The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 50
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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 50. Predator’s Instinct (1)
◆Sudden Quest [We Are Legion!] has been cleared!
◆You have acquired 959,600 Quest Experience!
It wasn’t the message I’d been expecting.
Then again, imprinting the dragon’s genetic factor onto Gelu Drake had taken considerable time.
How much longer, then, for the genetic factor imprinted upon the Beast Lord?
Time was all it would take—nothing was going anywhere—so I waited with patience.
Besides, the content of this message that had just surfaced was more than enough to set my heart racing.
‘Nearly nine times over.’
Nearly 960,000 experience points.
‘Quest completion experience is definitely far superior to hunting.’
With that, I managed a staggering +16 level increase.
My level, which had been 30, instantly soared to 50.
This alone was an extraordinary reward.
But the real reward was only just beginning.
◆KYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
A semi-transparent message that seemed almost blinding materialized before my eyes once more.
◆You have achieved something remarkable and utterly impossible—not merely driving back a monster legion, but subjugating the legion’s supreme commander, the Lycanthrope!!
◆Who in this world could possibly not be astounded by such an extraordinary Achievement!
◆If anyone exists, step forward! Boom! Crash! I’ll give them a proper thrashing!
◆Beyond imagination! Irrefutable! Absolute fact! No takebacks!
◆And that’s not all!
◆Fearless courage! Sacrifice without hesitation! The territory’s people who witnessed your deeds are moved! Deeply moved!
◆As a reward, the affection of your territory’s people rises dramatically!
◆But we’re not done yet! This doesn’t come around every day!
◆As an additional reward, we grant you [All Stats +5]!
◆Can we really be giving out rewards this generously?!
◆Who knows! The Quest has gone insane!!
◆Now then, who dares stand against me! Everyone, make way! The 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 takes the stage!
◆And finally, the title ‘【Ruler of the Northern Region】’ is bestowed upon you as a bonus!
…Truly, I had never seen such excessive fanfare.
The messages painted my vision pitch black, and I found myself completely absorbed in this wild celebration.
‘No matter how I look at it, this system seems to have a consciousness of its own.’
The messages that occasionally surfaced, as if piercing through my very thoughts, certainly suggested as much.
Regardless of the fanfare, the rewards themselves were genuinely insane.
After all, I had subjugated none other than the Beast Legion Commander.
High risk, high return.
The return value matched the danger I had undertaken.
‘I’ll check the territory people’s affection and the additional stats a bit later….’
First, I examined the newly acquired title 【Ruler of the Northern Region】.
==【Ruler of the Northern Region】==
[Acquisition Condition] – Subjugate the previous 【Ruler of the Northern Region】.
[Effect 1] – Enemies attempting to challenge the player in the Northern Region suffer tremendous mental pressure, causing [all stats to decrease by -20%].
[Effect 2] – The ruler’s dignity and presence greatly boost allied morale. During combat in the Northern Region, the player and all allies gain [all stats increased by +15%].
The one drawback was that it only applied within the limited area of the Northern Region.
Unlike 【Master of the Snowy Mountain】, which granted all stats +5 anywhere and anytime, this title’s effects were restricted to the Northern Region alone.
‘Still, it’s excellent.’
Even so, it was a superior title compared to 【Master of the Snowy Mountain】.
Even limited to the Northern Region, the raw effects alone created a [combined +35%] gap, and that advantage would grow exponentially as I grew stronger.
‘And the stat reduction doesn’t apply only to monsters.’
The previous 【Master of the Snowy Mountain】 title’s [Effect 1] terrified all monsters inhabiting the Snowy Mountain and reduced their stats by -15% through fear.
It didn’t apply to non-monster enemies.
Furthermore, if the monster wasn’t frightened, the stat reduction wouldn’t occur.
That was why the 【Master of the Snowy Mountain】 effect hadn’t worked on the Lycanthrope. He simply wasn’t afraid.
But the same applied to me.
Looking at the acquisition condition for the 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 title, it seemed the Lycanthrope was the previous 【Ruler of the Northern Region】.
In other words, the Lycanthrope had been applying the 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 effects to me.
‘No wonder the monsters in the legion seemed unusually powerful.’
Now I understood—all their stats had been increased by +15% through the Lycanthrope.
Therefore, my stats should have been reduced by -20%. That was the effect of the 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 title.
Yet I hadn’t experienced any stat reduction whatsoever.
‘It must be because of Ian’s ability.’
It was thanks to Ian’s ability—Player’s Will [EX].
The 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 title’s -20% stat reduction effect was based on mental pressure.
But mental pressure had no effect on me. That’s why I experienced no stat reduction.
Which meant.
‘Kai was operating at -20% capacity.’
And yet, he’d still driven the Lycanthrope into a corner. He’d even forced him into a Berserk state.
‘That madman.’
I couldn’t help but think it.
But thinking about it more carefully, Kai was also a legion commander.
The Frost Legion Commander.
From my experience, Kai, the Frost Legion Commander, was significantly stronger than the Lycanthrope, the Beast Legion Commander. Far stronger, in fact.
‘That madman.’
A madman is a madman, after all.
In any case, I invested all the additional stats from leveling up into agility.
‘The bonus reward of all stats +5 was automatically applied.’
Finally, I deactivated the 【Master of the Snowy Mountain】 title and replaced it with the new 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 title to apply its effects.
==「Player Information」==
[Name] = Adrian Whitewolf
[Title] = Ruler of the Northern Region
[Level] = Level 50
[HP] = 611
[MP] = 0
[Stats] = Strength: 37.95 (+4.95) Agility: 65 (+15) Endurance: 27.3 (+6.3) Mana: 6.9 (+0.9)
[Experience] = 31.7%
My stats had risen dramatically compared to before.
Particularly, my agility reaching 65 granted me a perception nearly akin to ESP.
As for other changes, the effect of the title 【Master of Snowy Mountain】 which granted [All Stats +5] had vanished.
Instead, the title 【Ruler of the Northern Region】 now granted [All Stats +15%].
‘Strength has dropped somewhat.’
Since the increase was now percentage-based rather than absolute, the amplification effect was weaker.
However, the loss was negligible.
With the pronounced increases in agility and endurance, my overall stat total had definitely risen.
‘If I raise strength and endurance through physical training, the amplification effect will grow even further.’
And on top of that, the ability to reduce all targets’ stats—monsters included—by 20%.
Though limited to the Northern Region, there was no better title within its bounds than 【Ruler of the Northern Region】.
With this.
‘Excellent.’
I had surpassed my former self once again.
Surveying my surroundings, the bitter cold that had consumed the world was gradually dissipating. I drew my tension taut once more, sharpening my focus.
The Lycanthrope was unmistakably dead.
But there remained one more—a being I absolutely had to eliminate.
Seraphia… No, the Frost Lord had to die.
Until now, I had seen no trace of the Frost Lord in Seraphia. But today, everything changed.
Seraphia had finally awakened as the Frost Lord.
There was no point in waiting for Ian to arrive anymore.
I had to kill Seraphia right now.
…But could I?
Such doubts were irrelevant.
I had to do this now.
I retrieved oil from my inventory to replenish my calories. I sharpened my nails to lethal points and assumed a perfect combat stance.
And then.
“Huh…?”
I froze in bewilderment even more profound than when the Lycanthrope had fled.
* * *
The frigid aura that had blanketed the world dissipated.
The frozen space-time returned to its normal state, and Kai was granted permission to move once more. Yet Kai could not move easily.
Facing Adrian, a primal terror welled up from the depths of Kai’s instincts.
As though confronting a natural predator—a dread far exceeding what dragon fear had inflicted—Kai’s entire body was crushed beneath an invisible weight, rendering movement impossible.
Drawing upon my aura proved futile.
More precisely, I couldn’t draw upon my aura at all.
My mind was consumed entirely by Adrian’s resentment and his manic, echoing laughter.
It was a small voice that pulled me back from the brink.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Sir Kai…”
Seraphia’s weakened voice reached me from behind.
“I couldn’t… keep my promise…”
Seraphia, whom I had secured to my back, crumbled and fell to the ground.
* * *
Thud.
Seraphia descended like flower petals scattered on the wind. The bindings that had held her firmly to me shattered like frozen glass.
“Huh…?”
The tension that had gripped me so tightly suddenly released.
My face went blank, my expression frozen in shock.
“Seraphia!!!”
Kai rushed to check her condition. I followed suit, my own hands moving to assess her state.
Seraphia’s face was drained of all color, pale as death itself. A bitter chill radiated across her entire visage.
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, already crystallizing into ice formations.
Her silver hair, luminous as moonlight, lay scattered across the ground like fresh snow.
Her half-open eyes had lost their brilliance, now clouded with a fading crimson glow.
Her small lips trembled faintly, tinged with blue, while only the faintest breath escaped her—the only sign that Seraphia still clung to life.
She was not The Frost Lord.
Until moments ago, Seraphia had wielded the same authority as The Frost Lord herself.
Another Level lord who swept away the monster legions alongside the Lycanthrope.
I had convinced myself that Seraphia had awakened as The Frost Lord. Yet the Seraphia before me now was nothing of the sort.
Like a doll trapped within transparent ice—cold and utterly powerless.
Still small, still fragile, still impossibly delicate.
“Seraphia! Please, come to your senses!!”
Kai called out to her desperately.
Yet Seraphia didn’t so much as twitch.
Kai’s voice grew more anguished, more pleading.
“Please…! Please…!!”
But Seraphia remained unconscious, her mind adrift.
This was as if…
‘She’s lost control of her power.’
Not merely lost control—she was being consumed by it.
Just as I had been devoured by the madness of Predation [S+].
‘In my past life, this never happened.’
Yet in my previous life, nothing like this occurred. Seraphia wielded her power with perfect mastery, earning her the title of the Allied Forces’ greatest asset—an Another Level lord.
‘Why now…?’
It was at that very moment when the question crossed my mind.
◆You have consumed the genetic factors of the individual ‘Lycanthrope’!
◆You have acquired the skill ‘Predatory Instincts [S]’!
The message confirming the completion of Predation [S+] materialized before my eyes.
Immediately after, the description of ‘Predatory Instincts [S]’ followed.
◆Predatory Instincts [S]
: When this skill is activated, it awakens the predatory instincts imprinted within the player. The player can understand the target’s information [a priori], without requiring learning or conditioning.
A skill that allows one to understand a target’s information ‘a priori’—Predatory Instincts [S].
A priori.
This was a term that stood in opposition to empirical or learned knowledge.
In other words, it referred to knowledge and information understood through innate intuition, independent of experience or learning.
Without conscious effort, Seraphia’s appearance, physique, scent, and more.
Information perceivable through the five senses naturally consolidated within me.
Knowledge I could understand a priori unfolded and merged in my mind—without deliberate study, without anyone teaching me.
Through this, I grasped what state Seraphia currently existed in.
And naturally, this new knowledge became etched into my instincts.
Thus, I could finally confirm the information about Seraphia that materialized before my eyes.
==【Character Information】==
Name: Seraphia Whitewolf
Classification: Animalia, Mammalia, Hominidae, Human
Gender: Female
Age: 15
Distinctive Trait: Curse of the Frost [P]
The information about Seraphia crystallized before me with perfect clarity.
“….”
For a moment, I was rendered speechless.
An absurdly overpowered ability to perfectly comprehend a target’s information.
It wasn’t merely information about people.
I could understand [a priori] the information of every living creature and environment in this world.
Truly, the authority wielded by the Beast Legion Commander and the Beast Lord.
It was no coincidence that this [S]-rank skill sat directly below Predation [S+].
Among Seraphia’s information, one detail stood out distinctly.
‘Curse of the Frost?’
Simultaneous with my question, Predatory Instincts [S] activated once more, and information about the Curse of the Frost [P] materialized before my eyes.
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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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