Rampage — Part 2
“The Great Mother’s blood?”
Grizzly Bear’s face contorted with reluctance.
It was understandable—such a precious substance, the blood of a god, was not something taken lightly.
But there was no need for me to persuade him.
The branch that had hovered over Skeleton Snake earlier swayed gently, producing a clear sound.
The leaves folded inward, forming small cups, and fell.
Two leaves.
Each held a clear, radiant liquid, glowing faintly as they floated midair with a soft ringing sound.
“Great Mother…”
Grizzly Bear reverently received the leaves, his expression filled with guilt.
The liquid inside the leaves was none other than the blood of the Tree Mother—a sap so pure and crystalline it resembled tears.
Even from a distance, its profound fragrance tickled my nose.
Grizzly Bear handed the leaves to me.
“Please, make this work. For the Great Mother to make such a sacrifice… as her priest, I feel utterly ashamed.”
“I will do my best.”
“That’s all I ask. Just do your best.”
Not long after, the hunters arrived en masse.
They had all disarmed themselves and were looking around curiously.
“This isn’t what I imagined.”
“So, this is that mon—uh, Hope Village?”
At the forefront stood the Association President.
His face was still round, and his forehead was even shinier than before. He looked like he’d aged ten years in a single day—probably from stress.
When he spotted me, his expression brightened, and he rushed over.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster! You called for me?”
“Yes. Thank you for coming.”
I began pulling out items from my golf bag.
A space as vast as a car trunk.
Among the tools I always carried with me were my crafting materials, including alchemical tools, syringes, and glass bottles.
“President, you used to be a sniper, right? I need you to donate some blood.”
“What? Blood donation?”
“It’s urgent. I’ll explain later. Just give me some blood for now. Oh, and I’ll need lubricant and mana fluid from your prosthetic hand too.”
“Uh… Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
I gave him a meaningful look.
A look that said, This will be worth your while.
The President caught on and extended his right hand.
Click.
He twisted his prosthetic hand and adjusted it in several places, revealing a small opening.
From it, black lubricant and transparent mana fluid dripped out.
I collected them all in a glass vial.
After that, I inserted a syringe into his other arm and drew blood, completing the task.
“I’ll need blood from the rest of you as well.”
“Huh? Us too?”
“What’s this about…?”
“If anyone else had asked, we would’ve refused. But since it’s you…”
I collected blood, oil, and mana fluid from the hunters.
Only the enhanced ones, whether they were bio-mutant enhanced or prosthetic-enhanced.
While doing this, I used my [Meditation] Trait to sift through my memories.
‘It’d be ideal if I had a radioactive mutant.’
As I mentioned earlier, there are three ways to treat a mutant.
Two of those methods require parts from a radioactive mutant.
The third method hinges on how to substitute those parts.
That’s why I needed three specific components:
A part of a mana mutant’s body.
A part of a superhuman’s body.
A part of a transcendent being’s body.
In essence, the part from a transcendent being was used to compensate for the missing elements.
“Grizzly Bear, I’ll need a little of your blood too.”
“Me? Fine, here it is.”
“I’ll need some from the others too, but not too much. 100cc per person will be enough.”
“How many people need to donate?”
“As many as possible. But don’t overdo it—just one from each mutation type should suffice.”
The mutants gathered around, offering their blood.
Their willingness was so overwhelming that my ears hurt from their shouting for me to take more.
I had a large glass container brought over to separate the superhumans’ fluids from the mutants’ blood. Mixing them produced a cloudy, horrifying liquid.
There was so much that, even with only 100cc from each person, the total volume exceeded 10,000cc.
Enough to fill and overflow a bathtub.
“Do you have a magical bathtub? One large enough to fit a person?”
“I do! I’ve got one at my house! Want me to grab it?”
“Please do.”
Thunder sprinted off and returned with a magical bathtub as if he were flying.
It was the same model I had back at my place.
Do electric mutants take baths?
Suppressing my curiosity, I poured in the three types of enhanced fluids and the mutants’ blood.
Next, I activated the heating function.
As the mixture boiled, it emitted an awful, grotesque stench that filled the entire area.
“Ugh!”
“W-What is that smell…?”
Even the hunters, and the mutants with their distorted senses, couldn’t stand it.
They pinched their noses and stepped back.
Watching them, I issued a warning.
“I have to inform you. From this point on, I’ll be performing a very dangerous procedure. There’s a high chance of a mana overload, which could result in a mana core explosion.”
“M-Mana overload?”
“A mana core explosion!”
“I’d prefer to do this in a quiet place, but there’s no time. Grizzly Bear, please ask the Great Mother for her blessing. And President?”
“Yes?”
“If you’re willing to take the risk, I’d like you to stay and help. I won’t hold it against you if you leave, but your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”
The hunters exchanged uneasy glances.
It was an overwhelming situation for them.
Being summoned to Monster Village was already a shock, and now they were hearing about the possibility of a mana core explosion.
The President hesitated, his eyes wavering.
But when I locked eyes with him, he steeled himself and nodded.
“Of course, I’ll help. If it’s a request from you, Black Tiger Swordmaster, it’s as good as done. And besides, what’s important to you is important to our association as well. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
“Ahem!”
“If the Black Tiger Swordmaster is behind this…”
“Our Director, after all! Our Director!”
“No way he’d ask us to do anything that’d harm us.”
Though hesitant, the hunters chose to stay.
Half of them were hoping for the best. The other half just wanted to curry favor with me.
As expected, reputation truly matters.
If I weren’t the Black Tiger Swordmaster or an honorary director, would even half of them have stayed?
Most of them would have fled, deeming it too dangerous.
“So, what do we need to do?”
“It’s simple. All the superhumans here, please release your mana waves. You don’t need to do anything complicated—just raise your mana waves to their maximum and let them flow into the magical bathtub over there.”
“You mean infuse it?”
“No, not infuse—manifest. Manifest your mana waves. Like when you retreat from a beast while trying to intimidate it. Just like that.”
“Understood. That’s not too hard.”
“I also need the mutants of Hope Village to help. I’ll need mutant mana waves as well.”
“Got it.”
Mana waves weren’t a direct material needed for the procedure.
Instead, they significantly influenced the success rate.
This was the reason I was conducting the procedure here.
With the Tree Goddess’s blessing, combined with the mana waves of the superhumans and mutants, I estimated the success rate would increase from 10% to at least 25%.
‘Even if it explodes, the Great Mother should be able to handle it somehow.’
Let’s begin.
I added mutant mugwort and mutant garlic to the bathtub.
The boiling liquid thickened even more.
When I added the 100 Level 0 mana cores, the mixture began to emit an eerie glow.
Then came the spirit powder, the Reaper’s hair, the Angel’s Tear, and the demon saliva. The liquid transformed into something resembling molten lava from hell—an unholy mix of pitch black and blood red, looking like an amorphous monster in liquid form.
“Hoo…”
Only two ingredients remained: the Elixir and the Tree Goddess’s blood.
First, I consumed one drop of the Tree Goddess’s blood.
The liquid, so pure it felt like ice, washed down my throat, cleansing my stomach and coursing through my body until it reached my heart. From there, it spread throughout my entire being.
My mind ascended to a state of serenity, and a gentle warmth ignited within me.
From that warmth, a new power emerged.
It was an entirely new kind of energy.
[Divine Power]
A radiant light spread behind me like a halo.
With it came a new Trait.
[Holy Radiance]
To put it simply, it was akin to a Holy Weapon.
It seemed that because I was a warrior-type superhumans, I had awakened [Holy Radiance].
When warrior-class individuals gained divine power, they would typically also acquire either [Holy Radiance] or [Light’s Glory].
‘So, this is how it comes.’
I hadn’t even considered a Paladin build, but this was a pleasant surprise.
Having another power couldn’t hurt.
I focused the [Holy Radiance] in both hands and directed my gaze toward Skeleton Snake.
The cracks in her heart were deepening.
If I delayed any longer, it would become irreparable.
“Someone with telekinesis, please move Skeleton Snake into the bathtub. But don’t touch her directly.”
“I’ll do it.”
A small, stocky owl-like mutant with eyebrows as long as a mustache extended his hand.
This was Secret Owl—a rare mage-type mutant.
Skeleton Snake floated gently into the air, as though cradled like a baby. Carefully, she was lowered into the bathtub with a soft splash.
“Aaaargh!”
A scream erupted.
The monster within the bathtub seemed to devour Skeleton Snake.
It gnawed on her hand bones like a beast, swallowed her foot bones like a serpent, and even left bite marks on her heart and skull.
Grizzly Bear stomped the ground anxiously.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster! Do something!”
“Please be quiet. I need to focus.”
“H-Hurry!”
“If you shake the bathtub and spill the mixture, Skeleton Snake will die.”
At my sharp reprimand, Grizzly Bear finally fell silent.
I removed the Aegis shield from my arm.
Instead of equipping it, I held it in my left hand while grasping Mjolnir in my right.
[Divine Power], [Holy Radiance], [Empathic Vision]
These three Traits were the core.
And from here…
[Meditation], [Focus], [Mana Stabilization]
I delved deep into myself.
Into my core.
And into the sacred relics I held in my hands.
I forgot about the urgent situation.
I forgot about Grizzly Bear pounding his chest beside me and the Association President nervously pacing.
My entire being was devoted solely to myself and my soul-bound companions.
To the electrifying power of lightning and the majestic strength of the earth.
Then, I heard the whispers.
Voices that no human language could describe.
A grand, electrifying voice.
A warm, heavy voice.
Flash!
A burst of light.
Mjolnir, no longer just a hammer, flared into a mass of lightning. The Aegis, no longer merely a shield, transformed into an Earth Shield that stood as an unshakable fortress.
And then I felt it.
Two gazes.
One gaze looking down at me from the heavens.
Another gaze supporting me from below.
I quietly opened my eyes.
I couldn’t look directly at the gazes.
I was too unworthy for that.
My soul, my body, my very being were far too insignificant to meet their gaze.
But this much was enough.
The two presences.
The two divine beings.
They had nodded faintly in approval.
BOOOOM!
A deafening roar.
I barely snapped out of the trance.
The overwhelming presence that had filled the world vanished.
Yet the crackling lightning in the air and the trembling ground announced that what had just transpired was no dream.
[Divine Relic]
Even this Trait couldn’t fully encapsulate what I was experiencing.
I felt omnipotent.
I felt as though I could defeat even a Level 7 superhumans with ease.
Massacre Empress?
Let her come.
I’d utterly destroy her.
Why?
Because of three extraordinary blessings that now enveloped me.
[Blessing of Thor]
[Blessing of Gaia]
[Blessing of the Tree Mother]
This was something that could never happen in the game.
In Arcane Seoul’s lore, the seven major religions’ gods would never grant their blessings to the same person.
But this time, it had been possible.
Because the Tree Mother had allowed the other gods to touch her domain.
“Thank you.”
The Tree Mother truly was a giving tree.
Not only had she bestowed her precious drops of blood, but she had also permitted two other gods to intervene in her sanctuary.
Now, there was no chance of failure.
With the blessings of three gods combined, the probability modifiers were breaking through the system itself, ascending beyond its limits.
I bowed my head briefly in reverence and stretched out my arms.
Aegis and Mjolnir shot forth.
Aegis plunged into the ground.
Mjolnir soared into the sky.
I moved my hands as though grasping something from afar.
My left hand opened wide like a cloth being unfurled, while my right hand clenched into a tight fist.
Then, I struck downward.
Boom!
Lightning descended.
The pure thunderbolt of a god crashed down with divine authority.
And beneath it stood the godly earth.
It was as if Thor was hammering, and Gaia was acting as the anvil.
The collision of divine lightning and the divine earth created a shockwave that instantly transformed the very composition of the liquid in the bathtub.
“Aaaargh!”
A scream erupted.
The monstrous liquid twisted and writhed, overlaying itself onto Skeleton Snake.
“Huh?”
“What the…?”
The mutants watching let out strange noises.
“Oh my…”
“Holy hell.”
The hunters couldn’t tell whether they were in awe or despair as they murmured under their breath.
One strike wasn’t enough, though, was it?
I moved Mjolnir and Aegis once more.
Crack-boom!
Another transformation.
Crack-boom!
And again.
Crack-boom!
Again, and again, and again.
I struck repeatedly.
The radiance born from the collision of divine lightning and divine earth spread far beyond the horizon.
Across the entirety of South Korea.
Perhaps even to the opposite side of the Earth, breaking the laws of physics to be observed as a miracle.
I hammered on, silently.
My [Crafting] Trait fully activated, complementing my efforts.
At last, I poured the Elixir into the mixture.
It was complete.
My life’s masterpiece.
Perhaps the pinnacle of my [Crafting] Trait.
A mutation of a mutant.
“A…”
“Snake…”
“Ha… incredible.”
“I-Is this even possible?”
The monstrous liquid that had once filled the bathtub was gone.
In its place, only one thing remained.
A woman with skin as pure as white jade.
Apart from the lack of a navel, she appeared entirely human.
“Mmm…”
The woman opened her eyes.
Not the eyes of an ordinary human, but a pair of crimson orbs that glowed ominously.
And yet, this only made her seem more human.
Many superhumans bore such eyes after all.
“Is this… heaven? I thought I’d end up in hell.”
The woman, Skeleton Snake, fixed her gaze.
On her own hands.
She stared in disbelief for a long time before running her hands over her body.
Her soft, smooth body.
No longer the skeletal frame of an undead, but a true human body.
“This… this isn’t a dream, is it?”
“Snake!”
“Thank goodness. Oh, thank goodness…”
“You damn woman! You had us so worried!”
Grizzly Bear ran toward her, crying.
Skeleton Snake instinctively tried to avoid him, twisting her body.
But her newly crafted body didn’t move as she intended.
Her feet tangled, her body wobbled, and she fell back into the bathtub.
“Ugh! Uuuugh!”
To make matters worse, she began to gag violently.
Grizzly Bear, startled, leaned over to check on her.
“Hey! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Black Tiger Swordmaster, this isn’t some kind of mistake, right?”
Before I could answer, Skeleton Snake responded first.
“Bleeeagh!”
She bent over, vomiting violently.
Amidst the transparent bile, something sparkling flew out.
Skeleton Snake grabbed it with a confused expression.
“Why is this…”
A ring.
A plain-looking gold ring.
But the moment I saw it, my fists clenched reflexively.
Because that was the item.
The treasure that appeared at the end of Skeleton Snake’s personal quest.
[SSR Prophet’s Ring]
The very item that Teacher Lee Jiham had embedded into Skeleton Snake’s heart.
The source of Skeleton Snake’s longevity, allowing her to live for over two hundred years.
An SSR-grade ring with such remarkable performance that it was one of the most sought-after treasures in Arcane Seoul.
A ring that could never be obtained by killing Skeleton Snake.
And now, it sparkled right before my eyes.
–TL Notes–
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Nice nice nice
Nice chapter