#51
Halli (2)
“Right, thinking about it now, it’s weird.”
The Holy Church Order is supposedly one of the largest powers on the continent.
Is it believable that they haven’t found a single fragment for hundreds of years?
Of course, the Undead King, not being a fool, would have set strict conditions to prevent it from falling into the church’s hands.
That’s why the church missed two.
But isn’t that the Holy Church Order?
It didn’t make sense that they had discovered none.
“Of course, we don’t patrol all the way inside the Radiant Defense. We only block the paths. The higher-ups will manage that directly.”
“…I see. Then, was it really necessary to tell me that…?”
“Because there is the Blessing of Silence. Knowing what we are protecting allows for more proactive defense, doesn’t it? You are aware of the Landguard? With the descendant of the Undead King appearing, it is crucial to protect the last fragment.”
I know.
Hans, the descendant of the Undead King, has been agonizing over how he could find the last fragment.
“But I no longer need to worry.”
Although a different worry arose.
Heinrich knew well how thorough the security had been from the holy places to the shrines in the past few months.
Recovering a fragment under the tight security of the Rosellia Temple in the depths would be… well, saying it’s impossible is an understatement.
“And entering the Radiant Defense means you are a trusted individual. It seems the higher-ups look quite favorably upon you?”
“Hahaha… I’m receiving undeserving attention.”
“Considering your growth, they wouldn’t be able to help but support you. Hmm, then I will show you your post. Follow me.”
With that, Lyrin stood up from her seat and headed toward the door.
Heinrich hurriedly followed her out of the room.
“Is it bothersome? They say you can only speak in designated areas, but it can’t be helped.”
The room they had been in was part of the earlier complex “procedures.”
It probably wasn’t an ordinary room either.
“Could you try saying it once as a test? Of course, you can’t leave written records either.”
“Right… um…!”
As she suggested, he attempted to speak but couldn’t utter a single word.
“Even if you can’t leak it, be careful with your words and actions from now on. The very act of being tongue-tied looks suspicious. It’s better to think of it as a secret only you know. A secret that must never be shared!”
“…Yes! I understand. I will keep it to myself.”
Heinrich nodded firmly with a serious face.
He swore to take the secret to his grave.
Right, he had never planned to leak this to anyone from the start.
This was something only I needed to know.
Absolutely no intention to inform others.
*
[The heart of the Rosellia Temple… I wouldn’t have found it even if I looked my whole life.]
A secret research facility located deep within the Forest of Monsters.
In that eerie place, an Archlich let out a sigh.
He was the target the church was risking everything for and the one who could never have the information about the last fragment leaked.
The Undead King’s descendant, Hans.
He had just finished strengthening Halli’s research and had stepped into free research when he encountered unexpectedly troubling information.
[This is troublesome. I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it right now?]
As strong as Hans was, it was still unreasonable to invade the church’s heart directly.
He had no idea what further defenses were in place inside.
[Actually, there’s no need to rush. Time will resolve this on its own. If I wait, an opportunity will come soon. Hehehe…]
He was not alone.
Now that he had identified the location of the last fragment, all he had to do was build his foundation while waiting for the right moment.
The research he was conducting now was immensely important too.
[This is part of the preparations for that time. I need to find a way to successfully throw off the Saint’s pursuit. It’s frustrating to be stuck inside a barrier and unable to act properly.]
The general direction was already clear.
Although he needed more time, he had more than enough time left, so he didn’t need to rush.
As the primary goal, Halli’s strengthening was currently progressing smoothly.
*
In the forest at quite a distance from Hans’s secret research facility.
Swish—
A black leopard fell from the dense trees like lightning.
The target was the foolish human standing alone.
He seemed oblivious to the impending ambush.
Or rather, it appeared that way…
“Gah! Not a chance!”
The moment the leopard descended above, that human, Halli, had already turned around, facing the leopard head-on.
With perked-up ears sharply pointed.
Realizing the ambush had failed, the black leopard quickly extended its front paw, but Halli merely displayed a fierce grin, baring his teeth.
He was already ready for battle.
Crack—
In an instant, his right arm inflated massively, and five blade-like claws sprung forth from his fingertips.
Huff!
Grarrr—!
The roars of both human and beast intersected.
The leopard’s front paw swung towards Halli’s head, but he ducked and dodged with his tightly compressed left arm.
This was a martial technique included in Heinrich’s “Paladin Combat Technique” that he had been effectively utilizing.
Then, with the massively swollen hand, he grabbed the exposed neck of the leopard.
Crunch! Thud—!
“Cough!”
The five claw-like nails on his mighty hand didn’t just pierce through the leopard’s neck—they tore into it.
Rip—
The slaughtering claws dug in, ripping flesh and scraping the vertebra.
Thud!
In a single exchange, the victor and the vanquished were decided.
With the flesh from the neck completely torn away, the fallen black leopard lay defeated, while Halli’s body bore not even a scratch.
“Hehe~! That was electrifying!”
Once fighting for his life against this very foe, how amusing it was that now, it crumples under his grasp.
The rapid growth of Halli was greatly influenced by Heinz II.
The blood he left behind became a solid source of nourishment for Halli.
Of course, while he couldn’t acquire Heinz’s source of power—Blood Magic and various abilities—Halli’s body, enhanced through “Hybrid Evolution,” was far from ordinary.
“Then, shall we begin?”
The muscular arm that had inflated compressed back down to a nimble state.
Then, that arm lunged straight into the heart of the black leopard.
Swoosh— Crack!
With the sharp-clawed hand, the leopard’s heartstone came out.
Dusting off the blood that clung to it, he casually chewed on the fist-sized crystal with teeth that had sprouted like a shark’s.
Crunch! Crackle— Snap!
So, the black leopard seems less effective now?
“Mutations” possess the trait of evolving by acquiring various types of genes.
If one keeps devouring the same species, the efficiency was bound to drop.
The reason for ripping out and eating heartstones was simple.
It was the most efficient way to meet the conditions required for “Mutations.”
If I could just get a Dragon Heart…
The ultimate heartstone, the Dragon Heart.
Of course, it went without saying that neither the goods nor the materials were even identified.
Somewhere, someone could be holding it, but there was no way he could know that information.
《The entity has gained insight through repetitive actions. Acquired skill “Gluttony.”》
As Halli finished the last of the black leopard’s heartstone, the familiar notification appeared before his eyes.
“Oh? Isn’t that a skill that fits me perfectly?”
“Gluttony” was a practical skill that allowed one to consume anything more easily, quickly, and in greater quantities.
It also sped up digestion, aiding energy replenishment, so it wasn’t bad at all.
…
More importantly, something recently had been weighing heavily on his mind…
“Hahaha—!”
An uncontrollable hearty laugh burst forth.
Not particularly funny, yet he couldn’t seem to hold back the laughter.
After acquiring “Mutations,” I feel Halli’s personality has gotten a bit strange…
Should he call it hearty or tough…?
“Pfft— Hahaha!”
Honestly, just putting it out there, he seems a bit psycho.
Normally, he would be pretty decent, but the moment after battle or seeing blood, he inevitably turned this way.
The repeated human experiments and the skills acquired from them likely had a significant influence on the avatar’s personality.
Because of that, no matter how you looked at it, it felt like a case of self-inflicted damage, and he didn’t have anyone else to blame.
Hmm… If I keep it up like this, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad…
Something about this refreshing laughter made his heart feel light.
…After all, maybe it’s okay like this?
[Entity Information]
– Entity Name: Halli
– Common Traits: “Mind Hub,” “Persona,” “Mental Clarity”
– Entity Traits: “Mutation,” “Physical Transformation,” “Regeneration,” “Gluttony”
– Special Conditions: The body adapted to mutations through various experiments. Each time it acquires new genes, it evolves into the optimal combination, mutating its body based on that information. It adapts to extreme environments by transforming into suitable forms.
“Physical Transformation” was a superb ability that allowed changes in the body through various combinations of possessed genes.
The only drawback was the rapid calorie consumption each time it was used.
But thanks to that, he could do things like this.
Crack— Pop—!
His entire body’s muscles swelled, and his bones grew thicker.
His shoulders broadened, and his view grew higher.
After a while.
Halli had become a muscled giant over two meters tall.
“After all, having a big build is advantageous in fights. I think this size is just right!”
He ripped off his tight-fitting shirt like it was bothersome and burst into laughter again.
I’ve tested things while moderating, but to fully utilize Halli’s abilities, it seems advantageous to grow bigger.
Monsters, including beast-men, transform the mana within their bodies into powerful life force, displaying destructive power beyond physical limits.
A strength unattainable by any human body.
And while Halli still maintained the appearance of a human, the bones, muscles, and remainder were no different from those of a beast-men.
The bodies specialized for slaughter had exponentially superior performance compared to humans.
Gurgle—
Conversely, the efficiency of energy consumption was horrendous, but now he could manage just fine with “Gluttony.”
Ah, but with the after-effects of “Physical Transformation” overlapping, I’m extremely hungry.
Drip—
Before he knew it, drool was trickling from Halli’s mouth.
His gaze was fixed on the fallen black leopard.
…Well, I should be fine with “Gluttony,” right?
He could digest anything without issue now.
And here he was, presented with food to satisfy his hunger.
Crunch—!
Halli tore off one of the black leopard’s front legs, roughly skinning it and bringing it to his mouth, devouring it hastily.
The raw flesh of the monster was savagely torn away by his sharp teeth.
Blood was dripping down.
Halli’s mouth and chest were already soaked in blood.
…No, seriously, I might be going insane.
He usually tried not to intervene with each avatar’s personality, but Halli seemed to need special management.
If he continued to be cautious about his words and actions, it would undoubtedly become more exhausting, but with his current tendencies, could he even forge normal human relationships?
Not even a barbarian; what is this…
Hmm? Barbarian?
In the dimension of Auterica, where various races and species coexist.
Naturally, there were barbarians here too.
And surprisingly, they formed considerable powers.
In the barren land of the southern continent, they even established a federation of barbarian tribes.
Barbarians… Barbaric warriors… That seems appealing!
With a massive frame and tattoos adorning it, they would laugh heartily with a gleam in their eyes, smashing enemies’ skulls with a giant axe and wetting their throats with the blood of their hunt.
“Oh! This is excellent?!”
As Halli continued to chew, he roared excitedly again.
So, focusing on just eating meat and controlling himself, he began to organize his thoughts again.
Actually, I heard that these days, culture has spread to tribal people, so it isn’t like this anymore… but there are always oddballs everywhere.
Rough, wild, barbaric Halli.
It felt oddly refreshing.
The gamer spirit that had been dormant since school ignited anew.
First, I should make a helmet from the monster’s hide, craft jewelry from the bones, and grab a big axe!
A codex filled with prejudice and selfish desires.
Highly stereotypical fashion that would make the refined southerners shudder in fear.
If they saw it, they would have a fit, accusing me of reinforcing prejudices against all southern barbarians.
Of course, I had no intention of considering their feelings.
I’m lucky Heinrich learned axe techniques. I can use the axe in front of others and use “Physical Transformation” when I’m alone.
As long as I’m having fun, right?
“Haha! This is exciting! Shall we keep moving?!”
After tossing aside the remaining bones of the foreleg, Halli’s leg muscles expanded, and he took off, charging through the forest.
His eyes sharpened like a predator’s, and his nose and ears twitched, constantly probing for surrounding information.
Before moving to another area, it was first necessary to gather as many monster genes inhabiting this place as possible.
After about a month.
With the help of the undead, Halli had hunted all the types of monsters present nearby, acquiring genetic information, and was finally ready to head elsewhere.
