Chapter 44: The Immortal Slayer (3)
Adelia had volunteered to guard the door, so Sikan Bauer followed the Guild Master out.
They hurried towards the eastern fortress.
Upon hearing the Guild Master’s report, Sikan furrowed his brow with a troubled expression.
“The enemy doesn’t die…?”
“Y-yes,” the Guild Master nodded with a pale face.
“Even if their head is severed, or their heart ripped out, or even when I confirm their throat has been slit… they get up again after a moment and come back to attack as if nothing happened. It’s not just good regeneration… it’s something else.”
Sikan’s face hardened.
According to Harkun Durdamel’s explanation, the monster that attacked the eastern fortress seemed to possess the characteristics of an “Immortal.”
But something was off.
The creature didn’t match anything Sikan could remember from his past experiences.
“A giant hybrid, over three meters tall, using a double axe…?”
No record in Mid Temple mentioned such an “Immortal.”
Information on Immortals was strictly controlled.
So, there were only two possibilities to consider.
The first: the Guild Master’s ignorance.
It was possible that Harkun Durdamel mistook a well-regenerating ogre or troll for an Immortal.
“Unless that’s not the case,” Sikan thought.
The second possibility: a new Immortal had appeared, one not recorded in any texts.
“Damn it.”
Sikan muttered a curse under his breath.
Harkun Durdamel was an elite merchant with knowledge of the Heavenly Dragon Sect and Mid Temple.
Would such a seasoned merchant really mistake a monster like an ogre or troll for an Immortal?
“If that’s the case, then a truly unrecorded Immortal has appeared.”
This was the worst-case scenario.
After all, Immortals, by their very existence, often wreak havoc on the balance of the world.
In such an already unstable situation, if another Immortal had appeared, it was likely the undercurrent of crisis on the continent had intensified.
“Huff.”
Sikan let out a deep sigh. In the distance, the eastern fortress came into view.
Speculation was now meaningless.
It was time to see the enemy with his own eyes.
Boom!
At that very moment, a massive explosion shook the air, and one side of the eastern fortress collapsed.
Debris from the walls scattered everywhere, and through the large hole, a giant man walked toward them.
‘Damn…’
Sikan’s spine chilled.
The giant carried a blood-stained double axe over his shoulder.
And around him were the slaughtered bodies of the guards.
The guards of the Free City, Vertas, were well-trained professionals, yet this brute had shattered their defenses and invaded the city with ease.
Crunch, crunch─!
Had the beast torn down the main gate with its bare hands?
One of its shoulders and arms were hanging like torn rags, but the wounds rapidly regenerated, turning back to normal with a crimson glow.
Seeing this, Sikan’s brow furrowed deeply. His worst fears were becoming a reality.
‘…It really is an Immortal. And not just any Immortal, but one with ridiculous regenerative power.’
Sikan quickly drew his sword, not allowing himself a moment’s hesitation.
The giant tightened his grip on his double axe and growled with a menacing voice.
“Are you allied with the rat, too…?”
“Rat?”
What was that supposed to mean?
Ignoring the strange mutterings, Sikan quickly gave orders.
“Harkun Durdamel.”
“Yes.”
“Seal off the surrounding area and evacuate the citizens. Request support from all the guards in Vertas. And…”
Woom, woong─!
The sword in his hand resonated, and a white aura began to shimmer around its blade.
It was unclear how long they would be able to hold out against this monster.
Those who made contracts with evil gods were impossible to gauge due to their “censorship,” making it hard to assess their true abilities.
But one thing was certain…
“Get Gaon here as soon as he’s ready.”
…As long as Gaon returns, everything would be solved.
Time passed.
“Ugh…”
How much time had passed?
My blurry consciousness started to return.
I must have passed out after enduring some kind of intense pain.
Groaning, I slowly raised my upper body.
‘Huh?’
I froze.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide.
Something felt different.
The moment I lifted my body, I could immediately feel that my physical state had changed.
‘…This isn’t just a boost in strength or stamina.’
My entire physique had completely changed.
It felt as if every single cell in my body had transformed into something entirely different.
I sat on the edge of the bed and looked into a mirror set up in the corner of the room.
Only then did I fully realize the extent of the transformation.
‘Wow.’
My once skinny body had now turned into a well-toned, muscular frame.
It wasn’t overly muscular, but it looked perfectly fit.
However, without a doubt, my most significant “change” was…
[Lv. 30]
…Level 30.
Before consuming the Heart of the T-Draigon, my level had only been 11, but now it had shot up to 30 in an instant.
Considering the mercenaries who guarded Harkun Durdamel’s guild ranged from level 20 to 30, my physical abilities had grown to match that level.
Status:
Strength: 32
Agility: 29
Stamina: 35
Mana: 1
Senses: 31
Dexterity: 12
‘Insane.’
The changes in my status were shocking.
Just a few weeks ago, my stats were all 1. Now they had dramatically increased.
It was incredible growth speed. If anyone else saw it, they’d probably be jealous.
‘…But considering what I’ve accomplished, maybe this kind of growth was inevitable?’
Crunch.
I clenched and unclenched my fist slowly, contemplating.
As I said before, the Heart of the T-Draigon didn’t just boost my stats.
‘There’s still something bigger left.’
Just then, a new notification appeared in my field of vision.
Ding!
[You have inherited the traits of the Dragon Body.]
[Your body has been enhanced.]
[Your physical growth speed has accelerated.]
‘…Dragon Body.’
The Heart of the T-Draigon had fundamentally altered my physical form.
The human body has limits. No matter how much you train, there’s always a wall you can’t break through.
Bones, muscles, and organs have a limit to how much they can grow.
To break these limits, one would have to spend decades practicing the Aura Cultivation method.
‘But I don’t have that kind of time.’
Using Aura Cultivation to improve one’s body would take years, maybe decades. And there was no time for that.
So, I used the Heart of the T-Draigon to completely restructure my body.
My bones grew stronger, muscles became more resilient, my blood vessels carried more blood, and my physique surpassed human limits, allowing for infinite growth.
‘This change in constitution will also speed up my growth rate.’
In RPG terms, my experience gain will be 1.5x to 2x higher now.
Of course, this is just an analogy. Lost Elder’s growth system is far more complex.
‘Anyway.’
Everything I wanted had been achieved.
It was the moment when all my careful planning and efforts finally bore fruit.
Creek-
I opened the door, which had been firmly locked, and immediately heard Adelia’s anxious voice.
“Gaon, Lord…!”
For some reason, Adelia’s face was filled with unease.
Even Harkun Durdamel, standing next to her, was deathly pale.
“What’s happening?”
Harkun Durdamel answered in place of her.
“Ve-Vertas is under attack.”
…What?
I froze.
I kept a calm expression on the outside, but my mind was in turmoil.
‘This scenario shouldn’t be happening right now…’
An unexpected event had occurred.
Just like how I faced the Swordmaster of the Flying Dragon deep in the labyrinth, another unexpected event, not present in the original, was happening.
“Explain the situation in detail.”
“A strange person broke through the eastern fortress by themselves.”
I quickly rushed down to the first floor of the inn, listening carefully as they explained.
Adelia and Harkun Durdamel followed closely behind.
“Dozens of the guards have already lost their lives. The Inquisitor is holding back the enemy with the guards, but things aren’t looking good.”
As I listened to Harkun’s explanation, my mind raced.
A foe so strong that even Sikan Bauer couldn’t handle them?
Who the hell was this?
And why would someone so strong attack the Free City of Vertas now?
…No, calm down. Panicking won’t help. I need to gather the most intuitive information first.
“What does the enemy look like?”
“I… I’m not sure, but based on my limited knowledge, they appear to be a hybrid of a giant race.”
“…?”
“They’re about 3 meters tall and wield a double axe as their main weapon.”
…Hold on.
‘A giant hybrid? A double axe?’
Could it be…?
Ding!
[A hidden message is revealed.]
[A twisted cause and effect has created the Immortal Barbar.]
‘…What the hell.’
I clicked my tongue upon seeing the notification.
I had expected this somewhat ever since I left Dark City, but I never expected it to come this quickly.
A powerful Immortal has appeared in the Free City, just when everything was on track.
