Ogre charged straight toward me.
A tremendous speed that belied its massive frame.
…There was no way to evade it.
That charge, which indiscriminately obliterated everything in its path, operated on a principle where evasion itself became meaningless.
Crash!!
The impact struck with devastating force.
Every muscle in my body threatened to rupture. Flesh was pulverized. Blood gushed forth in torrents.
But the effect of the fusion skill, Dragon Assimilation[E].
It converted precisely 1% of the reduced impact damage into calories.
◆2,567Kcal has been accumulated.
The luminous text flickered before my eyes.
More calories had accumulated than what Regeneration[B+] required.
To the Ogre’s perception, I was no different from a young dragon that regenerated infinitely.
The Ogre’s ferocity spiraled into madness.
Boom, boom!
The earth trembled as the Ogre charged at me once more—
“Hahahaha!”
I found myself lost in a bizarre sensation where terror and exhilaration intertwined.
The overwhelming pressure of the Ogre, the apex predator of this realm.
My heart thrashed wildly against the primal fear coursing through me.
Every nerve in my body sharpened, my senses honed to an exquisite edge.
I was undoubtedly experiencing the terror of mortality.
Yet from within that terror, an abnormal pleasure blossomed.
Organ Duplication System[A].
This did not regenerate destroyed organs.
It discarded the destroyed organ and ‘replaced’ it with another.
The duplicated organs functioned independently.
Their structure and function perfectly matched the original organs.
Thus, even if the Ogre’s head were destroyed, it could respond immediately without any functional degradation.
In other words.
The ‘heart’ I could Devour[S+] also existed in ‘multiple’ instances.
The Ogre’s Impenetrable Defense[S-].
Five abilities comprised it.
Due to the incompleteness of Devour[S+], I could not fully obtain the Ogre’s abilities.
Moreover, Ogres on The Continent were so scarce they were on the verge of extinction.
I could no longer expect to Devour[S+] another Ogre.
But if it possessed multiple hearts?
I could Devour[S+] the heart multiple times from a single individual, and thereby make all of the Ogre’s Impenetrable Defense[S-] my own.
How could this be.
“Hahahahahaha!!”
How could I not go mad with pleasure!

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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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