The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 15

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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 15. The Rogue Has Lost His Mind (2)
The Continent was home to countless wild animals adapted to diverse environments.
And alongside them existed an equally vast number of ‘monsters’.
Beasts far more enslaved to instinct and far more savage than any wild animal—monsters.
In truth, monsters were not native to the Continent.
They appeared suddenly at some point, yet no one could pinpoint exactly when monsters first emerged.
Every scholar held a different theory and opinion.
Even those were merely hypotheses lacking solid evidence.
The only explanation available was the vague phrase “ages beyond reckoning.”
But as for ‘how’ monsters came to be—
On this question alone, all scholars shared a unified view.
Mutation of wild animals.
When pigs mutated, they became the monster known as ‘Orc’.
When rats mutated, they became the monster known as ‘Kobold’.
When centipedes mutated, they became the monster known as ‘Demugade’.
Thus, animals including insects underwent mutation and diverged into new species, and through successive evolution, they became what we now call the monster race.
It was not limited to animals alone.
Even plants underwent mutation.
This was the origin of a new biological classification: the ‘monster kingdom’, distinct from the animal and plant kingdoms.
And the mutative factor that transformed fauna and flora into monsters—
Scholars named this mutative factor ‘Madness’.
Therefore, all monsters possessed ‘Madness’.
This was why monster flesh could not be consumed as food.
Though weapons and armor could be crafted from it.
Madness dwelled within a monster’s body.
Countless efforts had been made to remove it.
But all had failed.
The mages’ conclusion was that it was imprinted at the cellular level, making removal impossible.
Thus, consuming monster flesh caused one’s mind to shatter first.
Losing all reason, one became enslaved to instinct alone, committing indiscriminate slaughter.
If one was killed during this rampage, that was fortunate.
But if not?
The slaughter continued, and Madness accumulated relentlessly.
Humans too are animals.
Through the continuous accumulation of Madness, mutation occurs, and eventually humans themselves undergo the horrifying transformation into ‘monsterization’.
In other words—
Crunch.
Adrian, who was now devouring Dermexus’s heart, was not in his right mind.
“Are you still sane?!”
Kai cried out in shock and alarm.
I had to tear him away immediately.
Yet I did not rush forward carelessly.
I could not approach, nor could I afford to.
Adrian had already devoured Dermexus’s heart.
And the heart was the core of madness.
The heart is the source of life.
Since monsters too possessed life, all their vitality concentrated within the heart.
The inherent madness likewise converged there.
Therefore, consuming the heart engulfed one in madness far more swiftly than devouring any other part.
As expected, Adrian’s aura transformed entirely.
His eyes deepened to a crimson hue.
Eyes drenched as if soaked in blood.
Two eyes devoid of focus.
…There was no trace of reason.
Kai gripped his blade with crushing force.
He had to kill him.
Before Adrian succumbed entirely to madness, I had to end him here and now.
Yet.
…Could I truly win?
The thought emerged unbidden within me.
I could not even trust myself for harboring such a thought.
But I could discern no path to victory against Adrian.
As I hesitated—
Beneath Adrian’s crimson eyes, something savage began to rise.
It was ‘that thing’ I had witnessed in the Frost Trial Grounds.
Dwelling deep within Adrian’s essence, suppressed until now by an incomprehensible force that prevented its emergence—
A ferocious beast twisted with murderous intent beneath clouds of hatred.
That unknowable creature was experiencing a terrible liberation triggered by madness.
It was slowly raising the body that had been restrained for so long.
Upon confronting it.
I involuntarily staggered backward.
That is… not human.
Nor is it a monster.
An ultimate existence that reigns supreme over all life.
A primordial terror of existence bloomed upon facing such a being, swiftly ensnaring my body and mind.
Fear, dread, despair.
Such emotions were meaningless.
No matter how desperately one struggled, survival was impossible against that ultimate existence, rendering even the instinct for self-preservation hollow.
I clenched my teeth hard.
Finding even that insufficient, I bit into my own cheek.
A sharp, piercing pain awakened Kai’s body and mind, accompanied by the metallic scent of blood.
…I had to fight.
It was then that Kai gripped his sword with all his strength.
“Haaah…!”
Adrian exhaled a long breath.
Something savage and primal within Adrian plummeted to the ground.
Suppressed by an incomprehensible force, it could not rise again.
With that, Adrian’s eyes—which had blazed with radiance—grew calm once more, as they normally were.
The focus of eyes stripped of reason.
It too had already returned to its original state.
‘How…?’
Questions followed, yet I could not seek their answers.
As I slowly raised my gaze, the heart held in Adrian’s hand had already lost roughly half its mass.
Blood caked thickly around Adrian’s mouth.
The grotesque sight bore no resemblance to any human being.
I did not wish to see him as human.
Kai opened his mouth to speak, then clamped it shut.
…I had no desire to exchange words.
Yet today, my resolve hardened further.
Adrian must be killed.
Of course, Adrian was no longer Count Whitewolf’s House’s reckless fool.
Adrian had certainly changed.
But I could not yet determine whether that change was for the better.
To speak plainly, the likelihood it was for the worse was far greater.
Something unknowable lurking within Adrian.
It was clearly in a state of suppression.
Yet it remained lethal enough to trigger primal terror in Kai’s very instinct for survival.
I could not even imagine what Adrian would become if left alive.
I could not predict what threat he might pose to Whitewolf Territory.
At any moment, it could turn toward Seraphia.
The bruises already visible on Seraphia’s neck.
Even after more than ten days had passed, the unhealed bruises bore witness to the truth of my thoughts.
Adrian seeks to kill Seraphia.
Of that, I am certain.
This time, by cooperating with such an Adrian, I managed to overcome the crisis somehow.
But this was the only time.
After this, there would be no further cooperation with Adrian.
Kai organized his thoughts and steadied his breathing.
Three months until the Royal Court’s decree arrived.
It was not a short time, yet neither was it particularly long.
Twelve days had already passed.
Kai turned his back and left.
* * *
◆Kai possesses active hostility—he will kill and destroy you!
◆Kai will certainly kill and eliminate you at the slightest opportunity!
Translucent text suddenly materialized before my eyes.
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
When I looked up, Kai was already leaving.
Long golden hair fluttering behind Kai’s back.
It blended with the drifting snowflakes of the landscape, evoking the image of a noble wolf of the Snowy Plain.
It seemed he had grown tired of me consuming Dermexus’s heart….
Crunch, crunch.
So what of it?
Of course, I knew that consuming a monster’s heart was far from normal.
Even the Allied Forces soldiers who first witnessed my ability had been so horrified they nearly fainted.
It was better not to use my predation ability in front of others.
But to absorb abilities, I had to consume a ‘living’ heart ‘directly’.
Once the heart’s vitality was completely extinguished, I couldn’t absorb the ability. So there was no time to wait or hesitate.
Kai’s favorability, already plummeting into the abyss.
I had no intention of raising it anyway.
Far from raising his favorability, I felt the same way.
I too possessed active hostility—I would kill and destroy Kai.
Only, I simply couldn’t.
‘A monster.’
I never imagined he could display such combat power even when his stamina was depleted and his aura shattered.
I had merely delivered what they call the ‘finishing blow’.
Kai was the one who had hunted.
It was no coincidence he was called the commander of the Frost Legion.
Even I, who had been the Allied Forces’ apex predator, couldn’t match him.
But.
This time will be different from my past life.
◆Dermexus has been defeated!
◆You have gained 200 combat experience!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
Overshadowed by Kai’s favorability message, the notification of my +2 level increase finally appeared.
And as I chewed and swallowed the final fragment of Dermexus’s heart.
◆You have consumed the genetic material of the individual ‘Dermexus’!
◆You have acquired the skill ‘Toughened Skin [D]’!
Along with the notification of acquiring a new skill, my body began to respond immediately.
My skin had become smooth as polished metal.
Yet it maintained subtle elasticity and flexibility, appearing no different from human skin on the surface.
But its durability was as tough as rubber and as hard as steel.
A thin luminous membrane covered the skin’s surface, protecting my body from the cold.
As the transformation completed, a semi-transparent description materialized before my eyes.
◆Toughened Skin [D]
: Upon acquiring this skill, the player’s skin cell membrane is reinforced.
The strengthened skin prevents moisture loss and improves blood circulation within the body, increasing the player’s temperature regulation ability by [+50%], and granting [+12%] resistance against [all external trauma damage].
【This skill is a passive skill and applies permanently upon acquisition.】
【If additional genetic factors are absorbed, this ability will be enhanced.】
The biting cold that had been piercing was noticeably diminished.
My skin, now thick as leather, had become as hard as callus.
Even now, it was an exceptionally useful ability.
But if this ability continues to evolve, it will become truly ‘broken’.
In time, my [temperature regulation ability] will grant perfect immunity to both the Frost Lord’s bitter cold and scorching heat.
My [external trauma resistance] will be able to withstand even steel weapons.
My skin will possess defensive power superior to any armor.
So, since it’s come to this—
“I suppose it’s time to start hunting.”
I felt ready to begin serious hunting.
In truth, growth through physical training wasn’t bad at all.
It wasn’t just good—I could honestly call it ‘broken’.
With my Regeneration [C+] ability, I could push past the limits of my body’s limits.
Yet it remained difficult.
Watching Kai fight now, I could be certain of it.
“I still can’t kill him.”
Physical training alone has its limits.
That monster trains his aura every single moment.
As I grow, Kai grows as well.
So I need to grow far more explosively.
It’s not just because of Kai.
The Frost Lord and other lords, especially—
◆The player’s will [EX] resists the erased traces!
Ultimately, to stand against The Emperor, physical training alone has its limits.
I must quickly reclaim my previous life’s abilities and my combat power from my Predator days.
Beyond that, I must surpass the combat power I possessed as a Predator.
If possible, I need combat strength comparable to the Hero Ian.
In my previous life, that was impossible no matter what.
But now it’s different.
By hunting monsters, I gain ‘experience points’ and simultaneously acquire the monsters’ ‘abilities’ as well.
I could far surpass the Predator of my past life.
I could solidify my resolve.
“Let’s go hunt monsters.”
Ian’s ability, Solo Leveling Up [EX].
My ability, Predation [S+].
Monster hunting that could unleash the synergy of these two abilities was an explosively accelerated growth method incomparable to mere physical conditioning.
Moreover, with the Player’s Will [EX] in my possession now, unlike my past life, unlimited Predation [S+] was possible.
“Let me see….”
I calmly sifted through my memories.
I carefully reviewed each ability I had devoured during my time as a Predator in the Allied Forces.
And I could recall, one by one, the abilities I needed most in my current state.
“First, I’ll prioritize hunting Icetroll.”
I needed to evolve the Regeneration [C+] ability.
“I recall there was a nutrient synthesis ability in the Northern Region.”
Nutrient Synthesis.
An ability to synthesize all nutrients from calories.
With that ability, I could regenerate [C+] without being constrained by nutritional needs.
And if combined with the Reinforced Skin [D] I just acquired?
My entire skin would become an infinitely regenerating steel armor.
“But my offensive power falls short.”
I could wield a sword, but I couldn’t manipulate aura.
My past self faced the exact same problem.
And I overcame it.
“There was probably a keratin enhancement ability in the Northern Region too?”
Heightened Keratin.
Upon acquiring this ability, one strengthens the keratin components within the body, honing density and hardness to extreme degrees.
Thereby dramatically increasing the hardness and durability of nails, claws, and hair.
The durability of fingernails becomes harder than steel.
Offensive power sharper than an aura sword.
Under this ability, countless Imperial soldiers all knelt before me.
I could confidently say it was the core ability that made me a Predator.
And that wasn’t all.
An ability to generate bioelectricity and attack.
An ability to freely generate poison.
An ability to trigger powerful explosions.
An ability to detect ultrasound and infrasound.
Abilities to perceive various light wavelengths such as ultraviolet, infrared, and X-rays, and so on.
As this Continent teemed with boundless life, so too were there boundless rare biological evolution abilities to match.
And truly, one never knows.
“Could there be hypersensory perception as well?”
A power commonly called ESP.
Extrasensory Perception.
This ability hyperactivated the sensory nerves, allowing one to pierce through terrain and discern an opponent’s location.
Truly, an ability of legendary proportions.
Throughout my entire past life, I had only heard of monsters possessing such power.
I had never actually witnessed it myself.
The Emperor had exterminated them all.
But now, having returned to the past.
Now that I could devour infinitely with the Player’s Will [EX] and Infinite Consumption [S+].
Did I have time to indulge in hesitation?
“Let’s go at once.”
I turned my steps not toward the Whitewolf Territory, but toward the Snowy Mountain.

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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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