The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 365

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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 365. The Weight of the Crown (1)
Crimson blood erupted into the air.
Blake Battenberg’s body crumbled as his heart was torn from his chest.
In that instant.
A message materialized before my eyes.
◆You have defeated Blake Battenberg!!
The notification confirmed Blake’s death beyond doubt.
And immediately after.
Another message blazed across my vision.
◆You have gained 7,151,000,000 combat experience!
An absurd amount of experience flooded through me.
A staggering 7.151 billion.
Not merely extraordinary—it shattered all previous records.
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
.
.
.
The level-up notifications consumed my entire vision in a cascade of light.
Though less than I’d hoped for, 7.151 billion marked the highest experience gain in history.
My levels began to surge uncontrollably.
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
.
.
.
They showed no sign of stopping.
By rough count, I’d surpassed +100 levels.
Yet the notifications continued their relentless ascent.
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
.
.
.
In moments, I’d breached +200 levels.
Then +300, +400 levels.
Onward still—+500, +600 levels….
‘What is this?’
At this point, I was genuinely bewildered.
Of course, 7.1 billion experience points was an astronomical amount.
But considering the experience requirements at my current level, logically speaking, even +200 levels would be difficult, let alone +600.
I would have been lucky to gain +100 levels.
Yet I had just surpassed +700 levels.
And remarkably?
I was approaching +800 levels….
‘Ah, Level Reset Factor [EX].’
A broken skill that allowed me to reset my level once every hundred days.
…Or rather, a privilege skill.
I had reset my level before.
That meant my level had been 1.
The required experience plummeted dramatically.
And with the multiplicative effect of Growth Acceleration Factor [EX] stacked on top of that.
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
◆Your level has increased!
.
.
.
…This was the inevitable result.
In that sense, there was one more thing.
An inevitable result awaited me.
◆You have cleared the Calamity Quest, [Revolution if Successful, Treason if Failed, Wouldn’t You Say?!]!!
Along with the result of clearing the Calamity Quest.
◆WHAAAAAAAT IN THE WOOOORLD?!?!
Mungu’s Complete Excitement Overload [UL] was the result.
◆Good heavens! By the heavens!!
◆Not only did you stop Blake’s coup d’état!
◆You ‘eliminated’ Blake himself?!?!?
…It was exactly as expected.
That excitement was still utterly unhinged.
◆At this very moment! All kingdoms are in an uproar!
◆Emotion! Shock! Exhilaration!
◆And complete immersion!!
◆Why, you ask?!
◆Because this marks the end of the long and bitter feud with Blake!
◆A grand epic conclusion that cannot be witnessed without tears!
…This is absolutely ridiculous.
I almost wanted to shut it off.
Though I suppose such a function would be useful.
◆Tears of pure emotion!
◆Snot of joy!
◆Cold sweat of harsh reality!!
…Cold sweat of harsh reality?
◆And above all, that legendary scene!
◆Blake, who couldn’t even squeak in front of you, falling to his knees right then and thereeeee!!
◆In our natural state, we are all the weak!
◆And so the weak!
◆Gathered with other weak!
◆Protected yet another weak one!!
◆And so Blake, who started with “Kahahaha!” laughing his head off, ended up becoming a “….” silent fool!!
◆Truly thrilling! Exhilarating! Moving!
◆Goosebumps everywhere!!
◆A scene-making masterpiece!!
◆Kyaaah~! Bartender! Bring out the champagne today!!
…Is this guy actually insane?
No matter how I thought about it, he wasn’t in his right mind.
Genuinely.
◆Crushed by force!
◆Obliterated by logic!
◆Utterly, completely, thoroughly obliterated!!
◆Justice always triumphs!
◆I am Adrian, the warrior of justice!!
…Enough of this.
I tuned him out.
After letting Mungu ramble on by himself, I surveyed my surroundings.
The Outer City of the Capital, now in ruins.
There were casualties.
But far fewer than anticipated.
It was thanks to the Royal Guard’s excellent command.
“Move the wounded over here!”
“Medical team! This way! Heavy bleeding!”
“There are still survivors near the collapsed wall!!”
Their post-battle organization was thorough.
I could finally breathe easier.
When I turned my gaze slightly to the side, Leon came into view.
…At first glance, it didn’t look good.
His face was covered in blood, his lips a sickly pale blue.
Fortunately, Lucas was at Leon’s side.
That situation didn’t seem to require immediate attention either.
‘And Kai….’
Kai, who was restraining Aurec and the Special Operations Bureau agents.
Now that the situation had concluded, I should have gone to help him.
‘But I can’t move just yet.’
Namely, Blake’s heart, which I held in my palm.
Thump-thump….
Faint, yet still pulsing with life.
Blake had certainly met death, but his heart had not yet lost its vitality.
Though it would soon enough.
‘Just hold on a bit longer.’
Besides, Kai wouldn’t even die.
Honestly, I didn’t think Kai would lose.
I brushed aside my worries and brought the heart to my lips.
◆The perfect balance of logic and dignity!
◆Nothing stands before the warrior of justice… wait, huh?
Then Mungu cried out in surprise.
◆You’re eating that right now?
…What else?
Just throw it away?
This precious thing that grants a broken ability?
◆No, that’s not what I meant. Don’t you not need to eat the heart directly anymore?
…Huh? Why?
◆Because you have Complete Organism [UL].
◆Can’t you just extract the ability with that?
Through Selection Pressure [S+], right?
◆Yes.
Well, that’s true enough.
‘But Stat Absorption Factor [EX] requires direct consumption to obtain stats.’
Stat Absorption Factor [EX] was a broken skill that only activated when I ‘devoured’ a target.
Or rather, it was a special privilege skill.
◆Ah!
Mungu nodded as if understanding.
As if understanding…?
‘What exactly is this guy?’
In any case, Mungu’s mechanism remained utterly incomprehensible to me.
Regardless.
I sank my teeth into Blake’s heart, filling my mouth with it.
Crunch!
* * *
The commercial city of Frecce.
A bustling metropolis teeming with merchants and visitors.
Stone-paved streets echoed with the endless procession of horses and carts.
On either side, shops and residences constructed of crimson brick stood in dense rows.
The expansive Central Plaza, centered around an ancient stone fountain, displayed an array of shops and stalls.
Leather, crops, precious metals, foodstuffs—the list went on.
Regional specialties from across the Kingdom were displayed in their respective hues, while merchants enticed customers and haggled over prices.
Carts overflowed with fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Craftsmen hammered away at weapons and armor.
Amid the cacophony of hammer strikes and merchants’ bargaining voices—
“Magnificent! This lemon ale is an absolute masterpiece!”
“It’s not merely a beverage—it’s art! Pure art!”
The Predator Restaurant, as always, overflowed with patrons.
Adventurers, merchants, wandering mages.
It had become an essential destination for anyone visiting Frecce.
“Ah, by the way! Have you heard the news?”
Word of mouth from across the Continent naturally flowed into the establishment.
“…News? What news?”
“Well, it’s about Battenberg—”
“Are you referring to The Saint’s canonization ceremony?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
The man tilted his head in confusion.
“The Saint’s canonization? That sounds like some nonsensical talk about darkness and death and destiny.”
“Apparently, she wasn’t officially recognized as a Saint until now.”
Canonization as a Saint typically occurred through martyrdom.
In other words, it was a title bestowed only after death.
Therefore, Isolde’s official position within the Holy Kingdom was Cardinal.
Her form of address was “Your Eminence.”
Upon canonization as a Saint, it would change to “Your Holiness.”
However, it was not necessarily granted only after death.
The title of Saint could also be conferred when one demonstrated heroic virtue and became a model for all, or when recognized as a holy person through universal ecclesiastical authority.
“Following the incident at Violess, an official canonization ceremony is to be held.”
“Ah, that event from four years ago.”
The man nodded in understanding.
But then his expression grew puzzled.
“Yet they’re only conducting it now, more than four years later?”
“As you might imagine, canonizing a living Saint presented various complications.”
“Complications?”
“Political troubles with the Pope, that sort of thing.”
“The Pope blocked it?”
“Canonizing someone while they’re still alive means standing above the Pope himself.”
“Hmm. So even the Holy Kingdom isn’t governed by God, but by politics.”
“That’s how it is everywhere people live.”
“True enough. Doctrine is ultimately just humanity’s interpretation of God’s will.”
The two men clinked their glasses together.
Gulp, gulp.
“Aah! But if The Saint’s canonization ceremony is still proceeding, does that mean The Saint won?”
“Seems like it. I hear The Saint has completely wrapped the Papal Palace around her finger.”
“Come on, even so. That doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“Well, here’s the thing.”
The man lowered his voice considerably as he continued.
“The Pope resigned voluntarily.”
“…What? Is that really true?”
“Of course, the official announcement is ‘voluntary resignation,’ but who knows. How that resignation actually came about.”
“Huh…!”
The hand holding the glass froze.
A moment of silence.
Soon, the man who had spoken broke the silence.
“But anyway, what was the news you were going to tell me?”
“Hm? Oh, that’s the thing.”
The man moistened his throat with his drink, then continued.
“The treason incident in the Battenberg Kingdom has ended.”
“Really?”
The Battenberg Kingdom, close to Frecce.
There wasn’t a soul who didn’t know of the treason incident.
“How?”
“Well, the culprit behind The King’s assassination was Baron Segretus. All the evidence pointed to him, and in the end, he even confessed directly.”
“The Baron confessed with his own mouth that he assassinated The King? That old fox?”
“Yes. Apparently he was afraid that his affair with Queen Marceline and his relationship with Prince Walter would be exposed.”
“Tsk, even in his final act, the man goes out with style.”
The man shook his head back and forth.
“So what about Prince Walter?”
“His right to succession was completely stripped, I hear.”
“Well, he’s not of The King’s blood anyway.”
“And the Second Prince Blake attempted a coup and failed—”
“What?! A coup?!”
“Huh? You didn’t know? The Capital was in complete chaos because of it.”
“What in the world happened?!”
The man recounted the events of that time in detail.
And then.
“So it’s Adrian again?”
“Huh? Adrian again?”
“You mean Adrian Whitewolf, once more.”
The man shook his head in disbelief.
“Stopping treason, saving the kingdom—truly remarkable. How does he manage it every time? At this rate, isn’t he like a hero straight out of a fairy tale?”
“That’s why the people of Battenberg Kingdom already call him the ‘Warrior of Justice.'”
The two men clinked their glasses together in genuine admiration.
“Ahhh! But if that’s the case, the next king is essentially decided, isn’t it?”
“First Prince Leon, you mean?”
“That’s right.”
“True enough, but there’s a problem, or so I hear.”
“A problem?”
“He hasn’t regained consciousness.”
“What?”
“Ever since the coup was suppressed, he’s been unconscious and hasn’t woken up.”
“Did he suffer grave injuries?”
“Apparently so. The rumors going around say his life is hanging by a thread.”
“Wait, if Prince Leon dies, what happens then?”
“The kingdom falls into chaos once more.”
Thus.
The rumors spread throughout Frecce in half a day.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the entire Continent.
* * *
A strange sensation tickled the corners of his eyes.
Yet Leon could not open his eyes easily.
In that moment.
A peculiar vibration resonated in his ears.
Flash!
Leon’s eyes snapped open.
The familiar ceiling.
And the familiar air and scenery.
‘Where am I…’
The Capital, Battenberg. The Royal Palace.
Leon’s bedchamber.
At that very moment.
He sensed a subtle presence.
Turning his head slowly, two familiar faces were in Leon’s room.
One was Adrian.
And the other one was….
‘Seraphia?’
Leon’s mind snapped to attention.

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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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