Zero Fate Against the World (New Version)

I ended up cutting the chapter... Again... 

It had to be done. 

Enjoy! 6.7K words long.

Like before, possible minor mistakes here and there. Do remember some of these chapters are old and are being rewritten. While much of them are congruent, everything that was rewritten is subjected to my monkey hands and patience.

Minor errors are easy to fix, sentence structuring... May need someone to come and point it out to me later.

Will fix everything over time!

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…

/Shuaaa…/

Deep inside the forest, Philip stepped out of a door made out of mist.

Behind him, a faint pale figure could be seen hiding in the misty world, holding the door open for him to cross.

Once he stepped outside, the door closed behind him, and the misty world vanished.

"Let's see…"

'This was the deepest I've ever scouted. From here on out, it is unknown territory.'

"But really… this place is so absurdly big. This garden alone could be taken as a state in a large country if not larger, a pain in the ass to walk through."

"From the thick forests to its inhabitants, not to mention the insects flying everywhere. Some are as big as my palm."

"I hate this place."

'I am not afraid of these little bugs, but that doesn't mean I am fine with a centipede the size of my arm crawling on my back.'

"Either way, I should be far away enough…"

Philip remembered Dae's words as he pulled his sleeves: 

'I need to kill as many of them as possible in the shortest amount of time. Or disrupt them so the crown can take care of the rest.'

'This means…'

Philip smiled.

'I was tense after this past month and needed of blow off some steam, even more after today. All that pain I felt... Needs to be directed elsewhere.'

'I also need to see how much I've improved. Eager even... But at the same time, scouting comes first.'

'The more I know, the better.'

'It's not that I don't trust Dae's words, its just that whatever he told me is just context, I need to learn the rest myself if I want to make the most out of this situation.'

In preparation for his journey, Philip took several items from his inventory…

First, his favorite sword, the Darklight blade.

/Gleem…/

It shone faintly under the sun as if eager to venture forth into another adventure. 

Next, he took out a set of clothes he hadn't used in a while. A series of dark, leathery robes that concealed what lay underneath.

Metal and other materials had been embedded into the leather, making it all seem quite heavy, offering it greater protection while not limiting mobility.

[Nightmare Hunter Set +10

How deranged does a person need to be to skin a Great One, and turn it into armor? To some, it was the focus of their beliefs and studies, to others, just another line to cross on a long list…

Valuable and rare minerals were used to make this armor, binding together the insanity of its creation.

Despite looking as if made out of leather, the armor actually contains multiple layers of metallic alloys hidden over several portions of its layout, spread out in a way that does not compromise mobility.

However, this makes the armor incredibly heavy… Any mortal man would find it hard to even move while wearing it.

Maybe it was a form of provocation or critique, but in the end, maybe it's best that its maker's intentions remained cryptic.

A proper set of clothes for the Terrific and thankless task of slaying a Nightmare.

Inside its hat, a phrase weaved in golden threats could be read: "If you are going to die, might as well do it in style?" 

]

'I didn't dare to take this out during training, fearing the consequences of exposing others to it. I only cleaned it as I did for everything else inside my inventory.'

He put the armor on, noticing the changes almost immediately.

'It was once heavy, but its weight and the words on the hat helped me remember that I was still alive… Now it feels more like I'm wearing a thick best than anything.'

'Not heavy, a little cumbersome, but I guess anything would be cumbersome compared to the thin, high-quality silk clothes the royals gave us.'

'I stole a few of them, hehe… Dae disenchanted them so I could use them outside. As if I would throw away the highest quality pajamas I ever had.'

To finish it off, Philip strapped his pistol to his waist, tapping it lightly with a faint smile.

"I'm uncertain if I'll even need it, but better be prepared than to lose a finger."

'I used to have the habit of going for my waist whenever I got surprised. I'm thankful to have lost it thanks to Berinou's 'training'… But it wasn't easy.'

She had to beat him into forgetting that… He'd never admit to it.

"Hopefully, I'm not too rusty. Barely had the time to train it at all."

Once he finished, he opened his Secondary Inventory for one last look:

[

Name: Philip Vinten1

Class: Old Hunter

Subclass: Military veteran

Insight: 26

Blood echoes: 22376920 (707617 for next Level)

Level 278

Vitality: 99

Endurance: 90

Strength: 99

Skill: 90

Bloodtinge: 50

Arcane: 40

…

]

"One last thing before I move on…"

'I held back on spending those blood echoes, and before I thought about using them to upgrade Messenger Shop to a higher Level… But in the end, I left it as it was.'

'However, I don't know what'll be waiting for me out there… Now's the time to spend them.'

He spent as much of them as he could, but in the end, it was far from enough:

[...

Blood echoes: 154888 (898615 for next Level)

Level 306

Vitality: 99

Endurance: 99

Strength: 99

Skill: 99

Bloodtinge: 50

Arcane: 50

…

]

"Not even close… I need around 98 more Levels…"

'How much even is that?... Fifty… Eighty… I'd likely need over a hundred Million Echoes for that…'1

'Even if I assume I can target creatures worth one thousand Echoes, I would need to take out one hundred times that… Far too unrealistic given the time I have left.'

'But even if I aim for stronger ones, the numbers would still be in the thousands.'

'... Let's just hope those Orcs are valuable…'

Fully equipped and with all of his items ready. Philip made his way deeper into the forest. 

He soon turned into mist as he disappeared amidst the trees. 

…

/CLANG!/

/CLING!/

Deep in the forest, near the foot of the mountains, a large settlement of Orcs could be seen in an open field. 

Large creatures over three meters tall on average, humanoid, and with grey skin.

They lived in a large village with high wooden walls. However, a closer look would show that it wasn't exactly meant solely as housing.

Strategic, reinforced towers, armed soldiers, everything was far beyond what the Crown knew.

'Walls, motes, they have it all. Rudimentary at best, however…'

"This won't stop anyone. Maybe a traditional soldier or the likes of the Heroes, but the Knights?... One of them would be enough to take this all down."

'Maybe that's exactly what they're after, though?... But the reports I read told me the Orcs were meant to live in walled Villages at best. This goes far beyond that. Even if it matters little at the end of the day.'

'As expected, they're organized. Someone's giving them orders.'

Philip continued to scout, counting dozens of Orcs all around the place. However, he noticed something odd. 

Most of them were males with no females in sight. However, small orcs could be seen from time to time. 

And despite their defenses, most of them lived in primitive huts made out of straw and mud…

To pass time, most orcs fought against each other in a rather tribalistic manner in several rings scattered around the area.

Very few would do something else like smithing and tailoring, and those Orcs were clearly in a better situation, having better housing and clothing. Separated from the rabble. 

As for the rest, they only wore thin strips of cloth around their waists… 

"Hm…"

'Something's missing here. There is a clear hierarchy in place, but I'm pretty sure Wild Orcs don't do that at all.'

'... It could be a coincidence, but the Orcs in better conditions are all, without exception, doing some kind of job that requires skill or intelligence.'

'Could it be…'

"Dae told me that the Orcs deployed here were all Wild Orcs..."

'There are two main types of Orcs, Wild and Social Orcs.'

'Social Orcs, also called High Orcs, are a race of Orcs that have developed acute mental cognition, allowing them to develop into a society no less complex than that of Humans.'

'Wild doesn't mean they live like tribes… They do in some cases, but that's another matter.'

'Wild Orcs are less intelligent and capable, being considered inferior by their other, more able, fellowmen. It would be like Humans looking at Neanderthals or something similar, albeit the difference between these guys and their counterparts is wider.'

'Wild Orcs have no rights and are akin to pests in this world. They were bred by the Royals to be killed by the Heroes like animals, so I shouldn't hold anything back, not when there are bigger things in the picture.'

'I'm not weak-minded to hesitate at committing such an act, albeit it depends on who you ask… But right now, something feels out of place.'

'Unless Wild Orcs are far more intelligent than I originally believed, there's something unusual afloat.'

"I just don't have much time to play around. I have to move deeper into the mountains and take down their Villages as I move."

"But I want to understand what's happening first before anything."

Philip approached the Village stealthy, without anyone noticing…

…

/Later…/

/Clang!/

/Swipe!/

/CLANG!/

"...?... !"

Later, in one of their many fighting pits, one of the clashing Tribal Orcs stopped fighting, looking around in distress as he felt something unusual.

A strange smell. One he couldn't recognize…

A dangerous smell… Like the beasts in the woods and mountains.

"Kik Ikik?" 

His opponent, however, remained there confused, looking around and searching for whatever had spooked his sparring mate.

"Kub…?"

Eventually, as he sniffed the air for confirmation, he shook his head with a grunt… It had definitely been a mistake. 

…

"..."

Meanwhile, Philip looked at them from afar, observing their clash from a distant tower.

'They have keen senses, but as expected, they're just wild Orcs.'

[Lv 14]

[Lv 11]

[Lv 17]

[Lv 10]

[Lv…]

Most of the Orcs were between Levels 10 and 20, which is quite something considering how hard it was for even a trained soldier to achieve within a few years. 

"I heard this generation was supposed to have been introduced ten or so years ago. Considering how they've been here for that long with little to no formal training..."

'This shows how stronger Orcs are compared to normal Humans… Or that whoever's behind this has put quite some effort into thor grooming.'

Philip never underestimated his enemy, but seeing their levels did make him more comfortable. 

He already had a strong grasp of such levels thanks to his training, and while he didn't know how strong an elite was compared to an ordinary creature, he accepted his superiority to these simple beings.

But that didn't mean he let his guard down.

"I suppose I can't gain much from clashing with those fools… I must find their leader."

'The other Orcs working in forges and the like seem to be High Orcs. Strange... They weren't meant to be around, and this makes me suspect their leader will be one also.'

'If I can convince their leader not to move or just take him down, that should be enough to stop these Orcs from marching South.'

'From there, I suppose it wouldn't take long for the Crown to figure something wrong in this place. Not only due to my disappearance but due to Dae moving the strings from their backs as well… But this is the easy and peaceful way of doing things.'

'Not exactly my style.'

'I came here to grow stronger, and this will require… Sacrifices.'

Philip slowly turned to smoke as he vanished from the watchtower, the Orcs below never even realizing his presence.

…

/Moments later…/

"... The time is…"

"What time? Care to elaborate?"

"!!!"

Philip silently stepped inside a large tent at the center of the camp, standing face to face with a strong and burly Orc over three and a half meters tall.

This Orc wore full leather armor with clear colorful patches and animal skin on it, making him evidently different from the others.

He stood before a circular wooden table illuminated by rough torches, a large cleaver on the side as he benched over it, analyzing something.

[Lv 27]

His Level wasn't high, about double the average of the Orcs outside. But for all he knew, his strength was far higher than just that.

He could even be ten times as strong as any of the muscular Orcs outside, depending on his birth and training.

"Hm… So in the end, we've been found… He was right. There's no way we could match your kind's authority and come out unscathed."

The Orc's voice was deep but smooth. His speech so clear and concise that it greatly surprised Philip.

He knew High Orcs had their own languages just like them, so he never expected an Orc to master theirs... Not to this degree.

"You don't seem surprised." Philip pointed out as he rested his back on a wooden beam

"There's little to be… Now… Let's begin this." He said in a low tone as he reached for his cleaver

"I must perform that which was entrusted to me."

"... While I'm eager to fight, would you mind answering some questions?"

"I would."

Philip ignored him, saying:

"... I've heard Orcs have a clear social structure. High Orcs would never collude with Wild Orcs in ordinary situations due to their barbaric and untamed ways."

"It seems you know a little about our culture."

"I know a bit more than that. I also know that High Orcs have strong beliefs and honor, putting their rituals and traditions above all else."

"Some do. Unfortunately, beliefs and traditions do not put food on the table, and Honor does not protect our little ones from despair… Now, enough talking."

"Yes… I imagine you'd be more willing to talk if I beat you up first." He said out loud as he moved his wrists around, cracking them

/ROAAAAARRR!!!/

The large Orc wasted no time, swinging his cleaver with immense force at Philip as he screamed with enough might to push his clothes back!

With the difference in their size, he believed this would be over in the blink of an eye!

/Clang!/

But showing his immense speed and skill, Philip pushed the cleaver aside with his left palm, causing it to land right beside him.

"!"

"Well, looks like you missed, friend…"

/ROAARR!/

/SMASH!/

The Orc was not perturbed, performing a mighty shoulder strike! Sending Philip flying outside the tent.

/Fwoosh… Land!/

As he landed with a simply twist of his body, Philip reached out to straighten his disorderly hair, disappointed:

"... Alright then, there goes plan A." 

/GROWL!/

/HOOOORN!/

As he said that, the entire village sprung up like a hive as a hundred Orcs gathered around him under the sound of a powerful horn.

/LAND!/

At the same time, the large Orc jumped from the tend, falling right before him as he pointed his cleaver at him.

"You said you wanted answers."

"I do. Are you ready to talk?"

"... You'll have to make me."

"Seems like we have a deal."

'His emotions are in disarray. As expected, he knows what's happening, but something seems to be on his mind. It's more than just pride.'

'Dae didn't have much to share regarding their situation. Heck, he didn't even know there were High Orcs around…'

'I suppose some things are beyond a Regressor's knowledge.'

'I suppose I'll just figure things out myself. Maybe it'll end up revealing something even he doesn't know… This could be fun.'

'My first, real adventure...'

/SLASH!/

The large Orc stepped forward, swinging his cleaver down with immense power, but rather than evading, Philip matched it with his own!

/CLANG!/

A powerful echo shook the land as the ground underneath him cracked.

/FWOOSH!/

/CLANG!/

/CLANG!/

Another strike followed by another, it was a battle of pure strikes!

The large Orc wound up his strikes one after the other in a constant flurry of attacks, and Philip received them without even moving from his spot.

Each time he struck down, the ground cracked further as he increased his strength, pushing Philip further and further down…

/ROAR!/

Finally, he lost his composure as he struck down with a faint, lifting Philip's blade up with a light swing as he was distracted before reaching closer for a quick swipe!

"You're not half bad…"

/CLANG!/

But despite that, Philip quickly recovered, deflecting his blade aside.

Unfortunately for the Orc, the difference in speed was significant!

Back on earth, his size, coupled with his enormous weapon, would've made his attacks more predictable for an experienced sword user, but in this world, with his superhuman speed, it would be hard for someone to even notice his strike by the time it reached them.

A true monster… But today, he met his match. Or rather… 

"Let's end this."

/SWING!/

Philip struck his blade forward, striking it against the cleaver…

/CRACK!/

"!!"

'My weapon…'

With a precise strike, a large chunk of it broke down, rendering it useless.

"A good weapon, but no matter how well you fight, there's just so much your poor edge can endure. You'd have better luck drilling stone with eggs than this." He added with a light smirk, albeit it couldn't be seen under his black mask

"... I've lost. And it wasn't even proper. You are mighty, foreigner."

"Strange of you to call me the foreigner, but no matter. Will you answer my questions?"

"... I shall…"

/ROAAARRR!!!/

At that moment, seeing the larger Orc concede defeat, some of the Wild Orcs began screaming loudly.

"Hm?..."

"They're rebelling. Wild Orcs follow a strict hierarchy, and now, I've proven unfit for my position…"

"They'll begin clashing with each othe,r and the strongest of them all will then challenge me, if he loses, I…"

"No need for the lengthy explanation. Just answer me one thing… Before they grow a little too rowdy:"

As Philip said that, the High Orc noticed the world around him grow slow, almost to a standstill.

"Why are you colluding with these Wild Orcs?"

"What… What sorcery is this?"

'My body's stiff, and I can hardly move it… No… I've grown slow, or rather… Has my mind scrapped my grasp?'

"I ask the questions here."

'Always wanted to say that.'

"Very well... It is within the victor's rights."

"Now speak, for a High Orc, you're way too far from home."

'Orcs live in the North. Some in large cities, others in villages, it mostly depends. But it doesn't change the fact he's far from home.'

/Inhale.../

The Orc took a deep breath, recounting their tale:

"Our... Our Tribe was denied its home… And we were given a choice by those who drove us out:"

"To fight for their cause, or to perish. Those that are here are those who chose to live."

Short and precise. Now, to explain it...

"We were sent to hidden homes in the cold mountains where few survived. There, those that survived the harsh environment, the strongest of us, were given instructions, taught things, and groomed into warriors before being sent across the mountains to the land you now see."

"Their deal was simple. Once the time came, we'd march South and drive out the Humans of this land. Once successful, this land would be ours, and if we accepted, we would also be allowed to return."

"... Really? That's all?"

He shook his head.

"Once we arrived, our orders were expanded. And the hierarchy built on the cold mountains spread as the stronger ones took charge and the weaker ones like me were sent here."

"In this land, we found these Barbarians. At first, we thought about culling them out, for life was difficult with so many around. However, an order from above, the strongest of us, spoke against the idea, and thus, we obeyed."

"He said that instead of spilling our Noble blood, we'd use those of lower birth and harvest the fruits of their efforts. Thus, we were sent into multiple encampments to dominate these mindless beasts and groom them into War weapons."

"I know little aside from that. My duty was to turn this once shabby Village into a fortress so others behind me could charge into the forests and plains beyond… However…"

"However?..."

'Urg… This isn't hard to do. Augmenting his Mental Power with mine is far more taxing than I thought… Why is this story taking so long?'

"I was told from the one highest amidst us all that the Humans beyond… Were far above us, and that victory… Was uncertain at best."

"..."

'Non-existent would be more precise.'

"He warned me about their visit. That we've been thrown between a conflict beyond the power of mere words to shield us."

"There was no guarantee of safety, and the promise of a homeland was hollow at best. However, if we turned around… We'd be faced with the mountains."

"Even if we crossed them, what guarantee is there that they wouldn't be there waiting for us? But beyond… Even if we tried to contact your kind and warn them about this ploy, would they grant us refuge and a safe return home?"

"In the end, between charging or exposing ourselves… We chose to charge ahead and fight."

"I see… It all makes sense now."

'So it seems the Prince, or rather, the forces under him, or maybe even both at once, employed actual High Orcs to command and train this army.'

'And since they look somewhat similar, even if the Crown later found out there were High Orcs here, what could they do? Complain?... This would only upset the other High Orcs and set their crosshairs on them.'

'This was just another bait in shark-infested waters… It looked like the Humans could explain themselves or raise suspicion on the subject, but any wrong move… And he would bite down at them.'

'And in a world where most would prefer to be against us than listen to reason, I suppose silence was the right answer. Thus, war imploded soon after.'

'The High Orcs were used to maximize damage to the Human Heroes, leveling the field.'

'... The image has been built, the puzzle pieces have fallen into place… Or so it seems.'

'I won't take things at face value just yet.'

"Alright… I have a proposal."

A ploy began forming in his mind…

"While representing them, I can't fully speak for the Humans beyond the border. Either way, I'd like to give you a way out."

"A way… Out?"

"Rather than charging to your deaths. I can clear the way for you… A passage back to the other side of the mountains."

"!!! Is such a thing even possible?"

"Yes. I know a way… The same one you lot used."

"But that way… Hum… I don't know… He always spoke about this being an impossibility… None can challenge his authority."

"Well, we can make it like this then… You can either die for nothing. Fall like a pawn… Or turn around and at least live a little longer."

"I'll clear the way till the mountains. From there, you're free to do as you wish… You'll even find others willing to fight alongside you."

'High Orcs aren't seen badly by other species, and the slaves shouldn't mistreat them if they're added onto their ranks as they cross the mountains. Rather, they should be welcomed instead.'

'Still, there must be something holding them all back… I can't see how these intelligent Orcs wouldn't have thought of just turning around and blitzing through everything in their path. I don't believe they would've had difficulty finding the hidden mountain camp and beating up everyone there.'

'There must be something stopping them from gathering up and performing an insurgence… Spies? Maybe… But even if there were, they're now long gone.'

'It'd be far too late for the Orcs to fight back now, given the time. I wouldn't be surprised if whoever's behind this had a contingency plan just in case they refused to strike down on time.'

'This just means that I'm on a tighter schedule. If I spend too much time here, I may be unable to flee from whatever they have in store in case their plan fails.'

"... To return… There's nothing I want most."

"..."

'I know, your emotions say as much… Actually, should I try influencing his emotions to make him easier to convince? No... To some degree, he's already under my influence. Otherwise, he wouldn't have revealed so much, even if he lost.'

'Actually, this could be a good time to use my other Title… But then again, a "strong first impression" can be negative too…'

"I can move… I've already been defeated; remaining has no further purpose."

"What about your mission?"

"I have failed, but it shall persist… Even without me here, the fort still stands."

"Can you convince your kin to do the same?"

"Maybe some, but few would think about betraying him."

"You've spoken of "him", several times. Who is this person?"

"The one above us. Our leader… Some may refer to him as Chieftain, but we do not see it as such. In simpler times, he'd simply be our "Farokrum"... Or in your language, something along the lines of a Village Chief, for that was what we were... Villagers."

"Most of us, at least. Some deeper down, brought after us, have proven to be extremely mighty. Alas, they all fell under his strength."

"I see… But if I give them a reason to return. I suppose things would solve themselves out?"

"I… I suppose so?..."

"Good. This matter is resolved."

'So long as I defeat their supreme commander, I could have the other troops condense in one place…'

"How do you communicate with your 'Farokrum'?"

"We send messengers through the plains, either by air or land, but at certain rare times, at the topmost of the mountain, a message through bonfires will be relayed, descending to us."

"There are more methods, but…"

"No, this much is enough."

'Even with all that, they've been hidden from the Crown's eyes... Sigh. Just how far has corruption gone? Light from the mountains would've been visible for several kilometers if the conditions were right...'

'Anyhow, the plan's set. I'll head to the central mountains and have him submit. From there, I can have all leaders receive the order to gather…'

"Hm… There's only one issue here… I can protect your kind due to their lower numbers, but the Wild Orcs…"

"Do what you must. We care little for what becomes of them. Most don't..."

"We already know of their inherent destiny, a cruel and bloody one but no less perverse than what we originally had in mind for them. For that, I have little to say, for it would be unbecoming."

Philip smiled, his worries gone.

"Then you better have your friends move away… Things will get a little… Hectic from here on out." He said as his eyes sharpened, sending shivers down the Orc's spine

'I'm no pacifist, and these Orcs are already crossed for death… That was why Dae gave me orders; he knew it must be done.'

'If not me, someone will!'

'I need to advance beyond. I can't let my emotions stop slowing down my progress…'

'I've done far worse to care about such now.'

"I… Shall…"

/Rise…/

Time slowly returned to its original pace…

/ROAAAAAARRRRRRRR/

The High Orc exclaimed loudly, bringing sudden silence to the whole camp.

"Kas Zas, Nil dagurythe! Xerfalaminil Farokrum'und!"

""!""

The High Orcs immediately realized what was going on while the Wild Orcs remained there, stunned.

[Western Continent Language Lv0 has activated]

"Hm…"

'I can't quite understand what he said, but I believe he's having them all return as per orders of their Farokrum… Good enough for me.'

The High Orcs were clearly slowly stepping out from the main circle of Wild Orcs, who didn't seem to care about their actions at all.

This left about just a little less than a hundred strong Orcs left, all prey… For him to hunt.

/ROAARR!/

But this silence lasted little, for the Wild Orcs soon began to lash out soon enough.

No matter how strong the High Orc's cry was, it mattered little if Philip, who defeated him, still remained among them.

He was the target of their attention, the foe they were meant to defeat if they wished to rise in position!

For Wild Orcs, a higher position meant better accommodations, food was hunted for you, and exclusive rights to females… Unfortunately, it seemed all had been moved away somewhere, but none seemed to care.

For all they knew, they were hidden by their chieftain, the High Orc.

Truly… Such pitiful beings…

"... From here on out, you must enact as you have spoken. Otherwise, we shall march and lay waste to whatever is in our path, regardless…"

"I understand. There is no need to repeat yourself."

"You all will only listen to this Farokrum. So I must prove myself before him to save you all from your own short-sightedness."

'Although this is more on the likes of making my job easier… I've seen his map, there's just no way I can physically move between hundreds of villages and take down every single Orc in them on time.'

'I have only a little over a day after all… That means I'd have to clean a village every few minutes or so. A bit too much even for me.'

"Hm… Maybe I could barely do it…"

/ROOOOOOOOOOAARR!!/

As he was distracted, a Wild Orc approached from his back, striking down at him with his large axe!

/BANG!/

""!""

Without turning around, Philip whipped out his gun and shot it backward, hitting the orc straight in the forehead.

"Oh… Shit. Old habits die hard…"

{+3567 Blood Echoes}

'Three thousand? This is better than I originally thought. This means that the total number of Orcs I have to kill to max out my Class is around… Thirty thousand?'

'Probably more around fifty thousand...'

'Well… Shit… Dae said the crown originally controlled ten thousand or so Orcs in the plains between the forests and mountains, so the Heroes had as many training partners as they wished.'

'And even if those reported numbers were on the low end due to corruption and ploys, I'd be surprised if it were anywhere close to half of that!'

/ROAAAARRR!!/

The other Orcs became even more restless as they saw their brethren be defeated. And at this moment, they all charged ahead with blood in their eyes, intending to claim Philip's head and prove their superiority!

"I… This makes the job easier… And messier."

'Looks like I'll be stopping by a river before meeting with the Princess… As always, I'll be having those little guys help me.'

/Fwoosh…/

Before they all arrived, Philip took a small brown pellet from his inventory and ate it in one go. 

"Hupp!" 

The world slowed down once more as Philip's body started to tremble…

His eyes reddened as his veins started to pop out of his skin. His muscles expanded, and his fingers grew a tiny bit sharper. 

He grew taller, stretching his robes, but they remained tightly clung to his body as if growing with him.

"Haaaa…"

Philip took a deep breath, exhaling a thick cloud of white mist as his body stopped transforming.

"What horrendous taste… My tongue's been spoiled by the Palace's food… Maybe I should've stolen some."

'Unfortunately, my Inventory doesn't work like that… Such unfairness!'

/CRACK!/

Philip cracked his neck as he turned it to the side, facing the incoming wave of beasts.

That's what they were. They may look more civilized than most, but wasn't a madstruck man just the same? He'd even say they were harder to kill as it tugged harder on his consciousness…

That is, if he even had one after everything he went through… 

"Maybe I'll have the chance to review their recipe…"

[Enhanced Crimson Beast Blood Pallet

Large medicinal pellets, supposedly formed of coagulated beast blood. Banned by the Healing Church due to their unclear origin. Grants a spurt of beasthood.

This is a Pallet made from the elusive blood of a Crimson Beast.

The original prescription was further enhanced by a half-mad Hunter who had a resilient mind; it lasted way longer and provided far greater strength at the cost of heightening one's chances of falling into beasthood.

Ripping apart the flesh of one's enemies and being rained upon by their splattering blood invigorates one's senses, feeding strength and euphoric feelings to one's transitioning mind.

It was a mystery as to what was passing in its creator's mind when this pill came into the world.

]

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

"Hoo… It feels… Even better than I thought."

'I haven't had the chance to test most of my old tools and items for the same reason I feared bringing out my robes… This could be a chance to reunite with them… And seeing just how this strengthened body fares against it all.'

"One last thing…"

[Activating Skill, Beastify Lv3]

/Crack…/

Under his robes, Philip's muscles began transforming at a rapid pace… Only to be suppressed by a stronger force.

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

[Apex Evolver has automatically activated] 

[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts, your limits widen, your potential increases]

[Skill, Beastify Lv3 -> Lv4]

"Hoo…"

'Interesting… Then how about this?...'

Philip felt his body grow stronger when put against the cursed blood. Could it be that such direct exposition could lead him to even greater heights?

It seemed possible, given it was a curse and to some degree, poison. One that, regardless of how great it grew, under the power of the System, would never corrupt his true body… Or so it seemed.

He knew he could push himself further, and he did.

[Activating Skill, Beastify Lv4]

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

[Apex Evolver has automatically activated] 

[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts, your limits widen, your potential increases]

[Skill, Beastify Lv4 -> Lv5]

'More. I can barely feel it.'

[Activating Skill, Beastify Lv5]

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

[Apex Evolver has automatically activated] 

[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts, your limits widen, your potential increases]

[Skill, Beastify Lv5 -> Lv6]

'More!'

[Activating Skill, Beastify Lv6]

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

[Apex Evolver has automatically activated] 

[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts, your limits widen, your potential increases]

[Skill, Beastify Lv6 -> Lv7]

'This is far from what I can do!'

/Crunk!.../

Philip's hurt suddenly twisted under the malevolent blood… His veins and arteries... Bloated.

[Skill, Beastify Lv7 strongly activates]

"!!"

Philip immediately realized something was wrong.

He had beckoned, and something… Replied.

He could feel it, beyond everything, the Orcs, the forests, the mountains… Something, for a moment…

/Sheen…/

But as soon as the feeling grew, the Darklight Sword responded, shining faintly in soothing purple… And the feeling… Went away.

[Castle Town ***** protects your mind, you have retained your sanity]

[Apex Evolver has automatically activated] 

[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts, your limits widen, your potential increases]

[Skill, Beastify Lv7 -> LvMax]

Philip's skin trembled, but it did not change.

His eyes grew red as green veins extended to his irises, turning them pale… But soon enough, they returned to their previous shape as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, the Orcs approached in slow motion, unaware of the transformations undergoing before them…

"Haaa…"

Philip exhaled another thick cloud of turbid white smoke, causing the air to shake due to its heat.

'I feel… Incredible.'

'But such power… Is not mine. I used it to grow even further, but in the end, this state… Does not belong to me.'

'Still… I have work to do.'

/Swing…/

Philip moved the Darklight sword before him, putting up a defensive stance as he waited for the Orcs to arrive.

And so they did, right into the tiger's maw.

…

/Sometime before…/

While Philip went through the forest, Dae went to the room where Petter was sleeping…

/SNOOOORE…/

There, he found Petter as he snored loudly with such power the very walls covered in moss and vines shook.

"..."

He looked at the snoring Petter and couldn't help but grimace as he slept in the thin futon. Where had he even taken such a thing from? Did he walk around with one in his inventory?...

He had to give it to him, on that department, he was more prepared then he was.

'I hope you are having some nice dreams since from today onwards, being awake will be no different from living a nightmare…'

/Grab…/

Dae returned to the other room and picked one of the bottles he used in his operation with Philip, it contained some resquices of some unusual dark liquid, ready to pour it inside Petter's mouth… When he suddenly stopped. 

With a faint smile, he put it aside before turning back to Petter, his arms crossed.

"No need to go so hard at the start..." 

/SMACK!/

That was when he took out a small piece of wood from nearby and smacked Peter's ass. 

"Eh?..." He said as he woke up groggily as he scratched his bum

"Wake up, we need to go back. Gather your stuff, and meet me in the main room."

"Yawnnn… What about Philip?" 

'This place isn't so bad; I had a nice nap for once…'

"Philip left while you were sleeping." 

"... Already, huh? Not even saying goodbye to his bro."

"He did say goodbye, but you were the one who slept like a freaking log." 

"Can I be blamed for that? As if I could stand there seeing you puncture Philip's body with needles for two hours in utter silence! No! It was worse than that… Those things were as thick as nails!"

"Enough with your nagging! We don't have time to waste!" 

"It's always about time… Speaking of that, what are we going to do now?" Petter asked as he stretched lightly

"... I'll tell you later. For now, just do as I told." He said before he left

'The first month has passed, but things have not even properly begun yet… I would say the first year is the most important one, but that is not entirely accurate.'

'It'll depend entirely on Philip's success and my actions.'

'However… In the end, I wasn't able to teach Philip much… I hope whatever I did for him was enough to aid him in his mission.'

"I hope my book is enough to make up for what was lost..."

'He will have to learn the rest on his own.'

Dae couldn't help but think of the original plan. 

'Things are drastically different from what we predicted… But some things are still within the parameters. It's just that they've been exaggerated a few times over… A few dozen…'

'Eridia's presence and the Artifact… Philip's fusion and manifestation of a Mental World… His Evolution and his successful operation… Together with the unique Skills he awakened… The future truly is unpredictable.'

'However, our actions this past month won't change the future much, so the original predictions are still applicable. I just have to consider the fact that our options may have increased given these changes.'

'With Philip out there, we will soon start to take the reins of the future. One step at a time…'

"If only I had more time…" He mumbled out loud as he shook his head

'I can't throw away another month to teach the rest to him personally… Not even a week. It would make the schedule too tight and complicated…'

'There aren't that many opportunities to have him escape into the world outside even in the next few months… But there is one thing I can say for certain.'

'What he accomplished this month was nothing short of a miracle.'

Dae took another look at his wristwatch…

"Five months?..."

'See you soon, bastard.'

'I will have a lot of things prepared till then… Including Petter.'

'I'll make him into the being he was always meant to be. More than just a Hero, he'll…'

"Hey, do we have a bathroom around? I really need to take a dump…"

"..."

Not long after, Petter's screams rang in the ruins… And with that, Dae extinguished the candles around them, leaving the underground church with Petter…

This would be their last time down there, and for a long time, they'd be the last to ever set foot upon it.

But that, was a story for another time. 

…

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Notes