"Grrr, grr..."
A monster with gray fur was gasping for breath.
It resembled a gorilla, supporting its body with its disproportionately large arms.
The creature was already covered in blood, oozing from wounds all over its body.
"Roaaaar!"
Enraged, the monster let out a fierce roar and straightened up.
Though it didn't know the identity of its sudden attackers, it had long been a dominant force in this area.
Even if its body was torn to shreds, it would not go down easily!
But the shadowy pursuers in the darkness were not in a position to consider the monster's resolve.
"Be as gentle as possible... Be careful. Don't want to get scolded again."
Undead creatures, emerging like shadows from the forest, surrounded the monster.
Leading them was Malcolm, a Death Wizard under Hans' command.
"Shackles of the Underworld."
Sharp rocks burst from the ground, binding the monster's limbs, while the surrounding undead rushed at it all at once.
"Roaar!"
But the monster was not going down without a fight.
Its muscles swelled, fracturing the rocks that bound its arms.
Crack
After breaking free from the rocks on its arms,
It slammed the ground, releasing its legs from the grasp.
Even as it was stabbed here and there by the attacking undead, the monster, with its remarkable vitality, began to fight back fiercely.
And the battle turned out to be longer than expected.
"Careful. Careful! Don't kill it. Avoid contamination... Indeed, it's tough. Its resistance is formidable... Shackles of the Underworld."
It was all because of the master's command.
To capture it alive, uncontaminated, and in as good condition as possible.
If it was just about bringing back a corpse, Malcolm alone could have finished it long ago.
If it were just about capturing it alive, it would have been easy with dark magic and the undead.
But they were undead.
Inherently born from death, their very essence was dark magic.
To the weak, their mere presence exuded a deadly aura.
For them, who effortlessly spread death and curses, capturing a target intact was more difficult than anticipated. Malcolm faced restrictions in using dark magic, and the other undead had to suppress their own energies as much as possible. The situation was further complicated by the target being a monster with a tough vitality, making it hard to knock unconscious.
"Grrr..."
So, with great effort, they used magic that was less influenced by dark energy, and the undead sacrificed their bodies to the cause. Eventually, Malcolm and his group managed to subdue the monster, preventing it from resisting any further.
The gorilla-like monster, now restrained and lying under the undead, struggled helplessly.
"Success... Now to return."
But it's often in moments of complacency that unexpected events occur.
"Roar!"
Crack!
"Ah."
In a momentary lapse of attention, the monster, in a last act of defiance, bit off the ankle of a skeleton knight pinning it down.
Crunch! Munch! Gulp
Not only that, but it also chewed the torn-off ankle thoroughly and then swallowed it whole. Other undead quickly subdued the monster again, but what was swallowed couldn't be helped. They couldn't cut open its stomach, especially since they needed to capture it as intact as possible.
"Hmm..."
The damage to the undead could be easily repaired with black magic, but that wasn't the main issue. Naturally, a part of an undead's body isn't exactly healthy food material.
"Since the monster is tough, maybe it'll be fine with that..."
Given the monster's tendency to eat anything, a bit of undead might not be a big deal. Malcolm, holding onto this faint hope, transported the neatly packaged monster to Hans' laboratory...
Whack!
Of course, it wasn't fine, and Malcolm, already on thin ice from repeated experiments, was scolded severely by the irritable Hans. He had to go out hunting again, repairing the slightly worn back of his head with black magic.
***
Hans was meditating with his eyes closed. Of course, without eyelids, he couldn't really close them, but he was deeply immersed in his inner world, oblivious to the outside.
[You Can Do It Too! 100 Days to Master Chimera Engineering]
[Understanding Biogenic Alchemy Through Concise Organization]
[Poison and Medicine: A Fine Line]
Hans delved into the infinite knowledge contained in the "Forbidden Knowledge," seeking to apply it. He combined data on chimera and other biological research from the archives with the extensive experimental information of the Abyssal Conclave, integrating the results he personally verified to draw conclusions.
Eventually, Hans, regaining his focus, looked down at Halli lying on the operating table, deep in thought.
[Hmm, the dragon's blood seems to have settled properly in the body.]
Now, nearly three months into the experiment, the scenery of the cave had changed significantly. Flasks containing unidentified chemicals, biotic tissues preserved with preservation magic, and various strangely shaped experimental tools were all present. Not to mention the bizarre magical circles and magical devices located throughout, flashing a cool light, asserting their presence. It was the very essence of a laboratory belonging to a scientist who had lost his humanity in madness. Considering the mix of occult, it could be seen as even more sinister.
[It's a bit stiff? Seems like I haven't fully adapted yet. But it's not fatal.]
[Let's give it some time and keep observing. The reaction is faster than I thought. It seems we're not far from seeing results. This body of mine, indeed... Khehheh]
The experiment was progressing smoothly.
A day later.
"Ugh, there's this bubbling feeling inside..."
[Hmm, a side effect? I thought 'Adaptation' would be enough to endure it. Maybe I should reduce the intensity a bit.]
Three days later.
"Choke Cough! Cough!"
[Hmm... Have we exceeded the limits of 'Super Recovery'? That's unfortunate. A little more progress and we could've succeeded. Let's make some adjustments.]
A week later.
"......"
[...Consciousness isn't connecting. I can't afford to lose Halli now... Hmm, should I take a gamble? Using all the remaining dragon's blood might do the trick.]
It was just over three months since Hans and Halli's joint research had begun.
"Hmm?"
[Finally, the mind is connected! Glad the gamble paid off. I used all the dragon's blood, but since it's still in Halli's body, we can continue the research. Khekhekhe]
"...But there's something strange about my body..."
At that moment.
[The subject has met the conditions for growth. The skill 'Adaptation' evolves into the special skill 'Mutation'.]
[The subject has met the conditions for unlocking potential. Special skill 'Physical Mutation' acquired.]
[The subject's healing power has surpassed its limits. Skill 'Super Recovery' evolves into 'Regeneration'.]
"Oh?"
[Oh?]
Both of them simultaneously exclaimed in surprise at the messages appearing one after another.
"This means..."
[The experiment is a success.]
It was a remarkable achievement, accomplished in about ten days of Earth's time, roughly a hundred days in Outerica's time. Although the outcome seemed to be somewhat different from what I had originally desired, I had nonetheless achieved my goal. The 'Mutation' skill, which allows evolution through external genes, was, strictly speaking, not much different from their intentions.
'And gaining 'Regeneration' in the process was an unexpected benefit.'
This was probably caused by transfusing blood from monsters with extraordinary regenerative abilities for the experiment. It was the first achievement after acquiring 'Mutation.'
But there was more good news.
[Your unique skill has grown, unlocking new potential. The number of avatars you can possess has increased.]
This meant I could create one more avatar.
'Hmm... This was truly unexpected.'
Until now, the increase in the number of avatars had only been possible through enhancements from the Karma Shop. This was the first time that the number of avatars had increased through natural growth.
'There have been minor growths before, but this time it seems to have crossed some threshold.'
Indeed, it was about time for some significant result to emerge as the growth metrics had been accumulating. The possibility of rapid enhancement through the Karma Shop implied that similar results could eventually be achieved through natural growth.
'A fifth avatar... Just when I've gotten Halli to be useful.'
Now was the time to consider how to utilize the new avatar. Of course, this was a pleasant dilemma, unlike before.
***
Four months after Heinrich became a Paladin.
His current assignment was in the Glorious Guardian Order, tasked with protecting the interior of the Rosellia Grand Temple. This position was reserved for Paladins with high levels of divine power and proven faith. Heinrich was allowed to join as part of his training, thanks to the higher-ups noticing his potential. His divine power had grown steadily and was now in the upper ranks, even among the high priests.
His guide in this new role was Lady Lyrin, a blue-haired female Paladin and member of the Glorious Guardians.
"Internal security isn't much different from other assignments. As you know from your previous experience, there are multiple layers of defense from the outside. Plus, this is where the Knights Commanders and Archbishops stay..."
And deeper inside, there were the Saintess, the Cardinal, and even the Pope. Of course, they wouldn't normally need to take action themselves.
'Except for the Saintess who wanders about.'
"Still, guarding is essential. Especially at the key points leading to crucial areas, we need to make sure no one accidentally or intentionally enters."
"What kind of places are these key points?"
Heinrich asked Lyrin, who was leading him. These were likely to be the residences of high-ranking officials or secret vaults, but he wanted confirmation.
It was a question asked without much thought, but Lyrin looked at Heinrich, pondering, with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmm... With your level of divine power, it should be fine... But rules are rules. Please, follow me."
She led him to a secluded part of the grand temple, a place Heinrich had never been to before. It was a rarely frequented area, and precisely, a place that didn't require guarding.
Knock knock
"We're from the Glorious Guardians. A newcomer is here for the oath."
After a light knock, the door slid open. A man dressed in black priest robes, with a hood and a mask covering his mouth, came out and quietly led them inside.
'Inquisitor.'
Following the silent man through a corridor that felt somewhat dark, they entered a room without windows.
"Sit in front of that person and read the document on the table."
In the room, there was a document on a table, and an inquisitor was sitting on the opposite chair. Heinrich cautiously took a seat and began to read the document titled 'Glorious Guardians', which appeared to be a standard security oath, promising to maintain confidentiality about any information learned during his duties.
Just as he was about to read it out loud,
Swoosh
The inquisitor sitting in front raised a hand and placed it on Heinrich's forehead. Startled by the sudden action, Heinrich flinched momentarily but continued, trying to act unaffected.
"...and thus, I swear to maintain silence under any circumstances."
After the reading of the document was finished, the hand placed on Heinrich's forehead emitted a burst of divine power.
"......"
"......?"
Then, the inquisitor quietly withdrew his hand without uttering a word.
"It's done. Let's leave."
As Heinrich followed Lyrin back outside, he never heard any other voices aside from theirs.
"Is it always that quiet in there?"
"Hmm, it's better if you don't have to hear anything in the future. If they speak, it usually means the situation is not good."
He didn't need to ask what that 'not good' situation entailed.
"So, what did they do? A curse to prevent me from disclosing secrets?"
"Ha... a curse? It's a blessing. The Blessing of Silence. Its effect is to prevent you, whether willingly or not, from divulging certain information. Impressive, right?"
That's basically a curse!
Except that it was based on divine power, it wasn't much different from any other curse.
'But since it's called a blessing, I guess there won't be any harsh effects like exploding heads, right?'
"Haah... So, what's so important about this key location that it requires the 'Blessing of Silence'?"
"Just wait a bit. I'm also under the silence effect, so I can only reveal it following certain procedures. It won't take long."
The wait certainly wasn't short. But the information Heinrich eventually learned made him fully understand why they took security so seriously.
"...... The important ceremonies that take place must not be disturbed. And the residence of the Saintess is......"
The dwellings of high officials or secret vaults paled in comparison.
"Lastly, there's something you must know."
In a deep, secret place within the Order...
"In the event of an emergency, there is a place you must protect with your life."
That 'thing'...
"The last fragment of the Immortal King..."
Compared to the fact that it was sealed within the Rosellia Grand Temple.